Reading

Moonlite – An interview with inventor and founder Natalie Rebot.

| Kidding Around Australia

Inspirational mum Natalie Rebot, who is the inventor and founder of Moonlite (a storybook projector that is powered by the flashlight of your mobile phone), just might be one of the nicest people we have interviewed at Kidding Around Australia!

Moonlite Creator Natalie Rebot and daughter Chloe KAA

Natalie took an idea that she had whilst reading to her daughter Chloe (pictured above) and created something that kid’s love (Isaac is all about his Moonlite!). She has now partnered with Spin Master to bring her invention to a worldwide audience and everyone from Kristen Bell, Kim Kardashian, Kelly Rowland and Rachel Zoe to parents everywhere are falling in love with Moonlite!

If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales — Albert Einstein.

What is Moonlite?

Moonlight projector attached to phone

The Moonlite projector is portable, lightweight and easily clips to any IOS or android mobile phone (hello travelling families), that combines traditional storytelling with modern technology to create a completely new way of reading with your child before bed.  The Moonlite collection is presented in book style packaging that conveniently fits into any book shelf.

The free downloadable app (complete with sound effects, read-a-long features and page detection software that automatically turns the page on the screen when you turn the reel), allows parents to be present and enjoy the special nightly experience.

Moonlite creator Natalie Rebot, daughter Chloe and friend KAA

How did you go from idea to product production?

Natalie explains, “It took about six months to bring my idea to fruition and until I had the first protype in my hand. Then it was another four to five months before I launched the product on Kickstarter (a fundraising platform for creative projects). Every day Chloe and I

would eagerly watch the Kickstarter page – and to see people around the world donating funds as they believed in my product was simply overwhelming.”

In late 2017 Spin Master announced a global licensing partnership with Natalie to bring her popular Kickstarter campaign to life.

Natalie

What advice do you have for potential entrepreneurial Mums?

 “Mums are some of the most creative people I know. They are the best people at multi-tasking and have such great ideas because they are around children all day, but they have a tendency to underestimate their own potential. So don’t have a great idea and not pursue it, take those first steps! Use your network and test it among your friends. Get a prototype made – technology now such as 3D printing allows you to get something made cheaply and once you have a prototype you need to find a fit for it. The hardest part is finding a market for it, but chances are if you think it’s a good idea other parents will too.”

How do you choose what stories you will add to the collection and what do you currently have available?

Moonlite Fairy Tales gift pack

“We work 18 months to 2 years in advance, so we are planning titles for two years from now.”, said Natalie. “In the beginning, I would read a story I loved and have to contact the writer, illustrator and publisher to get the license. Now, we have great relationships with the publishers however my daughter still has to give the tick of approval before we go ahead!”

Currently available in Australia is:

  • Moonlite Gift Pack Fair Tales (Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Ugly Duckling, Sago Mini on Vacation) $59.99 (includes projector and five story reels) *Available exclusively at Kmart.
  • Moonlite Gift Pack Mr Men (go on Holiday, go Swimming, go to the Park, at Bedtime and Mr Tickle) $59.99 (includes projector and five story reels).
  • Moonlite Starter Pack – Eric Carle (Very Hungry Caterpillar and Very Busy Spider) $29.99 (includes projector and two story reels)
  • Moonlite Story Reel Tale of Peter Rabbit $14.99
  • Moonlite Story Reel Spot Loves Bedtime $14.99
  • Moonlite Story Reel Dinosaur Roar! $14.99
  • Moonlite Story Reel Little Miss Princess $14.99
  • Moonlite Story Reel Wherever You Go $14.99
  • Moonlite Story Reel Goldilocks and the three bears$14.99
  • Moonlite Story Reel Mr Strong $14.99
  • Moonlite Story Reel Jemima Puddle Duck $14.99
  • Moonlite Story Reel Elmer and the Rainbow $14.99
  • Moonlite Story Reel Spot Loves Shopping $14.99

We can all agree that reading to your child is an important part of improving young children’s language, literacy, brain and cognitive development and Moonlite makes reading so much fun!

MORE INFORMATION

Moonlite is available in Kmart and all good retailers.

www.mymoonlite.com

Kidding Around Essentials … Felt Ball Rug Australia

| Kidding Around Australia

logoI have been coveting a felt ball rug ever since our Kidding Around Australia contributor, Kirrilee, bought one last year for her son’s nursery.

Kirrilee said “I love my 140cm custom felt ball rug! I ordered on July 25th, 2015 and it arrived to my home in Australia on August 11th. It’s fantastic quality and so comfortable to sit on. My son loves it too!”

Kirrilee purchased her rug through Felt Ball Rug Australia so when an opportunity for us to review one of their rugs came up you can imagine how excited I was!Felt Ball Rug 2

Felt Ball Rug Australia is run by Deep who is the son of Nepalese factory owner Jagadishwar Adhikari. Deep and his family are committed to fair trade, women’s rights and guarantee that all of their felt ball products are handmade in Nepal, are free from chemicals, other toxins and are eco – friendly. They are proud members of Good Weave* who certify that the rugs are made without child labour.

The ordering process was simple. We went to the Felt Ball Rug Australia website https://feltballrug.com.au/ and found many options to choose from – round, rectangle, pre-designed colour schemes or custom designs where you get to choose what colours you want for your rug.Felt Ball Rug Australia Sheep Keyring.jpg

We went with the round 140 cm (55″) multi-colour felt ball rug, entered our address and within 2 weeks it was delivered from Nepal (usually non-custom rugs are shipped from Sydney but they were out of stock – and 2 weeks from ordering to arriving internationally by courier is amazing! There was even a little surprise hiding in our 100% New Zealand wool rug!). The rugs range in price from $197 – $927 depending on the size you choose.felt ball rug 3

The product itself is beautiful. We have it in our front room and everyone who comes to visit comments on it. The kids enjoy curling up on it to read or play a game, it’s super soft under foot and easy to clean.

Felt Ball Rug Australia also have other products such as trivets, coasters, cat caves, ottomans, Christmas decorations, garlands and bulk felt balls.

We are happy to say that we have partnered up with Felt Ball Rug Australia to give away a family multi-colour round pack.1multicolour-round-trivet-coaster-pack

Each pack consists of:

  • 1 x Felt Ball Trivet made from 2cm felt balls and is 20cm wide.
  • 5 x Felt Ball Coasters made from 1cm felt balls and is 10 cm wide.

This stunning designer multicolored felt ball trivet and coaster pack is hand made in Nepal by women under the Fair Trade Act and is worth $29.99.

To enter, simply comment on this blog post why you would like to win! Entries close on 31/7/16 at 5pm and the winner will be announced shortly thereafter. Good Luck!

MORE INFORMATION

Check out the Felt Ball Rug Australia WEBSITE, FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM pages – they run competitions all the time so make sure you like or follow them! I sincerely hope you win a rug – they are fantastic!

*GoodWeave International, formerly known as Rugmark, is a network of non-profit organisations dedicated to ending illegal child labour in the rug making industry. Founded in 1994 by children’s rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi, it provides a certification program that allows companies that pass inspection (and random checks) to attach a logo certifying that their product is made without child labour.