Little Climber

“Read your book once per day and use a climber while you play. Give it time and you will see, your little baby in a tree.”

-Little Climber

After David Stuebe has Lily, his first child, he learns quickly that it isn’t easy to find products that will grow with her. “I come from a background in manufacturing and decided to create a product line that allows our children to play, read and grow throughout their experience with the Little Climber,” he tells me.

Kickstarter Campaign Run Thru May 14

David is now creating one of the only product lines on the market designed to promote 100% natural growth progression of a child’s mind, body and strength. Little Climber is a Smart Home Playground designed to enhance your children’s motor skill development, balance control, creativity and so much more. Little Climber is made for children ages six months to 3+ years.

Why is a Modular Playground so Important?

Every child’s mind, body and strength develops at their own speed. While most products are built based on the progress of the “average child,” Little Climber “actually grows” with your little one, supporting your child’s abilities at the exact moment needed in their stage of development.

The Little Climber Experience

David is a father, designer and creator of what he calls the “Little Climber Experience.” He’s also a student of the Montessori approach, the Dr. Emmi Pikler method and his favorite, Magda Gerber. One year ago, his children inspire him to start his children’s furniture company that produces intuitive environments for little ones that will benefit them today, tomorrow and forever.

Step 1 – Play Transform your room, yard or nursery into a fully interactive climbing experience with endless course options. Play on a light, simple course or setup an advanced and rigorous climb.
Step 2 – Read Watching your little one climb is such a fun and magical time. David captures that joyful moment in a book to help you and your little one get excited and celebrate the climbing experience.
Step 3 – Grow Little Climber is a modular product. As your little one’s abilities grow, slowly advance them to the next level of difficulty by raising or moving the accessories (RockWall, Ladder, Slide).

Built with Care in the USA

“It’s about time that a company builds a product not solely for immense capital gains but to help and benefit others,” a thought that goes through David’s mind while he starts committing his life to helping children with smart toys and playgrounds. David names his furniture factory after his daughters, Lily and River, where every detail of Little Climber and its accessories are refined and perfected for long-term durability, functionality and aesthetics – right here in America. Click here.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new articles each week about innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children. Contact me today with your great idea!

ESLO Shoes

Kickstarter Campaign is Live!

The Lopez Family wants to make masterfully crafted shoes and boots for your family. It’s a beautiful story, really – all about equality, family and you.

ESLO Craft Goods harnesses 50+ years of authentic shoe-crafting experience to provide your children with modern, sleek and stylish shoes and boots that support and nurture their growing feet. In 1965, the founder’s Grandfather starts this journey in the small town of Jesus Maria, Mexico at a time when men migrate for jobs and women aren’t even allowed to work. Nonetheless, Grandfather advocates on behalf of the local women, and soon, they are the ones helping him build the foundation for the company you see today; one defined by equality, family and passion.

“Our mission is to be the bridge between our family and yours, and build the foundation for a sustainable, philanthropic and innovative children’s shoe company. With your help, we can achieve our dream of sharing Eduardo’s family’s craft with the world and provide your children with the highest quality leather shoe possible.”

Grow With ESLO

The ESLO kickstarter campaign is just days old, and is your chance to have shoes custom made. Ryan Eldridge tells me why the CRT audience will join the journey:

It’s a beautiful story – ESLO’s foundation was built over 50 years ago by providing jobs for women in the local community.

We have generations of experience – Our family has been crafting shoes for three generations. Each pair is imbued with experience, love and quality craftsmanship that has been perfected over this time.

Each shoe is authentically made – We source all our leather from Leon, MX – the leather capital of the western hemisphere. Some of our craftsman have been with the company for decades.

ESLO Shoes: Classic to Modern

During the kickstarter campaign, ESLO is crafting shoes in the classic Wingtip and minimalistic Oxford style, and boots in the modern Chukka style. Perfect for both boys and girls, these shoes are “perfected and refined.” Follow along:

HIGH QUALITY LEATHER – Our shoes and boots are crafted from genuine, all natural leather.
PLUSH LINING – The lining we use provides plush cushioning, giving your child maximum comfort.
FOAM CUSHIONING – This top-layer insole makes each step your child takes relaxed and agreeable.
INSOLE – Our second insole is made of soft, durable leather, which gives your child’s foot a cozy foundation to rest on.
HEEL SUPPORT – This added heel support is the bedrock of each shoe and boot. It keeps everything sturdy and stable.
RUGGED OUTSOLE – The uniquely textured outsole provides maximum traction on virtually any surface
FLEXIBILITY – Our flexibility grooves bend with ease and avoid any material pinching against your child’s foot.
MOISTURE WICKING FABRIC – The moisture wicking material absorbs sweat from the toes, reducing discomfort and smell.

