Friday Review: Senario

As kids, the Baby & Kids staff was more into dolls and dress-up than anything robotic. Now that we're adults — and learning about new toys is part of our job — we've found ourselves drawn to the types of toys that our 5-year-old selves would've sneered at and given to our smelly little brothers. So when a package bearing a Zibit came to our office, we were intrigued.

The Zibit, manufactured by toy company Senario, is a little robot that comes with its own remote control to move the bot around. Each robot has its own name and backstory, and the Zibits are meant to be collectibles. Ours was Dinc, known throughout the Zibits world as a clumsy day-dreamer. Dinc can zoom around while making squeaky robotic sounds and lighting up at random. We can definitely see the appeal in collecting several robots; each robot's backstory and personality quirks are certain to pique a child's imagination.

Our favorite feature of the Zibit perhaps reflects our girly childhoods, but one of the best things about each Zibit is how gender neutral they are. We found that ours is pretty cute — much cuter than most robot toys — and his assigned personality makes him appeal toward the girl set. Dinc is also fun and tech-y for boys. Plus, it's a robot, you can't get much more boy-ish than that. Collectible toys are always a great gift idea, and these robots could be given to any child with a penchant for robotics and imaginative play.

Photo courtesy Zibits.

Friday Review: Tutu Pour Mon Deux

Tutus are all over the place, but we were surprised when Tutu Pour Mon Deux sent us one of their tutu shirts. The shirts aren't your average pink, frilly, over-the-top tutu. These tutus could be a part of a child's actual wardrobe; they might not be school-appropriate, but with a cute pair of contrasting tights, they're adorable for family get-togethers, birthday parties or playdates.

The tutus are attached to a tank top (ours had a cupcake embellished on it) or a long-sleeved shirt. Parents can choose the color of the shirt, embellishment, tutu color and coordinating ribbon. Even sweeter than the outfits is the story of the owner, Erika, whose daughters, one born with a congenital heart defect, inspired her to create the shirts and give back to the community. Tutu Pour Mon Deux gives one-third of its proceeds to Children's Hospital Boston.

If you've got a girly-girl that won't change out of her make-believe princess dress, tutu shirts are an easy compromise. And really, who can resist a little girl in a tutu?

Photo courtesy Tutu Pour Mon Deux

Friday Review: Modern-twist

Here at the Baby & Kids office, we receive our fair share of the newest and most innovative products in the juvenile industry. And what better way to share them with our readers than by reviewing them here on our blog? Welcome to our newest segment, Friday Reviews, where we share our thoughts and opinions on the latest products for little ones.

We've seen a lot of placemats in our time. Most are generally functional, plastic-coated mats in primary colors designed to keep Cheerios from sticking to your Pottery Barn dining table. But when the folks over at Modern-twist sent us one of their Kidz Placemats, we were intrigued.

The clear silicone-based, food-safe placemat is like a page from a coloring book; kids can color in the images with washable or dry-erase markers. The placemat comes packaged in a cute box with a set of markers, and parents can choose from several designs. We received the DwellStudio Animal Blocks placemat, which features a modern mix of shapes and animals that will certainly appeal to little ones. And the best part? The placemat washes off so your little mini-Mozart can start over at the next meal. Although rinsing the color off the placemat is definitely a job for Mom; we found that it took a bit of elbow grease to wipe away the color.

Eco-friendly parents will appreciate that the placemats are free of BPA, latex and other chemicals, and the whole kit can be repacked in its original box for easy transport. We imagine it would be a good diaper bag essential to keep baby entertained in a restaurant. However you use it, meal time is certain to get a lot more creative.

Photo courtesy Modern-twist.