droolicious : shopping

We've Moved!

editors — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:13:00 GMT

image: http://www.bellgirl.com.au

Don’t adjust your internets, Droolicious has a new address and a slightly new look and search. We’re very excited to have launched new software so update your bookmarks, links and anywhere else you have us saved so you won’t miss out on the best (and worst) baby, kid and parent design on the planet. Follow us here!

Trying to find that awesome stroller we talked about last month? Look it up in our archives on the sidebar. Happy shopping! - April Peveteaux, Babble Blog Editor

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.

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.

Green Baby: b.wise papers Birth Announcements

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:30:00 GMT

Sure, they're printed on paper, but b.wise papers' birth announcements still aim to reduce your new arrival's carbon footprint before it's been fitted for baby shoes.

The eco-smart announcements are printed on 100% recycled (50% post-consumer) card stock using vegetable- and soy-based inks, and they're even made up at a wind-powered printing facility. Plus, as the b. delightful ($138 for 50 cards) sample above shows, they look pretty great.

Prices vary but lean toward the higher end overall -- check out the whole collection (including holiday and save-the-date cards, as well as labels) at b.wise papers. (Image: Laura Negri Photography)

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.

Sparrow Hook Set: Go Ahead, Tweet About It

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:30:00 GMT

If you do a lot of tweeting, this sparrow hook set may put you in the mind of Twitter -- but the cute little birdies could just as well put a perfect finishing touch on the kids' room.

Each two-piece set includes all mounting hardware -- get yours for $20 at Fred Flare.

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.

Taste-Testing PepPod Effervescent Energy Drink

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:30:00 GMT

PepPod's website offers a number of compelling reasons why we'd want to try its dissolvable, instant effervescent energy drinks -- but here's another that parents new or seasoned can understand: We're flippin' exhausted!

The boost in PepPod comes from a combination of natural stimulants and vitamins. Frequently seen boosters such as caffeine, taurine, guarana, ginseng and glucuronolactone, as well as vitamins B and C, CoQ10, riboflavin and niacin, all share space on its ingredients list, while sucralose helps to provide the sweetness and keeps the carbs and calories low (one each per tablet). Since it comes in tablet form, you need to supply the liquid. For my test, that was water, but you can get more creative.

So how does it taste?

As one who normally shies away from the overpoweringly fruity smell of many canned energy drinks, I needed a second to get past the nose of PepPod: You drop it into a glass of liquid, controlling the strength to your taste by adding more ounces as needed, and watch it bubble into action. But at 8 or 16 ounces, it still conjured images of a toned-down Red Bull when it hit my sniffer. (Note to self: Next time, try orange juice.)

Drinking the stuff, on the other hand, is a more pleasant experience: The clean, mild orange/tangerine taste goes down easily and makes for refreshing midday sippin' -- and though I wasn't sure of just how much a jolt I'd get, there were no wild spikes or manic rushes; just a steady boost that pushed me through the workday and into dinner, bathtime and bedtime stories. (I drink a ton of coffee on normal days, however, so a mild boost to me may be a rollercoaster ride to you, depending on your tolerance for caffeine.)

Learn more and place an order at PepPod's website, or pick up a $14.99 10-pack at Amazon.

Farm Out Their Education at the Market

JeanneSager — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:35:00 GMT

OK, so you probably won't be going to market, to market to buy a fat hog, but spring temps means it's farmer's market time again in most parts of the country! Get them helping on your trips to the farm market and back home again with the Farmer’s Market Set from Playful Chef.

From the makers of the apron and kitchen kits that allow kids to kick things up Emeril-style in the kitchen, the Farmer’s Market Set is stocked with their own cotton shopping bag for a lesson in sustainability.

Along with a produce scrubber that’s just their size, a towel for wiping things down and a book that details which veggies are in season and when and where they grow, this set lets them take the fruits of your shopping trip all the way to the table.

Image: Playful Chef

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The Babble Review: Mighty Buggy Hooks

Chris Ford — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Bugaboo (the stroller company) used to make something they called "bag hooks" so you could hang shopping bags to your stroller. But then I suppose some idiot must have loaded down the stroller with too much stuff and flipped the stroller, because a while ago they stopped making them. Mighty Buggy Hooks from Think King work just as well (if not a little better) than those original hooks - and you don't have to keep them attached to strollers.

I've had a set of the Buggy Hooks for a while now, and they've been working great on my Bugaboo. They stay on the stroller well and they are really lightweight. They should work on any type of stroller (not just a Bugaboo) and will fit all sizes of shopping bag and purse handles.

So if you're looking for a good way to attach your diaper bag, purse or shopping bag to your stroller, you should definitely check them out.

