Baby Bug and Wild Animal Baby Subscriptions

One of our favorite gifts for babies and toddlers is a subscription to either Babybug or Animal Baby. Both are fantastic boardbook-like "magazines" that come about 10 times in a year. They are exceptional! Babybug features plenty of short stories, some of which are continuing series. Stories, poems, and action rhymes that truly speak to young children fill the pages. Each issue has objects for kids to find in the pages as well. These are little books you'll treasure for years to come. Wild Animal Baby focuses on nature through beautiful pictures, short stories, and activities. Both magazines are great choices. These were our own most treasured gifts when the kids were small. 

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Babybug or Wild Animal Baby at Amazon.com]

Beginner Pattern Blocks 

Pattern blocks have traditionally been used for preschoolers and elementary school-aged children as a means to boost their perceptual and math skills. This set of pattern blocks for beginners feature the same colorful tiles of geometric shapes in a larger size for easier manipulation and safety reasons, with puzzle boards appropriate for younger children. This set offers an excellent educational activity for toddlers. Note that kids can play with the wooden shape tiles in free form style. This way, they'll discover on their own that placing two triangles together in a certain way will make a square, and other such rewarding discoveries. Little houses and other designs can be formed as well. Excellent!

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Beginner Pattern Blocks at Amazon.com]

Leapfrog Fridge Phonics Magnetic Letters

This is an electronic toy that is effective, attractive, and affordable. Most families recognize both the appeal and educational value of magnetic letters for the fridge. This set takes magnetic letters a step further. It comes with all 26 letters of the alphabet, as well as a little electronic unit that also sticks to the fridge. Children place any magnetic letter onto the unit (the reader) and the letter is recognized and named, along with a fun little song that reinforces the letter's name and phonics sound! This set is simple, appealing, and rather easy on the pocketbook. As children grow, of course, parents can help children put letters together to form small words. Highly recommended.  

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Fridge Phonics Magnetic Letter Set at Toys R Us/Amazon.com]

Stacking Train 

This wooden activity toy is ideal for younger preschoolers. The 17-inch long wooden train not only features interlocking train cars, but stackable blocks that "fit" like a puzzle onto the train's pegs in  different ways. This is a cute and educational toy with strong appeal. It features the tactile appeal of wood, the educational value of puzzles and blocks, and the practical appeal of a moving toy.

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Stacking Train at Amazon.com]

Playskool Busy Ball Popper

When little hands push this toy's plunger, colorful balls pop out of the top. Some of them roll down the spiral track, eventually to pop out of the top again. Others escape, and it's up to kids to push them back in again. It's pleasantly surprising (there's nothing quite like this kind of anticipation), includes silly sound effects, and keeps kids laughing and playing. There's nothing here that is hugely educational (except for the basic lesson in cause-and-effect), but it's truly a busy and giggle-inducing experience. Fun!

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Playskool Busy Ball Popper at Amazon.com]

Musical Stack & Play by Tiny Love

This 2-in-1 battery-operated musical toy is a ring stacker and electronic ball toy. The funnel-shaped elephant is colorful and of good quality, and the sound effects are pleasant (never jarring). When kids place a ball in the elephant's head, they are rewarded with lights, music, and sound effects--and the ball comes shooting out of the door at the bottom. Very cute!

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Tiny Love Musical Stack & Play at Amazon.com]

Mozart Magic Cube

Although it's a tad pricey, this six-sided, battery-operated toy designed for babies and toddlers has both play and educational value. Kids experiment with music in simple yet evocative ways. The cube features five musical instruments. Children can listen to the Mozart tunes with one or more instruments, depending on the buttons pressed. The ability to "take apart" a song by instrument, and put it back together again, is powerful. 

[For more information or to buy: Mozart Magic Cube]

LeapStart Learning Table

A good activity table is one of the best toys to give a baby who is just learning to "pull up". This one will surely provide encouragement! Although it's more expensive than most activity tables, it is also more interactive and attractive. The legs of the toy are detachable, so babies can grow into it. Smack in the center of the tabletop is a book with turning pages. A colorful keyboard plays music and actually sings the color names! Two modes of play are available, and parents can choose whichever mode suits their child's abilities and interests. Plenty of songs, things that light up, and busy things to do (those cause-and-effect games that so delight children of this age) make this toy a winner. 

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: LeapStart Learning Table at Amazon.com]

Geometric Shapes Jumbo Knob Puzzle

It's simple, but it drives the learning home. This wooden puzzle features 8 colorful geometric shapes that fit into a puzzle board. The knobs on the puzzle pieces make them easier to hold, and illustrations are found beneath each piece. Children learn shapes more easily when they do instead of just see. This simple wooden toy is loads of fun for toddlers and young preschoolers.

[Buy Geometric Shapes Jumbo Knob Puzzle at Amazon.com/Toys R Us]

Sorting Shapes Cupcakes

These set of cute cupcakes helps kids match basic shapes. Each cupcake top fits into its matching bottom according to its shape, and each cupcake stores nicely in the plastic play muffin tin. Children will love playing with these "two-part" cupcakes as they develop fine motor skills.

Buy Sorting Shapes Cupcakes at Toys R Us.

Baby Farm Friends Bowling 

They're oh-so-soft, jingly, and huggable...and they're bowling pins. This lovable set is just right for little ones. Baby Farm Friends Bowling features six animal-themed, numbered bowling pins that rattle, and a weighted bowling ball. No electronics, no batteries, nothing truly "fancy" here. Still, the set easily becomes baby's favorite.

