HABA - Balloon Music Box Mobile Review

from HABA

So this is a really adorable toy that your little one is bound to love. It's a mobile that looks like an air balloon with a little cuddly soft elf inside! If you see it in the store it's one of those eyes that's an eye turner, because you just gatta have a look. The Balloon Music Box Mobile is one of Haba's most well-known toys. It's such a captivating and soothing choice, perfect for hanging above baby's first bed.



A simple tug on the string by mommy or daddy, and the Balloon Music Box Mobile plays the delicate German lullaby "La Le Lu" for baby. The elf inside the balloon floats up into the sky, looking down to say goodnight to baby below. The elf can be taken out for cuddling and playing. I love the cool blue colors and smiling face of the balloon's little Elf.




Sadly it doesn't have a separate crib attachment so a little handy innovation is required.
Materials: foam, cotton/polyester and felt.

Pros: I love the music that it plays - old-fashioned kind that plays a lovely twinkly tune, not one of the electronic kind that is popular nowadays
Cons: music plays only for a minute, than you have to pull the strap again, and doesn't attached to crib on it's own
Age: birth+

Price: $40.49 at Amazon.com

Djeco- Chakempil and It's Mouse Review

from Djeco

So this is a really great development toy, and it looks really neat. They write that it help your little one develop stacking and size sorting skills, and I agree, it's really fun to watch how serious your baby will turn trying to figure out everything on their own. It's made of hard wood and painted with completely non-toxic, child-friendly paints. I really love the blue and green colors and the surprise under the largest ring!



So if you haven't guessed yet Chakempil is a cat, who's after a mouse, and the mouse (which is the wonderful surprise of this toy) is hiding right under its tail!



Chakempil et sa Souris which means Chakempil and It's Mouse is made by a European company Djeco,who are located in France, and they make lots of different educational toys. Check em out!

Pros: a great stacking toy that also looks great, and is lots of fun for your little one
Cons: the central pole is a bit unstable. Also younger kids have a harder time place the rings because of its instability
Age: 1yr+

Price: $24.99 at Amazon.com

Plan Toys - Hammer Balls Review

from Plan Toys

So this is a great toy for toddlers. It really gives a good "bang" for the "buck"... or at least the child's desire to hit stuff is realized well here. So you get a set of three colorful balls, a wooden mallet and a wooden bench. The holes have rubber trimmings inside that hold the balls from falling through right away when placed onto the holes. You can even push them down with your fingers if you wish not to have a hammer around. But the most fun comes from hitting the balls with the hammer, of course!


And of course the balls all roll out of one end. Plan Toysare made from natural, chemical free rubber wood and finished with non-toxic and child friendly colors.

Pros: great for learning how to best utilize aim; it really helps children to improve hand-eye coordination
Cons: the hammer is a bit heavy so it's better to supervise your child while he's playing
Age: 1yr+

Price: $22.49 at Amazon.com

Kathe Kruse - Doudous or Towel Doll Review

from Kathe Kruse

In this post I'd like to tell you about towel dolls. They all from Kathe Kruse.These toys go back a really long time, to 1905. Kathe just started making toys for her 5 kids, and what do you know, it took off...



So these toy towel dolls or “doudous” are the traditional European toy for babies and new mothers. As you can see, they're really adorable, and believe me, they're awesome to have too.



They are very soft, and cuddly, wash easily, and made naturally. The material also absorbs mommy's scent and comforts the little one with the familiar smell should there happen to be a need for mommy and baby to be away from each other for any length or period of time.

I just love the unique shape, design and cloth body of these dolls that make it easy for babies to grasp and hold them.

Pros: there is an organic line
Cons: it's more expensive compared to other towel dolls , but they're really high quality
Age: birth+

Price: $22.00 - 30.00 at Amazon.com

Water Fun Set Review

from Spielstabil

Sooner or later you'll want your little one to play in the sand. It's not epiphany of every child movie scene for no reason. It is the classic childhood activity, the campaign promise of every 60's politician... more sandboxes for children to play in... But not all babies enjoy sand or the beach, until they get this joyful toy set. Because with it even your baby can have a good time at the beach. It's brightly-colored and made entirely from PVC-free plastic. (Dear parents, please discourage your kids from chewing sand, or toys covered in sand...)



So each set includes: 1 pint-sized watering can, 1 small bucket, 1 small scoop and 3 different animal squirters. Lots to do, lots of fun

And don't be upset when summer is over - you can always take summer with you to your bathtub!

Pros: colorful, perfect first sand set, lots to enjoy for your little one.
Cons: not for 6 months old, I should think... being that everything they touch ends up in their mouth... :)
Age: 6mo+

Price: $19.85 at Amazon.com

Chill-It Teethers: Fish and Apple Review

from Natursutten

My son absolutely loves the Fish, and the way I tested whether he'd like it or not was kinda interesting. I was in Babies'R'Us and I saw it on a shelf, so I just gave it to him to see if he'd like it. For the 30 minutes while I was there he just wouldn't let go of it, and was chewing on it as hard as he could. So I just had to get it.

It has a very interesting bubbly texture, and it easy for your little one to grab on to. I found that the best thing to do is to keep it in the fridge for an hour or two and let my son chew on it cold, he likes it a lot more that way. It's BPA free, and is great at massaging gub surface.



Natursutten Chill-It Teethersare made from non-toxic EVA plastic.They contain no Bipshenol-A, phthalates, or PVC.



For cleaning, wash in warm water with soap, then rinse and dry thoroughly. Caution: the teether should be cooled in a refrigerator, but never in the freezer. It also must never be boiled or steamed, and definitely don't attempt to sterilize it in a microwave oven.

I know I have a Top 7 Teething Toys, but that was before I discovered this one. So maybe I should rewrite it to Top 8, huh? :)

Pros: perfect level of firmness
Cons: it's a little wide for smaller babies, and hard to put in the mouth
Age: 3-4mo+

Price: $10.50 at Amazon.com

miYim - Fairytale Knit Collection Toys Review

from miYim

So you're bound to get a first soft toys for your little one, either at a baby shower, or otherwise, sooner or later. Here's the blunt truth. Not all toys are made the same :) and this here 0Baby Abigail Bear by miYimis made like no other. It's all natural and made with organic cotton. It is absolutely adorable, soft, cuddly, and it's not alone - there's a while collection of cute bear-like friends that you can get too! It is 9" tall and naturally colored with embroidered details and natural unprocessed/unbleached cotton filling. And as you can probably already imagine, no chems in here.



So as I said before - there's a whole collection, and there is also Baby Victoria Bunny and Baby George Monkey. In reality these toys are a nice change from toys that "do too much." He makes no noise unless your child speaks for him. He doesn't move unless your child moves him. He is a pleasant companion for day adventure and for night comfort.



Pros: the fabric is cuddly soft. The filling is firm. Floppy arms and limbs (great for sitting at tea tables). A great fit for tiny baby hands
Cons: nothing bad to say, really. They are what they are intended to be.
Age: 6mo+

Price: $20.00 at Amazon.com