Parents in Prospect Lefferts Gardens have been thrilled with the addition of newcomer Play Kids to their area. Since it opened, it’s not only locals that come: parents from Ditmas Park, Prospect Heights, Park Slope and even as far away as Carroll Gardens are making the trip. What’s the draw? Their stellar lineup of unique classes and range of toys, baby items and clothing that meet the needs of Brooklyn families.

The specialty toy and baby shop, which opened on Nov. 1, 2011, is owned by Carl Blake and Shelley Kramer.  The owners, who reside across the street from Prospect Park with two kids of their own, saw a need for a neighborhood kids’ store that would carry products that are BPA, PVC, Phthalate Free and non-toxic but also those that are designed by local Brooklynites. As parents in the neighborhood, they believe in community and that “if we can buy and shop local, we will.” Local Brooklyn products include: Baby DeeDee Sleep Nests (loveliest sleep sacks!), Brooklyn Rocks tee’s, Herbal Postpartum Products made by Divine Daughters, Rooware (plates, bowls, utensils designed by a PLG mom) and felt flower barrettes made by local mom, Allyson Sen.

They have stocked their store only with items that don’t require batteries. Their belief in child engineered toys means they not only carry the classics toys but stock brands like Erector, Chugginton and Thomas, Trains, Playmobil, EeBoo, Djeco, Melissa & Doug, Faber-Castell, Automoblox, Seedling, Kid-O and more.  The store is filled with some of the most sought-after brands and there is ample space for testing them. Want to try a balance bike? Or an Ergo? Feel free to lay your things down and give them a spin.  The family-friendly store is buzzing with kids and parents coming to and from classes, meeting and checking out the shelves.

In true community spirit, Play Kids have opted to keep their classes affordable and so they offer as many “drop in” classes as possible. There isn’t any fee up front and each time that the class is offered, you can come as often as you are able. With a nod to the homeschooling group, they have classes for older kids too.

They are offering some special workshops this month too:

Saturday, Feb. 4 at 5pm they are offering an “Introducing Your Child to Solid Foods” Workshop. Maya Feller MS RD will lead the workshop which will include information on how to make your own baby food, readiness of the child to eat solid food, baby food making demonstrations, and a Question and Answer segment. The workshop will run about 90min and cost $20/person or $35/adult.

For Valentine’s Day, stop in for a photo shoot and craft-making at “Make Your Own Valentines” event.  The photo session is $20/print (five additional prints will be email to you to print or send at your leisure). Make your own Valentine’s will be free.

Classes:
Kids Can Cook!, Knitting (Ages 9+), Music Together, Rock-ucation, Art Classes from Manor Arts, Mom & Baby Yoga.
Tue 10 am Drumalong with Ivan ($5/family) All Ages
Wed. 10am  Story Time with Mary Jo ($5/family) All Ages
Thur. 9:45am, 12:15pm, 1:30pm Baby Clay with Melisa ($10/child) Ages 6mo-2yrs
Thurs: 11 am Baby Clay for Big Kids ($10/child) Ages 2 years and up
Fri. 10am  Sing-a-Long with Lloyd ($5/family) All Ages
(once a month) Sun 1:30pm Improv with Ashley ($8/child*) Ages 6+
2:30pm Creative Writing with Chris ($8/child*) Ages 6+
* $4 discount if your child participates in both Improv and Creative Writing*

Details:
Play Kids
676 Flatbush Ave (between Hawthrone and Winthrop St.)
Prospect Lefferts Gardens

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Post tags: baby clay, baby store in brooklyn, baby stores in brooklyn, classes in brookly, clay class in brooklyn, clay for kids, dance classes in brooklyn, drumalong, flatbush avenue, kids can cook, kids classes in brooklyn, kids store, lefferts gardens, lloyd miller, manor arts, mom and baby yoga, music classes in brooklyn, play kids, prospect lefferts gardens, rock-ucation, singalong in brooklyn, where to buy baby carrier in brooklyn, where to buy ergo in brooklyn

Archival Gold DVDs

In my other life or increasingly, my former life, I was a photographer. So, I get asked a lot about how to store digital photos.  Since so many of us are taking digital photos of our children, I thought this might prove of interest to you.

Here is what I do:

I make 2 backups of everything. EGADS! (I know, I know). But, I do. In fact, if I were really smart I would have 3 backups (which is what I am going to recommend to you).

1. I have a dedicated hard drive for my photos. Hard drives go bad though so you can’t depend upon this as your only storage. Case in point, I lost one of my photo hard drives a few months ago. Thankfully, Mac Concierge recovered all my data for a very fair price.
2. Secondly, I copy all the images to archival gold DVDs. The Archival Gold are supposed to be able to store your images for more than 100 years. Don’t forget a Safe Pen for writing on the DVDs. Regular pens or markers can destroy a DVD or CD due to their solvents and alcohols.
3. What I should do- but don’t….is have an online backup system like iPhoto, Migratr or any of the reasonably priced online storage systems.

Happy Shooting!

