UPPAbaby knows how to make a splash. For a couple of months, buzz has been building around a new product launch planned for the ABC Kids Expo. But instead of just debuting the product at the show itself, UPPAbaby instead planned a party for the first night of the show. Tonight, in front of a packed crowd, they unveiled their ... Read More »

It’s always fun when Toy Fair coincides with the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, since the cast of characters in New York City gets even more interesting (remember the movie Best in Show?). This year, the winning pooch even made a surprise appearance at Toy Fair. Inspired by my encounter with Malachy the Pekingese (who I may or may not ... Read More »

Discovering new games is always a delight at Toy Fair, but my favorite game is a very old one: trendspotting! There are always running themes that pop up each year, and it’s fun to see how each manufacturer puts its own unique spin on a hot trend. Here are a few themes that we saw everywhere at the fair: 1) ... Read More »

Behind closed doors, Clek was offering retailers and media at the ABC Show a sneak peek of their upcoming convertible car seat, the Foonf. In short, this seat is amazing. It is a game changer. It is also going to be expensive (starting at $450). But the technology that’s inside the Foonf well justifies the cost. I wasn’t allowed to ... Read More »

The first time I met the Orbit Baby team, they had a real vision. They imagined a modular travel system that would encompass every stage of mobility, from infant car seat to stroller to convertible car seat to double stroller to booster seat. It’s taken them some time, but with their new product releases this year, Orbit Baby will finally ... Read More »

There are literally thousands of new product launches that happen each year at the ABC Kids Show. Many of them are courtesy of the big brands with broad name recognition, but there are also many small companies that arrive at the show with just one or two products, hopeful that they will make a big splash. Here are my 10 ... Read More »

Skip Hop was showing off a ton of new products at the ABC Show, including one that’s jaw-dropping in its brillance and simplicity. Crib bumpers have been the subject of some scrutiny this year, and many parents are looking for alternatives. To answer this, Skip Hop created the Complete Sheet – a sheet that has a simple pattern on the ... Read More »

Eli and I were absolutely honored and delighted to serve on the judging panel for the JPMA Innovation Awards again this year. It’s no secret I’m something of a baby gear geek, so I’d jump at any opportunity to spend an afternoon testing out the most interesting new products coming to market. We looked at over 60 products on Thursday. ... Read More »

The annual ABC Kids Expo, the biggest juvenile products trade show in the US,  is right around the corner. This year, unbelievably enough, will be my 8th trip to ABC. Every year, I look forward to exploring this gargantuan trade show packed with baby products, and trying to find the next big thing(s). But year after year, some vendors make ... Read More »

A few days of recovery have passed since the ABC Show ended, but I’m still working on debriefing and recapping. This year, Eli and I decided to skip the last day of the show to get home a day sooner. We’d left all three kids with my mother-in-law, who was holding down the fort magnificently, but was nonetheless visibly relieved ... Read More »