Last year Infantino introduced a new Pre-school line to their already extensive collection of toys.

Geared towards kids aged 12 months and up, this line of offers a lot of great toys that could strengthen important developmental skills like hand-eye coordination, creative play, independent Play and fine motor.

For the last few weeks my boys have been trying out the ‘Under The Big Top‘ Carnival. This cause and effect toy’s bright colors and animated noises have been a hit with my youngest son. He goes from one side to the other making everything move and shake.

To make the Carnival work, kids can press down the plunger to hear the popcorn ‘pop’, hammer the platform to make the elephant hit the bell, flip the switch to make the guy leave the cannon and twist the knob to teeter/totter the lion.

This all-in-one activity center is nicely designed for little ones. I like that there aren’t any small parts and that everything is just the right size for tiny hands.

I would recommend this collection of toys to anyone who is looking for a great gift idea that is reasonably priced.

WIN IT!! Infantino is offering 2 Growing Your Baby readers the opportunity to win either the Colors & Shapes Moover or Counting Penguin. Aren’t they adorable?

To enter, please comment here with your favorite toy from this line.

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For the last few months, my youngest son has been battling a terrible bum rash. It goes away for a couple days and then comes back.

I have tried a half a dozen different creams to clear it up, but nothing has seemed to work longterm.

During a recent visit with MD Moms, it was suggested that I might have some success with their Baby Silk Soothing Bottom Relief.

Initially, I was skeptical because up to this point some of the creams I had tried actually made the rash worst.

The ladies assured me that, at the very least, their diaper cream would soothe his bum, but never make it worst and they were right!

Unlike other diaper creams, this lightweight lotion smooths on white and then turns clear. It’s not thick or sticky, just light almost like a hand cream.

After just 3 applications, I started to notice a difference in the color of my little guys bum. By the second day the rash was gone. Now I only use the Baby Silk on occasion as ‘maintenence’ to keep as pinkness from going out of control.

They say you shouldn’t use diaper cream with cloth diapers because it ‘creates a barrier on the inner material and causes the diaper to repel instead of absorb moisture’. Because it doesn’t contain lanolin, mineral oil, petroleum or waxes, I have found Baby Silk’s Soothing Bottom Relief to be safe with the cloth diapers I use and would be comfortable recommending it to another cloth diaper mom.

This is another MD Moms product that will be a staple in my house. From the sunscreen wipes to the liquid silky powder. We love everything that they make.

Additional Features:

• Contains no phthalates
• Clinically tested & hypoallergenic
• Made in the USA
• No animal testing

*Thank you to MD Moms for providing this great product for sample*

New this year, Fisher-Price has introduced toy line called Stack n Surprise. These fun blocks feature a center piece that pops up to reveal a smiley face when stacked.

My favorite set in this collection is the Stack ’n Surprise™ Blocks Songs ’n Smiles Sillytown™($50) This toy is not only cute, but it is big enough that both of my kids can play with it at the same time. It’s 4 play sections all encourage kids to make things happen and foster an understanding of cause & effect.

My boys love all of the lights, songs and motion. The Songs ’n Smiles Sillytown comes with 8 peek-and-pop action blocks and plays over 16 songs and fun sounds. The workbench in the middle, which is activated by batting the roller, is super cute because all of the people play peek a boo, whether the blocks are stacked or not. Flipping the blocks to make the music go off and racing the car(included) down the track were also a hit with my 2.

I like that all of the toys can be stored under the ‘house’ when they’re not playing with it. It also comes with batteries to get you started right away.

Fisher-Price recommends this toy for kids 6 months and up and I agree. It is perfect for a newly sitting child because it is close to the ground. There are also a bunch of other toys that are included in this collection that fit into every budget. The smaller sets would make great stocking stuffers for little ones.

