Smiles Included

Recommended ages: 7-12 years
Reviewed by: Susan Hustace

Hyper Dash by Wild Planet Entertainment is an electronic tag game requiring players to tag targets based on verbal commands. You can play solo against the clock, or against several opponents, or in teams of two. Fastest time wins.

Hyper Dash has been a popular game for a number of years, and definitely delivers on its promise of fast and exciting action. A continuous rhythm track and sound effects make it engaging enough to play for an extended period, while the selection of games and levels make it fun and challenging for both kids and adults.

The Hyper Dash unit is shaped like an oversized joystick, and there are five Read more »

Recommended ages: 8 to adult
Reviewed by: Marcy Buffington

Yamslam by Blue Orange Games is a dice game combining elements of both skill and luck, while teaching math skills such as counting, probability and odds. The point of the game is to roll the 5 dice and collect chips based on the combinations thrown. When all the chips are gone, the player with the most points wins.

Initially, all our testers had the same response: Yamslam is very similar to Yahtzee. But in practice, Yamslam is the more enjoyable game. The two-color dice and scoring chips add a level of complexity I haven’t found in similar dice games. Read more »

Recommended ages: From birth up to 40lbs
Reviewed by: Vina Eres

The ERGObaby Carrier is a soft backpack-style carrier that features three carry positions; Front, Hip, and Back. When used with the optional Infant Insert, (sold separately) it fits newborns from 7 to 15lbs in the front carry position. Because this carrier distributes most of the baby’s weight onto your hips, I found it very comfortable when used for longer periods of time. The ERGObaby retails for around $105 plus $38 for the insert.

I found the Front Carry Position was the simplest to use. All it took was to buckle at the waist, hold the baby to your chest, then put one shoulder strap at a time (while holding baby with your free arm) around your arms then buckle. Then bring both hands around your neck and fasten the chest strap.

The Back Carry Position was another story. Adjusting the straps while holding the baby was next to impossible Read more »

Recommended ages: 0-18 months, up to 35 lbs.
Reviewed by: Cassie Hager

The Sleepy Wrap by NAP, Inc. allows a caretaker to carry their baby hands free. An 18 foot long cotton/spandex material is wrapped around your body, creating a soft, flexible and secure place for your baby. While positioned on your chest, the baby can easily see you and the environment around him. He can also easily sleep and nurse, all while being fully supported by the cloth.

I have owned and used a BabyBjörn, Ergo Carrier and multiple slings, all of which were more expensive than the Sleepy Wrap, which retails for around $39.95. Both the Ergo and the Sleepy Wrap distribute weight comfortably, but the Ergo does a better job of placing much of the weight on your hips. The Sleepy Wrap is far more comfortable than the Read more »

Recommended ages: From newborn (minimum 8 lbs and 21 inches) up to 25 lbs.
Reviewed by: Vina Eres

The Original Classic is a front baby carrier that can be used for infants and children weighing a minimum of 8 lbs up to 25 lbs. When your baby is a little older and is able to hold his or her head upright, the neck-rest can be folded down so he/she can face forwards and look around.

I was impressed with how simple the BabyBjörn is to use. With a fussy baby, you might need help, but I was able to get my babies in and out without assistance. The easily adjusted straps make this carrier well-suited for parents of multiples, since it can be quickly adjusted to fit any baby. Latches and straps are color-coordinated for easy fitting, and the instructions are sewn on the inside of the carrier for quick reference. I found the wide padded shoulder straps to be very comfortable, but parents with a heavier child may prefer a carrier with a hip belt.

Priced at around $70, the Original Classic is more expensive, but superior in construction and durability to many similar carriers, such as Read more »

Reviewed by: Susan Hustace


The Itzbeen Baby Timer by Coast Innovations is a digital timer that keeps track of basic baby tasks, such as how long it’s been since the last diaper change, the last feeding, and time spent awake or asleep. It was invented by a new mom and dad who found themselves sleep-deprived and in need of help remembering baby care details. The Itzbeen retails for around $24.99.

The three buttons marked with a diaper, a bottle, and Zzz’s, are used to set the time of the next event. The digital display counts up the time elapsed, and an optional reminder alarm sounds when time is up. A 4th timer button can be set to track any other task, such as time since the baby was last given medication. The digital display has a backlight. Other features include: Read more »

Reviewed by: Susan Hustace

The Philips AVENT SCD520 Monitor is a well-designed sound monitoring system which includes a room temperature sensor and alarm, a secure channel talk feature, and silent or audio operating modes. The system retails for around $120.

We were impressed with the Philips’ excellent sound quality, and the overall design, which is elegant and compact. The parent receiver feels solid, and fits in the palm of your hand, and the baby unit stands only 3.25 inches or 8.25 cm high.

The LCD window on the parent unit displays the Read more »

Reviewed by: Susan Hustace

The VTech Crystal Sounds is a basic baby sound monitor with exceptionally clear digital audio quality. It comes with one baby monitor unit and one parent receiver, and can operate in silent or sound mode. The system retails for around $40.

The Crystal Sounds compares very well to other sound monitors in its price range. The only drawback I could find is that when moved out of range, the parent unit could not automatically re-establish the link with the baby unit, even when moved closer. I had to shut off the receiver and turn it back on to re-establish the link. Read more »

Reviewed by: Jennifer D. Raess, LISW

The Fisher-Price® Sounds n’ Lights Monitor has been around for a number of years. What sets it apart are the sound-activated lights on both sides of each receiver that make it easy to ’see’ baby’s activity from wherever you might be.

The system consists of the sound monitor unit and two receivers. In our tests, we found the monitor to be very sensitive, and the receiver sound was clear and static-free within the prescribed range of 400 feet. The two channels were sufficient to minimize interference from other household devices. The monitor plugs into an AC outlet or uses 3 AAA batteries, and the rechargeable receivers can also run on batteries, and have low battery indicators, which I found very helpful. Read more »

Reviewed by: Jennifer D. Raess, LISW

The Graco Angelcare® Deluxe is a 2-in-1 baby monitoring system which detects both sound and movement as well as room temperature.

The sensor pad slips under any size mattress and senses your baby’s movement and breathing. An alarm sounds if no movement is detected for 20 seconds. You can program alarm settings for room temperature and sound, and you can set it to be sound-activated so it only bothers you when the baby makes a noise. We found the sound quality to be excellent within the specified range of 100m or more. The night light gives off just enough light without being too bright, and works whether the monitor is on or off.

The system sells for around $140, which is about $100 more than a basic sound monitor system. It is not ready to use out of the box, and requires some time to learn how to set up and program. Read more »