If you're like us, you've got enough things to haul down to the shore this summer. That's why we love Larry Laske's Beach Thingy. Recently awarded an honorable mention in I.D. Magazine's Annual Design Review, this reinvented beach chair is a light-weight, easy-to-carry alternative to its traditional, clunky counterparts. The chair's two stakes push easily into the sand so you can sit back and relax without the hassle.

Textile designer Kim Rosin has drawn from her extensive background in architecture, interior design, and African and modern art to create something perfectly practical for your kitchen. These oven mitts by Kim Things come in bright colors and happy designs inspired by Rosin's heritage, and the patterns also adorn tote bags, aprons, sachets and potholders. Stock up on these and liven up your living space.

The graphic is eye-catching and the cotton is buttery soft, but what makes this shirt by Tiny Revolutionary extra special has nothing to do with the way it looks or feels. With each purchase of a single tee, $20 is donated directly to Africa Aid, who uses it to cover the cost of a year of school lunches for a child in the Buduburam Refugee Settlement in Ghana. Being a humanitarian is always in fashion.

If you're looking to repent for all those years spent slathering on baby oil, we suggest you start you tots on their own skin protection regimen extra early. AB Baby has created a chemical-free sunscreen specifically for young faces, with broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection and the addition of vitamins A, C, E, and green tea extract. While you're at it, borrow a bit for yourself!

You've whipped up a perfect picnic spread, complete with your famous flourless chocolate cake for dessert. So why serve such a feast on flimsy white paper plates? These pretty picnic plates from Working Class Studio are both sturdy and smart looking, come in designs to suit every taste, and will serve as the perfect platform for your culinary creations.

Summer can come with its fair share of skinned knees and nasty bugbites, so make sure you're fully prepared for your next pool party or picnic. Our go-to for all the essentials? Whole Foods, whose array of all-natural products eases our pains and our minds. Create your own kit with Alba Botanica sunscreen, Eco Guard latex-free bandages, and JASON natural insect repellent spray. Items available at Whole Foods stores nationwide.

Here are more musts for summer first aid kits.

If you're like us, you'll be spending the month of August tuned into the summer Olympics (be it for the gymnasts' floor routines or Michael Phelps's abs), so make sure your brood shows their sporting spirit. Babesta is offering these retro-style tees from games as far back as 1932 at their online boutique, so snatch one up for your future world-record holding hurdler.

Remember the days when being a mom and being a housewife went hand in hand? We don't either. Still, something about these cloth napkins printed with vintage patterns is making us feel deliciously retro. Made exclusively for Grove NY by designer Kitty Hall, the napkins boast hand-sewn detailing and come in sets of four. We were torn between this cheerful bird print and the bright Red Berry pattern. Buy both, and add an oh-so-60s accent to your table.

As much as we love their graphic patterns, we're stoked to see that the famous Finnish textile company Marimekko is trying something new with these cow mugs. The bright colors and energetic drawings of sprinting calves will add an extra kick to your morning cup of coffee, and the kids will like the little guys as much as you do. The print is also available on tea towels, serving trays, plates, and magnets, so you can add as much or as little "moo" as you like

The Dark Knight hits theaters today, and this item from DigiBlue is sure to illict "wows" from young Batman fans with their idol on the brain.  The alarm clock and radio has all the usual functions, but kids will be especially excited by the built-in bat signal that is projected on the bedroom wall at the flip of a switch. It can even work as a nightlight, so kids who are afraid of the dark can summon their inner superhero.

Target launches yet another brilliant designer collaboration with their new line from home-design maven Sami Hayek (yes, he's related to that Hayek). Though usually Hayek is strictly a furniture man, he's stepping out of his comfort zone with this collection of everything from bedding to wall art. We especially love the retro, funky feel of this color block wall clock, which would work just as well in your kitchen as in the kids' play room.

If your little nature lover is too young yet to have a patch of the garden all her own, try bringing a bit of bloom inside with these felt flowers from b.delicious. The soft, bright creations, perfect for placement on bedside table or bookshelf, will liven up any indoor space until she can move on to the real thing.

