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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 4, 2009

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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 »

Energy Science Kit

Join the green revolution! This timely kit lets kids experiment with the ways that energy powers our world today, and how it might be powered tomorrow. Read more »

Never Smile at a Monkey

Steve Jenkins

From "Never step on a stingray" to "Never stare at a cobra", this book is packed with silly (but salient!) advice and fascinating facts about the world's lesser-known dangers. Read more »

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together

Mary Anne Hoberman, illustrated by Michael Emberley

This slim little volume, packed with simple rhymes, has a very cool concept: the purple text is for beginner readers, the pink for adults, and the blue for them both to read together. Read more »

Livemocha

Enter Mocha Live, a website that's like a marriage between Facebook and Berlitz. Online language lessons merge with a social networking component that allows your child to practice with native speakers in a fun and safe environment, a cool way to get her hooked on language. Read more »

Tales from the Book of Dragons

A magical reading of two short stories from one of Edith Nesbit's classics, this CD will inspire kids to head to the library, so they can read the other six tales not included here. 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 »

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 »

The Goldsmith's Daughter

Tanya Landman

This page-turner brings to life the final days of the Aztec empire and the beginning of the Spanish conquest of the Americas. Read more »

Wax Drawing Kit

Packed up pretty with oil pastels, wooden frames, and colored and natural beeswax, this kit takes young artists step-by-step through the process of creating a picture inspired by an Ancient Greek wax technique. 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 »

Electric Plane Launcher

Got half an hour to spare? Experiment with motion, physics, and beginner electronics by creating this super cool launcher for paper airplanes. Read more »

Whizizzle Phonics Card Game

A bit like the game Uno, but with words rather than numbers, players must match the cards in their hand either by vowel sound, beginning sound, or ending sound. Read more »

Underwater Disposable Camera

A disposable camera is an inexpensive way to teach your child about "old fashioned" pictures and photographic processing. Read more »

Chalk Works "Big Draw" Drawing Machine

Combine the sheer joy of creating jumbo art work, with the cool factor of a handheld gadget, and you'll have some sense of this toy's attraction. Read more »

Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter

R.J. Anderson

Full of fantasy, adventure, romance, and as strong a heroine as they come, this is one book your child will be hard pressed to put down. Read more »

Pop Up Junior Goal

If you've ever tried to put together a soccer goal, then you'll appreciate this super easy pop-up model. Read more »

Raspberries

Jay O'Callahan and Will Moses

This infectious concoction tells the tale of a magical fruit that makes everyone, from a shy old man to a nasty little bully, jump into the air singing, "Raspberries!" the moment they get a taste. Read more »

Classic Juggling Balls

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

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