BabyBjorn Travel Crib

With two kids apiece, our days of travelling light are over–or so we thought. On a recent holiday we left our old travel crib behind and opted for a BabyBjorn travel crib instead. Light as an ocean breeze, it folded into a compact carrying case that took up almost no space in the car and, once we reached our destination, it literally took seconds to set up. But it’s only deceptively small–the bottom opens out wider than the top, so even our three-year-old had plenty of room. As an added bonus, both the mattress cover and bed fabric are machine-washable. Babybjorn.com

To see it set up: http://www.babybjorn.com/en/American/BabyBjorn-Travel-Crib-Light-Competition/

Stainless Steel Dishes for Kids

We’ve searched high and low for kids’ dishes that are both fun and earth-friendly (i.e. not made out of plastic), but that also offer a little more in the style department than bright colors and cartoon characters. Enter the ANYWare stainless steel collection from mom-run Untangled Living. The stylish five-piece sets are durable, dishwasher safe, environmentally friendly and engraved with charming gecko or butterfly designs–perfect for a casual mac&cheese night or a formal dinner party with the playgroup. (We also found that a simple game of “find the gecko” led to one of the cleanest dinner plates we’d ever seen.) Untangledliving.com

Baby Food Cooking Classes on DVD

If you want to try your hand at homemade baby food but aren’t sure where to start, just pop a Mommy Chef dvd into your machine and press “play.” You can enjoy a baby food cooking class from the comfort of your couch. Lianne Phillipson-Webb, founder of Sprout Right nutrition and Mommy Chef cooking classes, guides you through the art of prepping and storing homemade purees in her First Foods dvd and, for foodies ages nine to twelve months, teaches you all about making textured and finger foods in The Next Stage dvd. In addition to recipes, both dvds include info on topics such as infant nutrition and addressing allergies, and come complete with handy recipe cards for future reference. sproutright.com

Travel Toy Organizer

We just wish we’d thought of this ourselves­–Hold It Baby is the ultimate toy organizer for babies on the go. Simply strap it to your stroller, car seat, high chair or shopping cart and you’ll never have to worry about leaving anything behind. The non-toxic, adjustable strap lets you tether up to six items in close proximity to your child–no more diving for dropped toys or searching for somewhere to wash pacifiers or sippy cups that bit the dust. We took it for a test drive and have to agree, it is sanity on a string. holditbaby.com

Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

We switched to earth-friendly cleaning products when our kids were born and love the Canadian brand, Attitude. (From window cleaners to laundry detergent, Attitude products are certified eco-friendly and carbon neutral.) So, when we discovered three new Attitude products, we just had to try them. Attitude’s new phosphate-free automatic dishwasher detergent is not only vegan, biodegradable and free of dyes and artificial fragrances, but it doesn’t leave a film like other green detergents we’ve tried. We also loved the antibacterial disinfectant for surfaces that need a little extra oomph (like the kitchen sink). It may be tough, but it’s still biodegradable, non-carcinogenic and chlorine-free. Cleanattitude.com