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Kolcraft’s Partnership with JPMA

May 3rd, 2012

Kolcraft has been a founding member of the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association and is happy that our very own Andy Newmark, Kolcraft’s VP of Marketing & Sales, is on the board of directors. Having been in the industry for 25 years, Andy brings a real expertise to the JPMA board as they strive to enhance product safety. Being a dad of two daughters, he brings a true passion for creating products that will make parents lives easier so parents can spend more time cherishing their time with their children.

We asked Andy about the opportunity he has to serve on the JPMA board and he had this to say,

“This is my second stint serving on the board. In 2003 I was chairman of JPMA’s board of directors and am happy to serve again on the board. I have always felt that it is important for Kolcraft to be involved in the decision process of JPMA. It is a wonderful organization with a much need mission.”

We love that we get to “share” Andy with JPMA because his enthusiasm for the juvenile industry is contagious!

We are very proud of Andy and consider ourselves lucky to have him on our Kolcraft team!

Tags: Andy Newmark, Andy Newmark from Kolcraft on JPMA board, JPMA, JPMA and Kolcraft making children's products safer
Posted in Kolcraft Thursdays, News from Kolcraft | No Comments »

Win $100 during our Mother’s Day Contest!

May 2nd, 2012

We love moms! We love them 365 days a year and believe they deserve to be celebrated in a special way on Mother’s Day. This year we are going to give one very special mom $100! We know mom’s lives are super busy so we are making it easy to win this $100. We will be holding a Facebook contest starting this Friday. All you have to do is complete the following sentence: At times it’s hard being a mom, but I love it because…. If you want to include a photo for that special awww factor, that is even better. The contest will run for 6 weeks and people will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite mom.

We are excited to hear why you love being a mom. You are our inspiration and you deserve to be celebrated!

Tags: Kolcraft contests, mothers day giveaway, win $100 at our mother's day contest
Posted in Kolcraft Contests, News from Kolcraft, Wednesday Wonders | 5 Comments »

Tip Tuesday: Reading, Seat Belts, and Playgroups!

May 1st, 2012

One of our favorite things about the Baby Matters blog is that we meet moms at all different times during their pregnancy. This blog offers a lot of information and we want to make sure you haven’t missed any of our past tips. Below are a few of our favorites from the archives.

Reading to your child to help her grow: Reading aloud with your child for just 20 minutes a day strengthens relationships, encourages listening and language skills, promotes attention and curiosity and establishes a strong reading foundation. Enjoy a few tips on setting your child on the path to literacy.

Seat Belt Safety During Pregnancy: As your baby bump grows it may be increasingly uncomfortable to wear a seat belt, but your seat belt is key to you and your baby’s safety. Read a few tips on how to protect your baby.

How to Have a Successful Playgroup: Michelle LaRowe, mom and nanny, wrote an article on playgroups. We thought it was so insightful that we had to share it with you. Get some tips on how to have a successful playgroup.

Posted in Tip Tuesday | No Comments »

Kolcraft Announces the First Summer Fitness Challenge

April 30th, 2012

Looking to get fit this summer? Kolcraft is teaming up with Chicago’s Active Moms’ Club for their very first summer Fitness Challenge.

The Active Moms’ Club offers exercise classes for both pre-natal and post-natal moms in the Chicago area. The classes are a great chance to work out and mingle with other moms, plus, you can bring your baby to all classes!

As part of our Fitness Challenge, moms will be rewarded each time they attend an Active Moms’ Club class with an entry into a raffle to win great Kolcraft prizes including:

Sealy Crib Mattresses
Sesame Street Elmo Adventure Potty Chairs
Jeep Sport 2-in-1 Baby Carriers

Moms who attend a total of at least 12 classes during the summer will automatically be entered to win our Grand Prize of a brand new 2012 Jeep Jogging Stroller! Join on us on Thursday, May 3rd in Lincoln Park’s Oz Park as we kick off the Fitness Challenge with a Biceps, Babies & Buggies stroller fitness class followed by a fun get-together in the park! A special snack will be provided! To learn more about the Active Moms’ Club and to register for class, visit www.activemomsclub.com. Moms who attend the classes will also have a sneak-peek at the jogger before it’s in stores, and the opportunity to try it out themselves!

Planning to come to class? Be sure to watch the video and mention it to a Kolcraft representative for an extra entry into our raffle. Looking for even more ways to win? Answer the following question at Thursday’s picnic for another entry into our monthly raffle:

What are your fitness goals for the summer?

Even if you aren’t in the Chicago area, you can still get fit with us! Check out the video below for more information on our Fitness Challenge, as well as some helpful tips you can use when walking with your stroller.

We look forward to joining you on your summer fitness journey!

Tags: Active Moms club, fit parenting, mom fitness, summer fitness challenge
Posted in Fitness, Tip Tuesday | No Comments »

Bellying Up To A Mud Bar

April 27th, 2012

We love how Spring brings new life and new opportunities to get outside and have fun. Equipped with an imagination, a child can see a backyard or a park as the door to hours of fun. We love the b Organic site for all sorts of wonderful tips on organic living. We especially love their mud bar. A mud bar is a fun place for kids to explore, learn and use imagination. It doesn’t have to be fancy by any means. A watering can full of water or a hose, a few pans and spatulas & TAH-DAH the mud kitchen is open!

Have you made mud pies with your kids?

