droolicious : kids

Hopping, Scooting Fun

Whit Honea — Wed, 13 May 2009 18:04:00 GMT

Does your kid like the hop and the scoot and the fun and the stuff? Hey, who doesn't?

Little Tikes understands this, and they threw in an ATV to boot. Introducing the Hop & Scoot ATV.

Here's how it works: Kid sits on ATV. Kid bounces on ATV. ATV scoots. That's right, we've got a ride happening here, people. This is pure wind in your hair.

My 3-year-old enjoyed it so much he's on the box. Literally. He's sitting on it. Coincidence?

Spread Heads for a Sickening Summer Cookout

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Vile, gross, repulsive, crass -- choose whatever adjective you like to describe Spread Heads condiment dispensers; it'll be just the reason your kids go gaga for the things.

Mustard Marvin (left) and Ketchup Charlie (right) twist onto their namesake condiment bottles, ready to hwarf out the burger toppings with every squeeze. They're normally $4.99 each, but during Spread Heads' Summer Cookout Special, you can pick up the set for $7.98 at Spread Heads. Happy eating!

Pink Axle - Between Rock and Your Soft Spot (That's Your Kid)

Whit Honea — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 14:02:00 GMT

Pink Axle calls itself "the sweet side of rock 'n roll couture" and believes that kids are just as individual as adults. True enough.

They make soft caps, keyword being 'soft,' for newborns through 4T with rocking themes like skulls, guitars, peace signs and smooches. It's rock 'n roll, baby.

Make your kid the rebel of the nursery.

Buy Pink Axle caps for $19.99 on their website.

Glow-in-the-Dark Train Set: Ready for Thomas' Area 51 Adventure

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:30:00 GMT

My eldest two boys outgrew their wooden train sets by age 5, but had this Glow-in-the-Dark Space Train Station been an option, I'm betting we could've gotten a good three years more out of their train table.

Featuring 100 pieces -- including dozens that glow when the lights are out -- the set is compatible with Brio and Thomas & Friends wooden train sets. Its aliens, rockets and UFO mother ship, however, open up play well beyond either of those franchise's terrestrial borders.

$99.99 from Organize.com.

Rescue Pets Let Kids be Heroes and/or Pet Owners

Whit Honea — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 13:03:00 GMT

Does your child have pet wishes unanswered? It happens.

Now is your chance to set things right. Kind of.

Rescue Pets allow children to adopt a plush pet and register them online. They also allow children to go above and beyond the typical role of pet owner and venture into the world of veterinary science. It's educational!

Warning - the animals actually whimper and whine and it's only sweet for about 20 seconds. Still, they're awfully cute when they're quite.

Be Wild in Stella Blu Clothing

Whit Honea — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 12:01:00 GMT

Stella Blu Clothing makes t-shirts and onesies for rocking kids. Their line is self-descirbed as boorish and rebellious, but in a good way, and we are inclined to agree.

The designs are full of confidence, imagination and expression, featuring rock motifs and classic tattoos in sizes ranging from newborn to 6x.

Check out the Stella Blu website and see some mischief on the kids for a change.

Make Cotton Candy from Non-Cotton Candy -- No Sugar Required

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:30:00 GMT

Let me back up: This curious little gizmo from Japan will spin up a fresh batch of cotton candy in no time, but this ain't your grandparents' spun sugar we're talking about.

Officially known as Ame de Wataame ("Cotton Candy from Candy"), the machine morphs the hard candy of your choice into cotton form, even if you prefer the sugar-free variety. Simply drop your candy into the top loader, turn on the heater, and let the sweet treat spin its way around your stick. (Gross double entendre not intended.)

Or, you know, drop $3 at the county fair for the same experience, minus the cleanup.

$198 from Japan Trend Shop.

LEGO Star Wars Visual Dictionary Leaving Hyperspace in September

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:30:00 GMT

Yeah, I've been on a bit of a Star Wars kick this week, but after stumbling across this upcoming LEGO Star Wars Visual Dictionary from DK, I can safely say this is the find that tops 'em all.

