Time (Tracker) Is On Your Side

I debated putting this little gem on this site, since it is not really a toy. It is only by virtue of the coolness of design and usefulness to parents that the Time Tracker made the cut. Before we had kids we used to meet some friends for breakfast every other weekend. They had two kids and we used to joke about how if we were supposed to meet them at 9:00, we should actually expect to see them until 9:30 or so. At the time I just thought they were just people that were late for everything. Now I know, the adults were on time, the kids made them late. For Everything.

The Time Tracker is basically a cool looking timer. The first use that comes to mind is to time your kid's visit to "time out". One common problem with time out is that you have to answer "can I come out now?" every 10-15 seconds as long as they are in there. With the Time Tracker, you can set the timer and it will answer those questions for you via sound effects and a traffic light style display.

This little sanity saver can also be used to keep fun time on track as well "you can play video games for only half an hour". The manufacturer also suggests that you can use the Time Tracker for school work and projects, I'm a little unclear on how exactly it would be used, but I'm sure those of you with older kids can think of ways.

How about it? Can you think of other ways that a Time Tracker might come in handy? If so, leave a comment!

Learning Resources - Time Tracker at Amazon.com

Go To Sleep - Planet Earth

For the last couple of days Nickelodeon has been pushing Sleepytime Lullabies via several blogs. I've sampled the album on Amazon and I'm sure it is very good, especially for younger kids. But it got me to thinking of the best media we have used to get Cole to take a nap, especially when he doesn't really want to take a nap in the first place. I use the word "media" because it is not actually a music album, it is a video series.



If you've never seen Planet Earth before it is a nature film series of superior quality. The cinematography is breathtaking sometimes, and at other times serenly beautiful. It is full of aerial photography of fantastic landscapes and animals in action. Cole is usually not willing to lay in bed and take a nap, but I can often talk him into watching television with me. Slide in an episode of Planet Earth to the DVD and get comfortable. This is one show that it is easy to sit down and watch with them. The smooth filmwork and calm narration are soothing and if you are a little bit sleepy it can push you over the edge into a relaxing sleep.
Warning: There are a few scenes that may be disturbing, usually scenes involving predators and prey. If you are like me you remember watching scenes like this on the Wild Kingdom when you were a kid. It is the real world and shouldn't necessarily be hidden from children, but it is probably not something you want to watch while trying to go to sleep. I suggest you keep your finger on the fast forward button or better yet screen the 11 episodes to find the ones that work best for you.

Planet Earth 5 DVD Set - Standard

The Art of Noelle Dass

These simple but rich prints from the artist Noelle Dass are perfect for a newborn's room or for a general playroom.  She has a large number of other prints, all involving a variety of animals.  The prices are reasonable at about $24 per print.

 

The Art of Noelle Dass at oompa.com

Where's the Poop?

I unknowingly gave my 11 month old daughter some double fiber bread this morning from my own breakfast.  She was very happy to get it and made a big deal of eating it after getting it good and slobbery.  After I finished my breakfast I realized what I had done and started to wonder if I made a mistake (probably).  We are probably still a year away from actual potty training, but like most activities involving children, it is usually good to give them lots of warning ahead of time.  In fact, just about everything around here is preceded by a countdown, it's like NASA or something: "Five minutes before we leave for school!"  and "You've got fifteen seconds to put that diaper back on your sister or else!" are good representative samples.  There's no reason that potty training shouldn't also be foreshadowed as well.

