Category: Kids/Babies

Categories
Kids/Babies Toys

DIY SodaJet bottle rocket kit converts, takes your two-liters airborne

Little kids love to see things explode. For them, it’s fascinating to watch rockets defy gravity and shoot up into the air. The only thing is that most rockets are dangerous and require delicate motors and fire in order to launch.

Christopher Garmen of the SodaJet has taken rocket launching and made it kid-friendly. He uses 3-D printed parts and standard two liter soda bottles to make rockets. These rockets use air pressure instead of fire to shoot skyward. Not only is this a safe method for children to use, it’s also cost-effective. Garmen uses his campaign to reminisce about being a kid and launching rockets, disappointed at how disposable and expensive they were. Now, he’s got his four-year-old daughter launching SodaJet rockets with Barbie attached, kind of an awesome mini-feminist statement. The parts consist of a cone head, fins and a release mechanism.

SodaJet takes the best of recycling, science, and good clean fun to create a cool toy for kids to play outside with. Best of all, it doesn’t involve any kind of screen. Backers looking for more G-rated fun should also check out the Moonshot Ring Launcher. One SodaJet DIY kit requires a $25 donation for estimated delivery in April 2015, provided SodaJet can reach its $5,000 Kickstarter goal.

Categories
Kids/Babies

OOO Hair Ties keep hair stylin’ cryin’ to a minimum

Thick hair can be something of a double-edged sword. While it looks great worn down, pulling it back into a ponytail can mean some pretty intense scalp pain when it’s time to take the holder out. That’s why OOO Hair Ties were created. Their spiral shape keeps hair out of one’s face, allowing for stylishness, and best of all, not causing pain upon removal.

While SwirliDo, Alice and Stretchy Telephone Wire Cords have a pretty identical design compared with OOO Hair Ties, one neat feature that sets these apart from other hair ties is that when they lose their springiness, one just needs to pour hot water over them and then they shrink back to their original size. There is both a kid’s version (come with OOOnimal charms) and adult version of the product. Multiple color options are also available. This campaign seeks to raise $18,000 by December 24, 2014. For $25, backers get two packages with an expected delivery of December 2014.

Categories
Home Kids/Babies Safety

Toddler Safety Electrical Plugs play hide and seek from little fingers

It seems like baby-proofing the house is one of those tasks that is really never done – kind of like parenting. And for whatever reason, toddlers seem to be especially fascinated by electrical outlets. Toddler Safety Electrical Plugs is kind of an out of sight, out of mind gadget that hides the electrical outlet from small fingers, but still allows mom or dad to easily access it when it is needed. Initial installation may be somewhat inconvenient, since it involves using a screwdriver and removing the existing faceplate, but after that, the product is touted as offering one-hand operation convenience.

There is actually a wide variety of outlet covers out there with child safety in mind. This particular product seems to have a similar design as the KidCo Outlet Plug Cover. One of the more popular covers among parents is Munchkin because they are extremely easy to use and inexpensive.  Backers with toddlers may also want to check out the PopSwitch and Bright Switch campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise $5,000, however may have trouble doing so as it is offering no reward tiers.

Categories
Kids/Babies Smartwatches/Bands

Jumpy jumps beyond the tracker with a kids’ smartwatch

The new generation of toys is far different than anything previous generations have experienced. Sporting LCD screens and wireless connectivity, these toys offer connected environments where children can interact not only with the objects around them but with other children as opposed to staring into a pixelated abyss all day.

Jumpy is another one of those toys, coming in the form of a Android-based, Bluetooth-enabled smartwatch for children. With it, children can stay connected with their parents through Wi-Fi and send messages, play games with the device as a controller for tablet games and connected toys, and stay on top of events like waking up for school with the friendly dog avatar. An open SDK makes Jumpy an constantly evolving platform so new ideas will transform it into something new. A set of Jumpy can be had with a $99 backing, due to be shipped March 2015. The campaign is looking for $100,000 to make that happen.

Parents can keep on top of their children’s whereabouts with the included activity tracker but since the device lacks GPS connectivity, it won’t do much good should the child wander off too far. The absence of multi-lingual support and battery life claims make this a bit suspect, too. If a company is introducing a platform like this, they have to make it worth it and truly push kids to do more, like the Hybrid Play. If not, it’ll be another toy thrown to the side pretty quickly.

Categories
Furniture Kids/Babies

Lemon Pie kids’ furniture enables the ultimate couch pillow fort

When you’re a kid, there’s nothing like building a fort to play in. All of the pillows, blankets and cushions in the house must convene in order to make the perfect fort. Lemon Pie was designed to give traditional fort-making materials a break. This product is made of different parts that can either be assembled into a couch or chair and then reassembled into a fort or any other kind of fun structure for kids. Designed from soft, flame-retardant materials, this is perfectly safe for children.

The oddly-named Lemon Pie certainly offers function not only for children, but for adults as well. It looks fun and forces kids to be imaginative in the way they build their forts. While it’s not the most attractive piece of furniture around, it’s still great for parents who don’t want their living room to become a full-blown play area. For the most basic chair, backers can donate $335 with estimated delivery in April 2015, if Lemon Pie can reach its $15,000 goal on Kickstarter.

