I like the looks of these Mommy & Me Hair Clips made by Lil’ Sugarplum because they’re not so flowery like many hair accessories for children are. These dragonflies are cool enough for Mom to wear and delicate enough for baby to wear as well. With velcro, the clips provide a more secure hold on both Mom’s and Baby’s hair. Available with pink and blue wings, lavender wings, or yellow wings, the clips sell for $17 per pair at LilSugarplum.com.

Something about the simple styling of this beanie by Child’s Play really caught my eye. The brimmed Buckle Beanie is crocheted in charcoal colored 80% acrylic/20% wool yarn, making a warm, comfortable hat for your little one. The silver buckle just sets the entire hat off. Jessi, the designer, is willing to custom-crochet this hat to your specifications, including custom sizes and colors. Sizes/prices range from 9-12 months for $27 to adult for $35 at 1000markets.com. Two weeks production time is necessary for these custom made hats.

In my experience, potty training isn’t something you can bribe your child into. I’ve tried, of course, but even a gorgeous set of furniture for her doll house wasn’t enough to get my then almost three year old motivated. Then, out of the blue, it was done. That said, there are some ways to stack the deck in your favor, and books and DVDs are one of them. Once Upon a Potty is the series that I had for my oldest daughter, who was much less resistant. The illustrations are fun, and the video is simple and to the point. A cute stuffed doll is also now available. It won’t miraculously train the child who like my daughter, expresses a preference for diapers (I can’t tell you how many times we heard “I want to change it!”), but it certainly promotes awareness of the body and pottying. You can pick up these products at OneStepAhead.com. The book retails for $6.95; the DVD for $16.95; and the doll is $19.95.

When my oldest daughter was a toddler, we had all of the plastic Little Tikes kitchen pieces. This  Deluxe Wooden Kitchen & Laundry Center has really come a long way from those early models. It includes everything little ones need to keep house–from a stove and refrigerator to a laundry center, complete with an adorable little laundry basket. This would definitely inspire hours of dramatic play at our house. You can purchase one for $199 at LittleTikes.com.

Where the Wild Things Are is one of my three year old’s favorite books at the moment. We read it most nights at home, and I’ve seen her cuddled up with it at daycare as well. I just stumbled upon this fun set of stuffed characters from the book, and I know she would love it. Made by Crocodile Creek, it includes four 14 inch stuffed characters: Max, and three “wild things.”

I’m sure we’ll be seeing more and more mainstream marketing of these characters once the movie is released, but I much prefer these true-to-the-book pieces. The set is a bit pricey, though. Expect to pay $94.95 at glammatoys.com. The characters can also be purchased individually.

This is a great idea for a gift or as a way to obtain a unique, personalized piece of artwork for your own home. Artful Names takes a name (your child’s, your own, anyone) and makes it into a work of art. There are various style designs and colors available, and each is Giclee printed on canvas. It arrives in a frame, ready to hang in the nursery or another part of your home. The fade resistant ink used on these works of art is guaranteed not to fade for 100 years. You can purchase this design for $100 or view all the styles and designs available at ArtfulNames.com.

We’ve written several posts about this upscale play mat from the Kushies Zolo line. It truly is luxurious. Unfortunately, ours proved a little too attractive to older children. Everyone who came over wanted to play with it. The end result was that one of the plastic hinges on the bar that holds the legs together broke, rendering the play arch useless. We salvaged the toys from the arch, and they are still well-loved by our baby, as is the mat itself, but I’m a little disappointed that it broke so easily. While the hinged arch makes set up a breeze, for this reason, I think I’d rather have the more time consuming, but unbreakable tent-pole-style arches that most play mats use. You can purchase one of these for $119.95 at glammatoys.com. Just be careful with it!

