2008 May

There are gadgets for all of us adults so gadget makers very kindly have come up with a whole range of gadgets are sure to appeal to the kid within us who will then make us reach out to our wallet and buy the cool stuff for the real kid who may or may not be impressed by it. Kids have a strange way of ignoring the uber cool robot toy and being happiest clanging a steel plate and a spoon.

Here are eight gadgets that you may find enticing but your kid may just give you a bewildered smile for it. When you go to purchase a gadget, ensure that it is utilitarian one and looks are secondary unless of course it’s a baby toupee that you wish to buy…

1. A baby toupee is probably an idea that was just waiting to happen or maybe it was already out there but I missed it. The internet brings the idea closer to us and you can visit BabyToupee.com to choose from a cute and wonderful selection of baby toupees. A small teeny weeny bald baby with a Bob Marley wig, how’s that for a giggle and some memories when the baby grows up. The products are patent pending and am sure they use materials that are more than 100% safe for the baby’s soft skin and scalp. The image is of the Donald Trump wig.

2. A Wireless Color Baby Monitor for parents who are looking for something more than just audio-only baby monitor. This device lets you see your baby on a 1.5 inch color LCD. This is a high-tech device that returns infra-red images when the lights are switched off. You can use either an AC adaptor (included) or batteries for both units. The baby unit (with camera) uses 4 AA batteries, while the adult unit (with display) uses only 3 AA batteries. Though one wonders how parents bring themselves to keep their kids so far away from themselves that they need to install a gadget. Wouldn’t it be easier to keep the baby’s pram in your own room?

3. The Bear Baby Bath Thermometer is a nice utilitarian gadget wrapped in an adorable design. It lets you get the temperature of the water just right before the baby enters the tub for some frolic. The product is made up of soft plastic and serves as an adorable bath toy. That’s a true two-in-one product for you. Don’t let Rover get his teeth on it though, it won’t stand scrutiny from his teeth.

4. A Pacifier thermometer is again one of those beautiful ideas that come when a brainwave hits an inventor. Who could’ve thought of combining a pacifier with a thermometer to resolve an age-old problem of getting a baby to yield his temperature? Anyone who has tried to cajole a baby into giving himself up for a temperature reading knows the frustrations involved. This device consists of a silicone orthodontic nipple that is placed in the baby’s mouth and the pacifier beeps once the reading is complete.

5. Baby booger extractor or NasalClear Nasal Aspirator as the manufacturer prefers to call it. It’s not the babies put the parents I guess who are getting picky about picking their baby’s nose the right way. So, what we have is a battery operated, advanced version of those traditional bulb-style aspirators. It comes with two different silicon tips for booger of different consistencies. A clear plastic collection cup lets you what’s been sucked out. It plays twelve different tunes to keep the baby amused while it does its job.

6. BebeSounds Heart Listener is a device that puts you in touch with your baby while it is still inside mama’s womb. A marvel of technology it’s a nice piece for those who get smitten by their baby’s sounds and movements that they get to see at the doctors’ when they do all those tests, sonography etc. The included speakers let you hear your baby’s heartbeat, kicks, and hiccups. The microphone lets you project your voice or music—sixty-minute Mozart CD also included—into the womb. The device lets you record and email your child’s heartbeats.

7. Dimmerlamps not exactly for babies but an admirable adaptation to add class to your baby’s space. Also very handy when you do not want the baby to be enveloped in total darkness but at the same time do not want too much light. The soft lights are “liberated”, as the makers put it and you can control the amount of illumination that you wish to experience.

8. The Wooden Tabletop Market Stand is an elaborate piece not exactly for babies but kids growing up. It educates them about the virtues of farm fresh food and can lead to the beginning of a love affair for fresh food that can last a lifetime. The good thing is that there is an endless variety of fun food sets that you can add to the stand and pretend that your stuff is the freshest and tastiest in the market.