Fashion & Gear - Travel

BabyBjorn Travel Crib Light

Looking for a great travel crib for your child? Try BabyBjorn’s Travel Crib Light ($215 to $226 depending on the retailer). It weighs only 11 lbs, comes with a travel bag (with handles) and literally sets up in under a minute.

Just take it out of the bag, hold the sides and flip it out so the legs unfold towards the floor. BabyBjorn actually has a very cute “competition” video that shows how fast you can set it up. One dad does it in 21 seconds.

This lightweight, compact crib also comes with a water-repellent mattress cover that’s easy to remove and machine washable! If you want, you can also buy the company’s organic fitted sheet ($32).

While it’s too small to use as an everyday playard, it’s perfect on-the-go — especially when you have to get a sleepy child to bed while traveling. It’s designed for newborns up to 3 year olds.

– Nancy

The Prince Lionheart On-The-Go Car Sunshade Kit is a static cling sunshade that sticks to car windows, designed to shade your children from the sun’s rays. It costs around $5.50 for 1 — or you may be able to find it in a twin pack (you’re going to need two anyway). Harmful UV rays are reduced by 99 percent with this sunshade, which measures 16-in. by 22-in.

To install, unfold the sunshade and use the included sponge/squeegee tool to flatten it. Then carefully stick it onto your window and use the sponge/squeegee to smooth out any air bubbles on the shade.

We liked this smoked gray vinyl sunshade, because it actually stuck to our back car windows. In fact, I was able to roll down the windows with ease. Just be careful and go slow while lowering and raising windows — or it could bunch up!

–Nancy, Queens, NY, mom to budding comedian 3½-year-old Ben and princess-in-training 1½-year-old Allegra, loves finding stuff that makes her family’s life easier

There are times when leaving your house with kids seems downright impossible. There is just too much to consider.

When my twins were infants, it was formula, diapers, change of clothing, small toys. When I had potty-training toddlers, it was extra clothes and underwear, a potty seat. For all ages, it’s water, and snacks, and — heaven forbid — anything that I might actually have to carry for myself!! And that is when I am leaving the house to head to the playground!

I was recently panicking when I had to consider how to manage a five hour plane flight with my now 3 ½-year old-twins… by myself. Admittedly, the task might be more daunting with twins, but alas, I suspect that all of us have gone through the “how in the world am I going to carry this” dilemma at some point (or many) since they became parents.

And now there is an answer. Ju-Ju-Be, maker of designer diaper bags of all sizes, as well as bags dads won’t whine about carrying, now has a bag for traveling: the WannaBe travel and overnight bag ($160).

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My parents’ house has had a big high chair smack dab in the middle of the dining room for four years. But since we’ve been using our new minui HandySitt ($149) — an incredible portable high chair — there’s suddenly a lot more space in there when we visit. And my daughter couldn’t be happier now that she gets to join everyone at the table.

This ingenious wooden high chair, suitable for children from 6 months to 5 years, attaches to almost any dining chair and is an absolute breeze to set up. About five minutes after opening the box, I was sitting my daughter down to dinner with the rest of us. And when dinner’s done, the chair can stay in place (it takes up much less space than a traditional high chair) or it can fold down flat and tuck away.
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Booster seats — not the most exciting must-have for avid shoppers. Clek has changed all that with their funky and highly functional booster seats. These seats are incredibly sturdy and well-made. It’s easy to employ the latch system and to disengage it when you’re lucky enough to have a carpool option.

The one I love best is the limited edition Paul Frank model, and not just because my son is named Julius (just like that iconic monkey). It’s bright red and adds a little punch to sticky, goldfish-dusted, happy meal toy cluttered back seat of my car. They also have a camouflage version ($90) which is apparently a favorite in the Brangelina minivan. (or is it a latch-enabled stretch limo?) and currently, the powder blue version is available for $40 at babyuniverse.com. You can also purchase covers for the seat for a new look.

– Alix

When I’m at home, diaper changes go pretty smoothly. It’s only when I’m visiting family that things get complicated. When I’m at my in-law’s I never know what to do with the dirty diapers. It feels disrespectful just throwing them in the little decorative bathroom trashcan. So I always toss a few diapers in an old plastic grocery bag before making an occasional trip to the big garage trashcan. Munchkin has taken this idea and improved it with their tiny Diaper Bag Dispenser ($5). Each dispenser comes with 24 lavender scented bags that deodorize with Arm & Hammer baking soda, plus a refill. They tear easily from the roll and once opened are slightly smaller than your average grocery store plastic bag. Plus with fun colors like blue and purple, it makes the nasty job of diaper changing just a bit more pleasant.

The popular Munchkin Diaper Duck takes the new Arm & Hammer refills ($5) too! Both are available at Target.

– Sarah S.

When my little girl was a baby I couldn’t stand to have thesame car seat cover as everyone else so I got her a car seat cover like thisone from Simply Ella. It certainly drew a lot of attention and momseverywhere from the super market to the OB’s office werealways asking me where they could get their own.

These covers are super-cute, especially if you like to standout among the crowd and carry your baby in style! All SimplyElla products are made with breathable fabric that can stand up to therough and tumble use they are sure to encounter. They withstand exposure to the harshestsunlight, are soil and stain resistant and can be easily cleaned with soap andwater.

Isabella Damon wasgifted with a Simply Ella car seatcover.

Simply Ella covers are available for sale in children’sspecialty stores nationwide and online at www.simplyella.com.