After watching the Yookidoo Stack n’ Spray Tub Fountain in action at our magalog photo shoot, I was really excited to bring the sample home for my 2-year-old son. Since that day, it has become his absolute favorite bath toy, eclipsing a full bin of other options. I have to admit, I love it too, if only for the belly ... Read More »

Life is apparently much more fun on Mars. At least, if alien abodes are anything like the new Happyland Martian Moonhouse from ELC USA imagines them to be. This plastic playhouse is packed with wild and whimsical features, including two rocket ship vehicles, a rooftop landing pad, and a garage directly below a trapdoor that deposits the members of the alien ... Read More »

We get a lot of kids coming through our stores every day, and the toys in our playscapes take a beating. Literally. A toy that might last a lifetime at home will be lucky to survive six months. Rody is one of those toys that can withstand the rigors and rarely (if ever) needs replacing. This iconic inflated horse is ... Read More »

The Wishbone Bike from Skip Hop is my new favorite recommendation for someone looking to buy a really special gift for a 1-year old. This beautiful bike begins life as a three-wheeled foot-trike (meaning there aren’t any pedals, kids push with their feet to make it go). Then, as they get older, you can convert it first into a two-wheeled ... Read More »

This little, bitty training bike is perfect for helping kids get the hang of balancing on two wheels. It seems like stability bikes are all the rage right now, especially with so many experts advocating that the key to teaching kids to ride a bike is to lose the pedals – not to add training wheels. There are a lot ... Read More »

The Shrunks is a new line of toys designed to help kids address their nighttime fears. The company takes an interesting approach to this, with a line of soft plush toys that represent the most common kids’ fears and also a line of tools to help kids feel more secure at night. The tools include a bullhorn and whistle for ... Read More »

International Playthings is introducing a new line of infant/toddler toys called Yookidoo. From what I’ve been told, the toys are designed in Israel and produced in China, but a quick Google search turned up no references outside of International Playthings. So I’m not sure if this is just a very new company, or if it’s an offshoot of International Playthings ... Read More »

Nilo tables have long been admired by parents for their sturdy, solid wood construction, and the wide expanse of play space, perfect for wooden trains, blocks, games, Lego, craft activities or anything else a kid could dream up. But for all the great functionality, the Nilo table isn’t exactly a sexy piece of furniture. The angular profile seems much better ... Read More »

When I was growing up, my family had a summer home on Cape Cod. The house had a dining room, but there was plenty of room to eat in the kitchen. So the dining room instead served as a playroom for my (much) younger sister. The centerpiece of the room was a set of interlocking foam tiles with cut-out letters ... Read More »

This is one of those products that’s just parent-powered simple genius. If you’ve ever watched a kid eat an ice cream cone or popsicle, you’ve almost certainly cringed as the drips and dribbles traveled along chins, arms, fingers and, ultimately, onto nice, crisp clean clothing. No amount of diligent attention with baby wipes can prevent the mess that inevitably prevails. ... Read More »