New Strawberry Shortcake dolls are 'berry' cute

Strawberry Shortcake is back with a new look and new toys for her new movie -'The Strawberry Shortcake Movie: Sky's the Limit'- that came out today on DVD. 
Strawberry's look has changed through the years. In the photos here you can see the old school Strawberry (right) that you may remember from your childhood and (left) her new look from the new movie. She went from a Raggedy Anne type character to more of a Bratz look, but her disposition remains as sweet as ever.
Parents who remember the original Strawberry Shortcake toys will be glad the new toys smell as sweet as ever. My favorite (and the favorite of my daughters - 3.5 and 2 years old) - the Sweet Surprise Strawberry Shortcake Doll. That girl's so sweet, just like her name! This doll is so cute and literally smells so berry sweet. She's just the right size for toddlers to lug around from their rooms to the car for lots of fun adventures.

She's got really pretty hair that your little ladies will enjoy styling. Plus she comes with a "magic" marker that reveals a strawberry beauty mark and turns her lips red. My two year old likes this because she's really into coloring everything with markers right now and this little feature lets her do so without ruining the toy (which I like too).
This Strawberry doll comes with lots of little accessories, so if you are looking to give it to a child under three or one who still likes to munch on toys, be sure to confiscate those small parts until a later date when she's old enough.

Top 10 stuffed toys of the year

If your little ones got some Christmas cash to spend on something they'll love, consider one of these top 10 stuffed toys of the year.

Curly Q Cuties makes THE cutest, coolest made-to-order monsters. They can be boy monsters, girly monsters, even silly monsters. They're all cute and custom to your child's liking. Part of the fun is sitting down with your little one and picking out the design, from body type, eyes, mouth, colors and more. It's so cool. Plus it's made in the USA and really soft.

Say bye-bye to regular old teddy bears and meet the line of cool Teddes. Tedde's Tiki bear is so cool, as are their other unique bears. He's handmade in New York City too.

The Smart-e-Cat by Intellitoys is not your average stuffed toy. It plays songs, tells stories and plays games. Just connect it to the computer and pick out the programs you want the toy to play in English or Spanish and have fun. It works with both Macs and PCs. Also available the Smart-e-Bear and Smart-e-Dog. All versions upgrade as your child grows up. Recommended for kids two and up. This one just won the NAPPA Gold award and was listed as part of Dr. Toy's Best 10 Technology Toys too.

Foundlings by Peace Toys are made with USA grown pesticide free unbleached cotton inside and out. The eyes are embroidered so there’s no danger of chocking hazards either. These are very friendly looking and especially great for young babies. They come in bunnies, bears, whales, elephants, puppies and turtles. My one year old particularly enjoys snuggling with her Foundling elephant.

Bring the classic children's book Peter Rabbit to life in an earth-friendly way with the Peter Rabbit Naturally Better. This line of bunnies are all made from certified organic cotton, eco-friendly materials and are Phthalate free. They come in recyclable, reusable, PVC free packaging and are produced in socially responsible factories. Plus they're really huggable!

When you're getting ready to welcome baby number two or three or more into the world, parents often stress over making the adjustment easier for their other child(ren). One thing you want toddlers and older children to understand is why mommy needs to breastfeed the new little baby and why it is happening. An easy way to do that is with the help of a toy, like the nursing animal toys by Manhattan Toy. They make Nursing Nina the cat, Nursing Nana the dog and Nursing Nuna the pig.

Dolly's Cupcakes Tea & Me is perfect for girly girls of all ages (though recommended for kids three and up). The soft, stuffed toy tea pot, cups, saucers and foods are handmade in the USA. These are very nice quality toys and much better than the plastic and metal sets on the market.

This hand knitted cat & monkey set from Elegant Roots is sure to delight and you can feel good about buying it. They're handmade by women artisans in Kenya, employed under fair trade principles and made from sustainable earth-friendly materials. Like all of the products at Elegant Roots, you can find out very specific details about their construction on the website before you buy them. They also come very nicely wrapped. My girls split a set of these and they've been carting them around the house since I gave it to them. The long floppy arms and legs make them extra fun.

