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There is such a vast range of rattles available, it can become hard to choose a good one. The LeapFrog Baby Curious Crab Rattle represents great value for money at only 4 dollars. It can also make a great gift or stocking filler this Christmas.

Key Features

• Clear bead filled claws
• Names of colors on fabric legs
• Graspable handle
• Color and tactile exploration

The claws contain colored beads that rattle around when the toy is shaken. Each of the 6 legs of the crab contain ‘crinkly’ material, and have their color written on the leg. The crab’s mouth is very easy to hold, even a young baby.

Strengths

• A great stocking filler this Christmas
• Great for the diaper bag or car
• Cheap price, but well made

Weaknesses

• Nothing at the price!

The LeapFrog Baby Curious Crab Rattle is available for 3.99 dollars. At this price it represents great value for money.

Highly Recommended

The Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube is both a fun and exiting toy for your child as well as providing musical education. The cube allows your child to play along to the included Mozart tunes from a range of musical instruments. There are 5 instruments to play along to 8 Mozart tunes. Each side of the cube represents a different instrument, with an image and the name displayed. These are a Harp, French Horn, Piano, Flute, and Violin. The final side allows you to switch between the various Mozart tunes.The included tunes are as follows.

• Ah! Vous Dirai-je, Maman (Twinkle, Twinkle)
• The Marriage of Figaro
• Country Dance #5
• Come Sweet May
• Der Vogelfanger (from The Magic Flute)
• March in D
• Landler
• Là Ci Darem la Mano (from Don Giovanni)

By pressing the “orchestra” button you can hear all the instruments play together. As each song plays, each selected instrument button flashes to the beat of the music. The sound is not orchestral quality, and is similar to the style of music adopted by Baby Einstein. However, the sound quality is not that great and can sometimes sound quite artificial and tinny. The jury is out on wether they should include the correct compositions, rather than the artifical sounds most toys seem to provide. I guess that it does not matter for such a young child.One disappointment with the cube was the lack of a volume control. The cube can be quite loud, especially in quiet environments, and it would have been nice to be able to reduce the volume.The cube itself is very durable and looks like it can take a lot of punishment. The corners are rounded, offering a safe play toy.Operates on three AA batteries (obviously not included !)Strengths

• Durable and safe

Weaknesses

• Not great sound quality
• No volume control, as can be loud in quiet environments
• Batteries not included !!!

The Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube is available for 20 dollars with free shipping from Amazon.
Highly Recommended

Travel systems have become increasingly popular over the last few years, as they include both a stroller and a car seat. The Graco Quattro Tour Deluxe Travel System is one of the most popular selling travel systems. It sits in the middle of the Graco Travel System range, providing a range of features comparable with more expensive models. The stroller is very strong and is comfortable over rough surfaces. The handle bars are at a nice height and it feels very sturdy and not easy to tip over, even when shopping bags are hung from the bar. The LATCH equipped car seat accommodates infants up to about 1 year of age, before you move them into a larger car seat. This can negate the requirement to purchase an expensive convertible car seat. As the car seat is designed for the 0 to 1 year age group, it supports a full recline allowing the baby to lay almost flat (convertible car seats are inclined a few degrees in comparison).

Stroller Key Features

• For infants and children up to 4 years and less than 50 lbs. Rear facing for infants 5-30 lbs and less than 32″
• Has one hand gravity fold
• Included baby tray
• An aluminum welded frame
• A tuck away sun visor
• Front swivel wheels with locks and suspension
• Has a combination 3 or 5 point harness
• 4-position flat reclining seat
• one-touch brakes

Car Seat Key Features

• 5 point harness
• 2-piece chest clip
• Removable infant head support and cold weather boot
• Stay-in-car adjustable base
• LATCH equipped for fitting in most modern cars

We only used the Graco Quattro Tour Deluxe Travel System for a short time, but were very impressed with its sturdy construction and included features. The stroller on its own would be worth the cost and it compares well to similarly priced strollers. The inclusion of the infant car seat only adds to the value.

