Journal This!

Going on the adventure of a lifetime with your children? Then check out these travel journals by Galison/Mudpuppy. They are amazing ways to have your child catalogue their adventures and remember the great times they had. They allow your child to write about all of the details of their trip in a fun and interactive way. Galison/Mudpuppy has a series of journals for different occasions including Camp and activities such as reading and crafting. These journals are for boys and girls and the best thing is that they are only $10.00 and they can be found at http://www.galison.com/ under Mudpuppy/Journals.

Loving Language

If you are interested in raising a global kid, then you know that language is key. Muzzy is a language program specifically designed for children. MUZZY, the award-winning BBC Language Course for Children is the most respected children's language course in the world. Celebrated in 100 countries, and winner of top educational awards, MUZZY has been called a masterpiece for children. MUZZY has successfully introduced millions of children to a second language. Te languages offered through this program are German, French, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish and ESL. You can find this program at http://www.early-advantage.com/. Select your child's developmental stage and they will send you the appropriate language course.

The Night Before Christmas...

How about getting your kids a new set of pajamas so they can rest in comfort as they wait for Old St. Nick? Garnet Hill (http://www.garnethill.com/) offers adorable PJ prints and they are on sale. These adorable chicken PJs run $26.00 -- usually they are $44.00. These PJs are a little pricetag for a lot of cuteness.

Mini-Emos

For all those little emos in your life who haven't quite figured out how to contain or what to call their feelings, take a look atKimochi emotion dolls at http://www.glammagems.com/ for $25.00 . These dolls can help you child learn to express and label their feelings with stuffed "emotions". Each "emotion" is a small polar fleece disk with the emotion written on one side and a facial expression of it on the other. Comes with a set of nine emotions: Happy, Sad, Mad, Grateful, Scared, Jealous, Shy, Loved and a blank one for writing your own emotion!

FLO

One of the biggest challenge I have faced while bathing little kids, is rinsing hair easily. Flo takes care of that. You put it over your faucet and it allows for a gentle waterfall from your tap that makes hair easy to rinse. There is also a bubble bath reservoir to help makes baths fun. You can purchase these at http://www.shopbabybliss.com/ for $18.00

Foot Candy

Baby, it's cold outside and little kids love to be warm and comfortable. Garnet Hill (http://www.garnethill.com/) offers these adorable boiled wool slippers to warm up those chilly toes. They run $39.00 and you can chose between unicorns, sharks, mermaids and other whimsical shapes and patterns.

Espanol par los Ninos

Ok, so maybe I mispelled the phrase above incorrectly or it's just plain wrong, that would be becuase I never had the opportunity to learn Spanish as a child. Put those regrets behind you with a Spanish immersion CD from Whistlefritz. These CDs are award winning language CDs for children and they promise to keep your child entertained. You can find them at http://www.whistlefritz.com/

Bee Well

It's definately cold and flu season and if you are looking for natural throat drops go no further than Bee MD. These organic drops appeal to kids and parents and there are no artificial flavors or preservatives and the best thing is that a portion of every purchase is donated to support the protection of bees. Read more about the product at http://www.beemd.com/ (and find some delicious honey recipies) or purchase the drops for $3.00 at http://www.drugstore.com/

Clean Crafting

How clever is this? Finger paint in a pump bottle. This washable paint will allow kids to keep the mess to a minimum. There are 4 colors available and they are only $1.99 each!!!! Check it out at www.rightstart.com

Green Santa

Kids love reading and listening to Santa stories this time of the year. Why not teach them a lesson on being Green at the same time? The book "When Santa Turned Green" is an excellent way to teach kids about the environment as Santa struggles with melting of the North Pole. Not only can you buy the book, but there is a toy collection that you can purchase along with the book. The book, which is made out of recycled materials and soy based ink, costs $15.95 and you can find it at http://www.mygreensanta.com/.

Tent Time

I have looked at many kids playtents and found them to be ridiculously expensive. Surprisingly, I found a reasonable and adorable tent at http://www.restorationhardware.com/ under their new kids and baby selection. The Tents are on sale for $99.00 and you can have them personalized for only $6.00 more! Plus you can buy a matching nap-mat for $64.00.

Fly Me To The Moon

So, we all know that we are in a total economic meltdown and everyone is looking for novel ideas that bring great joy to kids and still let you pinch a penny. So, if you wanted to get your kids a treehouse or a cool hide-out, take a look at these cardboard rockets and play houses from http://www.landofnod.com/. They run $89.00 and the great thing is that because they are cardboard, your kids can customize them with paint on their own.

