Bonus Material:

4. Humidifiers. Read our buying advice.

5. Toys. Learn what basic toys are best for baby, plus wastes of money, bargain ideas, and mail order sources.


Humidifiers

Even if you don’t live in a dry climate, you might consider a humidifier for baby’s room during the winter months. Why? Forced-air heat or air conditioning can dry out a house quickly. When it comes to humidifiers, you have two choices:

u Cool mist. These models work either by evaporation (a filter traps minerals and impurities and then a fan sends the cool mist into the air) or ultrasonic (which uses an electronic transducer to create cool mist). Some folks like ultrasonic models since they are quieter; on the other hand, the fan in evaporative humidifiers generates white noise that can comfort a fussy baby.

u Warm mist. These humidifiers have a heating system to release warm mist into the air. Some warm mist humidifiers have a “vaporizer” feature that allows you to vaporize prescribed medicine into the baby’s room (although doctors rarely prescribe that today). These models make a bit of noise when they heat up the water (usually, it’s a gurgling sound), but they are quieter than cool mist evaporative models with fans.

So, should you get a warm or cool mist model? It’s a toss-up. Warm mist models can raise the temperature in baby’s room—that could be a plus (if your house is somewhat drafty) or a minus (if baby’s room gets too warm). Each model requires regular cleaning every week and replacement of filters every four to eight weeks.

The disadvantages of humidifiers: evaporative coolers have filters that trap mineral deposits. Over time deposits can reduce the effectiveness of the wick. For ultrasonic humidifiers, mineral deposits can be dispersed through the air as “white dust” which is a cleaning hassle (and some believe a health hazard.) Yes, you can use distilled water in ultrasonic humidifiers, but that’s expensive. Finally, what about warm mist humidifiers? Some doctors don’t recommend these because they believe a warm, moist environment can lead to bacteria growth.

One feature we recommend: a built-in humidistat. This feature works much the same way a thermostat controls your heat or air conditioning. When the humidity in a room reaches a preset level, the humidistat shuts off the humidifier. If the humidity drops, the unit turns back on. Some cheaper humidifiers lack humidistats; we suggest skipping those models.

What are the best brands? We like the Holmes brand (800-5-HOLMES; www.holmesproducts.com) as well as models by Duracraft/Honeywell. Holmes makes both warm and cool mist models as well as ultrasonic units. They’re sold at reasonable prices at discounters like Wal-Mart and Target (among many other stores).

One reader, Valerie Graham, recommended the Slant/Fin ultra-violet warm mist germ-free humidifier. “We live in a rural, arid mountainous environment and I suffer from many allergies. I purchased one for the nursery and found it at Babies R Us for $79. I did a lot of research, and this humidifier has a dual germicidal process—both ultraviolet light and boiling (vaporization). There is no white dust. There are no replacement filters, wicks, or cartridges. It operates very quietly. I have seen it in other catalogs—Brookstone, Hard to Find Tools, Harmony—for over $100. It kills 99.9% of bacteria and molds and spores. I think it is a wonderful product.”

What about humidifiers by juvenile product makers? We find them to be overpriced and underpowered. For example, Evenflo sells both warm and cool-mist 2.5-gallon models for $40 at Babies R Us. That’s nice, but we’ve seen the same size humidifiers at discounters for $30 or less. Another benefit for Holmes: all their humidifiers are treated with “Microban” antibacterial protection in the plastic (and in the cool mist wick filters).

A buying note: we suggest buying a humidifier from a store with a good return policy. Like any electronic device, you may have to return a defective one if you find it doesn’t work properly. One reader who bought a humidifier online direct from the manufacturer found this out the hard way—she discovered the manufacturer wouldn’t take back the defective model, even though it was just a week old!