Even though the book isn't due in stores till Sept. 21, speculation, the DK name and a compelling description at its Amazon product page indicate that we'll have plenty of illuminating close-ups to look forward to when this visual guide arrives.

It's listed at $21.99, but Amazon is offering a Pre-Order Price Guarantee of $14.95. Set down that LEGO Republic Gunship you've been building and preorder yours here.

Ze Super Zeros: Our Favorite Kind of Problem Children

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:30:00 GMT

The first thing I thought upon seeing Ze Super Zeros was "Backyardigans with busted parts," but it's that same imperfect cuddliness that gives the toys their edge.

Each hero comes with super powers and super problems that ultimately add up to, you guessed it, zero. For instance, Zebu here (my personal favorite) is great at hiding, but the poor thing is so good that he's always getting lost. Good thing he's got a cape that his friends can spot from afar.

$30 per hero -- check out the whole line at FAO Schwarz.

Airzooka Hand Cannon Still a Blast

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Airzooka is one of those toys that's been around forever but seems particularly worth revisiting every time the temperature gets warmer and I get tired of picking up foam darts from the lawn. Nature provides the "ammo" for the handheld cannon, which shoots a blast of air with surprising accuracy. Your kids won't hurt each other with it, but your hair might not emerge unscathed.

Available in all the colors shown here -- get yours for $22 at Amazon.

Star Wars Force FX Lightsaber: a Gift Fit for Luke Skywalker

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:30:00 GMT

Unlike the lightsaber USB desk lamp we featured the other day, the Star Wars Force FX Lightsaber is ready for battle -- and it's got way more realistic (fictionally speaking) features than those plastic versions you're probably used to seeing.

Of course, it's also 100 bucks, so your call whether the kids have earned the right to experience those familiar hums, crashes and glows in movie-style accuracy.

$99.99 from ThinkGeek.

Stick a Light Bite Candle Fork in It

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:00:00 GMT

This could get a little tricky if you've got a 20-kid party and a birthday boy or girl who insists on having an accurate number of candles, but otherwise, Light Bites Candle Forks let you blow out and dole out with maximum efficiency.

Just stick a cande in the end of each fork, and then light, blow and serve. You won't get the joy of licking frosting off the candles, but you also won't get a mouthful of melted wax -- sounds like a fair tradeoff to me.

$6 from Amazon.

Little Sleep Machine, for When You Need a Little Sleep

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:30:00 GMT

I like the idea of the Little Sleep Machine, and not just because the gadget photographs so nicely. The preloaded audio player comes with three hours of soothing music, all of it loaded with natural delta-wave frequencies. As with some other audio sleep aids we've seen, your brainwaves are supposed to lock onto the delta waves and follow them into Snooze-ville.

Unfortunately there's no way to sample the music quality online, so depending on your tastes, there's always the potential that you'll get it preloaded with the sonic equivalent of Chinese water torture. Toddlers, however, are usually less discriminating about their tunes, so considering you can hook it up to speakers, I'd give the Little Sleep Machine a whirl in the kids' room. Especially since it means I can keep my iPod to myself.

$34.95 from Montgomery Ward, which I honestly didn't know still existed before stumbling across this one online. [The Awesomer]

Get a Leg Up with EZ Folding Step Stools in Your, Their Sizes

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:30:00 GMT

Every kiddo needs a step stool -- and sometimes Mom and Dad do, too. Built to support up to 300 pounds, EZ Folding Step Stools come in two sizes (9" high for the little ones, 11.25" high for taller folks, both of which fold away neatly and include carry handles for easy storage and transport.

$21-$28 at Spoon Sisters.

Custom-Painted Peg Dolls: The New Family Portrait?

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:30:00 GMT

Etsy shop Naked Peggies offers custom-painted wooden peg dolls in just about any style you can imagine (including unpainted for you crafties out there), but especially cool are the UnNaked Peggie families, which can be hand-painted to represent you and your brood.

Send in pics of the family (pets included if you have 'em), and Naked Peggies will send back a set of peg dolls to match -- check out this one, where the details extend all the way down to the Paul Frank tee on the little guy and the three-day stubble on Dad.

