Clever Parents just loves a good parentrepreneur story.

Last year, Clever Parents featured Monkey Toes and their adorable animal and insect themed footwear line by single mom of two, Jenny Chism. (See the review.)

When Oprah interviewed Tom Cruise in the now infamous Telluride visit, the first part of the program showed Oprah walking into his home, picking up a cute pair of mini-fashionista Suri’s ladybug mary janes and saying how adorable they are. As you can imagine, Monkey Toes jumped into the limelight and sales soared as people flocked to find Suri’s ladybug shoes on Oprah. Hooray for Jenny!

If you missed the show, you can see it tomorrow – December 12th (look here for local listings). Use code OSURI08 and receive $5 off your purchase. Happy shopping.

What do you look for in a kid’s backpack?

How often when you pick out a backpack (or lunch box) for your child do you both like the same one?

If you’re like most, you’re lucky to find some combination of function and style – either a style you like or one your child does – and that’s about it.

Then, adding insult to injury, the bag ends up getting dragged around, straps flailing, and by the time the holidays hit that ‘back-to-school’ backpack is ready to be replaced.

Next time, try a Dabbawalla.

The brainchild of sisters Susan Givens and Carol Mack, Dabbawalla, an Indian name for the men who bring lunch boxes to offices, was created out of a frustration by the lack of functional and appropriately sized bags for children.

“You’ll find no cartoon characters or action figures, no utilitarian oversized styles that mimic adult packs – just simple, colorful designs that kids of all ages can relate to,” says co-founder Susan Givens.

Dabbawalla Bags (both Backpacks and Lunch Bags) are made of neoprene – the same material as wet suits – which is free of PVC, lead and other bad chemicals.

The bags feature simple, bright, fun designs on an easy-to-clean sack that both you and your child will love. The clever bags adjust on the inside, so no more problems with dangling straps.

The size is also perfect for a preschooler or early elementary aged child – the child actually wears the backpack rather than the other way around. And, since the bags are made of neoprene, they come out looking new each time you throw them in the wash.

Learn more and buy online at www.dabbawallabags.com

Imagine your child’s life being put at risk by something you bought to protect her. That’s exactly what happened to George DeCell.

Those outlet plugs you have all over your house in the name of child-proofing? Turns out they could do more harm than good.

After George removed an outlet plug in order to vacuum the house, his one year old daughter Sage reached onto the kitchen table and grabbed it. “When I turned around she was on the floor unable to breath,” says George who then saved his daughter’s life. “It
took less than a minute for this to happen.”

George was so outraged that a product sold to protect children could harm them he has spent more than four years fighting to remove the standard sized plugs from the market to ensure that another child is not injured. What’s more, George also designed a patent-pending safe solution: SafetyCaps.

Whereas standard small outlet plugs measure 1 3/8 inches wide, SafetyCaps measure 2 1/4 inches and include air holes inspired by the US government’s pacifier anti-choking recommendations.

And for about $10 for a whole-house solution, this purchase is a no-brainer. Learn more and buy at www.safetycaps.com

Like most parents, sisters Laura and Julie struggled to find a healthy balance between all of their commitments, family and ‘me’ time. Bogged down with the stress of too much to do and not enough time to do it, these two moms with six children between them sought out to simplify their lives.

From their fast-past lives, an idea was born to launch a company focused around products that make life easier for women. Product #1? The Azula, a stylish neoprene mat you place at the edge of the pool so that your bathing suit doesn’t snag when you sit poolside.

Whether you’re sporting a $20 Target special or the hottest find (splurge!) from vivre, suits with snags look unattractive. The Azula solves the snag problem for you. Plus, it’s easy to add to the pool or beach bag (sand doesn’t stick to it!), simply roll and tie it.

Visit www.myazula.com to learn more and buy.

Vincent Shoes is having a huge sale, so run – don’t walk – and pick up cool kicks for up to 75% off retail prices. The sale starts today and runs through July (or as long as supplies last).

Visit Vincent Shoes and go shopping!

Five years ago, two moms, Amy and Michelle, were chatting over dinner and laughing about balancing family, friends and work while keeping their sanity intact. Michelle’s designer diaper bag had milk stains all over it and receipts and diapers were falling out all over the restaurant floor.

Wanting something that looked good and matched her personality, Michelle had purchased the bag only weeks before when her attempts to find a stylish bag that also functioned well came to a halt. “I was not willing to give up my identity and style just because I had a baby,” says Michelle.