What’s the right size humidifier? For most standard size bedrooms, a 1.5 to 2.0-gallon humidifier should do. For larger rooms, check out these guidelines:

Area Humidified   Room Size                           Needed Output

(in sq. ft.)                          (gallons per day)

500 or lower        Very Small                   1.5 to 2.0

530-600              Small to Medium            2.2 to 2.5

700-800              Medium                       3.0 to 3.5

900-1000             Medium to Large            4.0 to 5.0

1000-2000           Large to Whole House    7.0 to 9.0

Over 2000            Whole house                10.0 or higher

Source: www.holmesproducts.com


Toys: The Basics

1 Stacking Cups. Once your baby starts to reach for objects, a nice set of stacking cups can supply endless hours of fun—although we had second thoughts about whether we’d later regret teaching our son to knock over objects. Sage insight or the ramblings of a first-time parent? Anyway, you can find a set of stacking cups at grocery stores, toy stores and chains like Toys R Us. Cost: about $5. Speaking of affordable toys, we also liked the Lamaze line of baby toys by Learning Curve (800) 704-8697 (web: www. learningcurvetoys.com). These fun developmental toys (categorized by age) include a puzzle ball, soft stacking rings and more. See the following section below for our top picks for toys for infants.

2 Mobile For Crib. Sure, a mobile sounds like the perfect accessory for any crib, but how do you choose one? Here’s our best advice: look at it from underneath. It’s surprising to see the number of flat two-dimensional mobiles out there—get underneath them and look from the baby’s perspective and what do you see? Nothing—the objects seem to disappear! The best mobiles are more three-dimensional. Our favorite mobile: the Symphony in Motion by Tiny Love ($40 to $50). It plays three classical tunes and has a unique rotating bar that sends toys/characters along a funky path to keep baby entertained

3 Activity Center/Busy Box. Ah, the old stand-by. This venerable toy (about $15) features various spinning balls, bells, phone dialer, squeakers, etc.—all attached to molded plastic. One famous example: the Fisher-Price Activity Center, now discontinued but still available second-hand. The center (like other toys) has a strap that enables you to attach it to the crib. One caveat to toys like this: they make it difficult to put the baby down to sleep—any time you touch the crib, the toy makes a sound, and the baby might wake up. Our advice: plan on using “noisy” toys outside the crib.

4 CD/Tape Player. Gotta have something to play those Raffi CD’s on. Actually, there is quite a good selection of musical options for babies that are less irritating than you might think. Look for a tape or CD player designed specifically for use with small children. Such products have child-safe battery compartments and simple controls. Most of the “general” baby catalogs mentioned in this book carry a baby tape players for $20 and CD options for $50.

5 Selection of Books. As book authors, we’d be remiss if we didn’t recommend that you buy lots of books for your baby. Visit your local bookstore, and you’ll find stiff board books (easier for young hands to turn or, at least, not destroy) as well as squishy cloth books. There are even books made of vinyl to make bath-time more fun. Obviously, a bookstore that specializes in children’s books is a best bet. Used bookstores are another excellent source as are book sales at libraries and other charity events. If your child will be in a day care center, check to see if the school participates in the Scholastic Book Club—prices are low and sales benefit your school.

6 Flatobearius. Our hip California cousins Ken and Elizabeth Troy turned us on to this adorable line of small stuffed animal rattles. “Flatobearius” is a flat, squishy bear rattle, part of the “Flatso” series from North American Bear Co. (to find a dealer near you, call 800-682-3427 or 312-329-0020 web: www.nabear.com). Once you get hooked, you’ll have to acquire the entire collection of animal rattles—Flatopup, Flatjack (a rabbit), and Squishy Fish to name a few. The small Flatso rattles are about $10 (not cheap, but a nice splurge), and they even have a couple of larger versions ($25 to $55) and mobiles.

The Top 4 Best Toys for Infants

Here are our top picks for the Best Toys for Baby. Most of these are available in toy stores nationwide or online from sources like Amazon.com.

1 Stride to Ride Walker (Fisher Price, $25). For ages nine months and up. Despite the name, this toy isn’t a walker in the traditional sense of the world. Your child must be able to stand to use it. Once they are ready however, we love the clever design. First, it is a push toy. Then it converts to a ride-on. The Stride to Ride has music, lights and more—or can be used in a quiet mode. Web: www.fisher-price.com.

