Mother Essentials: Keewa Nurullah of Kido
Written by Katie Hintz-Zambrano
Keewa Nurullah’s kids might not know how good they have it. As the owner of Kido, an expertly curated children’s clothing and toy boutique in Chicago, Keewa and her two littles (Faraz, age 4, and Noni, age 2) are constantly surrounded by the coolest goodies for kids out there—which makes her a great mama to know, especially during the gifting season. As a shop owner, Keewa focuses on colorful, unisex clothing and representation for children of color on apparel, as well as in books (titles in Kido‘s impressive collection focus on lead characters of color and kids with different abilities and non-traditional family structures). Along with being a passionate entrepreneur and dedicated wife and mother, Keewa is also an artist who has toured around the globe, performing for legends such as Quincy Jones, Julie Andrews, and the late Robin Williams. Perhaps it comes as no surprise, then, that her Mother Essentials list is as colorful and dynamic as she is—enjoy!
Creativity Journal. “Every day starts out with a moment to write down my ideas and things I’m grateful for.” Poketo Creativity Journal, $28, Ban.do.
Kamala Action Figure. “I think every kid should have one in their toy chest and every adult should have one at their desk!” Kamala Harris Action Figure, $20, Kido.
Pie Time. “There won’t be Thanksgiving this year, but there will still be pie. I actually eat these from Justice of the Pies year round.” Salted Caramel Peach Pie, $75, Justice of the Pies.
Pattern Leave-In. “I love these products from my favorite curly girl, Tracee Ellis Ross. She is my #hairgoals!” Pattern Leave-In Conditioner, $25, Ulta.
Kissed By A Bee Skin Care. “I swear by the products of this 4th generation herbalist. She has something for everyone and great gift ideas.” The Sugar Honey Iced Tea Face Scrub a.k.a. Honey Butter Face Scrub, $20, Kissed by a Bee.
Cubebot. “It’s like a sustainable Transformer, and my 4-year-old loves it.” Cubebot, $32, Kido.
Trust Black Women Tee. “No caption needed!” Trust Black Women Shirt, $32, District of Clothing.
Nike Dunk. “My husband turned me into a sneakerhead 14 years ago. It’s a way to express my style and be comfortable always.” SB Dunk High Pro QS “Dog Walkers,” $535, Stadium Goods.
Loog Guitar. “Both my mom and I are musicians, so this guitar is a great way to initiate the kiddos into the family band!” Loog Guitar, $79, Kido.
Paper Doll. “I think one of the great things to come out of this time is the rediscovery of games and activities off screen. Playing with paper dolls is both nostalgic and fun.” MiniKin Paper Dolls, $37, Kido.
Found Objects Earrings. “I’m a hoops girl, and these leather ones are a wardrobe staple.” Dreamweaver Earrings, $90, Found Objects.
Lilla Barn Masks. “A fellow Chicago mom makes these masks and other slow fashion pieces. We carry her stuff in the shop, and I love her no-waste approach to fabric.” Fitted Face Mask (Kids & Adult Sizes), $15, Lilla Barn.
Ginger. “One part of my daily and weekly life is a ginger brew. I’m not a coffee drinker, but a glass of homemade ginger tea gets me energized and centered.”
Ghost Car. “A wooden car that both my son and my husband like to play with.” Candylab Ghost Striped Car, $30, Kido.
Baggu Bag. “I’ve never owned a diaper bag, but I love a large tote!” Duck Bag, $44, Baggu.
Singing in the Shower. “This moment at the start of my day, without children, usually gives me my first laugh and cherished private moment.”
For more Mother Essentials, peep our past columns with small-space mama Laura Fenton, Citizens of Humanity creative director Marianne McDonald, Curasalve founder Kelley Williams, Trade Street Jam Co. founder Ashley Rouse, Weelicious and One Potato founder Catherine McCord, Milky Mama’s Krystal Nicole Duhaney, mega-influencer Chriselle Lim, Matana Organics founder Gabriela Babila, interior designer Susan Work, author Tiffany Dufu, Les Gamins founder Veronique Nguyen, Lonny editor Angela Tafoya, Wiley Body founder Vanessa Wade, DockATot’s Roma Patel, designers Anna Wallack, Cynthia Rowley, Rebecca Atwood, and Dana Haim, Olympian Alysia Montano, cookbook author Hetal Vasavada, model and muse Slick Woods, children’s author Serena Minott, clean living expert Kristian Henderson, Oakland retail queen Sherri McMullen, wellness influencer Joanne Encarnacion, author LaTonya Yvette, and many, many more!
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