Category: toddler

Vday Goodies for Girls

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, so I thought it’s a good a time as any to share some cute finds that channel lots of love, practicality and a whole lot of springtime, too.

Lambs & Ivy, Beaba, Children's Place, Ralph Lauren

A big fan of giving practical gifts in lieu of trinkets that will get sucked up by the vacuum, I wanted to spotlight a few of the many cool hot pink snack containers and bottles that are out right now.

  • Boon, always a forward-thinking baby gear company, makes a Snack Ball in a hot pink.
  • And the Kid Easy Squeeze Chopsticks from Fred, are an inspiration from a friend and reader whose boys love eating with chopsticks.  Utensils with little dudes on them=cute and practical gift ideas that will go beyond Valentine’s Day.
  • As a writer, I always have a notebook and pen handy. I think this sparkly heart notepad from Children’s Place is another fun inexpensive gift idea that’s practical and encourages creativity. Pair the notebook with a few cutesy pencils and erasers, and you have a cheap gift bag that will go on to get good use in class.
  • And the cupcake necklace? I’ll have a batch of real ones to go along with that too, please!
  • Want to find out more info about the other products? You can click on each item to get info via ShopStyle.

The Robot Book Reveals What Matters Most

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Even though I’m in the “Valentine’s Day is everyday” camp,  I can’t help but share some favorite goodies that celebrate all things heart-y.  While chocolates and candy are yummy treats, I can think of so many other ways to spread the love.

Books, even in the era of iPads, will always remain one of my favorite gift-giving ideas. With a love for robots, gear and gadgets, I think this book is a fun gift idea for our fellow robot fans.

The Robot Book by Heather Brown, a thoughtful and multi-faceted book about a robot, gets into the nuts and bolts of what matters most.  From page to page, the interactive book features working and moving gears, cogs, nuts, and bolts throughout the creative illustrations, leading to what makes robots tick.

All of the interactive components of the book, paired with a straightforward storyline, make The Robot Book a fun read for babies to big kids and robot enthusiasts alike.

Because of the kid’s love for robots, The Robot Book always finds its way into our bedtime storytime list.  We love turning the knobs and talking about how each part works together, which usually leads to more silly stories and laughs.  It’s a story that engages imagination, thoughtfulness and conveys a message that everyone should take to heart.

Check out the cool trailer after the jump.
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OshKosh Rolls out B’gosh Basics

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Purveyor of classic children’s clothing, OshKosh B’gosh has announced a new line of separates called B’gosh Basics.  The line that underscores the brand’s affordability factor features wardrobe staples in sizes ranging from babies to big boys and girls. Primary colors and solids dominate the B’gosh Basics line, but are complemented with bold colors like pink, green and orange.

With the mix and match options, B’gosh Basics add more versatility to school and play clothes.  The Basics adds a little flair with fun details such as the ruffled skirts and graphic prints.

OshKosh is one of our go-to brand for play clothes because of the low price point, yet durability.  The kid’s OshKosh sweat pants and t-shirts tend to get the most washed and worn, I do notice that some colors fade over time. (Then again, I’m sure that’s the case for many other brands, too.)  Overall, you can’t beat OshKosh’s prices and sales, and I’m sure the same goes for B’gosh Basics.

B’gosh Basics can be found online and at OshKosh stores.

Off Your Desk: New Service Helps Families Save Time and Money

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

From babies to big kids, for most of us, it seems one thing’s certain: at one point or another, we’ll end up at the doctor’s office with our kids. Kids get sick, adults get sick—we all get sick. And if you don’t? Well, lucky you :)

Insurance and health care is a hot button topic these days, but beyond the political firestorm, there’s a service that can help us navigate through the insurance paperwork that doctor visits often bring with them.

Did you know that 40 percent of health claims are mishandled or not fully reimbursed to the extent they should be by insurance companies? Also, consumers are paying out-of-pocket for an increasing proportion of their health care expenses. Off Your Desk is a new service helps individuals submit their insurance claims and makes sure that they get paid to the full extent that they deserve.

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Holly Robinson Peete to Host Webinar on Food Allergies

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Because allergies run rampant in our family, this topic has been on my radar well before I became a parent.  Once I became a mom, introducing food to the kid with the possibility of food allergies became an even bigger reality.  Aside from real-life experience by helping my younger brother cope with being “allergic to the world,” my husband and I researched to educate ourselves for the uncertainty of having a child with food sensitivities.

Amidst all the gatherings this time of year, it’s the parties and family events that can be a cause of concern for allergic reactions.  After being so cautious with anything new that the three year old has eaten, over Christmas, he had an allergic reaction after having some cashews.  Of course, the reaction happened the evening of the post-Christmas blizzard and weather conditions would have complicated everything.  Thankfully, the kid is at an age where he can verbally communicate with us now, and immediately told us that his tongue was itchy—a telltale sign of an allergic reaction, and something that I always remember my brother describing after eating various things he was allergic to, when we were kids.

