Stumped For Toys? I've Got You Covered!

With the holiday season around the corner, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with the endless possibilities of toys for kids! It seems as though everywhere you look, there’s a new trend, a new fad, and what’s cool today may not be by the holidays! Don’t worry! I’m here with a few stellar recommendations for toddlers and babies!

For the Babies

Let’s talk about the 6 month old+ ! This baby has started to roll over, can see clearly, loves tummy time and may even begin sitting up! My go-to brand has always been B Toys, for a few obvious and maybe not so obvious reasons! For starters, the quality. I have toys from B Toys that my older son Zane played with day in and day out and they are still in perfect condition and are now being passed on to my second son! There’s nothing I love more than that. Secondly, B Toys cares about our earth and children. Did you know that their packaging is 100% recyclable, reusable and recycled? They also go a step further and donate a portion of their sales to WE, the largest network of children helping other children. And finally, my kids are OBSESSED with everything I bring home from B Toys. Our current obsession is the Roly-Poly Owl! It’s a soft and colourful owl that wobbles and bobbles, plays 5 songs and 4 silly sounds and keeps their attention with a super fun light show! My son laughs and giggles and can’t get enough of this toy.

Click here to learn more about Roly-Poly Owl

A few of my other faves from B Toys are:

Zany Zoo (we’ve had this since Zane was a baby and it’s honestly the best)

Stroller Wiggle Wrap (this is always on Boss’ stroller! It keeps him entertained in the car and when we’re on the go in his stroller)

Musical Octopus (the sounds are so fun, the songs are catchy and the buttons are easy enough to push that my 6 month old can do it!)

For the Game Playing Toddlers

Toddlers are a special bunch! It’s an age where they get distracted easily, love challenges and are so eager to learn. I brought home Pixxo Junior over a month ago and it’s been a daily favourite in our home ever since! It’s a 2-in-1 game that will grow with your child as they develop! It starts out as a colourful game that encourages hand-eye coordination and pattern recognition as a unique type of puzzle!

There are 15 coloured sheets and circular tokens that you drop into the game and try to match the colours to the image! Once your child is a little more advanced, it becomes a strategy game with 2 players, similar to tic tac toe, but with coloured tokens that you drop into the game and first person to get 3 of the same colours in a row wins! I love Pixxo Junior for a few reasons. First, because there are 15 different coloured sheets, it keeps my son busy for much longer than a traditional puzzle.

Once he finishes with one image, he can simply swap it out and start on another! Second, there are so many ways that this game helps my son learn! We get to practice his colours (as he’s putting the tokens in the game, I get him to tell me the colours out loud), he identifies what animal or object is on the picture and he’s practicing his dexterity and hand-eye coordination as he drops the tokens in the game! Once we start playing the Strategy Game, he’ll be using reasoning and cognitive skills to anticipate my moves, choose his next move and identify when he has 3 in a row! Finally, because it can grow with my son, it’s one less thing I’ll need to buy down the road! I love finding toys that my kids won’t outgrow in 5 seconds.

Click here to shop for Pixxo Junior

Stumped For Toys? I've Got You Covered!

With the holiday season around the corner, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with the endless possibilities of toys for kids! It seems as though everywhere you look, there’s a new trend, a new fad, and what’s cool today may not be by the holidays! Don’t worry! I’m here with a few stellar recommendations for toddlers and babies!

For the Babies

Let’s talk about the 6 month old+ ! This baby has started to roll over, can see clearly, loves tummy time and may even begin sitting up! My go-to brand has always been B Toys, for a few obvious and maybe not so obvious reasons! For starters, the quality. I have toys from B Toys that my older son Zane played with day in and day out and they are still in perfect condition and are now being passed on to my second son! There’s nothing I love more than that. Secondly, B Toys cares about our earth and children. Did you know that their packaging is 100% recyclable, reusable and recycled? They also go a step further and donate a portion of their sales to WE, the largest network of children helping other children. And finally, my kids are OBSESSED with everything I bring home from B Toys. Our current obsession is the Roly-Poly Owl! It’s a soft and colourful owl that wobbles and bobbles, plays 5 songs and 4 silly sounds and keeps their attention with a super fun light show! My son laughs and giggles and can’t get enough of this toy.