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy Baby Farm Friends Bowling] 

Octotunes by Lamaze

This toy is sweet and musical. Each colorful tentacle of this adorable plush octopus plays a different note when it is squeezed. You can purchase it for your baby, although you will likely be the one playing it at first. By the time they are toddlers, little ones should be able to squeeze the tentacles themselves, however. The toy is a great size for hugging and playing--it's about 18 inches tall. It's excellent for teaching kids to "compose" their own songs, and it is ideal for developing color recognition. Excellent toy for babies and toddlers!

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Lamaze: Octotunes at Amazon.com]

For little Blue's Clues fans, Singing Bedtime Blue makes a sweet bedtime companion. Soft lights and, thankfully, quiet songs, keep kids company at bedtime. If they press the little Moon, they get to hear the songs play again--that is, until they fall asleep! This toy may not be for everyone, but for some toddlers, it's part of their bedtime routine, helping to ease separation anxiety at night time.

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Singing Bedtime Blue at Amazon.com]

Fisher Price Peek-a-Rounds Touch n' Twirl Turtle

The new Roll-a-rounds line from Fisher Price is appealing to toddlers, and our favorite is the Turtle. Although there are a lot of "cause and effect" toys on the market for children this age, this one is a very rewarding "lesson". Kids push the turtle's head and are rewarded with flashing lights, songs, and spinning balls. There's a butterfly, duck, and frog inside the balls, and each creature does its own thing. Very cute!

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Peek-a-Rounds Touch N' Twirl Turtle at Amazon.com]

Fisher Price Little People Christmas

Place this set under the tree, and kids can actually play with the nativity scene! Toddlers always love the chunky Little People figurines, and with this set, they can learn something about the meaning behind Christmas. Cute!

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: A Little People Christmas at Amazon.com]

Cozy Coupe II Car

The classic plastic car, with its distinctive yellow and red design, has been improved. Now with a higher seat back and a storage compartment at the back, this favorite ride-in car is better than ever. Kids just love the Cozy Coupe, while parents enjoy the fact that it's powered by their children's feet so it doesn't move too fast if children don't yet have the leg power to race around. Still, young kids love the "baby steps" the car makes, and getting in and out of it is great fun in and of itself. Toddlers will grow into the car. Families with large playrooms often keep the Cozy Coupe inside until their child is old enough to make it work outside. This new version has been improved without changing the overall look of the car too much--which is a good thing. 

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Cozy Coupe II Car at Amazon.com]

Through music, touch, and sight, Baby Counting Pal introduces babies to counting, numbers from 1 to 5, and colors. Classic tactile activities (things that squeak, rattle, and crinkle, for example) add more sensual stimulation to this attractive toy that can be hung over baby's crib or elsewhere if desired. Classical music is featured (even opera!). Toddlers will definitely need help with pressing the buttons (we wish they were easier to activate), but the toy is attractive and engaging nevertheless. 

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Baby Counting Pal at Amazon.com]

Some of our favorite baby/toddler videos and DVDs come from the Baby Einstein series. While the whole line is worthwhile, a few stand out. Baby Shakespeare, for example, features poems and rhymes and a myriad of other early learning concepts. Baby Van Gogh introduces children to the wonderful world of color and art. Baby Dolittle: Neighborhood Animals features familiar animals and their antics. Each video in the series features classical music excerpts, parades of toys, live-action scenes, and stimulating sights and sounds. Humor and surprises are sprinkled throughout. The variety in presentation of early learning concepts is impressive. 

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy Baby Van Gogh, Baby Shakespeare, Baby Dolittle - Neighborhood Animals at Amazon.com]

Animal Alley Stuffed Animals 

Kids love soft stuffed plush animals, and the Animal Alley line from Toys R Us is a favorite. The animals are adorable and decently-priced. The selection is wide--ranging from small to jumbo-sized animals, and all types of animals, from frogs to bears to unicorns. Pictured at left is a jumbo Darny Dog, a huggable 43-inch dog. At right is a smaller Bichon Frise dog. Big and little colorful frogs, tall giraffes, cool alligators, panthers and tigers, and many more cuddly animals make up this wonderful line of affordable stuffed animals. 

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: see the full line: Animal Alley Stuffed Animals, or go directly to the animals pictured here: Animal Alley: 43" Darny Dog and Animal Alley 13" Bichon Frise at Amazon.com]

 
Secret Sorter

Sorting shapes is a pleasurable activity for babies and toddlers. While there are many shape sorter toys on the market--both of the plastic and wooden variety--none are quite as satisfying and multi-faceted as this one. With the Secret Sorter, pleasing wooden shapes fit into a cloth bag in the matching slots. The cloth bag acts as a place to store the blocks, but it can also be used in a game of "guess the shape" in which toddlers feel a wooden shape without seeing it. The bag is reversible, allowing the shapes to be sorted by color as well. 

This fantastic toy is becoming more difficult to find. However, you might want to try the Plan Toys web site.

Stand Up Ball Blast

A similar toy that is a little more complex (and larger!) is the Stand Up Ball Blast toy from Fisher Price. Music is also featured, along with lights and dials that toddlers can use to change the direction of the balls. This toy certainly is a "blast". Toddlers love watching the balls make their musical way down the maze.

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Stand Up Ball Blast at Amazon.com]

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