2 Lamaze Soft Sorter (Learning Curve, $20). Six months and up. Various fabric cubes and shapes have different textures and sounds. The “sorter” has special size openings for each shape, teaching baby how to sort.

3 Buffoodles. (Mary Meyer, $10) Infant and up. Cute, colorful puppets in soft velour. Web: www. marymeyer.com.

4 Ocean Wonders Fishbowl (Fisher Price, $15). Six months and up. Babies love this mesmerizing toy, with music, lights and sound all set to an aquatic theme. Web: www.fisher-price.com.

Toys: Wastes of Money

1 Fancy Toys. We interviewed one couple who bought a fancy set of expensive toys for their infant daughter, only to be dismayed that she didn’t want to play with them. What did baby really like to play with? Their keys. The lesson: sometimes it’s the simple, inexpensive things in life that are the most fun.

2 Fancy Books. Walk through any children’s section in your local bookstore and you’ll see a zillion children’s books, all lavishly illustrated and beautifully packaged. And do you know what most babies want to do with books? Eat them. We liked the suggestion that one mom discovered when it came to books: many popular hardcover children’s books come in soft-cover or paperback versions, at substantially lower prices. That way if Junior decides his favorite book looks like lunch one day, you’re not out as much money. Board books and even cloth books are good to chew on too.

3 Fancy Burp Pads. Do you really need to spend $5 on a burp pad—a scientifically designed piece of cloth for you to put on your shoulder to keep spit-up off your clothes when Junior burps? No, just put a cloth diaper on your shoulder (average price 50¢ or less) and save the money.

4 Black and White Mobiles. Yes, they are all the rage today. True, your baby is attracted to high-contrast black and white images in the first four months, and such mobiles may be quite fascinating. But $20-$40 seems like a lot of money to be spent on an item that’s used for just a few months (or weeks). We liked the money-saving suggestion from one dad we interviewed: he drew patterns with a black pen on white index cards and then attached the cards to a regular color mobile. The baby liked the improvised version just fine, and the parents saved $20 to $40. (One safety tip: make sure the cards are attached firmly to the mobile. And, as always, remove all mobiles from the crib after five months when your baby sits up). Another money-saving tip: forget the mobile altogether. Some parents we interviewed said their baby got along fine without one. If you get a mobile as a gift, consider re-hanging over a diaper changing area once you remove it from the crib. That gives you more use without the safety hazard of having it in the crib.

Toys:  Money-Saving Secrets

1 Use web coupons. Yes, you’ve heard about all the hype on great deals folks get online. But where can YOU find such deals? One of the biggest bargains online is special electronic “coupons” you can use to save big.

2 Don’t forget consignment stores. A great item to find at second-hand stores specializing in children’s products: mobiles. Most aren’t handled by babies so they’re in excellent condition—at prices that are typically 50% or more off retail. We found quite a few in our local baby consignment store for $10 to $20; compare that to the $50 retail price these fetch at specialty stores. Since you tend to use a mobile for such a short period of time, you can then re-consign it at the shop and get some money back! Of course, these stores sell much more than mobiles—you can pick up toys, high chairs, and, of course, clothes at tremendous savings. Check your phone book under “Consignment” or “Thrift Stores”; many are also listed under “Clothes & Accessories—Infant & Child—Retail.” For a great online source to local second hand shops, check out www.narts.org. Another great source for bargains: garage sales. Refer back to Chapter 4 for more tips on shopping garage/yard sales.

3 Go for refillable packages. Take diaper wipes, for example. You can often buy refillable packages of wipes to fit into those plastic boxes. The savings: about 20% off the cost of buying a new box. And you save another plastic box from the landfill.

4 Reuse that mobile. Safety experts say crib mobiles should be removed when baby starts to sit up. Why? Those strings can be a strangulation hazard. But that doesn’t mean the mobile is garage sale fodder. Instead, reuse it—we hung ours over the changing table to entertain baby during those zillion diaper changes.