Sure, they can get a little pricey -- this particular set ran its family $55 -- but most of us probably won't use these as playthings. As a clever alternative to the typical family portrait, though, they look great.

Prices vary -- check out Naked Peggies' Etsy shop for details. [Bambino Goodies]

Tauntaun Sleeping Bag: And I Thought They Felt Cozy On The Outside

Chris Ford — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:00:00 GMT

April Fool's Day has come and gone, and in it's wake we might just have the coolest kid's product I've ever seen. Too bad it's fake (for now at least).

Apparently every April Fool's Day online nerd product purveyor ThinkGeek comes out with a list of fake products, and at the top of the list this year was this fake sleeping bag for kids in the shape of a Tauntaun from The Empire Strikes Back. For those that don't remember (and at the risk of letting my geek-flag fly) - the Tauntaun is what Han Solo puts the nearly frozen Luke Skywalker in to keep him warm over night. While they're on the ice planet Hoth. After the Tauntaun dies from exhaustion. Before the Empire finds them.

Well, this idea has had such a tremendous positive response, ThinkGeek is now taking names from interested buyers in the hopes that they can one day bring this to market. I for one am sure hoping they do.

(Oh, and if you haven't noticed yet, check out the pattern of the lining).

Tauntaun Sleeping Bag, ThinkGeek.com (via The Consumerist).

Get Ready For Summer With Threadless T-Shirts

Chris Ford — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Pretty soon, summer will be here. And for a lot of us, summertime means transitioning our kids from school uniforms to t-shirts, shorts and play dresses. So if you've also been thinking about your kid's summer wardrobe, then check out the freshly revamped Threadless Kids! web site, with hip t-shirts starting at $9.

They've got a ton of great shirts and new designs, but my favorite $9 shirt has to be The Scr-Emo. Your kids probably won't get the joke, but the other parents on the playground will.

Check out all of the shirts at ThreadlessKids.com

Finally, A Sleeved Blanket For Kids Too - The Snugglette

Chris Ford — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:30:00 GMT

If you watch TV, then chances are you've seen the Snuggie advertised. Basically it's a blanket with sleeves, and although it's not exactly the caliber of "Where's the Beef?" or "I've fallen, and I can't get up!", the commercial is pretty memorable. Well, I suppose a rolling stone gathers no moss in the world of sleeved blanket making, because the Snuggie people are now selling a sized-down version for kids - the Snugglette.

The Snuglette is made of "Super Soft, Luxurious Fleece", is machine washable and is available in "Royal Blue" or "Pretty Pink." It even comes with a free pair of matching "Slipper Socks." And guess what? If you act NOW you can get a second one FREE (just pay an additional $7.95 P&H).

Huh? So, uh, what does that all come to?

Basically, for a pair of Snugglettes and two pairs of Slipper Socks (all of which you have to buy together) you'll be paying $35.85.

Oh, and beware of the link below. The TV commercial for the Snugglette starts the moment the page loads. But if you've got headphones on, then click away.

Check it out at Sungglette.com.

iWave Cube Portable Microwave

Chris Ford — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:00:00 GMT

When I went to college the closest thing to a kitchen appliance you could bring to a dorm room was a "hot pot." It was OK for hot chocolate and ramen noodles but not much else. I suppose the iWave Cube from iCubed is the modern day equivalent. The "world's smallest and first personal microwave" seems like it would be perfect for your kid's dorm room, but I can't imagine what else.

The iWave Cube takes up less than a foot of cubic space and is under 12 pounds. It also comes with a handy carrying handle for all your portable microwaving needs. It also will come in seven colors (in addition to the silver).

According to their web site, it will apparently be available in 2009, and no price point is given. But if you've got a kid who will be in the class of 2013, you might want to check it out at the insanely long URL: http://www.iportablemicrowavepopcornandfridge.com

Remote Controlled Solar System Perfect For Junior Astronomers

Chris Ford — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:30:00 GMT

Most kids go through a period of fascination with outer space and the solar system (I know I did), and if you've got one that has more than a passing fancy, this might be for you. The R/C Animated Solar System Mobile hangs from your ceiling and has a Sun that lights up with nine planets that orbit around it. Well, eight planets really, plus Pluto.

