Kids Deal Reviews

Graco LiteRider LX Travel System, Daphne (788952970) Review

When we looked at the Graco LiteRider LX Travel System, we originally thought it would be just another stroller. We let the name “LiteRider” pass us by- until we picked this stroller up, and nearly lost our minds.

Weighing just 17 lbs, this lightweight model doesn’t scrimp on features for the sake of weight, and for that we are grateful! Many strollers we look at are full of features to make lives easier, while weighing double, often more! The light weight of this piece cannot be stated enough; perfect for new families, especially moms who cannot lift much, or older children who like to help. Additionally, this could be a great stroller for elderly family members to use, as it collapses easily and— as stated many times, is incredibly lightweight!

Beyond the obvious features, this stroller has many elements which make it an invaluable purchase. Graco made the smart decision to allow this stroller to work with any of their existing car seats, providing a quick Click Connect feature, so that you can snap in a car seat and be on your way!

The seat for older children reclines allowing for mid-stroll snoozes, and an included child’s tray is perfect for bottles, sippy cups or snack time. This can also be removed for ease of access, or cleaning.

Graco didn’t forget about parents with this stroller, either; an included parent tray near the handle is ideal for coffees, keys, or the spare bag of goldfish you consumed when your kids weren’t looking. The bright pop of pink is a welcome change amidst the sea of dark grey and black, and the light floral detailing is pretty and feminine. The bottom storage area is large enough for most of what we’d need to carry with us, without much extra.

It’s worth noting that we’re not expecting a lightweight, functional stroller to show up with every bell and whistle imaginable. It’s clearly designed for lightweight, easy use; heavier strollers tend to handle shocks and bumps in the road slightly better, but we’re willing to make those sacrifices, understand what we’ve invested in. This isn’t necessarily the stroller we would use for long jogs, and there are other alternatives which may have more robust features, but for the cost, weight, ease of use and flexibility, this is a great choice.

Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat (E0AD4052) Review

From Graco, some of the top leaders in family products, comes a car seat with busy families and young riders in mind. Some of the greatest challenges with car seats is ensuring their proper installation, adapting them for your growing child, and especially keeping them clean! Between drinks, accidents, and sickness, car seats can be a host to all kinds of bacteria.

Graco decided to fix this problem, and created a machine washable cover, with RapidRemove, a technology allowing for the cover to be removed without uninstalling the seat! This allows not only for easy cleaning in general, but regular cleaning, without hassle.

In terms of installation, Graco also gave this seat a good deal of thought and consideration. Installation comes with a simple level indicator which is easy to read, showing you exactly where the seat should be resting. This base allows for 6 different positions of the car seat, and Extend2Fit is a new feature, which is a 4-position extension panel, providing room for growing legs. This seat can be used rear-facing up to 50lb, and forward-facing from 22-65lbs, allowing the Graco Extend2Fit to grow with your child.

The steel frame in the Extend2Fit adds another level of safety, which— along with exceeding all crash test and US safety standards, has also been tested for side-impact collisions. When we examine car seats, it’s so, deeply important that the safety standards work with a variety of configurations, and that it’s easy for families to install and use.

Graco has spent time and energy pouring an extreme level of detail into this seat, from the cover to the harness, which is easily adjustable for growing riders, and has easy storage when you need to get to your child quickly. They’ve committed to making the best car seat, able to be configured and shifted as the child grows, emphasizing safety at young ages, without trying to make a seat that is endlessly adaptable as children age out of toddler seats and into boosters.

We’re happy to give this seat our top seal of approval.

Regalo 4-in-1 Super Wide Safety Gate and Play Yard Review

As children grow and explore, it can be challenging to keep them confined to one specific area. Play pens and yards are incredibly useful, but can prove challenging as kids outgrow them, while still needing boundaries for their safety. This is why the Regalo 4-in-1 Super Wide Safety Gate and Play Yard is useful; it’s flexible usage allows for all kinds of configurations according to the home or needs of the family.

To begin, this gate and yard are multifunctional; start by connecting the pieces into a contained area, allowing children to be safely confined while you focus on other tasks. Given some books or soft toys, young bodies are free to wiggle, just not free to roam. This is excellent for young children just learning to move and get mobile, who could benefit from keeping some select toys in a confined area. The small size is perfect for naps, it’s even useful for blocking off a Christmas tree from little hands reaching for expensive glass ornaments.

As needs change, so can the gate. It’s eight panels allow for maximum coverage, blocking any sized entryway, or even a portion of a room. I can be useful to block off a staircase, or kitchen area, keeping little ones safe from getting under foot. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

Beyond family usage, this could also be helpful for corralling some larger pets into one area, making sure that they are safe but free to walk around, or blocking off areas of the home which may not be safe in general, like an open laundry area.

