Because I’ve been asked twice this year…

Twice this holiday shopping season I’ve been asked to recommend a video game system and games for kids around age 10. Here is my fast and simple recommendation:

PS4

This is the most popular system. It might be a bit advanced for younger kids, but it’s designed to last years and they will grow into it. It’s also the system most of their friends will have. So make your life easy and go with this. I like the version bundled with Uncharted 4. This adventure game is filled with puzzle solving and action without being a straight up “shoot everything in sight” game like Call of Duty.

You will see three games from the LEGO franchise and with good reason. These are low on violence, hilarious, and super popular with kids as young as 5 all the way to to adults.

LEGO Jurassic World

Following the epic storylines of Jurassic Park, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park III, and the most recent Jurassic World, LEGO Jurassic World is the first videogame where players will be able to relive and experience all four Jurassic films. Reimagined in a hilarious LEGO retelling.

Snoopy’s Grand Adventure

Lead Snoopy on a grand adventure through worlds full of imagination to help him find Charlie Brown and all of his friends! This is super cute. Check out this YouTube video to get a sense of the action.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes

If your kid loves the Marvel comic books and movies then they are going to love this Lego version. This might be the most popular Lego game of all time and because it’s a few years old now the price is super affordable.

Also, if your kids love this, there is a sequel called: LEGO Marvel’s Avengers

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens

If your kid love Star Wars then this lego game will be perfect. The game features exclusive playable content that takes players on adventures between Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, providing additional insight about the new movie and its characters.

7 Educational Toddlers Toys. [w/ video review]

It seems like all the kids we know are all turning 2. With that in mind, here are 7 educational toy ideas for toddlers. Most of the age ranges on these toys fall within 1-3 years. We worked to keep these gender neutral as well.

Sesame Street Elmo’s On the Go Letters
24 months – 4 years

This toy is a great option for little ones to help them learn their letters. The toy is a puzzle where the letters fit into their designated slot, and below each is the image of a word that starts with the corresponding letter. At the bottom of the board is a slot that can fit 3-4 letters to spell simple words. All of the letters fit back into their spots and the whole case fold closed with handles for easy on-the-go transport.

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Chair
12 month – 3 years

This is a very interactive toy for ages as young as 12 months. The chair can be programmed to match the age of your child, from the simple concept of “up and Down” at 12 months, to more imaginative play from 24 months and up. It has songs, a remote, says phrases, and includes a book to flip the pages. The fact that this chair grows with the child and adapts to their new abilities, makes it a great option for any toddler.

VTech Little Apps Tablet, Black
24 months – 5 years

This toy tablet offers 8 activities for your toddler to play with. From a keyboard for playing music, to learning letters, numbers, and matching this toy packs a lot of options into a smaller package. We always have mixed feelings on these digital noise making button pushing toys – but this has always proven to be a popular best seller so we wanted to include it.

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Pounding Bench
24 months – 4 years

All toddlers love to hammer (our little boy does, at least!) This toy offers them endless hammering fun, teaching coordination and colors. As you hammer down one peg the opposite peg begins to rise. I love this idea as it helps to avoid the meltdowns we have encountered on similar toys that need to be manually reset.

Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Crawl Around Car
6 month – 3 years

This car is a great toy that grows with your child. Starting out early at 6 months it teaches the most simple of concepts (open/close) and grows to pretend play (let’s drive to the zoo!) From sitting/crawling, to walking/climbing, this toy really is fun for all ages. We wrote a full review of this when our tyke hit one year and it’s still a winner now that he’s two.

First 100 Words (Board Book)
by Roger Priddy
1 to 3 years

This is a fun book with 10 pictures on each page for you to teach and then quiz your child. Photos are of everyday items that they would see outside (animals, vehicles) to inside (bath time, mealtime, toys.) Something your child will have fun flipping through and pointing out the pictures they know.

Make sure to also check out Roger’s other bestseller books in this series: First 100 Animals & Numbers Colors Shapes.

Fisher-Price See ‘n Say The Farmer Says Toy
18 months – 4 years

The good Ol’ See ‘n Say. This toy has been around for ages and stays a great classic. Kids love to pull the lever handle and see the cause and effect of arrow spinning in the center. Which animal will it land on? What sound does the animal make? Tons of fun for toddlers and nostalgic for adults.