The conversation eventually moved to baby bags and how the contents of their diaper bags were a reflection of their lives: keys, diapers, day-planner, crumpled receipts, cell phones, cracker crumbs. Their diaper bags were not only a collection of baby items, but of items typically stored in their purses.

In an effort to streamline, the women found that their diaper bags had replaced their purses and briefcases as a catch-all for everything that needed carrying.

The baby bag discussion turned towards products. Amy, a product marketer, and Michelle, a working mom, lamented that diaper bags typically fell into two categories: functional or stylish (and ne’er the twain shall meet). So, a few cocktail napkin sketches later and the design for the first Amy Michelle bag was underway: stylish, functional, and made for both baby and mom.

“The bag had to transfer from work to school to play dates to a night out because today’s mom does not have time to change her bag each time she changes where she is going, ” says Michelle. “We actually went to a purse-manufacturing factory to have our bags sewn so that they resemble purses more than diaper bags.”

Fast forward to today and the Amy Michelle product line-up consists of eight different styles (grouped into Classic Baby Bags, Chic Baby Bags and Street Baby Totes) each of which contain a section for baby and – hooray – a section for mom.

The baby section of each bag contains a washable changing pad, internal and external bottle pockets, compartments for diapers and wipes, a stroller attachment and a quick release pacifier holder. The mom section has credit card/ID slots, a large compartment for typical purse contents and an easy to find key ring.

The best part about these bags is that they combine function with style without giving up their utility as a diaper bag. Baby or not, many of the bags (and definitely Clever Parents favorite Sweet Pea in red patent pictured above) easily doubles as a chic weekender. Now that’s clever.

Learn more about the Amy Michelle line and where to find them at www.amymichellebags.com

It’s easy to pop in a DVD when you need to get dinner made or fold another load of clothes without “help” from your toddler. And if you’re like me, you’ve noticed it’s rare that you will find a DVD that doesn’t just require your child to sit on the couch.

Tot-a-doodle-do has created entire kits that include education DVDs and a fun hands-on activity for your kids. We got the Animal set which included the 30 minute DVD and a craft kit with everything we needed to make animal masks.

The DVD walks your child through the mask making step-by-step. It also includes other sections like Hop-n-Bop that encourage movement and hand-eye coordination. SuperSnack shows your child how to make a fun, creative snack that makes healthy eating fun.

I found the DVD to be a little dry and forced but the craft portion of the set is fantastic. They give you everything you need right down to the scissors and a bottle of glue. My two-year-old made the sheep mask while my four-year-old made the rabbit. The kit is for ages 3-7 and I would recommend it for the older end of that range. My husband and I had to pretty much do everything for my kids. They certainly enjoyed the project, but it wasn’t as hands on for them as it would’ve been for an older child.

The masks are a huge hit and we were woken up this morning to a rabbit and sheep parading around our bedroom. It’s given our daughters’ imagination a spark of creativity that has encouraged other conversations like why do sheep have wool, and what else do rabbits eat besides carrots.

The craft and DVD kits would be a perfect birthday gift and certainly offer an escape from the same old, same old things that keep piling up in toy boxes everywhere.

www.totadoodledo.com

My four-year-old daughter is a ballet school dropout. After just one eight week course at our local community center she decided the life of a ballerina was not for her. Despite not wanting to pursue ballet as a hobby she continues to be fascinated by the art form.

There aren’t many DVDs out there about ballet that are made for young children. I recently came across Prima Princessa. It’s a 40 minute DVD that combines a performance of Swan Lake by the Paris Opera Ballet with ballet instruction from students at the School of American Ballet.

My daughters (two and four) were enthralled with this production. Prima Princessa narrates the selections from Swan Lake which are thrilling to the eye. The lavish costumes of the ballet combined with the music had my daughters dancing and leaping around. Swan Lake is broken down into a few simple acts that make the storyline easy to follow for young viewers.

In between trips to the ballet we learn simple ballet steps from the students at the School of American Ballet. The younger students give your child a great way to relate to the steps and get moving.