There are a number of Graco Quattro Tour models available in a wide range of patterns and colours.

The Graco Quattro Tour Deluxe Travel System ia available for$195.

Highly Recommended

Schwinn was founded in 1895 and is famous for its range of childrens scooters, bikes and strollers. The Schwinn Free Wheeler Jogging Stroller is one of the best selling jogging strollers. Jogging strollers are becoming increasingly popular over the last few years, with parents looking for a more rugged strollers than typically available. Where strollers were starting to introduce larger wheels and suspension, this strollers takes it a step further.

Key Product Features

• Secure and comfortable ride
• Lightweight aluminum frame with adjustable handle
• Swivel front wheel for improved maneuverability
• Removable and washable padded seat
• 50-pound maximum weight capacity

Read the rest of this entry »

The Quinny Zapp Stroller is the cheaper of the two available Quinny baby strollers. The more expensive stroller, the Quinny Buzz Stroller is available for 500 dollars. This review will not concentrate of the differences between the 2 models, rather we wish to concentrate on the Quinny Zapp and how it compares with other similarly priced baby strollers.

We love visting Europe and seeing all of the designer strollers that are available. It is now good to start to see them being being introduced into the US. Perhaps this is due to their popularity in Hollywood, or just that we are starting to enjoy the uniqueness of the designs. Bugaboo, Quinny and Stokke are the leading European brands that are now breaking into the US market.

The Quinny Zapp provides a complete baby stroller solution from around 6 months to 4 years (up to 40 lbs in weight). The stroller itself weights about 13 lbs, a similar weight to competitive strollers. When folded, the Quinny Zapp is the smallest stroller in the world. However we are not sure how true this statement is (the statement comes from Quinny!), but we can say that it does fold to a very small and compact size.

The Quinny Zapp Stroller is available in a range of colours, examples of which are shown in this article.

• Mandarin
• Capri
• Pink
• Lime

The stroller combines traditional European styling with modern construction and safety features.

The Quinny Zapp is a very popular stroller in Europe. However, the US model is different in a number of key areas. Firstly, the European model only has a single front wheel. Secondly, there is no basket underneath. Having tried both strollers, we can say that we actually prefer the US model. The extra wheel provides additional stability when maneuvering and the included basket, even though it is quite small does provide a handy space for small shopping items. However, the additional wheel does make the stroller look more ‘traditional’ rather than the individual design of some European strollers. If you are looking for a truly individual look, we recommend you take a look at the Stokke Xplory® Complete Stroller System. However its price of $950 dollars will put off most people.

Key Features

• A lightweight full size baby stroller with ultra compact 3-D fold
• Highly maneuverable, lockable front wheels that can rotate 360 degrees
• Stain resistant and durable nylon fabric
• Five-point padded harness
• Includes a canopy, rainshield, travel bag, and adapters for use with the Maxi-Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat

A 5-point harness provides adequate support, and the removable and adjustable padding on the harness offers a supportive and comfortable fit.

A popular feature is the inclusion of adapters for use with the Maxi-Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat. For parents looking for a complete travel system, they now have the option of a system more trendy than the rather plain and dull travels systems that are available.

We were particularly impressed with the easy braking system. You only need one pedal to lock both of the back wheels. The stroller is very light, but this can also be a disadvantage. You always need to use the brake when stationary as the stroller can roll and tip easily as the centre of gravity is quite high.

One feature we were disappointed with (and carried over from the European model) is that the seat only has one position and does not provide any recline. This can leave child in a slumped over or slouchy position and can become very uncomfortable. This is more noticable on younger and smaller children, who have less control of their neck and tend to lean or slouch forward.

Another area of concern is how the seat attaches to the frame via zippers and velcro. When you wish to attach the car seat adapters, you need to unzip the seat. However, this is not a simple task, and can be a pain in itself, as the zippers were really difficult to open and close. The zippers can easily collapse and are then impossible to close.

