The Happy Cuddle, by ID Selection, is one of those innovative, brilliant ideas I wish I had thought of.  It’s basically a plush, toy-like pacifier holder weighted at the bottom and shaped so that even very young babies can manipulate it to get the soother into their mouth on their own.  It’s big enough to be safe for babies to use in their beds, and also large enough so that it can’t be tossed from the crib through the rungs.  My daughter has been using the Happy Cuddle for over a month now and she loves to cuddle with it.  She can easily use it to get her soother into her mouth on her own, and no more pacifier overboard calls in the middle of the night.

The Happy Cuddle retails for $14.99 USD from the company’s website or from online retailer Amazon for $16.95 USD, and is available in five different colour combinations (blue/cream, pink/cream, green/cream, green/pink, and green/gray).  It is designed to hold all shapes and sizes of pacifiers, and has a washable surface.  The Happy Cuddle is the ultimate solution for lost pacifiers in the middle of the night, and would make a great shower gift!

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ID Selection/International Innovation has been kind enough to provide us with a blue/cream Happy Cuddle to give away to one lucky Spilt Milk Moms reader!

To Enter:  Go to the Happy Cuddle website and then leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us which Happy Cuddle feature you like best OR which colour you like best.  Once you’ve entered by leaving a comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” WIN a Happy Cuddle Pacifier Holder – no more lost soothers in the middle of the night! http://tinyurl.com/2vfyj6s @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway “.
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog for one extra entry.

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Friday, September 24th, and the winner will be selected using Random.org.  The winner will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected.  This giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only.

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Thank goodness that US company Clementine Art prides itself on producing natural, high-quality, non-toxic, and environmentally friend art supplies.  Their art supply line includes Natural Paint ($13.99 USD), Natural Modeling Dough ($9.99 USD), Natural Crayons ($5.99 USD), Natural Crayon Rocks ($5.99 USD), Natural Markers ($5.99 USD), and Natural Glue ($5.99 USD).

Art-loving Oliver, three years old, and I were really excited when Clementine Art agreed to send us a sample of their Natural Paint to try out (1.7 fl oz each of red, orange, yellow, green, purple, and blue) .  The consistency was a little more fluid than other brands of paint we have tried previously, but I was immediately impressed with the rich, earthy, beautiful quality of the paint (and no ‘paint’ smell!).  And that was before it even dried, because once it did, I was even more excited!  The Natural Paint is made using earth-based mineral pigments and contains no dyes or synthetic additives, and the end result was simply stunning and true to the colours you see in nature.  (Have a look at the Children’s Gallery on Clementine’s website for examples, though most of them are crayon drawings.)

If you are wondering about what exactly ‘natural art product’ means, here is how Clementine “pledges to wear ‘green’ shoes.”  Their art products are made in the United States and all of their (beautiful) packaging is produced using recycled and recyclable paper products printed with soy ink in a wind powered facility.  Their modeling clay is coloured with spinach, carmine, and tumeric (good enough to eat!), the markers with vegetable and mineral pigments, the paint and crayons using earth-based mineral pigments, and the water soluble glue is made using plant-based adhesives.

Clementine Art products can be purchased directly through the company’s website or from the following retailers including excellent Canadian on-line retailer Raspberry Kids.  Be sure to keep up with Clementine Art on Twitter and Facebook, as well as founder Diana’s inspiring Art Blog!

Raspberry Kids carries Clementine Natural Art Supplies and is offering readers of Spilt Milk Moms a 15% discount on any purchase (excluding sale items) from their store.  Simply use discount code spiltmilk15 at checkout – thanks Raspberry Kids!

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Made out of wood, this magnetic calendar comes with 134 separate magnetic tiles covering five years (2009-2013), the months, the weather, all major holidays, and most of the activities your children take part in on a day-to-day basis (from ‘sick day’ to ‘sleeping over with friends’).  It has two magnetic white boards hinged together with fabric, and can be folded shut for storage or hung on the wall for easy access.  One of the boards contains a calendar grid, while the second can be used to hold magnets or for recording messages with a dry-erase pen.  The calendar is really well laid out, but I wish that there was enough space to put two tiles on each day of the week (one for an event and one for the weather, for example).

I use Melissa & Doug’s Magnetic Calendar daily to talk to Oliver about what’s happening that day and what events are coming up.  I love that you can personalize it to your family’s schedule and celebrations (there’s even one extra magnetic tile included for your family to customize).  It didn’t take long for my son to learn his days of the week, and he’s starting to get the hang of the months.  Look out, Kindergarten!