I found this to be a great DVD and was surprised to learn it was created by two moms without any film-making experience. It is a quality show that your kids will love to watch again and again. I think the DVD could spawn a fun sleepover or birthday party where everyone involved can get up and experience the true beauty and art of ballet.

www.Primaprincessa.com

Looking for a comfortable and luxurious way to put your baby to bed? We have reviewed our fair share of wearable blankets and swaddlers for baby’s sleepy-time. So when we heard about Babybonkies and Bonkiebags, we figured we knew what they were all about. Boy were we wrong.

The Bonkiebag, a high-end wearable blanket, is the Cadillac of wearable blankets. Designed in an array of beautiful patterns with a unique Velcro closure in front that stays in place wash after wash, this is one baby item you are sure to use again and again.

The best part about Bonkiebags is the super-soft Minkee chenille (exterior and lining) they are made of. So many swaddlers and wearable blankets gradually lose their texture over time, hardening through the wash and dry process. The Bonkiebag material, however, maintains its texture like no other we have reviewed.

So next time you are in the market for a shower gift (or if you’d like one for your own little one), pick up a Bonkiebag. Also worth noting, Baybonkies for the infant swaddle set in an array of fabulous designs and super soft linings.

Clever Tip: When washing, make sure you close the Velcro strip fully; dry Bonkiebag on low and remove promptly.

Learn more at www.babybonkie.com – the Teddy (pictured above and a Clever Parents favorite), Tally, Daisy and Hicks styles as well as the Sherpa will be available for purchase next week at www.kustumkribs.com

In a time when parents are bombarded with toys and baby products on television, videos, in Internet emails and every day life, it is surprising that finding a great, simple toy can be such a challenge. One trip down the aisle of a big box store is enough to send a parent over the plastic, characterized, noisy, battery-operated edge. What’s a Clever Parent to do?

Thankfully, we found an oasis in the sea of Elmo and Dora and it’s all just a click away. From chic cloth diapers, nursing gear and bathtime necessities to playwear, blankets and fabulous Zolo toys, Kushies Baby is our new fave go-to shop for baby toys and accessories.

The entire Kushies Zolo toy line is worth noting. Through whimsical, fun characters featuring bold colors, interesting shapes and a multitude of textures, the Zolo line stands out from its typical plush toy counterparts.

The Crib Carousel Mobile (pictured above) is the mobile you always wanted but could never find. Five characters hang from the carrousel-like circle, the canopy of which is covered with circular mirrors for baby to entertain and admire himself. (Newborn+)

Another fun baby toy to toss in the diaper bag is the Libro Coco Cat Multi-Sensory Activity Book. Features a squishy, fish-filled aquarium, a squeeze-activated realistic ‘meow’ sound, a mirror and a kitty tail on the back. (Newborn+) (A similar ‘dog’ version is also available.)

Your baby will love to explore The Peeko Multi-Sensory Surprise Box (pictured) which features a peek-a-boo mirror, a chirping bird, and a cute little guy named Ozlo in the center of the box. (Recommended age 6 months+)

In the market for a baby blanket? Check out the 30″ x 40″ plush Zebra Blanket that comes with its own zebra toy. Plus, the super soft blanket in vibrant colors looks like you spent a lot of money on it, even though you didn’t.

Learn more and shop away at www.kushiesonline.com

Is your preschooler showing an interest in the letters of the alphabet? Clever Parents loves 3D Think & Blink Alphabet Flash Cards. Packaged in a reusable cardboard container that fastens with velcro, the pack includes 26 sturdy, brightly colored holographic cards, each one featuring a letter.

On the hologram side of the card, a window alternately displays a letter and an object (i.e. “H” and a picture of a house, “L” and a picture of a lion). By holding the card at a slightly different angle, the letter and the object appear in the foreground or background, respectively. The word describing the object is printed below the hologram.

The reverse side of the flashcard features a picture of a different object, the word as well as the letter displayed in both upper and lowercase format. During playtime, turn these flashcards into a fun game and alternately quiz each other about the letters, the objects or come up with different objects that begin with the same letter. The options are endless.

School Zone’s recommended age is 3-6, but the cards are so sturdy you can use them with younger children, too. What’s more, the low price makes this purchase a no-brainer.

Learn more on the School Zone website.

A Clever Parents reader tipped us off to this fabulous find: Fabkins, the brainchild of two friends and moms who wanted to offer kids a fun and easy way to be a part of saving the environment.

Joyce Raffo and Paige Rodgers had a hard time finding cloth napkins that weren’t too formal or too big for their childrens’ lunchboxes, so they created super cute cloth napkins with fun embroidered designs to make lunchboxes fun and paper-free!

