Last weekend I attended the New York Baby Show with the kiddos and it was a blast. There was so much to see and do and listen to. Even Tyler had a good time. Considering the fact that we were there for over 5 hours, I think that's pretty good. Let me take you through the event.
Nibbly Bits
First off, the event was run very smoothly. Everyone was super friendly and entry into the convention area was easy. One in, we started walking through the aisle of exhibitors. The first booth that really caused us to stop was the one for Nibbly Bits. This is a line of teething necklaces made of BPA free food grade plastic. They had some really cute designs, Hailey was all about the white bird shaped one.
Nibbly Bits Necklaces
We made the purchase. This turned out to be extremely useful in entertaining Hails throughout the show. I was able to hook it onto the carrier strap and she could play with it without me worrying about having to pick it up a thousand times.
Chess at 3
We then found Chess at 3 which is a program that uses stories to teach kids the game of chess starting as early as 3 years old. This booth not only had chess games but also coloring pages. Tyler especially liked this because we had just watched the Peg + Cat episode where they learn about chess.
We ended up at the table twice and Tyler wanted to return for a third time. The staff was super friendly and fun. When we went back for our second round, they even remembered Tyler's name. Apparently he made an impression...
First Spoons
Our next big stop was First Spoons. This is a delivery box service for baby food. They have food for the three main stages of babyhood, 4-10 months, 10-18 months, and 18-48 months. They plan the meals and the menu which are all free of nuts and shellfish. You can also choose between vegetarian and regular meals. We had to taste test of course, so Hailey had one of the nuggets and Tyler had a cookie. Both enjoyed it!
Munchkin
Munchkin had a really cool setup complete with an old school milk truck, a giant picture of a cow, and fake grass. This is another place we returned to at Tyler's request. He kept telling me he wanted to go to the farm. They also had coloring pages here which was likely also enticing to him. The reason for the decor was to present their grass-fed, milk-based formulas. They had a ton of info on their standard for the care of their cows to produce the highest quality formula. While both kids were breast-fed, we know thats not always an option and we really enjoyed this booth.
Joovy
Next up, we headed to the stroller test track. This was a super cool setup where all of the stroller companies brought various models of strollers for attendees to check out. Then in the center of the are was a stroller test track with all the typical types of terrain you might come across. There were uneven pavement, swing gates, steps, grating, incline, and other obstacles. Anyone was able to drive their current stroller over the track or a new stroller they were testing out. I actually saw one stroller get stuck in the grate #smallwheels. Another use of the test track is as a stage. Tyler thought that the track looked like a stage and he decided to perform for the attendees...
We ended up picking out a new Joovy stroller for ourselves. They had a Caboose model which included a front seat for Hails as well as a rear facing seat for T. It folds easily and has an attachment for Hailey's carrier. Tyler also has the option to stand on the rear platform. Plus, it still has a storage basket underneath. Tyler was kind enough to help us test out the stroller.
NYC Dads Group
Following our stroller shenanigans, we stopped for a cookie and then headed over to the NYC Dads Group area. This group is for dads and dads to be to get the camaraderie and support that is so prevalent for moms, but not so much for dads, especially stay at home dads. This group plans events and outings for dads and their kids of all ages. Many of the men have been in the group for years.
Their booth was complete with couches, TVs, changing tables, and balloon creations. Tyler was super excited about the balloons and got his first ever balloon sculpture. It was a light saber, not to be confused with an ordinary sword.
Tyler and his light saber from the NYC Dads Group
Tray Haven
Have you ever had one of those moments when you are considering a product and then something happens right at that moment to confirm your need for that product? Well, thats what happened when we headed over to the Tray Haven booth. Tray Haven is a product that can wrap around high chairs, booster seats, and strollers that helps prevent things from falling on the floor. The adjustable product easily puts up little mesh walls around the tray of your little ones' seat to prevent drops. As I was discussing the product with the presenter, Hailey promptly throws her toy out of the stroller, twice. So, we bought one!
Ubbi
So then we went over to see the folks at Ubbi. They have some really cool and ingenious products for the nursery. You know how I love organization, well their diaper caddy was so cute and practical all in one. However, what really got me excited as the diaper pail. No but for real. They have these adorable steel diaper pails with such cute designs. My favorite was the chevron. Best features include: when the door is shut, no smell, Tyler is actually able to open it and therefore be my assistant, it takes any bag, so you don't have to keep buying a specific diaper bag to fit the pail. Needless to say, with all that going for it, we will be expecting one to arrive at our home very soon!
Re Play
Ok so the last product that I will go through is from Re Play. This company manufactures baby and toddler eating tools from recycled milk jugs. How cool is that?! They have sippy cups, flat plates, divided plates, snack containers, utensils, and toys. For the event, they had a special package on sale and they even had it in T's favorite color, green. It was actually the perfect combination of items for our family so we picked it up. T got a divided plate, sippy cup, fork, and spoon, while Hailey got links, teething keys, a baby spoon in a case, and they got two snack cups. The spoon I already stashed in the diaper bag for when we go out!
So that was a lot, and yet, there were so many other brands and products we enjoyed including Smushed Organics - baby food, Dirty Soap - fun for washing hands, Attipas - baby shoes, Chatbooks - memory books, Savor - keepsake organization, Mom Box - pregnancy delivery box, Mabel's Labels - labeling, and more! Plus, Anne Geddes was there and the Baby Guy, Jamie Grayson. We learned parenting tips and tips to photograph your baby! There was just so so much info.
Are you wishing you were there? Don't worry because I have a giveaway for you. One lucky winner will get a swag bag from the event! Just enter below!
Cheers,
Emily
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