Call it a baby stress releaser, if you will. Or perhaps just a stress releaser, as I’ve been known to let a few balls fly myself after a particularly long day! Whatever you call it, it’s one of those classic toys everyone loves to play with, whether they’re 8 months or 80. Although it’s probably a bit more acceptable as a gift for the former. Pick up your own for 35% off at Amazon, just $19.37!
More fun indoors this week, although I’m pretty sure this can be adapted for warm weather if you’re lucky enough to have it! BabyBargain and I had a heck of a time making and playing with our little toy boat. You wouldn’t expect it, but just our little bowl of water was fun enough to blow that little sail back and forth to each other! For the more adventurous, fill up a bathtub and make a tiny fleet! We just used a plastic cup (be careful not to leave any sharp edges when you cut it,) a bendy straw, and regular ol’ paper for our sail. I even busted out my pirate voice for the big sailing. Ahoy, mateys!
Sorry all, we’ve been fighting some mean little germs over here at the Bargain household! I’ll ease back into bargain-hunting with a nice, tropical escape from our dreary Chicago winter. Bust out the pina coladas, tiny umbrellas, and Bob Marley tunes and set sail in your tiny plastic cruise ship! The ocean looks particularly pristine from your waterwheel vantage point…how about throwing in a few suds to make it a real party? Score one for summer with 33% off and free shipping on Step2’s Waterwheel Activity Play Table, just $28.61!
Holy Shamoly Ashley, what a great find! Just when you think you’ve seen (bought?) all The Gap has to offer, surprise! They have cool toys too! This adorable dollhouse living room set is by Plan Toys (love them) and usually $22.50…but now 43% off and just $12.99! If you’re outfitting a tiny house, there’s plenty more sets on sale, like the kitchen set, the kids room set, the dining room set… well, why not just check out the whole sale page here! Thanks TotBargainer Ashley!
Oh man, I am such a procrastinator! Well, that, and I’m quickly running out of creative ideas. Eek. Today’s was going to have something to do with spaghetti sculpture, but I couldn’t quite pull it together as an actual activity. I’ve gotta keep thinking about that one. Anyhow, it ended up being one of our oldest books that inspired me to find this awesome free resource (the “Baby’s First Signs” book I bought while still pregnant and imagined us mastering by 6 months. Ha.) As great a book as that is (BabyBargain really likes it,) it’s a lot easier to watch someone. An amazing free resource for American Sign Language teachers, ASLPro also has a great “ASL for Babies” dictionary. Just click on the word and a mini video pops up with a demonstration! It is fantastic. I use it to teach myself, then teach baby, who is at a great toddler age to actually remember the signs! (Unlike me. Sigh!)
Thanks to TotBargainer Ashley for the heads-up on a great deal! (She also writes a great blog!) These cool building sets get rave reviews and you can’t beat their creative potential. I just love watching BabyBargain with his “open-ended” play toys, I can’t believe some of the ideas he comes up with! Okay, most of them lately have been car washes. But I bet he’d love another medium to work with! They’re on sale at the Land of Nod for $19.95 for the set, 42% off the original $34!
These little tummy stackers are just the ticket when you’re easing into the transition from soft toys to “real” toys. BabyBargain used to poke those adorable belly buttons and giggle with glee as we stacked up his favorite characters! They sort of spin when they’re stacked together for even more fun. And more fun for Mom & Dad too when they’re 55% off- just $6.03 from $13.49!
Out of the tummy stacker stage but want to put your bargain-hunting skills to good use?
Consider donating a tummy stacker or two to your local children’s hospital. Usually their donation address will be listed right on their website and you can simply send your order there as a gift! If you need a good suggestion, email me! (mama@totbargains.com)
I remember frequent serious cases of carrier toy envy when BabyBargain and I used to stroll the mall. The “lifespan” (read: attention span) of any these really ranges from about 20 seconds to 20 months, depending on your luck, baby’s mood, and which way the wind is blowing that day. So you may need more than one, I’m just sayin’. Stretch the Giraffe is usually $14.99, and now just $9.74, 35% off! Jingle Jack is usually $11.99, and now $5.22, 56% off!