You go out of your way to make sure your infant's bibs and bottles are toxin-free, so doesn't it make sense to choose her crib with equal care? The baby-mavens at Orbit are introducing their limited edition, green Bassinet and Cradle System,which is PVC and phalate-free and has a 100% organic cotton interior and natural wool exterior. And, to further ease your eco-conscience, Orbit is donating a portion of the sales proceeds to the Nature Conservancy.

It was only a matter of time before children's clothing went the designer-collaboration route of Target and H&M. This summer, A.P.C. has partnered with a luxe French kids clothier Luco to create a small collection of Parisian-looking floaty yoke-collared tunics, mini-skinny jeans and canvas caps. There hasn't been a kid this chic since Madeline.

Check out our editor's picks for more summer family fashion

This summery stationery from Felix & Dolittle are printed with adorable designs to bring you back to the beach, with illustrations like delicate seashells, bunches of red coral, and glasses of fresh lemonade. Buy your set of choice for the friend that is putting you up, and an extra set for yourself so you can express thanks for the wonderful weekend away.

Anyone with a house full of company wants to keep visitors active and entertained, so when you arrive with this bocce set in tow, you're sure to receive a warm welcome. The six chrome-plated steel balls are a step above the primary colored versions in most backyards, and the spare, latched wooden box gives the set a distinctly gifty feel. But the real gift is keeping everyone occupied while your host enjoys a cocktail.

Check out more Cookie-approved backyard toys

Anyone willing to put up with you and your brood for a weekend deserves some pampering, and this gorgeous collection of scented soaps from K. Hall will help your hostess do just that. Whether she wants to stick one of the shea butter and olive oil-enriched bars on every sink, or barricade herself behind the bathroom door and loll around in cypress and cassis scented bathwater, this luxe gift is sure to wash away the stresses that come with a house full of guests.

If your regular lake house-host is a whiz in the kitchen, thank her for all the freshly baked pies and perfectly grilled fish with this apron from the Conran Shop. The fresh pattern means she can even look chic while laboring over a hot stove. It's a far safer thank you than offering to take over dinner duty for the weekend!

Bring the New York Botanical Garden indoors with this set of four glasses from the NYBG collaboration with Lunt housewares. The bull frog, wampum snake, land crab and parrot fish prints come from a set of 250 year old illustrations in the Garden's rare book collection. Bring them to your host's beach house along with a bottle of brandy, and lend an old-fashioned air to cocktail hour.

Or, fill the tumblers with this tasty summer cocktail.

You'd be crazy not to be outside trying to eat your weight in corn on the cob and potato salad for the coming Independence Day weekend. And with all of this outdoor action, you'll need something to keep the party going long after sunset. Stick these garden flares by Quel Objet into the grass or sand to illuminate your yard, to make a beach bash more festive, or simply to cast a sexy glow over a romantic alfresco dinner with the hubby once the kids go to bed.

Any little tot needs a bib (or a tarp) when it comes to feeding time, but some tie tightly and dangerously around the neck, leaving parents nervous and kids uncomfortable. Try these Bibs and Match onesies as an alternative, with bibs that snap on at the neck, and can be easily removed when soiled. The bright, graphic patterns can be mixed and matched, so kids can look cool and stay clean.

If you're a socially conscious consumer, check out the rustic, lush stylings of Creative Women handwoven textiles. Ellen Dorsch founded the company after traveling to Ethiopia and finding a dearth of suitable jobs for women. She decided to help the woman use their admirable sewing and embroidery skills to create everything from wall hangings to pillow cases, and to market the gorgeous pieces in the U.S., where they're being snapped up by pleasurists and do-gooders alike.

It's always a struggle to turn kids' heads from Cheetos and Chips Ahoy to something a little more nutritious. With Snikiddy Snacks, you'll find lunchbox-ready treats that will please health-conscious parents and treat-craving kids alike. They come in sweet varieties like Chocolate Chippers and Banana Nibbles, and salty flavors like Rockin' Ranch and Pizza Pie Puffs, and while the goodies are organic and low in fat and calories, they still feel deceptively indulgent.