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Taking your child(ren) on a trip, but worrying about how to keep them quiet on the plane or in the car?
You are not alone. Many parents have the same concern. Check out some of these great travel toys and products (and don’t forget to space them out- save some for when boredom hits so you look like the well-planning hero!)
B kids ABC Touch Pad
Learn ABCs, 123s, and more the fun way with this super interactive light and sounds touch pad. Teaches simple A,B,C, 1,2,3, colors and shapes. Includes three modes: learning, game and music.
For younger tots who want to feel like a big kid, this is a good “first” tablet type toy for them. With no delicate screen or electronics that will be damaged by getting chewed on or slapped around a little bit, this lightweight and colorful toy will keep your little ones attention. It will help baby learn letters and shapes, develop motor skills and hand eye coordination, and plays music depending on what setting it is on. Note- does not allow you to plug in headphones.$14.99. (https://shop.bkidsfun.com/product/abc-touch-pad/)
My Little Nenuco Travel with Me
She loves to go for a ride! Take her with you in her own special car seat. Buckle her up and keep her safe. She loves to keep you company wherever you go.
This adorable doll lets your child care for her just like mommy does. Buckle dolly into her carseat, which keeps baby “safe” with Velcro, as well as instructions on how to secure the baby’s carseat into your car (modify this if you are taking a plane). This can encourage kids to stay safe inside their own seat (to set a good example for “their” baby), and to take good care of their baby by feeding it and changing it (helpful hints to remind your child of if they get fidgety).
$19.99. (http://www.nenucofamosa.com/us/).
My First Green Toys Rattle Keys-Unlock the door to safe, eco-friendly teething for your baby with the My First Green Toys Rattle Keys. Made in the USA from food-safe, 100% recycled plastic milk jugs that save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the four colorful pieces swing freely on the lightweight ring, allowing little ones to easily grasp, shake, and explore different shapes, colors, and textures. Recommended for ages 0 month and up. $7.99 at greentoys.com
When you are taking a trip, why not let even the smallest member of the family feel like they are “helping” move things along? Babies chew on anything- may as well make sure it is as safe as can be when you hand it over. When they aren’t gnawing on this toy, they can use the “keys” to take them where they want to go. The colorful pieces and easy to hold ring are not easily dropped- but since they are going to be held by a small child, you may want to consider a Velcro strap or set of rings to hold them onto his or her seat or diaper bag.
The Tidy Table Tray + Flexi Diner by Bambinos make meal time easier when you’re on-the-go withthe first of its kind new portable table tray. Offering a large eating space and rounded rims to keep spills off the table, it’s easy to use and attaches to most tables via a rubber coated clip, keeping it securely locked in place. It is also BPA free, phthalate free and dishwasher safe. The Tidy Table Tray + Flexi-Diner features an easy on/off insert which can easily turn meal time into play time at anytime!
This is easy to use and clean, and snaps apart and back together easily. Use for meal or snacktime, then just rinse or wipe off (depending on where you are) and pack it up. Great for home and hotel use as well as taking with you to restaurants and to family and friends homes. This is a great all in one, all purpose eating area for small children that even has a sippy cup holder. Bonus? Use it to let kids draw and create art on without having paper and crayons get all over the floor (keep it contained!) It clips to nearly every table and table type surface I have tried it on. (Yes, the plane too!)
$39.99 at www.bambinoschild.com or TARGET stores.
JourneyBee
The newest, innovative must-have travel crib for parents on the go from ParentLab. This innovative new travel crib literally opens and closes in seconds and weighs just over ten pounds plus it provides a safe, comfortable place for babies to rest and play all day long.
There are plenty of travel cribs out there, but the journeyBee cribs from ParentLab are the first we’ve seen that are actually light and flexible enough to satisfy the portable-crib needs of families who are always on the move. Weighing in at just 10 pounds and easy to carry on your back, you’ll need only one trip to move the crib from home to car or vice versa. And they’re sturdy enough for road trips, hotels, camping, outdoor play, or bringing along to friends’ and family’s homes for easy nap- or playtime. A breeze to set up, recommended for 0-18 months. If you’re looking for something a little more petite and you’re not in a hurry, the company is planning to release a bassinet version that weighs only 4.3 lbs and folds up smaller than most purses. $169. ParentLab.com.
Twilight Turtle
For the first time, Cloud b offers the award-winning Twilight Turtle with a sound option along with the original soothing starlight projections. Parents can create their own lullabies with a downloadable app and stream their creations through the turtle from their iOS device via Bluetooth technology to soothe their babies to sleep. Premium app at $1.99 allows parents to access personal music libraries and/or record their own voice or song to combine in the mix. Free version of the app available with set playlist of songs and sounds.
