Heys Xcase Mini Perfect For The Little Traveler

May 19, 2009 by Laurie
Filed under Product Reviews

I am the homebody in the house and I am not usually that keen on any sort of travel. When me and my husband first met, I was much more excited to see new places. We traveled to Europe, a few places here in the United States, and went to New Zealand for our honeymoon. Since we both have family that lives overseas and all over the United States, we do a fair amount of traveling. With that comes all the hassles and all the luggage, and since we have two children, we now have kid’s luggage to think about as well.

Since having the boys, we have had to adjust the way we pack and how much. When they were babies we could manage getting it all in with our suitcase, but now that they are getting close to the three year mark, they sort of require their own personal piece of luggage.

I have been on the lookout for some of the better pieces of children’s luggage that would sort of stick with them for at least a few years and withstand the rigors of being tossed around into cargo, a three year old tugging it around and something that was sized appropriately for them. I usually prefer a suitcase that is basically a semi hard shell but doesn’t weigh 50 lbs before you even get a pair of pants in it. If you do a lot of travel you know that the airlines will rip you off if you have a suitcase that is even slightly overweight, not to mention the $25 they now charge to even check a bag! Even better for the boys, is a bag they can handle and we can just bring on board.
I was given the opportunity to review and xcase Mini by Heys USA and I must say that I impressed by this suitcase. I love that it is small enough for the boys to handle, and one key factor is how lightweight it is at a mere 4.9 lbs! Another cool feature is that the wheels have led lights in them, so when your child is strolling through the airport you can keep an eye on them, and they also get a big kick out seeing the lights. I wasn’t sure is they would be able to handle a suitcase yet but this made it easy and they fight over who gets to pull it.

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Features

The xcase Mini® is the smaller version of Heys famous xcase®. It is ‘Light’ – LITERALLY – as it has special LED LIGHTS within its wheels. These wheels Light-Up when the case is rolled creating a dazzling effect.( Watch the Video ! ). This ‘strobe-light’ effect will surely get you noticed strolling across airport aisles, as if the shiny xcase® hadn’t already garnered enough attention your way. This xcase Mini® is ideal for anyone traveling on a particular airline that has very stringent carry-on restrictions, as some charter airlines restrict carry-ons to only 18″, instead of the industry-standard of 20″ It is also perfect for kids, as its ‘mini’ size suits children better then our standard 20″ xcase®.

The xcase Mini® has the same feature set as the original xcase®, with its curved handle system, internal divider, glossy surface, and of course, it being the World’s Lightest Carry-on at only 4.9 lbs ( 2.2 kg ).

I love the xcase Mini as a suitcase for young children because it is the right size for them to handle, has some really neat features and is roomy enough to hold their clothes or accessories and they are able to easily pull it along. It comes in seven brilliant colors so they are easy to spot and are hard to lose. I think they would make a great first suitcase for your little one and are reasonably priced so they won’t break the bank, even better when you have to buy for more than one child!

Heys USA has a whole selection of beautiful luggage and is well known in the celebrity world for its high class in design and lightweight luggage and accessories. If you are in the market for a good suitcase for kids, the xcase Mini, has this Mom’s seal of approval.

Tags: Heys, Kids Luggage, travel

Little Jet Set Makes Travel Simple Review and Giveaway

March 30, 2009 by Laurie
Filed under Contests, Product Reviews

133 Comments

Little Jet Set is one of my all time favorite places for traveling with kids, because it has so many resources all in one place. I ran across Little Jet Jet for the first time when I was going to be traveling across the country with two eleven month olds, and found so many things that I could use. The fact that we were taking a major trip with my boys coupled with the fact that I was a first time parent, I was desperate to find things to entertain the boys as well as maintain my sanity.

Little Jet Set offers a wide range of things for your child’s travel. And it is really nicely organized. Not only that they offer some valuable links to some really nice resources. I found a wealth of information, when I was busy trying to determine if the boys car seats were going to fit on an airplane.

We were recently given the opportunity to review the Vehicles Maze Puzzle, by Melissa and Doug and the I Get Around Travel Activity Set. Both of the boys were naturally excited to try what I pulled out of the box. The Vehicle Maze puzzle was a big hit because both of them go coo coo over cars of any kind. This puzzle is great for road trips, because it has no loose pieces so nothing gets lost. This is perfect for long road trips. Each vehicle has a specific place along the maze like the police car goes to the station, and the school bus goes to the school. My two simple love it and I don’t have to chase after lost pieces.

Vehicle Maze Puzzle $16.99

This innovative wooden puzzle includes nine colorful vehicle pieces that slide around a colorful town scene on slotted tracks. Uniquely designed sliding pieces move freely around the puzzle, but can’t be removed or lost! Perfect for car trips or airplane rides. This great activity encourages eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills. Dimensions: 13.2 in. x 10.7 in. x 1.1 in. Age 3+

The “I Get Around Travel Activity Set.” is one of my favorites and it is such a cute idea for young kids. I am an avid scrapbooker so this is a great way to get your kids involved, and they can create their own memories. The boys had a blast with all the fun stickers, and even though they didn’t quite grasp the concept, it is a great way to spend time with your child, and helping them recall the favorite moments in their trip. This would be great for vacations at the end of a busy day. It is a great way to give them an activity and to wind down from such a busy day. I love anything that encourage cognitive skills, as well as creativity. The boys loved choosing from all the fun stickers.

I Get Around Activity Set $39.95

This gift set, available only at LittleJetSet.com, is perfect for kids who are going places — in everyday life, on special trips and in their imaginations. Each set includes: an “i get around” board book, which tells the story of Rover, and all the ways this hound gets around with his animal friends and what he does at the end of an active day; a spiral bound journal and scrapbook where little ones can express themselves with stickers, drawings and words as they experience the world around them; and 6 packs of repositionable stickers (Rover, action words, objects, feelings and senses, alphabet and special places). Comes packaged in a Little Jet Set logo tote – perfect for gift giving.

Comes with rhyming 32-page board book, 60-page journal and 6 packs of stickers (2 sheets each)
Written and illustrated by Deb Miner
Age 3+

I highly recommend Little Jet Set if you are traveling with young kids and are looking for some fun activities to help keep them occupied. At least you have all of the best ideas in one place.