ABC 2014 Ranks as 4th Largest Event in Show's History

Last month’s ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas was the fourth largest event in the show’s history in terms of total attendance and retailer participation. Total attendance was 12,462, including 5,339 retail buyers. Retailers from 65 different countries participated, with a total of 969 manufacturers exhibiting.

Charity began at home as ABC donated $115,000 to the charities of special interest to the industry, including Kids in Distressed Situations, First Candle, Cribs For Kids and Our Military Kids. At the close of the show, 186 exhibitors contributed nearly a quarter of a million dollars in product to K.I.D.S. The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) Innovation Awards were also presented.

Hundreds of buyers were welcomed at the launch of the new Made in the USA showcase, while the ABC Invention Connection, now in its second year, doubled in size to accommodate inventors.

Exhibitors and retailers all gave the show high marks and they and the ABC Kids Expo team look forward to the ABC Spring Conference and Trade Show to be held April 30 through May 1, 2015, at the Rio Hotel & Suites, Las Vegas.

Among the exhibitors that interested The Giggle Guide^® were Spbang, Creepy Crawlers, Cozy Cocoon and Andy & Evan. Here’s a look at some top offerings:

Let’s Do Lunch, Spbang Tidy Style

Not a bird, not a plane, it’s Spbang: the handy, reusable snack bag that gives the brush-off to plastic. “Spbang” is the sound made by a wet tennis ball while playing road hockey, a factoid all Canadians know. Now the rest of the parenting world is in on the slang, thanks to Sherry French, Spbang’s creator.

While living in China, French packed daily lunches for her kids, her husband and herself and hated dealing with the icky plastic bags that returned each night. She tried a switch to fabric bags but over time, they got smelly and she was not about to launder them with other clothing. Then, she found a soft, environmentally-friendly material and bingo! Bags that can go right into the dishwasher and come out as brand-shining clean. Although the company got its start in China, Spbang is now crafted in Michigan as a proudly made-in-the-USA product.

The bags are dressed in a cheery fruits-and-veggies pattern and come in yummy colors like Grass, Eggplant, Ocean, Mango and Lemon. There is a tab closure to keep goodies securely tucked inside and a name plate on the back of each bag, so Zack doesn’t wind up with Lizzie’s lunch. Besides toting lunches, bags have a zillion other uses like holding cut up veggies or fruit pieces and as containers for puzzle pieces or crayons. Traveling tots and families find Spbang a great solution for keeping snacks both organized and easy to grab.

Brilliant and durable: www.spbang.com

Creepy Crawlers: Less Slipping, More Gripping

Before walking comes crawling, a major step for developing babies. Crawling stimulates little ones to use both sides of their brains together, teaching coordination between opposite arm and leg. Learning to crawl is “doin’ what comes naturally”, a vital stage that benefits from Creepy Crawlers, a line of easy-grip playsuits with strategically placed gripper “bugs” that provide optimal traction.

Modern living spaces usually have bare wood or tile floors –– good for young respiratory systems, but harder for kids to crawl on than carpet. Dublin-born Ollwyn Moran, mother of two and a leading neurological development therapist, created her brand to help tots do less sliding and more useful, and fun, crawling.

Available in sizes 6-9, 9-12, 12-18 and 18-24 months, the coveralls are both functional and cute, made of soft cotton in baby hues of soft blue, cream and pink. Snuggled into a Creepy Crawler, a baby can play in comfort, crawling to his or her heart’s content, taking the time necessary to master the crawl. Creeping and crawling are essential steps on the developmental highway and Creepy Crawler suits ensure that the skill of crawling gets the attention it deserves.

In 2012 Moran was named Business Parent of the Year by Maternity and Infant magazine. She says her heart sinks when a parent proudly boasts that her baby skipped crawling, as that action develops young muscles and gives balance a boost, critical for moving on to secure walking. Moran’s crawling suits are unique, with a patent in the offing.

Watch sales step up, starting with a crawl: www.creepercrawler.com

Cozy Cocoon Bundles Up a Bundle of Joy

Swaddling babies often helps them settle down, a relief all around. Parents who couldn’t get a crying tot to sleep welcome Cozy Cocoon, one-piece stretchy outfits that hug. The Daisy Cocoon set envelops a young miss in warm yellow, with a matching femme yellow flower, while the Football Set comes in –– what else –– brown with white trim, so the look is pure tiny gridiron. It’s also available in pink, yellow, polka dot and floral for girls with stadium-mad dads.

A little lass will be totally ready for her close-up in hand-knit Buttercup, crafted of chunky chenille yarn knit with soft banana yarn lined in pure cotton. Each suit and hat set is handmade in New York City. The hat alone, with a big yellow-and-white bow front and center says “admire me”.

Parents of boys will be enchanted with the Red Top Cuff Blanket Set, a ton of wearable fun in gray/black includes cocoon, hat and blanket, with no Velcro needed to wrap tightly around a small body.

Organic bunting sets ensure that all fabrics are totally pure, with nothing to irritate baby skin. No need for bulky blankets, as Cocoons are slipped onto a baby like a sock where they stay put keeping little ones happy. No zippers, no fuss, these cozy wraps are great for nursing or simply showing off the newest family member.

Snug as a bug in a cocoon: www.cozycocoon.com

Get a Grid-It: In the Bag Like Nothing Before It!

What anyone toting a tot and his or her equipment doesn’t need are loose bits and pieces rolling around. Coming for Spring 2015, (available wholesale in November 2014), is a Diaper Bag and Diaper Tote, both featuring the revolutionary Grid-It system made with a unique weave of rubberized elastic bands designed specifically to hold personal objects of all sorts and sizes firmly in place. The bags come from Andy & Evan. This brand extension features a new concept in technology, producing storage items with fit, flare and organizational abilities that are adaptable, practical and new.

The Diaper Bag features the Grid-It system as one full wall, so all baby accessories can be organized and stored neatly. There is a roll- out changing pad connected directly to the Grid-it wall above it, making it a super grab-and-go “changing station”.

For shorter hauls, display the Diaper Tote, ideal for day trips or storage within another bag. The tote also has a full Grid-It Wall and roll-out diaper changing pad.

For more information, visit www.andyandevankids.com