Haba Pipapo Rattle

My 6 mo. old loves this toy he can flip the circles around and around because they're on an elastic band, and he shakes it around too. i feel better knowing he's not chewing on plastic.

We purchased this toy as part of our 4-month old's "natural" and wooden toy collection to replace his plastic (and made-in-China) toys. We like it because it is made in Germany and is created with all water-based non-toxic stains on natural wood. He loves it for many reasons the sounds that it makes, the fact that he can wrap his tiny fingers around the rings, and it is one of his first choices to teeth on as well (he has 2 teeth and working on more). We will be purchasing additional toys from this company in the future.

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My 9 month old son got this toy when he was 6 months. At 6 months he wasn't as interested in it, but as he gets older he enjoys the fact that he can rotate the rings, move the balls & disks, and squash the toy.

It's also great to chew on since he's teething, and I feel great letting him chew on a natural wood toy instead of something plastic. It's easily stuffed into a diaper bag, and keeps him entertained as well if not better than most of his other wood toys.

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This seemed like a neat toy until my 6 mo old son dropped it from his high chair and it broke.

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This toy has been through two baby boys and still looks brand new. Both of them loved it. Very easy for little hands to hold. I have bought it for other little ones because my kids loved it so much. This will be a toy that I save for my grandkids to play with.

Baby Einstein Musical Motion Activity Jumper

I used both the Baby Einstein Musical Motion Activity Jumper and the Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo. While both are good jumpers overall I prefer the Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo.

Amount of Bounce: This is one of the biggest differences between the two jumpers. The Baby Einstein jumper does not have a lot of bounce, in fact it has less bounce then any other jumper I've tried. The Rainforest Jumperoo has a lot of bounce to it so baby can have lots of fun with it. I think the difference may be due to where the elastic cords are attached and how long they are-on the Baby Einstein Jumper they are attached out to the side and are relatively short whereas on the Fisher Price Jumperoo they are attached up high and are longer.

Durability: The piano on the Baby Einstein Jumper broke within a few weeks. I contacted the company and they sent out a replacement for free but it was still annoying to have to deal with. I have not had any problems with the Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo.

Toys: My son loved the piano on the Baby Einstein Jumper but didn't really care for any of the other toys. He enjoyed all of the toys on the Fisher Price Jumperoo especially the spinning bead ball.

Adjustability: The Baby Einstein Jumper has five different height settings whereas the Fisher Price Jumperoo only has three. The height settings start much lower on the Baby Einstein Jumper making it the better option for younger/shorter babies. The highest height setting on the Baby Einstein is significantly shorter than on the Fisher Price Jumperoo. It is much easier to change the setting on the Baby Einstein Jumper than on the Fisher Price Jumperoo. On the Baby Einstein Jumper you just turn the knobs along the support poles and move them up to the next notch. On the Fisher Price Jumperoo you have to unthread and rethread the lines holding the jumperoo in place which is a major pain.

Height/Weight Limits: The Baby Einstein Jumper goes up to 25 pounds and 30 inches. The Fisher Price Jumperoo goes up to 25 pounds and 32 inches.

If you're a parent who bought this and the piano/music box insert is broken, call Kids 2 at 1-800-230-8190 and ask for a replacement. Apparently this part has broken so many times that they don't ask any questions. It is also so common that the part is on backorder, so you will want to call them right away. See the rest of my review for more details, but I wanted to save some unfortunate parent some precious time so I put this at the top.

My 4-month-old loved this from the first moment she sat in it. She could spend an hour in it easily. She especially liked banging on the piano/music box insert. Unfortunately, this was short lived as the piano/music box stopped working after only 2 weeks. We replaced the batteries, but the box never worked again. I did some research online and discovered that other parents had complained about the same problem. They had suggested calling the manufacturer for a replacement, but no one had the number.

After a few calls around, I finally contacted Kids 2 and they offered to ship a replacement out in a month. Six weeks later, I called to check on it and was told that "things are often delayed from China and this is on back order". When I asked how long it would be I was told maybe another 4 to 6 weeks. Thats a total of over three months to get a replacement part from the manufacturer. Thats IF they actually deliver this time. I'm not holding my breath. I won't be buying any Kids 2 products again any time soon.

Without the piano unit, there are really only 2 sections of the exerciser left to entertain the baby. She enjoys chewing on the sunflower, but that section has no other toys, so the other 2 inserts get most of her attention. Thankfully, the bouncer also has loops to attach other toys.

If it weren't for the fact that we could attach other toys, she would have really missed that piano.

In summation, I would have given this product five stars if it weren't for that piano. My daughter loved it. She still likes playing in the Jumper and we use it every day. I took one star away for an obviously defective piece of equipment. I took another star away for the ridiculously long time it is going to take for the replacement to arrive. If you're one of the lucky parents that didn't get a defective music insert, then I'll bet you'll love this product.