Soothing Sounds Lullaby Puppy by Russ is sound activated. When baby cries he turns on and plays soothing lullabies as it twinkles soft multi-colored lights. It comes with a Velcro strip to attach it to a crib rail too. Plus he’s really soft and friendly.

WALL-E and EVE plush toys are a must have for the little ones who love the Disney-Pixar movie WALL-E, which has been named movie of the year by Time magazine, is up for a Golden Globe and is also #1 on my top 10 movies for kids of 2008. My daughters (15 months old and almost 3 years old) got these for Christmas and they are favorites for sure. They like to hold them while they watch the movie as well as play with them throughout the day.

For more info: Check out more cool stuff for babies, toddlers, young children, moms, dads, and grandparents in my gift guide. Lots of ideas for presents for any occasion.

Poingo Reader Review

Looking for a fun way to get your kids more into books and give them some independence while you're at it? Then you'll want to check out the Poingo Story Reader. It looks kind of like a big fat highlighter. Instead of marking on the pages, it "reads" to kids.

All you do is touch the start spot with the "pen" and then touch the title. Then kids can touch photos to get extra info about the story and hear cool sound effects. Best of all as they drag it across the words, the pen reads them the story. (Watch a demo HERE.)

My almost three year old loves her Poingo. I gave it to her for Christmas and she has really enjoyed using it. The starter pack comes with a "reader pen" and two books. You can buy lots more books to add to the collection as your child gets the hang of it.

The only downside is the pages can rip if your little one's not careful, though they are thicker that regular book pages. But chances are you'll be close by to keep an eye out for gentle reading. But I wouldn't suggest this one for independent nighttime reading until your child has a track record of not ripping pages in books.

The Poingo is recommended for kids three and up. I think you can start them at 2.5 years old with a little extra parental help.

Here's a YouTube video demonstration that a mom and daughter have put together:

For more info: More about the Poingo at MyPoingo.com.

Bath Toys

Bath time is a funny thing. It seems like kids either love it or hate it. Here are five of the best bath toys to help your little one enjoy their time in the tub.
1.Butterfly Net By Little Tikes ($7.99)
I've already mentioned this one in this blog, but good things are worth repeating! Not only is this toy fun but it’s also educational! Tots learn hand-eye coordination as they chase the fluttering butterflies across the tub with the net. Best yet, these butterflies “fly” across the water without batteries. You just pull on the last segment of their bodies and off they go. Recommended for 18 months and up, but both my girls (ages 2 years old and nine months old) love playing with these butterflies.

Dirty Dogs by Alex

2.Dirty Dogs by Alex ($8.93)
What kid doesn’t like dogs? These bath buddies are perfect playmates to make bath time fun. The precious little pups are spotted with magic ink and need your little ones give ‘em a good scrub. Add a little warm water and voila - clean guys ready to play. Kids also will love the fact that the pups squirt water too! The company also has Piggy Pigs that work the same way. They’re made for children six months and up.
3. Boon Bath Goods ($15 for the set)
Let your little artist go to town with Boon’s colorful bath toy set. Kids can get creative with the 15 foam bath stickers that stick and re-stick over and over again. Also included, three bath balls and two mini scrubbers. All of the items are mold and mildew resist and don’t absorb water. Recommended for kids at least six months old.
4.Car Wash Bath Toy by Sassy ($14.94)
Move over rubber duckies, it’s time to turn the tub into a car wash. This tub set includes three vehicles and a floating roadway complete with a squirting nozzle and car ferry. Kiddos can learn practical cause and effect skills while they wash. Each vehicle does something different: the red truck scoops and pours water, the green car squirts, and the purple car scoops and strains water. Plenty of fun for two to play at once! Cars store in the mesh pocket “garage” and the whole thing can hang to dry. It’s made of mildew-resistant foam perfect for children nine months and up.
5.Whistling Hippos by Alex ($17.99)
Forget hungry hippos, check out these cheerful guys that whistle while you wash. The set of four hippos each have their own ring to float on across the tub. Dunk them under the water and they make whistling noises. Fun for kids and maybe even best for you, they don’t squirt so there’s less mess to clean when bath time is over. These hippos are made for kids at least 18 months old.

