GIFT GUIDE 2007
Second Grade Gifts
Gifts for a 7-Year-Old or 8-Year-Old
From toys that stand the test of time to board games that are anything but boring, we found the best second grade products for a seven-year-old or eight-year-old. Our list of loot is kid-tested, teacher approved, and full of options for any family, so get wrappin'!
World Almanac Puzzler Decks
You've probably heard of the World Almanac. Well, the veritable tome just got a major facelift, transforming it from an unwieldy, though admittedly useful doorstop, into a set of kids' puzzler decks that are seriously fun.
Lego Creator House
Got a budding architect under the roof? Give her the tools to build the house of her dreams. This kit comes equipped with over 700 pieces and instructions for three very different models. The houses are quite complex-- with everything from hinged garages, to rain gutters and dormer windows. Kids ...
Pieceless Puzzle
Until now, picture puzzles have been pretty self-explanatory. They're fun, challenging, and develop visual and spatial reasoning skills that will serve kids well in the long run. But with their small, irregular pieces, puzzles also equal messy play spaces and lost pieces. Until now! The "pieceless ...
Create Your Own Pop Up Book
Create a passion for books by encouraging your child to make one of her own! With this creative kit, kids instantly become writer, illustrator, editor and publisher. And, because it's a pop-up book in the making, your child will be practicing crafts that require high-level creativity, as well as ...
Monster Maker Card Game
Everybody loves a goofy monster. In this combination puzzle/card game kids race to see who can collect the right parts cards to make their monster whole. Players can pick from the deck, the garbage pile, or trade cards with other players. The act of trading is a great lesson in taking turns, ...
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
This title character is everything a child wants--she's the widow of a pirate and lives in an upside down house which always smells of freshly baked cookies. Parents love her because she has a cure for everything, including the "Slow Eater Tiny Bite Taker" and "Won't-Pick-Up-Toys-itis." It's an ...
Nate the Great
Nate the Great, a pancake loving, Sam Spade spouting, grade school private eye has a bravado perfect for this age set, who don't want books for "little kids" anymore. Still, underneath the swagger, the short chapters and simple words are just right for blossoming readers. Case closed. (Yearling, ...
Tinkertoy Classic Jumbo Set
This classic canister of goodies is back on the market, proving to parents that simple, vintage toys can cause just as much excitement and learning as any high-tech game. This set features 102 large wooden spools, connectors, and brightly colored dowels--let your child's imagination do the rest. ...
Blue Man Group Keyboard
This wild conglomeration of musical toys, aptly named "Keyboard Experience," was inspired by the antics of the Blue Man Group, who are featured banging stuff, blowing through convoluted tubes, and prancing around with light tricks in an accompanying DVD. A synthesizer keyboard with 9 ...
Whirl-O Magnetic Spinning Top
It's a top. It's a yo-yo. It's a Whirl-O! With a flick of the wrist, the magnetic top will whirl around a tin track. Tap it on a hard flat surface and the top will fly off and spin on its own. This funky toy combines all the fun and hand-eye coordination of a yo-yo, without that stringy mess. And ...
Mr. Popper's Penguins
This story of a humble house painter who receives a surprise package straight from the South Pole is one of the funniest early chapter books we've ever read. Kids will delight in the mayhem that ensues as a pack of penguins takes over the apartment-- tobogganing down the kitchen stairs, building ...
Trapecolo
What can you do with a pile of colorful trapezoid-shaped tiles? Leave it to your child's imagination and you'll both be delighted with the resulting patterns, shapes, 3-D designs... the possibilities are endless! This isn't just arts and crafts: Trapecolo requires visualization, spatial reasoning, ...
Toss Your Cookies
Essentially a fun-fueled kiddie version of the well-known card game "Gin," Toss Your Cookies has winning players crowing "Snickerdoodle!" An easy-to-play game that is long on silliness and smiles, children build matching, sorting, and memory skills while passing (or sometimes tossing) ...
JumpStart World
This educational computer game takes virtual learning to a new level. The game teaches art, reading, math and critical thinking skills through a cast of colorful characters and exciting challenges. The program tailors itself to your child's personal skill level and learning style, so the content ...
Fizzy Foamy Science
With this beginner's chemistry kit, your child can measure, predict, and investigate common household phenomenons like rising bread and fizzing soda. There are six separate activities for kids to try a number of different ways, laying the groundwork for observation, experimentation, and drawing ...
Password & Password Junior
Remember that "Password" TV show when you were a kid? Well, bring that up to date with cool "decoder cases" and "password cards", but keep the old fashioned word play, and you've got a great game that clearly supports elementary reading skills. This game is best played ...
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