Recently in Best of Summer Category

Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? How many times do you hear this before you want to pull over and throw a tantrum of your own? I have this naive notion that it is a good thing to teach my tots the virtue of patience and sitting quietly to reflect upon life's wonders (sounds like something that judgmental childless cousin of yours would say, right?). And then I wake up and must face reality. Car rides are boring, ain't no two ways about it. Getting your tot to sit quietly on a road trip is like asking them to cook, clean, organize your closet and give you regular massages (trust me, I'm working on this!). That's why you need this A Backseat Survival Kit ($19.95), it is chalk full of games, doodles and logs and has everything you need for each activity. This is the only thing you will need for the entire car trip. It is good for ages 5 and up, even teens have fun with the games! Don't leave home on that great American road trip without it =)

Looks like any other puzzle, right? But you flip it over and it is a whole new game, it has the same puzzle without color to be interpreted and colored in by your tot. Creative and brain flexing all in one! This is perfect for travel because you are getting a puzzle that can be done again and again, as well as a coloring project! I try not to bring too much on trips, I am not one of those moms who packs an entire suitcase full of toys, not even on long trips. This will definitely be in my suitcase though! It comes with oversized crayons. Made of thick, sturdy cardboard and printed with non-toxic ink. Puzzle has 24 large pieces for ages 4+. Enchanted Kingdom, On The Farm as well as other designs, available at Child Trek for $13.95.

We all know how tots go bananas over bubbles, but it just isn't that fun when the bubbles are made without some effort involved. Bubble machines kind of kill the joy. But then I don't really want to hyperventilate from blowing bubbles for an hour. This Bubble Rocket get tots to make bubbles themselves with the most fun they will ever have. No exaggeration. The rocket sits in a bath of bubble solution and is launched by jumping on an air bladder. The air shoots the rocket into the air and blows, not quite a gazillion, but a lot of bubbles in the air. This is the perfect activity for a long weekend at home when you desperately need something to tire them out. Plus, for the 4th of July, it is patriotic, kind of. Rocket's red glare? OK, I'm grasping but it is tons of fun. Trust me, you'll be caught saying, "Hey, it's my turn!". At Gazillion Bubble Rocket is $32.95.

Boys love yucky mud and they really love worms, so you know they will go bonkers over this very special treat of mud, dirt and squiggly worms all served up in a planter pot! Just don't tell them it is actually chocolate pudding, cookie crumbs and gummy worms. They do a version of this at American Girl Place, their special dessert is a flower pot with chocolate pudding, cookie crumbs and a daisy. It was surprisingly realistic and a bit hard to eat at first! You can easily do this at home without the kit, just get a couple of little flower pots, pudding, crumbled up oreo cookies (just the outside) and gummy worms (or daisies for the girls!). But the Sassafras Kids Uck Yuck Worms in Muck Pudding Kit is only $11.60 at Amazon, just to get you started.

OK you hipsters out there, here is the line you've been waiting for. Famed LA tattoo artist Mark Mahoney is designing a line for tots that is responsible, adorable and charitable. No wonder it is a celeb favorite among A-Listers like Angelina Jolie, Tori Spelling, Marcia Cross, Poppy Montgomery, Kim Raver and Jennie Garth, just to name a few. A generous donation of 20% goes to children's charities! Only high quality cotton is used but the prices are really amazing. The Butterfly Dress is only $36. And their sale items are even better, the Hooded Dress on sale is $18! Great for the summer - easy to wear, comfortable and beyond adorable. Shop Baby Eggi. Free shipping through June 30th.

If you have swim class this summer, please raise your hand. My daughter is taking swim class twice a week this summer and I already have issue with the tote bag I'm using for her swim gear. Things get kind of nasty in there with the sunscreen and musty wet clothes and towels. I find myself wanting to throw the whole thing in the wash because this towel cleaning thing I'm doing just isn't cutting it. So when I saw this Terry bag, I was all over it. You can throw it in the wash once a week for the only perfectly clean bag in the whole class (probably in your whole neighborhood!!). And the monogramming is a nice touch just so you don't have to write your tot's name on the bag with a sharpie (the school requires that everything have her name on it). Also great for travel and toting toys to Grandma's house. At the Beans Closet for $80, comes in 20 colors. They are having a sale, save 10% on purchases of $199 or more, discount increases with amount spent, up to 25% on $500 or more.

This bike makes me wish I lived in a walking city again. Somewhere with a village or neighborhood that you can bike to, no hills and direct access to the street from your garage. I know, it sounds kind of specific but you would need all that for this Bucket Cycle to make sense. But, if all above applies, this would be the coolest bike to have! Strap your tots in the back (comes with seat belts) and go for a whirl for lunch, coffee, park or farmer's market. Even if you don't have your tots with you, you can shop your heart out at the grocery store with all that storage capability back there! MADSEN Cargo Bikes comes in blue, cream or black for $1299 at MADSEN online. Free shipping for a fully assembled bike through June 30th with code FREESHIP.

This Animal Kingdom one-piece suit with pink ruffle trim ($70) is the play on adult themes that is appropriate and adorable. I tend to think animal prints on clothes is for grown ups only and most of the time, it is done in poor taste when made in tot styles. But this is gorgeous and perfectly innocent! For the girlie girl, the Lulu Cover up Tunic ($75) is summery and cool that can also be worn away from the pool or beach with white tights.

I just got these for my 2 girls and I cannot tell you how cute they look and how happy they are wearing them. The Tutu bathing suit ($58) is perfect for casual pool parties, I wouldn't recommend it for swim class, as the tutu does get in the way of competitive swimming. But seriously, she can wear this everyday on dry land.

The Terry Cloth Tiered Dress ($44) is for after the pool. Or for any summery day of fun and joy. There is a watermelon wedge beaded detail at the collar with halter straps. The tiers flutter as she twirls and plays. Just the most perfect dress of the season! Both available at Best Dressed Child.

Can't get your tots to put on goggles for the pool? With these, you won't be able to keep them off! They will certainly demand to wear them in the bath and everywhere else. I can just hear the Jaws theme song being hummed as your tot terrorizes others in the pool. Or would that be a bad thing? Maybe you can think of other better pool games =) The Alligator goggle is $10 and the Shark goggle also $10 at Barneys New York.