photo: JetKids

If you’re like most parents and you dread taking to the skies with restless little travelers in tow, you’ll love this genius gadget that turns regular old coach seats into business class beds for toddlers.

The JetKids BedBox, which is designed for kids up to age 7, is a ride-on suitcase that kids can roll through the airport—then use to make a cozy bed once they’re up, up, and away.

photo: JetKids

The magic happens thanks to the design of the suitcase itself (it was made by a former aircraft engineer and airline captain). The box’s top slides out and acts as the foundation for the enclosed mattress, which folds out to become an extension of the existing airline seat. It’s easy to set up and take down (though it’s tough to get stuff out of the suitcase once it’s in use as a “bed”). And, when it’s not in use, it fits in the overhead storage bin and is airline-approved.

photo: JetKids

Does it work? Yes! Kids under 3 can easily snuggle down and lay flat (taller kiddos may have to curl up a bit); while older kids can use the “bed” as a leg rest. (Hint: This helps for testy tots who like to kick the seat in front of them).

photo: JetKids

As for the storage space, it doesn’t hold much once the mattress is rolled up inside. But a Red Tricycle tester was able to cram a few activity books, some snacks and a beloved lovey into the box and everything fit just fine.

photo: Melissa Heckscher

Even if older kids can’t fit into the JetKids bed, they’ll love rolling around the airport before and after their flight. Running late? With this little gadget, there’ll be no more slow-footing it to make it to your gate on time; parents will be racing to keep up with their little cruisers.

Photo: Melissa Heckscher/RT

The bottom line: If you’ve got a baby or toddler, the lay-flat bed feature of the BedBox makes it totally worth the hefty $199 price tag (it’s cheaper than a real business class seat, after all). Parents of older kids (ages 3 & up) may not need to splurge, especially given that it doesn’t hold as much as a traditional carry-on —but with the leg rest option and the awesome ride-on abilities, it sure does make for fun travels. Buy it here.

Check out the Youtube video below to see the BedBox in action.

 

Daily
Today Is National #PlanforVacation Day
Take some time off.
1

No matter where you go, you’ll have fun with a name-that-state printable for little geographers everywhere.

2

We’ve discovered 5 family vacation ideas you probably haven’t considered yet.

3
And since you’re planning, check out a few travel tips from our own editors that will help you keep calm and carry on.

{ Today’s ideas brought to you by Your Empty Suitcase }

You’re probably taking pictures of your baby every day, but a time-lapse style monthly mash-up is a cool keepsake that’ll help you see how fast your baby grows in the first year. We found eight ideas that’ll blow you away. The key is to pick an element and stick to it, like marking the months with a matching number of apples, or using the same suitcase to show how big Baby is getting. It might seem unnecessary and time consuming, but no one regrets the outcome and they’re perfect to put on display at Baby’s first birthday party.

photo: Maria Healey Photography

Pack Him

For this simple shot, you need a suitcase and a blanket. When Baby is small, it'll be as cozy as a bassinet, but watch as the months pass and the suitcase seems to shrink. A laundry basket will work similarly. We like how Maria Healey chose to keep the wardrobe (a diaper) consistent in all twelve shots.

 

How are you recording your baby’s growth from month to month? Share your creative ideas in a Comment.

–Anna Knoebel

What’s not to love about Jessica Alba? She’s the co-founder of The Honest Company, one of our go-to resources for eco-friendly and affordable diapers and goods, she’s kicked butt in some of our fave flicks like “Fantastic Four” and “Little Fockers” and she’s a mom we’d totally want to be friends with on the playground. While we’re the first to admit that our admiration for Jessica sometimes borders on envy (who wouldn’t kill for her sweet wardrobe?), we couldn’t help but be totally thrilled that she took the time to sit down with Red Tricycle to dish on her must-have summer travel essentials. So while we can’t all be BFF’s with Jessica, we sure can travel like her.

Red Tricycle: Besides taking a big dose of patience medicine (and maybe a stiff drink when you get on the plane) do you have any advice for parents travelling with kids through the airport?

Jessica Alba: Traveling through the airport with kids and who knows how many carry-ons is a constant juggle, so I am a big fan of using the multi-purpose car seat/stroller combo. I used it to death with Honor! Airplanes can be chilly and uncomfortable, so Honor and I love staying cozy with the Nuddle Blanket. I swear it’s the best blanket ever because you can tuck your feet into a pocket, slip your arms through open coverings, and fold it into a compact square when you need to pack up.

RT: What are some of your fave Honest Company goods that you can’t live without when travelling with Honor and Haven?

JA: When I travel, I never leave home without Honest hand sanitizer, wipes, healing balm, and lotion. Our trial kit has perfect travel-sized bottles and laundry detergent, which is great for throwing in the sink to do some last minute washing when your kids soil their clothes. The healing balm mixed with the lotion is the BEST moisturizer ever, which is incredibly useful when traveling as airplanes and hotels tend to dehydrate.

RT: We’re all guilty of entertaining our kids with the iPhone or iPad. Are you in our same boat? Any iPad or iPhone gear you always travel with?

JA: Honor has a great set of headphones from Pottery Barn Kids that I really like because the cord is adjustable in length, it doesn’t get tangled up when using an iPad, and can be extended to watch a DVD on the computer so she’s not too close to the screen. Useful tip from my business partner and friend Christopher Gavigan: When children use your smart phone or iPad always put on airplane mode even when you’re not flying because it is supposed to decrease emitted radiation.