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Post tags: archival gold, archival gold dvd, dvd safe pen, photo storage, safe pen, storing photos

It’s the New Year, which means that everyone is energized about their resolutions from losing weight to streamlining their life.  This week Doodle Deals is offering a way to start the New Year off right with 43% off a 2 hour in-home organizing and decluttering session. It caught my eye because it is being offered by Genius Organizing- the women who helped me make our life and home sane this summer. The Doodle Deal reminded me that I wanted to write about them and how much they helped me.  As specialists in organizing children’s rooms and play areas, Genius Organizing know how to whip those particular spaces into shape, but, I found they were also great in doing just about everything!

Nicole and Julia, the founders of Genius Organizing, are totally fun, easy to be with and nonjudgmental (an essential characteristic for this business!).  I worked with Julia the entire time due to scheduling though I have met Nicole many times since she lives one street from us. I actually looked forward to Julia’s visits: she was interesting to talk to while we sorted, had clear ideas, she worked her butt off (never took a lunch break and instead drank some sort of monster power shake!), dug in and got dirty and took charge. I was happy to defer to her about decisions- it was a relief to give up role of chief decision maker for a few days.

Here were my projects:

• Project 1: The Basement
  Clear out our entire basement which meant 16 years of tax filings, old rugs and furniture, camera equipment and moldy books. This part of the project involved stepping on cockroaches (we both wore hiking boots!), loads of dust, and hauling boxes of books out into the light.
• Result:
  Julia lugged 12 boxes of old tax filings up from the basement, checked them and then called a shredding company. She met the truck with me and we dumped the papers into the high-tech truck while we watched a video monitor for verification that all the documents were shredded.  We boxed valuable art books and I took them to book shops in Brooklyn where I ended up with some serious cash for them. We emptied bins and tubs, deciding which items needed to be discarded, donated or kept. We found cassettes, reams of brochures and my old journals and sorted, sorted, sorted. After days of dust, bugs and dirt, we had a clean and organized basement! To make sure our family kept up with the new system, we labeled areas of the basement so that our family could easily shelf items.

The shredding truck! Julia and the driver inspect the monitor to make sure it all goes down!

• Project 2: The Closets
  Go through all our closets and donate or sell clothing, equipment and shoes.
• Result:
  First we went through my clothing. We sorted the maternity clothing, out of style clothing, can’t-fit-in-it-anymore clothing and put them into piles. My vintage designer duds were taken off by Julia to be photographed for ebay and sold. Additionally, Julia bagged some clothing to take with her for a stoop sale she was doing with friends. She actually sat out on the stoop instead of me and sold my clothes and shoes. On another day, Julia and I pulled the children’s outgrown clothes out from under beds and shelves and organized them in groupings by size and style and then tagged them. I held a sale in our apartment and what didn’t sell, Julia bagged and donated. The sale went well and visitors loved that the clothes were bundled. Julia explained that the bundling eliminated leftover one or two pieces. I thought it was brilliant.  For the leftovers, Julia arranged for a pick up by St. Marys and put the bags out on the stoop.

My office with all the kids' outgrown clothing. Yes, it's a mess.

Here is how Genius Organizing bundled and tagged all the clothing for sale.

What a nice clear way to get clothes organized for donation pick up!

• Project 3: The Camera Equipment
  In my former life I was a serious photographer (though not particularly good) and have loads of equipment from that time period as well great gear from my grandfathers and mother who were also in the biz.
• Result:
  Julia and I went through the equipment with her assistant. Her assistant photographed each piece and then loaded them up to ebay. Julia sent me a check for over $900 for my stuff and I never had to touch it! Lovely!

List of items they sold for me at stoop sale and on ebay. This is ORGANIZED!

Julia was dying to help me go paperless and I would have let her but I was getting addicted to this organizing and I think my husband was beginning to think that Julia was living with us. I think I will go digital next time with her. I loved doing payments online with her and then getting paypal payments and electronic receipts from her as she sold my items on ebay.

So, here’s to a great Doodle Deal! Now is the time to bite the bullet and get started as the deal ends after this weekend. While you’re at- I would suggest buying one as a gift for a good friend. It’s the perfect “welcome baby”, “I love you!” and “you need help!” present. (They work in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Riverdale, and Westchester County).

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Post tags: brooklyn, genius organizer, genius organizing, good professional organizer in brooklyn, nyc, organizer in Brooklyn, professional organizer, reviews of organizers in Manhattan, Riverdale, Westchester County

Spacecraft store in Williamsburg.

I so badly want to be crafty. I want to make snow hats and wool felted animals…but I just….don’t. I have a full tote of craft supplies: stencils, pom poms, pipe cleaners and the ultimate necessity: glue gun. I just don’t have the motivation. But, I do have the motivation to aspire to crafting.  And, if you are like me, you like a stroll through a craft store once in a while or.. if you are not like me and are much more organized and ambitious- you actually do the crafts! Inspire us!

Here is my list of my favorite craft stores easily accessible from Brooklyn.

Brooklyn General Store
http://www.brooklyngeneral.com/
128 Union St
Brooklyn, NY 11231
718-237-7753
I adore this old-timey shop.  They have beautiful fabrics, yarns, patterns and gift items too. When I stopped in and inquired about drapery, they had a woman on hand who could make them for me at a good price.