Reindeer Snacks

Kids always leave out cookies and milk for Santa, but what about those poor reindeer who haul those gifts around the world? Now you can give them some reindeer treats courtesy of http://www.crateandbarrel.com/. For $11.95, you can find this adorable reusable bag that after you have fed the reindeer with the treats that are included, you can refill it year after year and add a new family tradition to the mix.

Customize

A great idea for the holidays is to take just about anything and customize it yourself or let you kids customize it. At http://www.zazzle.com/ you can do just that. You can customize shoes, shirts, hats, and just about anything else with your own picutes or art you pull off the site. Its fun for just about anyone and the best thing is that as you create, you can see what your product will look like before you order.

One Laptop Per Child

Looking for a fantastic opportunity to truly make a difference and get your kid something amazing from Santa? One Laptop Per Child is that gift. One Laptop is a global initiative to provide laptops to disadvantaged children all throughout the world and one time a year you can get one of these laptops for your child if you buy one for a needy child. We participated in Give One Get One last year and were thrilled with the product. For $399 you get a laptop and one is donated on your behalf. The laptops are especially cool because they are produced for children and not adults. The key pads are small and they features that were built into the technology are amazing. In order to work in third world environments, the laptops have such things as an extended battery and you can see the screen when you are outside and the screen is in color and it works in all kinds of environments. Believe it or not, it even has a video feature! and yes, it is Internet accessible. I can't say enough about this wonderful opportunity and even if your child doesn't use it as much as you thought, you gave another kid in the far reaches of the globe, the opportunity to learn and connect to those around them. Check it out at http://www.laptop.org/ and click on the Amazon link to purchase.

Banana Bunker

Does your kid love bananas and do you have trouble transporting them when you are out and about without them turning into mush? I found the "Banana Bunker" online which will solve your problems and save your bags from disgusting mush. You can find these at http://www.momashop.org/ and they run $10.00 for set of two. I admit when I saw the picture I did a double take, but think it is a great idea.

Make Your Own Muppet

Ever wanted to create your own muppet? Or have a child who is a big fan? Check out FAO Scwartz (http://www.faoschwartz.com/) and search for Whatnot (the name of "make your own" muppet) and voila begin your creation. You can either make your own on the site for $90.00 or buy a kit for $130. It takes 3-4 weeks for delivery, so if you are considering this as a holiday gift, think fast.

Egg

Looking for clothes and blankets this season for your infant or toddler that are warm and designed with enviromentally friendly products? Your search is over at http://www.egg-baby.com/ These clothes balance chic and sweet. They even has cool astrological blankets made of the best and softest materials. Although the line is a bit expensive, these would make great unique gifts.

Family Portraits

Looking to have a family portrait made that doesn't consist of someone sitting for hours in a stiff chair with a stiff smile? Check out http://www.illustratedportraits.com/ where illustrator Samantha Ferguson displays her fun and original family portraits. What a great why to have an everlasting piece of art that has character. She also does custom artwork for holiday cards, invitations and more.

Take It or Leave It

After having children, our take menus become extremely important to us so why not make life easier and keep all of them organized in one place. This Takeout Menu Organizer is a dream. It's about $20.00 and includes all kinds of dividers, tabs, menu protectors and much more. This menu management system is a must have! Check it out at www.knockknock.biz

My Bag

Check out this bag from Kushies called "My bag" (http://www.kushiesonline.com/). This bag is perfect for trips or overnights and has everything included to keep you organized. You can choose from two great colors. The bags are $80.00 and come with:

• compartments for your stuff
• 1 insulated snack box
• 1 insulated medicine box
• 1 clean clothes bag
• 1 dirty clothes bag
• 1 soiled clothes bag with laundry insert
• A pillow and blanket
• A handy hook for hanging
• 1 spare shoes bag
  

Teething Toy

Sophie the Giraffe has been a favorite teether for decades helping little ones get through those uncomfortable months. Sophie is made in France and is light and easy to grasp and is of course non-toxic with 100% natural rubber from the sap of the Hevea tree. She is famous round the world and feels good in little gums and makes a soft squeek when squeezed. You can find her at http://www.cheekymonkey.com/ for around $20.00

Happy Hatter

As the days get cooler, you want your childs noggin to be warm and stylish. www.lafolieknits.com is a great website where you can order hand knitted hats, scarves and mittens. The run about $40.00 and are as unique and adorable as your child.

