Moms are a clever bunch, and thanks to emails from fellow mom friends, family and readers, I was able to pull together a list of fun products that all moms should know about. You might remember my earlier post about Five Favorite Finds, and today I am featuring 10 more fabulous finds. I am always on the hunt for smart products and services for moms. If you have a favorite gadget or idea you want to share, please email me at Katie@TriadMomsOnMain.com and I’ll include it in a future post. Thanks for all your ideas…keep them coming!
For Spring and Summer
1. This first product, pictured at the top, is the Stroller Umbrella. What an ingenious idea! I wish I had known to share this earlier this spring. How many times have you dreaded having to use your stroller in the rain? This handy invention makes rainy days a non-issue for busy moms. It’s also lightweight, fits just about any stroller, let’s you stay hands-free so you can tend to your baby or use your phone, it’s easy to stow away, and it’s only $49!
2. For those of you who know me, you’ll recognize this product pictured to the left. I love this beach bag by Saltwater Canvas. I have the Whale bag and it’s perfect for the beach, the pool, and even weekend trips throughout the year. It’s a great size (holds 6 beach towels) and it’s incredibly sturdy. The best part of the bag is all the side pockets. I am always searching for sunglasses or car keys, and this bag makes it easy to keep all your items in place. Right now they are also running some specials for the Whale bag and other similar bags, including bags with “imperfections” but they challenge you to find anything wrong with it!
Tooth Fairy and Dental Health Ideas
3. This past year was the first time the Tooth Fairy visited our house, and of course “she” had to do something a little extra for that first tooth left under the pillow. I told my daughter to leave a cup of water next to her bed in case the Tooth Fairy needed to dust off her wings. Sure enough, the next morning the water turned a pretty shade of dark pink (thanks to creative food coloring) and my daughter was over joyed. Also, just recently a reader sent us this idea for fairy dust on that first lost tooth dollar! A little more work for the creative fairy, but so worth it!
4. Getting my kids to brush their teeth is not easy in my house. So when I learned about these two products that not only make the chore fun but also help promote dental health, I made a mental note to include them on today’s blog. Check out this color changing toothpaste and “Twooth Timer” – both made by Vortex. Unfortunately you can’t buy these products locally, but you can order them easily online. I’m sold!
Stuffed Animal Storage Ideas
5. Finding ways to recycle your growing piles of stuffed animals is not an easy task. Case in point when I researched places in the Triad that would accept used or gently used stuffed animals for this post. Then loyal reader, Maythi C, posted this idea for bean bag chairs on her Facebook page: purchase a zippered bean bag chair cover from Pottery Barn and stuff it with all your animals. And if your child ever gets the urge to pull a tired teddy back out, you can just unzip the case to retrieve him. Brilliant!
6. While reading the blog how-to on the bean bag chair idea, I noticed a reader wrote in and suggested this stuffed animal tree (pictured right) as an additional option to store all your child’s stuffed animals – all while keeping them somewhat organized.
Another Playroom Idea
7. How many of us have a Thomas the Train or Imaginarium train table in our home collecting dust because our son has moved on to other interests – like Legos? Here’s the perfect solution: Convert that train table to a Lego table! Click here to read how this mom made the conversion. It’s so easy to do and costs very little. Makes perfect sense, and my son is excited for me to tackle this project soon!
For the Social Media Addict
8. Not that we need any more time-suckers in our life, but this service is too cool not to share. Called Timehop, this digital diary connects through Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and Instagram and allows you to see what you were thinking and doing at this exact same time last year. Loyal reader Kristen D told me about Timehop, and she shared this post about the program on her blog. Too cool!
For the Game Lover
9. Whenever I find a game that I love – and both my kids love – I feel the need to stop the world and tell everyone about it. That’s because such a feat doesn’t happen often in our house! A few weeks ago my eight-year-old daughter received the game Doodle Dice (pictured left) for her birthday and my family cannot get enough of it. This is a simple, fun and addictive game that appeals to most any age. My five-year-old son keeps the game on our kitchen table and begs to play it all day long. This past weekend we just had a house full of company – representing all ages – and everyone enjoyed it…game after game after game. Makes a great gift for birthday parties too as it’s under $10!
Bring On the Special Occasions
10. If you are stressing about finding the right dress for a special event or wedding this summer, look no further than Rent the Runway. I have a family friend who uses this site religiously for every occasion that calls for a special dress, and each time she looks like a million bucks. This site allows you to rent the whole look: dress, jewelry, handbag, and even Spanx for one reasonable price. (Plus if you need to rent a second size to be safe, that dress is free!). You then select the date you want your outfit to arrive (it offers next day delivery if needed) and you can keep the items for up to eight days. When you are done with your event, you simply ship it all back from your mailbox for no additional cost! And if none of the dresses you order fit correctly, they will issue a full merchandise credit. Now you really have no excuse to say you have nothing to wear!
Have you tried or used any of these fun products and services? If so, let us know what you thought. And don’t forget to send me your favorite ideas for future posts!
