New from Caillou

Do you have a Caillou devotees in your house? My kids used to be big fans (now, at 5 and 8, they are aging out). But I still have a soft spot for the giant-headed Canadian children's character. A few months ago at a Time to Play toy showcase, I saw some cute new Caillou products that have just arrived in the U.S. market. Caulliou himself was present, of course:




Caillou introduced me to some of the new toys, all of which make ideal gifts for toddlers or preschoolers. Here is Calliou with the Caillou Treehouse


And, shown from left: Caillou Fireman's House ($21.79), Caillou Squeaky Bath Toy ($16.95), Caillou 14.5" Classic Doll ($29), and Caillou Learning Train ($31.10)

Toys“R”Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids

As a mom of two children with special needs, I have always appreciated companies that show a real commitment to families dealing with disabilities. One such company is Toys"R"Us, who publishes an annual Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids. It's a user-friendly resource (both printed and online) that provides customers with a carefully selected assortment of toys which help kids develop different skill sets through play (for example, fine motor skills or social skills). Each year, a celebrity spokesperson is featured at the guide--this year it is Eva Longoria, sister to a woman with special needs, who is photographed on the guide's cover alongside Elijah De La Cerda, a 5-year-old boy with Down Syndrome from Fresno, CA. I also appreciate the section on supporting the special needs community. For parents who deal with special needs on a daily basis, it's a gesture that goes a long way. The Toy Guide is a helpful resource/catalog for any parent, grandparent, or other adult who loves a child with special needs...check it out.

Noli Noli Baby Toys

At the New York International Gift Fair I picked up a press kit for Noli Noli, a new NYC company founded by Ken Como, a local dad and design engineer who wanted to make all-natural toys for his newborn son. Noli Noli (which is a Japanese expression of exxcitement) toys are made of all natural materials ("no finish, no paint, no worries") and are made here in the USA. And they are totally adorable. Shown top to bottom: "Car Series" (different woods), mahogany "Boat Series" (check out the eyes), and "Rattle Series" (with wide open or sleepy eyes). They're not available for retail yet, but I'd expect to find these on store shelves soon. Or, in the meantime, e-mail Noli Noli to find out how to buy them.

Back to School with Playmobil

Ever since R. spotted this Playmobil Furnished School Building in a 2010 Playmobil catalog, she has been obsessed with getting it. This year, for her 8th birthday, I gave in. She loves it--so it was worth the price, effort, and back pain from assembly. Like most larger Playmobil sets, it is a lot of work to put together, and there will always, apparently, be teeny tiny pieces floating around (microscropic milk cartons, anyone?) But at this time of year, especially, she and her little bro are having a blast playing "school" with it. This particular set, an update of an older Playmobil school model, contains lots of classic accessories (a spinning globe, a skeleton, a microscope, etc.) as well as some more modern amenities (a computer lab with laptops). The smaller pieces are fun for the kids to help put together. R. especially loves the erasable chalkboard (she wrote, "Welcome to First Grade" on it). I do NOT recommend, however, letting your children "help" you assemble the main structure. Better to wait till they're asleep. Trust me on this! Buy it for $169.99 at Amazon.com.

Ask MyMomShops: Doll Clothes Trunks

Dear MyMomShops,

I love your blog and am so glad I found it! You have given me some amazing gift ideas (and quite a few items I want for myself!)

Growing up, I remember having a "trunk" to keep all my doll clothes in. It had a couple of latches and a handle to carry it around. Now I am looking for something similar for my daughter. Any suggestions?

Thanks, from Kristin


Dear Kristin,

It is funny that you ask this question since I am looking for the same thing for my 6-year-old daughter. I have been keeping her dress up clothes and doll clothes in mesh pop-up hampers and it is not so pretty.

There are not many doll clothes trunks out there (not like the ones we had as little girls, anyway), but I did find this hamper/toy storage chest at Amazon.com ($64.95) which would work nicely for dress-up or doll clothes. It arrives all assembled (bonus!) and as your little girl gets older, it will transition nicely to store other items, or even function as a hamper. And, of course, it has a nice "girly" feel that your daughter will probably love.



It's available in several other designs, too. Check them out and let us know what you think!

