LilSugar

Toy Box: Eco-Friendly Musical Toys

LilSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:00:00 -0700

It's becoming easier than ever to turn your little drummer boy into an Eco-friendly musician with all of the wooden instruments currently on the market. Revving up to celebrate Earth Day, we noticed that there are several toy manufacturers taking the lead in creating products for a variety of skill levels. Plan Toys, the makers of this great percussion set that encourages lil ones to compare and differentiate sounds, specializes in brightly colored wooden toys for kids up through preschool age. Their sturdy products are made from rubber wood, non-formaldehyde glue and water-based dyes and inks. French company, Boikido, designs wooden toys featuring their own characters for kids up to four-years-old that meet the highest European safety standards. Check out other fun picks below!

Eco Solid Drum - $26.00	Boikido Wooden Musical Play Table - $34.99
Plan Toys music band - $55.00	Boikido Wooden Musical Set - $31.99
Eco Concertina - $24.00	Eco Melody Xylophone - $29.00
Banjo - $28.00	Boikido Wooden Giraffe Xylophone - $21.99
Xylophone - $36.00

Mamma Mia! Invites Families to Sing it!

LilSugar — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:00:07 -0700

If you have a family that thinks that life's a musical, there's a fabulous and kid-friendly activity that will have you all straining your vocal cords. Take them to the limits and let the kids go wild at the Mamma Mia!: The Sing-Along Edition, which opens in select theaters today. This special version of the movie lists the lyrics to each musical number on screen. And, there's no need to keep your tot's toes from tapping because dancing is encouraged, as is belting out ABBA songs. To see if the show is available in your area, click here.

Paperless Post Gets Holiday Parties Started

babysugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:30:29 -0800

This holiday season, go green, go cheap, and go beautiful! Instead of sending out a tree's worth of paper invitations for your holiday soiree, consider using creative and gorgeous online invitations. While e-vitations have been around a while, few are as sassy, simple, pretty, and well-organized as the custom stationery from the Paperless Post.

A cinch to figure out, and party queens can choose between traditional, contemporary, modern, and casual templates and add the perfect touch with an embossed design, colorful trims, a grosgrain ribbon, or even their own photos. New members get 25 free virtual stamps (good for 25 email addresses) when they sign up and pay an additional fee when they want to send out their notice to more guests. If a hostess wants to blast the invitation out to 100 people, she would only pay the $8 fee for 100 e-stamps as opposed to a $44 bill at the post office. For an extra $5, mama can make the envelope fancy and add a liner. In the end, an $8 stamp fee and $5 envelope liner are peanuts compared to the snail mail option, and she never has to wait in that dreaded line! The bonus is it makes managing the party details as easy as one, two, three. Mommy can tell who has opened the invite, replied to it, and made comments on it.

So the next time mum's throwing a bash - holiday or otherwise - she should consider Paperless Post. The guests will be impressed by her fabulous and savvy eco-friendly ways, and it will give her the opportunity to spend the money on wine and music, 'cause that's what will make her party legendary.

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T Is For Titillating Tunes

babysugar — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:00:42 -0700

Don't bother knockin' if the nursery's a rockin'. Bronx Wentz and Zuma Rossdale may have music running through their veins, but any tot can have tune inspired lairs. Rock stars are known for wearing black so mamas can stick with an ebony and ivory themed room using a contrasting Moses basket and a zebra striped rug. Highlight the digs with a vibrant locker inspired lime green dresser. Baby can walk into a melodious wonderland with musically embroidered beanbags, guitar decals, and turntable pillows. Moms can add a personal touch by framing old sheet music or shadowboxing saved concert tickets. And if the parents are hoping for a mini musician, they better provide the tot the tools to get a head start on tickling those ivories.

We'll be up and away with U in our next installation of the alphabet nursery.

