New Fabrics for Toddler Pillows

Our Toddler Pillow set is now available again in this cute Oceans fabric - perfect for summer vacations as a travel pillow for adults or kids.  We also have our toddler pillow set now available in Work Zone, Spring Garden, and a few more new prints coming this summer.  Don't forget - we offer personalization to all toddler pillows so make sure to add your child's name.  I recently gave a personalized toddler pillow to a friend in the hospital to make her stay more comfortable - paired with some crossword puzzle books, magazines, chapstick, and chewing gum, it was a perfect "Get Well"  hospital gift - better than a bouquet of flowers or balloons and a great way to brighten somone's hospital stay.

When to give your child a toddler pillow

"When is the right time to give my child a toddler pillow?" I get asked this question frequently at BobbleRoos. There are a lot of opinions to sift through, but currently, most of the official guidelines (from organizations like The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) are relevant for infants under 12 months of age. So does that mean a 13 or 14 month old can start using a pillow?

We typically recommend our toddler pillows for 2 years and up and even then, it's best to check with your pediatrician. Your child's pediatrician will be up to date on changing safety recommendations and will also know your child's heath history including any issues that may impact sleeping, allergies or asthma, etc. Many leading child developmental experts agree that it's best to allow young children to sleep on a flat surface, and when you do introduce a toddler pillow, choose one that is somewhat firm, yet flat - nothing too poofy or fluffy. Pick a pillow that is the right proportions for a child, which is why we like our 12 x 16 toddler pillow.

A toddler pillow is a great transitional item when the child is converting from the crib to a toddler bed or twin bed - but it all depends on age. With my two children, I waited as long as possible to move them out of the crib and it was usually around 3 - 3 1/2 years old. However I have friends with "climbers" who have moved their kids out of the crib before their first birthday. I also have friends with 2-3 year old children who had frequent ear infections or sinus problems and the pediatrician recommend the use of a small pillow to help elevate the child's head. I've had many customers also tell me that they knew their child was ready when he/she bundled up blankets under his/her head at night to sleep on, or slept on a stuffed animal. But PLEASE check with your child's doctor first.

If your child or baby is not yet ready for a pillow, our toddler pillows still have a ton of great uses during the daytime - your child may still enjoy cuddling up with it during playtime, or using it for a "seat" to make that wooden chair more comfy, or for playing house with dolls. It also makes a great travel pillow - even for adults. I took one to the hospital with me during labor and delivery - great to put behind your lower back or neck for extra support. I also used mine frequently during nursing. We also use ours for traveling as they squish up easily inside a suitcase, can be carried on a plane, and great for making the car seat ride more comfortable. Just make sure to keep that pillow and loose items out of the crib until they are ready.

So the bottom line is that many children are ready for a pillow sometime after their first birthday - typically around 2-3 years of age, but check with your pediatrician first and educate yourself on the current safety recommendations and pros and cons. When you do choose a pillow, choose one that is in proportion to your child (lightly filled 12x16 is perfect!) and pick out some fun printed pillowcases that will allow your child to get attached to the pillow and make sleeping time fun! I can't tell you how may parents have told me that our toddler pillows have helped restless sleepers (which is great for the child and the parents!!) Feel free to post your ideas and opinions about using a pillow with children.

Brain Building with KRE-O

KRE-O Transformers Product Review

As part of the Mom-It-Forward blogger network, I had the opportunity to participate in a review of the KRE-O TRANSFORMERS sets by Hasbro.  Hasbro sent a big box of KRE-O TRANSFORMERS for my two boys (just weeks away from turning 8 and 11), to build, play with, and review.  Pretty awesome – and perfect timing with the holidays and birthdays coming up!   

Okay, now I have to admit up until this point, we have pretty much been a LEGO house.  Two years ago, we also received another brand of "mega" building sets that my boys found to be harder to click together and very frustrating, so we never really ventured beyond LEGO.  When I received this opportunity, I was really curious to see how Hasbro would "stack up" (pun intended!).