It’s very rare that I come across a children’s animated DVD that appeals to babies, toddlers, and preschoolers, but that’s exactly how I’d describe the Bumblz series of DVDs. Targeted to the age 0 to 6 group, Bumblz is a friendly bee who, along with his friends, goes on adventures and learns life lessons, all along with a great musical beat. Usually when a DVD says it’s for such a wide age group, I’m skeptical. But my 5 year old sat with me and watched the DVD “The Pirate’s Treasure” and was mesmerized, paying close attention to not only the story but also the words to the songs (after each story, the DVD includes sing-a-longs with the words displayed on the screen). The music is catchy, and the stories really do provide lessons that kids will remember. The animation is beautiful as well with its eye-catching colors. This is truly a series that you’ll want to buy for your child no matter what the age and that, I think, he’ll want to watch again and again for years to come. You can view the entire Bumblz collection of DVDs and CDs at Bumblz.com. DVDs range in price from $10.99 to $12.99 and CDs are $9.99 to $11.99. They are also available at Amazon.com.

I’m a huge Springsteen fan, so I was excited a few years ago when he released this family-friendly disc of Pete Seeger folk tunes. My kids love this collection, and it is a favorite car CD for the whole family. In fact, our copy has been played so many times that we need a new one. My older daughter already knew a lot of the songs from music class. Songs like “Erie Canal,” brought back childhood memories for me as well. This CD also calmed my very fussy nephew on a long ride to the airport which otherwise would have been miserable. You can purchase a copy for $14.99 at Amazon.com.

I’ve been seeing a lot of sales on Small Paul products lately. Here is a deal on a pack of Julius the Monkey underwear.  The set contains three pairs 100% cotton underwear in a reusable plastic pouch. The set is currently on sale for $18 at RubysKids.com. While that is still more than I generally pay for underwear for my kids, I think the set would make a fun stocking stuffer or other small gift. Sizes are limited, however, so you will want to order soon for the best selection.

Special Delivery memorializes the day your child was born. This customized story book by Custom by Michelle includes all of the personal details of the day of your child’s birth: what time he was born, the doctor who delivered him, how you felt upon first seeing him, his first visitors, the ride home from the hospital, etc. This is a great idea for a gift for your child, something he can treasure for years to come. You can purchase this unique gift idea for $19.95 at CustomByMichelle.com.

Parents with a sense of humor will enjoy this “Mute Button” pacifier by Personal Pacifiers. My first two daughters would never use binkies, and I was always secretly jealous of the mute button effect. Now that our youngest is binky-addicted, I know that it is a mixed blessing. This silly binky is a reminder to take it all with a grain of salt and a smile. You can purchase one for $5.99 at trendyremedy.com. The company makes other fun pacifiers as well.

Bibs and Match is a unique, fashionable, safe, and practical idea for baby clothing. They make drool bib and onesie sets that are safer for baby than traditional bibs. The bibs snap directly onto the onesie, preventing strangulation and making changes easy. The bibs won’t rotate to the back and also have side snaps to prevent suffocation. The winner of 2008 iParenting Media Awards, Bibs and Match are also CPSIA compliant. They are made of 100% soft spun cotton using 100% non toxic water based ink. I particularly like this 3 piece boxed set, which features two bibs and one onesie. This would make a great gift for new parents. You can view all of the company’s offerings at BibsandMatch.com, where this set is available in sizes from 3-6 months to 9-12 months and sells for $30.

This Organic Grey Bamboo Branch Onesie from Small Plum recently caught my eye with its simple, yet very aesthetically-pleasing style. Grey is an unexpected choice for baby gear, but it looks great. Plus it’s made from bamboo, so it is ultra soft and eco-friendly. You’ll be doing your part to support the use of sustainable resources while no doubt enjoying many compliments. This little onesie is available in sizes from 0-3 months up to 6-12 months. It retails for $29.95. You can purchase one at sandboxcouture.com.

I love the comfort of yoga pants, so I’m glad to see that they are moving into infant and toddler sizes. My three year old has a pair that are quickly becoming a favorite because they are comfy, easy to put on, and go with just about anything. This cute little set from Quite Contrary pairs yoga pants with a cute little “Teeny Yogini” onesie. You’ll keep your wee one cozy and share your sense of humor with the world. The 100% cotton set would also make a great gift, especially for yoga enthusiasts. It is available in sizes from 3-6 months up to 18-24 months and retials for $37.99. You can buy one at urbanbabyrunway.com.