CitiBlocs are toys that are safe and also require your child to turn their own ideas into reality. They’re small, light wooden blocks precisely cut from Grade A Radiata Pine from certified renewable forests in New Zealand. They’re high quality wooden construction blocks with no glue, snaps, connectors or magnets to make you fearful of choking hazards or chemicals. The items your child constructs with their blocks are created from their imagination using gravity, balance and creativity. CitiBlocs won 14 industry awards their first year in business and are also the cover toy in Good Housekeeping magazine’s Best Toys (list of 7 toys) for their age group. They’re also a Parenting magazine Best Toys and have been featured on the TODAY show.

My daughter loves playing with the CitiBlocs. In fact, we turn it into an entire family activity. She helps us stack all of the blocks into different items and then smashes them. What’s funny is that she’s also turned them into money. She hands out money to us telling us how much each block is worth. The possibilities are really endless on what they can create. The blocks are cars, buildings, money, train tracks, a house, anything you can think of, they can create. CitiBlocs are also non-toxic, so if you catch them with a block in their mouth, you don’t need to be worried!

Sarah: I dumped out the CitiBlocs and my daughter went crazy.  I was surprised, but she knew exactly what they were for.  She must have snuck a look at the box.  She screamed “CASTLE!” and the building race was on.  We made a family event out of it and made several different structures.  She then decided it was time to build a castle for her Yo Gabba Gabba friends… There HAD to be a ramp for them to all walk up, which I thought was pretty smart!  I love that these products really encourage creativity.  She was SO PROUD when she was done.

Want to buy a set of CitiBlocs? Head over to their site here and you’ll see that their blocks are safe, afforadable and fun!

Want to win a set of CitiBlocs? CitiBlocs has an exciting opportunity for our ITKM readers. We have one set of them to GIVE AWAY! Such a great toy to win especially before the holiday season.

To Enter: leave a comment below telling us if your choice of CitiBlocs 52-piece natural, 54-piece red/blue, orange/yellow, green/teal or white/black sets. Click here to see their entire line of products.

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Giveaway ends Sunday, December 6 at Midnight Pacific.

Zutano is a bright and colorful clothing company found by a mom and dad team.  They are both artists so clearly there is no lack of creativity between the two of them. Their fun designs and quality fabrics make for cute and durable clothing.  I really appreciate that the items are made to mix and match, creating more outfit possibilities.

Head on over to the Itzy Bitzy store hereand see all of the adorable infant apparel. Itzy bitzy is Zutano’s preemie and newborn store.  Their premium newborn clothes are available in two sizes: 4-8 lbs and 9-13 lbs.  It is often difficult to find clothing for your teenie tiny preemie.  All that is usually available are sleep sacks that they swim in, or plain pastel onesies (that they swim in).  Zutano has really filled the gap in the baby market, and with colorful and modern designs, perfect for your new tiny addition.  And yes, now you have options, they even carry dresses!

Our Tots in some Zutano gear:  TODDLER LINES Find a retail store in your area.

All pieces of clothing we tested are extremely soft and comfortable.  My daughter refuses to take off the blue jumper… no really.  She puts it on over her pajamas!  I was told that’s how princesses sleep.  The great thing is, the materials are so soft, she really can sleep in them!

Erin: I was a huge fan of Zutano when my daughter was first born. Their bright colors and fun prints were such a breath of fresh air from the light pink onesies that everyone else sells. I must admit, I really didn’t realize that Zutano also made clothes for toddlers, so I’m extremely excited to know that they do! Their clothes are made with the softest fabrics and with the durability that every child needs. Their clothes don’t shrink and are so comfortable that your children will never want to take them off. I’m so excited to add fun, bright items back into my daughter’s wardrobe. Zutano never disappoints and their Red Jumper will be her Christmas Day Outfit this year.

Zutano is offering a $75 gift card for the Itzy Bitzy store to one lucky reader!! To enter, comment below telling us which Zutano product you like best.  Check out the site here.  For extra chances to win:

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Contest ends December 6th 2009 at Midnight PST.

Follow Zutano on TWITTER and join their FACEBOOK fan page.

Thanks to Zutano for providing samples for this review

Thank you again to Putumayo for a fantastic giveaway for the Holidays!  The two winners are: Jen Eason and Sarah!  Winners have been emailed.

To purchase your own Christmas CD, head over to Putumayo.

The winner of the Plan Toys Airport is Rachel S.!!! Congratulations Rachel!! Thank you SO MUCH to Plan Toys for the AMAZING giveaway!! If you didn’t win the Airport, head over to Plan Toys here and pick up one of their impressive toys before the holidays!! The winner was randomly chosen via Random.org and has been emailed.

