For the Kids: April 2009 Archives

I am in love with this wallpaper. And that's kind of saying a lot, because I hate wallpaper in general. But seriously, this is one of the greatest ideas ever.

Initial thought: This would be perfect for a kid's room. They would always have something to color, draw, and paint on. The only trouble I see is that kids can only reach so high, so after a while they're bound to start dragging kitchen chairs or unstable boxes into their rooms to reach the higher frames. Solution? Do a chair rail around the room and only put the wallpaper on the bottom third of the wall.

Besides kid's rooms, though, this would also be great for teenagers so they can display all their funky photos in a more creative way and appealing way than, say, sticking them into a mirror or to a corkboard. And actually, this wallpaper might also be cool in a bathroom. As we've all experienced in public restrooms, people like to write and doodle on walls while they do their business, and their creations would give you something to look at / read while you're doing your business. Just be ready for some not-so-nice stuff, depending how how obscene your friends can get. That's what White-Out is for, I suppose.

OK, so I totally had no idea that the Radio Flyer people made anything besides the classic red wagon. But they do. Check out their Retro Rocket:

My original impression of this was that it was big enough for the child to sit inside the rocket, which I thought was super cool. But then I saw a different picture and realized it was just a seat that you sit on top of, which disappointed me a little. However, the Retro Rocket has a whole slew of special effects that still make it a really awesome gift for the little boy, or little tomboy, in your life. It has a 3-2-1 blast-off count and a vibrating motor action to simulate take-off, plus "astronaut and space" sounds, working lights, and a clicking cone. There is also a storage compartment under the seat, which I think kids love. It's like their own secret hiding place. Plus, it's just a cool-looking toy - all shiny and red and retro-like.

Radio Flyer also offers the Little Red Roadster, which doesn't have as many features as the rocket, but it still has that awesome retro vibe. And for the kids who love cars, there's the Sport Coupe. What's great about this one is that a child can actually open the car door and sit inside. And, when they get tired of pushing themselves all around, they can put up their feet in the "stow away" footrest and get pushed around by mom or dad using the telescoping handle.

I know there are a lot of other "cooler" cars for kids out there, like $350 Jeeps and Mustangs that have actual working foot pedals and AM/FM radios. But those just seem so blingy. I love the simple, classic look and feel of the Radio Flyer vehicles. It's refreshing.