This adorable promotional bundle is made by whimsical artist LouLou. It would make the perfect new baby gift, and includes a onesie that fits sizes newborn up to 13 lbs, one growth chart, and one 11″ x 14″ framed, ready-to-hang print. A new mom or dad would really appreciate a thoughtful, complete gift such as this. You can purchase it for just $95 (on sale from $130) at LouLousWhimsicals.com.

wallcandy arts is offering these cute Monster Patrol room decals to help keep monsters at bay in your child’s room at night. Four “monster patrol” expert characters (named Radar, Buzz, Henry and Jett) have unique “weapons” to battle the monsters that keep your children up at night. This is a great, creative idea, and I’d love to hear from any parents who have tried it to see if it works. While my son is mostly over his fear of the dark, at times he still has a bit of separation anxiety at night, and these colorful, dependable characters might just do the trick at helping him (and us) sleep better at night. They sell for $26 at CleverTomato.com.

This Wall Pocket by Plastisock is a hip way to keep things organized. I love the green and white print and the orange trim adds a cool touch. Three pockets hold essentials, from diapers to toys and books. Six gromets attach it to the wall. You can purchase one of these fun pieces on sale for $48 (half price) at ittikid.com.

I like the wonder and interest this rug would be sure to inspire in a child. I think it would make a lovely match to my own son’s nursery. There are animal decals on the wall (removable, of course-such a great invention!) and greens and browns decorating the room. This warm and friendly rug isn’t too babyish; a child could use it for years to come. For $119.99, you get a 4’ rug or for $289.99, a 7’ rug at buybuybaby.com.

Though there is bedding and even a ceiling fan to go with the rugs on the site, you can decorate a room to go along with the theme without breaking the bank. Match your décor easily in a nursery or playroom to it by painting the walls green or blue and grab some simple bedding to accent it—perhaps a blue comforter and a sheet with animals scattered on it. One large animal print or painting should do for art work and a simple dresser painted in one of the colors found in the rug will really set things off. Find a coordinating curtain you love and voila! One child’s bedroom that will surely grow with her/him.

We have a nature themed playroom, with prints of trees, a lovely bluish-green paint color, and green toile curtains in it, so I thought the BlueBird Cage Mini Décor Pillow would fit in perfectly. If you feel the same way, I’m sure the sweet birds and perfectly placed ladybugs are sure to delight any children who come to play in your play zone will love it as well. 7 ” tall x 6 ” wide and $18 from Etsy seller  mymimi, it’s a nice addition to a child-friendly room.

I really like this unique Customized Eye Chart by etsy seller My Sweet Prints. It’s a different take on artwork for the nursery, and also a great way to encourage a young child to learn to read. The Customized Eye Chart can be personalized to say whatever you’d like it to say. Each print measures 11″ x 14″ and ships direct from the seller in Australia (so if you’re thinking of ordering one for a holiday gift, you might want to act fast). You can purchase one of these innovative pieces of art at Etsy.com: My Sweet Prints for $16 each.

I have been coveting the Skip Hop Play Spot in Green/Brown (but the Blue/Gold is lovely as well) for some time now. However, I cannot afford to spend upwards of $100 for a 14” by 14” play mat. It’s so attractive and really would finish off our playroom (or nursery) and is listed for $79 at Amazon.com. The Play Spot is made of EVA foam, is easy to customize to fit your room (use some of the tiles or all), comes in a few attractive colors, and will be fun to create patterns with—you just switch out circles to create your own pattern.

I like the idea of a go anywhere book for babies but I think that unless it has a Velcro attachment or something to keep it in place, most babies will grab it and pull it out of place (but possibly be unable to put it back upright and become frustrated.) Full of texture and patterns and reflections (baby safe mirror), it’s a great idea, something a baby can play with or look at from birth until they are well over a year old, and nice to have for the crib, buggy, change table, or playpen. $19.14 at Amazon.com.

After eleven months of little sleep, I have to admit that the idea of a magical fix to my little one’s sleep issues is very appealing. So, of course I had to check out a product called the “Goodnight Sleep Trainer.” Unfortunately, when I looked a little closer, I discovered it is really just a way for parents to monitor their babies’ sleep patterns and to track late night crying sessions until everyone adapts and a new pattern of longer stretches of sleep emerges. While the product has received rave reviews on some sites I’ve visited, I don’t think it is for me. I’m just going to hope that my little one will outgrow her sleeplessness one of these days like her older sisters did. If you are interested in giving this tool a try, you can purchase one for $29.95 at Target.com.

Taut Canvas makes a unique Core Values series of artwork combining modern art with words or values to teach children. The one in the photo above is “Responsibility.” Other styles in the series include Compassion, Honesty, Sharing, Patience, and Respect. This is a great idea, not only for beautiful artwork for the nursery or child’s bedroom, but as a way to help instill these important values in children. Each print comes in either an 18″ x 18″ or 40″ x 40″ size, and is treated with an eco-friendly liquid laminate, guaranteeing the print life to 80 years and enhancing its color. Prices are $129 for the smaller size and $274 for the larger size print at TautCanvas.com.

Here’s an unusual new idea, and one that might work: My Sugar Plum Designs is a web-based personal decorating service designed to save parents time and money. It works by submitting your baby’s or child’s room measurements and answering some questions from the decorator. Then the designer compiles a planner for you that includes a 3D layout of the room, paint chips, fabric swatches, pictures of recommended furniture, lighting fixtures, bedding and a variety of other accessories. The designer will also include where to purchase the items, the item cost and the shipping cost. This sounds like a dream for busy parents. A deposit of $125 is required up-front, and prices for the service range from $300 to $400. You can learn more about this unique idea at MySugarPlumDesigns.com. If anyone is currently using or has used this service, I’d love to hear your comments.

Lillunia Art creates watercolor art for children that depicts animals in the wild. Founded in 2008 by eve Gianni Corio and Laura L.M. Hill, the goal is to teach children to love and respect animals and the environment, through natural art that is not childish nor cutesy. I particularly like this piece, Dylan’s Dolphins. It would be a great complement to a nursery or child’s room with a marine theme. The small-sized print measures 7″ x 14″ with an optional 11″ x 18″ frame. The larger print is 10″ x 20″ with an optional 14″ x 24″ frame. Prices start at $185. You can view this beautiful work of art and many more at Lillunia.com.

I’ve mentioned before how I think early exposure to the alphabet influenced my son’s ability to read at an early age. This modern style ABC Poster by starfish:wish is a great way to make your nursery contemporary and educational at the same time. The poster measures 18″ x 24″ and is eco-friendly, using eco-safe printing. Plus, the poster can be customized to include your child’s name in the alphabet “tree” if you wish. Selling for $38 at starfishwish.com, the poster is available in orange or green to coordinate with any room.

These adhesive fabric wall stickers by etsy seller lovemaestore are a great way to decorate the nursery. What’s more, they can be peeled off easily and reused, in case your tastes change, or your baby’s likes change as she gets older. These stickers are even washable, a real plus when dealing with grubby little hands on the walls. These stickers come in a variety of styles - I like the Build a Tree design shown here. They are made to order and aren’t cheap - this set, including 11 tree branches and 34 leaves, costs $112. You can view the available designs at lovemaestore.

Etsy seller Just Bunch creates beautiful, custom personalized name paintings for children. Painted onto an 8″ x 10″ stretch canvas, each personalized name painting can be customized to a design of your choice, or using elements of some existing designs at her etsy shop. Customers may specify colors used, upper or lower case letters, designs, and more. At a price of just $25-30 each, this is a nice, personal gift for a baby or child.