360 DEGREES Weblog

For the uber-rich kids who are born with an inherent taste for the finer things in life, the PlaySam Saab Roadster is a great activity toy. Suitable for children over 12 month of age, the Saab Roadster wooden toy car has a clean and simple design inspired by the very first Saab-Sixten Sason’s prototype 92001. The car comes with a high gloss finish and looks as cool as the original Saab cars from the ‘40s and ‘50s. Designed by Ulf Hanses, the toy has a steering wheel made of wood and metal, just like the one usually seen inside the old sports car. The PlaySam Saab Roadster is priced at €295 (around $390).

The Guava Family GoCrib is an inflatable travel crib/playpen for kids. The big advantage the GoCrib has over other travel cribs (Pack n’ Play, etc) is that it is extremely lightweight (about 7 pounds) because it has no metal parts or large plastic components. For comparison, the Pack ‘n Play weighs well over 20 pounds. The GoCrib folds down small enough to fit in the included backpack with the pump. Which leaves your hands and arms free to….hold your baby:

The Barbie Video Girl camera from Mattel gives Barbie a new job.  She’s a film-maker – literally.  The doll appears to be a standard Barbie, but it has a lens hidden in her necklace, and there’s a small color LCD screen and controls on her back.  There’s no technical details listed for the camera, but I’m betting it won’t film in HD.  The video camera is compatible with Windows and Mac.  There’s free video editing software that lets you add music, graphics, and special effects that works with Windows only.  Order Barbie Video Girl for only $49.99.

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.