 

For the review, we received 

• The Destruction Site Devastator set 
• Cycle Chase

Even though my younger son is just weeks away from turning 8, he’s a pretty talented builder and usually ends up helping his older brother.  After opening the sets, we found that the pieces are high quality, they click together easily, and the directions are easy to follow. The KRE-O sets say that they work with other major brands of building sets, and we found that to be true - they snapped right into our other brand bricks without a problem.

Destruction Site Devastator Set

The Destruction Site Devastator set is the ultimate gift for advanced builders ages 8 and up.  It is 9 sets in one - kids can build four construction vehicles, four construction robots, or the massive Decepticon robot Devastator.  The Destruction Site Devastator set was perfect since my boys decided to share in the building.  Both boys still had a chance to choose their own individual projects, yet once they were done, they were able to trade off and build something totally different, all using the same bricks.  With all of the possibilities, this set will last a long time in our house.  

When building the smaller components, the pieces are not initially organized by project.  You will have to open all the baggies to find the pieces for your project.  This actually turned out to be a good exercise in teamwork/cooperation - my boys had to work together and help each other find various pieces from all the piles.  The robots/vehicles are divided into two books of instructions - again perfect for two kids.  Once a figure is built (we started with the robots), all of those same pieces can be used to build the coordinating vehicle using the same book of directions.  If your child builds one robot, he/she can take that robot to a friend's house or restaurant along with the directions and they will have all the necessary pieces to build the vehicle.

Cycle Chase

Cycle Chase is great for beginning builders ages 6 and up and great for kids who may like smaller projects. The motorcycle in this set has a “rocket launcher” on the front that actually works.  My kids have done other building sets with rockets or missiles that launch, but the pieces that Hasbro uses for this Cycle Chase launcher seem cooler than launchers from other sets.  The Cycle Chase set and other smaller sets, like Decepticon Ambush, make great presents for the holidays or birthdays.  These smaller size sets are also great to take on a trip or to a restaurant when you need something to keep young hands and minds occupied.  And because this smaller set comes with 4 complete figures, it’s also great for shared play.

KREON Figures

Both sets also come with fun KREON figures, featuring Autobots and Decepticons.  My boys like the flexibility of the KREON figures – switching out the bodies, legs, and heads. My younger son immediately pointed out the fact that the legs rotate and swivel around in all directions, unlike other brand figures with legs that only move back and forth.

FUN FACTS

Building block sets such as KRE-O require kids to use their visual/spatial skills and fine motor skills.  With all of the technology and video games out there today geared towards this age group, it’s nice to find a brain building activity, especially for boys, that provides an alternative to computer/video games.  According to a British study done in 2010, kids who are experts with toy building bricks are more agile with their hands and can typically solve problems faster than the average person.  Improved visual/spatial skills help with geometry and other math/science subject areas, engineering, and even day to day tasks (such as navigating using a map or other tasks that require visualization).

The Verdict?

Thumbs up Hasbro! Both sets provided hours upon hours of fun, and we haven’t even made it through all of the possibilities yet. Once my boys had two of the robots built, they wanted to play with them for a while before building more.  The robot figures held up well to playing and don't seem to fall apart easily, which has been a complaint of ours with some other building sets. If you are looking for a holiday gift that the kids can continue to play with after the other presents are unwrapped, definitely check out the KRE-O sets. I was impressed with the quality, clear directions, versatility, and fun themes.  As a bonus for parents, KRE-O sets don’t require batteries, don’t involve “screen time”, and are pretty much a quiet hands-on activity (until they start running around the house with the Transformers chasing each other!).  

I would definitely recommend KRE-O TRANSFORMERS sets, as well as other Hasbro KRE-O building sets as a great option for holiday or birthday gifts.  You are not only giving a gift that provides hours of fun building and hours of creative play, but you are also giving the gift of brain building through visual-spatial skills, fine motor coordination, and dexterity. If you happen to have several kids who choose to work together like mine did, it also encourages teamwork and cooperative play.  So Hasbro, you have 3 new fans (including mom)!

More KRE-O TRANSFORMERS Sets by Hasbro

We also received some information on other sets that are available - while I haven’t seen these sets in person, these sets sound like a lot of fun as well:

• The Battle For Energon which includes pieces to build two of the most iconic Transformer characters – heroic Optimus Prime and evil Megatron – all in one set!