5 Make a baby drawer in the kitchen. Who needs fancy toys? Buy a $200 wagon at a toy store and chances are baby is more interested in the box. So, why fight it? Simple household items like wooden spoons, old boxes or Tupperware containers can provide hours of fun. In the kitchen, give baby a drawer of his own and fill it with some fun items.

6 Organize a toy exchange. As one television network says, if you missed the original episode, the repeat is “new to you.” The same goes for toys—pop over to a neighbor’s house and you’ll notice all those toys seem new and fascinating to your child. So, here’s an idea: organize a toy swap with other parents in your neighborhood or playgroup. Label a dozen toys with your name and pop them in a box. Trade that box with another family for toys their children have grown bored with. Voila! Instant new toys for free. Every month, swap again, this time with another family.

7 Consider creative alternatives to toy boxes. A wooden toy box can run $150 to $300. But there are ways to save. First, check out unfinished furniture stores, which have toy boxes for $100 or less. Another idea: use a rolling cart (about $18), wicker laundry baskets ($25) or other inexpensive storage ideas.

8 One word: eBay. If you haven’t discovered this fantastic bargain source, you should return your bargain shopper license—eBay is an amazing source for baby products. Samples: we clicked on “play pen” and whamo! 152 results, including a brand new Graco Pak N Play with bassinet. The bids for this item were just $60, compared to the $120 retail. Another reader found a $200 breast pump for $140, again brand new. And here’s a little secret to getting the best deals: look for baby product makers, catalogs and stores who are selling overstock products quietly on eBay. Yes, you can often get brand new product (still in the box, with all directions, etc.) by just careful searching. Be sure to read product descriptions with a fine tooth comb to make sure an item is new, “in the box” or damaged/used. Most sellers honestly report the condition. Once you find a baby store/catalog that is selling online, you can view all their auctions by clicking on their name.

Toys:  Do it By Mail

Back to Basics Toys

To Order Call: (800) 356-5360;  Fax (800) 759-8477.

Web: www.backtobasicstoys.com (this catalog’s fulfillment is now being done by Amazon.com)

In business since 1988, Back to Basics Toys catalog theme is “they DO make them like they used to.” An excellent index lets you zero in on a certain age group of toys. The “early childhood” section featured such classics as “Rock A Stack” toy by Fisher Price for $4. Altogether, there are over 20 pages of toys for children up to five years, complete with color pictures, great descriptions and age specifications. Back to Basics Toys has a joint web site with Amazon’s toy site. There you can find some pricey items like $500 wooden playhouses, but also plenty of affordable items as well. We like the retro toys (Lincoln Logs, Raggedy Ann and Andy, Radio Flyer trikes) best among the online offerings.

Constructive Playthings

To Order Call: (800) 832-0572 or (816) 761-5900;  Fax (816) 761-9295.

Web: www.constplay.com

Retail Outlets: They have seven retail stores; call the phone

number above for a location near you.

Yes, this catalog can seem cluttered, but we like the organization by age group. The “First Playthings” section, for example features infant stimulation toys, foam blocks and other affordably priced items. Heck, we didn’t see much over $50 in this section, which is a contrast to other toy catalogs that seem weighted down with expensive offerings. We liked the “First Learning” section that featured a good selection of educational toys. Constructive Playthings has greatly improved their web site since our last visit—now the navigation is easy and the organization excellent. Check out the “sale products” section for the best deals.

Kaplanco.com

To Order Call: (800) 533-2166;  Web: www.kaplanco.com

Kaplan Company bought out the Great Kids Company catalog a few years ago and discontinued the print version. But you can still shop their great selection of educational toys online at KaplanCo.com. We liked the well-designed web site, with special buttons that highlight toys by age, “exceptional children,” “outdoor classroom” and more.

Playfair Toys

To Order Call: (800) 824-7255; Fax: (303) 440-3393

Shopping Hours: 7am to 7pm Mountain time.