Always reluctant to let the kid have nuts in anything, for some reason, I thought he would have been ok trying cashews for the first time that night.  I thought he was in the clear with any nut allergies, but I was wrong.

The kid’s hives, swollen lips and an itchy tongue was enough to remind us that not all foods are safe for our allergy-prone kid.  Thankfully, we had Children’s Benadryl onhand to remedy the situation and that it didn’t require a trip to the ER.  We learned from this terrifying situation and are grateful it didn’t transpire differently.

Because of our family’s allergies and my interest in sharing this sort of information to other parents, I will be logging into a video webinar on the topic tomorrow.

Super Bowl Sunday is the second biggest eating day of the year after Thanksgiving. Since severe allergic reactions to food send 90,000 people to the emergency room annually, TV personality Holly Robinson Peete of CBS’s The Talk (who is married to former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete) will be hosting an online video webinar about handling food allergy dangers at gatherings like Super Bowl parties. Nine out of 10 people say they will be attending one this year, according to a recent Nielsen survey.  Since Holly’s four children all have some kind of food allergy, she has plenty of expertise in this topic.

After the webinar, I’ll be one of a few bloggers who will ask Holly questions pertaining to allergies and her experience.  It’s always interesting to hear other parents shed light on issues that hit so close to home.  I’ll of course share Holly’s insight after the interview, but I’d also like to invite you to watch the online webinar.

Allergy Friendly Superbowl Webinar with Holly Robinson Peete

When: Tuesday, Feb. 1, at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT)

Where: Click this link
 to get to the webinar, where you will be able to watch Holly via live video feed: http://agencyroad.na4.acrobat.com/allergyfriendlysuperbowl/

Full disclosure: I am being compensated for my participation in this webinar and Q&A via TheMotherhood. The webinar is being sponsored by Dey Pharma L.P.  As always all opinions on NKT are my own.

Cooking Connections Launches Today

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

As you all know, food has become a significant part of my coverage on NKT.  The foods we eat and cook and the eating habits we display, ultimately, help our kids to make healthier choices.

For me, cooking resources on the internet and tv help me to navigate in the kitchen.  I’ve always been big on cooking, baking and eating, but online sites, magazines and shows underscore just how much I enjoy being in the kitchen.  I could seriously watch Food Network for hours and daydream about these professional cooks and chefs coming to my house to cook for me!  But good news, though these fantastic chefs can’t come to my house, but there are “real” parents who can—well, sort of!

TheMotherhood’s Cooking Connections, an awesome and innovative eight-week series of virtual cooking classes is launching today.  In this series of virtual cooking classes, “real” moms and dads will lead us in their kitchens, to help us learn more about topics relevant to parents.  The conversations, led by some of my favorite bloggers, will leverage social media outlets such as Twitter, Facebook and TheMotherhood.com.

Sponsored by ConAgra Foods, Cooking Connections is launching today, actually at 1:00 pm at the Blissdom Conference that’s going on right now in Nashville.

I love, love, love TheMotherhood and all the wonderful things that they’re doing around our community.  Cooking Connections will, no doubt, be just as successful as their other projects.  I’m excited to be participating in the cooking class that focuses on picky eaters.  “Placating Picky Eaters” will take place in a few weeks, and I’ll be sure to share more about it soon.  By the way, TheMotherhood, Emily McKhann and 77Kids by American Eagle got a nod in Forbes for the inspiring Do Good Day campaign that tapped bloggers around the country to pay it forward.

Join the conversation!  Want to learn more about Cooking Connections and/or register to participate?  Be sure to sign up here at TheMotherhood.

Check out Cooper and Emily’s announcement video for even more details!

Play Kitchens Promote Imagination and Creativity for Girls and Boys

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

I was planning on writing about something completely different today, and then I saw this question posed on Twitter:

I was caught off guard since my boy, like I’m sure many of yours, enjoys play cooking.  As we finish our remodel and completion of rooms, we’ve been on the hunt for a kitchen that’s “just right.”  But the reason I was caught off guard was, since when did imagination and creativity become a gender thing, because isn’t that what role playing, such as kitchen play, promotes?

Maybe it’s because I choose to ignore such conversations, but I never realized that play kitchens were considered “girl toys.” Quite honestly, I wish it didn’t have to be that way.  Ample research has revealed that exposing kids to the kitchen benefits them in the long run.  Whether it’s a play kitchen or a real kitchen, let the kids explore, learn and be creative.

Ever go to a toy store where the demo play kitchen is set up?  It never fails, the play kitchen, just like a real kitchen at family gatherings, has some sort of magnetic energy that lures people and kids.