6 Great Toys for Travel

Sticker books
It didn’t occur to me to introduce stickers to my toddler until I thought of the long car trips we’d be taking at the holidays. Once I ordered some, he immediately took to playing with them. He puts them in a sketch book, or all over the furniture, but no matter where they go he loves picking out which ones to peel off and it never gets old. We purchased the Melissa and Doug Sticker Collection-Blue for Jr, which had a ton of stickers and lasted us quite a while. We have since bought another book. We also tried the Melissa and Doug Reusable Sticker Books, and I think this one will be great for when he is older. Right now he wants the stickiness of a real sticker versus the static cling of the reusable ones (they don’t stick as well to Mom’s pants!), but I still like them a lot and I think he will too, in time.

doodlePRO
Fisher Price makes a mini version of the old classic Magnadoodle called doodlePRO Trip. My sons LOVES this toy. He loves drawing on it and scribbling away and he loves being able to erase and start over again. The best part about it is that it doesn’t make a mess! No fear of crayon ending up on the seat and the in-flight television screens. It still provides the satisfaction of creating a drawing. This was the best item I’ve bought for traveling. Works great in a car or on the plane.

Puppets
You can never go wrong with a puppet, not with my son at least. Playing peekaboo or making the puppet draw or dance leads to long stretches of entertainment. We have particularly liked the Folkmanis brand of puppets with their realistic animals. Our most recent favorite is the Folkmanis Baboon Hand Puppet whom we have named Chester. Our son loves it too. We can get him belly laughing with a single look. 😀

Magnet toys
Magnet toys are great on trips for obvious reasons, the pieces stick to the pages! The Mickey Mouse Magentic Zoo set is a fun little toy, compact, with lots of magnets and little scenes for your tykes to set up and move around. There are many options out there for tons of playtime fun, and if you live somewhere where you own a car (unlike us in Brooklyn,) keeping this in the back seat is a great option for your child’s entertainment when you’re on the go day to day.

Shape Sorters
Melissa and Doug K’s Take-Along Shape Sorter is a great option for a car trip. This toy is exactly as it’s named, a shape sorter, something Jr loves playing with and it helps him practice saying his shapes; “Dar!” “Owoval!” (Star and oval.)

This might work on a flight too, but just thinking about parts dropping to the floor might become a bit of a headache. In the car you at least know it’s there to be found when you get to your destination, as opposed to a flight where it might travel down the aisle….
With a convenient carrying handle and a compact case this will pack away nicely in luggage or a carry on bag. Great for any trip you have coming up!

Buckle Toy
The Bizzy Buckle Toy has proven to be a winner on trips with our little guy. He loves trying to snap the buckles together, and though it can be frustrating for him at times, it is great practice. He is still a little young to have the dexterity of fitting the buckles together without help, but he has never gotten so frustrated that he hasn’t wanted to play with it. The Bizzy Buckle Toy is simple, easy to pack and has proven to have longevity.

3 Star Wars gift ideas that will make you the greatest gift giver, ever.

With the release of STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS combined with the end of the Christmas shopping season, we wanted to take a moment to point out three super cool Star Wars gift ideas for young kids, adults, and teens. If nothing else, you gotta check out #3.

01: Star Wars The Force Awakens Battle Action Millennium Falcon

Designed for ages 4 and up this is one gift that will make any Star Wars fan jump with excitement. It’s a 20 inch toy Millennium Falcon, the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs, and the coolest spaceship ever. This version gets even better as it shoots Nerf darts; so, basically Christmas has been saved. It also comes with 3 characters, including Chewbacca.

02: Star Wars Battlefront

We all know that once we watch The Force Awakens we are going to want to relive it. Luckily this year also brought us the super popular video game Star Wars Battlefront.

This first person shooter might be a little to wild for little kids (blasters, fighting stormtroopers, explosions, etc) but dad and his nerd friends are going to go NUTS for this. Mom too. And, with versions available for Xbox, PS4 and PC you can make sure that no-one if left out of the fun. The story line takes place during the original trilogy, so it’s a perfect mix of old-school cool and modern video game excitement.

This being Star Wars you know there are a bunch of collector’s editions too. While not needed to have the fun, they are an easy way for you to spice up this gift even more. Check out the trailer below.

03: BB-8 App-Enabled Droid

Finally, this last toy BLEW MY MIND. You need to check out the BB-8 App-Enabled Droid.

Basically it’s a mini version of the new droid BB-8 – the one with the floating head – as seen in the The Force Awakens. Why is this so cool? Because I can’t figure out how they actually made the thing work in real life. You can control it via your phone, it takes voice commands, and the reviews on this are astounding. It actually works and lives up to the promise… FOR ONLY $150!

Check out the video below, and if you don’t want one after seeing it in action then check you pulse because you may be dead. If you need a gift that will blow the mind of any Star Wars fan, this is it.

