The Best Tech-Free Baby Toys For Your Registry

The Best Tech-Free Baby Toys For Your Registry

Make the most out of your baby’s or toddler’s play time and connect more with them through tech-free toys to support their learning during the important development stages. The right toys introduced to your child at the right time will play an essential role in their growth process both physically and mentally. Tech-free toys encourage imagination, open-ended play, and exploration to engage your child through a wide range of interests and ages.

In today’s world, parents are beginning to rely too heavily on technology to entertain their children. However, there are still many toys on the market that have remained tech-free and encourage your child’s development as well as being fun and interactive. If you are expecting a child and want to create a baby registry for friends and family to purchase for your new arrival, these are some great ideas for tech-free baby toys to list for both babies and toddlers.

1. 80 Piece Big Building Blocks Bag

The Mega Blocks (found at Amazon and other children’s toys) are designed to be durable and include a storage bag so you can easily pick up the blocks and store them. Different sets of Mega Blocks can all be used interchangeably so your child can grow, learn, and become more creative in how they make arrangements. You, your child, and the entire family can use these blocks and let your imaginations flow.

2. Wooden Food Set

The Wooden Food Set (found at pottery barns kids) are toy vegetables created from solid wood and will create a cutting sound when your child slices through them with the wooden knife. This toy is a great way to build on your child’s dexterity and other motor skills. The set also encourages your child to share toys, identify different objects, count, clean up, and how to care for toys.

3. Infantino Spiral Activity Toy

The Infantino Spiral Activity Toy (found at Amazon and other children’s stores) has four hanging toys to provide your infant with sensory interaction and fun as it entertains them while lying down or sitting while riding in the stroller. This toy does not contain securing straps for elongating and is aged based for 0 to 12 months.

4. Meowbaby Foam Ball Pit

The Meowbaby Foam Ball Pit (found at Amazon and other children’s stores) is a pool full of high-quality balls without BPA. Both colors and materials are safe raw materials that are guaranteed to pose no risk of injury. The balls and pit are both of European production and have the CE certificate. The pool and balls are handmade so every detail is given the best possible care.

5. Baby Sensory Development Floor Mirror

The Baby Sensory Development Floor Mirror (found at Target and other children’s toy departments) will help your baby develop social skills as they engage with their image. This toy is recommended for babies from newborns and up and is brightly colored to grab your child’s attention. The mirror has an adjustable stand that you can adjust to meet your baby’s needs.

6. Play-Doh Starter Set

The Play-Doh Starter Set (found on Amazon and other children’s toy departments) will allow your child to open up their imagination and become creative as they build, cut, and mold the play-doh into their masterpieces. The starter set includes basic tools and they come in a lot of different themes. These starter sets make great play-date toys.

Setting Up Your Baby Registry

Setting up a baby registry can be fun, and when you have ideas of items to place on the registry it is even more fun. Use some of the above ideas along with the necessary items such as diapers, strollers, clothing, and bedding to create an incredible selection for your friends and family to choose from for your new bundle of joy.

EasyRegistry is the ideal site for you to use in creating a gift registry or wishing well. On our site, you can completely customize the list using any store, any gift, or a wishing well. There are no limits at EasyRegistry on what, or from where items listed can be located. Our site is user-friendly and convenient. Check out EasyRegistry and learn how quick, fun, and easy it is to list all your new wants for your new baby.

The Best Ways to Share Your Registry

The Best Ways to Share Your Registry

Every engaged couple should create some type of registry. A registry can go the traditional route, or you can mix it up with hobby-based, experimental, or honeymoon versions. Creating the registry is the fun part, but then you have to figure out how to share your wedding registry with all your nearest and dearest.

Sharing a registry comes with its own set of etiquette and rules. These are some dos and don’ts you should remember when it comes time to share yours.

Do Share Registry Information on Your Bridal Shower Invitations

Typically a bride will not host her own bridal shower, but you can ask your host to add a link or put a note in the invitations to the shower on how to access your wedding registry. Brides and grooms usually are not comfortable asking for gifts directly, but you can have your parents, aunts, or other besties share the registry information for you. Don’t feel awkward sharing your registry with shower guests, because they are going to want to know what you’d like to receive.

Don’t Share Registry Link as Your Status on FaceBook

Many people think everything important in their life can be posted on FaceBook or other social media site. A wedding registry is not one of those things. Not everyone who visits your page is going to be invited to your special day, and posting the registry could offend those not invited. Posting the registry could also come off as ‘greedy’ to some. It would be acceptable to send a link for the registry by text or email to parties asking for the information. You might want to include a message like ‘your presence at the wedding will be more than enough’ to soften the request.

