ABC (All Baby and Children) Kids Expo is a huge convention held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and literally brings thousands of baby products, gear, toys, feeding and nursery accessories into one space... you name it, if it is baby, kid or mama related, it's there! Whether it's an established brand or a new and up and coming one, the expo is the place to be if you are a baby gear nerd like me! Getting to see the latest products, browse the latest trends and meet face to face with the owners/creators/inventors of the each brand is an amazing experience of the ABC Kids Expo world, and one I enjoyed a million times more than I expected (which is a lot, because I knew I would love it to begin with)!
The estimated attendance for this year's show was 14,000, which had me prepared for chaos, especially since I was bringing both kids! Tuesday was the first day the trade show opened, and because Nolan had PreK in the morning, we weren't able to attend for the opening ceremonies. Instead, we decided to head down for a couple hours after naps in the afternoon. When we got there, we headed to print our media badges, and Nolan felt super official that he had his own, while Acelyn couldn't really care about hers much and wanted to just hang in the stroller and take in the activity around her.
We started in the New Product Showcase, which highlights all the up and coming brands with innovative and game-changing products for the upcoming year and that were presented with the 2017 New Product Award of Distinction. The Englacha 2 in 1 Cozy 360 Turn Rider was one of the first things I found, and definitely have on my wish list. Attaching to any stroller, it makes for easy riding for toddlers (aka Nolan!) when their tired legs can't hang. If the reversible seat rider isn't ideal, it can be removed and the bottom can be used as a stroller board. This thing has been on my wish list for a while, especially with our upcoming Disneyland trip in mind, and the updated version just has me wanting it even more!
The Sillikids Silicone Straw Cup was another cool product, with the entire cup, straw included, being comprised of silicone, but still felt durable and super easy to use.
We saw the new Halo Sleep Twin Bassinest (which when we used as a singleton, we loved), and I thought it was such a cool concept for all the twin parents out there! This ended up being a really hot item to see during the show and was extremely well received on social media.
The Veer Cruiser wagon was another on the top of my want list, even though we already have a wagon! This thing is a beast and is SO good. The inside has seats for kiddos (with belts), and even allows for carseat adaptors to attach, which turn the wagon into an all terrain stroller. The best part? It folds up SO well and within seconds. Super, super cool product!
After the New Product Showcase, we continued on through the second level to do just a quick walk through with the short time we had before closing at 6PM. We saw some amazing booths, and Living Textiles Co. had one of my favorite!
I was introduced to two new companies that I hadn't heard of before, Kip & Co. and Incy Interiors, and instantly fell in love with their products. Their textiles and furniture were so adorable and such high quality, and the designs and patterns were to die for! I mean, these swaddles?! The swan!? And this big girl bedding? A dream!
We spent some time chatting with the team at Green Toys, and loved seeing and hearing about their story and products. We were familiar with many of the toys the brand currently has in production, but really look forward to seeing some upcoming releases from them, including their new dough sets, which is really pleasant to play with and comes in adorable playsets like this flower one (also available in a Meal Maker kit, a Car Builder kit, and a Tool Essentials kit).
We swung by Hallmark Baby, which we've purchased from in the past (Acelyn's Pumpkin Pie dress last Thanksgiving was from here!) and I died over the sweetness throughout their booth. These products are such amazing quality and make amazing modern heirloom gifts. The team was so friendly and gifted the kids some Sleepy Time Stuffed Bunnies, and they haven't put them down since. Acelyn, especially, is obsessed with her bunny and is the only one she asks to snuggle when it's time to sleep, now!
We stopped at Saranoni Luxury Blankets, which was top on my list to see, and was everything I could have ever imagined and more in the softness category. These blankets are amazing... the softest things ever and so, so cozy. Their colors are so pretty and their new patterns are to die for.
Plan Toys was the booth directly next door, and Nolan spent lots and lots of time here, playing with a bunch of different toys they had on display. The wooden play house they had, complete with swing set, sand box and garden, was so cute and really well made.
It was closing time, so we decided to make our way back to the car, and on our way out, we ran into Jamie Grayson from The Baby Guy NYC! I've followed him for years on social media, and he's basically a God in the baby gear world, so I completely fangirled getting to meet him. He was super nice, and was great with Nolan and listened to him talk all about a freebie boo boo pack he got from a booth earlier in the day. We snapped a picture to document my shining moment meeting him, and geared up for day #2!
The next day, we started off bright and early and got to the expo right after opening at 9AM. Since we walked through most of the second floor the night before, we started on level one and got right to it! Posh Baby and Kids had the Bentley Trike Stroller on display, which we of course had to stop and see, because... Bentley. This thing was as fancy as it sounds, and I was thoroughly impressed with it's functionality. It transitions through 6 stages, starting from a reclining, 180 degree turn seat as parents push, into a more free-controlled trike for a toddler, and finally into a full tricycle with removal of the backrest, foot pedals and all parent control. Nolan loved it!
As we continued walking through, the kids freaked over these giant birds on display so of course we had to stop for a picture.
We stopped to see the Unbuckle Me product, which I saw from the previous year's ABC Kids Expo, and loved the idea of a tool to help those that lack the strength of pushing the center button of the carseat (i.e. arthritis, carpel tunnel, etc.). I thought it was interesting to learn that the average amount of pressure needed to release the button of the carseat buckle is 9 pounds, but with the Unbuckle Me tool, only 3-4 pounds of force is needed! So helpful!
Right next door, the kids found the Farm Hoppers and refused to leave the booth without riding every one of them. Acelyn was particularly obsessed with the pig!
We met and talked with Product of the North and their super lightweight bags, which look great and have an amazing magnetic closure mechanism that I've never seen before.