Categories
Kids/Babies

Puggle provides portability when those wee one changes are needed

The new generation of dads  willing to help out with kids are awesome fellows. Where they often find difficulty, though, is when on-the-go and baby needs to be changed. Many men’s bathrooms still don’t offer a changing table, and the few that do are questionably sanitary.

Puggle offers busy parents the convenience of always having a changing table on hand. The table includes a safety strap so babies that like to rock and roll don’t end up head banging, and the pad underneath is made of 100% cotton, washable, and is easily removable with a few buttons. Puggle easily folds up for travel, and an additional set of straps allows for easy carrying over the shoulder or on stroller handles.

It’s not entirely clear what the base is made of, but it appears to be a lightweight metal. Other portable baby products that may be of interest to backers include Bizee Baby and Portable Potty. Those seeking an alternative to diaper bags might want to consider the Riutbag. This rather ambitious, and ridiculous, campaign seeks to raise $1,000,000 by December 12, 2014. Backers get one product by December 2015.

Categories
Kids/Babies Nutrition/Hydration

Goldilocks-approved Moozi Formula Pod serves up infant nutrition at the right temperature

Newborn babies are both a joy and a pain in the tuccus. For those who have chosen not to breastfeed their children, formula is the only alternative. However, it can be difficult to get the bottle to the right temperature so as not to burn your baby. Moozi is like a Keurig machine, but for baby bottles. Fill the reusable pods with formula and push go. Not only will this machine make a formula bottle for you, but it will also get that formula to the perfect temperature for your little bundle of joy.

Moozi joins several other similar products, like the Perfect Baby Bottle Maker. Moozi takes the bottle-making machine to the next level from the Perfect Baby Bottle Maker with a sleek design and, more importantly, reusable pods so that parents aren’t stuck with a limited formula selection. Backers can enjoy the Moozi with a bunch of reusable pods for $150 with an estimated delivery date of May 2015. This bottle maker is looking to raise $50,000 with the help of Kickstarter.

Categories
Kids/Babies Wearables

FTRAC promises cheap and easy tracking of kids, others

Tracking solutions come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing you can be sure of is a hefty price tag associated with keeping connected to the bells and whistles these devices give you. A lot of the time, though, the device supposed to help you worry less makes you worry more because it doesn’t work as properly as it should.

FTRAC is a versatile and thereby more functional tracking alternative. It takes advantage of its GPS, GSM, and Wi-Fi capabilities to ensure that whatever is being tracked, a child, an elderly family member, a pet is always detected. The device comes in three models: the Superior boasts all the bells and whistles such as a microSD slot, the EXP can be worn in a multitude of different ways, and the Pets version comes with a collar. The FTRAC iOS, Android, or Web companion app allows users to set geo-fences, facilitates alerts for wet pets, and provides a map UI for easy tracking.

That usually fearsome monthly fee? It’s $2.95 through FTRAC, or users can opt for their own data plan through another carrier. Their $18,000 Kickstarter campaign is offering a free six month subscription for an early bird backing of anywhere from $69 to $89, depending on the model. They could’ve done more, though, when compared to the subscription perk Pip is offering. Start tracking beginning February 2015.

Categories
Kids/Babies Toys

Edwin the Duck smart toy teaches the old duck new tricks

No item is safe from becoming smart and connected. From lights and appliances to cameras and scales, everything is becoming connected.

For proof of this, look no further than Edwin the Duck, a smart rubber duck that offers companionship to children and peace of mind to parents. During bath time, Edwin the Duck goes right in the tub and can report when the water is too hot or when it’s just right, and can stream sing-along songs for cleaning. Once in bed, Edwin pairs up with a tablet or phone to read stories aloud complete with sound effects. Edwin also streams lullabies and functions as a night light.

This collection of features makes the part of the day parents and kids both dread a fun and easy experience. Inventor pi lab is raising $85,000 for safety certification, app development, and manufacturing. Parents can grab Edwin the Duck for their children at the $59 tier level, ready to hatch in March 2015.

Edwin the Duck is designed to give kids something positive to relate to bath and bed time, and the online features and interactivity should do just that. It may be strange shopping for a smart rubber duck, but that’s just a sign of the times.

Categories
Kids/Babies Lighting

PopSwitch turns light switches into simple animations

It’s quite possible that kids are the only ones who pay attention to light switch covers – but maybe that’s because your average cover is pretty boring and little kids are actually fascinated with the result of flipping the switch, which adults tend to take for granted. PopSwitch takes the idea of pop up story books and creates an interactive light switch that may very well double as a child’s newest “toy” if installed. For those who won’t mind the constant on and off flickering, the only instillation involved is the base plate, which requires a screwdriver. After that, the sliders get placed on top of the base plate, and the magnetic cover mounting holds both pieces in place.

This constant switching of scenes means that the pieces may get lost when mom or dad’s back is turned. Nevertheless, the product does seem like a fun one to own. This campaign seeks to raise $5,000 by December 10, 2014. Early bird backers get one single switch scene for $30, or one double switch scene for $40 with an expected delivery of December 2014.