UPDATE August 1, 2008

So I got the replacement for the piano insert and, as I thought, it broke about 2 weeks after we received it. I called Baby Einstein customer support (1-800-793-1454 Prompt #5) and they were fantastic. They contacted Kids 2 for me and requested a refund for the full price of the toy. Kids 2 called me and were very apologetic and accommodating. They are sending out a refund check as well as another replacement piano insert. My daughter still loves the toy and uses the piano every day (when it works). I wanted to let you all know that the customer support with Baby Einstein is amazing. If you do get a broken bouncer, you will get great support from the Baby Einstein support staff (Mary and Donna).

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I can't say enough about this jumper. We have a VERY active little boy and with this jumper, he met his match. We started him in this at 4 months old. He liked it but didn't do much in it but play with the toys for the first couple of weeks and then all of a sudden, he was bouncing like crazy. He could seriously spend an hour in this while I emptied the dishwasher, fixed his food etc... He's 7 and a half months now and he still loves it. The only negative thing I can say is that I wish I could swap the toys out with new ones (the Evenflow has this option but doesn't bounce like this one) Also, the piano stopped working on this after a couple of months.

Regardless, he loves this more than any other jumper we've purchased (three so far).

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My son currently has the Rainforest Jumperoo and he loved it so much I thought I would get him another jumper to keep at his daycare for him.

I really likes the looks and activities that the Baby Einstien jumper ha and since it was a little bit different with activities and sort, I bought one.

I have to say right away, this jumper is extremely tight as far as jumping is concerened. The springs are very stiff and when my son tried to jump, it barely moved. He is 8 months old and quite strong. He got tired of this jumper very quickly and wanted to go back to his Rainforest Jumperoo. And once I put him in his other jumper, he was as happy as a lark! Jumping away like mad.

Now the good point is that it folds up more easily and compact than the Rainforest Jumperoo and it doesnt unfold when tring to move it place to place. Thats a plus!

But as far as the jumping goes, no way! het the Rainforest Jumperoo, that is so much better!!!!!

I already got rid of the Baby Einstien Jumper!! Thumbs down!

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I bought this Jumper when my twins were 5 months old. Now they're 7 months old, and they still love it. They'll jump in it for hours!

I haven't had any issues with the keyboard, luckily. The jumper has a ton of attachment points for new toys all around it. It's got a good, solid frame. Definitely worth the money!

Shutter Huggers Giraffe Shutter Hugger GIR001

I learned about this product while watching Bethany Frankel's TV show. The creator, who is a professional photographer, was featured and I thought if Bethany felt comfortable to have her on there then there must be something to it. I'm a prof photographer in my own mind and made my husband get me all the gear. I figure a few great pics is worth more than a ton of eyes closed, heads turned etc. and this product has really helped me step-up my game. My 2-yr old loves this dog and it's one she can really relate to (we have 3)!! It's really great when her little friends are over and I can get 2/3 toddler's eyes all looking at me at the same time...which I had pretty much written off!!! Not sure why the previous reviewer claims it doesn't fit on the larger lenses, it fits mine just fine. I usually don't review items but this product has really helped me and I felt the previous reviewer was wrong about the limits of the product. Hope this helps!!

This little Giraffe, accomplishes the job of having the child's eyes on the camera!It's a little tough to put on the lens at times, and sometimes gets in way of the flash. Other than that, it's great!

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It is functional in getting your child to look at the camera. That's what it's made to do! Well, I never thought of the fact that if I got down on my child's level that she was going to just grab at my lens now. Instead of looking at it and being entertained and smiling she ends up going for it. Overall, a great idea that just doesn't pan out in practice. Still, not a bad product for a few quick shot uses.

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This was really fun to use with kids. They responded really well to it. The only bad thing is if you are using the pop up flash on your camera, then the head blocks it.

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I just have to say that I really think this is an awesome product and it really does help direct your kids' attention to the camera. I have a 1-year old and a 2 1/2-year old so you can imagine how all our family pictures look. I needed all the help I could get! Plus, it fits easily right on my Canon Rebel so home pics are sooo much better. Fantastic idea and product!

Symphony in B Music Toy

This is a wonderful toy that can be enjoyed by both children and adults. The musical quality is great. In addition to providing auditory stimulation, it also provides tactile stimulation and fosters hand/eye coordination. Educational features for little ones include helping to teach colors, shapes, and cause and effect. Older children can learn about the sound of various instruments and develop an appreciation for music. This toy can be used in groups as well as for individual play. I've seen people of all age groups (infants to an elderly individuals)and ability levels (developmentally delayed, dementia) enjoying this toy. Did I say that it's just plain fun? I highly recommend the toy, but I encourage you to check around for the best price. Here on Amazon, it is currently listed at $61.60, while at Target, it's $39.99.