Pros -Encourages eye-hand coordination and enhances fine motor skills
Cons – doesn’t fold up for easy storage

Other Toys in the collection:

Peg Perego’s Si Stroller is an awesome lightweight stroller that has many full size stroller features. Weighing in at just under 17lbs, this compact, easy to operate stroller is a great fit for parents who need a product that will accommodate their growing needs. From birth it can be used as a travel system with an infant seat, then a regular day to day stroller that folds up nicely for traveling.

For the last few weeks we have been testing it from one side of the country to the other!

Here is what we found.

Installation – Out of the box the Si was pretty much ready to go. All I needed to do was clip on the storage basket and open it up.

If you have problems, the Si also comes with a great booklet that shows you everything your need – step by step.

Getting Started – Unfolding this stroller is really easy. All you need to do is unclip the lever on the left side of the stroller, give it a bit of a shake and then lock the bracket in the back.

Comfort and Features – The Si offers a lot of great features not normally seen in this stroller weight class. For safety, it has a five-point harness with the 2010 version adding a bumper bar. There is a 3 position(almost flat) seat recline, height adjustable handle bars and a 2 position foot rest.

For older children, the Si has a good size seat (13inches wide) and a high canopy that will keep taller toddlers(up to 45lbs) comfy without brushing their head. When opened fully, the Si’s canopy offers some of the best coverage I have seen on a lightweight stroller. Moms who want to keep track of their little ones will also like the peek-a-boo window.

Underneath the seat is a good size storage basket big enough to hold a large sized diaper bag. The only problem with this is that the basket will drag if your bag is too heavy. For this I suggest you strap your diaper bag to the handle bars and use the storage basket for lighter purchases, if out shopping. This works well if your child stays in the stroller. But not so great if you need to carry your baby. Because the stroller is so light, a weighted handle will cause the whole thing to tip backwards once your child is removed. While this sounds simple, it’s easy to forget. I have tipped this stroller quite a few times leaving the mall trying to rush.

Travel System – 2 cables that come with the 2009 version stroller allow the Si to be converted it into a travel system. While Peg Perego strollers are normally only compatible with the Primo Viaggio SIP 30/30 Infant seat, the Si will accept most car seats that have a belt path on each side.

Folding – To avoid confusion, Peg Perego has numbered the two levers needed to close the stroller. I love this! No guess work – just pull here first and then here. Once closed, this stroller stands independently and it also features a carrying strap on the side.

This makes the Si a dream to travel with.

Cleaning – While on a recent trip, an unfortunate event ended with a whole breakfast landing on the seat of the stroller. Surprisingly enough, for the amount of food that landed on it, the stroller fared quite well. But when I got home and started to take it apart to fully clean it, I was surprised to find that it doesn’t come apart. It looks like it comes apart, but it doesn’t, unless I wanted to get into unscrewing stuff, which I don’t.

Improvements – With anything, there is always a wish list of thing you would like see improved.

I personally would love Peg Perego to make a good cupholder. The tiny one that comes with most of their strollers doesn’t many beverage cups, including my re-usable water bottle. Also, having some part of the seat come apart for easy cleaning would also be a bonus for parents who will be using this stroller everyday.

Overall, I like this stroller and I would recommend it to any parent who wants a nice looking stroller that can go anywhere.

$232.00 on Amazon

Peg Perego Si Specs:

• Width – 20″
• Seat Width – 13″
• Seat to top of Canopy – 25″
• Ground to Handle – 41″
• Stroller Length – 33.5″
• Folded Dimensions – 39″ x 13″ x 13″
• Front Wheel Size – 6.5″
• Weight – 16.8lbs – to get this I weighed myself holding the stroller and then subtracted that number from my weight alone

Lil’ Tag Alongs is a double-duty blanket that was created by a mom for moms.

This one-of-a-kind blanket is not only soft and cuddly, but it features grommets along 3 sides for parents to attach it to a stroller while out.

Every mom knows how hard it is to keep the toys inside the stroller. It’s a Game! Lil’ Tag Alongs solves this problem. Just attach your child’s top 3 or 4 toys with links to this blanket and then attach the blanket to the stroller.