Generational, Diverse and Ready Team

Celina, Eduardo, Lorenc and Ryan are armed with their own unique skill sets. They believe that through their combined passions and efforts, they will use these skills – ranging from experienced product design to streamlined supply chain, quality manufacturing to focused marketing – to provide your children with the most stylish, trendy, comfortable and supportive shoes and boots.

So exciting. Good luck, you guys!

Children’s Retail Today publishes new articles each week about innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children. Contact me today with your great idea!

Indy “Talk” Shop

Kickstarter Campaign Launches Today!

Indy “Talk” Shop, a new creative educational toy startup for kids ages 0-3, produces toys that easily guide playtime with your kids for better bonding and learning. The company is launching a Kickstarter campaign today (February 28).

As You Read, You Play, and You Learn, Naturally

Based on new research in child development and play methods, Indy “Talk” Shop is creating a line of playboxes that is qualitatively different. Each playbox comes with an original story about a cute yet clumsy dragon named “Indy” and a matching classic toy, such as a puzzle, blocks, train sets, etc. Each story guides a reading-while-playing experience that prompts playtime with your kids and enables an interactive dynamic between parent and child to enhance developmental areas that are critical for their growth. While essential for a child’s early learning, the playboxes also offer parents the tools they need to help their kids learn.

Indy “Talk” Shop’s Kickstarter campaign offers backers an opportunity to donate the first playbox in a series, Indy and the Farm (an original story with a matching farm puzzle), to one of three New York-based national charity partners that support the education and advancement of children: K.I.D.S./Fashion Delivers, Family Health Centers at NYU Langone and Room to Grow. When you support Indy “Talk” Shop through the campaign, you will also buy Indy and The Farm for children in need.

About Indy “Talk” Shop

Indy “Talk” Shop is co-founded by Frida Matute, M.A. CCC-SLP, a New York-based medical pediatric speech-language therapist, and Alex Adarichev, an architect and designer. Frida’s inspiration comes from tying her clinical experience, research and love of watching kids and parents learn together. Their five-person team has been working diligently to make this launch a success.

Indy “Talk” Shop’s method is to embed tips and hints into the story’s pages, treating text with graphics, punctuation, capitalization and bold-faced type, so parents can read to their kids in a sing-song voice. This technique is “dynamite for language development,” says Patricia Kuhl of the Institute for Learning and Brain Science at the University of Washington. The combination of embedding tips for parents and encouraging an animated reading of the story while playing with the matching classic toy helps kids naturally repeat core vocabulary words and sounds. It also lets children practice early cognitive skills like problem-solving, matching and categorization.

Play research has been going on for years, although not all toy companies are embedding this research directly into the design of toys Like Indy “Talk” Shop is. “Preschool children learn better when an adult is involved,” says Dr. Jenny Radesky, a pediatrician specializing in child development at Boston Medical Center. In other words, guided play is best for kids’ development, to help parents and kids bond, learn and play more effectively. “When parents keep the conversation going, rather than simply trying to get their children to hear as many words as possible, they are preparing their children for later language and school success,” say Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnik Golinkoff, child psychologists and researchers at Temple University. Further research explains that healthy brain development relies on guided play between kids and parents. Indy “Talk” Shop playboxes guide parents through a playtime interaction that will make a difference in their kids’ development, whether they have five minutes or an hour to play.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new articles each week about innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children. Contact me today with your great idea!

ModCloth x Who’s Little

ModCloth believes fashion is for every body. Founded in a college dorm room by high school sweethearts Susan Gregg Koger and Eric Koger 14 years ago, the exclusive line of apparel is available in a full range of sizes – plus, ModCloth’s curated selections feature styles from hundreds of independent designers.

That’s why the women’s clothing and lifestyle retailer is collaborating with girls’ wear brand Who’s Little? for a first-ever children’s collection. The folks at Who’s Little? like to say they’re committed to giving children “the magical moments only a pirouette-worthy dress can provide.”

ModCloth x Who’s Little for the Holidays

Each adorable dress for girls sizes 2 to 8 is unapologetically sweet! Choose from:

a mom-and-me look
a “color me” dress, which comes with markers and allows girls to DIY their way to their own bespoke look
traditional tartans
plenty of tulle, sparkle and holiday themes

Children’s Retail Today publishes new articles each week about innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children. Contact me today with your great idea!

