Our inboxes are flooded with the latest and greatest in new parenting products every day. From exciting new toys and clever innovations for baby to tools that help make raising kids just a little bit easier, our editors have selected some of their favourite launches this month.
1. Bugaboo by Gray Malin
Photo courtesy of West Coast Kids
“This special edition Breezy Sun Canopy will have you and your baby soaking up the summer. Featuring Malin’s iconic aerial beach photography, the canopy keeps the sun rays away from your baby with UPF 50+ protection while still leaving you with a gentle breeze thanks to the side mesh panels.”—Kevin John Siazon, Assistant Editor
$125, westcoastkids.ca
2. Printed Silicone Bibs
Photo courtesy of Loulou Lollipop
“There are few parenting tasks I like less than picking up the food my toddler drops off their high chair. (If I have to scrape another soggy Cheerio off the kitchen floor, I quit.) So you can imagine my relief when I discovered these silicone bibs with a catch-all pouch. And that rainbow tie dye design? *heart eye emoji*”—Amy Van Es, Deputy Editor
$15, louloulollipop.ca
3. Two-Year-Old Play Kits
Photo courtesy of Lovevery
“Lovevery Play Kits are subscription activity boxes customized to your child’s age. (They even have them for newborns and babies.) But the toddler months are when it gets really fun (and exhausting), especially with all this time stuck at home lately. (I’ve spent many a late night searching Instagram or Pinterest for ECE-approved activity ideas, thinking, ‘But I am not a trained early childhood educator!’) Instead of doing all that work yourself, the supplies and play prompts literally land on your doorstep every three months, with an accompanying guide with ‘ideas for how to play […] backed by all the research you don’t have time to read.’ Perfect. The subscription is quite pricey ($120 US per box, which arrives every three months), but the contents are decidedly Montessori-style and minimalist in design, so you’ll probably want to hang onto the beautiful wooden toys afterwards instead of just feeling overwhelmed by more clutter coming into your house. A sample toddler box might have supplies for a pouring station; routine cards; tongs, buttons and buckles for developing fine motor skills and finger strength; or go-tos like stacking cups, peg puzzles and board books. If you’re running low on creative activity ideas with little kids cooped up at home all day, every day, this is a worthwhile investment. ”—Ariel Brewster, Senior Editor
$120 US per kit, lovevery.com
4. Developmental Play Packs
Photo courtesy of Toys R Us
“Now this is a smart idea! In partnership with Autism Speaks Canada, toy retailer Toys R Us Canada has put together a variety of different toy bundles, with each one focussed on developing a specific skill, such as cognitive, gross and fine motor, and speech and language. I’m eyeing the Outdoor Activity Play Pack for my younger guy. — Kim Shiffman, Editor-in-Chief
from $56, toysrus.ca
5. The Varsity Capsule by Hilary MacMillan
Photo courtesy of Hilary MacMillan
“These cooler-than-cool varsity jackets are exactly what your little feminist needs to round out the perfect first-day-of-school outfit (if schools end up re-opening, that is). My favourite part? A portion of the proceeds goes to charity. Plus, if you’re into matching ensembles, you can get one in an adult size for yourself, too. Win-win!”—Kevin John Siazon, Assistant Editor
$85, hilarymacmillan.com
6. The Kegel Release Curve
Photo courtesy of KR Curve
“Massaging your perineal muscles—the ones that connect your anus to your vagina—can reduce tearing during delivery and improve postpartum recovery. But reaching down there when you’re eight months pregnant isn’t exactly easy. The KRcurve is a medical grade stainless steel bar that you insert just past the entrance to your vagina and gently massage the muscles. Bonus: you can cool it in the fridge after childbirth and use it to sooth the perineum.”—Claire Gagné, Senior Editor
$175, kegelreleasecurve.com
7. Postpartum Recovery Kit
Photo courtesy of Well.ca
