Battles with bedtime? With back to school routines in full swing, here’s a neat idea in teaching your tike time management. TimeBuddy lets you set multiple alarms for those important daily tasks. You can even record their name and personalized message. It comes with over a hundred activity sticker options to customize your clock’s face, helping little ones to identify with ease. Program in English, Spanish or French, $35 at www.golearntoys.com.
Just in time for back to school, these adorable lunch boxes from Frecklebox. No matter how unique your name, you can customize the spelling right when you order. Lots of cool styles to choose from. The cute clincher – a clever chalkboard interior that allows mom and dad to leave loving notes. Talk about a sweet personal touch! About $30 at www.frecklebox.com.
Stylish and smart, Bumble Bells are audible anklets that jingle with baby! Perfect for keeping track of emerging crawlers and walkers, they come in various styles and sizes to fit your growing child. They even have sizes and for older kiddos because let’s face it, they are just that cute to wear. Celebs like Gwen Stefani and Jessica Alba are fans! Prices start at $45 at www.bumblebells.com.
Green and rad, these water bottles by U-Turn 2 tap are a slick way to reduce waste. With original kid-friendly designs, reuse them during outdoor outings or include them in your lunch bag. Each bottle comes with a BPA free sports cap and stainless steel screw cap. Prices start at around $16 at www.uturn2tap.com.
Road trip with the kiddos? Connect this Belkin Rockstar to any portable DVD player and you have an instant movie experience, while mom and dad can jam to 80′s music up front. This multi-headphone splitter lets you plug in to 5 other headphones! Works great with iPods, MP3 players and other portable devices too – so the kids can opt to skip Mom’s “Best of Journey” car karaoke sessions. I know – the nerve! $20 at www.belkin.com.
Newbie moms and dads may love this! The Shutter Buddy is a snapshot sidekick to help you score that priceless shot. Since infants see bold, contrasting colors and patterns like black and white best, this attachment is a smart way to grab their attention. The Shutter Buddy attaches to most point and click cameras. It’s light and folds for compact storage. Happy snapping! $20 at amazon.com.
Perfect for work at home moms! This handy Office Wally is a slick way to have all your office and/or family needs at your fingertips. Sturdy pouches can hold everything from important folders and mail to phone, keys and glasses. The smart magnet whiteboard is perfect to jot down reminders and ideas. Personalize the clear sleeves with photos or kiddie art. $40 at www.kangaroom.com.
Here’s a gentle option for baby clothes and other delicate apparel! Soak is a rinse-free wash that cleans fabrics in as little as 15 minutes. Use it as a hand wash or in the washer (works in high efficiency models too) to clean your fine apparel items. Available in a variety of delicious scents (even scentless if you prefer) for about $16 depending where you buy. Learn more at www.soakwash.com.
For a family camping or beach trip, check out this cooler and stereo in one! The Lil’ Buddy by Burton has a built-in water resistant speakers complete with headphone jack to connect to your iPod, MP3 player, CD player and more! Lots of great styles to choose from, currently $60 at www.burton.com. Works with AA batteries. The stereo portion even detaches for an instant boom box!
Potty training? The Boon Training Toilet is a slick-looking, functional option. In addition to its drawer style potty catcher, it also has some side storage space for any needed must-haves. Love the built-in toilet paper holder too – smart! Close the lid and you have a sturdy stool as a perfect companion to wash hands and brush teeth. Available in blue and green, $35 at www.booninc.com.