Kelsey MacLean

Named one of Oklahoma’s 50 most powerful people in 2015, Kelsey MacLean is offering her line directly to you.

The Kelsey MacLean brand of fine clothing and accessories for babies, children and adults the epitomizes timeless country club style. Named after founder and creative director, the custom-embroidered luxury apparel features classic designs expertly crafted in Peru of “decadently” soft Pima cotton and other fine textiles for superior comfort and long life.

Create One-Of-A-Kind Clothing

Using the latest technology, Kelsey MacLean is one of just a few companies in the United States to offer such an extensive personalized custom embroidered collection. Kelsey MacLean craftsmen can personalize most garments by adding monograms, names, logos, icons or text embroidery to create a truly unique one of a kind piece. Choose your text, font and thread color for monograms and names – or select a logo from the company’s list of charities and non-profits and support you favorite – it will receive a portion of the proceeds.

Personalized in the USA

All aspects of the personalization process, including artwork design, embroidery, hand finishing and pressing- are done at the company headquarters in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania to ensure that your custom piece is not only what you envision, it is made with the highest quality. For instance, the embroidery machines use very small needles, which help make the personalization crisp and clean.

Founder/Creative Director Kelsey MacLean launched her line in 2013. Once only available in high end hotels, resorts, country clubs and golf clubs, her company Fore Kids Golf has earned Preferred Vendor status for The Ritz-Carlton Hotels, and is an Official Licensee of the Tournament Players Club (TPC) Network. Named one of Oklahoma’s 50 most powerful people in 2015, Kelsey is offering her line directly to you through KelseyMaclean.com.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new articles each week about innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children. Contact me today with your great idea!

Good Dog in a Box

Animal lovers are launching new business today on KickStarter.

Sisters Jenn Merritt and Kim Merritt-Butler grew up with two poodles, Fluffy and Muffin, who taught them the love, companionship and wonder a dog adds to life.

Today they’re launching a new business, Good Dog in a Box on KickStarter. “Our subscription boxes are not just a toy of the month club, but instead provide dog owners with the equipment and education to help improve the behavior of their dog and their relationship with that dog,” they say. “Each month our boxes provide training tools, training exercises and a unique online component with training videos and games that isn’t being done anywhere else.” Jenn and Kim want to help keep family dogs at home, rather than dumped at shelters because of “bad behavior” or biting, and to keep children from getting bitten by dogs.

Good Dog in a Box is specifically for families with kids and dogs.

Dog bites among children ages five to 12 are a serious problem in our society. Many dogs labeled as “biters” are ending up in shelters at an alarming rate. Jenn, who’s a professional dog trainer and Kim combine a positive reinforcement training base and a little home-school experience with the huge popularity of subscription boxes to offer a unique product line that has safety as well as fun implications for families with kids and dogs. In addition, Calm Dog in a Box is for anxiety ridden and stressed out dogs that is being produced in partnership with Thundershirt.

Jenn is also a Tellington TTouch practitioner for companion animals, and has spent her 15+-year career promoting positive reinforcement training techniques and speaking out against animal cruelty. Kim calls herself a “serial entrepreneur”, starting her first company, Kim’s Khocolate, at the tender age of 11 – counting Apple, AT&T, The Rolling Stones and Range Rover as clients. Kim is the pet parent of two rescue cats, Mister Kitten Britches (aka Mister) and Momma June Bug Jones (aka Buggy).

Children’s Retail Today publishes new articles each week about innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children. Contact me today with your great idea!

Freshly Picked Marketplace

Newly launched online shopping community curated by Susan Petersen.

Baby and kid lifestyle brand Freshly Picked just launched the Freshly Picked Marketplace, an online community made up of small businesses that features hand-selected and unique baby products. Not only will shoppers learn the passion behind each business, they can buy the products online directly from the Freshly Picked Marketplace.

The unique companies are “freshly picked” by the Freshly Picked founder Susan Petersen, who started making durable, well-designed baby moccasins from premium leather in 2009. Her highly coveted moccasins soon became adored by parents across the country, have remained a celebrity kid must-have and are available online at www.freshlypicked.com and retailers nationwide, including Nordstrom, Zappos, Bloomingdales and others.

