Easing the Challenge of Traveling With Tots

Traveling with junior, which is often a challenge, may be less so with these new products that aim to make the trip safer and more enjoyable. Items may be available at local stores. Price does not include shipping.

Baby on a roll: Evenflo, a manufacturer of children’s furniture and accessories, has introduced a lightweight baby stroller that does not sacrifice sturdiness. The 9 1/2-pound Light & Easy Stroller has 5 1/2-inch wheels (for pushing ease) and a solid, rigid frame that collapses via a one-hand fold/release system. That’s less burden on parents trying to manage a baby in one arm and the stroller in the other as they get on an airplane or in the family car. A bonus: The removable seat is machine washable.

Evenflo Light & Easy Stroller (item 1021072) is $69.99. For a nearby store, contact the manufacturer; telephone (800) 233-5921, Internet https://www.evenflo.com.

Tot-size tub: Trying to bathe a tot in a standard bathtub can be frustrating and dangerous. Kel-Gar’s Snug Tub is an inflatable mini-tub insert that reduces the space in a standard-sized tub to infant or toddler size, creating a more controlled--and softer--environment for washing and shampooing. A built-in suction cup makes the Snug Tub easy to hang anywhere.

Snug Tub (item 52840) is $16.99 from Kel-Gar; tel. (800) 388-1848, Internet https://www.kelgar.com.

Emergency aid: First-aid kits come in all shapes, sizes and purposes. The Family Spirit First Aid Kit from Adventure Medical Kits is designed for parents with infants and young children. Inside the 9-by-6--by-3-inch-deep zippered blue nylon case are two zippered compartments with ipecac syrup for poisonous substances, an irrigation syringe, splinter-picker forceps, aloe burn cream, rehydration salts, blister strips, shears, a digital thermometer and a useful how-to booklet. The whole caboodle weighs 2 invaluable pounds.

Adventure Medical Kits’ Family Spirit First Aid Kit is $64.95. For information and nearby stores contact the manufacturer; tel. (800) 324-3517, Internet https://www.adventuremedicalkits.com.

Tightened security: There’s no question that seat belts save lives. But they’re designed for adults and are insufficient to protect the junior set when the car seat bobs around loosely within the belt. That’s where Mighty-Tite comes in. The easy-to-install seat-belt tightener hooks onto the car seat belt. When you lift the yellow handle, the ratcheted shaft begins to rotate, with the seat belt wrapping itself around the shaft, tightening the belt and quickly removing any slack. Crank the bright yellow handle a few times and the seat belt becomes even tighter, securing tots with a minimum of side-to-side and up-and-down movement.

Mighty-Tite Car Seat Belt Tightener is $19.99. For information and local stores, call the distributor, Sunshine Kids Juvenile Products; tel. (888) 336-7909, Internet https://www.mighty-tite.com.

Wake-up call: The ingenious Magic Moments Talking Alarm lets you wake up to your children’s faces and voices even when you’re far from home. Record a message (up to 10 seconds) by pressing a single button and having your loved ones speak into the built-in microphone. Then set the alarm for the time you want to be awakened, and you’ll hear: “Hi, Daddy. Wake up.” The clock and alarm functions are on one side of the folding case, and there’s a 2 3/4-inch-square frame for a photo on the other. Messages and photos can be changed as often as you like. You can also wake up to a beep alarm. The half-inch-thick, 2-ounce clock runs on four replaceable AG-13 button batteries (included).

Magic Moments Talking Alarm (item AC412) is $19.85 from Magellan’s; tel. (800) 962-4943, Internet https://www.magellans.com.

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