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'!
Artist Trading Cards
Artist trading cards, or ATCs, are miniature works of art built to be swapped.
Sports Disk Pack
Part giant frisbee, part mini trampoline, these unique sports disks are probably the most versatile outdoor playthings on the market.
The Lion and the Mouse
This gorgeous adaptation of Aesop's famous fable has no words. Kids play storyteller, as they narrate Pinkney's beautiful illustrations of this tale, in which a little mouse helps free the king of the jungle in his hour of need.
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!
Classic Juggling Balls
Bring some circus home! These three brightly colored balls are weighted well for beginning jugglers.
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.
Crazy Hair
A mad romp from the team behind Coraline, this kid-pleaser is wildly imaginative, with just a bit of spookiness thrown in.
Slamwich
In this card-slapping game, kids use bread-shaped cards to make sandwiches, or Slamwiches, while they sharpen memory, sequencing, and hand-eye coordination skills.
MiQube
Part strategy game, part brain-teasing puzzle, MiQube includes five different games to be played using its simple wooden checkerboard and geometric pieces.
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.
Crayon Physics Deluxe
This excellent online game is an addictively fun introduction to basic physics.
Pinball Painter
This activity kit adds some major excitement to the act of painting, by letting kids shoot giant pinballs at globs of paint.
Activity Rocks
This little science set introduces four seemingly normal rocks, each with a hidden talent: one floats, one's a magnet, one can create sparks, and another grows its own sparkly crystals.
The Princess's Blankets
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.
The Goldsmith's Daughter
This page-turner brings to life the final days of the Aztec empire and the beginning of the Spanish conquest of the Americas.
