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From toys that stand the test of time to board games that are anything but boring, we found the best products for each grade that will build your child's brain as well as being chock full of fun. more

December 1, 2009

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Geomate Jr.

The Geomate Jr. does one thing and one thing only: geocaching. With just 3 buttons and a 1 1/2 inch screen, it weighs a mere 3 ounces and primarily shows the bare basics. Read more »

Recess Monkey: Field Trip

This album details the joys and mishaps of being a kid, with humor, silliness, imagination, and creativity. Read more »

Too Many Monkeys

In this family card game, kids learn number sequencing and explore probability as they try to help a tired monkey get back to sleep. Read more »

Bucket Blast Game

This set of six buckets, beanbags, boundary cones and blindfolds makes for an action-packed adventure. Read more »

Bocce Tournament Set

Long revered in Italy as the perfect way to pass a sunny afternoon, bocce is beginning to catch on as a low-key antidote to high-energy athletic pastimes. Read more »

Farkle

Once in a while someone comes up with a game that is so profoundly simple that it requires only a few low-tech pieces, and yet is so fun that kids return to it time after time. 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 »

Artifact

What if Indiana Jones designed the Monopoly board? He might end up with something like Artifact, a globe-trotting game that challenges players to recover ancient stolen works of art. 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 »

Racers Monster Jumper

Kids can build it in about twenty minutes, engage the motor with some pull-back action, and let it fly! Read more »

MiQube

Part strategy game, part brain-teasing puzzle, MiQube includes five different games to be played using its simple wooden checkerboard and geometric pieces. 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 »

My Little Helper Toolbox

Preschoolers tend to be fix-it fans by nature, and most love to take things apart and put them back together. This little toolkit gives preschoolers the chance to lug their own set of tools around, just like mom and dad. Read more »

Walls Notebook

This unique notebook transforms the iconic obstacle into anything but, with page upon page of eye-catching walls that invite you to draw, brainstorm and create. Read more »

The Princess's Blankets

Carol Ann Duffy

First graders are learning to read in earnest, but they're also learning to love books. This beautiful fable is a story to fall in love with, with stunning pictures to match. Read more »

Hullabaloo

Want a zany game that gets kids moving, encourages them to listen, think, and follow instructions, and is simple to learn? Hullabaloo fits the bill! Read more »

Classic Juggling Balls

Bring some circus home! These three brightly colored balls are weighted well for beginning jugglers. 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 »

Grow Your Own Peanuts

Got a peanut butter addict in the house? If she's patient, she can grow her own! 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 »

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