NYIGF Part 1: Best New Baby & Child Product Nominees

On Saturday I spent a half-day at the Javits Center where I judged the Baby & Child division of the New York International Gift Fair. I was really honored to be chosen as one of the judges this year. I remember attending this trade show way back when (like when I first started this blog) as a "newbie", and I never would have imagined that a couple of years later I would get to judge the products myself. It was so much fun!


Later today, the winners of "Best New Products" will be announced and I'll share those results here. But since the judges have all submitted their votes already, I can show you what I personally loved (or not) from the special display of the nominated products:



You know I'm fanatic about kids' birthday tees, so I loved these Organic Cotton Birthday Tees ($30, up to age 5) by Jack Rabbit Creations.


I'm also a sucker for kitschy storage solutions, and the Yiddish name of these "Punim Cases" by Resource International/KidSTYLE just about seals the deal. For the unitiated, "Punim" is a term of endearment for a child's sweet face.


Tree by Kerri Lee is one of my favorite artisans for personalized wooden baby keepsakes. These Lullaby Framed Music Cubes are brand new (I'll be posting other products from her booth--which was co-manned by her adorable nine-year-old daughter--later on). Note the elephant theme- which seems to have taken over for last year's owls!



More purple elephants in the room, this time by Magnificent Baby, which makes stylish layette items with safe, easy-to-use magnetic closures to save you time during those messy changes in the middle-of-the-night.



I love Trumpette, though I don't like that they forbid bloggers from taking photos inside their booth (do they think we will try to manufacture Mary Jane socks in our living rooms?) But I was able to snap some photos in the Best New Products nominee display, including of this shiny patent "Eat" lunch tote ($49.50). I like the style very much, though the product is made of PVC. And in 2011, it seems odd that any new kids' product should still be made of this substance.



The sheer size of this A to Z Animal Wall Art by Oopsy Daisy made it stand out (it measures an impressive 3 feet by 3 feet; typically, nursery art is much smaller than this). But the detail work itself is also exquisite; it's by Boston artist Jennifer Hill whose other work I featured recently at the blog.




It is always a treat to see the newest modern, organic kids' products by 3 Sprouts, a company that "launched" about the same time I started this blog. We have enjoyed chatting at trade shows ever since then. 3 Sprouts' new eco-friendly art smocks are not the smocks you wore in nursery school. These have beautiful (protected) felt appliques and wipe clean easily. They retail for about $24.



Zutano is arriving a bit late to the Owl party, but that's OK. Its new pink Owl crib bedding by bedding manufacturer Kidsline (available in late February at RainBee) is still pretty darn cute.


Back to Trumpette. I think just about every variation that can be made of those ubiquitous Mary Jane socks has been done, but the new beribboned Lucia socks (pre-order for $29.50) I'm sure will still become a popular baby shower gift.



It's been a long time since I've thought about toddler stroller buntings (my tall kids were busting out of theirs by age 2) but I know that 7 A.M. Enfant is still a go-to brand in chic NYC neighborhoods. And with a price tag of $199, I'm hoping that the "B212 evolution" blanket keeps those Manhattan tykes very toasty during this brutal winter.



One of the best new toys I saw were these Tegu Blocks, which are eco-friendly hardwood blocks that are safely magnetized on the inside. They are addictive to play with (and even to watch someone playing with them; just watch the little video on website). They're pricey, though; an 8-piece set costs $28.


I wish I'd had a bit more time to check out these personalized puzzles ($49) by Kidlandia. I like the idea it creates "(YourChild'sName)Land" but I'm fuzzy on how it incorporates other personal details about them.



I first spotted Dabba Walla backpacks (I loved the traffic light design) at a previous NYIGF; this year the "Big Cheese" lunch bag ($30) is a Best New Product nominee. The bags are made from eco-sponge, a neoprene-like fabric that is machine washable.



And more owls...this time part of Skip Hop's Zoo Bookends collection ($35). These are soft, gently weighted bookends, making them a good choice for baby's first library.



Topozoo are new USA-made, eco-friendly wooden playsets that allow children to create imaginative sets of dinosaurs, safari animals, or monsters. Each set costs $30 and is recommended for ages 3 and up, though I think it might appeal to slightly older kids a bit more.


Silly Souls partnered with The New Yorker to create baby products featuring the magazine's "dry humor" cartoons. A 2-piece bodysuit gift set costs $29.99 and is a clever gift for an urban baby.


In an example of how trends quickly "trickle down" (not necessarily for the best), a few years ago at NYIGF I saw some very artistic, handmade bags crafted from candy wrappers (You probably have seen similar ones by now). Now, of course, your junior artisans can make their own accessories with an "M & M Candy Wrapper Jewelry Kit" coming soon to Alex Toys. I don't know about you, but I have enough trouble getting my daughter's mind OFF of M&M's without encouraging her to make bracelets out of the wrappers!


Lots more finds from NYIGF to come (including fantastic kids' products that were not necessarily included in this grouping)...so keep checking back!