Ride in Style

Clek is a booster seat company that has created a safe and stylish product that is quick and easy to install. The booster seats come alone or you can chose a cover and they include the LATCH system to improve on safety for the backless booster. You can find them for $90.00 at http://www.duckduckoops.com/.

Silly Soft Seating

Take a look at these little characters that convert into seating. Called Silly Soft Seating, you can buy a number of different characters in different colors for your child to enjoy. They go for $50.00 at http://www.moderntots.com/.

Looking for something that will keep your child in their chair and fit in your bag all at the same time? Little Beetle baby chairs are an awesome and convenient way to ensure that your child won't fall off that stool or chair when you are on the go and it packs up nicely. You can find it in several colors at http://www.littlebeetlebabychair.com/ and they run $39.99 or as I like to call it $40.00. This is ideal for children 6 months to 2 years old.

Simple Shoes

Check out these eco friendly sustainable shoes by Simple Shoes (http://www.simpleshoes.com/). These shoes are 100% sustainable and are made out of things like recycled tires and intertubes, hemp, and organic cotton and bamboo. They run about $40.00 and there are shoes for kids and adults of all sizes.

Onesie Extender

Is your childs onesie so tight it looks painted on? Provide some relief to your child and to your pocket book with onsie extenders. These extenders snap onto the bottom of the onsie and give them new life. You can find them at http://www.onestepahead.com/ where you can get a 10 pack of different snap styles all for $10.00.

Watch It

Looking for a way to teach your kid how to tell time and look stylish? At http://www.flikflak.com/ you can find just that. The makers of Swatch got together with teachers to make color-coded watches for kids that they can learn to read on their own. The come in dozens of colors for boys and girls and are true quality that only Swatch can bring to a kids watch. These adorable watches run about $40.00 and come alone or with matching jewelry, cases or accessories.

Wee Ninja

Want to get a unique toy for your top crime fighter? How about their own Wee Ninja from http://shop.shawnimals.com/ ? Wee Ninjas train constantly to refine many of the techniques all Ninjas use today, including but not limited to the Stealth Hug, Sneak Snuggle and Fists of Tickle Fury. This ninja goes from $10.00 for the pocket Ninja to $20.00 for the 9” high Ninja.

Deux Par Deux

Looking for boutique style clothes but not wanting to pay the riduculous prices? Deux Par Deux has adorable clothes, and while they arent cheap, they arent so sky high that you have to take out a loan. You can find this line at http://www.everythingbutthepricess.com/.

Namaste

Looking for a relaxing activity for your child that will enhance coordination and strengthen the body? How about Yoga? At http://www.lazylizardsyoga.com/ you can purchase a kids yoga mat plus a DVD for $38.95. Give your child a gift that will be fun and benefit them for many years to come.

Look Cool While You Drool

Looking for a bib that can withstand a ton of drool and still look cool? At http://www.funkiebaby.com/ your wish will come true. The bibs are soft with the soak proof lining in the middle, so it can absorb all the drool and not get your baby or toddler wet. They have fabulous prints and make other soak proof items including burp cloths and travel mats. The bibs run $20.00

On the Go

About to hit the road and struggling with all the things you need to feed your child while you are out and about? The "Elegant On The Go" set is a great way to stay organized. You can find them in four different colors at http://www.amazon.com/ for $14.96 and on other sites such as http://www.giggle.com/

Bundle Me

As it starts to get a little frosty outside, you want your child to be toasty and warm. JJ Cole's bundle me are so soft and comfy that you wished they made an adult size for your car. You can find many verisons at http://www.jjcoleusa.com/ and they run from $40-60 for infants up through a stroller version for your toddler.

Drinking with Friends

Bottle Pets are cute little animals that cover a baby bottle.

Your child never has to drink alone again! These adorable covers are available

at www.duematernity.com for $18.00. You can select from a variety of animals such as a monkey, lion, octopus or pig...it's hard to pick, they are all so cute!

Baby Bucket

Check out this new way to bathe your baby. No longer do you have to fear your baby slipping out of your hands and rolling into the water. This baby pod allows you to wash your upright and is highly recommended by parents and physicians. You can find it at http://www.giggle.com/ and it goes for $28.00. Recommended up to 6 months of age.