12/9/12--It's up to $49.99 at Target, but $84.99 on Amazon? So much variation in price...

We all LOVE this toy....and as the other reviewer noted, I have as much fun playing with it as my 2 year old daughter does. There are so many ways to learn with the toy as well at the most basic level: colors, shapes, sounds -but also an exploration of melody vs. harmony, woodwinds vs. brass, not to mention all the wide variety of instruments (koto, accordian, and sitar to name some of the more exotic options). The pieces themselves feel great to the touch (and I can imagine a child who is sensitive to those types of things would really find them particularly engaging). The shape-sorter element is a little tricky (even for me sometimes ha!), but a nice challenge. The quality of the sound itself is very rich and not tin-like or electronic-sounding at all; it really sounds like you have an orchestra in your room! The song selections are varied and engaging (from beautiful classical classics to standard childrens' songs you can see a list of them all if you visit B. Toys' website). I will note that this toy can be purchased for almost twenty bucks cheaper at target. My other caveat is that although ours has never broken it can be finicky and take a little jiggling (turning on and off, with fingers crossed) before it works (and there is a sticker on the toy which acknowledges this and provides recommendations). The company seems really great and has advised that if you lose a piece, they'll send you a new one but there is a great storage section in the back where all the pieces fit. If you google "please mom toys symphony in b" you should be able to get more info and there's a demo on b. toys' website too. It is a pricey item, but if you're buying it as a gift for two kids to share or as a special birthday/christmas present, I think you'll be happy with it in the long run. We are!!! Almost a year later (I think?): we still love this, but I only take it out once in a while because I'm nervous about all the pieces. My 32-month old really just likes the music though the fact that she can click the demo button and change the songs...and then she stacks up the instruments...I don't think she's getting the full value of it yet, but I like to play with it myself. Note the current price here of nearly a hundred bucks is insane. I think it's thirty at target.

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I am 35, and I had so much fun playing with this toy (my mom bought it for my daughter, who is not old enough yet to play with it). The ages recommended should be 3-83

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This is an amazing toy with one serious flaw, and that's the DEMO button.

My two year-old instantly realized that to hear the music, just push the DEMO button.

This cancels out the PLAY button and any ability to add/subtract instruments, which is the entire point of the toy.

So, if you're handy and have size small and extra-small phillip screwdrivers, razor knife and pliers, then here's a "hack":

1. Flip it over and remove the batteries for safety.

2. Remove every screw on the bottom except for the ones appearing to hold the speakers.

3. Carefully lift the base off and you'll have access to the little circuit board that holds the DEMO button.

4. Remove that little circuit board and the DEMO button will fall out.

5. Take a razor knife and cut out the guts of that button, like you're taking the seeds out of a melon. I cut the four lines of plastic, then used a pliers to twist it out.

6. Put everything back together and Voilá! the DEMO button is deactivated.

And it is now a perfect toy!

One criticism-

The batteries included with the toy last about two weeks.

So if your toy starts glitching and you think it's broken, it's probably the batteries.

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I saw this in a store and knew I had to get it for my kids. They love it, but I play with it even more than they do. It is truly outstanding. The songs are great and the sound quality is wonderful. I love that the accompanying instruments play different melodies that are like listening to completely different songs. I want to buy one of these for every kid on the planet.

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Prank Pack Crib Dribbler

I received this as a gag gift at my baby shower, but ultimately decided to try it out once my baby could hold her head up and crawl around a little. It works well as a formula feeder, although the mouth is far wider than the nipple on a standard bottle, so that wasn't too well thought out. Eventually the child drowned in formula. If I have a second child I might try this again, but since my first one didn't survive I may also just sell this on Craigslist.

Ninja edit: Yes, it's JUST A BOX. No actual product included. And, think back to all the other boxes you've seen: I bet you $10 you've never seen a better box in your life! Fact.

This gift was a God-send! I always thought that raising children would be no different from raising hamsters and guinea pigs and now the world will know! I'm looking forward towards the development of a habitrail and hamster balls for babies. We also look forward to potty training little Charlie in his own little litter box!

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My husband gave this to me as a joke. We are expecting our first child. I laughed so hard. Everyone thought it was real. We all enjoyed it.

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My daughter just had her first child and we put one of her CHristmas gift in the box and when she opened it our younger son went crazy saying "That's the coolest this I ever saw!" (He absolutely thought it was the real deal) HYSTERICAL!

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nothing in it. empty. flat. box. I knew this BEFORE I made the purchase and got exactly what i was expecting! I gave this to my coworker for her baby shower and she just about died of laughter. She thought it was an awesome gift ... until she realized that that is child neglect ;) haha Best. Gift. EVER. :)

Aqua Leisure SunSmart Buggy float - Girl's Flower Sunshade Buggy

I bought this for an upcoming trip to Maui so it wasn't opened until we got ready to walk to the pool at our resort. The stopper was difficult to close and kept popping open. Once we got it to bend shut, it was deflating after just a few minutes ---quite dangerous if you think about your child in the water. The steering wheel had a separate stopper and it never closed so that was a complete flop.

