Do your children wear sunglasses on those sunny days of spring and summer (depending on where you live!)? Mine do – sometimes – but it wasn’t until recently that I actually learned why it is important for little eyes to be protected. According to Babiator - the creators of an adorable line of kids sunglasses – children’s eyes are just not fitted with the same UV protection that adults are. They need the protection that good sunglasses have in order to ward off future damage. It makes total sense, and I am grateful to have learned this so that I can jump on the shade train with my boys.

Babiator glasses are the perfect place to start. The lenses are made of acrylic and offer 100% protection from UVA and UVB rays, and parents can rest easy knowing that they are made of rubber and are therefore naturally BPA and phthalate-free! It is obvious that not only are Babiators completely safe and functional, but they a perfect accessory for a stylish little kid. A pair of bold glasses are the perfect finishing touch to any cute outfit.

I know it can be tempting to grab a cheap pair of sunglasses for our kids. They are often cute enough, and would appear to do the appropriate job of protecting their little eyes. The reality however,  seems that like all “cheap” goods, you are getting what you pay for in regards to quality!

Visit Babiator to view their complete line of sunglasses for ages 1 & up.

Regardless of whether you are heading to the tropics, or just your local swimming pool, Stella Cove is sure to add a punch of color and class to your and your children’s beachwear wardrobe.

My daughter was recently sent one of Stella Cove’s swimsuits from their brand new Spring 2012 line and I fell in love immediately with the simple style suits and stunning prints. My favorite prints for spring?

Definitely Aishwarya and Sergia! So beautiful. Personally, I prefer the classic swimsuit which is why I am a huge fan of the tank style and halter tank bathing suits. For those of you who love the bikini look, Stella Cove has several new styles that are sure to please.

The boys’ fitted shorts are adorable and come in a wide range of prints, some of which match up with the little girl and women styles.  One of the things I love so much about Stella Cove, is that you can go matchy match with the entire family.  I have put together 2 collages to demonstrate how you can coordinate various swimsuits and cover-ups to match for the entire family.

In regards to pricing Stella Cove isn’t in the budget price-range in regards to children’s swimwear ($50-$100), but pretty affordable for their women’s beachwear as most of the good bathing suits I’ve seen on the market are over the $100 mark. Regardless, if you are looking for quality, fashion beachwear – Stella Cove is my ultimate go-to choice!

You can find Stella Cove at Barney’s New York, Lil Swanky’s online shop, or you can purchase directly through Stella Cove.

*Rachel Florio PR sent samples for review purposes.

How adorable are these pins! Each mini crown is made out of polymer clay and then placed on a bobby pin. The “You Are My Princess” set is made by Dariami on Etsy and comes with two bobby pins for $20.00.

I think these are a great idea for birthday parties, photo shoots or just every day fun. Although I’m not one to wear a crown pin on my own head, this set would be ideal for my girls who love to match!

via Handmade Charlotte

The first time I saw Madpax I think my eyeballs popped out of my head, cartoon style.

Wowza!

Cartoon style is a good description of these fabulous backpacks. They look straight out of an animated adventure and that is just the start of what makes them so cool.

These spiky backpacks are sturdy and well constructed. Tough enough for a 7 year old boy to toss around. Fab enough for his teenaged sister to want to steal. Multiple compartments, a padded back and well padded shoulder straps (plus chest strap reinforcements) means they are comfortable to wear.

The spikes on these packs are soft and not at all dangerous. They just look bad. Bad in the good way.

MadPax make an awesome and thoughtful holiday gift for almost any kid on your list. They come in a variety of sizes and styles (choose from lunch box, toddler and big kid sizes).

Note: It’s not often I say this about my 7 year old son’s gear, but I’d nip this pack from him and wear it myself in a second if I thought he’d let me. My mac notebook fits inside his backpack perfectly. Not that I checked, while secretly hoping he’d reject this bag (no chance of that – he’s the envy of the entire 2nd grade).

No fair! I want one too!

Which brings me to another suggestion…. These bags would make awesome diaper bags.

If you’re ready for some eye popping style and ready to move beyond boring bags, check out Madpax. You won’t be sorry!

Disclosure: MadPax supplied a backpack for review. Now I have to buy three more!

Talk about unique! The So Little Time Company on Etsy is one of those companies that thinks outside the box. Forget your typical brooch, these guys have created accessories for kids inspired by Nursery Rhymes and good old-fashioned fun. Can you imagine how cute these would be on little cardigans? My daughter would love it!

There is the Dish and the Spoon set above (of course they come in a set).

A Ferris Wheel

Lollipop

Carousel Horses

and many more! Each brooch is made from locally sourced wood from Melbourne, Australia and then hand-painted and pieced together. Brooch is nickel and lead free.

With children over 3, I’m definitely out of the “baby stage.” However, currently I seem to be surrounded with many women who are pregnant, and it’s getting to the time where I need to start thinking about shower gifts. I used to own an organic baby shop, and one of my favourite things to do is gather a collection of organic goodies and put them all together to make an eco-friendly basket stuffed with teethers, clothing, glass baby bottles and more.