Twilight Turtle (along with cousin Sleep Sheep) has been around for a while, but there’s definitely something new here. Don’t worry — those amazing blue, amber, or green constellation projections aren’t going anywhere. But Cloud b has added a Twilight Turtle Tunes app (free), which uses Bluetooth to allow moms and dads to choose from a pre-set mix and match of melodies and sounds to play on the Twilight Turtle Tunes’ speaker box. There’s also a premium app ($1.99) that gives parents the option to access their personal music libraries to create totally unique mixes for as long as 24 hours. If you prefer not to use or you don’t have Bluetooth, Twilight Turtle Tunes comes with one default nighty-night melody that can be set for 45 minutes. $36.95. cloudb.com.
Little Pim
If you’re interested in exposing your little one to a new language, Little Pim is a great choice. Using the “Entertainment Immersion Method,” each Little Pim DVD covers a particular theme (usually common activities like waking up, brushing teeth, getting dressed, mealtime, and playtime) and introduces about 60 words and phrases. Kids (and adults) learn a new language the way they learned the first – by example and repetition. The discs are further divided into 5-minute chunks that make parent-child interaction, practice, and discussion a breeze.
Little Pim adds to the learning – and the fun – by including music CDs. The French Bop CD, for example, includes 15 popular French children songs which will help your little one retain the vocabulary while learning about French culture. To round out the experience, there are also word- and phrase cards to quiz your kids with (or that you can use to practice on your own). With patience and practice, today’s preschooler could learn enough to play tour guide on your next overseas trip.
Little Pim has kits in Arabic, Chinese, French, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Russian, all of which are perfect for the classroom, home, or a quick on-the-plane or in-the-airport language brush up. Most are also available digitally and can be downloaded to your tablet or smartphone. Preschool and up.
Prices vary based on package choice. http://www.littlepim.com/
Kidzoom Camera and Innotab 3S (Vtech)
If your child is too big to be distracted by a camera that doesn’t actually take pictures, try Vtech’s Kidzoom Camera. It’s a fully functional digital camera that not only lets your child take and edit photos, but also make movies and play three included games. The camera holds up to 1,000 photos that are as high-res as many budget-priced cameras aimed at adults.
Vtech also has an array of tablets for kids, from the youngest right up until they’re ready for their own iPad. Officially, they’re toys, but they’re actually pretty sophisticated.
The new InnoTab 3 has a child-friendly, multi-function, touch screen that’s easy-to-use and nearly impossible to break. And with Learning Lodge, which is VTech’s proprietary library, kids can download apps, books, music, or choose from games that teach them subjects like math, social studies, which will help minimize the summer brain drain.
$40 and $99 at http://www.vtechkids.com
TrayKit
The TrayKit is the all-in-one kid’s carry-on backpack and play-tray solution – a kid’s backpack which can strap to train and plane tray tables and hang from the seat in front in a car to provide an extendable play surface with raised sides – no more toys on the floor.
This all in one can be worn as a backpack (with adjustable straps) and comes in several colors. With raised walls/sides to keep all toys/snacks/crayons/etc inside, there will be no chasing down the loose “blue” crayon or annoying fellow passengers with every dropped action hero. Built in pockets (most with tops that seal) keep items organized and kept in place. The size of a large lunchbox or Pre-K sized backpack, this perfect portable will be one you won’t leave home without.
Roughly $40 US dollars, can be ordered on http://www.traykit.co.uk/
The Pack Backpack
from BlueFlame utilizes high-density, lightweight padding to keeps electronic essentials stored safely and securely during business travel, the daily commute or leisurely about-town activities. The Pack showcases the next level of backpacks. Along with keeping your laptop, tablet, or phone stored safely and securely, The Pack boasts heavy-duty zippers; durable, stylish fabric, and a quick-grab flap with an easy-close magnet that keeps your favorite electronics within reach.
This medium sized backpack is good for teens, tweens, or adults. Might be a tad small for a large man. It is water resistant (they don’t claim that it is- but when I was heading to an appointment in NY, running from the train, it was raining. I was under an umbrella, but the excess water that got onto the backpack I was able to shake off, and all inside stayed dry- which I can not say was also true for my shoes.) It has quite a few pockets and spots to place different items, and plenty of storage space for wires and battery chargers. The shoulder strap is padded for a less-annoying carrying experience. If one person is in charge (or you want them to be!) of all or most of the electronic equipment your family is taking with you, or you have a tech-obsessed family member, this is a good pack to have.
$99.99 in the 7th Avenue catalog, and is available for order at BlueFlameGear.com
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