Oompa Toys: Skip Hop diaper bags, toys, accessories and more

{To read my introductory post in this series on Oompa Toys, please click here}

It's hard to think of a day when I won't carry a diaper bag with me. I know that at some point my daughters will be old enough that I won't need to tote around snacks, clothes, diapers, little toys and more, but right now it seems like a long way off.

Fortunately, until that point in the distant future arrives, I am able to travel in style with my Skip Hop Dash Diaper Bag, one of the many great Skip Hop items that my favorite retailer, Oompa Toys, offers for adults and kids.


From the moment I laid eyes on this diaper bag, Skip Hop moved onto my short list of brands that I adore. The perfect mix of form and function, the Dash is stylish and hip while having just the right number of pockets and organizational accessories to keep my life in order. I always know where to find my wallet or phone and being able to slide a cup for each of my girls into the side pockets has made leaving the house so much easier for us all.

Constructed out of an extremely durable poly-canvas, my Dash has easily held up to everything that I have put it through and still is in great shape. Whether I am wearing it messenger-style or using Skip Hop's unique clip system for it to hang perfectly on the stroller, it has been banged up or tossed around without ever appearing anything less than high quality.

So, when I first saw the wall of Skip Hop gear in the Oompa Toys Retail Store, it took me a fair amount of self-restraint to not want to run my hands over each and every one of them. I was drawn to not only the great variety and selection that Oompa carries, but how easy that they make it to shop all of their bags. I felt like each one was calling out to me to throw it open, feel around inside and try it on to see how well it fit.

If the great diaper bags didn't impress me enough, when I turned to follow Big Sister E we walked right up to another fantastic display of Skip Hop items. This time a wall of products for children, Oompa Toys had a wonderful array of bath toys, backpacks (is there anything cuter than the Monkey Zoo Pack? It has a banana zipper pull!) and so much more for any room of the house.

When we moved on from there, we headed back to the baby section of Oompa Toys and I caught a glimpse of the innovative Skip Hop Palette Plate and Mate Stay-Put Mat and Plate while on our way. But before I had time to contemplate how much easier they would make mealtimes at our house, Little Sister B was too eager to have time to cuddle and play with the Plush Piggy Ball.


Big enough to hug but soft and light enough to roll around, these adorable creatures are extremely soft, easy to grab and make a sweet tinkling chime noise when moved. Little Sister B had a wonderful time holding each of the animals close (the Spotty Cow and the Stripey Duck are equally as cute as the Plush Piggy) and twisting her entire body back and forth to hear their sounds. For $12.99, I could see these becoming a go-to baby gift that would make any mom or little one happy.

When it was finally time for us to leave (which is always difficult as both girls want to stay and play for hours), we thanked the ever-friendly Oompa Toys Retail Store employees and took a last glance back at the fun we had there. Even if I'm just browsing the Oompa website, I get the same feeling - that they care. And that's a quality I definitely appreciate.

Be sure to sign up for the Oompa Toys newsletter, connect with them on Twitter and Facebook and check out their blog for more information. And while you're reading their blog, don't miss the opportunity to find out about their Silly Face Contest (running until May 17) where you have the chance to win an adorable piggy bank and a $100 shopping spree on Oompa.com!


(This post is part of a series highlighting Oompa Toys. In exchange, they are helping sponsor me to attend the BlogHer '10 conference in August. However, that partnership has not influenced my opinion of Oompa in any way - I was a complete and utter fan long before that.)