Mighty Buggy Hook, $14.99 for a two-pack from Think-King.com

Toys"R"Us Leaks Doorbusters for Next Week's Black Friday Sale

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:54:00 GMT

If you're holding out for the perfect deal on a new PS2, you might want to wait until next Friday. As part of Toys"R"Us' mammoth Black Friday "Doorbusters" event, you can score 6 free games, a free 21 DVD and a free PS2 DVD Remote when you buy the core system shown here.

Of course, this is just one of the 150 Doorbusters Toys"R"Us has planned for Black Friday -- and that's not counting the 50-plus unadvertised "Mystery Doorbusters" the truly hardcore shoppers among us will discover at midnight on Nov. 26.

From Toys"R"Us' recent press release, here's a sampling of the Doorbusters available during the regular Black Friday sale -- make sure you're an early riser, though, 'cause these are only valid while supplies last from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28:

   * FREE Play Station 2 Deal – 6 FREE Games, FREE “21” DVD and FREE Play Station 2 DVD Remote with the purchase of the Play Station 2 System
   * FREE $50 Toys“R”Us Gift Card with the purchase of a Black 16GB iPod nano^®
   * FREE Nintendo^® DS^™ accessory with the purchase of Nintendo^® DS^™ Brain Age Bundle or Nintendo^® DS^™ Super Mario Bros. Bundle
   * More than 80% off Xbox 360 Wired Guitar Hero Game Controller
   * 60% off TOYMAX EyeClops^® from JAKKS Pacific^®
   * 60% off Disney^®High School Musical 2 Figures 3-Pack
   * More than 50% off Littlest Pet Shop VIP Plush Pets from Hasbro^®
   * Up to 50% off Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle for Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360
   * 50% off Little Tikes^® Diggers
   * 50% off Jumbo Talking Elmo from Fisher-Price^®
   * 50% off Huffy^® Scooters (Power Rangers and Cinderella, sold separately)
   * 33% off V-Tech^® Learning Laptop
   * More than 30% off Thomas & Friends^®Train Sets (Thomas & Percy Wooden Starter Set and Great Race Take Along Set, sold separately)
   * $60 off iHome^® Portable iPod^® Docking Station (iPod^® sold separately)
   * $50 off Sony^®7.2MP Pink Cybershot Digital Camera

If you'd rather sleep in, Toys"R"Us is also having a ton of sales Friday, Nov. 28, and Saturday, Nov. 29, during which more than 150 additional items will be added to the list of bargains. From the same press release, here's just a sample of those deals:

   * FREE Smart Animals 2-Pack with the purchase of Smart Animals Scanopedia from Discovery Kids^®
   * FREE Spiral Train Set with the purchase of Arch Train Table from Imaginarium^®
   * More than 70% off Nick^®Scene It? and Pirates of the Caribbean Scene It?
   * More than 65% off Dance Dance Revolution DVD Game and Twister^®DVD Game
   * Up to 55% off Select Hasbro^® Games
   * 50% off Star Wars 10” Transformers Millennium Falcon from Hasbro^®
   * 50% off Barbie^®Princess 2-Pack Dolls from Mattel^®
   * 50% off Infrared Mini R/C Helicopter from Fast Lane
   * 50% off iPod^® Dock & Clock Radio (iPod^® sold separately)
   * $9.99 Sale on ALL Skateboards, Helmet & Pads from Channel One^®
   * $20 off Disney^®High School Musical Alarm Clock with iPod^® Dock (iPod^® sold separately)
   * More than $40 off Electric Guitar Pack from First Act^®
   * $70 off Woodland Climber from Step 2^®
   * $80 off Picnic on the Patio Playhouse from Little Tikes^®
   * $500 off Easton 7-foot 2-in-1 Swivel Combo Table

[BusinessWire via Gizmodo]

Scratch and Sniff Holiday Board Book

Erin Behan — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:59:00 GMT

Oh how I loved scratch and sniff stickers and books as a child, so I was delighted to find a Christmas-themed scratch and sniff board book for youngsters at Amazon ($7.95). The scents featured are the very holiday medley of gingerbread, pine, orange, chocolate and peppermint. Part of the First Holiday Board Book series, it's published by Kingfisher.

KozyPal: A Barrier to a Billion Germs and Bumped Mouths

Karen — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:04:00 GMT

I did own a KozyPal when Thomas was new at being a shopping cart passenger and liked to mouth everything, including the germy handle that everyone and their cooties touch. I'm glad it was there when his unstable neck allowed his mouth to get bumped there too.

These great inventions keep the 4 billion germs away from your child, yourself and can also be used in those nasty highchairs at restaurants. KozyPals start at $61.95 for pre-mades or you can create your own by picking fabric and options.