Fiber Notion
www.fibernotion.com
849 Union St
(between 6th Ave & 7th Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11215
This is a small shop in Park Slope that has fabric, buttons, beads, appliques and ribbons.  Call to make sure of store hours since it is run by one person and sometimes her hours change.

Jem Fabric Warehouse
http://www.houseofjem.blogspot.com/
355 Broadway
(between Grand St & Leonard St)
Manhattan, NY 10013
(212) 925-4488
This super fun, artsy fabric and notion store in Chinatown though people say that prices are not written on each bolt- so depending on who you get, you can get different prices. The solution? Ask a few people until you get the lowest price!

Lee’s Studio
http://www.leesstudio.com/
220 West 57th St.
(Between Broadway and Seventh)
NEW YORK, NY. 10019
ph: (212) 581-4400, (877) 544-4869
I have been going to this store over the last 12 years. I do love their drawing supplies and papers, but they are more high priced than most of the other craft stores and yet they do have super sales- especially after the holidays.

Michael’s
http://hosted.where2getit.com/michaels/
808 Columbus Ave
New York, NY 10025-5139
View location on the Map
(212) 865-0813
This is a mega fun store. I like it, it’s well laid out and everything is in stock. I found everything on my list here for my crazy pom pom puppets and homemade bubble makers. I even picked up a Swarkowski crystal charm thinking I would make a bracelet with it. Um…not yet!

Michael’s
http://hosted.where2getit.com/michaels/
9030 Metropolitan Ave
Rego Park, NY 11374-5328n (Flushing)
View location on the Map
(718) 459-2375
This store is easily accessible via the subway.

Paron Fabrics
www.paronfabrics.com
206 W 40th St
(between 7th Ave & 8th Ave)
New York, NY 10018
(212) 768-3266
This store is popular because of its great service and convenience to other places you might need to go. This is a quick 20-30 min trip from Fort Greene, so it’s easy for me. Good inventory and the staff is helpful.

Pearl Paint
42 Lispenard St (btw. Broadway and Church)
New York, NY (Soho)
212-226-3717
This store was a staple for me in my art school days. The main store is always busy and fully stocked, but not always the most pleasant place to shop: the elevator is slow, people often misdirect you to the wrong floor and it can be cramped.  The annex which has crafts supplies, is, on the other hand, usually empty with interested sales people but less in stock.

PS Fabrics
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ps-fabrics-new-york
359 Broadway (btw. Grand and Leonard Sts)
NY NY 10013
212-226-1534
Call first as the open hours can be a bit dodgy.  This Chinatown fabric, notions and yarn store has inexpensive prices but you can pay with the frustration of showing up and they are closed.

Purl
http://www.purlsoho.com/purl
459 Broome Street
New York, NY 10013
(212)420-8796
(map to the store)
This is my all-time favorite place for fabrics. They have unique, quirky designs coupled with strong staple patterns. The women who work there know sewing really well and offer lots of help.  They have supplies for felting, needlepointing, crocheting etc. They offer kids and adults classes.

Spacecraft
http://www.spacecraftbrooklyn.com/
355 Bedford Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211 (Williamsburg)
718.599.2718
I’m ashamed to say I have never been to Spacecraft: what? Yes, it’s in Brooklyn, and I haven’t gone. I need to go. But, from what I hear, it’s lovely, welcoming and fairly priced. You can do walk-in crafts like making finger puppets, magnets, clothes, sculpture…or just whatever you like. Or, if you want more focused direction, take a kid’s or adult class. Anyone been in that wants to share your opinion?

Utrecht Art Supplies
http://www.utrechtart.com/stores/#NY
237 W 23rd Street
Between 7th and 8th Aves.
New York City, NY 10011
212-675-8699

and

111 Fourth Avenue
(Between 11th and 12th Streets)
New York City, NY 10003
(212) 777-5353
I have always like Utrecht. It used to be around the corner from our old apartment so I went there a lot- an eraser here, a pad of paper there. The stores are best stocked with paper, drawing, markers etc. They do have some craft supplies but not too much. It’s more of a fine art supply store, but I was often surprised to find they carried glitter or porcelain paint too.

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Post tags: art store, art supplies, art supply, best craft stores, brooklyn, brooklyn general store, brooklyn store, buttons, craft stores, drawing, fabric store, felting supplies, fiber notion, lees studio, manhattan, nyc, painting, park slope fabric, pearl paint, purl, sewing supplies, utrecht

Ahh...sharpened skates!

Gliding on freshly zambonied ice, sipping hot chocolate at break time, spinning perfectly on point- well, now I am just dreaming. But what isn’t a dream is to find inexpensive ice skates in Brooklyn. Good Footing in Park Slope has new and used skates. (Used are mainly just available for children- as the store owner pointed out, “Adults don’t grow out of their skates.” Well, I did! Having kids doesn’t just make your tummy get bigger!)

For children: (new and used. $15 for used, new $29.95-$80)
For women: new ($50- $90)
For men: new ($100 for hockey and $140 for figure)
Sharpening is $8 per pair.
If you buy a new pair, they will sharpen them for free. (New skates have to be sharpened, as they don’t ship sharpened skates- it’s a liability- OW!)

