Pretend play is the staple of any childhood (case in point: the classic Fisher Price phone we all had…back before Smartphones). But Fisher Price has kept up with the times and their new sets prove it. New this fall, put these sets on your wishlist!
Fisher Price My Home Office Set
Fisher Price
A true sign of the times, this WFH set just might buy you a few uninterrupted Zoom calls. This 8 piece set comes with a pretend laptop, 4 fabric “apps” to attach to the computer screen, a wood smartphoneand a to-go cup for kids to “sip” their favorite beverage. Ages 3 and up.
Encourage kids to play kitchen with this 4-piece set that includes a crinkle recipe card, play tongs with a meatball spinner, a chewy oven mitt teether, and a wearable chef’s apron bib that transitions nicely right to mealtime. Ages 3 mos. and up.
We've all tried the whole "working out at home" thing but you might be able to get away with it a little easier when baby has his or her own set. The gym-themed gift set comes with a soft, wearable headband, a kettle bell rattle, a toy dumbell and a jingling "protein shake." Ages 3 mos. and up.
Since you can't explore Paris with bébé this year, play tourist in the living room with this adorbs play set for tiny travelers at heart. The 4-piece set includes a pretend camera to rattle and click, a crinkly bottle of sunscreen, a chewy passport teether, and a wearable bib to complete their tourist look. Ages 3 months and up.
The coronavirus pandemic is still continuing to spread globally causing many businesses to pivot for the safety of staff members and guests. runDisney has made the decision to transition the 2020 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend at Walt Disney World Resort to a virtual race. All registered guests for the onsite event have the option of receiving a full refund for the race, and registered guests with a U.S. mailing address may convert their existing registration to the new virtual event that can be completed from home, a local running track or favorite running trail.
Eligible runners who select to participate in the virtual race will receive a race shirt and medal for each distance they complete. Registered participants will receive an email beginning Jul. 23 with instructions on how to make their registration selection before Aug. 5. If a selection is not made, registered guests automatically will be refunded.
Runners registered for the 2020 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend at Walt Disney World Resort who select the refund option will receive a refund back to their original form of payment for the following. If they no longer have their original form of payment used when registering, they may contact runDisney by Aug. 5 to receive a refund via check or a Digital Disney Gift Card for the following:
Race registrations (Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Two Course Challenge and Kids Races)
Commemorative merchandise (automatic refund – no virtual option)
ChEAR Squad (automatic refund – no virtual option)
Processing fee
Additionally, any registered participant with a shipping address outside of the U.S. will automatically receive a refund back to their original form of payment. At this time, participants without a valid U.S. shipping address are not eligible for the virtual option.
Those who select to participate in the virtual race will receive
Race distance medal(s)
Runner long sleeve shirt(s) and kids short sleeve shirt(s)
Digital Bib and finisher certificate
Digital Toolkit including start/finish line and mile markers
Digital Goody Bag
Virtual playlist
A Digital Disney Gift Card for select races
Additionally, guests with a U.S. mailing address who already have received a refund for their registration may still register to participate in the virtual race option by contacting runDisney by Aug. 5.
Eligible athletes registered for the Half Marathon, 10K, 5K or Two Course Challenge during the 2020 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend at Walt Disney World Resort will receive a Disney Gift Card.
Runners who’ve booked through a charity or tour operator should reach out directly to that organization. Runners who’ve booked through the Walt Disney Travel Company may call them at 407-939-4786 (407-939-IRUN) for available options.
Donations made to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida will not be refunded and will be delivered to that organization as originally planned.
runDisney still plans to move forward to host the 2021 Walt Disney World Marathon weekend as scheduled and will share more details at a later date.
Refunds and Digital Disney Gift Cards from runDisney can be expected to be processed in six to eight weeks. If you haven’t received your refund or Digital Disney Gift Card after eight weeks, please visit the “contact us” section on runDisney.com.
