Cardboard Cradle

I found this eco idea on Lost at E Minor but it didn't have any links or credits. The product is clear but I don't know who is the clever company behind it. It looks like it could come flat packed and then tossed into the recycling bin after use. This would free up a lot of suitcase space for the trip home!

Animal Tracks

This is a cute way to get Japanese kids to wear their sandals! The pictures speak for themselves.

Ashiato (which means ‘footprint’ in Japanese) was designed by Japanese design firms MagnetKiko+.

Wheely good fun!

Wheely Bugs

These are not new toys but they are worth a mention. I've never seen a ride-on or push-along toy have so much character. I got the mouse one for my daughter and although we have carpet in our place it easily moves around in all directions. She's too young to ride on it by herself so it's being used as a fun walking aide at this stage.

 

Wheely Bugs go backwards, forwards, sideways, round and round ... they can be ridden, pushed & pulled. Their bodies have a padded layer of sponge, covered with tough vinyl and can therefore easily be wiped clean. Young toddlers can push Wheely Bugs, whilst the older ones can sit on them to whizz around. Wheely Bugs feature multi-directional castors for superb mobility. Ideal for use on all level surfaces. The small size Wheely Bug is suitable for children 1 -3 years of age.  Wheely Bugs are designed in Australia and made in China in quality factory conditions.
Credit; www.honeybeetoys.com.au

Typographic Toddlers

My husband and I are both art directors. In fact we met studying graphic design in Melbourne. So our daughter has no option but to understand and appreciate type...one day. However that day may be closer than first thought! Thanks to Naomie Ross's book she could be saying A is for Accidents Grotesque, B is for Bodoni and C is for Century before we know it.

Pop-up Portable Cot

The KinderKot is from the Dutch revolutionary designer Roy van Aalsts. His invention really puts the portable in portable cot. It twist folds down flat and can easily be carried over one shoulder. It's perfect for travel or to keep in the car. It's suitable from birth to 4 years and the mattress pocket and shortening option on the sleeping bag mean it's inline with safe sleeping recommendations.

www.kinderkot.com.au

Includes -

• Self-inflatable mattress
• Zippered mesh panels with roll down windscreens
• Protective mesh at each end
• Washable sleeping bag with 100% cotton lining
• Storage carry bag
• Easy fold instructions

Size -

• When erect - d=136cm w=84cm h=62cm
• Size when folded - d=45cm h=15cm
• Weight - just 3kg
• Suitable from birth to 4 years
• 50% UV resistant
• Cot fabric polyester

The KinderKot meets both the Australian standard (AS2195:1999) as well as the European portacot standard EN1466.

Cardboard Creations

Wow the cardboard doll house I made as a kid doesn't come close to this one from Krooom. Their cardboard is 100% recyclable, waterproof and strong. Eco friendly is now oh so entertaining for kids. Enough said. Check out the pics.

 

 Melrose Dollhouse

* Reinforced Cardboard
* 100% Recyclable
* Made with more than 60% recycled paper
* Fully foldable, completely flat in package
* No-Tools Assembly 
* Dry Erase Surface  
* Smooth around the edges (no rough edges)
* Waterproof and moisture resistant with clear coating
* Environmentally friendly, free from hazardous substances
* Dimensions: 22.4" x 7.3" x 26.8"

 

Bench

* Reinforced Cardboard 
* 100% Recyclable
* Made with more than 60% recycled paper
* Fully foldable, completely flat in package
* Dry Erase Surface 
* Smooth around the edges (no rough edges)
* Waterproof and moisture resistant with clear coating  
* Environmentally friendly, free from hazardous substances
* Can hold 242 lbs. per cell
* Dimensions: 22.8" x 11.8" x 16.7" 

 Don Set

* Don set (Table and 2 Chairs)   
* Reinforced Cardboard  
* 100% Recyclable
* Made with more than 60% recycled paper
* Fully foldable, completely flat in package   
* No-Tools Assembly 
* Dry Erase Surface   
* Smooth around the edges (no rough edges)
* Waterproof and moisture resistant with clear coating    
* Environmentally friendly, free from hazardous substances
* Can hold 220 lbs. per chair and 176 lbs. on the table
* Dimensions: Table: 27.6" x 20.5" x 21.7"; Seat:11" x 11.8"

Topsy Tail Chair

Is it a high chair? Or is it a chair? This clever spin around design is both a high chair and a child seat in one nifty unit. It's perfect for the growing child or for Grandma's place for when the young and not so young grandkids visit.

I found this at www.kiekaboo.com.au

2 in 1 High Chair!

Creative design bringing innovation, style & an environmental approach to the baby industry!

Available in 6 great colors: raspberry, portobello, blueberry, carrot, chocolate and aspargus This 2 in 1 high chair is a dual-height, evolutionary chair that provides secure seating for youngsters aged six months to six years. Streamlined, easy to use and highly practical, it s a stylish addition to any modern interior.

With a simple swivel, HiLo turns from highchair to under table toddler chair. In its’ high position, the HiLo fits under the kitchen bar counter. In its’ low position, it allows toddlers to sit safely and securely at any standard-height table without a booster seat.

The moulded seat ensures secure, comfortable seating for both babies and toddlers without the use of a cushion. The HiLo has been designed with hygiene and easy cleaning in mind - it has no cavities or moving parts in which food can accumulate.