**Bring in old skates for discount on new skates at 20% or swap old skates for old skates. (Your old skates have to be in usable, sellable shape though).

Details:
Good Footing
196 7th Ave (at 2nd Street)
718-369-2601
Their store hours are Monday-Friday 11am-7:30pm, Saturday 10am-7pm and Sunday 11am-6:30pm.
All Major Credit Cards.
718-369-2601
webteam@goodfooting.com.

UPDATE: I went in for women’s figure skates: they have 3 brands. They have 2 very padded brands that you essentially can’t jump or spin in and then the traditional figure skate that you can do all those jumps and twirls. The price for the padded skates is $80 and the traditional ones are $85. They do run wider than the ubiquitous Ridell figure skate, so there is a difference if you are used to the very old figure skates.  Paragon is SOLD OUT of the Ridell’s in sizes 6.5 through 9. Bummer for me who has very narrow feet! I ended up buying new skates for myself at Wonderland Sports at Chelsea Piers. Great service. They also have a location near Dyker Heights as commenter Tracy mentioned below. (Thanks Tracy!)

Location of Good Footing

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Still Hip Brooklyn's storefront. Photo by Lesterhead (of Clinton HIll Blog)

We were sad to hear the news yesterday that one of our favorite Brooklyn resale shops and meetup places, Still Hip, will be closing down at the end of November. I remember the first iteration of Still Hip: during one weekend we were invited to shop in the parlor of a brownstone: fun and funky clothes were hung with handmade graphic tags and toys were stacked knee high. The neighborhood sale was a hit and it was obvious that Gabby and her co-founder, Marcie, were dedicated to recycling kids’ items and presenting them in an appealing way.  When the store actually opened, it was a neighborhood mecca. We all flocked to it for shoes, games and clothes, but also for companionship, classes and a chat with Gabby and Marcie.  Over the years, Marcie left to do other things and Gabby carried on, creating events that were uniquely Brooklyn: a photo op with a female Santa Claus, a dj workshop for kids and lowkey haircuts- just a stool, mirror and you. Gabby hosted blowout Halloween block parties, bag sales, single moms nights out- all with the enthusiasm and direction of a full fledged event planner. So, what happened?

Gabby wrote to me that, “sales have been way down and classes just haven’t been filling.” Most store owners would be winding down over the next 2 months- but Gabby is creating at her typical breakneck speed. She will “continue hosting events throughout Brooklyn so I encourage people to sign up for my email list. I already have Ginger Bread House decorating and Santa set for December and I’ve booked some live shows in February at Southpaw!”

And, what will happen to the store in the next 2 months?
She is hoping to sell everything. 10% off everything this week all the way to 70% by the end of November…then it’s bag sale starting on black Friday all the way till the last day November 30.

Her last bash?
Gabby reports that “the Mexican Halloween Monster Mash will be the store’s final party, unless someone wants to throw a fundraiser to help me pay the last few months rent. ”

Monster Mash

Events still to come:
Haircuts
* Sundays | $18 for kids $40 for adults
FREE CPR
* Friday, October 14 | 3pm + 4pm
Halloween Costume Swap
* Saturday, October 15
Saturday, October Halloween Monster Mash!
* Monday, October 31 | all day | $5

Still Hip
283 Grand Avenue
Clinton Hill
718.398.0008
Monday – Wednesday 10-5 | Thursday + Friday 10-7 | Saturday 11-7 | Sunday 11-5

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Post tags: brooklyn resale shop, kids resale shop in brooklyn, kids secondhand, kids used clothing store, maternity shop in brooklyn, resale shop in brooklyn, Still Hip, still hip resale shop

Now that we are in September, those of us less inclined to the cold chill, have started our heat. That means steaming hot radiators and floor-to-ceiling scalding hot pipes. How do you child proof them and do you really need to? The short answers are: many ways, and definitely yes, yes!

First: Is your landlord required to provide radiator covers?

Here is the answer: The uncovered radiator does not, however, constitute the type of hazardous condition of which actual or constructive notice would expose a landlord to common-law liability…Thus, notwithstanding the tenant’s complaints in this case, it was not the landlord’s duty to provide a cover for the radiator. (Legal jargon aside- “no”.)

Second: Can you teach a child not to touch a radiator? From my research, I would say that a child under 5 years can be at risk of touching, falling into or playing near a radiator and it is best to guard your radiator in some way for children of those ages. The support for this conclusion is below, but just a note of forewarning: this part is really unpleasant and I don’t want anyone to get terribly upset, so if you are squeamish, SKIP the rest of this paragraph. This information is from the CDC. From September 1991 through April 1994, a total of 10 children were treated in one pediatric clinic in Chicago for burns resulting from contact with home radiators. The children ranged in age from 7 months to 5 years; six were aged less than 2 years, and six were boys. One was a 16-month-old child who touched an exposed steam radiator pipe, resulting in severe burns to the palm of her hand that required a skin graft. The other was a 7-month-old infant who fell out of bed and became wedged between the bed and the radiator, resulting in multiple burns to her left hand, left arm, left ear, and left side of the head that required treatment in a burn unit. Two other children (aged 10 months and 31 months) also were burned when they became trapped between a bed and a steam radiator.