Perfect for the teen in your life who is addicted to their phone, this is a great way to get them off of Minecraft and – maybe just maybe – on their feet to explore with BB-8.

Nine Awesome Toddler Toys For Your Holiday Shopping [VIDEO]

It’s nearing the end of 2015 and the holiday season is here!

As always, our lists are compiled after months of extensive research. We talk to other parents to learn what their kids loved, we dig through internet forums and blogs, read countless reviews online and best of all… We do our Christmas shopping!

VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker

The Vtech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker is a great toy for early walkers. We inherited this toy from my niece for my son when he was just showing interest in walking and he took to it right away. The music is loud but he really loved it. He still plays with it now that he is walking, going back to use the telephone and push the buttons to dance to the songs.

We used this walker outside on the street during a block party and he had the best time. Less than one week later he was walking down the side walk all by himself! I don’t know if the walker truly helped him walk, but I like to think it did. (Daddy says, “Yes, it totally did.”)

Anamalz [UPDATED]

The Anamalz toy is an eco friendly, wood/fabric animal figurine for ~~toddlers~~ children 3 and older. [See our video review for our updated thoughts on safety]

The toy comes as many different animals such as elephants, giraffes, lions, bears, the list goes on. It is a cute and attractive toy that can entertain ~~little ones from the earliest stages~~ through pretend play. A great addition to any toy animal collection.

Big Boom Bat & Tee

The Big Boom Bat and Tee is an inflatable tee-ball set. Note, all parts are inflatable, making this toy great for indoor play perhaps during the winter months or hot summer days. The bat is big in diameter and the ball is about 8″ in diameter making it virtually impossible to miss the ball. The manufacturer recommends this toy for ages 3+, but we know of kids as young as 18 months understanding how to hit the ball off the tee.

Moluk Bilibo

The Moluk Bilibo is a classic toy for toddlers. The hard plastic form allows children to find multiple ways to play from using it as a tote, a seat, a seat to spin or rock in, or something to wear as a helmet. The Bilibo is a toy that is supposed to encourage imaginative play, and it will be up to your child whether they use it imaginatively or not. If you look up reviews on this toy you will find hundreds of people who say their kids loved it, and a handful who say their kids just didn’t get it. As an adult, I don’t really get it, but our niece LOVED this thing! The video below pretty much shows why.

Kid O Go Car

The Kid O Go Car is a simple, slightly abstract, car great for little ones to grab hold of and push around the floor. This toy comes in many colors, is easy to grasp, and is tons of fun for any toddler.

The car’s construction is solid and it can take a beating. We love the rounded shape too! You don’t have to worry about sharp angles for your kid to fall and hit his head on. If your toddler is anything like our’s random tumbles are par for the course.

The moment you see your kid crawling around the floor and driving a toy car around will just melt your heart.

Lego Duplo Deluxe Brick Box

The Lego Duplo Deluxe Brick Box is a great toy for kids starting at the age of 18 months. It is an introduction to legos with larger brick pieces and comes with people, animals, windows, etc. as well as instructions on how to build some items like airplanes and trains. For parents who want to introduce creative play with building toys, this is a great addition to any toy collection. I know I have it on my son’s holiday list!

Bonus item: LEGO DUPLO Play with Letters 6051

The Lego Duplo Play with Letters set is a great set to include with your existing Duplo Lego pieces. It adds blocks with letters on them to incorporate into any structure your child wants to build. This is best for children ages 2-5 and can assist your child with learning their alphabet.

Buckle Toy

This Buckle Toy is a great toy for toddlers 1-4 years old. It provides kids with the ability to practice buckling an unbuckling from an early age and most toddlers will spend oodles of time playing with it. With over 200 reviews on Amazon and a rating of 4.5 stars you know this is a winner.

The Buckle Toy comes in various designs from a plush square with a face, stuffed animals, a backpack, etc, and it is a great toy to keep a child busy while traveling.

Moluk Plui

The Moluk Plui bath toy is a simple and great toy for the bathtub, or even a small backyard splash pool. Simply fill it with water and let it rain, plug the hole at the top and it stops. I know this seems dull, but kids seem to find this fascinating and the fact that it kept coming up again and again, and again… and again as we researched awesome toys that we got the message and made sure to include it in our list.

The main complaint with this toy is that it can get moldy if not maintained properly. Make sure the toy fully drains, and on occasion run some bleach water through it to kill off the mold that is bound to grow in any dark and damp environment. You have to clean the tub, so it’s only fair that you need to clean a tub-toy now and again. Otherwise it is tons of fun for toddlers!

