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'!
T'Rung Mini
Percussion instruments are a great way to learn about rhythm, which is the backbone of music making.
FirstScope Telescope
This scope gives many that cost thrice the price a run for their money.
Do Art: Modern Masterpieces
Inspire your child to reach for a place at the MOMA. With this kit, she'll learn how to draw, color, and paint using the techniques of modern masters like Picasso, Kandinsky, Mondrian and Warhol.
Cathedral
This beautifully constructed game, made entirely of stained wood, is like a cross between an interlocking puzzle and a game of chess, with a medieval storyline running between them.
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.
Creator Fire Rescue
LEGO's "Creator" series is just the ticket. Each box comes with one set of LEGO pieces, but directions for making three completely different projects.
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.
Pocket Japanese Album
Your child doesn't need to be an artist to enjoy the classic design and effortless cool of this notebook, which contains 60 pages of Japanese-style zigzag accordion paper.
Mummy Rummy
This game, similar to Gin Rummy, has four color-coded "suits" which players must try to assemble into matching sets.
Grip-Rite Neo Flying Disc
This disc takes all the clumsiness out of throwing and catching a Frisbee. Constructed for long-distance flying, with a flexible rim covered in an easy-grip material, this beach bum floats.
