Dining Made Easier

No matter how parents choose to feed a baby, weaning them and getting them to the table is a big milestone. And that’s when it gets interesting. There’s the battle over actual eating, of course. And the constant reminders that food is for eating, not throwing. Then there’s the little matter of trying to take that show on the road, and frankly it’s a wonder when any food makes it into the actual intended receptacle.

After parents invest in carpet cleaners and plastic tarps, help them out by offering dining accessories to make table time fun and semi-contained. Kids will want to stay hydrated with Bottle Buds from KidKusion and the pinwheel perfection of the Sip & Spin Cup from nuSpin Kids. To keep kids at the table, KidsFunwares has made a game of mealtime while NUK is keeping its name and reputation safe with new products for all phases of eaters.

KidKusion: Because Kids Will Be Kids

KidKusion has roots in baby-proofing safety products, and has a great reputation in that arena. Stepping out of fences and into feeding, the Bottle Bud is a neoprene drink koozie featuring zoo animal designs in fun, bright colors. Kids will adore familiar figures like elephants, monkeys, flamingoes and sharks. Parents will love that the Bottle Bud keeps drinks hot or cold with its insulation.

New eaters are renowned for spills… and throws. The Zoo Baby Splat Mat is generously sized to protect hardwood, tile, linoleum, or carpet. This vinyl mat is easy to wipe clean with soap and water and is cute of course with giraffes, monkeys, hippos and owls.

The mat under the chair is a great start, but any parent who has to clean inexplicable disasters on the high chair itself will appreciate the Gummi Matt. As little ones learn to use utensils, food can seem pretty slippery. The Gummi Mat provides a nonslip mat with a “knobby” texture on one side that allows little ones to easily trap and pick up first foods. It has four fun colors and easily rolls up to take when eating on the go. It’s also dishwasher safe!

Clean up that mess and then go to www.kidkusion.com

nuSpin Kids: Hydration Motivation

When it comes to fun versus function, we know where kids stand. nuSpin Kids has decided to bow to the kids’ desire for fun while still holding on to the parental need for function with spinning disc cups. Getting kids to drink enough water is a tough nut to crack. Using their aerospace engineering background, nuSpin Kids developed a disc that spins powered only by water being consumed. Then they took that disc, added playful pictures, and brought us the Sip & Spin Cup.

The interactive experience will encourage kids to stay hydrated without parents having to resort to sugary drinks this summer. It’s also a great teaching tool for kids trying to transition from a bottle or a spouted sippy cup. The pinwheel design in the lid, which coordinates with the design outside, will spin as the child sips. So basically these kiddos are using jet-powered cups!

Parents will appreciate how easily all the components come apart for easy cleaning in the dishwasher. And that it’s made from the highest quality BPA-free, FDA-grade polypropylene. nuSpinKids uses a special manufacturing process to add a barrier over the graphics on the cup, so they can’t be licked, chewed or scratched.

Propel your summer stock at www.nuspinkids.com

Urban Trend KidsFunwares: Making Mealtime Magic

Urban Trend KidsFunwares products are innovative and unique and fill a void at retail, encouraging interaction and family unity at the table. While not designed as “toys”, these items address parents’ concerns for getting children to sit at the table by being modular, interactive and imaginative.

What child doesn’t want to be a Knight or Princess? A Knight’s Meal and Princess Platter start as amazing castles that transform dinner into a royal banquet with fork and spoon spires, a tower that transforms to a cup, and a sectioned plate as the base. The main hall transforms into a bowl to complete the set.

You know what’s said about idle hands, and never is that more true than at the dinner table. So give them something productive to do with Build-A-Meal. One shaped like an actual construction site allows little ones to use a crane to transport food to the right compartment, and warning cones to mark their territory. The Build-A-Meal Set also comes in animal form to allow kids to create their own animals like elephants, monkeys, and tigers. Mix and match to create fun hybrids like the monkephant we’ve all dreamed possible.

Make dinner a delight at www.kidsfunwares.com

NUK: Nurturing Healthy Development from Infant to Toddler

NUK has been synonymous with babies forever, but many forget how instrumental they are in all stages of feeding. Always innovating, NUK has cornered the market on mealtime with new designs like the Sea Creatures Learning Cup. Spill-proof and with a soft spout, this cup is gentle on gums and its air vent is easy on little tummies. The handles remove to grow with the baby.

While they’re learning to eat, the Sippin’ Spoon has a built-in straw perfect for cereal, smoothies and other beginner foods. For the more experienced, the Advance Developmental 1-Piece Sippy Cup has a hinged lid and built-in spout so there’s no need to scramble for matching pieces. And it is 100% leak-proof, spill-proof and break-proof so it sells itself.

Whether at the table at home or on the town, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Fun Snacker will wow. This portable snack container has a hinged lid that pops open for easy access, and shuts just as easily to minimize spills.

Since some spills are inevitable, the Reusable PlateMat will work wonders. This 100% silicone mat can be used as placemat or plate and provides a safe, clean eating surface anytime, anywhere.

NUK isn’t just for pacifiers anymore; check them out at www.nuk-usa.com