Even if your children are already school-aged, what a great way to help them get practicing the calendar and upcoming events to keep them (and you!) organized during the school year!  The Melissa & Doug Magnetic Calendar is intended for children aged three and older, and can be purchased for $19.99 USD from the company’s website or for $24.99 CAD from Toys R Us Canada.

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Do you remember your very first day of school ever?  It’s one of the most important days of one’s whole life, and it can be an intimidating, scary endeavour.  I thought I’d share with you one of my favourite German traditions that will help your child get excited and feel special about heading to school – it’s the Schultüte (‘school cone’ – it really loses something in translation).

So, what the heck is a Schultüte?  Well, a Schultüte is basically a cone made of cardboard which is decorated and filled with candy, back to school items such as fun pencils and erasers, and other treats (whatever you want to include, basically!).  It’s the Christmas stocking of back to school!  (That’s my mama pictured above with her Schultüte on her first day of school in Germany in 1955.)

While I’ve been making Schultüten for kids I know who are starting Kindergarten for years now, this craft idea can be adapted to include school children of all ages, even if it isn’t their very first day of school ever.  Here’s how it’s done:

• Head to your local dollar store and purchase a piece of white poster sized card stock, tissue shred, some nifty wrapping paper that reflects the child, and some matching tissue paper and ribbon.  Also use this opportunity to purchase some toys, stickers, pencils and erasers.
• Next, get your hot glue gun ready and shape the card stock poster paper into a cone (it’s up to you how wide and long).  Use the hot glue along the seams to glue the card stock into a cone shape.
• You’ll have an uneven top for your cone because of the size of the rectangular shaped card stock, so use scissors to even out the top of the Schultüte.
• When the glue has dried, use tape to attach wrapping paper to the outside of the cone.  You may need to trim along the bottom and/or  top, but leave enough to tape the wrapping paper into the inside of the cone.
• Tape tissue paper along the inside lip of the Schultüte, leaving it long enough so that you can tie it together using a ribbon at the top.
• Finally, before you use ribbon to tie the cone shut, fill it with the tissue shred and goodies of your choice!  I made the one above for my little friend Anna who’s starting Kindergarten this year, and I know she loves stickers, removable tattoos, and candy.  I also found some tulip bulbs in her favourite colour (yellow!) and so I packed all of these things inside her Schultüte.
• Ta da!  Anna’s Schultüte took me literally only 20 minutes to put together, and it’s a great, easy, homemade back to school gift your child will love and remember forever!

You might remember this review from last September, but the Schultüte is a German tradition done every year for all children starting Kindergarten.  We thought we’d publish it again just in case your little one is headed off to their very first day of school – make it one they’ll never forget!

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The beginning of school is almost upon us, and if you have little ones attending school this year I’m betting that the search for the perfect backpack is on!

More important than aesthetics, you’ll want to consider the following important safety guidelines when choosing and packing a backpack for your child:

• Choose a backpack that is the correct size.  When worn, backpacks shouldn’t extend higher than shoulder level and should not be lower than four inches below the waist.
• Select a bag that has padding on the back and shoulders for comfort.  Back padding will also prevent items from digging into your child back.
• Consider the materials the backpack is made out of.  Certain materials, such as canvas, tend to be more light-weight than leather, for example.
• Waist straps will help distribute weight onto the hips and off the spine and shoulders.
• When worn, a correct-fitting backpack should contour the child’s back rather than hang off their shoulders.
• For students attending Kindergarten to Grade 8, a full backpack should weigh less than 10% of your child’s body weight (and no more than 15% for older students).
• To help your child maintain his/her center of gravity, pack heavier items closer to the child’s back.
• Backpacks should be lifted from the ground using bended knees, and should be put one one arm at a time.  Backpacks shouldn’t be slung just over one shoulder.
• Your child’s backpack should contain only necessary items – be sure to clean it out each night and re-pack every morning.*

We have previously reviewed two backpacks, Beatrix New York Little Kid and Big Kid Backpacks (top) and Skip*Hop’s Zoo Packs (above).  Both companies have really used their imaginations to create modern, funky, colourful, and fun animal-themed backpacks little kids will love, and it will be hard for your child to choose his/her favourite.  In that case, it might just come down to price – Beatrix New York backpacks start at $44.99 CDN, while Skip*Hop’s line retails for about $16.99 CDN.