Tags: mud bar, outdoor activities for kids, playing outside with kids
Posted in Fun Fridays | No Comments »

National Infertility Awareness Week

April 25th, 2012

This week we celebrate National Infertility Awareness Week. This year’s theme is “Don’t Ignore Infertility.” There is so much pain around infertility beyond the physical because there are also emotional and social implications. Unfortunately there is a lot of ignorance around infertility and awareness is key to breaking down barriers and building healing bridges.

What you can do if you have struggled with infertility:

Speak up – Share your story about infertility. Whether you blog, tweet, belong to a special interest group or teach a class you can help people open their eyes to this issue and step out of their ignorance.
Find support – Don’t be afraid to seek support. Infertility can be a lonely journey. Find a support group you can share your journey with in a welcoming environment.
Get involved – There are many road blocks from healthcare and the government to helping infertile couples to become pregnant. Write to your local representative to have policies changed.

What you can do even if you don’t struggle with infertility:

Educate yourself – Just because you don’t struggle with infertility, doesn’t mean you should be ignorant of it. Educate yourself to all that is involved in infertility so your knowledge can prevent you from making insensitive comments like; “Yeah we got pregnant at first shot.” “We just think about it & we are pregnant.” Or probably the worst – “Don’t stress, I’m sure one day you will be able to experience the joy of motherhood. It’s the best feeling ever.”
Make a donation – Funding is needed for infertility research. Because many infertility treatments are not covered by insurance, couples spend a lot of money on fulfilling their dreams to become parents. Consider making a donation to help bring needed programs and services to couples dealing with infertility.
Be sensitive – If you know someone is struggling with infertility be sensitive to that, but don’t leave them out of your own parenting experiences. That will only make them feel more alienated.

For more information on Infertility Awareness Week, please visit the NIAW website.

Tags: deailng with infertility, how to heal from infertility, infertility awareness week, tips on infertility awareness
Posted in Awareness days, Wednesday Wonders | No Comments »

Enjoy the Moment of Now

April 24th, 2012

We have all said it whether our children are 3 months or 13 years old – they grow up soooo fast! Today, we think it’s just important to sit back, let the laundry pile grow, let the dust accumulate and just take time to snuggle. It’s the most important thing on your “to-do” list. And if you aren’t convinced that your kids grow up too fast, check out this amazing video of a a little girl who went from 0-12 in 2 minutes. What a great idea. Makes us wish we had video from every week with our kids.

Tags: appreciate the present moment as a mom, enjoying your children, ideas for keeping memories of when your child is little
Posted in Tip Tuesday | 2 Comments »

A Mom Always Carries Her Child With Her

April 23rd, 2012

No matter if a mom is physically with her child or not, that love & connection is always there because a child is always within a mom’s heart. We saw this quote from Margaret Culkin Banning and couldn’t agree more!

A mother never quite leaves her children at home, even when she doesn’t take them along.

What is your favorite mom quote?

Tags: mom Mondays, mom quotes, moms love
Posted in Mom Monday, mom quotes | No Comments »

Give Your Baby the Best Green Crib Mattress for Peaceful Sleep

April 20th, 2012

Your baby deserves a crib mattress that is comfortable and promotes a healthy sleep environment. The Sealy Nature Couture collection of crib mattresses features Oeko-Tex certified organic cotton covers with Crypton clean sleep – an eco-friendly, liquid, stain and allergen barrier. All these mattresses are GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified® and GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certified, helping consumers minimize their chemical exposure and create healthier indoor environments for their children.

What does that mean for your sleeping baby and your peace of mind? It means that these crib mattresses have demonstrated compliance with the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute’s stringent chemical emissions standards following rigorous scientific testing. The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, part of the UL Global Network, is a not-for-profit, third-party organization dedicated to protecting human health and improving indoor air quality by certifying products for low chemical emissions.

Right now you can buy a Sealy Nature Couture crib mattress at Walmart with the Sealy Sweet Pea 2-in-1 maternity and nursing pillow at low rollback prices! It’s the perfect time to give your baby a natural crib mattress with eco-friendly features for the best sleep surface and a good night’s rest!

Tags: crib mattress with organic coton cover, eco friendly crib mattress, green crib mattress, greenguard certified crib mattress, sealy nature couture crib mattress
Posted in best crib mattress, Crib mattress, Sealy crib mattresses | 1 Comment »

Have Your Child’s Photograph Taken And Help Operation Smile

April 18th, 2012

During the month of April, participating photographers are joining the celebration of smiles by offering individual portrait sessions and a desk size portrait in exchange for a $24.00 donation to Operation Smile. This national fundraising effort will benefit Operation Smile which is an international children’s medical charity with a presence in more than 60 countries that provides free life-changing surgery for children and young adults who are suffering from facial deformities such as cleft lip and cleft palate.

Our friends at Wehmeier Portraits told us about the event and are participating in this amazing event. We love the Wehmeier family and how much they always think of making children’s lives better. We think it is a wonderful way to capture your child’s smile while giving a less fortunate child something to smile about. Check out the Operation Smile site to find a participating photographer. Be sure to tell your child how her smile is helping others. It truly takes a village to raise a child and your child can help make the village a little better for another child.

Tags: celebration of smiles, children's photography, helping children with facial deformities, Operation Smile, Wehmeier Portraits
Posted in Awareness days, Wednesday Wonders | 2 Comments »