From mittens for stroller-pushing hands to a do-good doll, here’s what we’re loving this month.
The Mommy Mitten secures to your stroller handlebar, keeping you warm and dry while you push your little one around the neighborhood. It also lets you attend to baby without having to deal with the hassle of taking your gloves on and off. It is constructed of a durable waterproof exterior and inside is a very soft fleece lining. It also has a handy zippered pocket, perfect for a cell phone, pacifier or other necessities. The Mommy Mitten comes in black and retails at $29.99. www.BabiesRUs.com or www.Mommymitten.com
Perplexus is a maze game where you maneuver a small marble through a series of tracks and around barriers with lots of twists and turns. Warning: It is addictive! My kid testers loved it. You set the marble in the track of your choice (there are three starting points) and then work your way through the maze, flipping, twisting and turning while attempting to keep the ball on the track. Its definitely challenging and a bit frustrating, but it is plenty of fun. Perplexus is for kids 6 and older and can be found at Toys R Us and Target. It retails for $24.99.
The Hip Klip is a clip-on mini-purse with one main pocket that zips closed and another slit pocket on the back. It is designed to clip on your waistband but can also easily be clipped on the outside of a diaper bag or purse. It is large enough to hold your most important items (think ID and cash; it might be too tight a fit for a larger smart phone) yet small enough not to be bulky. I used it for my ID, credit card and grocery list, and it was great to be hands free and still have all my essentials right where I needed them. The Hip Klip comes in a variety of stylish designs and runs $13-$16. www.hipklips.com.
StinkyKids is a line of 12-inch plush dolls with their own distinct personalities. They arrive with a card listing her/his hobbies, favorite foods, special talent and more. The dolls motto is Always Be A Good Leader. My doll, Joey, was dressed in a colorful outfit, loves to do the hula hoop and was really cute. Joeys friends are just as diverse. And as an extra bonus, StinkyKids donates a percentage of profits to a cancer-related charity. The dolls are for all ages and retail at $16.50.
www.madamealexander.com
Coghlans 7 Function Binoculars are focused for your young explorer. The compact design with seven features in one includes a compass, magnifying glass, linen counter, stereoscope, signal mirror, monocular and binocular. They are compact enough to keep in the car for quick exploration excursions and perfect for smaller hands. Our kid testers liked all the functions and had fun checking out their world. For kids 7-14. Costs $7. www.coghlans.com.
Mister Steamy, a dryer ball, was developed to eliminate the need for dryer sheets and cut down on wrinkles. The ball is about the size of a grapefruit. As it heats up, steam escapes to release wrinkles and soften clothes. I was excited to give it a try, so I loaded up the dryer and threw in the ball. What I didnt expect was the noise. The clothes came out relatively wrinkle-free but I could have done without the noise. On the plus side, it is easy to use, saves money on dryer sheets and is a great chemical-free alternative. The two-pack retails for under $15 at several retailers nationwide.