RT: Do you let your kids indulge in airline food or do you opt for a healthier brown-bag alternative?

JA: Airlines aren’t known for their tasty or kid-friendly food options, so we pack our own. Lunch Skins reusable baggies are great for snacks like raw carrots, broccoli, and a homemade almond, dried cranberry, and granola mix. We bring meals in a stainless steel bento ECOLunchbox, usually a sandwich and sliced fruit. And Honest Kids drinks are our fave to travel with.

RT: You must travel a lot with your littlest one, Haven. Do you have any advice for parents travelling with kids who are still noshing on the baby food?

JA: I like to make Haven homemade baby food, but it’s tricky to travel with because it’s perishable. So, I’m still able to feed it to her on our trip out by packing the food in serving-sized glass containers (which I can wash for later use) and carrying them in an insulated bag. When I can’t make Haven’s food, I use Plum Organics for solids. It’s great that eating healthy and organic has become so easy and convenient.

RT: If you had to name one must-have baby travel toy, what would it be?

JA: Don’t forget your keys at home…stainless steel teething keys, that is. This is a simple baby toy I can attach with a pacifier clip that Haven loves to chew on, jingle like a rattle, and grab in her car seat or stroller.

RT: Most summer trips will find us staying in a jam-packed hotel room with the fam. Any advice on what’s in your suitcase when packing for a hotel stay?

JA: When we travel from city to city and hotel to hotel, I think it’s important to make it feel as homey as possible for the girls. So, I always pack familiar things like Honor’s favorite books, dress-up clothes, dollies, and the burp cloths she still snuggles for comfort, Haven’s dolly and lovey, and an assortment of other favorite toys. To keep things from getting lost once there, I pack a 3 Sprouts collapsible canvas storage bin that keeps the kids organized and makes it look like our play space at home.

JA: We want the girls to sleep as soundly and safely in the hotel as they do at home, so we pack organic sheets for the hotel crib (two just in case there is an accident), dress them in their fave pajamas—Kicky Pants bamboo pajamas for Honor and Halo Organic Cotton SleepSacks for Haven, use a cold-air humidifier borrowed from the hotel, and help them have sweet dreams with the Cloud B Sleep Sheep sound machine.

Thanks to Jessica Alba for unzipping her suitcase for us! And, if you love the Honest Company as much as we do, then you have to check out their brand spankin’ new store by clicking here.

Serving up some tasty apps

iChalky

Can anyone remember life before the iPhone?  Were we all bored, disorganized, and disconnected?  Not anymore, thanks to all the fabulous, useful, and just plain fun applications available!  We’ve narrowed down a list of some of our favorite iPhone apps (for both kids and parents) to share with you tech-obsessed parents. Go grab your iPhone and start downloading!

1. MeeGenius – A collection of beautifully illustrated classic books that come with audio playback, word highlighting, and personalization so you can read your child’s favorite stories to him on the road or under the blanket.

2. BabyPhone – With this app you can program your iPhone to function as a baby monitor by setting the microphone sensitivity to a desired level (e.g. baby’s cry or babbling) that will call you on a different phone number when the microphone picks up on a sound.

3. Wheels on the Bus – This “classic” app keeps toddlers busy with many versions of the popular song, interactive components, and great graphics.  Why not try singing this song in Spanish, French, German, and Italian, too?

4. iChalky – Kids of all ages will cannot meet a cooler stick figure.  Chalky responds to every move and sound of the iPhone and you can manipulate Chalky with your fingers on the touchpad.  He will even dance when you play tunes from the iPod!

5. I Hear Ewe – This fun game helps the young ones learn and recognize 24 different animals.  By tapping on a button of an animal, the name and noise each makes is played.  This game is also featured in other languages (Chinese, anyone?) and helps develop pointer finger skills, too.

6. Build a Brag Book – Savvy moms and dads (and grandparents too!) can build a virtual scrapbook right on the iPhone by selecting a storybook template and personalizing it with photos right from the phone and adding details about the family to the story.

7. Flags Fun – Matching games are given a sleek and educational spin with this fun app.  Flags of countries all over world from Great Britain to Laos act as the card pairs in a classic matching game, or you can take it one step further by testing your national knowledge with “Flag Guess.”

8. My Little Suitcase – Before your next vacation, get your kindergartener excited about travel with this app that will let her pick a destination like the beach or sleepover and pack for the trip by dragging in the items they want to the suitcase.  After packing, the suitcase will arrive at the destination so your kid can unpack.

9. Baby Brain – A Red Tri favorite for parents of newborns.  Check out our article on this baby log that is a must-have during those first few months of sleep deprivation.

10. Skee Ball – We’re not sure if this is more fun for kids or parents, but either way it’s a great 3-D replication of a favorite throwback game.  After you’ve thrown your balls, you can even collect prizes!

11. Fisher-Price has just launched a trio of iPhone apps reminiscent of some of their classic toys: See ‘n Say, Little People Farm, and Chatter Telephone are all tons of fun for kids in the 2-5 age range, as well as for parents who grew up with the original versions.

BONUS: And making life easier for parents-on-the-go is the Texthook, a smartphone holder that attaches to stroller handlebars, a grocery shopping cart, wherever you need to be with your little ones in tow. You’ll be able to access the touchscreen and keyboard while you push or play—we’re totally hooked!

PS: What are your favorites apps – either for yourself or the kiddies? Share your picks in the comment section below.
—Sarah K. Choi