“There are lots of things you’ll want postpartum, including maxi pads, nipple cream and a perineal squirt bottle. Fridababy Fridamom—you might remember their kick-ass, viral commercial about the realities of postpartum recovery—has put a bunch of their products all together in a Postpartum Recovery Kit, with a storage caddy for keeping everything at the ready on the top of the toilet. For $99, you’ll receive four pairs of disposable postpartum underwear; witch hazel pad liners (which have a cooling effect); perineal healing foam; and ‘Instant Ice Maxi Pads.’ If only four to six straight uninterrupted hours of sleep could come in the kit, too. Note: This also makes a great gift for that friend whose due date is quickly approaching.”—Ariel Brewster, Senior Editor
$100, well.ca
8. Mommy and Mini collection
Photo courtesy of Poppy and Peonies
“This is the perfect line to take advantage of while my kids still think I’m cool—and way more chic than their suggested neon tutus. All three of us agree, the raffia Beachcomber bag is the perfect picnic companion.”—Amy Van Es, Deputy Editor
from $75, poppyandpeonies.com
9. Allerject Epinephrine Injection
Photo courtesy of Allerject
“My kids don’t have food allergies, and I’m always nervous I won’t remember how to inject epinephrine if one of their friends has an allergic reaction at my house. The Allerject epinephrine autoinjector takes that concern away by talking you through the steps for after you pull off the cap. It’s also small enough to fit in a pocket. (The Allerject autoinjector was recalled in 2015 due to dosage concerns but is now back on the market.)”—Claire Gagné, Senior Editor
10. Bontrager Jet WaveCel child bike helmet
Photo courtesy of Trek
“You might think a helmet’s a helmet, but this one proves otherwise. This skater-style kids’ bike helmet features WaveCel technology, which absorbs the force of an impact before it reaches your head, plus it has a magnetic buckle, meaning no more pinched fingers.” — Kim Shiffman, Editor-in-Chief
$135, trekbikes.com
Food news
While we don’t typically feature food in this section, there were too many great new products we couldn’t resist sharing. Check out these tasty additions to your summer barbecues.
1. Neale’s Sweet ‘N Nice
Photo courtesy of Neale’s Sweet ‘N Nice
“In a time when we’re can’t escape to the Caribbean, these tropical ice cream flavours will take your tastebuds on a tropical vacation. This ice cream is Canadian-made and inspired by the secret recipes of ‘Grandad’ Charles Neale who used to pedal through the streets of Trinidad in the 1940s selling his goods. I’m most excited to try out the pineapple coconut flavour.” — Simone Olivero, Senior Editor
$6, major grocery retailers across Canada, sweetnnice.ca
2. Yellowfruit
Photo courtesy of Yellowfruit
“Even if you don’t eat dairy, you can still get your ice cream fix. This frosty plant-based treat is made from a banana base and comes in three flavours: chocolate, mango and strawberry. These have been a great guilt-free treat during the heat wave we’ve been having the last few weeks.” — Simone Olivero, Senior Editor
$6, major grocery retailers across Canada, yellofruit.com
3. Halo Top Exclusively Canadian Line-up
Photo courtesy of Halo Top
“Canada Day may be over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in flavours like Butter Tart, Maple Pecan and Chocolate Honeycomb all summer long. I’m particularly partial to Butter Tart, which has chunks of pie crust in it. All three flavours are surprisingly decadent at only 360 calories per pint.” — Simone Olivero, Senior Editor
$6, major grocery retailers across Canada, halotop.ca
4. Beyond Meat Beyond Sausage
Photo courtesy of Beyond Meat
“Just in time for grilling season, the popular plant-based company is now making sausages. Coming in Mild Italian and Hot Italian, these sausages claim to deliver the same satisfaction of a pork sausage without the compromise. I tried these at a family barbecue on the weekend and no one knew they weren’t real meat.” — Simone Olivero, Senior Editor
$10, major grocery retailers across Canada, beyondmeat.com
5. Maple Leaf 50/50 burger
Photo courtesy of Maple Leaf Foods
“Not ready to go completely plant-based? These new burgers meet you half way. Because they’re made from a fifty-fifty combo of premium meat and plant-based ingredients, you can cut down your meat consumption without completely giving it up.” — Simone Olivero, Senior Editor
$7, major grocery retailers across Canada, mapleleaf.ca