If your baby shower guests are crafty types, these fun projects will help them to get creative—and give mom useful, one-of-a-kind keepsakes that remind her of family and friends. Here are 10 DIY craft ideas for a memorable shower and a happy new mama!
New moms need lots of hangers for all of those cute, tiny baby clothes. Set up an art station and let your guests paint wooden hangers or wrap them with fabric, yarn or washi tape, whatever you think they'll enjoy. Your guests get a fun, creative activity, and the mom-to-be goes home with a practical gift. Win-win!
This simple, four-step DIY gives guests creative freedom in how they decorate a onesie. All it takes to make them is colored onesies (Carter's, Target and Walmart always have these in stock), freezer paper and bleach pens. The creator of this too-cute DIY, blogger Liz Stanley from the Say Yes blog, suggests that you either give onesies to guests in advance with a request to decorate it prior to the party, or that you turn it into a party activity. Visit Say Yes for the full step-by-step.
A baby girl can never have too many hair bows, and this craft station will help the mama-to-be get a good start. With a mix of supplies, including elastic, ribbon, buttons, a glue gun and a few other easy-to-get items, you'll have your very own bow-making station. Find out if the expectant mom has any preferences of color or style, and then let the bow-makers go to work. If a baby boy is on the way, switch out the hair bow-making station for a bow tie creation booth. Get more inspiration on Positively Oakes.
A is for apple, B is for ball. Task shower guests with decorating 26 pages for every letter in the alphabet to create a one-of-a-kind ABC book for baby. Lay out lettered pages on a table along with markers, colored pencils, stamps and stencils. Inviting more than 26 guests? Add numbers zero through nine to the book so every guest has their own page. See the ABC book inspiration at A Girl and Glue Gun.
In the early months, babies can go through 10-12 diapers a day. Help the parents-to-be prepare for this task by decorating diapers for them. From much-needed encouragement ("You can do it! One diaper closer to potty training!") to funny phrases ("I've got a surprise for you in my diaper..."), these diapers will add some fun to a task that isn't always pleasant. Have lots of diapers on hand so guests can do more than one. Find out more about how to set up your own diaper decorating station on the Driven by Decor Blog.
Babies go through lots of burp cloths, so help Mom and Dad out by filling up their supply. This fun craft project allows each guest to create a totally unique burp cloth, whether it's adorned with a design, a quote, a message, etc. As the host, you can go all out by providing all kinds of decorating materials, like fabric markers, fringe to glue on and more. Get more ideas from A Plus Life Blog.
The gals at Canary Street Crafts designed this sweet idea: Every guest decorates a page and include all of the pages within this collage-style frame. What makes it even more fun and special is that each guest writes a note to the baby on the back of the page, so he or she will know who made each one. You can find frames like these at Target, Hobby Lobby and most other craft stores. If you can get intel on the nursery color scheme in advance, you can pick out a frame that matches (or spray-paint the frame a complementary color). Get the scoop on this idea at Canary Street Crafts.
Get guests in a festive mood with a onesie painting station inspired by Victoria of A Subtle Revelry. Guests can create something fun for the baby to wear (and we all know babies go through so many onesies, you can never really have enough!). With a variety of supplies, materials and colors for the paint and bodysuits, it will be a blast for guests to put on their fashion designer caps. Helpful tip from Victoria: "Be sure to provide a hanging rack and hangers to allow the onesies to dry and the mom-to-be to thumb through them ohhing and ahhing over her favorites." Get the full tutorial at A Subtle Revelry.
Record those dreams, well-wishes and hopes for Mom and baby by giving each guest a sheet of wishes, and then bind the pages together in a keepsake book. To help the book last through years of wear, tear, drool and potential ripping, laminate each page, then bind it or use a three-hole-punch to put it in a binder. You can offer your guests blank pages or, like Courtney from A Plus Life blog did, give guests a page with prompts, like "I hope you become __________," for guests to fill in the blank. See more on the book of well wishes from A Plus Life.