Best,
MyMomShops

Chunky Crayons

I'm mostly focused on buying school supplies for my first-grader (I can't believe how much stuff a first grader needs these days) but I might also treat my son- who is starting preschool- to this Set of 9 Hexagon Crayons by Pkolino. Sized just right for little hands, these chunky hexagonal crayons come in the usual colors plus shimmery silver and gold. At $2.50 per set, these also would make a great party favor for preschool birthdays. Buy them at one of my all-time favorite toys sites, Oompa.com.

An eBeanstalk Coupon Code for You

I have a coupon code for eBeanStalk.com that I am not using; I'm not sure how many times it will work for other people, but it's worth a try! It's "THANKYOU15%" and it saves you 15% on an order before September 1, 2009. Wondering what you'd buy? Here are two ideas:

I just spotted eBeanstalk's Pushing Car ($159.95) by Haba. How much fun is this?? If you've got two kids, one can push and one can enjoy the ride, then they can switch (yeah, right). There's a two-position adjustable handle, seat cushion and removable fabric pockets for toting little treasures, too. And the rubber wheels won't destroy your floors!

Setting your sights a bit (s)lower? How about this super-cool, eco-friendly Pirate Ship by Plan Toys ($54.95)>? My sister gave this to S. for his birthday and it is a hit with both of my kids (in fact, I like playing with it too).


Visit eBeanStalk.com and try out coupon code "THANKYOU15%" for 15% off orders placed by September 1, 2009. Enjoy!

Candyland Meets Charades

R. is enjoying this game Kids on Stage which she received from a friend as a 6th birthday gift (apparently they played it at camp sometimes, too). It's sort of like Candyland meets Charades for kids. Each player gets to act out items like "riding a bike" or "blowing bubbles" as they move along the game board. Even young kids can play because there is no reading required. It's a great birthday gift for the preschool-and-up set. I don't find it half-bad either (and I am quite tired of Chutes & Ladders...). Buy it for $17.95 at Growing Tree Toys.

NYIGF Winner: Manny & Simon

Of all the products which won Best Baby & Child product awards at last week's New York International Gift Fair, the top winner was an eco-friendly California-based company called Manny & Simon, which won the "Blogger's Best" award for its pink wooden stroller ($150) and wooden vehicles (about $36 each for helicopter, tow truck, fire truck ,and dump truck). You'll also spot Manny & Simon products everywhere from Giggle to Barneys. These not only are fantastic, high-quality toys, but make beautiful nursery decor, too. Visit Manny & Simon.

Melissa & Doug Canvas Creations

I first previewed these cute Melissa and Doug Canvas Creations at the 2011 Toy Fair last February. They're now available at Amazon.com and at about $5/$6 apiece, make an easy gift (or party favor) that both parents and kids will appreciate. My favorite is the Fire Truck canvas. Each kid includes a canvas with outline, six bright (washable) paint colors, and a paintbrush. Browse the selection at Amazon.com.

Bubble Newcomers

Unfortunately I wasn't able to make it to the Bubble kids' trade show here in NYC a few weeks ago, but I checked out the websites of some of the first-time exhibitors. The exhibitor list was leaner this year (a sign of the times) but I did find several stand-outs including many eco-friendly clothing and toy lines. Here's a look:

Cute 100% organic croquet pants for your little mister by Little Eesop, a new shop that updates vintage looks with organic fabrics.


Organic cotton onesies (love this blue swirl design) by Barley & Birch, a company I first learned about on Twitter.


Handmade dolls by Jess Brown Design, a California mom who makes dolls from primarily recycled cotton muslin and linen.

Adooka Organics is another mom-launched business featuring organic baby clothes; "Adooka" was the founder's son's first word for "duck."


Not organic, but I love this Hana Dress ($66) by Benny & Moon, a new Chicago-based clothing line for children ages 2 to 7.


For more Bubble exhibitors, click here.

What a 5-Year-Old Boy Wants

S's birthday just passed, and R's is tomorrow. I don't recommend having your children's birthdays one week apart! Before I move on to everything Princess Peach (R's obsession at age 8), here is a final post about S's birthday and the gifts that he especially loved. Perhaps your 5-year-olds would enjoy them, too:



Monopoly Jr. ($10.99 at Uncles Games)







Baseball Guys by Kaskey Kids ($24.99 at Amazon.com)







NJ Transit Multi-Level Commuter Passenger Car ($9.95 at Amazon.com)





Fisher Price GeoTrax Batcave RC Set ($59.99 at Toys R Us)





Fisher Price Trio Western Town Building Set ($29.99 at Toys R Us)

10 Favorite Baby & Child Products from NYIGF

Last weekend I judged the Best New Baby & Child Products at the New York International Gift Fair. As I write this, the finalists and winners have not yet been officially announced, but I want to tell you what were some of my personal favorites among the nominees (there were also other great products throughout the show which I'll share later on). You'll likely see some of these toys and accessories very soon at your favorite shops and catalogs (hint: Chasing Fireflies has expressed interest in one in particular).