Little Helper Broom Set

Every toddler loves helping mom and dad around the house with tasks like cooking to decorating the walls with crayons. Doh! Luckily, they also love to mimic and help clean up too. After several melt downs when we would take the broom away from our son – in an attempt prevent half the house from being destroyed by an out-of-control broom handle – we bought this broom set. The Little Helper Broom Set proved to be big hit in our house. Apparently we are not alone either as this item has over 1350 reviews on Amazon with an average rating of 4.5 stars. Yes, a broom.

This has become one of his favorite toys. Our son carried this broom around the entire night and for several days after he was “sweeping” just like mommy. He definitely still goes for the bigger broom, but not as much and he is perfectly happy using his own now. Months later he still loves to sweep and he has now learned other uses like riding it like a pony. Best of all it’s become a makeshift microphone that he sings into while dancing to music. So glad we got this for him!

Seven Picture Books about Awkward Subjects

After the popularity of our post listing 21 Must Own Board Books we started to think about what books might be overlooked. After walking into a children’s book store and seeing the classic, “Everyone Poops” it dawned on us: Books about Awkward Subjects!

So after a lot of research and reading we curated a list that goes everywhere from farting to porn to dealing with divorce.

Please enjoy, Seven Picture Books about Awkward Subjects!

Everyone Poops
by Taro Gomi & Amanda Mayer Stinchecum

Age Range: 1 and up

Everyone Poops is such a classic that it inspired this list. A great way to introduce potty training to your little one, it explains to your kids that everybody poops, from elephants to mice, and it explains where creatures do the deed, what it looks like and how it smells. This humorous book keeps children entertained and hopefully, ultimately, more relaxed about the whole idea of using the potty. Like many parents before us, when the time comes to potty train our little guy, this will be the first book we take off our library shelf.

It’s Not the Stork!: A Book About Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends
by Robie H. Harris & Michael Emberley

Age Range: 4 – 8 years

It’s Not The Stork is a great book to assist in talking to your children about the inevitable Birds and the Bees. It has age appropriate information about anatomy, reproduction and even good and bad touching. It is very easy to navigate with bright, colorful illustrations that keep children engaged.

For many people this is a very taboo subject, but knowledge is power, and the more your children know the better decisions they can make later in life. This book will assist you with the uncomfortable conversations, and help you to discuss the importance of good versus bad touching, something that is so important to teach your children.

Starting these conversations early, before they can become taboo will helps make children feel more comfortable and able to discuss and ask questions as they get older.

Also check out It’s So Amazing!: A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families for kids aged 7-10.

The Gas We Pass: The Story of Farts
by Shinta Cho & Amanda Mayer Stinchecum

Age Range: 2 and up

Obviously, this book is hilarious. I mean, what kid doesn’t love talking about farts. Beyond a genuinely hilarious text written in a frank and informal style, this book is actually informative and includes a diagram of the digestive system and other illustrations to explain the science behind digestion and… Well, farts. Want to know what foods make gas stink? How about the amount of gas you pass each day? I bet you do now; and, most likely your kids want to know too.

I Said No! A Kid-to-kid Guide to Keeping Private Parts Private
by Kimberly King, Zack King & Sue Rama

Age Range: 4 and up

I Said No! is a kid friendly guide to understanding personal boundaries. This conversation is critically important and this book will help your child prepare for any circumstances he/she may encounter.

This book is told from a child’s perspective, and using child-friendly language it covers inappropriate touching, how to deal with inappropriate actions and/or threats, and when touching is appropriate and with whom. This book is written in a flexible nature allowing it be used with older kids.

One area we like is that this book gives prompts for you to discuss specific concepts with your own children on your own terms. For example, parents may be uncomfortable using the true anatomical terms vs. cutesy terms so the book provides a nice segue so that you can explain using your own terminology.

I would say this is a must have book for anyone looking to teach their child about the dangers of inappropriate touching.

Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-Proofing Today’s Young Kids
by Kristen A. Jenson M.A., Debbie Fox and Gail A. Poyner Ph.D.

Age Range: School age and up

Yep. We found it. A book to help you talk to your kids about porn.

Written as comfortable, read-aloud story it tells the story of a mom and dad who are teaching their child what pornography is, why it’s dangerous, and how to reject it. While this might be a book you want to read in advance to make sure it aligns with your views on sex education these are conversations you should be having in this modern internet era.

The theme of this book is that your child will eventually be exposed to porn, most often by accident. As a result they need to know what it is so that they can handle the potentially shocking images without trauma.

The thrill a child receives from viewing forbidden content can lead to addictive behavior so this book also contains detailed sections on addiction. These self-awareness skills may prove helpful later in life when your child is confronted with drugs and alcohol.