Fabkins are adorable, reusable, washable and eco-friendly, they pass the “cute” and “cool” test, slip easily into lunchboxes and meet the goal of trashless lunches.

Available in an array of bright colors and playful designs, Fabkins come in themed packs of five – one for each day of the week. Choose from Garden Friends, Fruit Salad, Beach Bound, African Safari, Prima Ballerina and Sports Fan.

Learn more and buy at www.fabkins.com

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, why not pick up a little something for your littlest Valentine in the form of a hand sewn heart appliqué on a cute little baby tee or onesie? We found just the thing for you at Little Uni.

Little Uni, the collaboration of longtime friends Julie Crosson and Andrea Needleman, carries a hip line of baby tees, onesies, pants and hats adorned with hand sewn appliqués.

A departure from pink bunnies and blue sailboats, the Little Uni product line features classic animal shapes and objects in fun patterns and colors. Choose from the main line or customize the look with your child’s name, nickname or a cute saying of your choice.

Receive 25% off heart designs during the month of February. (Plus free shipping if you order *on* February 14th – Little Uni’s one year anniversary). Learn more at www.littleuni.com

Creating a cute photo bag for yourself or someone you love is a snap with Snaptotes.

Perfect as a grandparent gift idea or for a cute way to tote your gear on the beach, to the gym or around town, Snaptotes handbags are fun, functional and easy to design.

Simply pick a bag, pick your design elements (exterior trim, interior lining, handle types and image options, then upload your favorite picture.

Choose from totes, gym bags, satchels, clutches, messenger bags, backpacks and diaper bags. Bag options include durable black microfiber or leather options.

Learn more and buy at www.snaptotes.com

Where there are toddlers and food, a mess is not far behind. Sometimes the potential mess is enough to discourage parents from sitting their children down to meals at the table, opting instead for a counter or a children’s eating area. Yet, eating family meals at the table can be a treat for everyone – especially when the potential for mess is controlled.

Enter Smarty Parents and the Piggy Platter. After a particularly messy meal when Chris and Lindy Bartell’s two-year old son spread sticky oatmeal into every nook and cranny on their dining room table, the Bartells looked for a placemat that would help contain the mess. Finding none that met their needs, they created the Piggy Platter Placemat & Craftmat. The Piggy Platter goes beyond the typical child’s placemat by incorporating raised edges and a food-catch tray to contain messes. Plus, Piggy Platters are really easy to clean up. Wipe them after use and for really messy times, pop them in the dishwasher.

With a see-through surface, Piggy Platters can be customized with clever Platter Pix. Slide one of the pre-printed sheet under the Platter and voila, an instant learning center is born. Pick from Shapes and Colors, Early Table Etiquette, ABCs, Counting, USA Map, Sign Language and Tracing the Alphabet. Piggy Platters are also great outside of meal times as craft centers. Enjoy a contained play area for finger paints, Play-Doh, drawing and more.

Visit www.smartyparents.com to learn more.

A trip to visit Santa is typically something that typically plays out better in your mind’s eye than in reality. Between mall traffic, long lines, screaming kids and coughing patrons the trip can be more stressful than sweet. What’s more, your child senses your own stress and anticipation and often will act out or decide that the big burly bearded fellow with the not so white gloves is a little more scary than jolly.

Enter MakeBeliever, a multimedia company that allows people to create personalized online video greetings with real life characters. And since it ’tis the season, the online video greeting of choice for its business launch (conveniently timed with this holiday season) is with Santa himself.

The brainchild of longtime friends and entrepreneurs Ted Taggart and David Wallace, MakeBeliever aims to fill a gap in the online greeting business, which Ted and Dave say lacks personalization and the ability to create individualized content.

So how does it work? Pick the V-greeting of your choice, type out what you’d like the greeting to say, then enter the name and email of the recipient and when you’d like the message to be delivered. You’ll also receive a copy of the greeting so you can view the finished product.

V-greetings include naughty or nice V-greetings for friends, colleagues, spouses, family and, of course, for children. What’s more? It costs about the same amount as a regular greeting card. So get clever this year. Give your child a personalized Santa message online and send a few Clever V-greetings for the ones you love.