Healthy Gourmet Salad for Green Eaters by Hape/Educo







Elemental wooden blocks by Uncle Goose Toys







Masterpiece kits by Kidzaw







Smocked dresses with accompanying storybook by British company Poppy







Animal canvas storage bins by 3 Sprouts







Gift notes stamp sets by Wee Gallery







Writeable and erasable chalkboard shirts by Chalkboard Tees







Pillows sized especially for kids by Australian company Madii & Dyl







Wooden dollhouse furniture by Maple Landmark Toys







Superhero collage wall art by Oopsy Daisy





Check back soon for more of my finds from the New York International Gift Fair.

Chase's Treasures Charity Sale

Our longtime sponsor, baby/child gift boutique Chase's Treasures, is holding a special charity sale this month. Owner Jessica Pickholz is a breast cancer survivor (and dear friend of mine) who has chosen to donate all profits from the sale of top-selling kids' travel kits to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The 3 piece sets are available in unisex monkey, frog, or giraffe designs, and you can grab them for just $16 each (normally $32). With lots of families taking road trips this month, this is a perfect gift for toddlers, preschoolers, or even young grade-schoolers. Buy one this month at Chase's Treasures and you'll know that 100% of the sale will go towards funding breast cancer research.

Enter code "Foundation" at checkout to receive 50% off any travel set at Chase's Treasures. Limited time only.

Bargain Hunting for Magna-Tiles

One of my kids' favorite toys is Clear Magna-Tiles. If you're not familiar with these yet, you should be. Kids use them to construct 3-D objects (most frequently, garages for S. and doll beds for R.) while learning about geometry, symmetry, and magnetism (they attract on all sides, however you turn them). They are made of bright translucent colors. My biggest gripe about this winner of a toy is that it is sooo expensive. I have been hunting around for an extra set for us (since my kids are always fighting over them) and finally found a 32-piece set for $49.99 at ZeeBop (to compare, a neighborhood store here sells them for closer to $60). They're still not cheap, but they're worth it. Buy a set- you won't regret it!

Silly Sacs Animal Backpacks

Let's step away from back-to-school for a bit. Earlier this summer, while on vacation, I bought my kids (or, rather, was coerced into buying them) these Stephen Joseph Silly Sacs Animal Backpacks. Turns out these were some of the best $15 purchases I've made for them this year. Even though I thought the backpacks seemed a bit "young," my almost-8-year-old and almost-5-year-old have become very attached to them (as you can see). They use them not only for stashing light jackets or little trinkets on little outings, but also for imaginative play at home. R's elephant backpack is named "Lilly" and "Lilly's" younger brother, S's frog backpack, is named "Jackary" (he couldn't decide between Jack and Zachary). And I think Lilly and Jackary are here to stay for awhile. At $14.95, this makes an easy, fun gift; I found the best selection and lowest prices at Mookie Gifts.

Princess Hideaway

My daughter is begging for this little princess tent for her birthday. I'm fairly certain it will become one of those gifts that my she doesn't play with enough to warrant its large presence in our living room, but at least it's not too expensive ($29.95). She is turning 6 and is craving privacy, so maybe this will do the trick. The tent has a pop-up design (hooray) with fiberglass poles for stability. Buy one at Young Explorers.

MyMomShops Sponsor: The Scholastic Store

I'm excited to introduce you to our newest sponsor, The Scholastic Store, located right here in New York City. My kids and I have hopped on the subway to Soho to visit The Scholastic Store several times (including once for an awesome birthday party- thanks Zach G.!). Much more than a kids' bookstore, the Scholastic store is a destination in its own right for NYC kiddies and visitors. Less cloying than American Girl or The Disney Store, though equally popular, The Scholastic Store is a 6,200 square foot wonder that features books, toys, plush animals, arts & crafts, videos, games, and gifts featuring some of your kids' favorite characters, including Clifford, I Spy, Harry Potter, and Magic School Bus. There's an Activity Loft, demonstration areas to test out toys and games, and even a teaching resources area for educators and parents. Best of all for stuck-in-the-city-all-summer kids (like mine), there are free events every Saturday. Check these out:

Saturday, July 25 @ 3pm
Camp Klutz Kick-Off: Face Painting. Ages 5+. FREE. Staying in NYC this summer? Come be a part of "Camp Klutz", a series of crafts and activities for kids all summer long. Become a prince, princess or even a fairy! Kids will be ready for their close-ups, so bring your cameras to capture all the fun! (Note: I am hoping to take R. to this one- come find us and say hi!)

