LilSugar

Mommy's Lil Helper: Kikkerland Maps

babysugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:00:04 -0800

Do you know the capitals of all 50 states? I'm guessing the chances are slim. You may have at one time and will again when your tot reaches third grade and must know them by heart.

Help him along with these magical Kikkerland US Placemats ($13). If you want to keep them for longer than one meal, laminate them and keep them for future dinners, craft projects, or family geography lessons.

A tad outdated, the maps are from 1895 so you'll be missing four of the 50 states. Can you guess which ones they are?

Lil Find: Personalized Placemats

babysugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:00:58 -0700

I'm always looking for a cute birthday present that can be my standard gift for the year. When someone recently gifted my friend's son a few personalized placemats from Olive Kids ($10 each), I knew I found a winner.

With more than 40 designs, including popular holidays and traditional boy and girl themes, each heavy-duty laminated placemat is personalized with a child's name. The themes have helped to direct our dinner conversation, and allow us to practice our letter recognition.

Mommy's Lil Helper: Table Topper Placemats

babysugar — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 09:00:56 -0800

Taking your babe out to dinner can be stressful with people staring, highchairs in short supply and the possiblilty of temper tantrums. One way to make it easier is to bring along your own disposable placemats made by Neat Solutions ($9).

The placemats have two adhesive strips that you stick down on the table to keep it in position. You can choose from Winnie the Pooh, Dora the Explorer or good old Sesame Street. While you protect your child from the germs on restaurant tables, the designs and characters will keep your baby occupied and entertained. When baby is finished eating, all you have to do is wrap it up and throw it away.

if you're lucky, you'll get a bite to eat too.

Mommy's Lil Helper: Skip Hop Mate

LilSugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:00:04 -0800

The Skip Hop Mate ($20) puts other toddler plates in check. This inventive BPA and PVC free feeding set will help make mealtime a little bit easier on everyone. The stay-put rubber placemat creates a skid free base for the plate and utensils, which all lock in to it securely. Not only is the four-piece set great for keeping everything in one place, but it also may help your tot learn to grab your attention by flashing her adorable smile, rather than hurling her plate across the room.

Candy Alternatives Found in My Tot's Trick-or-Treat Bag

LilSugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 05:00:22 -0800

The night of fright has passed, but while sorting through my kid's candy, I unearthed a couple of fun and inexpensive, non-candy items that I'll keep in mind while passing out party bags in the months ahead.

Jingle Bell Spider - a toy spider crafted from jingle bells, beads and ribbon that children can enjoy all year.
Multi-color retractable pen key-chain - the small pens are right up a lil artist's alley as they can hook the writing utensil to their backpack and not worry about toting their pencil pouch.
Mini-packs of pretzels - the whole wheat treat keeps kids snacking on something other than candy.
Placemat - the inexpensive mats keep children happy, tables clean and can be used again and again.
Festive cup - youngsters can use them for drinking or for storing their treasures.
Coloring book - provides hours of tot entertainment and artistic expression.

Did your child collect any candy alternatives?

Do You Sign With Your Babe?

babysugar — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:00:53 -0700

Most baby stores now carry sign language merchandise from books to DVDs and flashcards to placemats.

I only taught my lil one the sign for "more," but my friends have been more diligent in their efforts. Advocates say that children who sign are less likely to throw tantrums since they can communicate earlier. On the flip side, others argue that signing can delay speech development as tots learn to rely on their hands.

When it comes to sign, what's your stance?
Source

Lil Find: BYO Munchlers

babysugar — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:00:52 -0800

Back in the day, aluminum lunch pails or brown paper bags were the two main modes of lunch transportation for kiddos. Nowadays, the options are endless.

Some of the cooler lunch totes I have seen are those made by Built NY and designed by children's book illustrator Steven Savage. Dubbed BYO Munchlers, the pliable, insulated zoo creatures zip down to a placemat, which provides sanitary room for you tot's delectable delights. These critters are quite a deal at $10. Now you just have to decide between fierce tiger and smiley bunny.

Lil Find: Dolce Mia Vintage Designs

LilSugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:00:53 -0800

Everything old is new again, or so the saying goes. When I first came across the vintage-inspired products from Dolce Mia, the muted tones and cheery images took me back to the nurseries of my childhood.

Dolce Mia hand-cuts decoupage images and then coats them with a deep glossy resin finish so they last. Ballerina, cowboy, farm animal and circus themes are applied to clocks, picture frames, placemats, growth charts, photo albums, brag books and wall decor. These unique products are sure to bring a smile to any new mom's face, or to your own!