Click here to learn more about Roly-Poly Owl

A few of my other faves from B Toys are:

Zany Zoo (we’ve had this since Zane was a baby and it’s honestly the best)

Stroller Wiggle Wrap (this is always on Boss’ stroller! It keeps him entertained in the car and when we’re on the go in his stroller)

Musical Octopus (the sounds are so fun, the songs are catchy and the buttons are easy enough to push that my 6 month old can do it!)

For the Game Playing Toddlers

Toddlers are a special bunch! It’s an age where they get distracted easily, love challenges and are so eager to learn. I brought home Pixxo Junior over a month ago and it’s been a daily favourite in our home ever since! It’s a 2-in-1 game that will grow with your child as they develop! It starts out as a colourful game that encourages hand-eye coordination and pattern recognition as a unique type of puzzle!

There are 15 coloured sheets and circular tokens that you drop into the game and try to match the colours to the image! Once your child is a little more advanced, it becomes a strategy game with 2 players, similar to tic tac toe, but with coloured tokens that you drop into the game and first person to get 3 of the same colours in a row wins! I love Pixxo Junior for a few reasons. First, because there are 15 different coloured sheets, it keeps my son busy for much longer than a traditional puzzle.

Once he finishes with one image, he can simply swap it out and start on another! Second, there are so many ways that this game helps my son learn! We get to practice his colours (as he’s putting the tokens in the game, I get him to tell me the colours out loud), he identifies what animal or object is on the picture and he’s practicing his dexterity and hand-eye coordination as he drops the tokens in the game! Once we start playing the Strategy Game, he’ll be using reasoning and cognitive skills to anticipate my moves, choose his next move and identify when he has 3 in a row! Finally, because it can grow with my son, it’s one less thing I’ll need to buy down the road! I love finding toys that my kids won’t outgrow in 5 seconds.

Click here to shop for Pixxo Junior

The Ultimate Bassinet from Chicco

This pregnancy, I’m trying ALL the products that I didn’t use for Zane and have been so excited about sharing this particular one with you! I got my hands on the Lullago® Portable Bassinet from Elfe Juvenile Products. I never used a bassinet with Zane and relied solely on his crib and play yard, but it was heavy and super hard to move around from room to room. It was also super inconvenient to bring around when we were visiting friends and family. I was intrigued about this bassinet for a few reasons:

1. It matches my decor and is not an eye sore

2. It is supposed to easily fold up and fit in a bag that you can carry over your shoulder!

3. It has a padded mattress, making it much more comfy than a play yard

4. All the fabrics are removable and washable (which is my dream because Zane had INSANE reflux and I ended up having to throw away so many items that could not be easily washed!

You can see my full unboxing of this amazing bassinet including assembly in the video below! I am obsessed. It’s SO light weight, the fabric and materials are SO soft, it goes together and comes apart in under 2 minutes and it really does fit in a carrying bag that you can just throw over your shoulder (you can see it in the picture at the top of this post!) I also was pleasantly surprised at the size! A lot of bassinets that I looked at were quite short and narrow. This one gives your baby lots of breathing room and it has mesh sides for lots of ventilation. I can’t wait to use it with the baby in a few weeks! For now I have it set up beside our bed so that midnight feeds are quick and easier for me lol. I intend on brining it everywhere we go. For more information on this bassinet, visit Elfe Juvenile Products by clicking here.

Bath Time Essentials For A New Baby

With a second baby on the way, I am being a lot more particular about the products that I MUST have. I saw super quickly with Zane which products were useful, a waste of money, and which didn’t stand the test of time with a baby. Bath time can be a total bonding experience with your baby or it can be super stressful as a new parent so being fully equipped is SO important!!

I’m rounding up my MUST HAVE bath time products for new and experienced parents alike who are expecting a new baby! These items will also make amazing baby shower gifts!

• A light, portable and adjustable bath tub is a MUST. You don’t want one that’s only for newborns because you’ll be replacing it shortly after your baby arrives and one that isn’t specifically for newborns will drive you insane. You will either be constantly holding up your baby so that they are propped up, or you’ll have your baby constantly sliding down the slippery inclined plastic.. I recommend the Moby Smart Sling 3-Stage Tub. This tub is awesome because it grows with baby through three stages: Stage 1: Newborn (0-3 months; up to 15 lbs); Stage 2: Infant (3-6 months; up to 20 lbs); Stage 3: Sitters (6+ months; up to 25 lbs). There are 2 positions that you can place the tub in and then you can completely remove the interior mesh once your baby can comfortably sit. The mesh also provides a type of “grip” that a simple plastic tub won’t provide which is great for newborns. Click here to learn more.