Okay, the hard part is over.

Here are some ways to childproof your radiators. (Don’t hold me liable for any of this- some of them sound like major fire hazards to me- but go ahead and try them if they suit you).

1. Build a mesh “cage” over them
2. Wrap towels over them
3. Bang together 3 pieces of plywood that are taller than the radiator as a guard to encase the radiator
4. Put a child’s safety gate around the radiator- look specifically at hearth gates
5. Go to your local hardware store: a lot of them supply inexpensive radiator covers. Pintchik in Prospect Heights is one. (Brownstoner readers commented on some local makers here too)
6. Lastly, you can try fabric radiator covers. Unfortunately, the only ones that seem to be available are from the UK and Italy. As our dollar is super weak, this isn’t so great for us, however, it might be worth it in the end.  Rad Pads are the best known in the UK and you can get them here: http://www.razbaby.co.uk/acatalog/Radpad.html.  A reader found this other fantastic option :http://www.safetots.co.uk/Fire-Guard-Safety/627-67.htm. Thanks for letting us all know! Lastly, this website makes fabric radiator covers with any picture, fabric color or even company logo! Sounds fun: http://www.colorecalore.it/inglese/colori.html This company is Italy- again you are challenged by the weak dollar.  (Psst…..last year Rad Pads wrote me and said if A Child Grows readers ordered a Rad Pad that they would provide free shipping,  you might ask them if they will do that deal again this year for you. Worth a try!) One reader wrote in last year to tell us this: “i came across a company that makes the fabric covers. unfortunatley only in red or blue but at least they make them: http://www.safetots.co.uk/Fire-Guard-Safety/627-67.htm”

If anyone else has come up with a solution that has worked for them, please list it in the comments section at the end of this post.

NEXT WEEK: how to deal with childproofing heating pipes- you know, those ones that reach from floor to ceiling….

If you are looking for a more permanent solution for your radiators- there are plenty of places to look, some of them are local and some of them online. I am not recommending any of these- just listing them.

The Shutter Shack:
They have custom molded steel designs.  I have heard a few people say they have been happy with the Shutter Shack.
TomKat Fine Woodworking
These are custom made radiator covers in a variety of styles- including Mission style with various moldings. I found them through This Old House.
The Wooden Radiator Company
This Chicago company builds custom radiator cabinets in wood or metal. I found them through This Old House.
Stanley Radiator Enclosures
These are metal radiator covers that come in stock sizes or custom sizes. In Jackson Heights.
Wolf Radiator Enclosures
www.eradiatorcovers.biz/ – they have a ton of designs in wood
David Vincent Woodwork
www.coveritwithwood.com/products.htm These look exceptionally nice.
Cabinet Shop
309 7th Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11215 (Park Slope)
(718) 832-9884

Fichman
http://www.fichman.com/. I love these designs- and they start at $185..really?

I love this cover- and couch! From Fichman (listed above)

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Post tags: babyproofing radiator, do you need to babyproof, fabric, homemade, homemade radiator cover, nice radiator cover, radiator cover, wood

This is a pet highchair- not one that I will be discussing- but a great laugh! Really? Really?!

Ahh.. the gear when having a baby. Some parents love shopping for it and others can barely stand it. Either way, the selection out there is overwhelming. But, what do you really need? Living in NYC, the footprint might be one of your most important considerations. When I started writing this post, I realized that being NYC dwellers, we had some needs that required a second look at what the best highchairs offered. For instance: will the chair eventually work at the kitchen table? We do cherish our space! Here are some other thoughts on what to look for in a highchair:

• Is it easy to clean? Are there too many nooks and crannies where food can get stuck?
• Is the surface easy to wipe down? Does the surface crack over time?
• Footprint. How big is the highchair?
• Can you remove the tray?
• Can the chair work at a regular table?
• Will it grow with your child?

Okay, so now that you know what to look out for, here are some solid options for you. Most of them I have used or tried out, but for the ones that I haven’t, I have included user reviews.

Ikea Antilop Highchair

First up is the Ikea Antilop Highchair ($19.99). We have had this for 5 years and used with 2 kids and it’s still going strong.  I love this highchair for its small footprint, delicate design and cheap price.
Pros: Easy to wipe and wash. Tray comes off easily and can be washed swiftly. Straps are easy for you and for your growing child. Grows well with your child.
Cons: If you cut on the tray, the cuts become inscribed on the tray and food and dirt get inside the cuts. It can be tipsy if your child rocks or pushes his/her feet on something while in the chair. If you have one of those rambunctious toddlers like I did, make sure you keep the high chair away from any surface that can be used as a send off. It does sit flush with a table because there is a thick ridge in the front. So, your child sits about 4 inches from the table because of the protruding ridge which doesn’t work well if your child is going to eat at the table. We dealt with it for a bit and then moved on to another highchair.