Potty
by Leslie Patricell

Age Range: 1 – 3 years

Picking a traditional potty training book for this list was insanely difficult. We decided to focus on a good entry to the topic and Potty by Leslie Patricelli answered that call. With simple text it’s easily memorizable by your toddler, making it a great book that they can “read” while sitting on the potty themselves. But, the secret trick is that the sparse text is spread out over 28 pages making is a nice slow process where your child can look at the pictures, giving them (and you) the time to sit and wait for something to happen.

I essence the story focuses on a toddler who has to “go potty.” Scared the child investigates what the dog and and cat do for their own potty needs. Several pages later, and after some hesitation, the toddler tries the potty where they find success.

It would be nice if this book included more about “post potty” time like wiping and washing hands, but I think the intention here is to get kids used to the idea and concepts. Many parents report great success after reading this book at bed time for several nights before actually having their own child try the potty.

Standing on My Own Two Feet: A Child’s Affirmation of Love in the Midst of Divorce
by Tamara Schmitz

Age Range: 3 – 7 years

Standing on My Own Two Feet is a beautifully illustrated story about a little boy who’s parents are going through a divorce. If a book can put a positive spin on a painful topic, this one can – provided you are sharing custody. The story aims to teach your child that even though Mommy and Daddy can’t be together anymore, they both still love him and the divorce is NOT the child’s fault. It will teach your child that having two homes isn’t a bad thing and that your child can still be happy.

4 Best Selling Baby Carriers Reviewed

Early on in my pregnancy I knew that I was going to have to carry my son a lot as we live in Brooklyn, and strollers aren’t always the most efficient mode of transportation. Pushing a stroller through snow banks only to find yourself carrying it down a flight of crowded subway stairs gets old FAST! So one winter day I dragged my husband to a local boutique baby store and made us try several carriers in hopes of narrowing our options. We liked three options, and we had already registered for the original Ergo carrier. Over time we ended up buying and trading our way through 4 carriers. My husband and I both used these extensively.

The following article reviews the carriers that we ended up purchasing and using:

Kinderpack Infant Carrier

BabyCarrier_Laundry — Using the Kinderpack to wear the baby AND do laundry. SuperDad?

We ended up purchasing the Kinderpack infant carrier by Kindercarry because I was having my son in the summer and I knew the Ergo’s infant insert was like a sleeping bag and way too hot for a NYC summer!

The Kinderpack is great because you can purchase it with a mesh front where baby sits allowing for ventilation on hot days (see featured image). NYC summers can be brutal, and I am one of a few in this world who hates the heat. In addition, it’s design is highly customizable allowing you to convert it into an infant carrier and then gradually transition it to a toddler size.

The Kinderpack straps also criss-cross in the back, which we have found is much more comfortable for us. In fact, the Kinderpack excels in this regard. It has straps that can be adjusted from various angles making it easy to get the perfect fit. Or, if you don’t like cross crossed straps you can wear it like a reversed backpack. My husband used to take our infant son out for walks at night and his only complaint was that while this carrier is hyper adjustable, he found that it was not always easy to adjust when he was by himself and unable to reach some of the back straps.

Their design also allows the Kinderpack to be worn in a hip carry position and on your back with your little one looking over your shoulder. The one thing the Kinderpack does not offer is a forward facing front carry.

Kindercarry is a small family run business and all carriers are hand sewn in Illinois by a handful of people. It feels great to support a small family business for something so convenient and well made as the Kinderpack. They also have carriers in a wide range of fun prints. Many of the prints appear to be limited, so if you see one you like it may not be available in 6 months.

I give the Kinderpack 4 out of 5 stars. It really is an excellent carrier. It is very comfortable, lightweight and the mesh is a great feature. I just wish it had a forward facing/front carry option. We have only experimented with back carry a few times. Our son seems a little young for this, but perhaps as he gets older this position will fulfill the forward facing need. In fact, I think it’s time we try it again… hold on… [trying back-carry again] Okay, My husband just wore him around the house for 15 minutes and Jr seemed to like it, although I think he’s still a little too short and ended up watching a lot of my husband’s shoulders and neck.

PROS:

Lightweight and breathable fabric.
Very customizable straps for excellent comfort.
Also supports hip and back carry positions.
No need for accessories if you want to use it as an infant carrier.
Fun prints!

CONS

Not great for cold weather (if you purchase the mesh version).
Doesn’t support a forward front carry.

Ergobaby Original

Now, I have raved about the Kinderpack because I think it is a fantastic carrier, but I will admit that I still used the Ergo Original a lot.

