Have you ever thought that babies should come with instructions?  How about toddlers?  I know I have!  If you’re like me, you need to check out the informative, yet hilariously tongue-in-cheek Baby and Toddler Owner’s Manuals.  They are cleverly written by Brett R Kuhn, Ph.D., and Joe Borgenicht, D.A.D.,and illustrated to mimic the look and feel of an actual owner’s manual for a car!  Now, I’m not saying that having a baby is comparable to buying a car in any way, but the idea is really cute in a quirky sort of way, making flipping through a how to care for baby book a little more amusing.  As new parents, it’s just what we need at 3:00 am when it’s time to search for ‘troubleshooting tips’  or to ‘service our baby’s system for improved operation’ – something to put a smile on our face. 

Both the baby and toddler owner’s manuals can be purchased at one of mally bibs celebrity-favorite retailers, Intuition in Los Angeles, CA, or online amazon.com.    

Say goodbye to any primary colored, teddy bear themed, furry, foam-stuffed chairs that your pre-schooler may be sitting on and make room for something slightly more designer approved!  Bright cheerful colors, smooth curves and sleek modern design is what I’m talking about today!  A classic, the Panton Junior chair by Vitra has always been a favorite of children.  It’s just as much fun to play with as it is to sit on!  Soon after its introduction, Verner Panton began to consider the idea of producing a child-size version of the chair together with Vitra.  The Panton Junior is approximately 25% smaller than the original, making it the ideal size for pre-school and primary grade children, and it’s available in seven different colors!

The Panton Junior can be purchased at quality stores across the globe, including Barney’s New York for $115 US.     

As I've said before, I believe the best way for children to learn is through play and having fun.  When I see a great new quality kids game that’s entertaining, modern and educational, I’m all over it!  The Balancing Cactus by Plan Toys is a challenging game for your child’s planning and imaginative abilities.  It’s great for 1-4 players, aged 3 and up.  The object of the game is to ‘grow’ your cactus by connecting the cactus parts while keeping it balanced.  The player who causes the cactus to tumble over loses (or wins, if that's your decided object).  I also love that it's a little work of art.  Your child can have some creative fun building different cactus figures and then display it on a shelf in their room to enjoy!

The Balancing Cactus can be purchased for $20 at one of mally bibs newest retailers, Urban Kids Play in Seattle, WA.

I am a huge fan of blabla products.  They have such a great line of soft and colorful toys, clothing, and accessories which are all hand knit by Peruvian artists.  I especially appreciate their contemporary designs which feel like old friends due to their handmade from natural material quality.  With back to school quicky approaching, I thought the timing is ideal to feature the blabla backpacks.  Perfect for the preschooler who isn’t lugging books and supplies to school just yet, they are just the right size for a change of clothes just in case, and perhaps a snack and drink box.  They come in a nice selection of fun animal themed designs.  I chose a few that could potentially coordinate with a mally bib to feature here!

Blabla products can be purchased online, or at some of mally bibs chic retailers such as Love in Greenwhich, CT.         

How long do your kids wash their hands for?  Think about it for a second.  Better yet, time it the next time they scrub their germ festering little paws.  Do you know how long they actually should be washing their hands for in order to eliminate those unwanted germs?  The centers for Disease Control and Preventions says it’s best to wash your hands by vigorously scrubbing with soap and clean running water for about 20 seconds.  They also claim that hand washing is one of the most important things children can do to help stay healthy.  The problem?  The hand washing fascination that toddlers initially have is short lived.  Once they realize that hand washing is well, boring, they tend to get a little lazy with the task.  The solution?  Squid Soap!!!  It’s another one of those simply brilliant ideas!  In fact, I think I will introduce a new category for the blog archive called 'simply brilliant' for the simple yet brilliant product ideas that I feature.  The pump on squid soap has a vegetable dye ink spot which will stamp those little hands with a perfect blotch of ink that will conveniently disappear with about 20 seconds of vigorous scrubbing!  Voila!  An amused toddler or child = clean and germ free hands! 

