Right in time for Rhythm and Booms and 4th of July celebrations, one of our favorite new products has arrived by JJ Cole. The Essentials Blanket is a 5 ft x 5 ft stylish water-resistant blanket perfect for outings in the park, lazy days at the beach, games and sporting events, and even as an impromptu baby floor mat. This year-round blanket has sturdy, wipe-clean fabric making it easy to take anywhere, and it folds up so small it makes juggling your kiddos, your picnic lunch, and your blanket a cinch. We love that the entire 5 x 5 mat folds into a messenger-style bag with a detachable strap, so you can sling it over your shoulder and carry it around- fireworks, anybody?

Speaking of essentials, you don’t want to be caught in the middle of your 4th of July festivities this year without sunscreen or bug spray. Both Badger and California Baby are some of our favorite all-natural sunscreens because they’re physical barriers rather than chemical blocks. Better for your babe’s skin, a physical barrier forms a film on the top of the skin that reflects or scatters UV light using zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Chemical blocks, on the other hand, are absorbed into the skin using more than one active ingredient (so, a few different chemicals in order to work) and are more likely to cause irritation or allergy, and can degrade over time. If you or your little one have really sensitive skin, the Cali Baby No Fragrance Sunscreen lotion will be the one for you- it’s perfect for people with extra sensitive skin or fragrance allergies. Badger’s Anti-Bug Balm is a must… this all-natural, deet-free balm is perfect for warding off insects on summer outings- you’ll never want to leave home without it! Right now we’re having a June member’s-only sale on our sunscreen and bug balm… but, because we love you, we’ll extend the 20% off our sunscreen and bug balm to anyone who mentions this blog post for the remainder of June.