• An easy to grip, light, ergonomic bath rinser. I love the Moby Waterfall Bath Rinser by Skip Hop. We actually have this one in blue and have used it since Zane was born! It’s designed to keep water out of your baby’s eyes and ears, it’s light, and the one we currently have has lasted us over 2 years already! We actually ordered a second one because Zane loves to help rinse himself off in the bath so now I can get him rinsed off and he can help too! Click here to learn more.

• A large and soft bath towel. Don’t make the mistake of getting a small newborn one… it will last about as long as your clean shirt with a new born. I totally recommend getting a larger one that is soft, has a large hood (Zane had a big head that never full fit in the new born towels) and one that is good quality so that it can withstand daily and sometimes 2 times a day baths! For Zane and our new baby, we have always used the Skip Hop Zoo Hooded Towel. It’s soft, bright and vibrant, and great quality! Click here to learn more.

• A SINK BATH! Before having Zane, I had never heard of these, and I won’t make the mistake of having another baby without using one! The Skip Hop Moby SoftSpot Sink Bather™ is the perfect size for newborns and infants. It allows you to give them a bath in the kitchen or bathroom sink. It’s GREAT for when you’re on the go, visiting your parents or friends houses and accidents happen. It’s also super practical when you’re alone and your baby has an accident. It’s hard sometimes to contain the mess, undress your baby all while trying to fill up a bathtub. With the Sink Bather, you can put your baby right in the sink and use the sprayer or tap to keep them warm and start bathing them immediately! It has a velcro strap so that it can be easily hung to dry, it has neck and head support for babies and a mesh centre so that your baby is cradled. I am SO excited to give it try when our mini arrives in a few short weeks! Click here to learn more.

• Toys Toys and more Toys. They will keep your mini’s hands occupied and out of their soapy hair and will give you the time you need to properly wash them. I always recommend toys that move, toys that can easily be disinfected and toys that don’t have a ton of grooves and holes so that you don’t have any moldy surprises. Our 3 fave right now are: Count & Play Bath Puzzle, Zoo Paddle & Go Owl and the Mix & Match Foam Pals Bath Toys (these actually stick to the sides of your tub and will keep your baby entertained and as grow with them as they learn that they can move them around and make different animal combinations!).

If you think I’m missing anything, please let me know in the comments below! You may have noticed that all our products are from SkipHop. We did a massive haul at SkipHop and keep returning to them for our baby products because we love the quality, price and design of all their products. They’re a brand we trusted with Zane and they haven’t let us down! Click here to see their full product line!

Gifts That Give Back All Year Round

With the holidays around the corner, I think it’s more important than ever to try to give back this holiday season and it can start with what’s on your shopping list! This year I’m making an effort to be very selective with the companies that I choose to buy gifts from and My B Toys is one that made the cut. For starters, they care about our earth (which is an initiative that I haven’t seen from any other toy company). They scrutinize every piece to ensure its impact on our children’s world is as light as possible - they use recyclable materials and their boxes and packaging are designed to be reused and some can even be reversed to become gift wrap! Even the ink on their packaging is soy-based and their varnishes are water-based. They then go a step farther and give a portion of every sale to Free The Children which has built over 650 schools in communities around the world, providing education to 50,000 children every day. If you still need another reason to support them, their toys are just THE CUTEST. Below are the items that we chose for Zane and for our newest addition that’s due in April! Their toys are available at Target and Amazon.

Ribbit-tat-tat

Recommended for children 2 years +. it’s won multiple awards and is a frog inspired drum! There are beats from around the world, Ribbit-tat-tat from B toys is a frog-inspired toddler drum set and the winner of multiple awards! With its sturdy, toddler-proof construction, this frog toy drum is the perfect way to introduce music to babies and toddlers. There’s a retractable microphone where you can sing along, a voice changer and other games programmed in it! It will keep you and your mini entertained for hours :). Click here for more info!