I thought I had a pretty good idea of the teething products on the market, of course Sophie the Giraffe is always the biggest hit, and there are a couple of great Canadian options as well that I have always liked. Recently, I was introduced a rather new organic teether, by Drool Monkey Organics called, an Organic Teethie Lovie. They are soft 100% organic cotton blanket that includes a built in teether with a monkey stitched in, so cute.

The teether is made of fabric that wicks away moisture to prevent your baby from getting  a rash, which is clever, but I think my favourite part is that it doubles as a blankie or even a nursing cover. As a parent become more reliant on items that eliminate the need for other items, the less you have to carry around the better!

Drool Monkey Organics , created by mompreneur Kamala Corkin, also makes a line of Organic Hankies, which I totally love and have never really thought of using before. What a great thing to teach your child, to use something reusable instead of the Tissues we are so used to tossing. And of course, they are chemical and dye-free!

Visit Drool Monkey Organics today to learn more about these eco-friendly products. They would make great gifts, but the appear that they would make things a bit easier in any parents life.

Looks like someone is following in TOMS’ footsteps .

Schoolbags for Kids could very well be our favorite school bag pick for kids this season, for two simple reasons – smart design and the fact that every purchase gives back in a big way. Using their mission statement “One Here. One There™”, to provide kids around the world with the tools they need to empower themselves through education, founders of Schoolbags for Kids have designed schoolbags that won’t just fulfill the needs of your own children, but the needs of others.

After spending over twenty years working for some of the world’s most successful global beauty and fragrance companies such as L’Oreal/Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Bobbi Brown and Sephora, School Bags for Kids’ Co-founder Luis Garcia took a four-month trip around the world and realized he wanted to do something to make a difference.

“I had recently hit my 40s and wanted to do something more meaningful.” That something came after spending time volunteering in schools and orphanages in the world’s poorest countries. “It’s the kids that really get you,” said Garcia. “Their hope, optimism.” Schools were being built, teachers were in place, but supplies were difficult to come by for the orphanages and families who struggle to meet their basic everyday needs. He saw this need across each country he visited.

When he returned home, Garcia and his long-time business partner and entrepreneur Kalon Gutierrez, combined their years of experience in the branding and design world and agreed to create Schoolbags for Kids.

Just in time for back-to-school, this year’s launch features The Signature Collection, which comes in six unique color combinations. The backpack offers a horizontal design which is not only perfect for a laptop or tablet computer, it also keeps supplies within easy reach. Five exterior pockets (including a lunch money pocket and water bottle holder) plus an ID holder (print your child’s ID online) help your little one stay organized. Made of durable, water-resistant 600-denier material, this schoolbag is made to last and is cool-looking, too!

Other features include contoured and padded adjustable shoulder straps (right shoulder strap has a lunch money pocket, neoprene side pocket to either a cell phone or keep a juice pack cool, rubber-reinforced base and base corners.

For every bag purchased, a bag is donated to children in need. The donated bag filled with school supplies is also designed with children’s safety in mind with the bright yellow shade as many children walk miles to school, along busy roads and highways.

Price: $54.99 directly through Schoolbags For Kids.

They’re here!!

Back in February we gave you the heads up on BabyLegs and Hello Kitty’s new summer collection and that super cute line of leg warmers, tights and socks has finally arrived! Everyone’s favorite feline is featured amongst beautiful colorways and adorable graphics.

Hello Kitty has always been a hot trend, however this year she is definitely ‘in’. Tori Spelling threw her daughter Stella a fabulously Hello Kitty themed birthday party a couple of weeks ago and Vans debuted their new Hello Kitty shoe line for toddlers last month.

As you can probably already imagine, this collection is sure to sell out quickly, so be sure to visit BabyLegs to place your order!

Babies and toddlers up to the age of 3 or 4 usually have a cute set of bloomers attached to their outfit, which prevents underwear or diaper flashes when they proceed to show off their somersault skills. Older kids however usually have to resort to shorts or pants when turning cartwheels, biking or running wild  as they are otherwise at a risk of flashing their undies.

Francie Pants are the cutest undies that double up as an ideal accessory for active girls. These thin, silky shorts come in a wide range of colorful and groovy designs in sizes that fit children from the age of  1  to 16 years. The age old taunt “I see London, I see France, I see someone’s underpants!” doesn’t have to bring on shame, thanks to these cute little shorts. High kicks, fast-paced dance moves and monkey bar flips can be done in the utmost of confidence without any worry of being indiscreet.

My 4-year-old daughter loves hers to bits and prefers to wear her “comfie new Francies” over her regular underwear. She has actually worn them a couple of times paired with a simple white tee as they double-up as a cute short! The sizing is dead-on and actually gives you a bit of room to spare, so no worries there.

Kids will have a blast with the neat shopping feature that allows them to pick a paper doll and actually “try on” the different pairs before choosing their favorite.

The only problem I found with these adorable little numbers? They don’t come in adult sizes!

Price: $16.50 each from Francie Pants

*Company sent a sample for review.”