Did they not even test a single product before putting it on the market??

All the other little kiddies at the pool had such cute floats. I got ripped off.

Julia in Portland

I ordered this product because the photograph is of the pink & purple buggy float. However, I received the all pink buggy float. The all pink buggy float was available at a local retailer for much less than I paid. I also found the shipping cost to be excessive.

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Ketchup Kids Costume - Child Medium

My son wanted to be ketchup for Halloween this year. He normally wears size 5T, but this fit him fine even though it says it's for size 7-10. Even the hat fit well. It's really cute, simple to get on and off and worked well both over his regular clothes and over a jacket. It held up to nearly two full days of parties and trick or treating without damage, which is better than I expected. The only negative was that the padded material is only in the front, the back is a thinner fabric that doesn't stick out, so it isn't clear what the costume is when viewed from behind.

When product arrived, I saw in the tag that it was made exclusively for Kmart by Totally Ghoul. Price online for Ketchup, Mustard and Hotdog is much higher. At Kmart, these costumes are selling for around $12!

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One of my twins went as mustard and the other went as ketchup for Halloween. Their costumes got a lot of comments and interest even from the newspaper photographer.

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Steiff Sleep Well Bear Music Box Blue

Loved the Steiff bear but was a little dissapointed with the music, not very soothing expected a better music quality.

The bear (Steiff) is great in all aspects.

Fisher-Price Tippin Tiger Ball Toss

I really though my son was going to like this toy since he loves anything with balls, but I have to say that it was poorly made. When my son would drop the balls in to the basket sometimes they would just stay in the basket and not go anywhere, other times they would just roll down the hole with out even tipping it enough to set off the sensor for the light and music. For it to play music my son would have to tip it himself with his hands because the balls are not enough to do it. The music is the same song and saying all the time and just the nose lights up. My son played with balls alone more than he ever played with the actual toys. I would not recommend it.

The manual clearly states: "Drop balls in the basket... for fun sounds, music and lights." This is not what the toy actually does the tipping action has to be activated by the user (in this case, my 7 month-old) and so is not the positive reinforcement toy I had hoped for.

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Sure... it still standing, but about the stupidest toy ever. My daughter "loves" it... for about two seconds when she remembers its boring. As other reviews say, it does not work as advertised. You can throw those balls all day long and it will not make noise unless you physically push the net. Also, the tail does take up some room. Not that bad, unless you're dealing with a storage shortage. Don't waste your money or you space!

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I purchased this toy on a whim while walking through Wal-Mart a couple weeks after Christmas. It was seriously marked down, I think I paid about $12 for it...it's not worth even that. This toy implies that by throwing the balls into the basket the head/basket area moves side to side, lights up, and sings...WRONG!!!

The three balls are FAR too light to make the head move. You have to manually move it to make the nose light up, and it only plays one song over and over. You can't see in the stock photo they show, but there's a giant plastic tail in the back of this toy that makes storing it extremely akward...it takes up much more space then you may thing. Overall, I say PASS. Spend the money you'd use on this piece of junk, and buy something that does what it says it will do!

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There are many toys available for the same price that are much more fun and educational for your baby. I have two young boys and they pretty much ignore this toy. We have a Fisher Price gumball machine that is the same concept that has become their favorite (and every other child who comes to my home) toy. The gumball machine offers the same "place ball here and retreive it here" concept and is much more stimulating with songs and lights. The busy ball popper is also another suggestion that is a favorite toy. Please don't waste your money! Oh and there is a bar that comes out of the rear of the toy that takes up a bunch of space.

Fisher-Price Little People® Bath Time Bubble Books

I bought this book for a 1-year-old's birthday thinking it was a set of 4 books (Read the advertisement, and you'll know what I mean.). It's perfect for bath time reading with babies and toddlers; however, it's way too expensive for just one book.

Freddy the Baby Spider Infant / Toddler Costume

THIS WAS A WONDERFUL HALLOWEEN COSTUME. VERY UNIQUE. MY SON HAD FUN WEARING THIS COSTUME. I RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE WITH A TODDLER

This costume was a hit. My little boy was adorable, comfortable, and warm in this costume all day long. He actually enjoyed wearing the top hat and was so happy to be able to sit up with the support of the spider legs. I wish he wouldn't grow so fast so he can wear it again.

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This costume is amazing. It is durable, plush and very cute. Although, my little girl hates to have it on, it is cute as can be.