Fire Flyer

This isn’t your ordinary fire truck! It lights up, vibrates and moves on it’s own! It has an extendable fire hose and even a ladder that goes up and down! Zane looooves trucks and cars so this was a no brainer win for us! Click here for more info!

Wonders Above

This is an acitivity that I am SO excited for. Whenever you shop for a new baby, there are always a few things you find that you can’t believe you lived without before. This is one of them! We had an activity for Zane but it was hard and often I felt he was uncomfortable on the floor when he was on it. This one is SO quilted and soft that your mini could even take a nap on it! It has 5 sensory toys hanging from the arc and it’s machine washable! Click here to learn more!

Magical Mellow-Zzzs

This is mobile any expecting mom NEEDS this season. It’s a musical mobile with a magical light show that will have your baby soothed and calm. The light show covers every hue of the rainbow with the sweetest melodies. You can take it along and hang it from a car seat, an activity mat or a crib! The bonus? It’s SAFE! This baby musical mobile toy is BPA and phthalates free. Made of a Super soft and safe fabric! packaging is recyclable and recycled, with soy-based inks. Click here to learn more!

Chewy Chews peace

This is the perfect firth teether for your little one! It has an adorable peace sign shape, is a beautiful color and will easily be held by your mini! It’s only available in stores!

Gifts That Give Back All Year Round

With the holidays around the corner, I think it’s more important than ever to try to give back this holiday season and it can start with what’s on your shopping list! This year I’m making an effort to be very selective with the companies that I choose to buy gifts from and My B Toys is one that made the cut. For starters, they care about our earth (which is an initiative that I haven’t seen from any other toy company). They scrutinize every piece to ensure its impact on our children’s world is as light as possible - they use recyclable materials and their boxes and packaging are designed to be reused and some can even be reversed to become gift wrap! Even the ink on their packaging is soy-based and their varnishes are water-based. They then go a step farther and give a portion of every sale to Free The Children which has built over 650 schools in communities around the world, providing education to 50,000 children every day. If you still need another reason to support them, their toys are just THE CUTEST. Below are the items that we chose for Zane and for our newest addition that’s due in April! Their toys are available at Target and Amazon.

Ribbit-tat-tat

Recommended for children 2 years +. it’s won multiple awards and is a frog inspired drum! There are beats from around the world, Ribbit-tat-tat from B toys is a frog-inspired toddler drum set and the winner of multiple awards! With its sturdy, toddler-proof construction, this frog toy drum is the perfect way to introduce music to babies and toddlers. There’s a retractable microphone where you can sing along, a voice changer and other games programmed in it! It will keep you and your mini entertained for hours :). Click here for more info!

Fire Flyer

This isn’t your ordinary fire truck! It lights up, vibrates and moves on it’s own! It has an extendable fire hose and even a ladder that goes up and down! Zane looooves trucks and cars so this was a no brainer win for us! Click here for more info!

Wonders Above

This is an acitivity that I am SO excited for. Whenever you shop for a new baby, there are always a few things you find that you can’t believe you lived without before. This is one of them! We had an activity for Zane but it was hard and often I felt he was uncomfortable on the floor when he was on it. This one is SO quilted and soft that your mini could even take a nap on it! It has 5 sensory toys hanging from the arc and it’s machine washable! Click here to learn more!

Magical Mellow-Zzzs

This is mobile any expecting mom NEEDS this season. It’s a musical mobile with a magical light show that will have your baby soothed and calm. The light show covers every hue of the rainbow with the sweetest melodies. You can take it along and hang it from a car seat, an activity mat or a crib! The bonus? It’s SAFE! This baby musical mobile toy is BPA and phthalates free. Made of a Super soft and safe fabric! packaging is recyclable and recycled, with soy-based inks. Click here to learn more!

Chewy Chews peace

This is the perfect firth teether for your little one! It has an adorable peace sign shape, is a beautiful color and will easily be held by your mini! It’s only available in stores!

Best Wooden Toys Under $20

If you follow my blog then you know I love children's wooden toys and the ones we have are among Zane's favourite.  I've rounded up the best on Amazon for under $20! Let me know if you have any other amazing finds that should be added to my list! Click the image or product links below for more info :)

Rainbow Stacker Wooden Ring Educational Toy

Promotes hand-eye coordination and concepts of colour and size.