Another great decorating station to incorporate into a baby shower? Bib customizing! Ashley from Hither and Tither says this was the perfect activity for a co-ed baby shower. She describes the bib decorating station as a "great activity that was low-key, low-embarrassment and a lot of fun." Guests will love showing off their final product.
Good news for fans of OXO’s Tot line. From Jan. 10 through Jan. 26, everything you need for your kiddo is on sale!
So what picks are the highlights of this sale? Check out some of our fave finds.
Soap Dispensing Bottle Brush with Stand
Make washing your baby's bottles easier with this soap dispensing brush. Get the brush and its stand for $10.39!
Roll-Up Bib
With a wide pocket at the bottom, this bib easily catches your kiddo's leftovers. The $12.99 bib is now on sale for $10.39.
Tot Splash and Store Bathtub
Save on this tot-friendly tub. The $59.99 tub, for infants and toddlers ages six through 18-months, is now $47.99.
Sprout High Chair
OXO's Sprout High Chair is the brand's award-winning eating seat for kids ages six-months through five years. While it's typically $249.99, you can get it right now for $199.99.
Space Saving Drying Rack
This rack holds cups, bottles and everything else that comes with them. Save $5 on the rack now and get it for $24.99.
Do you have baby fever? That is, baby Elf on the Shelf fever. As it turns out, you can expand your Christmas-time tradition and add a bounty of baby elves to the mix!
So where can you get your very own baby Elf on the Shelf? If your elf is ready to adopt a gaggle of teeny tiny kiddos, you’ve got plenty of choices. Etsy seller My Magical Moments Elf has everything you need to create your own elf-y nursery.
photo: Amazon
Not only can you buy an awesomely adorable baby elf, but you can also order extra sets of clothes, a bib and bottle, a completely cute crib, a highchair and, of course, a paci.
If that’s not enough mini elf-themed fun for you, Amazon also has plenty of picks. Munchkins and Doodlebugs has a toddler elf in training ($10) and Tiny magic World makes a baby elf Rapunzel ($20), baby elf twins ($38) and even a baby Easter elf ($20).
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recently announced a recall of nearly 7,000 IKEA MATVRÅ bib two-packs in blue/red due to a potential choking hazard. Representatives from IKEA did not immediately return Red Tricycle’s request for comment.
If you have this product, read on for more information on this important recall.
Recalled Product Description: MATVRÅ Bibs
The recall includes IKEA’s MATVRÅ bib two-packs in blue/red only. These bibs were sold in packs of two, with one blue bib and one red bib each. Both bibs have a snap at the back of the neck. The blue version has a green seam along the outside of the bib and white polka dots. The red version has a yellow seam and red polka dots. The polka dots are on the seam, not on the main body of the bib.
Why the Bibs Were Recalled
It’s possible for the snap on the bib to detach, posing a potential choking hazard. Even though IKEA has received two worldwide (not in the United States) reports of this happening, as of now there are no reported injuries.
How to Tell If Your IKEA Bib Was Recalled
This recall is only for the IKEA MATVRÅ bib two-pack in the blue and red colors. Look for the words MATVRA, IKEA and the IKEA logo printed on a white tag on the back of the bib for style identification. According to a recall notice from IKEA, “The MATVRÅ bibs with the fruit/vegetable pattern in green and yellow, are not included in this recall and are safe to continue to use, as they are of a different material and construction.”
What Parents Can Do
If you have the recalled bibs, do not use them. Return the bibs to an IKEA store for a refund. Customers with questions can contact IKEA at 888-966-4532 or visit the company’s website here.
—Erica Loop
All photos: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Looking for a meal out that appeals to both foodie parents and children as well? We scoured the famous Michelin Guide’s list of Bib Gourmand restaurants and found some intriguing new possibilities for parents to enjoy a good meal with the kids. Bonus: these restaurants are considered a good value for the price. Below are the Bib Gourmand restaurants that we recommend for your next family lunch or dinner out. Bon Appétit!