The set of included accessories is very comprehensive. A canopy and raincover are included to protect the stroller and your baby from the weather. A travel bag provides handy storage for the folded stroller and is made from a strong fabric. Please see the photos below for examples of the raincover and travel bag.

Strengths

• Included car seat adapter
• Very small size when folded
• 5-point harness
• Comprehensive included accessories, including travel bag and raincover

Weaknesses

• Lack of a seat recline
• Zipper not easy to open and close when removing seat to attach car seat adapter

The Quinny Zapp Stroller is available for $240 dollars.

Recommended

Additional Images

The Quinny Zapp is a neat and stylish stroller.

The included rain cover fits very snuggly. Visibility is not reduced, so your child does not feel enclosed.

The Quinny Zapp folds very very small, and can easily fit into small sedan trunks. The folding mechanism is a very clever design.

The included carry bag is made from a strong fabric.

We were reading an interesting article from Sydney, Australia. One of the issues facing parents is the rising cost of childcare fees even when your child is sick. More and more parents are placing their children into childcare, and with the increasing mortgage and rental costs, it is only something that we see will continue.

An Australian insurance company is offering an insurance policy that will cover the cost of full or part-time childcare fees if your child is sick and cannot attend. The policy will cover a child if they are sick for more than three consecutive days of childcare.

The policy costs between 50 and 75 US dollars per year. The policy, Kids Cover is offered by the Altiora Insurance Brokers.

As the cost of childcare is increasingeach year, this may be of help to parents. However, as it seems that childcare is to blame for many of the illnesses, perhaps the childcare centers themselves should not be charging us on days when your child is ill.

We are pleased to announce that we have updated the BabyRecommend Store with all of our 5 Star products.

The store is populated with products from Amazon.com, so you can be assured of a safe shopping experience. If you think that we should be including additional categories or products, please do not hesitate to Contact Us.

Following our post highlighting the discounts available on Britax Baby Car Seats and Strollers, we bring you another great discount from Amazon.com.

They are currently offering big discounts across the complete range of Britax Car Seats. As an added bonus, free shipping is also provided.

Examples include the best selling Britax Roundabout for $193.59 (from 220) and the Britax Marathon for $237.59 (from 270).

To take advantage of these offers, you need to be quick, as the sale ends on the 15th September.

[Update] Please note that there are only a couple of days left in the Britax sale at BabyAge.com. It is rare to see such discounts being available for Britax baby car seats and baby strollers, so if you are shopping for Britax, it is worth checking them out. Click on the banner advert to take advantage of the discounts.

Whilst we aim to keep advertising to a minimum on BabyRecommend, we thought we would share an offer with you from BabyAge.com.

It is rare to see Britax car seats and strollers being discounted, especially by as much as 20%. This is particularly good value for money for those who are shopping for a Britax car seat or stroller.

For our recommendations on Britax Convertible Car Seats, please see our review. Two of our most popular car seats are from Britax, the Roundabout (5 Stars) and Marathon (4 Stars). Both offer very high safety features and support children from birth to 40 lbs.

All styles and colors of Britax car seats and strollers are on sale! Also, if you find a cheaper price, BabyAge.com will match it!

This is a one week sale only beginning on Sunday, September 9th and will end Saturday, September 15th.

We have found a story from Reuters that may be of interest to our readers.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Retailer Toys “R” Us said on Wednesday that it is expanding its efforts to inform shoppers of the latest toy recalls after a slew of Chinese-made toys were recalled this summer due to unsafe levels of lead paint.

The retailer said it has launched a toy safety Web site that includes information about its safety procedures and specific recall information. Toys “R” Us also said it is introducing an e-mail notification system for recalls and adding bilingual recall notices.

Toys “R” Us is owned by a consortium that includes Bain Capital Partners LLC, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co and Vornado Realty Trust.

(Reporting by Nicole Maestri)

The toy safety Web site can be found here.

We previously commented on the number of recalls of Chinese made toys.