Tisha from International Playthings demonstrates toys from the Ecotronic Brand. Kids love toys with electronic features, but batteries contribute a ton of toxic waste into the environment so Ecotronic brand includes the lights and sounds without batteries! It uses the power of kids play to power the toys. The monkey flashlight is activated by squeezing the handle and this powers the rechargeable battery inside. The monkey’s nose will then light up and it’s an LED flashlight. Perfect to put in a handbag, works on hand strengthening and is great for Halloween, camping and to place in a child’s bedroom.

The Rocketship is activated by cranking the handle. To power it up you hit the button and it’s a NASA recording of a space shuttle lifting off. It has long lasting LED lights.

The EcoRadio is easy to charge up. It’s an FM radio but it also comes with adaptors for cell phone charging! It’s entertaining at sports games, the beach or picnics! It’s good for safety and great for on the road when you need to charge your phone!

In an effort to not become cluttered with baby items I put a lot of careful consideration into my choices.  I did not register for a full size high chair, borrowed a friend’s old travel swing and bought an Infantino playmat that folds up to be stored to save on floor space.

This morning I was thinking of a way to entertain my 2 1/2 month old so that I could get a few household chores done in his presence with the use of my own two hands! So I decided to open up the First Years “Infant to Toddler Feeder Seat.” Don’t let the name fool you, he’s not ready for food for another two months or so, but he’ll get a great deal of use of this item before then, I know it! Love it already and so doesn’t Gavin.

Within two minutes it was hooked up to my dining room chair with two straps. I would suggest a towel underneath it to cover your chair for later on when food is introduced. The seat has three positions, so I reclined it all the way back.  At 2 1/2 months, Gavin is doing well developing his trunk (midesection) strength, but he does not have the ability to sit straight up just yet without my help or side (lateral) support. Being reclined, this helps him to be well positioned so he can use his hands to play.  As his strength improves he’ll progress to a more upright position. I put him in the seat with the tray and put a few of his favorite rattles in front of him.

Voila! The recline of the tray puts the items in a better perspective for him to view them and he entertained himself for a good 20 minutes banging away at the toys.  Not to mention he played so hard and so well he’s napping and you’ve got the benefit of this blog post, too!

Check out the new rattle on the tray he got for the holidays.  Sassy has just revamped their infant rattle line and this is one of the three that I purchased at Babies R Us.  Love it! It has a spinning ball on the inside that lights up when you barely hit it, which is great for teaching simple cause and effect at such a young age.  He can easily spin the ball already if I hold it up for him and the light is great in my diaper bag when looking for smaller items that may have been hidden. My friend’s 6 year old enjoyed it as well over the holidays pretending it was an airplane and a rolling car!

So don’t let the young age of your infant and the name of the tools fool you, just because it is a “Feeder Seat” doesn’t mean it can’t be used for entertainment and fun too!

This song is dedicated to the hardest working people on the planet – moms! By Go Fish Guys

Dr. Michael Shore from Mattel is interviewed by ToyQueen, Keri Wilmot regarding some of the developmental aspects that have been included in Mattel’s process of toy creation and development to promote emotional benefits, imagination, empowerment, and the sense of discovery in the design process. Toys featured include the Fisher-Price Trio Building Set, Preschool game Uno Moo and Matchbox’s Rocky the Robot Truck.

The Trio Building System, for 3-5 year olds, was engineered with concepts in mind such as the auditory feedback that is provided when the blocks are successfully snapped or connected together.

Uno Moo was developed to make a compelling game for young children, that were not able to hold a large deck of cards. It’s a matching game that incorporates color and animal matching with manipulatives that are more appropriate for the preschool age. Game play sessions were created to be brief, it’s active and comes in a nice storage container.

Rocky the Robot Truck is a fully interactive truck, great for boys ages 3-6. This type of construction vehicle play brings a whole new magic to the truck, as Rocky was developed with a personality and movement. Rocky makes over 80 statements, that are rewarding and encouraging, that also invite children into the play pattern. The children are also able to activate many of the features themselves through the use of buttons, etc.

Can You See What I See? Gamewright game review by ToyQueen. Educational card game that helps you learn how to visually scan images & match.