'Tis the Season

Photos: Top Ten U.S. Rivers for Rafting

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I admit, my first reaction to the Kids Travel Bankie from Eagle Creek was an incredulous, "What self-respecting parent would want another bag to schlep around while traveling with kids?" I stand corrected. This lovely soft fleece contraption is a whole lot more than just something you'll forget at Concourse C as you rush to catch that flight back to Grandma and Grandpa's. Unlike many kid-sized backpacks, which seem to knock against the back of my son's knees, the square-shaped fleece bag conforms neatly to his back, while the interior has enough space for a whole flight's worth of Matchbox cars, books, games, and snacks. Just go easy on loading it up with hardware, though, as it's not made to carry huge loads—and there's still no guarantee that all that precious cargo won't get forgotten in some airport nook. The backpack also holds a big fleece blanket, which you can carry for use on the flight or to turn the Kids Travel Bankie into a portable pillow. ($25; www.eaglecreek.com)

Parents feeling alarmed about the recent spate of toxic-toy alerts can rest easy with these little shoes, made from non-harmful hemp, organic cotton, sheep's wool, and PET elastic (derived, in part, from recycled plastic bottles). My daughter might look like a mini cohort from Caesar's 13th Legion as she scoots around the house in her Simple Weebits, but the padded cotton insides sure seem comfortable, and they're easier to get on and off than some of the other infant's shoes with which I've struggled. And even though her three-inch feet are yet to take their first steps, I'm happy to know that my daughter's eco-footprint will start small (well, at least offset the harm of some of those diapers). ($24; www.simpleshoes.com)

Nothing puts a damper on vacation bliss quite like restless kids in the backseat screaming "Are we there yet?" over and over. To quell that unavoidable road trip cliché, we introduce the GeoSafari LapTop by Educational Insights. This portable educational game will save your sanity by both entertaining and (here's the best part) educating your kids. Compact enough to fit in most backpacks, the game comes with 63 different cards with more than 2,000 questions on geography and social studies, plus beginning math, reading, and science skills. It also includes visual discovery games. Educational Insights makes two versions of the game, one for ages three to seven and one for eight and up, for age-appropriate learning exercises. And the design will even woo kids who aren't typically interested in games that require too much brain power: The colorful design, chock-full of exciting illustrations and fun sound effects, lure in kids who scoff at the idea of using their brain when being entertained. And that, as all parents know, is a quiet victory. ($49.99; www.edin.com)

One of the best ways to keep the kids entertained (and quiet) during long journeys by plane, train, or automobile involves plopping them in front of a screen and playing their favorite cartoon or movie. Sony's DVP-FX801 portable DVD player will wile away hours and hours with your children—to be exact, 5.5 hours by battery, or more if you plug in the supplied car adapter—and once they tire of it you can put your own movies in and entertain yourself. The eight-inch LCD screen flips and swivels up to 180 degrees for an array of viewing angles, useful when there's a glare, making this DVD player extremely convenient for traveling and catering to each person's viewpoint. The remote control allows those with shorter arms to control the show without taking off their seatbelts, and the dual headphone jacks prevent arguments about which sibling gets to watch first (they still might argue about who gets to choose the movie, though). At less than $200, this DVD player offers a sleek, compact design for an affordable price. ($190; www.sonystyle.com)