By Samantha Bradley

As a mom who prides herself on being well informed on the products she purchases, I am always looking for fun and creative new products for my son. Recently while watching “Funderdome” on TV, I came across BuddyBagz, which are all-in-one sleepover solutions to help children pack light when traveling.

Each BuddyBagz comes with a built-in stuffed animal head, a pillow, a nightlight, a duffle bag and a toiletry bag. One of the best parts of BuddyBagz is that they can be tightly rolled so, children can easily carry them on their backs.

I interviewed the owner and creator of BuddyBagz, Carly Drum-O’Neill so I could get a better understanding of why she created BuddyBagz and why they are so popular with children.

What ages are best suited for BuddyBagz?

BuddyBagz are best suited for children ages 10 and under but, you really have to check the size of the child as they are 62 inches in length and 26 inches wide.

What do children love most about your product?

Most kids will say either the little secret compartment in the back of the head or the nightlight in the tail. Kids love little gadgets, things that are fun, different and unique — that’s BuddyBagz.

How many different BuddyBagz do you currently have?

We currently have eight different BuddyBagz: a baseball buddy, a football buddy, a soccer buddy, a guitar buddy, a koala buddy, a monkey buddy, a cupcake buddy and a lion buddy.

What was the inspiration behind your Brave Buddy?

After our friend’s son was diagnosed with leukemia, we were inspired to come up with a buddy that helps children who are battling challenges in their lives. That is when we came up with the Brave Buddy, which is the lion. Fifteen percent of the profits from the Brave Buddy go directly to The Valerie Fund.

Where can BuddyBagz be purchased?

They can be purchased at Buddybagz.com or Amazon.com. They cost $59.99 each.