I know that we have a lot of photographer parents out there that are regular readers on our site. I recently came across Kelly Willette’s Portrait Cookbook, which quickly helps you understand room settings and poses that will surely be frame-worthy.  Such a great item to have as we’re all scrambling for the best shots of our kids to add to the holiday cards or as gifts for family members. Her Portrait Cook Books come in four books: Posing Children, Posing Siblings, Posing Families and Posing Seniors. The Cookbook is geared towards Children’s Photographers looking for more variety on poses and Mommies with cameras looking for inspiration. This is a fool proof guide for amazing shots.

The portrait Cookbook when purchased, comes in a downloadable zip file with jpg files of the cards and checklists sized at 4×5 and pdf files of the checklists. You receive 28 pose cards, 10 room cards, posing checklist, equipment checklist, how-to instructions and an example of a session from start to finish using the Portrait Cookbook poses. I was lucky enough to check out the Portrait Cookbook myself and have to tell you that I’ve learned so much already and I’ve only made it through a few of the poses with my daughter. 

Kelly has an amazing offer for our ITKM readers!!! She’s offering a 10% off coupon for her Portrait Cookbooks when you use the code intheknowmom during checkout. Hurry though, offer ends December 15, 2009!! Click here to browse through Kelly’s site and let her work inspire you just as it did me! 

How many times do you sit there with a spoon in your hand calling your child’s name, making all types of weird noises to get their attention so that they look at the spoon coming towards their mouth? Our daughter was always distracted with something when we were trying to get her to eat. As parents, we’ve been pretending spoons are flying airplanes for years. In fact, I have memories of my parents doing the spoon airplane when I was little! Zoom Spoon was created to make our lives a little easier. There’s a light in the cockpit of the plane that flashes when you press the little button on the side while simultaneously playing music as it flies through the air capturing your child’s attention.

The Zoom Spoon also comes with a small book titled Finicky Philip the Picky Eater. It’s a short story about a little baby boy who doesn’t like to eat his food, but loves playing with it. This is a great gift for any new mom! The spoon easily detaches from the plane so that your little one can have fun playing with the airplane. The Zoom Spoon comes with three extra spoons that are all dishwasher safe. 

Click here to read more about Zoom Spoon and to buy it online or find a local retailer to see it for yourself!

Thanks to Zoom Spoon for providing samples for this review

With Thanksgiving behind us, it’s time to focus on the next upcoming holidays. One big decision will be which cards to send.  I know, I know, it’s SO popular to send out photo cards with your family’s Christmas picture.  But if you go traditional, you might like some of these finds.  I like to make my holiday cards unique and handmade (just not by my lazy self).  So I head over to Etsy of course!  Here are a few finds:

Who I used last year:  Redbean Design

Creative designs from Ink Drop Design

Real pressed flowers on these cards from Studio Flower Power

Adorable designs from Short Stacked Press

Eco-friendly cards (100% recycled materials) from Turn Around Design

My daughter is turning 3 in just over a month.  She’s in this stage where she doesn’t like the tricycle anymore, and has trouble with them (long legs), but she’s not quite ready for a bike.  I know I can pop training wheels on the bike, but then she isn’t learning to balance, only to pedal.  So what if we teach them to balance first, then pedal?  I think this is genius.  This idea has been around for awhile (run bikes) but KaZAM is the first to create a foot rest, which, once again, is genius.  The children can now lift their feet and rest them while they practice their balance, soaring down the path.  They want to stop?  Simply put your feet down to brake, no pedals getting in the way.  I can still remember banging my heels on the pedals as a young child bruising up my legs.  The KaZAM will help your child skip the training wheels (those are for babies) and build their confidence, balance, and coordination.  This bike is perfect for 3-6 year olds learning to ride a bike, weight capacity 55 lbs.  The bike is extremely easy to out together and took about 3 minutes total.

How it works:

* Place bike on a smooth, flat surface.

* Sit helmeted child on the seat, feet on the ground.  Lean slightly forward and grip front handles.

* Push the bike alternating feet continuously to propel the bike.

* place feet on footrest and enjoy gliding while maintaining center of gravity.

Watch the Demo Video here!!

My daughter’s KaZAM experience:  Since she is just turning 3 I was interested to see how she would adapt to the running bike.  She got SO frustrated at first and said “I never do it” and walked away.  That broke my heart.  But I let it go for a couple of days.  Then I took her out to get the “California Mail” and told her she had to ride her bike to get it.  She agreed.  With some coaxing and some encouraging, she really got it!  And best of all, she loved it! I’m excited to see how well she rides the bike in the future.  It is of top quality; I know it will last her till she is ready for a real two-wheel pedal bike.  Please wear a helmet for safety!!!

KaZAM is offering a Holiday Promotion for a $20 discount plus free shipping on either blue or pink bike!  Simply enter the appropriate coupon code at checkout – holidayblue or holidaypink. Purchase!