Squid Soap is now available online for shipping in Canada and USA. Get yours in time for back to school next month…you know those germs will be in full force!

One of the biggest challenges that new mothers face is accepting their post-pregnancy bodies and I was no exception!  It took a lot of working out and eating right and of course time to get back to where I was before.  The  Strollometer®  would have been the perfect accessory for me at the time!  It will attach to any stroller and lets you know everything you want to know including your current speed, maximum speed, average speed, trip distance, trip time, daily mileage, temperature and the current clock time.  What a motivator!  The best part is you get to do something for yourself while doing something with your new little one, letting them enjoy the outdoor scenery while you stroll your way back into shape. 

The Strollometer® was co-invented by mother of 3, Adi Weber and her husband Dan.  It was also the winner of the JPMA 2006 award of innovation!  You can purchase the Strollometer® at many of mally bibs innovative retailers including baby on board in Richmond, BC, Crocodile in Vancouver, BC and Moms to be and More in Toronto, ON.

Often it’s the most simplistic ideas that strike me as brilliant.  If I were to give one tip on invention, it would be to find a simple everyday problem and come up with a no-brainer solution.  Next time you find something awkward or problematic, just think what could be made to fix the problem.  In the case of Dwink, it was the common problem of the basic juice box.  Anyone with kids knows that the first juice box given to a little one results in a lap full of juice, and most likely many to follow.  As handy and convenient as the little recyclable juice boxes are, they do have that unfortunate downside.  It’s a child’s natural instinct to squeeze them, so the solution is a simple non-squeezable juice-box holder, complete with handles for easy drinking! 

Of course, Dwink was created by a mom!  Yvonne Huang is the mastermind behind the idea.  Dwink is made in the USA and available in 4 colors.  It can be purchased online at mydwinkbox.com or at some of mally bibs smart retailers including Angel Worn in Waterloo, ON.     

Having worked at IKEA for 7 years prior to launching mally bibs, you could say we have our fair share of IKEA products in our home. It was working in the Communications and Interior Design department where I really discovered my love for modern design in particular, and it’s because of their concept of great design at an affordable price.   The IKEA PS LÖMSK is the perfect example of their famous concept.  Clearly a modern piece of play furniture, it’s only $89 and super-fun!  Yes, I can honestly say it’s fun since I have tried it myself.  Children can load it with cushions and sit in it, spin around in it, or hide from their parents with the top down - although we won’t tell them that!  And did you know that spinning helps their brain sort sensory impressions?

The IKEA PS LÖMSK is not available for purchase online, but you can visit ikea.com to find a store near you.  

As adults we look at a basic cardboard box and think nothing of it, other than the fact that it’s great for storing stuff in the garage or attic.  With the creative mind of a child however, it can be instantly transformed into a school bus when they climb into it, a table in a fun restaurant when they sit at it, or rocket on the way to the moon when they crawl under it.  I recently discovered the Kidsonroof House, and I’m sure it would be a huge hit with any toddler.  It’s the cardboard box taken a step further.  It comes complete with windows, doors and even a mailbox.  It’s plain white, so children can still make it their own with paint and decorations turning it into a house, a store, a hotel – it’s all up to them!    

For ages 18 months and up, the Kidsonroof House can be purchased online from their distributor Hip From Holland.

Today's post is going to be a little different.  Rather than a typical product feature, which I hope you're enjoying, I'm going to take this opportunity to ask for some feedback.  We don't get very many comments through our blog, as most new blogs don't, but that's something we would like to change!  We want to know what our readers want to hear.  What types of products are you interested in, what would you like to see less or more of,  or would you like to see a monthly contest perhaps???  Whatever it is, please share - we're open to suggestions!  Simply log in to create an account so you can start commenting.  We are off to our next tradeshow in the fabulous city of New York (don't worry - I've pre-published the blog posts for while we're away!), where I'm sure I will find plenty of inspiration to bring back and share on the mally bibs blog.