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December 26, 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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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 »

The Shadow of Malabron

Thomas Wharton

Your fourth grader will race through this fast-paced and fantastical fairy-tale, filled with page-turning plot twists and wonderful characters. 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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

Gyroscope Twin Pack

A vintage throwback with some very current fun potential, this double gyroscope kit brings back the cool science contraption that's been on the market since 1917. Read more »

Connectagons Tree Tops

When weather keeps the kids indoors, this toy brings the trees to them! Start with 4 interlocking base pieces, then build up from the truck to create branches, leaves, and perches for a bevy of blue jays, goldfinches, and cardinals. Read more »

Herd Your Horses Board Game

Horses hold nearly universal appeal for third graders, and this beautiful board game takes horsing around to new levels. Read more »

All-Terrain Cargo Wagon

This Radio Flyer has a controlled turning radius to prevent tipping and a no-pinch ball joint to keep fingers safe. The final touch? Big air tires, so young kids can pull on bumpy roads, or drag it through the sandbox. Read more »

The Silver Blade

Sally Gardner

With a plot that reads like a magical mix of Star Wars, Dante's Inferno and Romeo and Juliet, this French Revolution fantasy is practically impossible to put down and a must-read for children of today. Read more »

Princess Pig

Eileen Spinelli

When pig starts thinking she's a princess, she learns some important lessons about being herself. A very cute tale about friendship and realizing what's really special. Read more »

Otis

Loren Long

Otis is a hardworking little tractor who loves life on the farm with his friend the little calf, until the little calf wanders into Mud Pond and no one can save him. Can Otis help? Read more »

Personal Trading Cards

This site gives him the chance to create trading cards with all his vital stats, for swapping with fellow superstars. Upload a photo, put in your info, and get your cards in the mail in no time! Read more »

Pocket Watercolor Set

Get your child started with this kid-friendly kit, which contains 18 half-pans of pigment and a brush in an easy-to-tote aluminum tin. 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 »

Tree Blocks

Talk about toys au natural! Every set is hand cut from a different set of branches, which means that each one is a mix of sometimes odd shapes, from tiny twigs to chunky burled discs. Read more »

Creator Fire Rescue

LEGO's "Creator" series is just the ticket. Each box comes with one set of LEGO pieces, but directions for making three completely different projects. 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 »

Beastologist: The Flight of the Phoenix

R. L. LaFevers

Nathaniel Flood is sent to a distant cousin, who also happens to be a beastologist. Before he knows it Nathaniel is in Arabia, entrenched in an effort to ensure the world's last remaining phoenix delivers her egg safely! Read more »

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