The Regalo Safety Gate and Play Yard includes wall mounting brackets and a double safety lock. It’s made of all metal, ensuring stability and safety, and can fold compactly when not needed. It’s worth sharing that the gate cannot stand alone unless it is in play yard mode, which would be our only disadvantage. It would be incredibly useful to put up as a divider wherever we might need it, though, for the long term convenience and eight-panel size, we’ll take what we can get. 4.5 out of 5.

Graco Backless TurboBooster (1839199) Review

Graco is known for providing the world with quality baby and family products, as they have been a leader in the market for years. This Graco Backless TurboBooster is no exception to the rule, and we’re happy with this staple.

The Backless TurboBooster is perfect for older children and “big kids,” ranging upwards of 40lb. As they grow out of traditional car seats, it can be challenging to find a good middle ground between the car’s traditional seats, and car seats of the past. Surges of independence can aggravate this struggle, and the TurboBooster can prove to be a solid, middle ground option.

The seat features a solid base with comfy cushion and arm rests, as well as two cup holders, which can give riders easy access to drinks, snacks, or toys at a quick grab.

This booster is also affordable, great for grandparents or other familiar drivers to keep in their trunks, should the need arise. The TurboBooster has been crash tested, and is a great, in the middle choice for those with older children, working to keep them safe and happy.

Graco Milestone 3-in-1 Convertible Car Seat with Safety Surround (Wynnona) Review

Protecting your children in the car is one of the most important, and vital ways you can keep them safe. Between distracted drivers and more traffic on the road than ever before, a secure car seat is a necessity. Graco has been trusted since 1942, and continues to excel in baby products designed for safety and security.

The Milestone with Safety Surround is no exception to this standard, and we’re big fans. It’s a seat that can grow with your family, as your child develops. It is a true three in one, ranging from the earliest days, supporting babies at 5 pounds, up to full booster capabilities at 100 lbs.

This car seat has versatility and safety as its two main guideposts, working to support your child through their entire car seat journey. Initial padding and barriers are designed with comfort and care, perfect to cradle the smallest bodies from the bumps and swerves on the road.

The Simply Safe Adjust Harness System is present from this car seat’s first ride to its last, ensuring that little heads are protected, and strapped into the car correctly. Greco introduced an InRIght Latch system, which makes the installation easy and secure, and every seat they produce has careful engineering and side-impact testing to make sure that all bases are covered, every ride.

As your child grows, the seat will adapt with them. The 4-position recline features allow children to stay comfortable and protected, regardless of their age. There is also the included cup holder, perfect for sippy cups, snacks, and any number of treats to keep your kids happy.

Our team doesn’t just trust anyone with car seat safety, but Greco absolutely makes the cut, and this is no exception.

Cosco Funsport Deluxe Play Yard Review

The Cosco Funsport Deluxe Play Yard is the perfect portable playpen for any family or age. Play yards make parenting on the go so much easier, providing a perfect place for nap time, play time, or even a bed on the go.

The Cosco Funsport in particular combines a toy arch and bassinet feature, allowing for growth and flexibility as your child ages. This could be an excellent second sleeping option for children who are having trouble sleeping alone, or who need consistent care through the night. Keep newborns close at hand, while getting as much sleep as possible.

As your child grows, the bassinet can be lowered for safety, and eventually serve as both a bed, and a play place for wiggly bodies who are eager to explore. Keep kids safe, contained, and with age appropriate toys when you need to step away temporarily.

The Cosco Funsport is lightweight and easy to set up, as well as easy to move. The wheels on the bottom half of the play yard allow it to be wheeled to another room, without needing to collapse it entirely, removing blankets and toys. Once the four sides are secured, children can be safely placed inside again, and the fun can continue as you cook a meal, or work on laundry, children close at hand. There’s a fun toy arch which could prove entertaining for younger babies, and it can be safely removed as children age and no longer play.

Furthermore, we found this to be particularly useful when traveling, or visiting friends. When kids needed to take a nap, or have some quiet time away, we found a spare corner or an unused bedroom, and set this up. Nap crisis averted! All four sides of the play yard are mesh, which means that one can safely place a blanket over the top of the frame when helping older children sleep, should they be sensitive to light.

Weighing in at roughly 20 lbs, it’s also incredibly useful to bring on vacations, packing up into a compact and portable carry bag, bringing a safe place to both play and sleep wherever you may go.

The bright, minty green spritz color adds a splash and a pop to the other black fabric elements, while fitting into any existing nursery aesthetic. This is a play yard we used time and time again, and we would absolutely recommend it to all our friends. 4.5/5

Evenflo Amp High Back Booster Car Seat (Sprocket / Black, 31911431) Review

Sprocket by Evenflow brings you a lightweight and easy to install booster seat, perfect for those just old enough to move out of a traditional car seat, but for those not quite ready to sit on their own.