Ikea Antilop Highchair

phil & teds Lobster Highchair, Black

We used the Phil & Teds Me Too clip-on highchair for 5 years and loved loved loved it. This summer it was recalled and so the phil&teds Lobster Highchair, Black ($79.99) is their replacement. It’s a little more expensive. Since we haven’t actually used this version, I will include my pros and cons of the Me Too along with those of users.
Pros: It allows your child to sit right at the table from the get-go. I love this aspect of this chair. The harness is easy for you and for your child to put on. Super easy to clean despite it being a fabric chair. I put the whole chair on the top rack of my dishwasher and it cleans it wonderfully. You can’t beat the footprint of this chair- it’s so compact.
Cons: You can’t use this chair with tables that have lips, tablecloths or are glass. People felt that the tray was useless and it didn’t lock into place. A lot of users preferred the Me Too chair over this one. Maybe they will come up with a second Me Too?

Phil & Teds Lobster High Chair

Peg-Perego 2011 Tatamia High Chair, Paloma

My parents have a cheaper version of this Peg Perego that we use at their house. My kids think it’s the cushiest thing and love it. It does seem super cozy compared to the hard-edged highchairs we have at home. Peg-Perego 2011 Tatamia High Chair gets high reviews and consistently turns up as “one of the best” on lists, so I thought I would feature it. It has many different seating levels, reclining positions and can even be a swing! I have never seen it or tried it. But, here are what others are saying:
Pros: This has a higher weight limit so grows with your child. It reclines and has 8 different seating levels. It folds up for storage or transporting. No seams for food to get trapped in. The tray height adjusts for table vs. countertop.” “It rolls anywhere I want it to!”
Cons: “I would not recommend using the swing feature to anyone unless your baby is very young and cannot move their arms around. My baby was just beginning to learn how to move his arms to touch things by the time we purchased this chair. He was still well within the recommended weight limit for the swing so we gave it a try. As he was swinging, he tried touching one of the arms that was attached to the seat and got his fingers pinched. The arms that are attached to the chair crosses very closely to the arms that are attached to the base.” “Doesn’t feel sturdy.”

Peg Perego 2011 Tatamia Highchair

SALE Stokke Tripp Trapp Trend Highchair In Green With Baby Set ($319)

The Stokke Tripp Trapp is a favorite with Brooklyn parents. I used it countless times at friends’ apartments and finally got my own when we had our youngest. I sincerely wish I had bought it with my first.
Pros: Easy to clean. Grows with your child. Your child can climb up and down the chair by herself- which is huge when you have two children or you are cooking. The highchair can be used with a tray or put up flush with the table for family eating. This chair will last many years and be in style for many years. It’s fantastic because a visiting baby, toddler or preschooler can all use it.  It looks like the rest of your furniture and so it looks nice in any room or decor.
Cons: A note: we didn’t put the extended gliders on the bottom of the chair when we put the chair together. (Ahem- dear husband!). The extenders give the chair extra leverage to prevent younger children from tipping back if they push off from a table.  Since we didn’t,  my daughter did push back and her chair tilted over. It was just a few tears but we learned our lesson- follow the directions! The seat is hard and some kids like a cushier seat. The clips can be a little tricky, even for me which means a child can not easily undo them by herself which is a pro and a con.

Stokke Trip Trapp

Boon Flair Pedestal High Chair with Pneumatic Lift, Coconut Seat/Blue Raspberry Pad ($229)

Boon Flair Pedestal High Chair is a very cool 2020 type of high chair. I have seen it used and in demo but never tried it myself so I am going to include others’ reviews here.
Pros: “Then there’s the wheels – the mobility you get with this chair is AWESOME. We move this chair all around the house.” “It is so easy to clean, no cracks or creases to dig food out of. I also love that I can adjust the height and sit my son up to the bar or at the table.” “I chose it in part for its sleek, non-clunky look, and the small footprint, both of which I have appreciated and have received many compliments on.”
Cons: “The tray is small, so does not fit a full size plate, but I never use one with my son anyway. The pros to having a small tray, is that it easily fits in the dishwasher.” “I wish the tray were longer.”

Boon Flair Pedestal High Chair with Pneumatic Lift, Coconut Seat/Blue Raspberry Pad

Bright Starts Ingenuity Perfect Place High Chair, Bella Vista ($90)

I saw this Bright Starts high chair at a trade fair and liked the design, colors and the price. I have never tried it, so I am going to quote from others’ reviews:
Pros: “One of my favorite features is the tray – it swings open by pushing one button on the side.” “The seat has an adjustable foot rest and the entire seat and foot rest is topped with a removable, thickly-padded cover made of a rubberized fabric that is easily wiped clean…..But the most unique feature of the seat is that it reclines! There is one simple latch on the back of the seat that lets you select one of three reclining positions.”
Cons: “Sadly, this high chair looks wonderful but is not very sturdy even though it was put together properly.” “MONSTROUS wheel base! The base is just huge, and really gets in the way. An unfortunate Achilles heel in an otherwise great product.”

Bright Starts Ingenuity High Chair

We hope this helped you to find the right high chair for you!

Disclosure: Just like magazine writers and newscasters, we are given, from time to time, theatre tickets and products to review honestly. We don’t feel pressure to review them favorably and in fact, sometimes we don’t.  This disclosure is here so you know what we were sent to review. We were sent the Stokke Trip Trapp to review.

