droolicious : european design

Spa Baby Tub for Your Little Upright Citizen

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:00:00 GMT

One of only a few such European-inspired bathing gizmos we've seen, the Spa Baby Tub features a bucket-shaped design that allows wee ones to sit in a natural fetal position. You support baby's head, but nature and buoyancy do the harder work of keeping her at ease. (If only our grown-up tub could surround us with so much warm water..)

Oh, and unlike the $4 paint bucket you're about to pull out of the garage for the same purpose: Can't say we blame you, but it's worth noting that the polypropylene Spa Baby also arrives free of polycarbonate, BPA, paint and other potential health hazards.

$44.99 ($39.99 Canadian) from Spa Baby.

BiBaBath Converts Any Shower Into a Kiddie Tub

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:04:00 GMT

The U.K.-made BiBaBath unfolds into a two-seat tub that slides into most shower stalls and accommodates kiddoes up to age 7. And while the gizmo's $185 U.S. sticker price may seem a wee bit steep for a portable bathtub, the investment could be worth it if you're an apartment-dwelling family with only a shower to share.

The BiBaBath's aluminum frame collapses for easy storage, and even if you have your own bath at home, it seems like a handy way to keep a tub on-hand during travels. (All of the above, of course, could be said for a $10 Rubbermaid tub -- just saying...)

€ 139 -- order your own from BiBaBath online.

7 Days of Car Seats: Créatis.Fix by Bébé Confort

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:03:00 GMT

If you're determined to find a car seat that's designed to pass the most rigorous safety standards, you might want to look to Japan or Europe, both of which are more hardcore about car-seat safety than the U.S. And if you're looking for a safe, cozy seat that can pass tough EU standards without breaking your diminished American bank account, the Créatis.Fix from French company Bébé Confort (which landed four stars in European safety testing last year) makes a great starting point.

Suitable for birth to 12 months (0-13 kg, if you're weighing your kid on the metric system), the Créatis.Fix keeps baby cocooned and nestled in its soft padded interior, while a cushioned headrest offers head support and a removable booster-seat cushion allows you to situate smaller babies in a more ergonomic position. The seat's design and 3D mesh back also provide continuous air circulation to help keep baby dry, and when the interior and hood get too funky, you can remove both for machine-washing.

As for the seat's safety, its egg-like shell and dual plastic/polystyrene frame are designed to absorb significant impact, and it also packs additional reinforcement via supports on either side at head level. The seat also doubles as a carrier -- the unique handle even allows two people to carry it, if you and yours are so inclined -- and with the permanently installed Créatis.Base, snapping the seat in and out of your car can be done in a few quick moves.

Priced at £99.99 (a hair under $196 U.S.), Créatis.Fix is available for worldwide delivery from Babyworld.

DIY Dutch Ride-On Offers a Number of Ways to Moov Your Assets

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:02:00 GMT

No, that's not a new edition to the Erector Set you're seeing -- it's Moov, a new build-it-yourself ride-on from Dutch company Berg Toys, which is due for sale this summer in Europe. The core pieces are wood and plastic, and the foam seat makes for a cozy cushion, but the toy's real appeal is the number of different vehicles you can build from it. A great way to encourage your kids' inner engineer, as well as a fun way for kids and grown-ups to bond.

Want your own Moov? Book a ticket to the U.K., where it'll be available from June onward. As for the rest of the world, drop Berg a line for details on a possible global rollout.

Brave New Baby: The Mouse That Smiles Back

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:02:00 GMT

If you can think of a concept for computer mice, odds are Swiss manufacturer Pat Says Now has already rolled out a mouse for it, and while some of the company's mice skew toward grown-ups (particularly oversexed male soccer fans), it's also got a wonderful selection of kiddie clickers. Case in point: the optical F!sh Mouse, which, besides having a chunky shape that'll feel natural for little palms, will also keep snack time in the back of your kids' brains as they play online. Unfortunately, at $29.90 Euros direct from Pat (around 44 bucks American), the fun doesn't come cheap; you're better off Googling for a U.S. retailer to save a bit, as actual prices vary widely.