Nopalito celebrates traditional Mexican cuisine in a fun, festive atmosphere with an extensive menu that goes way beyond tacos and enchiladas. Adventurous kids might be able to share in the regular dishes like tortas and carnitas, or you can order them beans and rice with a cheese quesadilla. They’ll also enjoy the housemade almond horchata and popsicles for dessert. Nopalito has two locations; the one on 9th Avenue is a short walk from Golden Gate Park and is a great spot for a meal after a fun day at the museum.
1224 9th Ave. San Francisco, CA
306 Broderick St. San Francisco, CA Online: nopalitosf.com
Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine
Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine is a feast for all the senses. The interiors are a festival of colorful lights, flowers and decorations. The dishes are similarly intense, with bold takes on Thai food including flavorful curries, fresh seafood and their signature panang neua, a whole slow roasted short rib that’s fall-off-the-bone tender. There is a small kid’s menu that includes fried chicken and rice noodles with egg and broccoli (highly recommended) and many of the dishes on the main menu are kid-friendly as well, including the crab fried rice, pad thai and chicken noodle soup.
Great China is a Berkeley fixture and for good reason: the food is reliably delicious, it’s affordable for college students and it’s spacious and clean enough for families. You can find all the best northern Chinese classics here (the Peking duck is fantastic) and tons of kid favorites like spring rolls, pot stickers, wonton soup, broccoli beef and fried rice. It can get very busy at dinnertime and on weekends, so come early if possible, or make reservations.
Pizza is a go-to when you’ve got littles, but Zero Zero offers much more than pizza. The arancini and the bruschetta appetizers are amazing and if you go for brunch, the short rib pastrami hash and the fried chicken thighs with waffle might leave you with no room for pizza. Don’t pass it up, though: the marinara and margherita pizzas probably have the most kid appeal. They will also love the Straus soft serve you can customize with toppings ranging from caramel to cookie crumble and a side of donuts or brownies.
Luna Mexican Kitchen offers upscale Mexican in a gorgeous dining room with an outdoor patio your kids will love on sunny days. They have a kids’ menu which includes chicken bowls and quesadillas. Kids might also like the beans and rice and the elote, a grilled corn on the cob. For parents, don’t miss their signature parrilladas, a tabletop iron grill with a mixture of ingredients from ribs and shrimp to steak and lobster.
Husband and wife restaurateurs, Chef Roberth and Andrea Sundell, know what it's like to dine out with kids. Parents to four kids themselves, they opened Stockhome in their Petaluma hometown with a keen eye to what would be convenient for families. The counter-service restaurant serves the popular cuisine of Stockholm including Swedish favorites like meatballs with lingonberries, mashed potatoes and gravy.
Other favorites include the kebab plate with pommes frites and the little gem salad with fried garbanzo beans. Kids will especially love the massive-but-delicate Swedish pancakes with fresh berries and vanilla cream and the pita pizza. Bonus: you can be sure they'll behave during the meal as you can bribe them with some of the restaurant's authentic Swedish candies. A few dozen varieties are available for purchase by the pound at the counter, after you finish what's on your plate, of course.
220 Western Ave. Petaluma, CA Open for lunch and dinner, Wed.-Sun. Online: stockhomerestaurant.com
Lai Hong is old-school Chinese dim sum at its most classic. Loud, packed and an endless variety of dishes rolling by on serving carts provide loads of entertainment for the kids. Don’t pass up the super-cute custard piglet buns for your kiddies, or the ever-popular shrimp dumplings, steamed pork buns, egg rolls and Chinese donut holes. Tip: the wait time at lunch can be very long, so try going at dinner when it’s less busy. They still serve a selection of dim sum at dinner!
