The International Home& Housewares Show swept through Chicago, bringing with it plenty of fun new kids’ products ranging from those that help kids sleep (thank you!) to those that are simply fun for everyone.
There was one resounding trend when it came to the children and home this year: make it practical but also make it colorful, exciting, fresh and beautiful.
Save the whales
Barcelona-based designer Maia Ming Fong created these whale piggy banks because her son wanted to save money for the whales. They’re made out of porcelain, and they’re a modern take on an age-old piggy bank tradition. $28.
Tapi Tap Squeeze Drink Fountain
If your child is like mine, he probably asks for a cup of water about 347 times a day. Reduce the number of cups you have to wash by 346 by adding this device to your bathroom sink. All he’ll have to do is squeeze it to turn it into his personal water fountain. Release it and it turns back into a regular faucet. Genius. $6.
Tovolo Robot Pop Molds
The only thing better than eating a popsicle is eating a popsicle in the shape of a robot. Or in the shape of a monster. $16. Available at Bed Bath& Beyond and amazon.com.
GreenAir Creature Comforts Essential Oil Aroma Diffuser
Your child can’t sleep. Or he has a stuffy nose. Or maybe he’s in a bad mood. Put a few drops of essential oils into this adorable diffuser (it comes in all different cute shapes ranging from a duck to a pig to a black cat), and by morning, he should feel better. $35. Available in stores and amazon.com.
We’ve always loved this line of kids’ cooking tools because they don’t shy away from real kitchen tools for children: real knives, spatulas and whisks in kid-sizes that aren’t so sharp but still work. New this year are a five-piece pie kit, a three-piece veggie set and a frosting spreader. Prices vary by piece.