While we’re at it, let’s talk kitchens.  Here are just a few kitchens that are perfect for cooking up a good (pretend) feast:

The Educo Gourmet Kitchen is made of wood with completely non-toxic, child-friendly paints and finishes.  I love that this kitchen features bright, bold and modern, a contrast from that gender-specific color palette.

The Deluxe Kitchen Play Centre from Melissa and Doug is the kitchen in question that always lures my kid in, whenever we visit our local toy boutique.  It’s made mostly of wood, features a myriad of controls, buttons, shelves and accoutrements.  Basically, like the marketing material implies, this kitchen has everything including the kitchen sink.

Another kitchen that’s made of wood that I love is the kid’s play kitchen from IKEA.  Like their furniture, it boast straight lines, euro design and most importantly, the kids love its “realistic” features.  Best aspect, though, is that its in the $100 range, with plenty of options to add personal touches.

Speaking of personal touches, what about DIY play kitchens?  I can’t think of a more sustainable option that involves interaction from parent and kids than creating a play kitchen from repurposed furniture.  This one, made by a set of grandparents, is probably my idea of the holy grail of DIY play kitchens.

Do you guys have any thoughts on kitchens? Any faves? Opposed or in favor of boys/girls playing in the kitchen?


Chuggington Celebrates One Year in U.S.

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Another train-centric show that we’ve been fans of since they chugged their way stateside, Chuggington, is celebrating its one-year anniversary since its U.S. debut!  I shared my initial thoughts of the show from the beginning and we’ve been tuning in ever since.

As a Chuggington Conductor, it’s been really fun checking out the latest and greatest products.  You think Chuggington had a good first year?  Well, this Ludorum property is riding the rails steadily, so much so, they’ve launched a slew of cool toys, books and games.  Be on the look out for my upcoming reviews and vlogs of the latest Chuggington goodies.  BTW, apparently, you guys are big fans of the Chuggington vlog I did on the roundhouse because it’s received over 6k views.

In the meantime, if you’re around in a few minutes, join us on at 1 p.m. for a Chuggington Twitter Party celebrating their one year milestone!  I hear there will be some cool surprises, so be sure to honk your horns!

Dinosaur Train Introduces New Episode and Giveaway

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

It’s a chugging kind of day; I’ve got lots of cool train-related news today.

To start off, Buddy and crew are welcoming the new year with a new Dinosaur Train episode.  The Jim Henson Company property that follows a Buddy the dinosaur, along with his family and friends on their train adventures, is chugging along with a new episode called “The Good Mom;” “Diamond Anniversary.”

In the new episode, Mrs. Pteranodon meets fellow mom Millie Maiasaura, who hovers a bit over her kids. The moms share some mothering methods in a play date at the Big Pond.  And, Mr. and Mrs. Pteranodon decide to surprise each other with gifts on their anniversary.

The new episode can be viewed on PBSkids.com, so be sure to check it out if you missed it.

As fans of both trains and dinosaurs, Dinosaur Train, which airs on PBS, is one of our all around favorites.  We’ve been tracking Dinosaur Train’s adventures way before the very first episode even aired.  Dinosaur Train has been so well received, like many popular shows, licensed toys and products have followed suit.  I love Learning Curve’s Dinosaur Train toys and can’t wait to see what’s up next toy-wise.

But toys aren’t the only Dinosaur Train products worth checking out:  There’s a new line of pjs that are now available at Kohl’s, ideal for this frigid weather.  The Dinosaur Train Striped Footed Pajamas feature a dinosaur appliques and a striped pattern, and I’ve got one to give away.

Giveaway

Would you like to win a size 3t Dinosaur Train Striped Footed Pajamas?  Just tell me why you and your kid(s) like the show and comment below.

Want additional entries?

Tweet about this giveaway and be sure to @jenrab

Follow The Jim Henson Company on Facebook and tell them The Next Kid Thing sent you.

Comment on the NKT FB post associated with this giveaway!

Share this giveaway on any social networking site.

Please comment below for all entries.  This giveaway will end 1/25 at 11:59 p.m. and is available for U.S. residents.  All giveaway winners will be contacted via email, so please be sure to include a valid email address.

KidFresh Frozen Meals: Convenient Deliciousness

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

An advocate for helping kids make healthier choices, as you know, I’m always on the hunt for good eats.  I’m not the biggest fan of “sneaking” veggies, making exclusive meals for kids, nor am I really a fan of overly processed food for kids.  But in reality, if it works, it works—especially if you’ve got a picky eater.

Time is of the essence for all families, which is why it’s always great to have easy meal options or frozen food onhand.  When you’re not feeling well, running late for that playdate or just don’t have the inspiration to cook, it’s nice to simplify life with a meal that takes little or no brainwork.  The problem with many of those frozen foods, however, are the sodium and preservative levels.

And then, there’s KidFresh.

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