Stack and Sort Board - Wooden Educational Toy With 15 Solid Wood Pieces

Colourful skill-building toy for toddlers and preschoolers. Promotes hand-eye coordination

Primary Lacing Beads - Educational Toy With 30 Wooden Beads and 2 Laces

Promotes hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

Shape Sorting Cube - Classic Wooden Toy With 12 Shapes

Promotes colour and shape recognition and problem-solving skills.

Take-Along Tool Kit Wooden Construction Toy (24 pcs)

Promotes hand-eye coordination, counting, sorting, colour recognition, and problem-solving skills.

Deluxe Wooden Pound-A-Peg Toy With Hammer

Promotes colour recognition and hand-eye coordination.

First Bead Maze - Wooden Educational Toy

Improves fine motor skills and colour and shape recognition

Stacking Train - Classic Wooden Toddler Toy (18 pcs)

Great for hand-eye coordination and imaginative play

Xylophone Musical Instruments Toys- Wooden 8 Key Notes Xylophone Toys Hand Knock Piano Music Instrument for Toddle Kid,Rainbow color

Classic ABC Wooden Block Cart Educational Toy With 30 Solid Wood Blocks (LC)

Features numbers, letters and pictures to identify for vocabulary-building

Deluxe Pound and Roll Wooden Tower Toy With Hammer

Brightly colored, smooth-sanded pieces help build early shape, color, and size differentiation skills

Abacus - Classic Wooden Educational Counting Toy With 100 Beads

Promotes counting, colour recognition, fine motor skills, and early math skills.

Preschool Educational Toy Wooden Balance Scale Toy with 6 Weights for Kids

Learn the theory of balance through balancing the scale and train your baby's hands-on ability

Food Groups - 21 Hand-Painted Wooden Pieces and 4 Crates

Encourages counting, sorting, pretend play, and an interest in food and nutrition.

5 Awesome Loot Bag Ideas for Babies and Toddlers!

Get 15% off of everything below as well as all regular priced items at at Elfe.com using the code ZANE15. It's only valid until March 23, 2018 (certain restrictions apply) so don't wait!

Are you looking for creative, amazing and practical loot bag ideas for your child’s next birthday party? Look no further! I’ve rounded up my top 5 loot bag ideas for babies and toddlers (and chose 3 of them for Zane’s birthday party last month! You can click here to read all about his Jungle Themed Birthday). I went on the hunt for loot bag ideas that kids would be able to enjoy long after the party ended and I hope you love these ideas as much as I do! You can also get 15% off of everything below as well as all regular priced items at at Elfe.com using the code ZANE15. It's only valid until March 23, 2018 (certain restrictions apply).

1.     Sip N' Snack Cup: This is a cup that’s perfect for self-feeders and kids who can sip from a straw. It’s an adorable and practical loot bag idea that that the kids will want to start using the second they leave the party! It’s a sippy cup and snack container all in one! It has a genius snack container on the top and a sippy cup on the bottom. I decided to sweeten up the bag a bit and add some candy to the loot bags too! We gave these away at Zane’s Birthday Party to the children that were 2 – 5 years old. Click here to find out more!

2.     3-Step Teether Set: We had a few babies at Zane’s party that where under 9 months and so what better gift than colourful, texture filled teethers that will help soothe their sore teething gums? This 3 pack of tethers is awesome because it covers your mini from start to finish during teething! Click here to find out more!

3.     Bath Time Toss: What’s more fun than bath time? Nothing once you have this colourful floating octopus! This Bath Time Toss is great for kids 18 months+ and they’ll have a blast playing with it in the bath. Zane is only 1 year so he doesn't quite understand that he's supposed to toss the rings on the tentacles but LOVES it none the less :) Click here to find out more!

4.     Plush Teething Blanket: This is one of Zane's fave toys at the moment. It’s a teether, a little lovey and has crinkle paper inside so it’s a toy that keeps him entertained as well! I love how colorful it is, the price point is great for loot bags and parents will thank you for sending their kids home with such a memorable and useful toy! Click here to find out more!