Do Share Registry on Your Save the Date

The Save the Date announcement is an excellent way for you to share your registry. Not everyone who receives this notice is going to be able to attend your big day but will have your registry information to decide if they want to get something for you in honor of your nuptials.

Do Share Registry Information on Wedding Invitation

The wedding invitation is where most people will look for your wedding registry information. This invitation is a must for sharing the link to your registry but do not make a direct mention of gifts. A big no-no on the invitation is asking for cash instead of gifts. Gifts should never be required to attend your celebration of marriage, so putting the request for cash or specific items on the invitation will send the wrong message. The message is that your guests may feel that you expect them to bring a gift in order to attend.

Do Count on Word-of-Mouth to Share Your Registry

In earlier times, before wedding websites and links on the internet, guests attending a wedding would ask the groom or bride’s family what the couple would like. Some people still use the word-the-mouth method to learn what a wedding couple would like, so be sure to share your details with groomsmen, bridesmaids, and immediate family, and let them know they can spread the word on your behalf.

Where to Create Your Wedding Registry

EasyRegistry is one of the best online wishing well and gift registry sites. With EasyRegistry you can customize your wedding registry for any gift from any store. No matter where the item you want is located, it can be added to your registry with our system. You decide what you want most, add the items to your online registry with a picture and price, and your guests can contribute whatever amount they are comfortable with to the item of their choice. Check out our website today and see how easy it is for you, your partner, and all your guests to use EasyRegistry.

How To Determine the Best Amount for Your Wishing Well

A wishing well for a wedding registry is a great idea if you and your spouse-to-be have all that you need or want before your big day. A couple can only use so many bath towels, sheets, or coffee pots so an online wishing well is an excellent option for guests. The wishing well idea is a much more charming method of asking for cash rather than gifts.

If you are unsure of how the wishing well idea works or you need to help your guests understand, this is what you need to know. This information will help get them on board with the idea and help you in determining the best amount for your online wishing well.

How an Online Wishing Well Works

Today the trend in marriage is to wait until you’re older, and most couples live together before tying the knot. This trend results in couples having most of what they need for houseware long before the big day. Wedding gifts such as cookware, silverware, bedding, or any of the traditional gifts of years past are no longer needed by all wedding couples.

 As the wedding couple, you are able to set up a wishing well with EasyRegistry through an easy, simple process for your guests to use. You choose how you’d like to receive payments, add the wishing well to your online registry, and guests are instantly able to make contributions.

You can set the wishing well up in the most convenient method for you by providing one on your big day or by accepting electronic payments whenever it is convenient for your guests to access. All of the money received through EasyRegistry for your wishing well will be given as cash payments to your bank account through Stripe.

Benefits of Having an Online Wishing Well

There are a lot of different reasons a couple getting married would prefer cash over material gifts on their big day. Some of the benefits of using the wishing well include:

  • As a couple, you have what you need for your home and do not want additional home-related gifts
  • You would like to take an incredible honeymoon that you cannot quite afford and a wishing well would provide additional funds for this trip
  • You and your spouse-to-be have plans for the future, such as buying a new home, and would like to start a nest egg for a mortgage or perhaps a home remodel
  • You and your spouse-to-be have all you need or want but would like to make a charitable donation to a favorite cause

How to Know What to Ask For With Your Online Wishing Well

Not all of your guests will have heard of a wishing well option at a wedding, and some may be uncomfortable with handing over their money to an online website. You can educate them, and alleviate their concerns by explaining this option in your wedding invitation.

Include a personalized message in your wedding invitation to explain the wishing well is in place of a material wedding gift. Explain why you are asking for cash over gifts by telling them how the money will be spent. When your guests understand that you have specific plans for your future or your honeymoon, they will be happier to contribute to those events.

There is no rule on how much your guests should give to your wishing well. If a guest should ask, you should advise them it should be any amount they are comfortable with. You can even put this message in your explanation so guests do not feel they have to contribute more than they can afford. Some guests are going to give more than others, but you should be grateful and express gratitude for any and all amounts.

After your wedding, you can send a ‘thank-you’ to guests who contributed to your online wishing well and let them know how the money was used. This message will assure them you received their gift, and that they’ve helped to fulfill one of your wedding wishes.

How to Set Up Your Online Wishing Well

EasyRegistry is your way to create a registry for your wedding that all guests can easily access. Creating a registry for your wedding with us allows you to build your own, all-inclusive registry from any store, and for any item. You can also create a wishing well to help finance a honeymoon, or any other event coming up in your new married life. Contact us today and learn how easy it is for you and your guests to use EasyRegistry for that special day.