“The Marketplace community of small businesses is truly the best of the best, hand-picked and tested by the Freshly Picked team. I’m excited to introduce moms and dads to each of these wonderful brands, and to add to the Marketplace community moving forward,” Susan says. “As new baby product innovators have emerged and try to gain exposure for their awesome products, I’ve thought, ‘I’ve been there before’. As I found myself wishing I had megaphone to share each of their stories and products in a way that didn’t distract from our focus at Freshly Picked, my team and I came up with the idea for Marketplace.”

Susan and her team want to create an online destination for small brands that need and deserve exposure – and Marketplace shoppers can rest assured they are getting well-made, amazing products. The first companies selected include:

Sproutling + Co

“Sproutling + Co’s simple wooden baby mobiles are a stunning, keepsake-worthy nursery accessory.”

Sproutling + Co is a modern mobile company started by Kristin Okada in 2016. Simple, beautiful baby mobile made of natural products and handcrafted with care for your sweet new baby. Each mobile is shipped in a beautiful muslin keepsake bag.

Koko’s Nest

“Koko’s Nest blankets’ modern design, heirloom quality, and intelligent versatility make them a must-have for every new arrival.”

Koko’s Nest is a contemporary knit baby blanket company started by Sy Yang in 2015. Made of 100% Egyptian cotton and spun in Italy, this year-round, versatile blanket will become a part of your everyday life as a family.

The Posh Society

“The Posh Society’s leather bows are the perfect size and shape for every tiny fashionista!”

The Posh Society is a playfully indulgent baby bow company started by Sasha Petersen in 2013. Each bow is made with genuine Freshly Picked leather and is attached to thin ivory elastic, made with felt on back of leather for maximum comfort.

Hazel Village

“Hazel Village produces their soft toys responsibly, striving for heirloom quality at a reasonable price.”

Created by Jane Van Cleef in 2010, Hazel Village is a soft toy company inspired by her favorite childhood stories like Brambly Hedge, Uncle Wiggly and the Little House stories and then expanded into making woodland theme animal toys.

Bannor Toys

“Made with all safe and organic materials, Bannor hardwood toys are beautiful and last a lifetime.”

Bannor Toys is a wooden toy company founded in 2012 by Jesse and Stacey Bannor.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new articles each week about innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children. Contact me today with your great idea!

The NEW Angelcare/Sassy

“We’re pioneering design and functionality that is going to change the conversation about monitoring and baby care for years to come.”

-Tom Bratton, Angelcare CEO

This year, Angelcare Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiary Sassy Inc transformed as a company to create groundbreaking new products in baby monitoring and developmental toys. Combining the latest technological advances with scientific insight and modern intuitive design, the Angelcare and Sassy offerings deliver what today’s parents and caregivers want: peace of mind while helping their children thrive.

The Industry’s Top Innovators

Canada-based Angelcare assembled a team of the industry’s best minds to drive this unprecedented step forward in baby care standards. “Recruiting top talent was our number one goal for the relaunch,” Tom tells us. “We built our team from top global brands in a range of fields—baby, health and beauty, consumer electronics, technology/SaaS—to create this unique culture of innovation and thought leadership. When you get this caliber of people together, it’s amazing what they can create.” With a growth mindset and shared commitment to supporting children, parents and caregivers, the Angelcare/Sassy team focuses their combined insights and skillsets on transformative solutions that truly advance the industry standard.

Intentional, Science-Driven Design

Angelcare/Sassy taps into the desires and expectations of today’s millennial parents. From data-driven tools and a modern design aesthetic, to the latest technology and the best materials, Angelcare/Sassy brings baby care up to the minute and set the standard for decades to come.

A Breakthrough in Baby Monitoring Technology

Coming in January 2017 to North American retailers, Angelcare’s new AC417 and AC517 baby movement, sound and video monitoring systems have a new sleek design and include the only wireless movement sensor pad on the market. They feature Angelcare’s new Activity Analytics for tracking baby’s movement. “Our new wireless sensor pad is all about simplicity combined with safety. Parents are going to love it,” says Angelcare President Jordan Riggs, “but the real game-changer is the activity tracking and reporting built into our new monitors.”

Current fans of Angelcare products know that their monitors are designed to sense baby’s slightest movements and sound an alarm if no movement is detected after 20 seconds. The new models offer this core alarm feature plus the ability to track, record and report on baby’s bigger movements (like restlessness, rollovers, and kicks). With this insight into baby’s activity level during sleep, parents are better able to adapt routines and respond to baby’s needs. The ultimate result is more peace of mind (and rest) for everyone. “Today’s parents use technology in all aspects of life,” Jordan says, “and at Angelcare, we provide moms and dads with easy-to-use monitors that help them care for baby, relax and enjoy the adventure of parenthood.”