Saturday, August 1 @ 3pm
Camp Klutz: How to Draw Funny. Ages 6+. FREE. Calling all kids who love to draw and those who'd like to learn! Kids find their inner funny in this hands-on class where they can make their own comic to take home.

Saturday, August 8 @ 3pm
Camp Klutz: Crazy Crayons Rubbings. Ages 4+. FREE. Kids can make crazy creations with new coloring books and sparkly crayons. Who knew coloring could be so much fun!

Saturday, August 15 @ 3pm
Camp Klutz: Wacky Window Art. Ages 5+. FREE. Window decoration is as much fun for adults as it is for kids. With a freshened up palette of paints, sun-sparkly glitter and new designs, kids can create all kinds of window masterpieces to hang up.

Saturday, August 22 @ 3pm
Camp Klutz: Origami. Ages 5+. FREE. Kids can create everything from exotic parrots to beautiful star boxes even hopping frogs that really hop, all out of paper!

Saturday, August 29 @ 3pm
Camp Klutz: Velvet Art. Ages 5+. FREE. Kids get to make fuzzy photo frames, a tactile maze and other "feel-good" projects to take home!

Even if you're going to be nowhere near NYC anytime soon, you can shop online at Scholastic Store's Online Shop for Kids. Here are a few goodies I found (in the clearance section, no less):

Colorforms 50th Anniversary Edition (reduced to $15.97 from $29.99):


Leapster: Clifford Reading (reduced to $9.97 from $24.95):


The Chronicles of Narnia Boxed Set (reduced to $22.97 from $45):

Visit The Scholastic Store at 557 Broadway (between Prince and Spring Streets), open M-Sat 10am-7pm and Sunday 12-6pm. Call 877-287-0137 for store and event information.

Where Should We Park?

Once in a while I turn to my readers for some shopping advice! My son is about to turn 3 and I would love to buy him a toy parking garage. Preferably a wooden one, since his plastic Fisher Price Little People Garage pretty much fell apart immediately (my daughter had an FP garage three years earlier that I wish I had saved since it was much better...has anyone else noticed that the FP sets seem to have declined in quality?) Anyway, I am deciding between the two garages shown above- at top the Parking Garage by Melissa and Doug ($65.95 at Fat Brain Toys) and at bottom the Parking Garage by Plan Toys ($66.99 at Amazon.com). S. has a large collection of little cars of various brands (Matchbox, Vilac, Fisher Price, etc.) so either garage must accommodate cars from his eclectic assortment. If anyone has purchased either of the above garages for their kids, I'd love to hear your feedback. Thanks!

Chasing Fireflies Till You're Broke

As much as I love the beautiful selection of clothing and accessories in the Chasing Fireflies catalog, I am starting to wonder how this place stays in business (remember I posted last February about their sky-high prices?) Some of their offerings are so overpriced that I can't believe many people in this economic climate would really buy them. Here are some examples of what I mean, taken from the latest catalog:

Light Up Carousel Letters. $198 each. Yes, each! I'd rather put real fireflies in my kids' rooms to give them some extra sparkle! Six hundred dollars to spell a three letter word is not "F-U-N".

The Wizard of Oz Trunk Set. $290. Sure, it's Madame Alexander, but even my 6-year-old daughter still manages to destroy half of her dolls with crayon marks and missing limbs. Thanks, but I'll stick to Fisher Price.


Personalized Candy Corn Favors. $98 for a set of 36 favors. One hundred bucks for candy corn? I'm no Martha Stewart, but as a Halloween birthday girl I've hosted plenty of parties and I've always made candy goody bags for about a tenth of this price.


I've oohed and aahed over many an item at Chasing Fireflies (including some more reasonably priced clothing), but overall the prices have kept me from placing an order. Ever. I'm curious, how many of you have ordered from them and were you pleased with the value of what you bought?