Where's the Poop? is a great little book for a 1-2 year old before you start potty training that helps them understand not only that everyone poops (the title of another popular poop book) but that there is a place for everyone's poop to go.  You get to look at various animals and see where they poop (Tigers in the jungle, Kangaroos in the outback, etc...) by lifting a little flap to see the "prize".  The last page of the book is a little boy telling his mommy that he pooped and beneath the flap is a potty.  A great idea for a book, not only are you teaching your kid that it is normal to poop, but that there is a specific place that it is supposed to go, as opposed to whenever and wherever he feels like it.  No longer will you have to wonder if that double fiber bread was a bad idea.  Eligible for free shipping at Amazon.com

 

Where's the Poop? at Amazon.com

Bedtime With The Beatles

My wife came home from a scrapbook marathon weekend (yes 48 hours of scrapbooking - they do this voluntarily) and told me how lots of the women were raving about Jason Falkner's Bedtime with the Beatles. He has put together a full album of instrumental versions of 11 classic songs meant be soothe your little one to sleep. Included are some of my own favorites like Blackbird, In My Life, and The Long and Winding road. Amazon has samples of all of them, give them a listen. The album is also eligible for free shipping.

Bedtime With the Beatles (Blue Cover) at Amazon.com

related posts:
Pop Muzik
Rockabye Baby

I love you Pee, I love you too Poo

"It's OK Johnny, don't be afraid."
"But Daddy, I'm scared of the potty."
"There's nothing to be afraid of, Pee and Poo are your friends, and they like to go swimming. Won't you take them to the pool?"
"I like to go swimming too Daddy"
"Not in that pool, that is a special pool just for Pee and Poo"
"Oh... then why does Fido drink out of it?"


Yup, that's right, these are Pee and Poo plush dolls. They are a great way to help your kid get over any anxiety they may have about going to the bathroom, and (thank God) let you stop changing those diapers every few hours. Give these as a gift and they will be remembered long after everyone else's gifts are forgotten.

link (search for "poo" when you get there. How often to do you get to do that?)

Does this Bilibo make me look like Mushmouth?

In 2005 the cardboard box was inducted into The National Toy Hall of Fame. That's right, a cardboard box. The cliche that kids prefer the box over the toy that came in it is quite possibly true. With this in mind, it is worth wondering if our children are not nearly as particular about their toys as give them credit for. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of interest in cardboard boxes as raw material for play constructions (see here and here and here). The bigger question is that given the sheer number of toys out there and the specialization of many of the toys (example) is it possible that even today's techno savvy kids (even the little ones are surprisingly advanced compared to us when were kids) enjoy a return once in awhile to a simpler time when they could look at a cardboard box and see a castle, or at a bucket and see an astronaut's helmet. The bilibo (pictured above) is essentially a plastic bucket (it looks a bit like a washbasin) with two holes on one end. That's it. A plastic bucket that is flexible enough to be a space helmet (the eye holes help here), or a mountain with a tunnel to drive cars through, or a toy to sit and spin in, or a sled to go down a hill in, or a bucket to carry toys around the house in, or a shell for a turtle... I think you get the idea. They are made of sturdy polyurethane and come in a number of bright colors. Buy one for your kid and watch them enjoy the simplicity of design and creativity that it brings out.

Bilibo - Yellow
Bilibo - Red
Bilibo - Blue
Bilibo - Pink
Bilibo - Orange
Bilibo - Green


Note: for those of you who don't know who Mushmouth is, he was the kid on the old Fat Albert cartoon with the funny stocking cap.

Bug Rider

The Wheely Bug is a small ride on toy for 18 month to 3 year olds. The antennae bobble back and forth when in motion, and the seat (body) is thick sponge covered with pleather so it can be easily wiped clean. The wheels swivel so the vehicle can move in any direction. Not recommended for carpet, but moves smoothly on a hard floor. It can also be used as a push toy for early walkers.

Also available in a bee and cow design and in two sizes.

Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug - Bug - Small
Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug - Bug - Large

Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug - Bee - Small
Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug - Bee - Large

Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug - Cow - Small
Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug - Cow - Large

Wheely Bug at ebay.com

Take a hike Ugly Dolls, CurlyQCuties are here

Hand-made (and home-made) in the US, CurlyQCuties are a unique alternative to the more and more commonplace Ugly Dolls. The cuties are made of soft fleece with a poly/cotton fill. They are the conception of an Austin designer who makes them out of her home. She can also do custom dolls, so if you want one with a different color, or extra spots, or a belly button you can have whatever you want. This is a good find and is the exact type of thing I like to put on this blog, unique toys with a pinch of weird mixed in. If only I got a commission from this one...

link

for other plush dolls click here

Step 2 Up and Down Roller Coaster

Cole and I were driving home from the mailbox the other day and we saw this set up on the sidewalk in front of a neighbor's house. I think that if Cole had been driving he would have stopped the car in the middle of the road to get a longer look (or maybe get out and take the thing for a ride). I did slow down quite a bit and we got good look at it. It was the Step 2 Up and Down Roller Coaster, or as I prefer to call it, the Toddler Roller Coaster. It is just what it looks like, a modular plastic roller coaster for little ones. The pieces snap together and there are grooves to keep the car from going off track. The total height is only about 12-15 inches, but the track is 10 foot long. The car has a high back, foot rests, and a handrail for safety. This looks like a great toy for a toddler, plus, after a few hundred times back and forth on this thing, I'll bet your toddler will take a good long nap!

Up & Down Roller Coaster at amazon.com

Radio Flyer Walker Wagon

We have a 9 month old at home that is already pulling up on stuff and will no doubt be walking within a month or so. The radio flyer wagon above is a great way to help them start walking. It has a resistance feature so that the wagon doesn't roll away too fast from your toddler. It also has a bumper on the front to protect your walls and furniture. The wooden sides are removable too.


Radio Flyer Walker Wagon at backtobasicstoys.com

Britax sale at amazon.com

Amazon.com is having a sale on Britax products of up to 20%. Britax rarely goes on sale anywhere, so I wanted to pass this along to anyone expecting or recently graced with a baby.

Britax Sale at amazon.com

National Toy Hall of Fame Part 3

This post has been written by Cole's Grandmother, who has a special appreciation for Raggedy Ann and Andy (thanks Mom!):

Raggedy Ann is a cloth doll that belonged to Johnny Gruelle's daughter. In 1918 he started writing stories about Raggedy Ann to entertain his daughter. The stories centered around adventures Raggedy had with the other toys in the toy room as they came alive at any time there was no one around. Several dozen stories have been written about Raggedy Ann (and her brother Andy who came came around a couple of years later), the dolls were sold as a tie-in with the books.

She teaches kindness, love, and any child holding the doll can feel comfort and friendship.

I found love for these dolls as a grandmother. My mother made them and gave them as gifts. I have found them to be special with a smile that can make you feel happy anytime you are around them. I hope they will come to your life and bring you joy.

The official Raggedy Ann and Andy Museum

a (small) sample of Raggedy Ann merchandise:
Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Read-Aloud Treasury (Raggedy Ann) at amazon.com
Russ Berrie 12-Inch Button Eye Raggedy Ann at amazon.com

Raggedy Ann at ebay.com

This is part of a series of posts on the National Toy Hall of Fame, see part 1 (marbles) and part 2 (kites) also.

Mirror Pound a Ball

The Mirror Pound a Ball is a combination of the old hammber bench and the ball popper mentioned earlier. Using the hammer, your child hits the balls at the top of the toy through one of the holes and is rewarded by watching the ball roll through the maze, repeat. This is always a toddler favorite at our house. Kids love to smack things with a hammer and like it when they realize that they made the ball roll through the maze. One more thing, no batteries!

Mirror Pound a Ball at amazon.com
Mirror Pound a Ball at ebay.com

More blockhead fun

These oversized foam blocks are not just fun to play with, they are fun to play on and around and under. You can not only build, but you can also climb, hide, and play peek-a-boo with these cotton covered (washable) foam blocks.

