Great gear and groovy gadgets for the little ones

1. Peapod

Stop Junior from getting his grubby little paws all over your sleek white iPod; get him his own music player. Peapod hails itself  as the world’s first digital MP3 player for infants and toddlers. It holds up to two hours of  music, is rubber molded and tough enough to withstand accidental drops from the highchair. It also comes with a built-in speaker – no ear-damaging ’phones required – and is equipped with a volume control function that can be parent-locked. 
US$89 (S$135), www.peapodtoys.com/main.html

2. Alessi Beba nightlight

Don’t ditch designer décor at the nursery door. Instead, give baby a headstart on style and taste with this lesser-known home accessory from slick Italian design house Alessi. The nightlight resembles a cross between a futuristic Tinkerbell and a benevolent gremlin and comes in green, blue and pink. 
£11.90 (S$35.70), www.madeindesign.co.uk/prod-Beba-light-Alessi-refmmi06az.html

3. VTech kidizoom camera

If  you’ve got a budding photographer or filmmaker on your hands, get VTech’s latest addition in kiddie multimedia. The Kidizoom – for three- to six-year-olds  – comes with games, interchangeable face plates, headphones and 16MB of  built-in memory. That’s 120 photos or five minutes of  digital video (which kids can self-edit) – enough to keep young shut-terbugs occupied while parents take a well-deserved break. 
USD59.99 (S$120), www.vtech.com

The Babykeeper

Here’s the $64,000 question: what to do when you’re out alone with baby, and you desperately need to do a number two? Well, there’s no need to hold your pee (or more) if  you have the Babykeeper. This infant carrier seat slings baby from the wall in a restroom (facing the inside, we presume) so he can hang around while you do your business in peace. 
USD39.99 (S$68), www.mommysentials.com/baby-keeper.htm

4. TeddyCam

Baby monitor? That’s so last decade. Think TeddyCam, darling. It looks like a teddy bear, works like a spy cam and blends into any nursery. The built-in camera in teddy’s nose captures images even in low-light situations, and transmits them via video signals to your television. No need for messy – and potentially dangerous – wires. Or for informing your nanny that she’s being watched. 
USD59.99 (S$102), www.smarthome.com/7853.html#cart