Visit MakeBeliever at www.makebeliever.com

“The day you were born was a dream come true. It began the lifetime adventure of incredible YOU.” So starts the fun, sentimental, custom keepsake book titled The First Adventures of Incredible You. Through beautiful illustrations and a story that is a joy to read with its rhyming words and gentle cadence, you and your child will fall in love with this book.

Written by Sarah Riley Headrick and Sarah Foreman Rivera, two friends who met through a suburban playgroup when their first-borns were six months old, the two Sarahs quickly became experts in giving and receiving gifts for babies and young children. “We found the gifts that we most enjoyed giving and receiving were somehow personalized and had special meaning for the recipient’s family.”

Made custom by answering about 20 questions such as your child’s name, birth date, friends names and favorite park, The First Adventures of Incredible You cleverly and seamlessly inserts the personalized details of your child’s life while maintaining the rhyming, fun nature of the book.

A wonderful gift for girls and boys, biological and adopted children, children of all races and nationalities, for newborns, toddlers, preschoolers through third graders, The First Adventures of Incredible You is a Clever Parents favorite. Buy this hardcover book as a holiday gift, a birthday present, a baby shower or just because.

Use code cp10 for 10% off your purchase from now through December 15th. Purchase by December 7th (standard shipping) or December 15th (expedited shipping) for Christmas delivery. Learn more and buy the book at www.custommadeforkids.com

When you have young children, one challenge every parent faces is the task of having to lug around a lot of stuff and not having enough hands to do it. As we are entering the Christmas season and looking forward to Black Friday, how can you make a shopping outing a little easier? Try the Mommy Hook.

The Mommy Hook is a stroller hanger made from heavy duty aluminum that easily hooks to stroller bars without sliding or breaking like the cheap plastic ones have a tendency to do.

The Mommy Hook is perfectly built to hold diaper bags, shopping bags, purses, camera bags and virtually any other bag with a handle.

On a recent birthday party outing at the local mall, I successfully pushed a stroller and used the Mommy Hook to carry an overstuffed diaper bag, a good-sized camera in its own bag and my oversized purse, freeing an extra hand to hold onto the hand of my three-year old son. When it was time to load up the car, I unclipped the Mommy Hook and used it to move all of my bags to the car in one move.

Clever Parent tip: don’t overload the Mommy Hook and always make sure you remove the Mommy Hook from the stroller before removing your child or you risk tipping the stroller.

Learn more about The Mommy Hook and buy here.

How many times have you tended to a child’s scraped knee or bug bite at the park without the convenience of bandaids or ointment? Thanks to Richelle Nassos, founder of Me4Kidz and the original Medibag kid-friendly first aid kit, you can clean up cuts and bites easily by keeping Medibuddy in your diaper bag, purse or stroller.

Packaged in a small, colorful plastic container measuring 6″ x 2″ x 2″, the Medibuddy punches above its fighting weight by including 40 kid-friendly, latex-free first aid items to help ease your child’s pain.

Including 15 brightly colored crayon bandages, a 3″ knee and elbow bandage, a sting relief pad, gauze pads, antiseptic (sting-free) wipes, burn relief cream, antibiotic ointments and kid-friendly fun stickers, the Medibuddy is definitely a Clever Parents must-have! The Medibuddy eases your own pain by being quite reasonably priced at $9.95 for a package of two.

Learn more about the Medibuddy and buy here.

Read the Clever Parents feature on the original Medibag first aid kit.

swad·dle: to wrap (an infant) with swaddling clothes; envelop, swathe

As a nurse, Lynette knew of many reasons why swaddling is important, yet she discovered that often people did not know how to swaddle effectively, couldn’t remember how to swaddle, or simply did not have the right kind of blanket to bundle their babies.

“When I shopped for blankets for my friends and family, I wasn’t satisfied,” says Lynette. “The blankets were too small, not the right shape, not the right material, too fancy, too slippery or too thick.” So, the mother of two young children took her own knowledge of all things swaddle and created her own.

The Ultimate Receiving Blanket is a large (42″ x 42″) preshrunk cotton flannel blanket perfect for swaddling, as a privacy throw for nursing, for tummy time or for tucking around your baby in the stroller or car seat. With several hip designs including a unique decorative edge and a clever swaddle tip tag sewn into the blanket, it is definitely a Clever Parents favorite. Pick up a few, they’ll become your favorite everyday blanket for baby. Coordinating Burpies and super-soft Lovies available from the Swaddle Designs site, too.

www.swaddledesigns.com