Remember when you first discovered that you were expecting? While I look back on that day as one of my many moments of joy, my first thought was, "Holy cow! I'm going to have to share my body with another living being?" I was shocked that I was pregnant mainly because it happened on our first try and only a mere three months after getting married. I mean, we wanted this to happen. But I wasn't prepared for it to happen so soon, or for the feeling of panic that ensued. I wondered, how is my body going to change? Will I make a good mother? How do I know what to buy? Unfortunately, I missed out on having a formal baby shower, with the exception of a surprise party organized by my dear office mates. So I never got to fully experience the excitement of putting together a baby gift registry. It would have been so easy: Pick out what I thought I would need and then family and friends, many of whom would have had more experience than I, would buy the ones they thought I needed most, right?

After having two children, I have seen my fair share of baby gear and children's toys. As such, I can easily point out my favourites, a couple of which have made their way onto the Fisher-Price favourites list of moms’ “must-have” items. They are:

At the top of my list is the Fisher Price Cradle N Swing. It was undoubtedly THE best piece of baby gear that I owned. I kid you not. With my first, I had borrowed a standard baby swing from a friend but my daughter never really liked it. With my second, I bought a Fisher Price papasan cradle swing second-hand and till this day I regret not buying one for my first-born.


My son absolutely loved this swing and he would use it every day. He would often fall asleep in it and by often I mean about 99% of the time. And as a sleep-deprived mom, it was a huge relief to be able to count on the Fisher Price Crade N Swing to lull my son to sleep.


The seat material is incredibly soft and the seat itself is spacious enough to remove a sleeping baby with very little fuss. Plus, the seat was adjustable in that you could have it swing forwards and back or from side to side. The music and mobile were a nice touch but I really like how easy it was to fold away and throw into the back of our minivan. Yes, our Fisher Price swing traveled with us to many places! Does anyone know if they make an adult-size version?

While my daughter never took to the swing, she did, however, made excellent use of the Fisher Price Infant to Toddler Rocker. This was another second-hand item that my sister had lent to us and survived the many years of baby use. I still remember how much she loved it and how handy it was to have around. My mother-in-law often used the rocker while taking care of my daughter when I went back to work. It was one of the ways she would rock my daughter to sleep. And yes, this one does come in adult-size.


Of all the Fisher Price baby toys, the Brilliant Basics Rock a Stack was one of the first ones I had ever bought. Its bright colours and sheer simplicity makes this toy a classic. It helped to teach my kids about sequence and compare sizes while the red ring full of swirling beads doubled as a rattle.

So what makes a Fisher-Price Favourite?

Mom Central and Fisher-Price is offering a discount code for readers of Toronto Teacher Mom. With the code FISHERPRICE20, you will be able to receive 20% off Fisher-Price favourites at Toys ‘R Us! This PIN is effective until April 30. Visit: www.toysrus.ca to use the exclusive PIN code. Happy shopping!

“Disclosure: I am part of the Fisher-Price Blogger Campaign with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”