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I ordered the 6-12 month for my 81/2 month old son, he's about 22 lbs/30ish inches and it fit him with plenty of room to sparethe hat (that he only wore long enough for a couple of pictures) was a little too big , but we made it work. It's so different (and much higher quality) than what you can find in the local stores and we got so many compliments on it. I did have to buy opaque tights (which gave him 10 legs), but other than that, it was perfect!

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Bunnies by the Bay Wee Plush, Rutabaga

I bought this for my baby on the way at Buy Buy Baby. It was about $2 cheaper than there than on here, but I've had this on my registry for a while actually. In person the bunny is a lot smaller than the picture would suggest, but that's perfect for little hands. It is SUPER soft and cuddly. My husband didn't like that I paid so much for a stuffed animal, but it was so cute I couldn't resist. Normally I wouldn't pay this much for a toy that doesn't do much, but I couldn't get over how cute it was.

--UPDATE--

Initially before my daughter was teething we gave her this toy to play with, unfortunately once she began teething she started to teeth on her stuffed toys. Once she got her front teeth she figured out how to pull fur from her animals and swallow it, which is not good for her or for the toy really. So we had to take away all of her toys that have fur that can be pulled out. I highly suggest waiting until your child is past the teething stage before buying this, because of the fur pulling which I have discovered that many children like to do. She does really like this bunny so we will definitely give it back once she is past this stage.

--UPDATE--

Wanted to come back and update now that this bunny has been played with now that she is no longer biting fur off of her animals! We have Rutabaga and another Bunnies By The Bay bunny (named Flopsy I think?) and we have had to wash them both a few times now. Something important to remember about the type of fur on these animals, is that if you wash them in the washing machine and then put them in the dryer, the fur will be ruined. Forever. It gets all matted up and stiff. Not soft and lovely anymore. I learned this by washing and drying a different animal, so luckily the bunnies did not get ruined! Instead, I washed them on the gentle cycle and then laid them flat on the dryer to dry. The heat from the dryer helped them to air dry fast, before mildew can grow. Another way would be to hang them up by the ears on a clothesline in the bright sunshine, that way air can circulate all around the animal and allow for faster drying.

Once I saw this little bunny I knew I had to buy it. This bunny looks big but it is actually really small and is great for small hands. It has super soft fur and a bean/plush bottom. This little guy is worth the cost!

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We received one of these as a gift when my son was born almost 3 years ago. We now have 5 of them because he always sucks on one while he sleeps and they need frequent washing. I'm amazed at how well this stuffed animal has held up to weekly washing for over 2 years. It obviously doesn't look new anymore, but it hasn't fallen apart at all. It's also a perfect small size for babies and toddlers.

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This little bunny is just as cute as the picture shows. I like the soft brown color since it's a little different from the typical white or pink bunnies.

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This bunny is so soft and floppy! my little one absolutely loves cuddling with it. Great first stuffed animal for kids!

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North American Bear Sleepyhead Cozy

This adorable little pink bunny lovey was the very first thing I bought for my daughter...before she was born and before I even knew it was a girl. I fell in love with it when I saw it in a local baby boutique store and said to myself if it was a boy he would just have to have a pink bunny. I tucked it away and when my daughter was born I put it in her bassinet so it was always there when she slept. She moved on to a crib and the bunny came with. We always take it while traveling and she carries it around and rubs it gently on her face, she likes to play with the tag in her fingers as well as just running her fingers on it (it is so soft!!) when she is tired to comfort and soothe herself as she is falling asleep. I have checked on her at night after I put her to bed only to find her laying in her crib with her bunny draped over her head or face (not blocking her breathing in any way because it is so petite that I don't worry about that at all). I have also caught her sucking on the knot in the hat for soothing purposes. Needless to say even though I bought her first one of these at a boutique store I decided I needed to get a back up in the event that we ever lost the other one or it got ruined. The store didn't have them anymore so I went on a search for it and found it here. Now we have one safely tucked away for a rainy day. Oh another thing is that it is very washable. I have thrown hers in the wash a few times now and it is still just as soft and looks almost new still except the tag which has frayed and the writing on it has faded so it is unreadable but she likes it better that way anyways and the tag is super soft now too.

Wonderful little lovey.

My daughter is six months old and has consistently chosen the sleepy bear bunny to help her nod off as there are three different lovies in her bed. She puts the bunny across her chest and rubs her face with the ears. It is easy to wash and dry as I just put it in the dryer on low. I bought another for trips or if we lose the current bunny. I think it is hard to rate these items as all children choose there bedtime pal. However, it is small, not very thick, and has no choke hazards so I do not mind leaving it in the crib at night with the baby.

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My son received this bunny at birth and was soon sleeping with it every night. He is now almost 4 years old and still sleeps with his bunny every night. We have misplaced several through the years, so I am grateful that Amazon keeps stock in these! It is a soft, well constructed lovey (we have lost a couple of hats, but ours get a LOT of love), and the perfect size to tote around.

