360 DEGREES Weblog

Remember the excitement you felt receiving mail as a child? That’s the inspiration behind San Francisco-based Little Passports, a new educational subscription service that aims to turn 5-to-10-year-olds into world travellers, one country at a time. Little Passports delivers monthly travel packages designed to provide a fun, hands-on way for kids to learn about other countries without leaving home. The first shipment in the USD 10.95 per month subscription prepares little voyagers for their global adventure with a mini suitcase, passport, world map and a letter and photo introducing their travel guides, Sam and Sofia.

Each following month, children receive a personalized letter and package from Sam and Sofia, which includes travel-related items like a passport stamp, suitcase sticker and collectible boarding pass to access online games and activities that teach geography, history, culture and vocabulary. As the months pass, little travellers notch up a jetsetter’s stamp-filled passport, personalize their suitcase, and pack it with country-specific souvenirs.

In an era dominated by electronic communication, people are embracing concepts from a slower age, like the company that transforms emails into paper letters and one that resurrected the classic telegram. Little Passports combines that nostalgia for ‘real’ mail and combines it with the convenience of a subscription service.

Nice marketing, but c’mon, we’ve all seen kids eat. In reality, that construction zone would look like cleanup after a major earthquake. I bet none of those mixed vegetables would even be touching the plate since they would be busy flying toward the walls, the floor, your head, anyplace but the kid’s mouth. That’s what you get when you encourage kids to play with their food. But I’m sure this is better than giving them one of these.

With hot rod-styling and high-end materials, The Roddler ($2,000) just might be the world’s coolest stroller. It features two rear and one front chrome wheels with fin-shaped fenders and white wall tires, color-matching brakes, wheel bullets, chassis, seat, and top, stainless steel hardware, chrome grips, an ultrasuede seat insert for comfort and carbon vinyl leatherette for the seat and top for added durability. Better yet, order one with the Trike kit included ($2,500) and transform the stroller into a bitchin’ trike when you’re kid is ready to take the wheel.

Most parents seem to have good enough sense not to give their kids control of the remote, which lets them make sure they’re only watching suitable programming. Now if you’re the type that wants to give your child a little freedom to watch what they want at an early age, you have to jump through hoops to make sure that they don’t stumble onto bad channels. Or you could just get the iMote.

I have no idea why they felt the need to use the ‘i’ in the name, but that’s beside the point. The remote has only a handful of buttons, which is all a child needs. You’ve got your power and volume control, along with five channel buttons. You’ll program the five channels to the ones your child watches most, thus assuring they will never see anything inappropriate. If you like to leave your kid alone with the TV for extended periods, it might be worth $30.

My son never really cared if his baby food was inbound on a plane or train. That doesn’t mean you can’t try the same trick on your kid. Maybe this illuminated bib and airport spoon will complete the illusion and allow you to feed your kid and therefore make you feel like an accomplished parent.

The “system” isn’t available right now, but some are expected within 1-3 weeks according to Think Geek’s website. So whenever it’s available take your kid on a flying lesson!

Aimed at the educational market, the BigShot is simply a DIY digital camera kit that allows kids to learn about its inner workings. The camera “can be powered with a battery or with a dynamo, where 6 cranks = 1 picture.”

Given the concerns and controversy about plastic baby bottles containing bisphenol A (BPA) and other toxins, it was only a matter of time that an alternative product was sourced to manufacture baby bottles. OrganicKidz stainless steel baby bottles are free from BPA, PVC and Phtalates and are durable, unbreakable and 100% recyclable.

The Canadian government has banned the use of BPA to manufacture baby bottles and whilst the FDA has not officially advised that parents should stop using bottles that are made from BPA-containing plastic, they do recommend that concerned parents should source other baby bottle alternatives.

OrganicKidz baby bottles are lightweight and safe to use in the dishwasher and, unlike a glass bottle, won’t break if junior throws one on the floor in a huff. They are available in three sizes – a 4 and 7oz single hulled version which can be warmed easily and a 9oz vacuum insulated bottle that keeps baby’s drink cold for up to five hours. The bottles are scratch-resistant, so they help keep bacteria at bay, and they can be used with most narrow-necked nipples. The 2oz lid is useful as a measuring cup and there’s a range of different colors and designs.

Available from Babynaturopathics, prices start at USD $19.35 (approx.) for the 4oz bottle.

Not as wimpy as your standard Power Wheels, but not as dangerous as a real ATV, this all terrain Polaris ride-on falls somewhere in the middle, making it ideal for kids and pre-teens. It’s modeled after the Polaris Ranger RZR, but the dual 24-volt electric motors can only power it to a top speed of about 7 MPH. The 15-inch molded wheels and rear suspension should help it navigate even the most unkempt of backyards, and a set of power brakes are automatically engaged whenever the driver removes their foot from the accelerator. And since today’s modern kids couldn’t possibly go for a ride without their tunes, the mini Polaris comes standard with an FM radio featuring an aux-in for connecting an MP3 player. $1,000 from Hammacher Schlemmer.

If you’re a parent, you know that you can’t be with your children 24/7. So how do you safe guard them against the ever looming threat of stranger danger? Thanks to the geniuses over at Amber Alert GPS, parental units everywhere can breath a little easier with the release of the Amber Alert GPS 2G.

The 2G version of the Amber Alert GPS is being billed as “the world’s smallest, most powerful GPS tracking device.” Now if your child wanders off or something more serious is afoot, you can simply call or text the 2G and you receive a detail map of their location to your phone within seconds. One feature that sets this tracker apart from others on the market is the new bread crumbing feature that creates an accurate trail of your child’s travels. Another nifty feature is the Safe Zone feature that allows parents to create an area where it’s safe for the kids to be in –kind of like a digital fence for juinior.

Handing over the car keys to a teen is probably one of the most terrifying acts a parent must perform, but next in line on the anxiety scale is surely handing over a credit card. Aiming to provide a safer alternative, BillMyParents gives parents the power to approve or deny any purchases by their teens before they’re made.

Unlike facecard BillMyParents is not simply a prepaid shopping card. Rather, it’s a payment method that puts control in parents’ hands. Teens do their online shopping at a participating online retail website—currently, only gift cards can be purchased, as the service is still being launched. When they check out using BillMyParents, their parents are notified of their requested purchase. Parents who approve of the purchase can then enter their credit card information to complete the transaction; otherwise, they can deny it and their teen will be automatically notified. Children never get access to their parents’ credit card information, and control remains squarely in parents’ hands.

Offered by San Diego-based Socialwise, BillMyParents charges USD 0.50 per transaction—a small price to pay, one could argue, for a little peace of mind. Currently, however, it’s aimed only at US consumers.