1416 Powell St. San Francisco, CA Online: Lhklounge.com
Ramen is a kid favorite and Ramen Gaijin might become a grownup favorite too. This Japanese ramen shop and izakaya in Sebastapol makes their noodles in house and they’re a must-try. The shoyu or spicy tan tan ramen with six-minute egg are great picks, while kids get their own special kids’ noodles. Other tasty options from the menu for the littles include karaage chicken and the pork belly donburi. Not surprisingly given their wine country location, they also have an amazing cocktail, beer, wine and sake list.
Chef Martin Yan’s restaurant is a destination restaurant in the San Francisco Shopping Centre. If you sit near the open kitchen, you can see chefs pulling noodles and whipping up dishes—great entertainment for the littles. Lunch has a more extensive dim sum menu with plenty of kid-friendly items like dumplings and buns. There’s also the signature wild boar scissor cut noodles, Hong Kong crispy noodles and the crispy roast chicken. Don’t miss the sugar egg puffs for dessert. Afterwards, you can do some shopping!
Westfield San Francisco Centre 845 Market St. San Francisco, CA Online: tastemychina.com
Forget about designer duds! Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s baby Archie wears H&M!
During a Wednesday morning trip to meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Cape Town, Markle reportedly wore a blue and white Club Monaco dress. Her little one, four-month-old Archie, also wore a blue and white ensemble—striped H&M bib overalls.
While Markle’s fab frock retails for $289 (which is practically a bargain for a celeb of royal status), young Archie’s outfit sells for the low, low price of $19.99.
According to the H&M website, the bib overalls are made from organic cotton and have an elasticized waist and hems. The item is only available online from H&M, and is currently sold out in all sizes from zero to four months.
As Shark Tank wraps its 10th season it’s hard not to notice the fact that many of the successful pitches over the years have been made by moms, for moms, because let’s face it, moms are geniuses. This season alone has featured several mom inventions on Shark Tank.
Here are some of the best mom creations from this past season that you’re going to want to add to your shopping list.
Kudo Banz
Amazon
Created by mom of three, Amanda Naqvi, the Kudo Banz take reward charts on the go so you can work on responsibilities and listening no matter where you are.
Not only did single mom Whitney Lundeen create a fashionable but easy to wash dress for moms, but she also managed to bring those tough sharks to tears in her pitch.
Lisa Marie D’Amato, mom, actress and a winner on America’s Next Top Model, and her friends came up with the idea for this ingenious bib/food container that makes snacking on-the-go easy and mess-free.
This revolutionary savings app for kids was designed by mom of two, Tanya Van Court. Goalsetter allows kids to set up a free savings account which they can use for their own financial goals.
This subscription kit for kids was designed by Zahra Kassam, a lead teacher at a Montesorri school and new mom. The kits contain toys, videos and written guides for parents, as well as free access to online classes and one-on-one support from development experts and internationally certified Montessori educators.
Get ready for some serious cuteness: children’s luxury retailer Maisonette has just released not one, but three adorable capsule collections just for baby! The Maisonette Doodle Collection now offers two capsule collections: a four-piece baby bundle and a nine-piece deluxe bundle—and these might just become the most sought-after infant gifts out there.
The new capsule collection is covered with the Maisonette’s signature doodle print, in three different colors. Choose from pink, blue or a multi-colored version. And yes, they’re all absolutely adorable.
Individual items are priced between $9 and $68 and come in sizes 0-3 month to 18-24 month (for bibs, hats, footie pajamas, blankets and onesies).
The collection also includes hoodies and matching joggers in sizes 1y to 12y.
Bundles are priced at $80 for the four-piece set that includes bib, hat, blanket and footie pajama option or $140 for the nine-piece bundle that includes a bib trio, hat, blanket, footie pajama, legging, short sleeve onesie and long sleeve onesie option.
Whether you’re buying for your own little love or gifting a friend, you can find all of the awesome options at Maisonette.com.