Or write to: PO Box 18210, Boulder, CO 80308

Web: www.playfairtoys.com; Retail store: 1690 28th St, Boulder, CO.

Yeah, the catalog’s organization is a jumbled mish-mash of different age groups, but we liked Playfair’s helpful product descriptions. No, this isn’t a discount catalog (most of the prices are at full retail), but the large selection of arts and crafts supplies is unique. Playfair carries Ambi toys and kids’ furniture (likes desks and sofa sets). The web site is pretty basic but functional—we wish they had more thumbnails of products instead of text listings.

Sensational Beginnings

To Order Call: (800) 444-2147; Fax: (734) 242-8278.

Shopping Hours: 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Or write to: 987 Stewart Rd., PO Box 2009, Monroe, MI 48162

Web: www.sensationalbeginnings.com

Characters like Madeline and Bob the Builder are the focus of Sensational Beginnings, a well-organized catalog that includes a nice selection of infant items (play centers, activity gyms and more). We saw lots of Brio and Thomas the Tank Engine items, as well as non-toy baby products like the Baby Bjorn carrier. While the catalog’s prices are regular retail, Sensational Beginnings web site features specials at 20% to 30% off. That web site, by the way, is spectacular—you can shop by age, brand, category and more. Their “Wow! Gifts” are great splurges (hint to the grandmothers reading this book). You can even find a small selection of baby products like strollers, carriers and the like.

Toys to Grow On

To Order Call: (800) 542-8338; Fax: (310) 537-5403.

Shopping Hours: 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Or write to: 2695 E. Dominguez St., PO Box 17, Long Beach, CA 90801

Web: www.toystogrowon.com

As the name implies, Toys To Grow On specializes in education toys. We liked the selection of dress-up “imagine” toys, science projects and arts and crafts supplies. There isn’t a big selection of items for children under 2, but they did have some tub toys, soft rattles and blocks. The best deal: Toys to Grow On sells a train table and board for Brio or Thomas that was HALF the cost of what we saw in retail toy stores. We ordered this table from Toys to Grow On and were impressed (it was well made and easy to assemble). As for Toys to Grow On’s web site, we loved the “20 under $20” section as well as their “What’s Hot” section. You can shop by category (examples: Pretend Play, Bath Toys, etc.) but there are no recommendations for toys by age, unfortunately.

  • More toy catalogs. We have to issue a warning before we discuss the next catalog. Here’s what we’ve learned from seven years of parenthood: Thomas the Tank Engine is like an addictive drug for toddlers. Once they get started playing with it, look out—you’ll soon be searching toy stores and web sites for Thomas pajamas and lunch sacks . . . and that darn obscure “Mike” train.

So, you can imagine our son’s delight when the Totally Thomas’ Toy Depot catalog (800-30-THOMAS; www.totallythomas.com) showed up in our mailbox. This catalog carries Thomas clothing, backpacks, toys and, of course, trains—engines, track, accessories and more. It was all we could do to rip the catalog out of his little hands to write this review. (Hint: you can learn more about Thomas on their official web site at www.thomasthetankengine.com).

Hearth Song (800) 325-2502 (www.hearthsong.com) sells arts and crafts supplies, as well as an entire line of Peter Rabbit toys and games. The catalog also has a nice selection of seasonal items and musical instruments like guitars and lap harps.

Imagine the Challenge (888) 777-1493 (www.imaginetoys.com) boasts a section of education toys for kids under three, including a wooden workbench, a play-and-fold clubhouse, and a cute “My First Camera.” Most of the items are under $50, which makes this one of the more affordable catalogs we reviewed.

Leaps & Bounds (800) 477-2189 (www.leapsandboundscatalog. com) focus on “dress up and pretend toys” as well as furniture options like desks, play tables and kid-size sofas. Leaps & Bounds is owned by the same parent company as the One Step Ahead catalog.

SmarterKids (web: www.smarterkids.com) is an excellent web site with educational toy recommendations by age and lots of bargains in their clearance section.