Gift Guide2008
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'!
Woody Click Family Home
This modern house courts boys and girls alike, with its cool modular construction possibilities. Pieces can be clicked together in whichever way your young architect chooses, simply by sliding small pegs into holes and stacking or swiveling at will.
The Super Scissors Book
Thirteen projects, two pairs of kid-friendly scissors (one straight, one jagged), and a craft book that's colorful and easy to use...what's not to like? Working with scissors is a key kindergarten skill. This book of kooky projects gives kids plenty of chances to wreak creative havoc.
The Penderwicks on Gardam Street
The Penderwick sisters are back! The new installment, fresh on the heels of the National Book Award winner "The Penderwicks", resumes the story of Rosalind, Skye, and Jane, with the addition of new little sis, Batty. A sure bet for family read-alouds and individual page-turning alike.
Lego City Coast Guard Patrol Boat and Tower
With 444 pieces, this baby will keep your kid scrambling around the rug for hours. Where to start-- the cargo ship, the patrol tower, or the dock? Because it comes with three separate models to build, it's easy to convince a child to put down the pieces and save some for later.
The Big Dig
Got a kid who's crazy for construction? Bring the worksite to your own backyard! This metal excavator is the perfect size for preschoolers. It pivots full-circle for a true on-the-job feel, and as kids delight in dirt, they work on key skills like manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination, too!
Kalimba
Want to raise a musician? This simple, hand-held African instrument is made of high quality wood and metal. Also known as the thumb piano, it produces a smooth, soothing sound. A great intro to the world of music!
Paradice
At first glance, this colorful wooden set looks more like a coffee table conversation piece than a board game. But despite its eye-catching aesthetic, Paradice is a complex and multifaceted strategy game that demands focus and creative visuo-spatial reasoning.
Barn Buddies
This gift-giving, consider giving your child a Barn Buddy Sponsorship, which provides feed, board and medical care to one very special animal, such as Mama, a Bay thoroughbred rescued from a semi-truck accident, or Pepe, a black sheep who was bottle-fed after his mother rejected him.
Sudoku Jr. 4 x 4
Think Sudoku is too advanced for your first grader? Think again. This is a kid-friendly version of the popular puzzles. In this version, the 48 playing cards only contain the numbers 1-4, and children must place the color-coded tokens on the cards to complete the challenge. Kids, we've got your ...
Lego Creator Cool Convertible
Kids will jump at the chance to construct this cool convertible, which can be rebuilt into a hefty truck, or miniloader with a moving platform. They'll be developing fine motor skills and mastering complex, sequenced directions. But with a kit this cool, they won't need much convincing to get ...
Powerwing Drifting Caster Scooter
This is Razor's newest innovation. Instead of standing on one foot while the other one "pumps," a child puts both feet on colorful red side "wings" equipped with wheels on casters, and shifts weight from one foot to the other to get the scooter rolling. A toy to keep, and enjoy, for years to come!
The Other Side of the Island
Honor and her family live on Island 365, where the sky is covered by a rigid enclosure that regulates the weather, and the population is governed by a mysterious ruler and her Corporation. Like 1984 for the modern teenage set, this chilling look at a possible future reads like a rocket.
Hilltop Castle
This play castle has everything a knight-in-training could ask for. With a wind-up drawbridge complete with portcullis, an elastic catapult that really shoots, and walkways that flip down to imprison wrongdoers, the hilltop fortress promises hours of creative play, day or knight!
Travel Spin Doodles
Remember the Spirograph of yesteryear? This is a great portable scaled-down version of the creative game many of us remember fondly from childhood. It makes for a fantastic on-the-go diversion, as each component, from the small pens to the multi-shaped gears, is housed in the mini-drawing board.
Leather Stamping Collection
What could be cooler than leather? Not much! This kit gives your kid all the tools and materials she needs to experiment with it. She can dye and buff pieces to make a key chain, lace the leather together and craft a unique wallet, or braid strips to make a funky bracelet.
Design a Doll
This kit hearkens back to a time when little kids learned to sew magical things out of modest means. Complete with yarn for hair, patterns, a muslin figure, and a sack of sewing accoutrements, it will teach your child to sew her own "eco" doll using materials made in America.