• KREON Micro-Changers Mystery Bags – for just $2.99, each Mystery Bag contains a random KREON figure which can also convert into an alternate mode like a jet or an insect. Great stocking stuffer idea and perfect for goody bags!  Like I mentioned before, my kids really enjoyed playing with the KREON figures that came with our sets and these Micro-Changers sound very versatile.

 

Disclaimer: I am part of the Mom It Forward blogger network.  Mom It Forward and Hasbro partnered in support of this campaign. Hasbro compensated me for participation in this campaign. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

'Tis the Season!

So the holiday shopping season has officially started for 2012.  As the "Black Friday" sales get earlier and bigger, I find myself doing more and more shopping online.  This also gives me the opportunity to support smaller, independent websites with unique products.  If you happen to be looking for a unique gift for a toddler, make sure you check out our popular Toddler Pillows and Toddler Blankets.  As I always say, they don't require batteries and will actually help your child get a good night's sleep - how many products can make that claim?  We hear from parents all the time about how our toddler pillows helped solve various sleeping issues, and are just cozy and cuddly for their toddlers.  We offer our toddler pillows in a wide variety of fabrics including our cozy warm flannel fabrics (100% cotton), and well as cotton percale (non-flannel fabrics), satin, and organic fabrics - something for every preference.  Don't forget, our toddler pillowcases, toddler blankets, playard sheets, and toddler pillow inserts are still Made in the USA.  And even better, we will personalize your purchase with your child's name in embroidery offering a wide variety of fonts, monograms, colors.  Also perfect for those toddlers starting preschool in January who need a cozy naptime set.  A completely practical and unique toddler gift that will be loved for years to come!

Toddler Pillow Special for October

We are already well into the swing of October, however we do have a Toddler Pillow special that I wanted to tell everyone about.  In our October newsletter, we have a coupon code that you can use to get a FREE extra toddler pillowcase when you buy one of our standard Toddler Pillow sets.  Our Toddler Pillows set comes with a toddler pillowcase in your choice of flannel fabrics plus the 12x16 toddler pillow insert.  Using our October coupon code will automatically add a free extra toddler pillowcase to your shopping cart.  Because of the wide variety of fabrics available, our shopping cart does not have the ability for you to select the fabric for the free pillowcase (the dropdown list would be huge), so make sure to include your request in the Special Instructions field (appears during checkout) - we will try to honor your request for either a specific fabric, or gender/theme.  Limited quantities available while supplies last, offer ends Oct 31, 2012.

New Organic Fabrics available for Toddler Pillows!

We continue to receive requests for more organic offerings, especially in our toddler pillow line.  We have just restocked and added to our organic cotton sateen fabrics.  If you haven't tried these fabrics yet, make sure to add them to your wish list.  They are incredibly soft and silky like high thread count sheets, and are still 100% cotton.  They are dyed using eco-friendly dyes and organic cotton.
 
In the past, we have offered pink and a light blue. We were able to restock the same shade of pink but the light blue is no longer available - we are now offering a beautiful navy color, as well as Natural (pictured here below the navy but it's hard to see - it is a cream color).  All three fabrics are available for our Toddler Pillows, Youth Pillows, Preschool Nap Mat Sheets, and blankets upon request.  Again, these fabrics are incredibly soft and silky feeling - a must try!

About Sateen:  Sateen cotton fabrics are made with a different structure during the weaving process.  Standard cotton weaving using one thread over, one thread under, however in sateen weaving, it is four threads over, one thread under.  This structure has more threads at the surface of the fabric making it extremely soft to the touch and creates an almost "shiny" or silky surface to the fabric.

New Toddler Pillow Fabrics Available!

Make sure to take a peek at our newest percale (non-flannel) fabrics available for our toddler pillows and youth pillows!  Butterfly Kisses and Daisy Melody are our two newest girl prints, and we have restocked In Transit for boys.  All fabrics are available in our 12x16 Toddler Pillow size as well as our larger 16x20 Youth Pillow size. We also have these fabrics available for our Preschool Nap Mat Sheets.