KaZAM awards:

1. Oppenheim  Toy Portfolio – 2009 Best Toy Award given to outstanding new products that enhance the lives of children.  Here

2. Dr. Toy Awards: Dr. Toy’s 10 Best Active Products – 2009; Dr. Toy’s 100 Best Children’s Products – 2009.  Here

3. best TOYS guide.com: Best Toys 2009.  Here

Ever have your child accidentally lock themselves in a room? You find yourself frantically running around your house knowing that they were just at your feet a second ago. You immediately check all the dangerous rooms while screaming their name. Bathroom number one. Nope. Then you run across to the other side of the house until you find them and almost break down in tears before scolding them for scaring you. Somehow my daughter locked herself our garage once. She was looking for her dad and couldn’t turn the knob to get back in. I almost had a heart attack because her yells were so muffled that it took me longer to find her. About 2 1/2 million children are injured or killed by hazards in the home each year. Digitsavers created their adorable plush animals that prevent children from locking themselves in rooms and they also prevent small fingers and hands from being pinched or crushed in doors and hinges.

Digitsavers fit over most door knobs and lever handles. It’s easy to install and will not damage your hinges or door frames like a lot of other products on the market. It’s made from the softest polyester reinforced with cotton in bright and fun colors. Makes it so hard to choose your favorite because each one is cuter than the last.

I installed my DigitSaver on the door in my daughter’s bathroom to the toilet and bathtub. I was able to attach mine to my lever handles in just a few short seconds, and it really blended in versus sticking out and being tacky. Bathrooms are such a dangerous place for her ever to be locked in and this will prevent that from ever happening. Click here to purchase your own Digitsaver to prevent something awful from ever happening in your home.

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Thanks to DigitSaver for providing samples for this review

This is the BIGGEST crib recall in United States history says U.S. Today. 2.1 million cribs from Stork Craft Manufacturing are being recalled after four babies have suffocated and died in their cribs.  About 150,000 of these cribs have the Fisher Price logo on them.  What is really scary is that the recalled cribs start at a manufacture date of 1993 and up to the recent October 2009.  These drop-side cribs have issues with their hardware which can break or become deformed and can be assembled incorrectly which creates a dangerous space between the side of the crib and the mattress. This space can trap a child.

These cribs were sold at Sears, Wal-Mart, Target, Cosco, and BJ’s.  The cribs sold for $100-$400.  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is asking parents to stop using the cribs until they are able to receive a free repair kit from Stork Craft.

Consumer advocates have complained for years about drop-side cribs. More than 5 million of them have been recalled over the past two years alone, associated with the deaths of a dozen young children.  Toys R Us started phasing out drop-side cribs this year and no longer will carry them next month.  If you have a drop-side crib, please be advised, and if your crib is manufactured by Stork Craft, please contact them toll-free at (877) 274-0277, or log on to www.storkcraft.com. Repair kits to make drop-side crib panels stationary appears to be the short term solution, but in the long run, parents might be advised to avoid this style of crib altogether, much like the cribs with the wide railing openings or slats used by a previous generation.

Flashcard Ring: Animal ABC, Opposites, Rhymes purchase at Barefoot Books here.

New Boon Bath Toys like Ring Splat and Water Bugs: purchase here.

Color Me Cushion Animals by Zid Zid.  These clean forms and soft washable fabric are the perfect canvas for your little one’s art. Use washable or permanent markers, tempera paints, buttons, ribbons, bells, and fabric scraps. Purchase here.

Eric Carle Touch and Feel Stroller Cards. Each set features 5 double-sided cards with engaging textures and pictures. Easy to attach to a stroller, backpack, or diaper bag, these cards won’t get lost, and the interactive touch-and-feel feature makes them great independent entertainment for toddlers on the go. Purchase here.

And also, Big Trucks and Diggers Touch and Feel Stroller Cards by Caterpillar.

Under The Nile soft Egyptian cotton fruits and vegetables. Purchase here.

Felt Hair Clips by Siiri.  Purchase here.

Scrubbies by Rich Frog.  Purchase here.

Musical instruments by Trophy Music.  Purchase here.

Lacing toys by Bajo.  Purchase here.

I recently came across a little shop called INK+WIT that specializes in letterpress prints, stationery, limited editions, custom designs and original work. The highly creative illustrations and designs found there are all the work of the talented, Tara Hogan. Just this Fall, they released a new Aesop’s Fables Hare and Tortoise Poster, which beautifully captures the classic tale that we all fell in love with as a child. Aesop’s Fables also include some other classic tales like “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”, “The Goose With The Golden Eggs” and several others. The poster is printed with soy based ink on 100% post consumer recycled paper. I love when I find gorgeous items that are also green and earth friendly. The print even comes packaged in an eco-friendly recycled Kraft tube mailer. Such a beautiful folklore to add to your child’s bedroom that is truly a piece of art.

Click here to browse through all of INK+WIT’s items. If you email your order to info@inkandwit.com you’ll receive free shipping within the USA only. CODE: IWaesops

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