While you stroll through the mall or park, they can play with all of their favorite stuff, without you having to worry that something will get tossed and you won’t see it.

We have the small blanket (15″ x 17″) , which is designed to fits most light weight strollers. It clips onto the frame easily and doesn’t drag if it flips over the side. My youngest likes that he has so many toys to choose from at a time.

Our Lil’ Tag Along blankie stays attached to our stroller and I rotate the toys so that my son doesn’t get bored.

This would be a great gift for a mom-to-be. It’s not something she would think of, but definitely something she would appreciate having – especially now that it’s starting to get cold.

Small 29.95, Large, 49.95 Both sizes come in 8 Modern, fresh fabric choices(5 for girls, 3 for boys).

All blankets are Handmade and have been tested and are in compliance with CPSIA laws.

*Thank you to Lil Tag Alongs for providing us with this blanket for review.*

The newest addition to the Baby Einstein DVD collection is World Animals Adventure.

This follow up to World Animals is not only well done, but it includes some great features that cater to kids of all ages.

Parents now have the option of playing the movie straight through or tailor their experience to meet their child’s schedule.

• The select-a segment feature gives you the opportunity to choose a 5 or 10 minutes segment OR a compilation of the fun puppet shows.
• The Grow with Me feature ‘enhances the DVD with language and new puppet shows that grow with baby’.

While both of my boys are very fond of Baby Einstein, they prefer the animal DVDs. Before this video arrived, the original World Animals was the standing favorite at our house.

This new version adds new animals not seen in this series before like manatees, llamas, camels, the snow monkey, the arctic fox and Meercats,

Also new are a long list of cute new characters including horses, zebras, pandas, seals and Koala Bears. Most of which are parent and child.

As a parent, I noticed this Baby Einstein has nicer camera angles, probably as a result of all of the great ‘Earth’ footage Disney filmed. The extreme close-ups and high angles made for a nice view for mom and dad as well as for the kids.

Closer to the end, both kids liked the Caribbean-like song, that encourages kids to get up and dance around. The little one enjoyed the music, while our older son mimicked what the kids on the screen were doing. This is great segment to combat ‘digital kid syndrome’. For us, it is also a nice way to transition into a new activity after the video has finished.

As always, Disney delivers a timeless video that allows both of our kids to watch the TV together and enjoy what they are seeing on different levels. I highly recommend this DVD for animal loving kids.

Thank you to Mom Central for providing us with a copy to preview.

Related Articles:

• Featured Product Review: Baby Einstein World Music DVD
  
• Baby Einstein Celebrates 10 Years

Even though camping season is coming to an close, it doesn’t mean the outdoorsy fun has to end.

Caring Corners has followed up their hugely popular play house Mrs. Goodbee with a personable camper named Daisy Greenway($35). This bright pink, interactive play mobile features a pull-out cabin with bunk beds and a movable slide, a restroom, a kitchen with recycling bins and a dog feeding station, a pull-down TV, removable captain’s chairs, and a flip-down grill.

As soon as Daisy arrived in the mail my son immediately went to work and within just a few minutes he had figured out every feature she was loaded with. Along with the camper, we also received a couple family members(not included), who proved to be perfect for role playing.

The nice part for for us was that both our boys (1 aged 4 and 1 – 8months) played together with Daisy for quite some time. This was the first time we had ever seen the two of them share a toy and not fight.

Even though our little testers were not of the genders the camper was created for, all of the basic principles still applied. Many of Daisy’s features could work for boy action figures as well as a family or small-ish Barbies.

I like that some of the characters created for this toy promote some sort of wellness; Dad is walking the dog, a teenage daughter is shopping with a recycled bag and there is even a tandem bike with a trailer on the back to tote little ones. They normalize activities we should all do, but don’t always get to.

Also available for the Caring Corners interactive toys are a grandma baking cookies, a baby in a highchair and a mom hauling groceries in a shopping basket.