Poor Pluto.

The mobile runs on batteries and has a remote control that operates it. The remote also doubles as a light-pointer which (according to the web site) your kids can use to "make comets and meteors streak through the night sky." It even comes with a companion CD that explains and describes stuff.

It looks pretty cool to me, though it would be cooler if you could wire it directly into a ceiling light fixture. Now all I have to do is figure out when my daughter will start learning about the planets in school.

R/C Animated Solar System Mobile, $39.99 from ThinkGeek.com

Dessert Anyone? Cook Up Goodies With This Pastel Baking Set

Lisa Estall — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:56:00 GMT

Look out Mrs. Fields! This Pastel Baking Set is for little pastry chefs who want to serve up pretend chocolate chip cookies. The mixers lift in and out of the bowl and the rolling pin really rolls! Wooden cooking pan, cookies...

and measuring spoon also included. Created by Kidcraft, this 8-piece set is recommended for kids ages 3-8.

Price is $29.98 and sold at allchildrensfurniture.com.

BuckleyBoo Clicks With Babies

Whit Honea — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 13:03:00 GMT

Among the many great products being featured in the Boom Boom Room were the Buckly Buddies from BuckleyBoo.

The premise is simple, babies love buckles (and toddlers do, too!) and soft, cute toys. Why not put the proverbial chocolate in the peanut butter (untainted) and let the joy commence? That's just what BuckleyBoo did- and it worked.

From their website:

BuckleyBoo is a growing collection of stuffed toys co-created by a child psychologist and grandma!

BuckleyBoos encourage cognitive development through multi-stage learning. What this means is that from the ages of 15 months to 4 years your child will embark on a developmental journey where each mastered task serves as a springboard for the next level of learning.

Toys that teach. We're good with that.

Photo

ModoPocket Portable Tripod Is Perfect For Budding Photographers

Chris Ford — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:00:00 GMT

I saw some great cameras that would be great first cameras for older kids at CES (including one that prints photos right out of the camera), and I even found a great starter camera bag. And the ModoPocket mini-tripod is a great little accessory for that first camera too.

The MondoPocket (from tripod experts Manfrotto) is a small table-top tripod that folds up underneath the camera. It's about the same size as a business card, and raises the camera off of a table, ground or almost any other surface. The other cool thing it has is a mount for another tripod underneath, so you can keep it attached to your camera full time - even when you want to attach your camera to a bigger tripod.

If your kid is interested in photography, this would be a great way to get them to start thinking about their camera as something that can do things besides just taking snapshots.

The MondoPocket 797 is available now for around $30. Check it out at Manfrotto.com.

Tooth Boxes for Little Tots

Lisa Estall — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:34:00 GMT

Do you believe in the Tooth Mouse? Loosing teeth just became more fun! Place your child's tooth in one of these little boxes and leave a message underneath the pillow from the Tooth Mouse.

I think this is a cute idea and makes for a smile in the morning! The La Petite Souris Pack contains...

1 box and 3 cards. Get one for a boy and a girl. Priced around $7.

Sold online at Lapin and Me.

CES 2009: Local Sensor - New Technology Ideas From Nokia

Chris Ford — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:00:00 GMT

Nokia was showing off some new technology at CES that has direct applications for parents and children. Nokia Local Sensor lets your Nokia phone know how far it is from a special tag that you can put on your keys, kids, pets or anything else you want to keep track of. The software on the phone then will point the way (like a compass) to where the tag is, also giving you an idea of how far away the tag is.

It also has the ability to shut your phone down and lock it if it isn't near the tag itself - a useful security feature that I haven't seen before on a phone. The location stuff I've seen before, but not an implementation as nice as the Nokia version.

It's in development now so there isn't a specific product, price or release date. But hopefully this might be something you can get for your cellphone in the future.