Gear + Gadgets

Junior pet vets

By Judi Dash

Special to The Miami Herald

Even if the family pet can’t come along on the trip, or even if there is no family pet, the kids (ages 4 and up) will enjoy making feel all better the little animals that populate Playmobil’s Take Along Pet Clinic. The company’s popular play sets open on hinges, revealing a kind of stage set on the particular theme. In this case there’s a fully furnished and decorated two-story doll-house-like pet clinic, complete with an exam room, toy surgical equipment and monitors, recovery cages and medicine holders. “Patients” include puppies, kittens and a bunny. The set includes a uniformed vet and lab technician and a mom and kid visiting with their wounded kitty. Of course, children can add whatever other little creatures and people they like. All the pieces stash inside the “clinic,” which latches shut and has a carry handle.

Playmobil My Take Along Pet Clinic (5870) is $39.99 at www.toysrus.com; 800-869-7787.

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Gear + Gadgets

Got (warm) milk?

Those little air-activated hand-warmer packets you stick in mittens to warm fingers in frigid weather have grown up and had kids — or rather they’ve morphed into a handy product for grown-ups with kids. The WarmZe Bottle Warmer is an air-activated heat wrap that, in about 30 minutes, heats and keeps bottles at a soothing 90 to 104 degrees for up to 8 hours, requiring no electricity or batteries. The heat wrap does not actually touch the bottle. The bottle is placed into an included “bottlesock,” the warming wrap is wound tightly around the base of the sock, and then the top of the sock is folded back down over the wrap. The air-activated pellets inside the wrap are bio-degradable. The disposable wraps are used up after 8 or so hours, and must be replaced, but no fear, refill wraps are available for purchase. The reusable bottlesock, which comes in a black and white cow pattern, is washable. The WarmZe Starter Kit, with one bottlesock and two heat wraps in a zippered pouch comes in two sizes; large fits most 8- to 11-ounce bottles; small fits 4- to 6-ounce bottles. Works with most liquids, including breast milk and formula. Great for warming bottles (or keeping bottles warm) on the go when cold comfort just won’t do.

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