The plastic material of the seat contains no BPA, PVC or phthalates and the wood varnish is water-based, making this high chair totally worry free for parents. The HiLo chair is a Canadian design following a natural approach and has been created as a recycable, eco product - so is fits the bill perfectly for those environmentally conscious parents.

Indoor See Saw

For those with twins (or siblings or willing playmates) this could be a great indoor activity. It doesn't look like it takes up too much space and with the air cushion I assume it's quiet enough for apartment living. As well as the usual up and down this see saw also spins.

I found this at www.onestepahead.com

This 360° seesaw is daycare quality; designed for indoor/outdoor play. Fill the base with sand for extra stability. 15-minute assembly; pump included. Each seat supports up to 55 lbs. For ages 2 and up. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Made of weather-resistant polypropylene, HDPE, ABS, and PVC

Designed for indoor and outdoor fun

Fill the base with sand for stability; sand funnel included

Needle pump included

Seesaw measures 45"L x 10"W x 17½"H, with 7" diameter seats and 8¾"L handles. The distance between kids is 34½".

Sandwich Shapers

Forget cutting sandwiches in soldiers. What about a jigsaw or a train? These sandwich shapers will ensure the old vegemite sandwich remains interesting day after day after day after day.

I found them at www.whimsychild.com.au

Lunch Punch Match & Munch Sandwich Cutters
This shape set contains 4 different shapes.
The Lunch Punch is taller than your average cookie cutter, which makes it easy to cut through two pieces of bread and spread while still keeping sandwiches light and fluffy.
It's kid friendly & dishwasher safe.
BPA FREE Phthalate FREE, PVC Free and lead FREE. It's made from FDA certified food-grade plastic and both The Lunch Punch Puzzle Set and it's packaging are 100% recyclable.

Recycled High Chair

It may be a small market - the eco warrier who needs a temporary high-chair- but that didn't stop Belkiz and Designer Anthony Dann from inventing it! And I'm glad they did. This cardboard high chair was featured on ABC's The New Inventors and has won numerous awards.

Belkiz Feedaway is an easy to assemble cardboard feeding chair for toddlers away from home. It is a strong, safe, portable and lightweight version of the traditional feeding chair that can be pulled out for use when required and otherwise folded away flat. Feedaway is produced from recycled Visy cardboard and is 100% recyclable. The chair also comes with a two point safety harness. The non-toxic food grade coating can be cleaned with a warm, wet cloth. The chair conforms to the Australian Safety Standard Framework developed by the Infant and Nursery Product Association of Australia (INPAA) and is INPAA approved. Assembly time for the first time is between 15-20 minutes, while as the second time its up to 7 minutes and the third time once you know how to assemble it without the instructions, it is only around 3 minutes.

It can be purchased from www.sustainababy.com.au

Camera Eye Catcher

Here's the answer to getting kids to look at the camera! No more snapping fingers and whistling at your child as if they are a pet....I've heard some people do that.

I found this on www.etsy.com

 

This item is custom made and unless it says "Ready to Ship" in the title it could take up to 3 to 4 weeks for this item to be made and shipped.
It is always a challenge to get the little ones to look right at the camera. It never fails that they are looking everywhere but at the lens. I have created this great, brightly decorated lens "ornament" that my daughter refers to as "bling". This one in particular is an Owl, nice and big and sure to catch their eye. I can also add bells to this lens bling so that it may be worn on the photographers wrist to make noise to get the wee little ones attention while still allowing for hands to be free to snap that perfect shot.

Rocker with draw

A cute little chair with the added benefit of storage. Another great find on www.unicahome.com from the brand Offi.

Rocking chair with a lift-up seat and plenty of room for storage and treasures. Lots of holes in the back make handling easy for youngsters. Recommended for children 3 and up. Dimensions: 14"w x 24"d x 18"h

The Blackboard Table

This is a great alternative to an easel, especially if you need a table too. It also has a tidy spot for all the broken bits of chalk and the duster to live. It's from Oofi and I found it on www.unicahome.com

For the young artists in your family, a table that they can draw on! Made from birch ply with a uniquely durable chalkboard surface and a bowl in the center for chalk/eraser storage.

Offi & company was launched in 1997 out of the love for great design. This passion is satisfied by creating simple, beautiful, and practical furnishings that address modern lifestyle needs. By guiding and nurturing a group of independent, international designers – such as Karim Rashid & Eric Pfeiffer – Offi has launched more than 100 products and has won several prestigious awards for their designs.

dimensions: 30"dia x 18"h

Puppet Tattoos

The 'inventi' part of this product is that it is a temporary tattoo. This makes creative play very convenient and clean! I think this would make a great kids party activity.

I found them at www.unicahome.com

Animal Hands

Designed by Spaniard Hector Serrano, this series of temporary tattoos is great for young and old. Hands become animals! A set of 8 animals, safe and simple to apply with water. Instructions included.

Carry-On Baby

This one is verging on ridiculous and I'm sure it was thought up by traveler delayed in an airport without a TV or a bar. However it is inventive and that's why it has made the blog.

I found it on comfortfirst.com

Ride On Carry On Chair, Luggage Child Seat For Airport Travel

• Easy to install or remove in just seconds.
• Universal; fits on carry on luggage 18-22 inches tall.
• Folds flat to fit in the overhead plane compartment or under the seat.
• Made of durable, washable 100% polyester fabric.
• Headrest doubles as a handy tray table
• Instantly converts any wheeled luggage into a travel stroller
• Eliminates the need to hassle with bulky strollers when traveling
• Recommended for children 8 months - 5 years old or 40 lbs