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Post tags: best high chairs, bright starts high chair review, high chairs in brooklyn, ikea antilop review, me too high chair, most popular high chairs in brooklyn, peg perego high chair, phil and teds lobster highchair, review of high chairs, stokke trip trapp review, tatamia

I know I’m not the only one who gets tired of reading the same book over and over at bedtime. Yawwwn……..zzzzzz.  The Rusty Key, a new Brooklyn blog that is dedicated to all things Kid Lit, is helping me and you get over the book doldrums by sharing her favorite books for kids here on the blog.  The editor, Jordan B. Nielsen, a former employee of the Scholastic Store in Soho, has created a cool site that looks like a house, where parents can “unlock” the door to great book reviews, book events, interviews and articles.  One of the site’s features, the Golden Key Collection, is her selection of the best of the best in children’s literature and she’s sent the golden key to us!

She’s giving us her:

• Best Book List for Ages 0-5 Years

• Best Book List for Ages 8-18 Years (which I will publish on Thursday)……

Here is her “Best Book List for Ages 0-5 Years”

Baby Faces
By Margaret Miller
Prime for: Infant to 2 year olds
The research is in: babies love staring at pictures of other babies. Who knew? This collection of captioned baby faces shows a range of expressions, clearly depicted with a grin or a grimace. Child specialists believe that looking at pictures of other babies helps infants with self-recognition, focus and emotional development. Great to keep baby fascinated during long car rides.

Curious Baby: Curious George – My Little Boat
By H.A. Rey
Prime For: Infant to 2 year olds
Parents can always use a little extra help at bath time. Vinyl covered bath books are just the trick to keep young children engaged while getting clean. My Little Boat features a simple rhyme scheme to assist with early language development, and comes packaged with a miniature rubber boat so you and baby can act out the splashing. Vinyl books are also great at the beach or by the pool. My Little will welcome your baby to the world of Curious George, a character they can grow with.

How Do I Love You
By Marion Dane Bauer
Prime for: 2 to 3 year olds
Lets be honest: At this early stage, you may as well be reading War and Peace to your child for all they’re getting from the story. What matters most is the parent-child connectivity, the shared experience of holding your child, letting them look at the pictures and hear the rhythm of your voice. These are the first bricks laid in the foundation for a later love of reading. Bauer’s sweet poem and playful illustrations make a perfect aid for some family bonding time.

Tubby
By Leslie Patricelli
Prime for: 2 and 3 year olds
A book that can make you laugh out loud with just three or four words per page? Now THAT is impressive. Leslie Patricelli’s spare words and achingly adorable illustrations make this board book series as fun for adults as they are for the little ones. With simple depictions of bath time, toilet training, and a missing pacifier, just to name a few, it’s the touches of humor that really make these board books special.

Press Here
Herve Tullet
Prime for: 3 through 5 year olds
Who says paper books can’t be interactive? Toss the iPad in the bag, and let Tullet’s monochromatic circles walk you through a page-by-page light show fueled by your imagination. Great for kids just learning their colors, as you press, rub and clap for the little orbs they’ll dance about, multiply and explode in size. It’s like touch screen technology without having to worry about the battery dying!

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
By Judi Barrett
Prime for: 4 and 5 year olds
For over 25 years, Judi and Ron Barrett’s collaboration has been tantalizing kids of all ages with vision of mashed-potato snowstorms, melting butter sunsets and pancake monsoons. What’s cooler than all your favorite foods raining down from the sky? Sorry mom, can’t go to school today, there’s ice cream everywhere! The tasty fantasy packed with drool-worthy illustrations is a feast for generations to enjoy.

A Sick Day for Amos McGhee
By Philip Stead
Prime for: 3 through 5 year olds
It didn’t win this year’s Caldecott medal for nothing! Amos McGhee is the best of zookeepers. Lanky and spry, Amos knows just what to do to keep each of his animals happy. From sitting quietly with the shy penguins to dabbing the rhinoceros’s ever-runny nose, Amos’s kindness makes all the zoo animals feel loved and cared for. But one day, when Amos is home with a cold, the animals know it’s their turn to be the caretakers. This exquisitely illustrated tale teaches that true kindness will always be paid back.

The Llama Llama Series
By Anne Dewdney
Prime for: 4 and 5 year olds
There are lots of picture books that walk children through the little troubles they might encounter, but lets face it, everything’s funnier with a Llama. With a catchy rhyme scheme that young readers will eagerly participate in, Llama Llama’s grumpy little Llama faces boring trips to the supermarket, homesickness, difficulties at bedtime and too much Christmas. They may serve as a great way to talk to young kinds about the un-fun parts of life, but Dewdney’s drawings of the petulant Llama will leave grown ups and kids smiling.