The Evenflo Amp comes with a cool, big kid style and crazy comfort. The dual side impact headrests provide maximum protection, even without the harness system found in seats for younger riders. As children age, the back part of the lightweight seat pops off, and works help kids stay elevated and safe during their ride.

The dual cupholders are perfect for keeping drinks and snacks handy, along with crayons small toys, for longer rides in the car. Coming in at under $40, and super lightweight, this is an excellent booster, perfect for regular, daily use. It’s also a great option for other family member or friends to keep in their cars, as necessary.

The cover is dark, and doesn’t show stains easily, and we can’t seem to find any downside. 4.5/5.

Mobicam Multi-Purpose Wi-Fi Video Baby Monitor Monitoring System Camera Review

When looking for a baby monitor, so many of the features of the past have been bypassed, in favor of newer technologies. Instead of listening for audio, we have newer cameras, which can connect to smart phones, and give us all the content we might need to watch over our child.

Our team was impressed by the Mobicam Wifi Video Baby Monitor system, and we here are a few of the reasons why.

Price Coming in under $40 a piece was a huge selling point. There are many cameras offering the same features at hundreds of dollars or more, and our needs were for something that was reliable, and easy to install, without making everything more complicated. The Mobicam is a perfect single unit, with monitoring done through our phone or tablet. This is so much easier than carrying around a second monitor with us, and the wifi capabilities even meant that we could check the monitor when not at home, like during a date when a babysitter was over.

HD Video with Nightvision

Audio-only monitors leave something to be desired; we can’t always check to see if a child is simply stirring in regular sleep, or if they’re awake or ill. HD video and audio monitoring with night vision allow new parents to rest assured that their quiet child is still happy and secure, and that a fussy child who is learning to self soothe is still doing alright. Walking into a room to check can be incredibly disruptive, and can wake a baby who was on the brink of sleeping again. We don’t need night lights to monitor action, as the night vision capability keeps us well informed in the dark.

The Mobicam also has the ability to record audio and video on an SD card, should that be a desire; this is especially useful if one is closely monitoring a child for sleep-related health concerns, and they wish to have a copy of that footage to share with a healthcare provider.

App Integration

We LOVE gadgets that can connect us to apps. This allows for so much more portability and flexibility during nap and quiet time; we can feel free to roam the house, or be in another area entirely, like in the garage or garden, while the monitor ensures that we won’t miss a thing. Family members with the app can also check from anywhere, encouraging connection between parents throughout the day. This is a great chance to watch younger children as they play, both parents enjoying the moment at the same time, even while one is away.

Versatility and multi-device connection

We also found this Mobicam to be versatile and inexpensive enough to justify purchasing another for a different room. This monitor doesn’t need to be specifically for babies, in fact it could be useful in a variety of capacities- and the multi-device connection can really help with that. This device and its magnetic base could be perfect to check on pets, especially newer furry family members, the Mobicam could also sit in a window allowing for a great view of your backyard as your children play.

Beyond night monitoring needs, this could be an excellent tool for playrooms or any space where some light monitoring might be useful. Multiple Mobicam devices can be linked at a time, allowing users to view multiple streams at once.This could be game changing for families with multiple children. This could be especially useful for a slightly older child’s bedroom, (with their knowledge) who may not need constant attention, but could use an occasional watchful eye when playing by themselves, or during quiet time.

Two way audio

We often imagine audio being vital for parents, to hear what their children are up to. And while this is extremely useful, it can be even better when parents can communicate between rooms or areas of the house without shouting.

Tell your kids it’s dinner time, or answer a question about the time. The Mobicam’s two way audio streams allow gentle voices to soothe restless sleepers, and connect with other family members, no matter their location.

The Mobicam proves itself to be a cost-efficient option for all kinds of families and their needs, with multi-device connection, perfect for you to start with one, and expand to other devices as your own needs grow. 4.5/5

Barbie Careers Baby Doctor Playset Review

When looking for a cute addition for your daughter’s doll + accessories collection, look no further than the Barbie Careers Baby Doctor Playset. This set is recommended for ages 3 and up and comes with Barbie in scrubs, Barbie’s 2 baby patients, blankets, exam table & tub. This is a great gift item as well.

The Barbie Careers collection has portrayed Barbie in over 200 different inspirational careers since 1959 and, more recently, has included themed Barbies, like the Barbie Careers Baby Doctor Playset, in their push to include more STEM fields.

The idea behind Mattel’s promotion of the Barbie careers collection is that, with the 200+ inspirational career-themed Barbies, kids are given the option to explore various careers and learn new things about them.

To see a full list of Barbie’s Careers, visit the Barbie’s careers page on Wikipedia.