If you’re interested in purchasing a Beatrix New York backpack or a Skip*Hop Zoo Pack for your child, excellent on-line retailer Raspberry Kids carries both lines and is offering readers of Spilt Milk Moms a 15% discount on any purchase (excluding sale items) from their store.  Simply use discount code spiltmilk15 at checkout – thanks Raspberry Kids!

*Information compiled from Backpack Safety America and an article on Backpack Safety from Canadian Parents.com.

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We’ve talked about Goodbyn lunchboxes before, but because they’re so Eco-friendly, customizable, and cool, we thought we’re remind you about them again just in time for Back to School!

What’s so great about these lunchboxes?  Goodbyns:

• come with their own reusable 8.5 oz drink bottles;
• have six different, self-contained compartments that hold everything from whole fruits to sandwiches to eating utensils;
• include 275 + dishwasher-safe stickers are included for your child to decorate their Goodbyn any way they choose (including the drink bottles, like those above);
• are dishwasher safe, BPA, phthalates, and lead free, and can be recycled when you’re through with them (if that isn’t enough to convince you that your child needs one, here are more great Goodbyn features).

Original Goodbyns for children aged five to nine years old are available in Pink, Blue, Green, and Red/Orange colours, while the company’s new ‘too cool for ears’ Goodbyns (aimed at children ten and up) come in more muted colours including Charcoal, Slate, Plum, and Ghost.  Reasonably priced considering you’ll never have to buy drink boxes or plastic sandwich bags again, purchase one through the Goodbyn website for $24.99 USD or from Canadian online retailer Raspberry Kids for $29.99 CDN.

Excellent children’s retailer Raspberry Kids is offering the readers of Spilt Milk Moms a 15% discount on all purchases through their online store (excluding sale items).  Simply enter discount code spiltmilk15 at checkout – thanks Raspberry Kids!

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Australian company Lunch Punch Sandwich Cutters is all over this concept.  Founder Kiersten, mom of three, invented these clever punches purely with the intent of making lunch more fun for everyone.  And oh are they fun!  Lunch Punches are available in five fabulously fun designs – from puzzle shapes, animals, transportation, princess-themes, and the continents (coming soon), there’s definitely a Lunch Punch to inspire your child’s imagination.  Kiersten was generous enough to send me one of their Match & Munch (puzzle shapes) and Critter Cutters (below) sandwich cutters, and I can’t remember the last time my son was so excited about eating lunch.  He loves choosing which shape he wants his sandwich to be, and the best part is that he eats his lunch without complaint.  All of it.  And then he asks for more!  We found Lunch Punch sandwich cutters super easy to use, and the shapes came out really crisp (particularly when our bread was really fresh).  Since then we’ve gone on to use them for Jell-O, playdough, and as cookie cutters.

You may be wondering if you couldn’t do the same thing to bread by simply using the cookie cutter collection you already have.  What makes Lunch Punches ideal for cutting sandwiches is that they are bigger than traditional cookie cutters and come in two sizes (for both medium and large-sized breads), which means less waste as they’re specifically designed to get as close as possible to the bread crust.  Other Lunch Punch features include:

• made from FDA certified food-grade plastic;
• BPA, Phthalate, PVC, and lead free;
• dishwasher safe;
• easy for little hands to use;
• AND both the Lunch Punch and its packaging are 100% recyclable!

Lunch Punch Sandwich Cutters are a great way to make school lunches fun, and they can be purchased from the following retailers for $14 to $17 CDN depending on the set and its size.  Your kids will love them – what a great way to ‘feed their tummy AND imagination’!

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Just in time for Back-to-School, Kiersten has generously supplied us with a set of Lunch Punch Sandwich Cutters for one lucky reader to WIN (the winner will have their choice of the Critter Cutters or the Match & Munch sets).  Thank you Lunch Punch!

To Enter:  Go to the Lunch Punch website and then leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us which Sandwich Cutter set you think your kids would love the most and why.  Once you’ve entered by leaving a comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” WIN a set of Lunch Punch Sandwich Cutters for your Back-to-School crew http://tinyurl.com/27ktr5c @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway #contest “ .
• If you ‘Like’ Lunch Punch on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog for one extra entry.

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Tuesday, September 7th, and the winner will be selected using Random.org.  The winner will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected.  This giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only.