Sassy Set to Launch 100+ Products in 2017

Working with premier child development PhD’s and experts, Sassy renewed its focus to incorporate the latest research into all Sassy products with its trademark child-pleasing colors and shapes. The company is launching more than 100 new toys, feeding and baby care products in early 2017 that will help children thrive by focusing on developmental and educational needs.

The fresh offerings include an exciting range of new materials and bolder colors designed to help children play with purpose, as well as learn to solve problems, be flexible and self-motivate. From toys to teethers, bathing products to innovative cups, all of Sassy’s new products are designed to fit a child’s growing sensory perception, motor skills, and creativity.

“The Sassy team not only understands the importance of child development, they also bring a high level of style to the process,” says Sassy Vice President of Marketing Susan Hinshaw. “Today’s millennial parents demand more from baby and child care products. Sassy’s flair for stylish touches make the company’s new products consistent with modern aesthetics and compatible with on-the-go lifestyles.”

Today, Northbrook, IL-born Sassy is part of Angelcare Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with development, design and engineering in Grand Rapids, MI. The company’s current product line includes developmental toys, feeding items, baby care products to help children thrive and industry-leading movement monitoring that gives parents 24/7 peace of mind.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new articles each week about innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children. Contact me today with your great idea!

Those Pencil Sticker Things

Just in time for back-to-school.

Do your pencils need a lift? One company has an answer: the perfect kind of stickers made exactly for your “boringville” plain pencils.

When you visit Those Pencil Sticker Things online, you can’t help but get excited. You find out that it’s the best ever website, simply because it’s the place to get Those Pencil Sticker Things. And whether you’re a school-age student or a slightly older wiseacre, you probably have a few boringville pencils that need a lift. They say if your pencils had hands, they would so be high-fiving you now. And it’s true – you can read what pencils are saying about Those Pencil Sticker Things:

“Before I was just a regular yellow pencil that looked the same as everyone else. Then my human got Those Pencil Sticker Things™ and now I’m all different and extra great.”

– Carleton the Pencil

Those Pencil Sticker Things come complete with (entertaining) instructions on how to pencil stick, critical to any creative learner’s pencil box (as opposed to toolbox, which is what folks usually say here). I happen to be quite the fan of pencils. They help you make mistakes in real time, then fix ‘em easily to your heart’s desire. After all, what fun is learning without mistakes?

Making Pencils Proud

Mark Cohen and the other designers at Wit are the masterminds behind Those Pencil Sticker Things … although I expect they are also “super brainiac aliens from some distant galaxy,” like they say on the About Us page. (By the way, I didn’t even laugh when you mention Atlanta; I lived there twice and loved it. Love more than a few Hot-lantians who still live there, too).

Anywho … your kids are gonna love Those Pencil Sticker Things.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new articles each week about innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children. Contact me today with your great idea!

Little B’s Clothing

From the iconic world of Barbara Gerwit comes a fabulous resortwear line for girls.

Launching this month – Little B’s Clothing is ideal for little girls ranging in age from two to 14, and every one of these little ladies will be able to rock the colorful prints her Mom has been sporting for decades. Leggings, tops and dresses are retailing for $33 to $48.

Early Start to Iconic Resortwear Brand

At 12 years of age, Barbara Gerwit starts a fashion career after her Mom gives her a sewing machine for her birthday. From that moment on, she decides to dedicate her life to the world of fashion, and becomes one of America’s foremost clothing designers.

Easy, Breezy American Dream

After meeting her husband and fashion salesperson Ken in 1976, the two decide to invest their last $500 on their American Dream of manufacturing their own clothing line at affordable prices. The gamble pays off and now, Barbara Gerwit is one of America’s top brands in the resort industry.

Gorgeous, Colorful Prints

Barbara’s designs for women feature hand blocked, hand beaded embroidered tunics and tops, casual printed knit dresses and tops that are worn from casual daytime shopping to balmy tropical night events in fine resort hotels, restaurants and cruise ships around the world. Her light and airy fabric designs are made from brightly colored cotton lawn, cotton Swiss voile and laundered linen, constructed for easy care and wash-ability.

Now, Little B’s continues the tradition of relaxing, having fun and enjoying life in comfortable, affordable, breezy resortwear by Barbara Gerwit.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new articles each week about innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children. Contact me today with your great idea!