Zip Bin Play Set Is a Carrying Case of Fun

It's the last thing you want to hear en-route to this year's vacation destination - "Mommyyyy, I'm boooored!" Spare yourself the headache while traveling by allowing the munchkins to bring their favorite toys along in Neat-Oh's Zip-Bin.

It's a multi-functional storage container for all of your child's belongings that also unzips into a colorful play surface that can be used for their imaginary games. Coming in nearly 20 different themes (from prehistoric dinosaurs to unicorn fantasy world) and five different sizes, the bins also come with theme-related toy figurines.

Two "young-at-heart" staffers got the chance to play with the "Mini" and "Medium" varieties and found that some sizes were better suited to particular modes of travel than others. The "Mini" (6"x8"x5" in bin form, 16"x18" in mat form) is ideal for airplane travel. The tiny size holds the right amount of toys to keep a tot occupied while you wait in the terminal, and is small enough to be unobtrusive in the overhead compartment or to open up on the plane. One major pitfall: unlike its larger counterparts, this minute version lacks Velcro fasteners to scecure the lid. To avoid a big spill, you will have to make sure that you or your child doesn't turn the container upside-down. The "Medium" (13.3" x 11"x8" bin, 28.5"x25.3" mat) is especially great for travel by car because it allows room for more play-things necessary for longer stays. The Velcro fasteners that secure the lid on this size model will prevent you from finding a backseat full of toys after a bumpy ride, but are easy enough for little fingers to open on their own.

Another staffer decided to sample Zip-bin Racer. Open the racecar shaped pack to reveal a racetrack and neighborhood town printed on the bag’s interior, then unfold it into a playing mat. It comes equipped with two cars, one whose doors open, which can be used in multi-player fun. Whether pretending to host their own NASCAR derby or running their make-believe friends to the town ice cream parlor, kids are sure to have a blast. Ideal for short day trips and even extended vacations, it is the perfect vehicle (pun intended) for children’s toys. It even has a plastic sleeve in which to store the cars that it comes with. Not only does it make toy transportation easier, but it’s a toy itself! Help your kids out by flattening out the sides or by putting something heavy on it to flatten out the bumps. A few seconds of your time will allow them to play without interruptions for hours. Or maybe they like a few bumps in the road. They might allow for more fun than you’d think, and we all know that if the kids are preoccupied, parents can find other ways to occupy their free time.