The Talking Walnut

No matter how spacious your home is, space-saving products are always a hit with moms. (Just take a look around your house to see just how many kid items have “taken over” your surroundings. See what I mean?) So when a company designs a product that’s not only practical, but stylish, it’s a real win. The minui HandySitt Chair falls directly into this category. This high chair is extremely forgiving when it comes to taking up space, especially in the kitchen where it seems you can never have enough room. The chair can be attached to most dining room chairs, transforming them into high chairs that can accommodate older children as well (up to 5 years). Because it’s compact and portable (weighing in at just 5 lbs.), you can take it with you. And if you have a mother’s little helper during mealtime, the chair can be used at counter top or even as a step ladder for tough-to-reach spots.

In a Nutshell: The name may point to being miniature, but there’s nothing small about the amount of versatility this chair affords.

Yes, it’s true: Proper hand-washing has become the stress du jour for our families. After last season’s swine flu outbreak, it’s one practice we can’t emphasize enough in our households, no matter how many kids you have or how old they are. While we can’t watch their every move when they are at school or at a friend’s house, we can influence this good habit at home. Many preschoolers/kindergartners are being taught to sing “Happy Birthday” while washing their hands, so they’ll know how long to do so. But if your little diva turns into….well, a diva when it’s time to wash up for dinner, Disney Musical Hand Wash Timers from Healthy Hands can help get the job done. Out in time for National Clean Hands Week, which runs from September 20-26, these timers snap onto any liquid soap pump dispenser you already have at home. They work by playing favorite Disney movie ditties (like “Under the Sea” from “The Little Mermaid” and “Real Gone” from “Cars”) for 20-25 seconds–the amount of time recommended by the Center For Disease Control for eliminating germs. Once the song is finished, so are the germs.

In a Nutshell: Let Mickey or Minnie motivate your child to clean up the right way. This way, we can wash our hands of the swine flu once and for all.

How crushed I was when my 15-month-old ruined a monogrammed bib that a friend had given as a baby gift. By “ruined,” I mean a stain that wouldn’t just come out, no matter how much we “Shout”ed it out, as my 5-year-old has dubbed our official spot removal treatment. (Of course, why anyone would give a pristine white bib as a gift is beside the point.) And then when the sleeves on one of her cutest shirts–outfitted with little red anchors–was covered in fruit sauce, I realized that this ship too had sailed. Aren’t bibs supposed to prevent, or at least minimize, clothing disasters? That’s why I was intrigued by Baggino’s Learner’s Bib,which feature an extra long front and long sleeves for extra protection. At first glance, the bib looks more like a dress and I was admittedly a bit wary of getting it on my fussy daughter. (Getting her into her highchair is enough of a fight sometimes.) But it was easier than I thought, as I simply slipped her arms inside the sleeves and closed the Velcro at the back of her neck. The bib worked like a miniature artist’s smock and I didn’t mind one bit if a rainbow of veggies ended up on it, as long as it meant her clothes stayed clean. Lucky for me, the bib is machine-washable. It just may need a bit of “Shout”ing out.

In a Nutshell: If you find more food landing on your child’s clothes than in her tummy, this bib will keep her covered and clean.

Any idea how many masterpieces your little Picasso has churned out over the course of her young life? Now is your chance to take your child’s best work and enter it into ALEX Toys’ Ready, Set, Create contest. Kids ages 3-5 are encouraged to submit photographs of their original artwork — everything from crayon drawings to model clay sculptures is eligible– for the chance to win one of three ALEX Toys: the Floor Standing Easel and Paper Roll, Little Hands My Tabletop Easel and Little Hands My Giant Busy Box. And moms, if you’re particularly pleased with the makeshift studio you’ve fashioned out of your kitchen countertop, mesh baskets for all those supplies and egg cartons you’ve recycled into very hungry caterpillars, you have an opportunity to get your 15 minutes in the spotlight. Send in 1-2 paragraphs about how you help encourage your child’s creative side along with your child’s entry. Winning submissions will be displayed on ALEX Toys’ Web site. To enter, become a Fan of ALEX Toys on Facebook. Next, e-mail your submissions to contest@alextoys.com. The deadline is October 15, so roll up those sleeves and get busy!