Category Archives: Bath Toys & Gear

Just Buzzin’ By splat mat

If you read my last post, you will see the mention of our Just Buzzin’ By mat, also known as a Splat Mat.  This mat has saved me many a carpet cleanings and from getting totally stressed out at meal time.
I’m sure you know how it is with a toddler.  You feel confident that she will be fine with a regular cup in the living because she’s done it once or twice and it worked out fine.  Uh.. no!  Toddlers have to switch things up every once in while you know.  And by switch it up, I mean launching an ice cream cone across the room, or lining up spaghetti on the floor like it is a choo choo train.  Yeah!, another cleaning job for Mommy.

My Just Buzzin’ By Splat Mat has helped me in two ways.  First of all, I don’t’ have to clean up yucky food messes under Madelyn’s chair anymore.  Second, the fact that I don’t have to clean up messes whether the splat mat was under a chair or the kids were sitting on it to eat or do crafts, helps keep my stress levels down during dinner or craft time.  When the kids are finished eating or crafting, I shake the mat off outside then wipe it down with a wet cloth.  The splat mat folds up nicely making it easy to store in a cabinet or even a drawer.  The design we have is adorable, so I leave our splat mat open in the living room most of the time, and Madelyn knows that she has to sit on it when/if she eats or drinks in the living room.

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We also use our splat mat outside so we have a comfortable place to sit without getting grass stains or ants crawling up our shorts.   I have a feeling that our splat mat is going to be a staple at
Sebastian’s baseball games next season.  I hate sitting on the
bleachers because Madelyn just wants to climb all over them and
carrying chairs to sit in is a big hassle. However, the splat mat will
fit very nicely in my bag and it is light, unlike chairs.

At 36" x 44" this splat mat provides great coverage.  I know that the floor around Madelyn is well protected and because splat mats are non-toxic and free from PVC, phthalate and lead, I don’t feel like I have to toss food that lands on the floor into the garbage anymore.  Splat Mats are made with a unique non-toxic laminated fabric top and sturdy oilcloth bottom so the mat doesn’t slip on our hardwood floors .  Like the splat mat, all Just Buzzin’ By products are non-toxic and free from PVC, phthalate and lead. 

We have a splat mat exactly like the one above, to give away to a lucky reader!  Stay tuned for details on how to win the splat mat.  Sign up for The Mommy Insider newsletter to be notified when I start the giveaway contest for the splat mat.  I will also be reviewing a Just Buzzin’ By bib soon, so be on the lookout.

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Website: Just Buzzin’ By

Boon Potty Bench

BoonpottybenchMadelyn is on the tail end of potty training and has used the Boon Potty Bench almost since beginning the potty training process.  The potty bench has two storage compartments with sliding doors, one on each side of the seat.  What I love is that the doors won’t open when the lid is down which makes it so that Madelyn can’t play with what’s inside unless she is sitting on the potty during which the compartment doors will open.
We have wipes in one compartment and random things in the other side for when Madelyn wants to spend an especially long time on the potty.  One storage compartment has a toilet paper roll holder but I prefer to use wet wipes so we use that compartment for the ‘other things’.  Having a toilet paper holder is a cool idea though.  There is a pee deflector that can stay on the potty with the lid up or down and with the toilet drawer in or out.  It doesn’t have to be taken off unless you want to clean it or remove it if your toddler doesn’t need it.

The Boon Potty Bench makes a great stool for Madelyn to use at the sink where she washes her hands and I use it to sit on when giving the kids a bath.  The toilet drawer is easy to remove after Madelyn uses it.  She usually takes the drawer out, sings her special ‘pee pee’ song and then gives it to me to pour into the big potty. 

Overall, the Boon Potty Bench is one of the best that I’ve seen.  I love the simple design and color much better than some I’ve seen that play music, make sounds, and could probably microwave your food.  🙂

Manufacturer website: Boon Potty Bench

Buy at Amazon.com. for $29.99.

Soapylove soapsicles

My kids LOVE soapsicles. 

The kids used soapsicles for the first time while we were on vacation in Florida last week and watching them wash & play with these super fragrant and toddler friendly soaps was great!

When Madelyn (2 years old) first saw soapsicles, her reaction was to put them in her mouth and she had to try (lick) all three of them before she was convinced that they are for the bath tub and not to eat.   Disclaimer: I don’t recommend allowing your children to lick soap, although Soaplylove soapsicles are SLS free and all fragrance oils are phthalate free.

Soaplove’s true to size soapsicles are available in several mouth watering fragrances including lemonade and orange.   My favorite, the ‘bath blaster‘ reminds me of the Popsicle I would run to the ice cream truck for.. about 25 years ago.

I didn’t expect the soapsicles to product bubbles, but the bubbles you see in the photograph are from two soapsicles!   I expected to see bare popsicle sticks in the bathtub after the water was drained, but they looked almost new!  Soaplove’s soapsicle sticks are wooden, just like real Popsicle sticks so Madelyn is able to get a good grip on her soapsicle.

Click the photograph below to see an enlarged view of the Bath Blaster soapsicle.

WEBSITE:  Soapylove

Suds and Surprise Dora

SudssurprisedoraSuds and Surprise Dora is the best of both worlds for Madelyn. 
She would take four baths a day if I let her.  Now with having Dora in the tub it’s hard to convince her that she’s already clean and doesn’t need a fifth bath.  Madelyn can brush Dora’s hair, put hair clips in her hair, and pour water on Dora’s head.  Gone are the days when it was my head that was getting doused with water during bath time!  Yeah!

Suds and Surprise Dora is a fun bath toy that does lots of neat things.  Suds and Surprise Dora is a styling head that you can use in and out of
the tub. Use cold water in
the applicator to add butterfly and star face paint to Dora’s cheeks.  Madelyn’s favorite thing to do with Dora is put the color changing hair clips in her hair.  Poor Dora has had some funky hairdo’s.

The included base
suctions securely to the bathtub wall so while Madelyn is tugging on Dora’s hair with the comb, Dora stays put.   In warm water, the deco in Dora’s
swim suit changes and an undersea design appears on her face.  You can
also pour warm water from the sea horse pitcher to add pink streaks to
Dora’s hair.  There are so many ways kids can play with Suds and Surprise Dora that I can see this being a bath toy that sticks around for a long while… in our house at least. 

For even more fun kids can put Dora on a table and play ‘hair dresser’ or suction it to a window or the refrigerator.  Madelyn prefers to keep Dora in the bathtub for now. 

Suds and Surprise Dora can be bought at Walmart.com.

Kangaroo Towel from Small Made Simple

The Kangaroo Towel is one of those products that I wish I had when Madelyn was an infant.

This towel makes bath time so much easier than the typical bath time routine. Mom wears the towel to keep dry while bathing baby then places baby in the towel when finished. Baby is covered from head to toe and the towel is comfortable for mom to wear.

Sebastian calls me a ‘germaphobe’. I hate bathrooms and don’t understand why we are supposed to keep our toothbrush in a small room where we pee!? What I am getting at is that I don’t like to lay a towel on the floor to put Madelyn on when she is done bathing. Yuck! I wouldn’t lay on a bathroom floor so why should I put a towel that I am about to use, on the floor?

The Kangaroo Towel‘s adjustable length ensures that babies from newborn to 1 year old are cozy and secure in the towel. The plush terry is great for keeping baby warm after her bath.

The Kangaroo Towel is an innovative product that I think every parent of a newborn – 1 year old should have at least one of.

Visit Mom4Life to learn more or buy a Kangaroo Towel for you & your baby.