Happy Friday everyone! The free fun activity I had planned for us today didn’t quite go in the direction I had expected it to. I setup a fun little water xylophone for BabyBargain this morning (just your classic glasses with decreasing amounts of water,) tuned them to a major scale (BYO OCD…), and thought I’d add a little food coloring to toss in a color lesson. Well. Apparently I was wrong in thinking that hitting glasses with a spoon would be the big draw. After a few good spoon hits, BabyBargain became infatuated with the colored water and made a move to combine two. I exclaimed, “no, they’re perfectly tuned!” to a blank (adorable) face and (semi-regretfully) let him at it. Mixing yellow and blue seemed akin to discovering plutonium! We happily mixed and poured through the morning. A heads-up, though- if you think you may be headed in the same direction, switch to clear plastic cups early on. They won’t make any noise, but they also won’t make your heart drop to your stomach when one falls to the floor. All in the name of science!
I always say, you can never have too much help with the laundry. I don’t even mind that it’s a plastic iron and wooden board. Heck, sometimes my ironing looks like I did it with tools like this- with an added bonus of no burned fingers! Pottery Barn Kids has their wooden ironing board clearance-priced at just $24.99 (from $59!) with free shipping, and the Braun toy iron (that looks incredibly life-life!) is on sale at Amazon for just $11.99!
It’s never too early to start counting, especially when it involves moving pretty colored balls! The great thing about simple toys is that so much is left to the imagination- parents and baby’s. Do you use it for counting? For making pretty designs? As a maraca?? Pick up this quality wooden Abacus Toy at The Land of Nod for just $14.95, 40% off the original $25!
If Baby is just itchin’ to take the wheel, let her at it with her very own cozy convertible! Little Tikes quality at Amazon prices- and free shipping! This adorable little coupe is regularly $70 and now just $49.18, 30% off! I hear the next car you’ll have to buy can get a little pricey, so take advantage while they’re still made of plastic. 
We TotBargainers understand that little tikes need a lot of stuff. There’s no reason to pay full price! Mama loves a good deal and loves to share! Most of my favorite finds are 50+% off. Everyday I’ll find a new bargain to share with you. Don’t forget to act quickly if you see something you like, the best deals sometimes sell out in hours! Happy bargain hunting, and thanks for stopping by!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: How do you find these bargains?
A: I’m a little bit of a bargain-hunting junkie. This nicely transitions with motherhood! I go to websites I know and trust and rifle through their clearance sections. It’s pretty simple, actually!
Q: What do you consider a good bargain?
A: Quality first. You’ll get more features and better quality with a little hunting! A low price does not a bargain make. Did you know that baby gear has seasons? Will baby think his brown-and-lime-green pack-n-play was so last winter? No. But you saved 65% on something brand new and top quality. Sometimes stores are just clearing their inventory and all you need to do is be in the right place at the right time. I’ll help you do it!
Q: Do you find the bargains yourself?
A: Yep, see above. Sometimes PapaBargain helps!
Q: I have a hard time passing up a good deal. I hate that your website exists.
A: Thanks?? Ironically, this is why the site exists! Sometimes I see a bargain and think, I can’t use this, but someone else really should get this deal. I love to share them. It’s also a GREAT way to donate to charity. There are plenty of needy mamas, papas and children who could benefit from your lack of restraint!
Q: I’m leery about shopping online, can I find this bargain in a store?
A: First, welcome to the 21st century! Second, probably not. The beauty of shopping online is that you can easily compare prices. Finding bargains like these in a store would take lots and lots of looking and you’d probably wind up empty-handed. There are plenty of ways you can protect yourself online: using a secure connection, a non-public computer, even a virtual credit card. Be green and shop from your screen! As an added bonus, you won’t have to pack up the kiddies.
Q: I really appreciate you doing this and want your website to stay around. How can I help?
A: We’re able to stick around because you use our links to shop. We are extremely appreciative of all of our visitors and hope we’re saving you LOTS of money.
Q: When do you post the bargain deal every day? Can you make it sometime regular?
A: I try to post in the early morning hours every day. I’m a Mama, nothing is on time! Follow me on Twitter for regular updates and the occasional extra-special deal!
Q: I really need a deal on a stroller (pack-n-play, diaper bag, etc). Can you help me?
A: I’ll try! Send your request to mama@totbargains.com.
Q: Do companies pay you to write about their products?
A: Every bargain I write about is chosen by me, and all the comments I make about them are my own opinions, based on products I have purchased myself. The only compensation we receive is that generated through some of our links to these products, those to retailers we have an affiliate relationship with. This basically means that if you click through our link and end up making a purchase, we are paid a small commission on the sale. Ultimately, I hold true to my principles of quality and value and link to companies and products I like. And I’m an honest Mama who doesn’t want to lead you astray!
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