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When your kids can’t be tucked into their own beds at night, the next best thing is a cuddly friend who doubles as a comfy blanket and pillow (no, not the dog).  Undercover Bears, by bag and travel accessory company Lug, are cute and cuddly teddy bears, travel blankets, and pillows all in one!  Each of the ten bears in this collection have their own distinct personality.  Oliver’s orange bear is called Agent Oscar and according to the accompanying tag, his partner is Agent Nimzy, his favourite food is carrot cake (of course), and he loves to paint.  Zipped inside of each Undercover Bear is an ample, soft plush blanket with a pocket containing an inflatable pillow which then slips into the cover (see below).  This travel pillow and blanket even has a handy little wrist band to ensure that it won’t be lost on the way to your departure gate.

We have a lot of road trips and other travels planned with the kids this summer, so it is perfect that Oliver was given an  Undercover Bear for his birthday last month.  Undercover Bears retail for $30 USD and can be purchased online from the Lug website or from the following retailers.

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Agoo’s Leg Huggers are not just functional, but they also make a fashion statement – cute!  Of course Agoo makes Leg Huggers for girls (Gigi the Giraffe is another fun pattern), but they also carry some super funky ones for boys (check out Puzzle Fun, below).  Aesthetics aside, I continue to be impressed with how well Charlotte’s Leg Huggers stay up on her legs and how well they have held up – given the baby abuse they are subjected to, they remain in amazing shape.

Made of out Eco-friendly bamboo with a mix of nylon and spandex to keep them hugging your baby’s legs, Leg Huggers are incredibly soft, breathable, anti-bacterial, odor resistant, wick away moisture, and protect against UV rays.  They can be machine washed and tumble dried on low, and because ‘one size fits all’ your baby will be wearing them well into toddlerhood.  Agoo Leg Huggers can be purchased online from the company’s website or from these following online and retails stores from $10 CAD.

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Agoo has generously supplied us with a pair of their Leg Huggers (winner’s choice) for one lucky reader to WIN!  Thanks Agoo!

To Enter: Go to Agoo’s website and leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us which of their boys or girls Leg Huggers you would choose should you win. Once you’ve entered by leaving a comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @KidsActivewear and @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” WIN a pair of Agoo Leg Huggers for your baby in the colour of your choice! http://tinyurl.com/335x5jp @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway #contest ” and leave us the link for extra daily entries.
• If you ‘Like’ Agoo Leggings on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us the link for one extra entry.

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Tuesday, August 17th, and the winner will be selected using Random.org.  The winner will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected.  This giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only.

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Yes, it’s still July, and yes, the beginning of the school year is still five or so weeks away.  But time flies when you’re having fun, and for some reason it moves especially quickly when it’s summer.  Darn.

For those of you already thinking about Back-to-School season, Mabel’s Labels is sponsoring a fabulous giveaway with the Spilt Milk Moms!  Up for grabs is a set of their Colourful Ultimate Back-to-School Combo!

The Colourful Ultimate Back-to-School Combo comes equipped with:

• 50 Tag Mates;
• 40 Skinny-Minis;
• 16 Shoe Labels;
• and 2 Teeny Tags.

Available through Mabel’s website for a limited time until September 24th, 2010, the Ultimate Back-to-School Combo pack retails for $44 CDN with six awesome design motifs to choose from.  Oliver has the Rainforest one on the way thanks to Mabel’s, and we can wait to get stickin’ and tagin’ for daycare!

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Mabel’s Labels has generously supplied us with one Colourful Ultimate Back-to-School Combo for one lucky winner!  Thanks, Mabel’s Labels!

To Enter:  Go to the Mabel’s Labels website and leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us which of the Colourful Ultimate Back-to-School design motifs you would choose if you were to win this giveaway.  Once you’ve entered by leaving a comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @Mabelhood and @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” WIN an Ultimate Back-to-School Combo pack of labels and tags from @Mabelhood @SpiltMilkMoms http://tinyurl.com/2afgpr3 #giveaway #contest “ and leave us the link for extra daily entries.
• Leave us a comment if you ‘Like’ Mabel’s Labels on Facebook for one extra entry.
• Leave us a comment if you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us the link for one extra entry.

This giveaway ends just in time to get organized for Back-to-School at 12:01am PST on Tuesday, August 10th.  The winner will be selected using Random.org and will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected.  This giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only.

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