The kids found Cookie Monster and thought it was pretty sweet.
Another wooden toy company, Tender Leaf Toys, had some adorable products on display, including some cute doll houses and my favorite, this ice cream cart with a ton of accessories!
Clean Kids Naturally had bubbles blowing, so the kids were sold on their booth, and I was sold simply by the amazing smell coming from them, too! Their scents are SO good and I was happy to grab some samples that we're excited to try.
One of the booths gave us a token for a free smoothie, so we stopped for a quick smoothie break and to catch our breath from information/toy/visual overload!
Lily & Momo had some cute hair clips and bows, and I'm totally following along and hopeful for some holiday releases!
We walked by the Boon products booth and I was in awe of their really awesome hanging dish rack display! So cool!
Moby Wrap had some new pretty prints and I was pleasantly surprised to see their new fabric, too. We were huge fans of the Solly wrap when Acelyn was little, and I actually tried a Moby, too, around the same time. The fabric then was SO bulky and thick, so I took it back because I didn't like it and much preferred the Solly. Moby stepped it up and now also has buttery soft fabric in their wraps, which is a great comfort for both Mama and babe!
We quickly passed by Silver Cross/Heritage strollers, which is simply all class and gorgeous. The pink ones at the end are doll prams... SO cute!
Little Unicorn had the best booth, hands down! We visited this each day at the expo because it was just too good. They converted their booth into a house, complete with outside lights, flower boxes, a mailbox, separated rooms inside (living room, bathroom with a tub, etc). Plus, they gave chocolate away each time, so Nolan was hooked! We've always loved Little Unicorn and have a ton of their swaddles, plus Acelyn's bedding is from them, too. They were great to visit with and this was definitely a highlight of our week!
Another brand we absolutely fell in love with and enjoyed chatting to was Oliver + Kit. We've followed them on social media for a while now, but had never seen their products in person, and I was pleasantly surprised by their quality and size. I especially adore the new bath towels they are releasing in the upcoming months... SUPER soft and adorable prints! Loved, loved getting to chat with the ladies here and Nolan was obviously a fan, too!
On our walk back out at the end of the day, we passed by Clementine Kids and their orange tree booth, which was another favorite of mine!
The kids lasted all morning and afternoon, from 9-2, and I couldn't have asked for them to be any better! Nolan was totally in his element and loved getting to play and see all the fun stuff, while Acelyn mostly snacked on everything we brought plus a billion samples of snack products, and then only needed the iPad for the last 40 minutes or so. We grabbed some lunch in the dining hall before heading home, and they both passed out in the car on the way back. Day #2 was a success!
On our final day, I took the trip down in the morning with just Acelyn, since Nolan had PreK again. We didn't tell him where we were going, since I knew he would be so bummed to be missing it! Since we had to return to pick him up in a few hours, we didn't have a ton of time, so we made the most of it by visiting some booths that we hadn't gotten to yet in the week. I loved the Uppababy display, and finally snapped a picture of it after passing by it a million times all week.
We stopped and met with the NoniNoni Kids booth, as their crib was on display in the New Product Showcase and I was interested in the design- no hardware! The wooden slats all fit together and not only function well, but look sleek and come in a great palette of pastel colors. Even better, it transitions to a toddler bed and looks even cuter when set up that way, too!
I had seen this Valco Baby Snap Trend Duo stroller on social media, and absolutely loved the way it looked, so I wanted to check it out. In person, I swooned even harder... the design is so good and the functionality is flawless! This is like the swiss army knife of double strollers and there wasn't one thing I didn't like about it. I've always loved our current stroller and never once looked at another... but this one has me rethinking! The gray and brown accents are so sleek and the one handed fold- sold. SOLD!
We stopped by our friends at Freshly Picked (after visiting on Day #1 and realizing I missed like, all of their new releases because Nolan was running amok), and finally took a closer look at all their goodies coming out. I also was able to see the new FP diaper bag and it is GOOD. So good, I regret not getting one on preorder, so I may have to bite the bullet when they release to the public, because it's worth it!
Last up, we talked with the team at Oli & Carol, and absolutely loved getting to chat with them, as well! As another brand we've followed on social for a bit, I was happy to see the adorable bath toys/teethers I've been eyeing and was even more excited when we were able to take some home with us! Their fruits/veggies that will be releasing soon are too cute, and we're obsessed with the Ana Banana and other bath toys the kids get to play with!
It was a short last day, but I felt comfortable leaving, knowing I saw way more than I expected and had the best three days at ABC Kids. Nolan is still asking if we can go back, a week later, and I know he had a blast in a giant toy store basically! He loved getting to meet new people and get attention from so many new faces! The kids have been busy playing with their new goodies that we've been loving, too.
The vibe of the entire expo on all three days was one I wasn't expecting. Everyone is so, SO nice and friendly, and I love the sense of community, even in such a large venue. The feeling of being involved in something I have a huge interest in, paired with being surrounded by other like minded and friendly people, makes for one great atmosphere and a place I genuinely looked forward to go to each day, among the chaos and hustle and bustle of trade show life. I couldn't have asked for a better first time experience, and I'm already having those post-expo blues and withdrawals from all the excitement and activity!
Since we met with so many different brands and great people, be on the lookout for upcoming reviews of some products we'll be trying and collaborating with in the next few months! Thanks to ABC Kids Expo for allowing us to be a part of this year's show, and to all the big industry leaders and small shops making their way up for some amazing products, friendly faces and great conversation through the week. It was a pleasure to meet with everyone we could, and I wish we had more time to visit with all the booths! Stay tuned for some great products we are loving, and until then, follow along @ABC Kids on their social to find more infmoration about some of the brands at this year's expo!
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