I used the Ergo primarily through the winter. Since we bought the Kinderpack with mesh, it wasn’t great for the miserable NYC winter. The Ergo is a very comfortable carrier, provided you don’t require the straps to crisscross your back. The straps are very well padded, the weight distributes well, and it was cozy warm.

The pocket on the front of the carrier allowed me to slide in a wallet or keys when I just needed to run to the grocery store, and the hood was great to pull up over my son’s head on cold days when he would fall asleep. All in all, the Ergo is a great carrier, and I am sure I will continue to use it, but we eventually purchased the Beco Gemini, which changed baby carrying for us in a big way.

I give the Ergo Original 4 out of 5 stars. It is very comfortable, it was a great carrier through the winter, but it is a little warm for the summer months, especially with the infant insert. It would be nice if the straps could cross in the back and if a forward facing/front carry were an option, without having to upgrade to the Ergo 360. In retrospect, I wish we had registered for the 360 instead as it offers many of the features found in the Kinderpack and Beco Gemini [reviewed below].

PROS:

Very well padded straps.
Great for cold weather.
Helpful front pocket.
Popular, so it’s easy to find this used or as a trade.

CONS

Straps can only be worn in one position, like a reversed backpack.
Requires an additional insert to carry an infant.
In retrospect I wish we had registered for the Ergo 360 instead.

BabyCarrier — Braving the winter cold! Using the Ergo with an additional fleece cover.

Didymos DidyTai

When we went to the boutique store to try out the carriers, I tried on and really liked the Didymos Didytai. It was lightweight, and a mix between a structured carrier and a wrap carrier. It was also comfortable. Keep in mind that I tried this with an 8 lb doll. Effective, but VERY different from a live squirming baby.

Since there are no clicking buckles to struggle with, snaps in weird places or Velcro to scratch you, the result is a very natural feeling carrier that conforms to your body shape. A DidyTai allows for many tying variations including a front position, a hip carry and a baby backpack. It doesn’t allows for a forward facing carry.

I purchased this wrap from another mother as it was out of my price range new. I gave this wrap a try on a number of occasions. I wore it through the neighborhood, into Manhattan, on long and short walks, and I realized as much as I liked the carrier, it just didn’t work for me. I needed more structure. The carrier constantly loosened on me and dropped too low. I could never keep it at the correct height and I was always concerned something was too loose. I still like the carrier and I think it would work for someone else. It is a great concept and I really do wish it would have worked for me.

I give the Didymos DidyTai a 3 out of 5 stars for being a great concept, but it just didn’t fit me well. My husband wore this a few times. It’s definitely the most feminine of the carries we owned so keep that in mind if your husband is concerned about those types of things.

PROS:

Lightweight!
Great for infants. Super snuggly!
Comfortable. Because it’s a wrap the weight is distributed widely across your body.
Unique look.

CONS

Can be a long process to put this on, especially if your kid is fighting it.
Hard to to adjust once you have it on.
Less structure than other carriers.
No forward facing option.

Beco Gemini

As I met other moms in the neighborhood and started to see all of the other carrying options, I began to see some of them wearing their little ones faced forward in the carrier. This is something that I knew my son would LOVE. Sadly, the Ergo Original and the Kinderpack did not allow for a forward faced carry.

I was able to trade the Didymos Didytai with another mom for the Beco Gemini. I have to say, the minute my son was able to face forward, his mind was BLOWN. Walks and outings became exciting trips. He could see the world, not just my throat. He rarely if ever fusses when in it, and it is as comfortable for me as the KinderPack and Ergo.

Now, that being said, facing him in again may not be an option. We will see once winter comes again and the cold wind picks up, but every time I try to face him in now he tends to fight it, or tries to turn or hang out of the carrier so that he can see out. I have tried back carry and hip carry both in the Beco Gemini and Kinderpack and those work fine as well, but nothing is the same as forward facing.

Let’s talk about the straps. These can be worn Crisscrossed across your back or in the reverse backpack position. Each has it’s own benefit. The backpack style is very fast to put on and remove, although my husband never felt that this was as comfortable and secure as having the straps cross your back.

The Beco Gemini also has buckle locks. Basically once you clip the straps together they have a third button your need to press in order to undo them. This has been a mixed bag. It’s nice having the extra safety, but taking this off can be a tricky feat of coordination until you get used to it. We can undo them one handed now.

Once adjusted, this carrier stays in place and doesn’t drift or loosen. Yet, somehow, the Beco Gemini has proven to be super easy to adjust as you wear it. Sometimes we loosen it up if our son wants to squirm, other time we tighten for a snug feel. Loosen it again to sit down and then tighten when we get up to walk again. Loosen again to breastfeed, etc. Besides the option of forward facing, the ability to easily adjust the carrier while being worn is it’s killer feature.