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My 3 month old daughter has this pink sleepyhead bunny cozy. It is adorable and soft and she loves to hold, chew, and rub it on her face. There are no small parts to worry about coming off and best of all, it goes in the washer and dryer and comes out looking new every time. Great product!

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***A TIP FOR NEW MOMMIES*** order 2 of the same one, have them monogrammed with your cell phone number, introduce them to your little one around 6mo, let them have one for about 2 weeks (keep the other in a safe place like top of the closet) then switch it out with the fresh one, this makes them both get "worn in" at the same rate. Your toddler may reject a completely fresh new lovie in the unfortunate even that one is lost (this comes from experience with my oldest of 3)

Now for my review, this whole line of cozies is so cute! Super soft, just the right size for little ones. My 3yr old has the pink bunny and my 2yr old has the blue hippo. They have held up nicely in the washer and stay soft. Colors will brighten up a bit with a long soak in oxy clean once then have been loved for a while. We've gotten rid of the bunnies hat, though...

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Tiny Love Sweet Island Dreams Mobile

I was at first upset that the mobile did not fit our Pali crib however I was able to rig it (I tightened the screw enough that the mobile was clamped against two vertical slats. The mobile base is supposed to clamp on the vertical crib bar, but allows only a certain width, and our crib was wider). Baby ignored it during the first month, but then slowly started tracing the moving toys with his eyes and at 3 months coos and laughs every time I turn it on. He can be entertained by this for 20 minutes or more, which is the longest I have managed with any toy/activity. Absolutely wonderful! Note however, that it is stimulating I wouldn't use it if I wanted to put baby to sleep.

Other positives:

1. music is pleasant; listening to it several times a day for a couple of months, I am still not sick of it.

2. can lower the volume and even eliminate the music (still keeps baby entertained and allows mommy to make a phone call).

3. looks sturdy, and much nicer than other mobiles that spin on a horizontal plane (our baby ignores such a mobile on his swing).

4. long battery time.

5. can choose to operate without the night light or music.

6. when choosing to operate without music you can't hear the motor noise.

Negatives:

1. may not fit all cribs and info about fit is not posted on the box or product description.

2. the night light does not attract baby's attention.

3. the remote is unnecessary.

4. the toys soemtimes get caught in my hair when I bend over to change the baby (because they are all different sizes and rotate on an angle).

My wife and I bought this for our daughter, who was six weeks old at the time, and she is ten weeks old now. She loves to be held, and we love holding her, but anytime we wanted to put her down to shower or anything, she would cry as if the world was ending. Then we bought this mobile and she is thrilled to lay in her co-sleeper when we need to put her down for short periods of time!

She smiles at the three little animals that hang from it, which move in a wide circle as well as rotate individually. She "talks" to them, and my wife will talk to her while folding clothes saying things like, "here comes the ostrich ... she's blue," etc. The music is fine, we do not think it is too loud and there are two volume settings, as well as the option to let the mobile turn without any music. The mobile runs on three C sized batteries, but we've only changed them once, this week for the first time. Additionally, the mobile automatically goes for twenty minutes and then turns off, which is usually enough time to get our daughter to doze off. If not, we just press the button for another twenty minutes. There is also a remote, which is nice, but we haven't found it terribly necessary.

All-in-all the purchase has been well worth the money, and I'm considering buying another Tiny Love brand product for her tummy time.

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I wanted a mobile to entertain our girls in their crib and that would soothe them to sleep. I was concerned about getting a mobile that would be too stimulating and so opted not to purchase the Symphony in Motion mobile (despite getting many recommendations for it). This mobile seems perfect nice music (classical, four options even the nature sounds have classical music); the mobile spins but is not too complicated to over-stimulate; small night light allows baby to see mobile faintly at night; can have the mobile work without the music; and the mobile can be removed from the music box, which can remain on the crib as long as you want. Overall, a great purchase.

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If you are looking for a reasonably priced and well-made mobile that will entertain and soothe baby without over-stimulating him, look no further!

Positives:

1. The quality of the product is excellent, very durable, and ease of assembly is great!

2. Variety of music (and quality of sound) is excellent. Four classical music options, including snippets of Mozart, Bach, Debussy, and Chopin. Two of those are blended with soothing nature sounds. Two volume settings. Unlike wind-up types, music plays for twenty minutes before shutting off (and can easily be restarted with remote without disturbing baby) Mobile's motion is also independent of music and can be turned on with absolutely no sound.

3. Night light is perfect brightness for checking on baby at night and providing a soft soothing glow for baby. This light can not be used independently of mobile, but can be turned off while mobile is running.

4. Bright colorful animals rotate at an angle rather than on a horizontal plane, making access to baby in the crib easier, and providing a more interesting visual for baby. Each animal also spins on it's own in unpredictable patterns for more visual variety than your run-of-the-mill mobile.