A Child Grows, 2011. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: best baby books, best board books, best book for preschoolers, best books for babies, best books for toddlers, book reviews, books for ages 0-5 years, brooklyn blog, brooklyn childrens blog, brooklyn family, brooklyn kids blog, gift books, jordan nielsen, kids book reviews, kids books reviews, website for brooklyn families

Mattresses are more than just foam, springs and cotton, they contain (surprise!) flame retardant chemicals, mercury, boric acid, and formaldehyde. Pretty disgusting when you think we spend (hopefully) 6 hours plus sleeping on that every night.  What’s worse is that all non-organic mattresses from the U.S. are required to be flame retardant (enough so that they can’t catch on fire from a blow torch!) so manufacturers douse mattresses with highly toxic chemicals like polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE), a chemical that is banned in Canada and Europe. This is especially alarming since according to Mercola.com, PBDE is “associated with numerous health issues like brain and reproductive damage, decreased sperm quality, thyroid problems and even cancer at high levels.”

As we peacefully sleep, we are breathing in these nasty chemicals without even knowing it. The best bet is to have a “safe” or organic mattress that does not contain chemicals and is made from 100% organic cottons and/or wools.

When looking for an organic mattress you will need to do your research. This starts by understanding the materials in an organic mattress such as natural rubber, wool, and cotton.

Natural rubber
is a renewable resource that many organic mattresses are made from. Generally, they are made from the milk or the sap tapped of Hevea Brasiliensis tree whose juice is extracted, poured into a mold and then baked. This system called the Dunlop method is how many chemical-free mattress are made.

Wool
used in organic mattresses should be G.O.T.S certified (an independent organic certifier) and used from sheep that have grazed in pastures free from pesticides and herbicides. The wool should also be washed without detergents, chemicals, chlorine or bleach.

Cotton
in organic mattresses should be made from pure, organically grown and harvested cotton and should have a tag that says 100% organic certified cotton. This generally means that cotton was hand picked and grown organically without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides or defoliants to fertilize the crop, control plant growth or pests.

After you do your research, be sure to test out the mattress and ask tons of questions. Organic mattress are generally more expensive than traditional mattresses so you want to make sure your are getting the most out of your investment.

Some organic mattress companies:

East Coast Organic Mattress Store: East Coast Organic specializes in the Dunlop mattress method for mattress production. Essentially this involves harvesting milk juice from the Hevea Brasiliensis (a rubber tree). This milk is then poured into a mold with hollow pins and baked to produce a blend of organic and chemical-free wools used for their mattresses. Additionally, their mattresses do not use any synthetic blends or any artificial fillers. The company has a store in Pennsylvania but if you can’t make it out there you can call for a free consultation in order to decide which mattress is right for you. Some products they offer is The Key West, ($1,560 for a twin mattress) a 6-inch mattress made from organic cotton and wool; The Saluna ($2,099.00 for a twin mattress), a certified organic cotton mattress and The Mount Shasta ($1,299 for a twin mattress), a 5” thick all-wool mattress. They also sell organic pillow tops, duvets, pillows, foundations and baby cribs.

Life Kind: A Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified Eco–Factory, Life Kind sells bedding, and products for the bath and home and a huge line of organic mattresses. All products from Life Kind are made without polyurethane foam, chemical flame retardants, formaldehyde, anti–fungicides, pesticide–treated cotton, or other harmful chemicals. Life Kind features The Euro, a 100% natural rubber and metal-free mattress ($2,195 for a twin mattress) that includes a double-stitched quilted cover of pure wool and organic cotton. The also sell The Traditional (8” deep), an organic mattress made with wool and certified organic cotton that has a medium-to-firm feel. The mattress has four layers of certified organic cotton canvas and six layers of certified organic cotton padding.

Woodstock Organic Mattress: Woodstock Organic Mattress, a family-owned company, specializes in producing handmade organic mattresses. They offer several products like the WJ Southard Organic Innerspring ($799 for a twin) an 8” handmade mattress made from organic and eco-friendly wool, 100% organic cotton and a 460 offset coil innerspring unit. They also sell The Van Patten Collection ($1,599 for a twin mattress), a 7” handmade mattress composed of 100% natural Dunlop latex core and 100% hand-sewn organic fabric.

Savvy Rest: An organic company that sells all-natural latex (Dunlop or Talalay) mattresses. The Serenity ($1,739 for a twin mattress) is made of 3” layers with a sturdy organic cotton casing and organic wool batting. The wool fill promotes a cooler, drier environment and more comfortable sleep. The Savvy Rest Organic casing closes with a strong brass zipper. They also offer the Tranquility ($1,469 for a twin mattress) is made just like the Serenity, but with two 3” layers of natural latex. It’s a good choice for toddler beds, bunk beds, or for smaller adults who like a quite-firm mattress.

IKEA: IKEA supposedly also carries organic mattresses although they don’t use the word organic – they use the term natural. On various forums such as on mothering.com we found that Sultan Erfjord ($699 for a twin mattress) mattress is covered in natural latex, 100 % lamb’s wool and 100% eco-cotton that is grown without pesticides. IKEA also describes this mattress as 85% natural. All of the other mattresses on their site are made from latex or foam.

Have you found one you liked? Do you think the expense is worth it?

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Post tags: chemical-free, East Coast Organic Mattress Store, IKEA, Life Kind, mattress shopping, organic, organic mattresses, Organic Twin Matresses, Savvy rest, shopping for a mattress, sleeing, twin mattress, Woodstock Organic Mattress