Organic Cotton Baby Toy by Under the Nile

Get baby to love her fruits and veggies with the fun organic toys from Under the Nile. I recently came across this product line while browsing thru green toys online. So glad I did. They're pretty reasonably priced, good for the enviro, and safe for baby!
My fav, the cute little grape teether toy (about $6). You can dip the bottom few grapes in water and freeze them for added soothing for teething tots.

Teething Toys

Teethers are practical toys to help baby get thru teething. Who knew this must-have for babies had so many cool variations!

HABA Bear Teether

1. Teething Rings By Haba ($9.99-$17.09) German-made wooden teething rings made with 100% non-toxic water based stains. Available in a variety of designs from bears to flowers. These are super cool looking, safe, and innovative! I've previously mentioned how much I like HABA's products. Can't say it enough!

2. Organic Cotton Grapes by Under the Nile ($5.90)
Get baby to eat her fruits, or at least munch on them. Can be dipped in water and frozen for ultimate teething relief. And they’re organic. Other fruit and veggie teether designs available too. (I featured this one in a separate post a few days ago.)
3. Raz-berry Teether by Razbaby ($5.99)
Made of non-toxic 100% medical grade silicone. This is a teether and a pacifier with little textured bumps to soothe gums. Available in red or blue.
4. Luv N Care Cool-Sicles by Nuby $7.99
These are best frozen for added comfort for sore gums. Made of nontoxic purICE Gel which stays cold longer than other types of teethers. Come in four cute designs - elephant, alligator, clown, chicken.
5. Combi Training Teethers($4.95-$5.99)
Combi has a different model teether for each stage of baby’s teething needs. All models are made to stimulate gums, teeth, tongue, lips and help baby transition between stages.

4 months: Combi Training Teether - Stage 1
6 months: Combi Training Teether - Stage 2
8 Months: Combi Training Teether - Stage 3

Wooden Tot Toys

Haba Clutching Toy: Bonita

Haba Clutching Toy: Ping Pong

It seems like there are so many recalls of kids toys that it's kind of scary to let your little ones put anything in their mouth. But I have found a safe solution: HABA toys.

These German-made toys are cool looking and made with non-toxic stains. Not to mention they keep kids busy with their cool designs. (Did I mention they were cool. lol).
They have products for every kid stage from teether toys to "grocery" items to pacifier chains.
Lots of these are going on our wish list!

HABA Clutching Toy Beetle

Ellerie with the Beetle Trixie clutch toy

As babies reach the six to nine month age range they start needing to grab at everything in sight. My daughter Ellerie (10 months old) is no exception. She paws and nibbles at just about anything from my hair to shoes... unless she has a nice little toy she's interested in.
Enter: HABA's new Beetle Clutching toys. They come in boy (Anton) and girl (Trixie) versions, though either are really gender neutral, in my opinion.

Anton

Trixie

We have Trixie. She's made of a soft but firm foam covered in cotton/polyester to HABA's and the EU standards. This toy is really like a fancy tag toy, which is fabulous because I've never met a baby who didn't like a good tag to chew on. She's also super cute kind of like a cross between a flower (when you fold up the layers to play peek a boo, which is a BIG hit) and a friendly bug. Ellerie particularly like to chew on the little wings that make crinkly noises when she scrunches them. In addition to the crinkling noise, Trixie also is a rattle, so it's a good grow with you toy to buy for a younger baby as well.
Trixie and Anton are brand new to the market. They retail for about $12 each.

Washable coloring books

Go green with one of my new favorite things: the Remarkables line of washable coloring books. They can be used over and over again simply by rinsing with cold water. What a great way to save paper and eliminate waste. Plus it makes for clean fun for kids.

They come in several themes, including Elmo, Cars, and Disney Princess. The reusable coloring books come with three washable markers and cost about $10. Readers can find them at several retailers, including Walmart, eToys, and Amazon.com. The recommended age is 3 and up.