5. Handy remote is very simple, includes a loop for hanging on baby's door, so that it does not get lost. Mobile can be restarted or stopped from the door of baby's room without disturbing baby.

6. The mobile attachment can be removed from the base, leaving only the music and nightlight so that the toy can be used even after baby has outgrown the use of the mobile.

Things to consider:

1. Some buyers have complained that this mobile does not fit a convertible crib, and is only usable on a standard drop-side crib. However, I had no trouble attaching this mobile to the end of my convertible crib. The top railing of the side of the crib you wish to attach mobile to must be no deeper than 3 inches and no wider than about 2.5 inches for this mobile to work.

2. The mobile makes a very soft whirring sound when running, and as the animals turn independently, a soft click can be heard. However, these sounds are negligible with the music off, and barely noticeable when the music is on.

3. The night light may not be bright enough for the baby to see the mobile turning in the dark. If you plan to use the mobile in this way, you might consider another style, or adding a small light to your baby's room.

4. Music volume has only three settings: off, soft, and loud. I have found this to be adequate volume control for our needs. However, some users may wish to have more control over the volume of the music.

5. Some buyers may question the value of this product for the price. I purchased it at $36USD and feel that this was money well spent for our needs. Although the manufacturer suggests that this product is only for use through 5 months of age, I will probably use it beyond that time. As long as the baby can not reach the mobile to pull it down into the crib, it is still safe to use, and as previously mentioned, the base can be used long after the mobile is detached.

6. The mobile requires the use of 3 C batteries, and the remote requires 2 AAA batteries. I can not testify to battery life, as I have not owned the product long enough. However, I can attest to the durability of the mobile, since our church's child development center purchased several of these for our nursery many months ago, and they are still in excellent working condition.

Our baby absolutely loves this mobile. It has been the best purchase we have made for him, as far as toys are concerned.

I believe you'll love it too!

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It's a great mobile, my baby loved it. It's very entertaining for the baby since the main wings rotate and each toy on them swing as well. The music is great too. It has a remote control which was very useful to stop the mobile when your baby falls asleep. A couple things I would fix in the next version: (1) ability to disassemble the mopbile completely to store for your other children or for someone else. The wings are not coming off the trunk so it takes a lot of space in the closet to store it; (2) the on/off switch for the music/mobile clicks and is impossible to use when your baby falls asleep. One has to use the remote control to turn it off; (3) even remote makes some noise but very manageable, it just doesn't have to click at all. All in all, I gave it a 4 out of 5 for these minor issues; but I would buy it again and did recommend to my friends.

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Hallmark Plush FRT2022 Rock-A-Bye-Baby Sing to Me Recordable Plush Bear

This is the most precious little bear, and it lets your baby go to sleep hearing your voice! Perfect! It could be a little bit smaller for the new born babies.

Lamaze Play & Grow Lulu in a Tutu Take Along Toy

My 8 month old daughter got Lulu for Christmas and she LOVES her crinkly skirt and bright colors. However, within an hour, she had her arm stuck in the the "loop" that is attached to Lulu's left arm and foot. THEN, she had her whole leg in there while she was strapped in her carseat on the way home. YIKES. I can't figure out why on earth Lamaze would put that loop there, but I don't think it is a good idea and can't let her play with the toy unsupervised. There are so many other nice Lamaze toys that don't have that pesky loop, so you might want to keep shopping.

Love this product it's nice size, colorful with a variety of texture for baby to explore. Hanging clip to take along.

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I actually bought this gift to send to my 5 month old granddaughter because she left hers at my house during their last visit. It is her most favorite toy. The skirt is crinkly and she loves to move it. She holds on to the ring and drags it where ever she goes. If a grown up holds the ring, you can make the hippo twirl like a ballerina, and that's fun, too!

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My daughter loves Lulu in a Tutu. Her skirt is crinkly and the bottom is black and white so babies are drawn to it. She can grab the plastic loop connecting the hand and foot and pull herself closer to crinkle the skirt. She also likes to suck on Lulu's ballet slipper. This toy is 100% better than any of the other brands hanging toys (bright starts brand toys are lame compared to this) and we will be asking for more lamaze brand toys for Christmas.

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My baby loves this hippo. It has a super crinkly tutu that my daughter loves to bat and grab with her hands and feet. She's had it since she was 2 months old and she's now 5 months.

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DISCOVERY TOYS GIANT PEGBOARD #1562

My 2.5 year olds love this toy. It is very well made and very engaging. They can learn everything from colors and shapes to patterns and much more. Highly recommend. The pieces are big enough that they are not a choking hazard for younger siblings.

my grandson loves this one. there are so many different ways to use it and it is really working his finer motor skills stacking the pegs.