Foam Blocks

Hammer Time

You may have detected a trend in the toys that I pick. First of all, they are targeted more at boys (although most if not all of them could be given to a girl as well), they usually are either simple classic toys, or complicated modern toys. I also try to stay away from outrageously priced toys (like this) unless I think the price is justified. The toy pictured above falls into the classic category, could be for a boy or girl, and is priced very reasonably. Best of all, it's fun. What could be more fun for a baby or toddler than to bang on something with a stick? It satisfies the simple, fun, and noisy criteria for babies and toddlers, that makes it a toy trifecta!

Hammer Bench at backtobasicstoys.com
Hammer Bench at ebay.com

Cranium Cariboo

Cranium Cariboo is a game that Cole just recently outgrew. The game involves opening different doors to find a ball. Which door you open depends on the card you draw. There is a younger kids version where you find a door with a matching quantity of pictures (vegetables, helicopters, etc...) or in the older kids version you are looking for a letter used in the object's spelling instead. When you find a ball you put it into a small hole on one side of the board, when all of the balls have been found a treasure chest door opens and you can look on in awe at the treasure. Color and number recognition is reinforced (in the younger version of the rule) and letter recognition is picked up (in the older version). It's a good game for 2-4 year olds, although the manufacturer recommends 3 and above.

Cranium Cariboo

Busy Ball Popper

This was one of Cole's favorite toys when he was 1-2, and even though he is a older now he still points it out to us when we see it in the toy store or at a friends house. When his sister gets old enough we'll have to pull it out and I'm sure he will still play with it. It is basically a tube with a fan that blows balls out one end. You pick the ball up at the exit and drop it back in on the other side of the tube. As usual, the simple toys are best.

Hasbro Playskool Busy Ball Popper

Related post: Skyrail Suspension is a lot like an older kid's version of this same toy. Plus no batteries!

Cheeky Chick with a nice ride

A foot-on-floor trike that somehow looks both retro and cutting edge to me.

link

Pop Muzik?

One night Cole and I were driving home and I turned on the radio to listen to some music. When it is just me and him in the car I try to expose him to something other than the pop music his mother listens to when she’s carting him around. Don’t get me wrong, Christina Aguilera and Britney and their clones are fine for some people, but I want to make sure my kid knows who Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, and the Rolling Stones are too. I’m sure when he gets older there will be some new kind of music that I find annoying (Brutal Death Metal) and play it in his room as loud as he can get away with (I did when I was a teenager), but for now I control his musical world. This particular night we heard “Don’t Let me Down” by the Beatles. The lyrics are easy (if you can say “Don’t let me down” then you know half of them already) and the easy clean beat had us both singing along and giggling between phrases. We had such a good time that he asked for the song the next morning. That gave me the idea to make Cole the modern equivalent of a “mix tape”. Being a child of the 79’s and 80’s I had access to plenty of goofy songs that might have been cutting edge when they came out, but now they are perfect for a kid. For example: Tommy Tutone – “Jenny” (this is the 867-5309 song), The Beatles – “Yellow Submarine”, Devo “Whip it”, Trio - “Da Da Da”, Brak from SpaceGhost – several songs especially “Highway 40”. If you’ve never heard of Brak or SpaceGhost I encourage you to go to whatever entirely legal music website/program you frequent and look for them, they are pretty off-the-wall silly. The point is that whatever music you use for your own “mix tape” can not only be fun for you to listen to with your kid but can also make you feel a little like a kid again too.

It turns out that kids music is an emerging genre in music today. No, I don’t mean Barney CD’s, I am talking about real artists that get a kick out of making music for kids. Probably the most recognizable is Laurie Berkner since she seems to have a video on between every show on the Noggin channel. But did you know that They Might Be Giants also has kids albums? What about Dan Zanes (from the Del Fuegos)? Lead Belly? There are also some artists that you might not expect on compilation albums: Cake, Natalie Merchant, Ella Fitzgerald, Barenaked Ladies, Tom Waits, Moby, to name a few. If you run out of ideas or want something new try one these.

Catch That Train!
For The Kids
Here Come The 123s (with Bonus Tracks and Video) - Amazon.com Exclusive [CD/DVD]