Just like Mrs. Goodbee, the rearview rewards panel on the back of the camper rewards eco-friendly behavior. Kids can earn stickers by doing simple activities like, turning off the water while they brush their teeth, packing a trash-free lunch, turning off the lights when they leave a room or helping you plant a garden.

As with anything, my son’s playtime came with future recommendations. Three things he would like to see changed are to have the drive/passenger doors open, to have the hat come off and for Daisy to come in a Blue (without the flowers)!

Regardless of her color, this interactive camper offers enough play options to keep kids busy for hours. Sometimes my guys love to just sit and push her horn to hear her ask questions and watch her lights flash.

More information about Daisy is available at learningcurve.com

*This Product was sent to us by Learning Curve for review.*

Every parents know how frustrating it is to have a baby that is crying inconsolably for hours on end.

Colic sometimes begins in the first couple weeks of a baby’s life and may continue until the third or fourth month.

The First Years Colic pad was created to help soothe a fussy newborn (0-3 months). This battery-operated massage pad relieves colic symptoms by using a circular motion paddle along with white noise and vibrations to help calm and soothe your baby.

Most parents know that calming a colicky baby is trial and error, but having a product like this goes a long way because it uses 3 popular techniques at once.

I had the chance to try this pad out with my son and was pleasantly surprised by the effect it had on him.

Out of the box the pad was ready to go, all I needed to do was install the batteries.

I like that the whole thing comes apart easily and the fabric can be removed for washing.

This Colic pad was primarily designed for over the shoulder use, but my little man preferred to lay on it on my lap and this also helped me get him to sleep faster.

When using it over my shoulder I found that it was a bit bulky even though the baby seemed to enjoy it either way.

During a recent crying spell I found that the soft circular motion of the ‘paddle’ stopped him from crying because it was something he wasn’t used to.

It then calmed him down with its consistent motion.

Some parents try medication, while other walk the floor for hours. This Colic pad is great option to bring peace back to your day.

More information available at learningcurve.com

Australian Baby company Gr8x has one of the best on-the-go breastfeeding products available.

Their self inflating nursing pillow($49) has been a lifesaver lately while I have been out. I prefer to breast feed in the ‘side-lying modified cradle’ position which is only successful if you have a pillow. Because it’s not practical to lug a breast feeding pillow around with me when I’m out, I normally find myself propping my son up with my sweater or diaper bag.

This chic pillow is compact enough that I can throw it under the stroller. But when inflated it is big enough for my 4 month-old son, who is bigger than the average child, to lay comfortably.

I like that when I’m ready to use it, I just need to pull the pillow out and it inflates easily in seconds. It’s crescent shape fits nicely around my waist, allowing the baby to get close to me during feedings.

My son loves the soft and cozy velour material that covers the pillow.

The Gr8x self inflating feeding pillow is perfect for any on-to-go mom who needs to breast feed in a pinch. Mine stays in my trunk so that it’s not forgotten.

Available in 3 modern color choices:

• pink/natural stripe
• green/natural stripe
• black/natural stripe

Dimensions when inflated – 20½” x 13″ x 2.6″

We were recently introduced to the animated character Wow! Wow! Wubbzy.

This lighthearted little guy stars along with his two best friends Walden and Widget in a cartoon geared towards pre-schoolers.

My son wasn’t sure what to think at first, but he quickly settled in after hearing the theme song and meeting the characters.

This video-game like show was a re-freshing change from some of the shows that are designed for kids my sons age.

The Wubbzy characters are not only polite, but they are helpful. The cartoon also tries to show kids that things that may appear to be scary are not always what you think…

In his newest DVD Wow! Wow! Wubbzy Pirate Treasure, Wubbzy and his friends discover a new world of fun adventures. The trio searches to find buried pirate treasure and ends up realizing that treasure isn’t always ‘gold and silver’.

I liked the subtle parent-messages, such as brushing your teeth and fun video montages.

Additional features:

• 82 minutes
• features 5 regular and 2 bonus episodes

Thank you to momcentral for providing us with a copy for review!