I give the Beco Gemini 5 out of 5 stars and our MostRoyal badge for being so versatile! My husband also prefers using the Beco to carry our son, even at a his heavy 14 month old weight.

PROS:

Forward facing!
Allows for other carry positions such as facing in, back carry, side carry.
Confortable. Straps are easy to adjust even after you have it on.
Straps can be crisscrossed or worn backpack style.
Extra safety locks on all belt clips.
No need for accessories if you want to use it as an infant carrier.

CONS

Fabric seems to get dirty easy (then again we use this the most).
We’ve read some complaints that the leg gap becomes too narrow as kids get older. We are watching for this.
Extra safety locks on all belt clips would be a bad option for anyone with finger joint mobility concerns.

In conclusion, I would say that the Becco Gemini carrier has been our most versatile carrier. The forward facing feature made such a difference for us carrying our son around the city. The Kinderpack and Ergo come in a close second, and the Didytai was nice, but not for me.

I would absolutely recommend trying on carriers before you make any decisions. If you have a baby who will cooperate, use them! If your little bundle of joy has yet to be born a weighted doll will suffice, so check to see if the store has one. Many do. If you are far into your pregnancy and have a belly to contend with, bring along your spouse or a friend who can also try the carrier on and give you their thoughts.

Baby carrying is a great way to bond with your child, and if you’re living in a city and do a lot of walking like we do, it is the perfect mode of transportation.

21 Must Own Baby Board Books

If there’s anything we do, it’s a lot of research. This list of 21 must own baby books has been curated after days of scrutiny. We combed through our personal collection, read countless Amazon reviews, talked with other parents, pulled from library shelves (a great resource!), sourced teacher recommendations, dug through blogs and forums.

In short, if you own these 21 books – or even half of them – your babies’ library is off to an excellent start.

Is every book listed here perfect for everyone? Maybe not. In fact, we included one book that drives us nutty. But, since everyone else seems to love it we wanted to squash our harsh negativity and give you the chance to love it too. (We’ll let you know what book it is below.)

When possible, we have linked to the Board Book version being sold on Amazon.com.

So, here they are, MostRoyal’s 21 Must Own Baby Books:

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Let’s be honest, as a parent you are required to own this one. This is a no brainer. It defines the entire genre and with good reason. The story has a nice flow, the illustrations don’t grow tiresome and best of all it works great as a bedtime book. I personally like all the little details. For example, check out the clock. According to the watch face it takes this kid two hours to fall asleep! …I can relate to that.

Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann

A story that relies heavily on its illustrations, and doesn’t disappoint! The rambunctious gorilla sneaks away the keys from his zookeeper and silently releases the other animals of the zoo from their cages as he says goodnight to each. All of the animals then follow Mr. Zookeeper home for the night. This is a book that is wonderful to share with your newborn and your toddler.

Where Is Baby’s Belly Button? A Lift-the-Flap Book by Karen Katz

This is a cute lift-the-flap book for toddlers, helping to teach body parts and concepts such as “behind the cup.” As with most lift-the- flap books our son loves to be involved in lifting the pages to reveal the babies’ belly buttons and mouths, etc. The illustrations are colorful and cute, and our son loves to find our belly buttons now and point his out too. I look forward to him growing with this book for many more months.

Dear Zoo: A Lift-the-Flap Book by Rod Campbell

This book is really cute. It’s about a child looking to find his perfect pet, so he writes to the zoo and they keep sending him different animals. Some are too big, some are too tall, etc. Finally they send him the perfect pet that he decides to keep. Someday maybe our son will get one too!

Guess How Much I Love You by by Sam McBratney

Okay, this is the one book we can’t stand. To be fair, the story is super cute and the illustrations are very well done. My complaint is in the author’s decision to write out the characters names in full each time they speak. Saying “Big NutBrown Hare” and “Little NutBrown Hare” doesn’t roll off my tongue. (My mom also can’t stand it and had to switch to a different book midway.) That said, this book comes up time and time again in lists, reviews and discussions of great baby books. It came up A LOT. So, maybe it’s right for you. Just not me.

Pat the Bunny (Touch and Feel Book) by Dorothy Kunhardt

This is the classic interactive touch and feel book for kids. Main characters Paul and Judy can do all kinds of things, and they invite your little one to do the same. Children love the interactive nature of this book and enjoy doing the activities along with Paul and Judy. One word to the wise, it is recommended that you do not purchase the plastic comb bound version of this book, as children can very easily pull it apart. Why anyone would bind a children’s book with a plastic comb binding is beyond me… This is a cute book for kids and a must have for any library. Your children will be playing with it for a long time.

