Favourite Christmas Gifts

Our two children (aged 5 and almost 2) got some great gifts this Christmas. All of these would work well on a trip away from home and they are all fairly low-tech and easy to pack. Here are our top hits of 2009:

Pink and blue LEGO digital camera
A huge hit with my 5-year-old daughter. And it's inexpensive enough to buy for a special trip, too. There's nothing like seeking out interesting objects to take pictures of to relieve the boredom of airports or restaurants or when forced to spend several days cooped up at home because it's too cold to go outside... It comes in a red/yellow/blue colour scheme, too.

"You Choose" by Pippa Goodhart and Nick Sharrat
A great book for any age, my 5 year old and 23 month old love looking at this together and because it's interactive you can "read" it over and over again. A fantastic book to share with your kids and stimulate the imagination, and a brilliant book to take along on a trip.

Maisy's Amazing Big Book of Words by Lucy Cousins
My 23 month old, who is just learning to talk, loves Maisy. This book is choc full of classic Lucy Cousins illustrations and includes flaps on every spread. My daughter also loves searching for Panda on every spread.

Little Doctor's Kit
Again, a big hit with both children. My five year old has received these in the past but the new one included a surgeon's dress-up outfit and some real band-aids and bandages that has kept the two of them busy for hours already. There's something about giving doll/sister/mum/dad a pretend injection that never seems to get boring.

Fairies: Petal people you make yourself by Rachel Haab/Klutz
This is some serious crafty fun for girls (and parents, too!). Once we'd made a couple of fairies, my daughter was off in a world of make-believe with them. The product is recommended for eight year olds and up and my 5-year-old daughter needed a fair bit of help with the fiddly gluing, but that's what I love about crafts: everyone gets involved. Klutz make a wide range of crafty sets so if you have boys, check out the Klutz website for more info.

Jump seat booster makes eating more fun!

We're excited to add another new item to our inventory. The Beanstalk Jump Seat booster is an incredible seat that fits on virtually all dining chairs turning them into an instant highchair. Now your toddler can sit at the table (any table!) and enjoy dinner with the rest of the family. These so-called jump seats are popular in Europe where space is often an issue.

Another benefit of the seat is that it folds completely flat (you can even remove the handles) and so it travels really well. It has a lightweight metal, adjustable frame and is suitable for babies over 6 months weighing up to 30 lbs.
The Beanstalk jump seat is available to rent through Little Traveller in Calgary for $4 a day / $24 a week.

Code Red "Bag It"

While browsing in a Calgary store, I came across a great addition for my backpack, diaper bag and car's glove box. They are biodegradeable bags called the Code Red "Bag It" that come in a tiny red dispenser with a loop attached. I use mine as on-the-go diaper bags or garbage bags. I bought a pack of three dispensers -- 36 bags in all -- for just $9.99 at Kacz' Kids.

I love finding products like this that make my life easier!

Road trips and new rental gear

Everyone I know is heading out on at least one road trip this summer with their children. We've got a few new items in our rental inventory that will make road trips and day trips easier. The Star Kids Snack & Play travel trays are ideal for keeping toddlers and preschoolers occupied on long journeys. The simple velcro closure attaches around any car seat to offer a flat play/snack surface. We rent them in the Calgary area for $3 a day / $18 per week.

Some moms I know don't let their kids eat in the car because of the mess it makes. I'm not one of them -- snacks are a highlight of our road trips! (And no one would notice a few extra crumbs on the floor of our car.) So, here are a few links I've found with great snack ideas and recipes.

5 Healthier Snacks for kids to eat on road trips
Great Road Trip Snacks from Road Trip America
Weightwatchers Top 10 Road Trip Snacks

We've also added some UV playshade tents and over-the-shoulder cooler bags to our inventory to make day trips and picnics more fun for everyone. For more info and pricing, check out our Specials page online or give us a call at Little Traveller at 1-877-242-4067.