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December 16, 2009

Planning holiday events and shopping can be especially challenging for families with special needs children. No need to worry; we've put together a special holiday guide to help make this season a wintery breeze!

Read more: Holiday Central | Special Needs

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Pop-Up House of Inventions

Robert Crowther

This clever and comprehensive pop-up book takes you inside the rooms of an ordinary house for some extraordinary discoveries about everyday objects. Read more »

Stomp Rocket Super High Performance

Sometimes the best things in life are also the most simple. That goes for the stomp rocket, one of the greatest, and simplest, toys around. Read more »

Rocket Balloon with Pump

Bring this to the park at your own risk: no kid in a one-mile vicinity is likely to leave you alone. Simple, inexpensive, and an outright joy to use, this toy brings smiles to even the most jaded kids on the block. Read more »

Bento 2

Whether it's keeping track of assignments, logging miles while training for a marathon, or organizing To-Dos, this mini personal database makes it easy to collect, search, and display information on the go. Read more »

Slamwich

In this card-slapping game, kids use bread-shaped cards to make sandwiches, or Slamwiches, while they sharpen memory, sequencing, and hand-eye coordination skills. Read more »

I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President

Josh Lieb

Oliver Watson is a bumbling buffoon of a seventh grader, who just can't quite get his act together...or so it seems. Readers, privy to his inner monologue and the goings-on of his secret double life, will find this smart read impossible to put down. Read more »

Fire

Kristin Cashore

Filled with action, politics, romance and deeply-felt thought and emotion, Fire is a great read for teens beginning to own their powers and emotions, and for readers of all ages looking for a well-balanced adventure. Read more »

Little Bugs Music Box

This wooden music box provides simple pleasure: wind it up and watch two small ladybugs whirl to the lilting tune, via a magnet underneath their little stage. Bright and folksy, kids tend to want to wind it up again and again for an encore. Read more »

Activity Rocks

This little science set introduces four seemingly normal rocks, each with a hidden talent: one floats, one's a magnet, one can create sparks, and another grows its own sparkly crystals. Read more »

Jumbo Jacks

The two rubber balls, bright canvas bag, and nickel and brass-plated jacks in this small little package spell big time fun. Read more »

Finger Puppets

These little guys are a breeze for preschoolers to manipulate. Almost every finger puppet in the line, from hedgehog to emperor penguin, costs less than $10. Read more »

DNA Science Kit

With this hands-on kit, kids can explore the science behind genetics, as they build a DNA ladder, puzzle out gender chromosomal patterns, and even extract actual DNA! Read more »

Decorate-Your-Own Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle

This puzzle-painting kit is an exercise in uncomplicated fun, and contains everything your child needs to paint a puzzle design that can be taken apart and put back together again and again. Read more »

Knit-it Mice Kit

These three rodents won't keep you up at night and they won't nibble through your cupboards. What they will do is help teach your newbie knitter the basics. Read more »

Mala Art Easel

A whiteboard on one side, a chalkboard on the other, it's perfect for beginner scribbles or magnetic letters, as children work their brains and hand muscles in preparation for writing and reading. Read more »

Jeremy Draws a Monster

Peter McCarty

Unique and beautiful illustrations make this quirky story a fun and compelling read, inviting children to dance the line between imagination and reality. Read more »

Hexbug

This robotic creature is a great example of the ways in which the tiniest things in life can bring big pleasure. Read more »

Chickyboom

This folksy farmyard balancing act is the perfect antidote to complicated games that don't stand the test of time. Simple, fun, and with loads of replay potential, it's easy enough for young children to learn in moments. Read more »

The Magic Rabbit

Annette LeBlanc Cate

Ray and his bunny assistant are inseparable. What happens when bunny gets lost? A tender, visually splendid tale to inspire a love of storytelling. Read more »

Calafant Castle

This fun and relatively quick and easy construction project offers a set of numbered photo instructions, so kids don't need to read in order to tackle it! Read more »

Check out our A+ awarded toys.

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