Zebra Rug - $739.00	Vintage Violin Form - $595.00
Buckingham Glider in Custom Fabrics - $699.00	Children Series Framed Art "Piano Lesson" - $98.00
Music Guitar Lamp Base + Shade - $35.00	Ed Hart Shadowbox - Keyboard - $29.99
Simple Dock - $79.00	Plan Toys music band - $55.00
Embroidered Anywhere Beanbags - $59.00	Black Tie Bedding - $1,195.00
Limited Edition Framed Antique Music Sheet -- Sold Individually - $229.00	Natural Cowhide Rug in Black and White - $549.00
Halcyon Days Enamels - $198.00	Diaper Dude Guitar Diaper Bag - $109.95
Lambs & Ivy® Rock 'n Roll Upholstered Rocking Chair - $119.99	Guitar Crib - $2,900.00
Painted Coconut Thumb Guitar - $12.99	Rock Steady Comforter Set - $19.99
Hangers Skull - $45.00	Girls Acoustic Guitar + Bag - $179.00
Kids Line Rebel Boa Blanket - $16.99	Maddie Boo Flourish Baby Bedding - $540.00
Jorun Rug, Low Pile - $39.99	Boikido Wooden Tambourine - $12.99
Guitar - $45.00	Ballerina Musical Jewelry Box - $20.00
Rock Band Tee - $14.00

Country Moms and Pops Step Out For a Twangy Night Out

babysugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:30:59 -0800

The 43rd Country Music Awards were on last night and they did not disappoint. Taylor Swift took a jab at Kanye West and Darius Rucker busted onto the country music scene, where he was welcomed with open arms. Two twangy dads took to the stage to rock out while their wives sat in the audience blowing them kisses. See who stepped out on the red carpet in Nashville last night!

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Toy Box: Mozart Music Cube

babysugar — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 06:00:00 -0800

It always seems that kids are enamored with boisterous toys that talk, sing, dance and espouse animal noises. Unfortunately, those are usually the ones that parents dislike the most.

My aunt gave my babe a Mozart Music Cube ($22) for Christmas and it has been a surprisingly delightful, be it noisy, addition to my tot's toy box.

Unlike her Dora push bus or Baby Jamz chair, this cubical instrument plays Mozart on various instruments – piano, violin, harp and flute. The instrumental box can teach your child about colors and sounds while fine tuning their classical music palette and listening abilities.

The Gifted Child: Gifts For a Newborn Baby

babysugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:00:12 -0800

The best holiday present of all is a newborn baby! While you can't go out and buy a baby, you can buy things to doll them up in and entertainment tools to light up their wee eyes. Spoil babies rotten with some of these wooden treats, musical toys, and sassy threads. Baby may not get what's going on, but he'll love the attention being paid to him.

If you like it then you should put a name on it. Make it known that he is one unique child by giving him a present with his moniker scrawled across it. A baseball bat, a train, or a fuzzy topper will make for precious gifts with extra meaning. Snugglers will appreciate a cuddly blanket for a posh snooze in the crib while snowbound babes will enjoy a sled made just for them.

Tell Mommy: What Kind of Music Does Your Child Like?

LilSugar — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 10:00:59 -0800

While some moms meticulously plan out a labor and delivery playlist, most of us take a more fluid approach to music once our tots start developing their own musical tastes. When it comes to mainstream music, 56 percent of lilsugar readers just go with the flow and let their children listen to whatever is on the radio (so long as it's acceptable!).

What kind of music does your child, hop, bop and hum along to?

Johnny Cash and Other Country Lullabies For Kids

LilSugar — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 05:00:33 -0700

I went to see Walk the Line with my friend when she was eight months pregnant. Every time Joaquin Phoenix sang one of Johnny Cash's songs, her baby kicked up a storm and got us giggling. Had I known about Hushabye Baby Music, I would have known what to get her once the child was born. Hushabye Baby has lightened up the tunes of some of country music's biggest stars, transforming their biggest hits into soft lullabies that are sure to help lil ones doze off to sleep. Each CD comes with adorable images of the animals on Hushabye Farm, as well as a baby food recipe. The collection includes CDs of songs by Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, George Straight, Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton and more.

Does Disney's "Dive In" Offend You?

babysugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:00:55 -0700

Nearly all parents of elementary school aged children know about the High School Musical phenomenon. Kids are crazy for the quirky teen sing–song sensation and Disney is cashing in on the paraphernalia surrounding it. Troy, Gabriella and the whole crew have had their likenesses turned into dolls, lunchboxes, backpacks and pajamas. While most of the items seem harmless, one packaged good is raising eyebrows.

Some parents have taken issue with the 3 pack set of undies with "Dive In" printed on the front of the panties. Since the outrage, Disney has pulled the product and issued a statement:

The knickers in question were designed using our High School Musical 2 artwork, which uses the creative theme of a swimming pool, as this is a key part of the film's storyline. . . Unfortunately a genuine oversight was made and the text on this product was used outside the context of the swimming pool.

Do you find the undies offensive?