Our latest review focuses on a solution to a very annoying problem as a parent: keeping toys secured in the car seat or stroller. We tested out the Bright Starts Lots of Links to see if this was a useful product to avoid a common travel meltdown. Read on to see what we (and our son) thought.
Design: Bendable and squeezable but easy to lose
Each set features 24 colorful links, with multiple textures, ridges, and nubs. You can twist them, squeeze them, and bend them, plus teething babies can even chew on them since they’re BPA-free. But their main function is to keep toys secured to a car seat, stroller, or even a play area, and we found that they do this well. Our only issue with the Bright Starts Lots of Links set is that there isn’t an included container to keep them all together when we weren’t using them. Within a short time, we found these pieces everywhere—some in the toy box, some in the stroller, some in the car seat. When you have a lot of toys already, adding smaller items to the mix isn’t ideal for parents.
Entertainment Value: More practical than fun
This is first and foremost a useful product for parents that can also double as simple teething rings. The various textures and ridges on these links will keep your baby busy for a few minutes, but that’s about all the fun you should expect. These links are really meant to keep toys from falling on the floor, and out of the car seat or stroller. Even though they are colorful and fun for a child to look at, they’re more useful and practical than fun and entertaining.
Age Range: Safe for babies
These links are recommended for children 0-3 years old. Since they’re BPA-free, they’re safe to use once your teething baby begins chewing on everything in sight. While the links did stop our 11-month-old son’s toys from falling onto the ground, he did have trouble pulling up the dangling toy. Older babies or toddlers may have better coordination and strength in a situation like that, but we often had to help him. We did appreciate that the toy never touched the ground though.
Ease of Cleaning: Wipe to clean
The links are easy to clean—just wipe with a damp cloth and mild soap per the instructions. With 24 links though, cleaning each one individually is a bit time-consuming. We put ours in a bowl with warm water and bottle soap to take care of them all at once before the first use. Note that the manufacturer states that Lots of Links are not dishwasher-safe.
Price: Budget buy
A set of Lots of Links is about $5. At such a bargain price, it’s a no-brainer to buy these plastic links and keep them on hand in the car, stroller, or around the house. Even if you lose a few over time, they’re affordable enough to replace.
Bright Starts Lots of Links vs. Baby Buddy Secure-A-Toy
There are a few other products on the market that secure toys to a car seat or stroller, but we felt more comfortable with our child having Lots of Links versus a product like the Baby Buddy Secure-A-Toy. Baby Buddy Secure-A-Toy is another useful way to anchor toys around strollers or crib rails. The strap features snap closures, which aren’t ideal for a teething baby. Also since the Secure-A-Toy is made of fabric, it will fray a bit over time. We found that you can’t adjust the length as much as you can with Lots of Links. Sure, a longer connection between the toy and the car seat might mean having to hook a bunch of little links together, which isn’t exactly ideal, but at least it’s something your child can play with. The bright colors, fun textures, and BPA-free plastic makes these links a good option for teething babies to take hold of.