Peek-A Who? by Nina Laden

A colorful and surprising peek-a-boo book for little ones, this colorful book has an animal hiding behind cut out pages allowing your little one to anticipate the turn of each page. With colorful illustrations and rhyming text, this book will keep your child entertained every time you read it, and for some that could be multiple times a day!

A Good Day by Kevin Henkes

Really cute and straightforward illustrations are paired with a wonderful story of four creatures who start out having a bad day. Everything turns around for the characters and in the process they learn that life will get better. Essentially a, “Don’t cry over spilled milk” message that kids can easily understand.

Black on White by Tana Hoban

No words. Iconic images. Simple, strong, and oddly interactive as the work is on you and your child to point to the illustrations, talk together and bond as a family. The others in the series are very popular too, but this one stands out as the best after researching the general consensus.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle

Iconic illustrations by Eric Carle are paired with a nice rhythmic text from Bill Martin. This book is part of themed series, each starting with a different bear (Baby Bear, Polar Bear & Panda Bear). We find Brown Bear to be the strongest of the set. This book is also a good reason to do some research before buying. We had picked up another book by Eric Carle assuming it would be just as good. Nope! So it’s best to stick with this series and one other listed below.

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow

Everyone needs a good counting book. “Five Monkeys” provides that with a nice lyrical text, charming illustrations and a great ending. In short, the story is that Momma tries to put the monkey children to bed, they start to jump on the bed when she leaves, someone falls off and hurts themselves and she tries all over again. I won’t give away the ending but it’s very cute.

I Kissed the Baby! by Mary Murphy

Much like Black on White, this book is filled with illustrations utilizing contrast and well placed color. As a result this makes for a great infant experience. The story builds as the barnyard animals all ask about the newly born baby duckling. This one is filled with a sweet tenderness that parents and children will enjoy.

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

This one will give you a serious case of “The Feels.” The tender text starts with, “”I’ll love you forever. I’ll like you for always. As long as I’m living my baby you’ll be.” This book may put a lump in your throat and tears on your shirt as you think about your own parents and begin to understand how the love you feel for you own child was first felt by them for you. Highly recommended.

Moo Baa La La La by Sandra Boynton

Selecting a single book by Sandra Boynton is a difficult task. Her works come up all the time in “best of” lists. You can’t go wrong with Moo Baa La La La. Beyond this perennial favorite we personally like the silly Hippos Go Berserk!, the beautiful message of Happy Hippo, Angry Duck and our bedtime standard The Going-To-Bed Book (read our full review).

On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman

This book articulates many of the emotions a parent feels for their child without becoming too saccharin. There is a great magical quality to the illustrations – although sometimes the “composited in photoshop” look feels a little strong for me. This book makes a great present for new parents and would make a fantastic addition to any baby shower gift. Another popular Tillman book is The Crown on Your Head, for which we wrote a full review.

Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett

A delightful book tacking concepts about shapes, colors and sequences. The entire text is made up of only 5 words (4 in the title) so you can imagine the creativity involved in telling this story. A very clever book that will make you laugh.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

The Design! OMG. The design and illustrations are just fantastic. The text lives up to the challenge with a great rhythmic pulse and playful vibe telling the story of a young child waking up to find freshly fallen snow and his adventure exploring. This book was also the 1963 Caldecott Medal winner. Much like Goodnight Moon this is a must have.

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury and Michael Rosen

One of the best parts of researching this article was finding this book. I had never heard of it before. I know what you’re thinking, “Well this can’t really be about a bear hunt.” Nope, it is. The story is based on an old camping chant/song and it’s a playful romp as a father and his four children go trekking through vistas in search of a bear, find it, and then get chased all the way back home. A great read-aloud book.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

This is the most popular book by Eric Carle and there is little question why. The very hungry caterpillar eats his way through the pages of the book in bright bold colors. Also, kids seem to love butterfly metamorphosis stories. So, start with the best.

Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss

You need to have some Dr Seuss! This board book has an excellent text that’s full of silly sounds. This will be something your child will want you to read for many years and eventually they will want to read it out loud themselves. A classic.

Munch! by Matthew Van Fleet

Yes! Yes, just buy this one. We love this book so much we wrote an entire review about it. Our kid loved this the first time we read it when he was just a few months old. Not only has the story held up, but his enjoyment continues to deepen as he has grown older and begins to explore the tactile elements. Of all the Matthen Van Fleet books (and they are all worth owning) I also think this one has the strongest writing. Great rhythm to the words and a super fun read!