Best Travel Systems for Your Baby Registry

Best Travel Systems for Your Baby Registry

There are a lot of new things you will learn when you become a parent. Many things are to help make life easier with your new child. Making life easier and your baby safer when traveling is one of those important things you’ll learn. With the baby travel systems now on the market, you can easily take your baby from your car to the pediatrician, or the grocery store with little effort.

The challenge with these systems is figuring out which combo will work best for you to put on your baby registry at EasyRegistry. Many times the items in the travel system combos can be purchased separately, or together if they are all the same brand. With many, there is an infant seat to attach to a stroller. These sets often include an adapter to attach the system to your car seat. The stroller in these combos can typically be used without the car seat.

What is a Travel System Combo?

A travel system combo for your infant is a stroller and a car seat that attach. When you unclip your child’s car seat from its base in your vehicle, it can be snapped right into a stroller without having to move your infant physically out of the car seat. This combo is often called a stroller travel system, or a baby travel system.

Travel systems are the perfect item to put on your baby registry for family and friends to purchase as a group, or separately. With all the other items you will be needing to purchase for your little one, receiving help to purchase one of these systems will reduce your financial burdens significantly.

Why Your Baby Needs a Travel System

If you currently have a stroller from a previous child, or one borrowed from a friend and it does not have a bassinet attachment, it is not approved for newborn use. If the seating area does not fully recline, it will not be usable until your child can sit up unassisted. Even if the stroller does fully recline, you will still have to physically move your baby to transfer them from the stroller to the car seat and back again each time you travel.

When you have a travel system for your baby, it can be used from newborn age up. You will not have to disturb your child every time you need to move them to the stroller.

When Should You Get a Travel System for Your Baby?

You are going to need the travel system as soon as you deliver your child. Putting this item on your baby registry early will help you to receive the one you need when this time comes. Researching the models available to learn which will work best for your needs is important and should be done early for the correct information to be placed on the registry in time for your baby’s arrival.

Will a Travel System be Safe for Your Newborn?

Travel systems are safe for newborn babies with a few tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics. One of those tips is if your baby falls asleep while in their car seat, you should move them to their bassinet or crib when arriving home. If you are stopping somewhere else for a while, find another safe place for your child to continue their sleep outside of the car seat.

Many parents feel they should not disturb their sleeping child’s rest and will want the child to finish a nap if they’ve fallen asleep during a drive. If you are one of those parents, there are some safety tips to follow to reduce the risk of harming your child:

  • Do not allow your child to overheat by removing hats or blankets
  • Ensure the car is well ventilated
  • Keep the straps snug
  • Place the car seat where you can directly supervise your child

Choosing the Right Travel System for Your Baby

When deciding which travel system to place on your baby registry, you will want to consider how you will use each piece as a unit and separately. The stroller will be used longer, so begin by choosing one according to weight and size, the type of terrain you will use it in, and its ease of use. A car seat should be chosen by how it will fit your vehicle, the harness adjustments, washability, and side-impact protection.

Which Baby Registry is the Best to Use

EasyRegistry is one of the top online gift registries and wishing well sites. We allow you to completely customize your registry by adding any item to your list no matter which retailer carries the item. You and your guests are going to love the convenience of our registry and how easy it is to use. Check out our site and begin your registry to welcome your new baby today.

Stay Organized While Creating Your Registry

Stay Organized While Creating Your Registry

When you’ve set a date for your big day it’s time to start thinking about what you want as gifts for your wedding. Creating a registry can be one of the more enjoyable tasks in planning, but it can become overwhelming as well. You want to choose gifts you need and at the same time choose ones you know your guests can afford.

Creating your wedding registry doesn’t have to be stressful if you stay organized. These are some tips on how you can organize your wedding registry and put the enjoyment back into creating one.

1. Take Stock of What You Have

The items you put on your wedding registry should be things you and your partner-to-be will need. To know what you need, you have to know what you have already. Spend some time going through your home and decide which items you have, items you want, and items you should replace.

2. Organize Your Wedding Registry on One Site

Creating a registry for your wedding is most likely going to include a variety of different items. This variety might mean you feel like registering with different retailers. Managing multiple registries can quickly become a headache and make it difficult to remain organized. It will be harder to track which gifts have been purchased or where they’ve been sent.

It will much easier to create an organized registry for your wedding if you keep it in one place. EasyRegistry is an online gift registry site for you to use to create this perfect list. You can customize your list and add any item from any retailer all in one place.

