Gift Guide2009
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. Our list of loot is kid-tested, teacher approved, and full of options for any family, so get wrappin'!
Never Smile at a Monkey
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.
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.
Roboxplorer
This cool vehicle is enough to make any kid's eyes grow wide at the toy store, but not only do speed hounds get to play with it, they get to build it from scratch, too!
Flip Mino Camcorder
This pocket-sized camcorder has the all the technology your teen needs to document the world around her and share her own stories in high-quality video.
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!
Wits and Wagers
Think Trivial Pursuit crossed with roulette and spiced with an extra dose of social studies and math practice, and youâve got this fun group game for four to twenty players.
School Bus and Children
This big yellow school bus is a Fair Trade product--handmade in Sri Lanka from albizia wood, one of the fastest-growing trees on earth, and colored with nontoxic paints.
Stitch-it Pink Piggies Kit
At this age, kids are just starting to dig into longer, more in-depth projects. This kit is a perfect way to practice working on something complex from start to finish.
Fifteen Puzzle
First invented in 1880, this pocket-sized numerical puzzle became wildly popular in the 1930's. Now it's making a comeback with this retro version.
Mastermind
The two-player game of logic and deduction nails mathematical reasoning, but yet remains so simple that kids want to come back to it again and again.
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.
Grow Your Own Peanuts
Got a peanut butter addict in the house? If she's patient, she can grow her own!
You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together
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.
Dazzler Ribbon
A simple rainbow-colored ribbon, attached to a colorful stick, can transform into a magical instrument for self-expression and active play.
Crayon Physics Deluxe
This excellent online game is an addictively fun introduction to basic physics.
The Indie Rock Coloring Book
If your teen loves the indie tones of such bands as Devendra Banhart, Iron and Wine, and the Shins, or if indie rock is just getting on her radar, this whimsical coloring book is the perfect gift.