5.     Snack Keeper: This cup is PERFECT for children who are at the finger food and snack age. Zane loves to feed himself but also loves tipping over his bowls (and this mama does not love constantly cleaning my floor). It has a special flexible opening at the top that keeps the snacks in, but lets your minis stick their hands in to grab out the snacks! I decided to add some Puffies into the loot bags so that they could start enjoying their bowls asap! I also added in a plastic spoon as a little bonus so that the parents could use the bowl for other things as well. Click here to find out more!

Make sure if you pick these up, you get an extra one for your mini because they won’t want to let them go once they see it (the struggle is real when you pick out great loot bags lol!)

Don't forget you can get 15% off of site wide at at Elfe.com using the code ZANE15. It's only valid until March 23, 2018 (certain restrictions apply)!

4-in-1 Stroll & Grow Tek Trike by VTech

Looking to start some early holiday shopping? Well then listen up! We tested out the 4-in-1 Stroll & Grow Tek Trike by VTech - the tricycle that can easily transition as your child grows! I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I LOVE buying things for Zane that will last longer than a month... no parent likes to spend money on a toy and then be putting it into storage a short while later. This tricycle is for children from 9 months old - 6 years old and has 4 different stages to accommodate them :).

Stage 1 is the stroll stage - with a 3 point harness and a stroller type handle to push your little one along! It has a foot rest and a sun shade above their head too! Stage 2 is a training stage - the stroller handle is still attached along with the 3 point harness, but your little one can move the pedals and practice cycling! Stage 3 is for the more independent 2-4 year olds and allows them to be free of the harness and stroller handle! Stage 4 is a drifting stage that allows you you enable the wheels to spin freely and glide - this almost guarantees a good time!

Besides the 4 stages, the 4-in-1 Stroll & Grow Tek Trike also has an interactive electronic panel that simulates a real motorcycle, and includes a horn, an ignition switch and even a gear shifter! It plays music as the pedals move and has direction sensors to help your little ones learn 'left' from 'right'. It even has unique content for each stage so your little one will never be bored! Zane loves it already and I'm so excited to watch him enjoy it for many years to come! My fave feature is the stroller-like handle... it means Zane can sit and have the time of his life pushing the buttons and feeling like he is free... but I don't have to chase him while he's doing it! #momwin

Click here to visit VTech's website to see the 4-in-1 Stroll & Grow Tek Trike and learn more about its awesome features!

VTech's Pop-a-Balls™ Drop & Pop Ball Pit™ is a Total Hit!

With an active little boy, I'm always on the hunt for toys that will not only keep him interested, but help him learn and grow while being able to withstand the kicking and hitting and biting (the struggle is real for most of our toys!). VTech's Pop-a-Balls™ Drop & Pop Ball Pit™ is Zane's newest obsession... and I have a feeling it will remain his favourite toy for quite a while.

Pop-a-Balls™ Drop & Pop Ball Pit™ is literally everything my son loves, put into one toy with bright coloured balls that can be easily folded and stored! The ball pit comes equipped with 30 balls and a ball net that lights up, counts and is really interactive.  The net counts to 10 as the balls are dunked in, and it also makes animal noises and talks! Zane is having fun, learning to count, learning about animals AND developing his motor skills by trying to get the balls in the hoop and by pushing the levers! Every time the levers are pressed, the activity panel makes different sounds and the balls either go down the slide or into the reservoir at the bottom... and Zane's all time favourite feature? The orange lever in the middle that literally propels the lightweight balls in the air! This ball pit makes him scream, laugh and giggle all at the same time, while entertaining him longer than any other toy so far- can I really ask for more? 

The organized side of me also loves that it can fold up and easily be put away when he's not using it. Our home is already taken over by baby toys so I was so happy to see that Zane's newest obsession was so well thought out by VTech! The balls stay in the centre of the pit and the sides just fold over!

Pop-a-Balls™ Drop & Pop Ball Pit™ is so stimulating and really is exactly what I look for in toys - it's fun and entertaining, while also being super educational (and being able to fold it up and store it is a bonus!). It was like I had the ball pit from Zane's favourite park in my living room... I'm pretty sure this makes me the coolest mom in his little eyes! My dog Rambo was in heaven too :)

You can click here to visit VTech's website and to learn more about this great educational toy!