3. Coordinate Deliveries

Some guests will not be able to attend your special day, but still want to send a gift. Sometimes when a guest has to travel they will opt for the delivery of gifts so they don’t have to worry about transporting them. There are multiple reasons a guest may choose to have something from your registry delivered directly to your address rather than bringing it to the celebration. When these deliveries begin arriving, it will be important to keep them organized.

Coordinating your gifts might have to include how they will be shipped to you. Check with EasyRegistry to learn if you can schedule shipping dates and times, otherwise, you might want to make arrangements with a neighbor to accept packages when you are at work or not home.

When deliveries come in, make sure you keep them organized so you know which gift came from which guest so you can send the proper ‘thank you.’

4. Managing Thank You Notes

Your guests have spent the money, taken the time, and made the effort to get a gift off your wedding registry so they can give you a perfect gift. Sending them a thank you note is an absolute must for all they’ve done for you and your partner. If you don’t stay organized through the wedding planning process, it can be easy for the thank you to fall by the wayside.

Using an online registry site such as EasyRegistry will keep the gift information for you. When the big day is over, and you’ve taken care of returning all rentals such as the tux, extra chairs, or whatever items you rented for the celebration, the information on received gifts will be readily available. This information will ensure every person who sent you a gift receives a thank you.

Where to Sign Up for a Wedding Registry

EasyRegistry allows you to add anything on your and your partner’s wish list to your registry. Whether you want guests to help pay for your honeymoon or other travels or want a unique item from a retailer, EasyRegistry allows you to add it to the registry. Contact us today and learn how making your registry with EasyRegistry is not only convenient for you, but also your guests.

Wishing Well VS Online Registry

Wishing Well VS Online Registry

In today’s world, most couples live together before they get married. Living together means they have most likely established a household by the time the big day arrives. For this reason, a lot of couples are going with an ‘online wishing well’ registry rather than asking for traditional wedding gifts.

What is an Online Wishing Well?

The wishing well can either be an online site, or it can be a decorated box placed at the reception. The box is where guests will drop an envelope with cash inside, a small gift, or a gift voucher. An online wishing well, or cash fund, is the same concept as the physical wishing well, except money is placed into it online.

The online option of a wishing well is attractive to couples who believe they will have large sums of money placed into it. Since the wishing wells sit out in the open during the reception, the online option is safer, and also more convenient as you don’t have to run the money to the bank after the wedding.

Some couples choose to have both an online wishing well, and an online wedding registry for gifts they may not have boughten themselves yet. Either choice may have you feeling awkward about asking your guests for either money or gifts, but they will appreciate your guidance when they know they are giving you something you not only need but want as well.

Should you have a wishing well or online registry for your wedding? This is some information about both to help you choose.

Wishing Well

The wishing well idea for your wedding gifts will provide you with a small nest egg to begin your life together with your spouse. You can use the money for a fantastic honeymoon, pool it together and buy a high-ticket item you could not put on a registry list, save it for something special, use it to pay some of the expenses for your wedding day, or however you and your spouse feel it would be best spent.

Online Registry

With an online registry, such as one with EasyRegistry,  you get to build a flexible, all-inclusive registry to cover all the needs and wants you and your future spouse could imagine. You can choose any item from any store where you have seen something you absolutely love and want, or from the home department of a store where you see new and exciting items you want in your kitchen.

EasyRegistry even lets you put items on your registry like a honeymoon experience, or you can even put your wishing well on along with other wedding gifts to combine the two ideas.

How to Make the Right Choice

How you choose between a wishing well or online registry or both will all depend on your needs. The option of using both ideas will work great for those guests who find it uncomfortable or distasteful to give gifts of money. Whichever option you choose, know that you are simply providing your guests with options, and after the big day you won’t end up with a pile of gifts that you cannot use.

How to Inform Your Guests

Etiquette for informing guests of how you would like to receive gifts should always be on a card inserted with your invitation. The gift request should never be placed directly on the invitation card.

If you make your gift request respectfully, you will not offend your guests, and most people will be grateful you’ve let them have choices on what to present you with on your special day. You know your guests the best, so go with your instincts on how best to make your choice and enjoy the process, and your big day.

Where to Create Online Wishing Well and Online Registry for Your Wedding

EasyRegistry is a leading online wishing well and gift registry site. You are given complete control over how your registry will look and what you place as gift wishes on your registry. Traditional registries restrict a person’s choices as they must choose items specific stores sell. EasyRegistry allows you to place an item on your registry from any store, no matter where it is.  

Our site is completely user-friendly. Check us out today and start creating a registry that includes everything you could possibly ask for.