This post is quite the opposite from the baby bottle post of a few days ago, but it has been a while since I featured one of those simple yet brilliant product ideas.  This one was invented by a dad who was frustrated with the fact that his baby was not able to drink water from his water bottle easily and without making a mess.  Taking matters into his own hands, Tommy Habeeb decided to invent an adaptor to fit onto a typical water bottle, converting it into a baby bottle.  It’s one of those ‘why didn’t I think of that?’ type of ideas that can come in handy on a long hike or day at the park when not quite enough bottled milk or formula was prepared.  Now when the little one needs a thirst quencher, mom or dad's water bottle will do the trick!  For more product details and company information, visit www.babysportonline.com

The Babysport water bottle nipple adaptor can be purchased online at amazon.com for $2.49. 

The ABC Kids Expo that we recently exhibited at had some of those simply brilliant products as well!  Here’s one that I couldn’t resist featuring – the Dripstik.  So simple, yet so brilliant.

The problem:  kids can’t seem to eat the frozen treats fast enough, resulting in sticky hands and messy clothes.

The solution:  a kid friendly holder designed with an ice-cream cone insert on one end and a popsicle stick insert on the order with a tray on either end to catch the drip.

Designed by Jared and Meccinna Price, a mom and dad of 5, the patent pending dripstik is made in the USA and available for purchase online or at one of Mally Bibs newest retailers, Babylove in Sunrise, FL.

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!

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.