Subscription for Fun

Remember the days of reading Highlights in the doctors or dentist office when you were a kid? Guess what? The magazine is still around and they have launched a new magazine for preschoolers called Highlights High-Five. Geared for ages 2-6 this magazine will be a great monthly surprise for your little one- what kid doesn't like getting their own mail? Plus, the teachers at my school recommended it as a great learning tool. The subscription costs $26.04 for the entire year and you can get it at http://www.highlights.com/

Those Were the Daze

New moms, especailly first time moms can be a little obsessed about tracking their new baby's food intake, nap times, and number of poops and pees. Here is a great tool I wish I would have known about when I was obsessing about such things. Baby Daze is an orginazation tool that is simple and innovative...check it out at http://www.babydaze.net/ $19.95

Hip Halloween

I found these fabulous and unique halloween costumes at http://www.chasing-fireflies.com/. They have everything from pirates to ice queens to Marie Antoinette. Costumes run from $40.00- $100.00 and they are anything but run-of-the-mill.

Fun Chop

If you take your child out to eat Asian food, you have probably experienced their love of Chop Sticks and their total inability to use them. Fun Chop was a product created for children 3 and older and adults a like who are chop-inept. You can get them at http://www.asianfoodgrocer.com/ for a dollar each or the manufacturer http://www.funchop.com/ sells them in bulk, just in case you need 500 (they also list retailers). Or, if you go to a restaurant that has them, ask for a few extra and keep them in your purse. They are a great way to keep your child entertained and teach them how to begin using Chops Sticks.

Shake It Up!

Anyone who has kids knows that during the end of pregnancy and when you have a newborn, you don't always feel like cooking yourself a well balanced meal. Angel Milk shakes may be a great alternative! The shakes contain 100% all-natural ingredients and the balance of nutrients that expectant and new mothers need. They are formulated to complement your physiology and support your pregnant and nursing body. Angel Milk supports your efforts for good prenatal and postpartum nutrition. These shakes are convenient, portable and the flavors sound d-lish!

$20-$32 at http://www.maternitique.com/

101 Things You Gotta Do Before You're 12!

Check out this cool book "101 Things You Gotta Do Before You're 12" by Joanne O'Sullivan. Many might remember the book of things you have to do before you die, this book is geared towards creative activities and trips for kids. In the book you will find totally out of the box experiences that will grow your childs imagination and zest for the unusual. And it will eliminate brain cramps trying to think of neat things to do with your kids. You can by it on http://www.amazon.com/ for $9.95. You should also explore O'Sullivan's other book "101 Places You Gotta See Before You're 12".

Binky Bling

Do you have a upscale occasion or event where you want to dress up your little one? Don't let your childs paci become the show stopper for the whole event. Invest in binky bling from www.pinktaffydesigns.com. The eye candy goes for $30.00 for each pacifier (I would invest in a sturdy clip as not to lose your investment) and there are many designs and colors to choose from.

Time Out

Need a designated area to put your child in time out? Not that they ever act up, but in the off chance that they would http://www.timeoutspot.com/ offers a cool solution to time out time. The Time Out Spots are made of carpet with a non skid backing and are easy to store and move. The go for $22.00.

Art for the Uncommited

Looking for a fast and stylish way to dress up a room? Wall decals are the wave of the future. At http://www.whatisblik.com/ you can get wall decals to meet any design. There are fabulous retro designs and you can also get for glass and even for your car. They come in kids designs, bold shapes and artsy graphics.

Art Cards

They say that infants and toddlers can easily distinguish high contrast images and Wee gallery (http://www.weegallery.com/) takes full advantage of that skill. For your infants you can place them along the crib to give them something interesting to look at. They have designed beautiful flash cards for your child. They cost $12.00 per box and you have multiple themes to chose from.

What's that?

The Bilibo toy might look a little strange, but it has won numerous awards for sparking creativity in children. It can be taken anywhere and used for anything including scooping, sliding and sitting. It runs $30.00 and can be found at http://www.uncommongoods.com/

Pajama Pillow

Wonder where to store your child's pajamas from one night to the next? Here are some cool pajama pillows that I found at http://www.moolka.com/ search under pajama pouches. Made by a European toy company, these pillows have a zipper in the back to store clothes and make a cute bed decoration by day. They run about $40.00. Moolka does a fabulous job at shipping items. The last time I ordered from the site, I got the item three days later without paying rush charges. I am convinced that they got my order and ran to the airport where they threw my order onto the FedEx plane. Great customer service.

On the Go

Ever sit in a doctor's office or have your child sit in the car and find that they are bored out of their minds? Haba helps solve that problem with their Smart Bag. The bag stores pens, pencils and other goodies on one side and has a hard base on the other side that can substitute for a table top. It can alse be easily carried by your child as a back-pack or purse. They are $37.99 at http://www.oompatoys.com/