You may have wondered what the fuss is all about with kids balance bikes (otherwise known as pedal-less bikes, walking bikes, prebikes, or push bikes). “Children as young as two years old can learn the skills of balancing, steering and coordination in a progressive and natural way,” says WheeBikes owner Rob Heinrichs, who claims these skills are essential for riding a “bike kid” bike.

Win a Strider Balance Bike!

All baby carriers offer two main advantages: your hands are free and your baby is close to you. Putting your baby in a carrier can make many everyday tasks (like grocery shopping) much easier. In cold weather, keeping your baby close to your body helps her stay warm. Here’s an overview of the types of baby carriers available today.

For heavy use, you’ll need a baby carrier that can stand up easily to your chosen activities. For long walks or hikes, it’s usually easiest to carry your baby on your back. However, most everyday child carriers offer a front carry position only.

If you have a young baby or a toddler, taking him or her outside in the heat of summer or the cold of winter can be a bit daunting at first. (What if those chubby cheeks get sunburned? What if he’s too hot? Too cold? Aaack!) It’s enough to drive any new parent around the bend. With proper summer gear and winter layering, however, you can put your fears to rest—which is a good thing, because there is nothing quite like worrying about the welfare of your child to rob your outdoor activities of all enjoyment.

Since having my son I’ve become even more aware of minimizing my impact on the enviroment. Once we arrived home from the hospital I soon realized that using diaper wipes was unnecessary – a simple wash cloth and warm water worked just fine. So when I first heard about Lovey’s Tushi Wash, a natural alternative to diaper wipes, I wasn’t sure if the product was something I would use or really needed. But boy was I surprised when after just one spray of Lovey’s I was hooked!

Saw us on Breakfast Television this morning? VancouverMom.ca asked Active Baby, a baby store focused on promoting a active lifestyle for parents and their babies, to name their Favourite Baby Backpack Carriers. Here’s what they said.

The KidCo PeaPod Plus is a truly portable travel bed. It’s a fold up tent that stows away in a bag that’s about the size of an extra large pizza. Weighing just less than five pounds, it fits perfectly in a suitcase, which can make a huge difference if you are traveling by air and need to be mindful of your baggage allowance.

“What child in Vancouver shouldn’t get out and stomp in puddles?” wonders Alex Anglin-Shields, owner of Puddlegear. “What is better than a rainy day romp through Lighthouse Park?” Oh and by the way, Puddlegear is offering a Puddlegear rain suit to a lucky VancouverMom.ca reader. Read on for details.