Time to be a kid again

Moms want the best for their kids and are doing anything possible to help their kids get ahead in life.  They fill their child's day with enrichment activities and play dates with the goal of making them smarter and more competitive.  Parents are becoming increasingly preoccupied with their children's successes. But what happened to the joy of just being a child? Why rush through childhood?

To help parents and kids embrace childhood, Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® brand team created the "Childhood Is Calling™: Celebrating Kids Just Being Kids" report. The report offers expert and real-mom insight on the importance of savoring childhood and advice for families to find simple moments of joy and connection. As part of Operation Spark, Childhood is Calling is an educational initiative devoted to providing parents with ways to create meaningful memories with their children.  

You can access the full "Childhood Is Calling™: Celebrating Kids Just Being Kids" report, information on the Operation Spark program and tips on how to relish the everyday fun with your kids by visiting www.ChildhoodIsCalling.com. The Web site also provides games, stories and recipes, including great twists to the old favorite Rice Krispies Treats® squares for parents to share with their kids.

FlapDoodle

There’s no easier way to spend family time together and create some memories than curled up in the living room with a board game. And FlapDoodle makes doing just that especially fun. This new board game from Wiggity Bang Games is silly, funny, and perfect for families. With a cast of crazy characters like Pirate Luigi Pepperoni and The Platypus and cards with instructions like “Name 3 things from the ocean that you would not want to find on your toothbrush,” this game will have everyone in your family engaged and laughing.

Bath Luve

New moms everywhere are plagued with countless dirty diapers, lack of sleep, and no time for themselves, with some of the most important early bonding experiences passing by in a rush of stress and anxiety. But Amy Seckinger has discovered the perfect solution to one of any new mom’s recurring problems – how to keep her baby happy in the bath. Amy’s new Bath Luve line is made up of adorable terry cloth covers, available in three animal shapes (duck, fish, and frog), which moms can run under warm water and then place on their babies, keeping them soothed and warm during a bath.

Froose: Sneaking whole grains into your childrens beverage!

An innovative new children's beverage has everyone at Mom Central abuzz. The little culprit? Froose!

Uniquely, Froose is the first "whole food" beverage that is about to sneak more whole grains into kids' everyday diets. Not only is Froose nutritious, but it also tastes amazing - a lot like taking a bite out of a piece of fruit!

Go! Pillow

I seem to have a weakness for multi-purpose products, which is probably why I love the idea of the Go! Pillow. This combination pillow and blanket is both multi-purpose and portable! Invented by mom Tangela Walker-Craft, this soft pillow can be used by both you and your infant. The pillow is a soft foam cushion that has a built-in pocket into which the attached blanket folds up, making it the perfect way to cradle your infant with both support and comfort.

Turbo Tooth Tunes

Any mom who has struggled to get her kids to brush their teeth will appreciate Turbo Tooth Tunes. The new toothbrushes from Hasbro are not only adorable, but they ensure your kids will brush their teeth for two full minutes – and enjoy it! Which means no more threats, bribes, or bedtime fights. When in use, the toothbrushes play a variety of songs, from classics like Queen, Kiss, and Devo to new favorites like Rihanna, The Cheetah Girls, and Hannah Montana.

IcyBag

With the weather warming up and more moms on the go, keeping cosmetics, sunscreen, and medications cool when they’re sitting for hours in the car, at the gym, or on the beach can be a big problem. Not to mention that sun and heat can make those products much less effective – which can be a disaster when you need to protect your baby from sunburn or you’re carrying allergy medicine. Which is why every mom needs an IcyBag. The gel pack inside the cooler (which is only 3 ounces and safe to take on planes!) can be frozen the night before and will last more than three times longer than ice. Best of all, the compact and stylish cooler bags will fit everywhere from your purse to your diaper bag, making them perfect for summer travel or even a trip to the store.

My Little Weather Buddy

How many times have you told your kids, “It’s 20 degrees out there! Dress warmly!” only to find them coming downstairs wearing jeans and a t-shirt? Luckily, there is now a product out there that can teach your little ones how to dress for the weather. My Little Weather Buddy is an effective and adorable way to finally get the message across to kids just learning to understand the weather. Come to think of it, I know a few college students who might benefit from this as well…

My Little Weather Buddy easily attaches to the outside of a window to serve as a thermometer of sorts. The little figure, either a boy or a girl, adds and removes clothing to correspond with the temperature, and the visual is both cute and useful. Your child will always know when it is warm enough for shorts or so cold that they’ll need a hat and scarf.

GoPets: Vacation Island

It’s a general rule that every kid wants a pet, regardless of who ends up having to take care of it. Thanks to GoPets, giving in will be a whole lot easier. With this updated game by Nintendo DS, kids can adopt their own virtual pet, care for it, train it, make friends with other pets, and play games, all while watching their pet develop its own personality and hobbies.

The pets in the game, either a dog or a cat, can be chosen randomly or matched to the player based on a series of questions. The pet’s name and appearance, however, is up to you. As players make their way around the island, caring for the pets and meeting friends, they can “purchase” different toys and items, interact with other characters, and compete in mini games.

Clorox Disinfecting Wipes

Cleaning can be the bane of every mom’s existence. From mealtime spills to on the kitchen floor to disinfecting the bathroom, life with kids can mean constant cleaning up. Not to mention that keeping our kids protected from germs is high on every mom’s list of priorities; not a year goes by that cold and flu season doesn’t strike fear into the hearts of moms everywhere!

Thankfully, gone are the days of the germy scrubbing brush and tough elbow grease. Clorox’s new and improved disinfecting wipes will easily clean, disinfect, and sanitize everything from high chairs and counters to blinds and keyboards. The new wipes are not only thicker, but come in great scents, including lavender and kitchen fresh, and they’re not just effective at cleaning up – they kill germs like the flu virus.