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Toddler Transylvanian Vampire Costume

I chose a vampire costume because my son doesn't like to wear anything on his head or face, so my options were limited. I thought this was the cutest vampire costume of the ones available because of the collar standing up, but it doesn't. In fact, not only does it flop down, there is absolutely no way to even make it stand up to begin with.

The medallion is attached, but the cape is detachable with velcro. It is made out of thin, cheap Halloween costume fabric you would expect. At first I was disappointed that it didn't come with the whole costume (I had to buy the black pants and black shoes). But in the end it worked out because he can wear the pants and shoes again. Other costumes include the pants and cost twice as much, but the pants are poor quality or attached to the vest. I'd buy it again because my son looked so cute in it. But I am disappointed the collar doesn't stand up as pictured since that's what attracted me to this one in the first place.

The costume runs small, so be sure to take that into account. The medallion was sewn on backwards and the collar of the cape is not as detailed as the picture and flops down instead of standing up. It tore at the seam the second time it was worn, but because it has no stretch to it and bending my kids limbs to fit wasn't exactly easy. As adorable as it is, I wouldn't purchase this costume again.

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LeapFrog Learn & Groove Counting Maracas

I'd had my eye on these for a while, because our 18-month-old son loves music and has had a great time with the Laugh and Learn Piano from Fisher Price. When I finally received the maracas, though, he didn't seem at all interested. In fact, he seemed to dislike the noises they make. One is just a plastic maraca with shaker beads inside, which didn't much interest him. The other is a battery-powered one that lights different colors and has three settings (numbers, colors and music) in English and Spanish. After a while, he would pick up the one that has lights and sounds and check it out. Now he really seems to like it, although he gets bored if it's on the music setting, because it plays the same short refrain over and over again. (I get bored, too.) The reason I didn't give this toy five stars is because of the limited musical selections. All of the Fisher Price toys have numerous song options, which helps to toy to stay "fresh." This one only holds his attention for a few minutes at a time. I gave four stars for durability because we've only had them a month. In that time, though, he has chucked them around a fair amount, and they seem OK.

I got these for my 1 year old Nephew for christmas, I wanted something he could grow with a bit but still enjoy now that was educational. He loved shaking the maracas and watching the colors change and he was even trying to mimic the voice counting colors and numbers a few times.

Definitely a great choice for any young kid who loves music.

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Bought this item for my recently year old twins. They love them. I was surprised to find that only one maraca was interactive. They are not very interested yet in the maraca that just rattles but I think this is a toy they will grow with. The twins love music so it is nice to be able to combine their love of music with learning.

I appreciate the fact that the maracas have a high and low setting for volume. I think the high volume is much too loud for a baby's ears.nw

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We purchased this for our 15 month old granddaughter for Christmas this year and she just loves them. She has more fun with these than anything else she received. They have various settings for learning numbers, colors, etc., which at this point we need to change for her. But, she'll bring them to us and ask us to change it to a different setting! She'll be enjoying and learning from this product for a long time. We're very impressed with this product!

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This toy is fun for a while, but really gets charming when the batteries run down:

If it is set to anything besides making music (either counting or colours), the background music will play normally (reminiscent of a Caribbean carnival), but the words will get long and drawn out, as if they were being played from cassette tape on a device with dying batteries. The lights and everything else works fine otherwise; it's really quite strange and I can't imagine why it would operate this way.

Usually a rather cheery female voice counts to ten or declares the colour of the light when you jostle the toy, but when the voice gets stretched out like this, it sounds more like a creepy ogre inside, groaning in agony from the agitation while happy xylophone music plays behind.

At first, this happens only occasionally with a word slipping here and there, but before you know it, the poltergeist takes over completely and your child is learning the art of exorcism.

This might be what you're looking for in a toy, or it might not.

Madame Alexander, My First Baby Hug Me, Sweet Baby Nursery Collection - 12"

This is a good doll for my 18-month old. It is small so be sure to read the product description. There is also a squeaker in the dolls tummy, which bothers me but doesn't seem to bother her. Overall, cute and basicexactly what I was looking for.

The doll is cute enough and the size is good for my one-year-old, but for $20, and the fact that it is from Madame Alexander, I expected a whole lot more. The eyes are painted on and the outfit is really cheap and kind of garish. Again, cute enough and my daughter loves it, but she would love any baby doll...

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I can never find cute dolls for children under 3. They are so...well..ugly. I was thrilled to find her and she is perfect! My little 17 month old loves her. I can't wait to bye the other Madame Alexander baby dolls when she is a bit older (going to grandma's doll).

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I searched high and low for a doll for my daughter's first birthday. Many friends suggested getting a Madame Alexander doll, so I thought that I'd give it a try. This is the perfect size for my daughter, it's soft and light weight, and she has really loved it.

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This is an adorable little doll, but that's no surprise from Madame Alexander. Very detailed and well made. It's completely safe for children of any age. I highly recommend for doll lovers of any age!