Monday, December 3, 2012

2012 Children's Gift Guide


2012 Children’s Gift Guide – 100 Gift Ideas
Compiled by Janice Hands

We know your youngsters have provided you with a list of must-have holiday gifts, and you’ll do your best to fulfill at least a few of their wishes. But, everyone loves surprises. Why not consider giving them at least one something totally new and unexpected. One hundred of the latest in children’s toys, books, and electronics are described below. Take a moment to look them over. You’re sure to find some interesting items to round out even the most specific wish list.
Be sure to scroll down and check out the helpful sidebars, including “Bargain Hunter’s Websites” for the word on sites that will help save you bucks, and “Smart Holiday Spending” full of shopping advice from Consolidated Credit Counseling Services, Inc.
Have a great holiday!

Suggestions are arranged by category. Within the categories, items are arranged according to age, youngest to oldest. Suggested ages were not available for all products; when provided, they have been included. Prices listed are manufacturers’ suggested retail prices, provided several months prior to the publication of this guide. Baltimore’s Child cannot be responsible for price or availability changes.

Looking Forward to the Holidays
Even the youngest tot can learn to light the Menorah with My First Menorah. This soft, plush Menorah holds nine colorful fabric candles that your youngster can add one-by-one nightly. A great way to pass on Chanukah traditions. Ages 6 mos.-up. $34.95. One Step Ahead catalog. 800-274-8440, onestepahead.com.

The story of the first Christmas Day comes alive with My First Nativity Set. Perfect for tiny hands, the fabric stable houses soft figurines, some of which are finger puppets. Included are Mary, Joseph, the baby in the manger, the three kings, a shepherd, sheep, cattle, and even a camel. An angel and star hover overhead. Ages 6 mos.-up. $29.95. One Step Ahead catalog. 800-274-8440, onestepahead.com.

Your little one will have a great time anticipating Christmas as he plays with the Little People Santa’s North Pole Cottage. This holiday playset  features two floors of hands-on fun with Santa, Mrs. Claus, and even kittens in the kitchen. The Christmas tree lights up and plays holiday music. Ages 1-up. $48. Fisher-Price catalog exclusive. 800-747-8697, fisher-pricestore.com.

Maybe your family will be lucky enough to attend a tree lighting event this holiday season. Your youngster will be especially excited about the trip after playing with the Little People Tree Lighting in Discovery Park playset. The set includes a tree with lights and holiday music; a skating pond with sledding hill; a snack stand with lamp post and bench; three Little People figures; a horse and carriage; snow saucer; and a three-piece snowman to build. Ages 1-up. $25. Fisher-Price catalog exclusive. 800-747-8697, fisher-pricestore.com.

‘Tis the season for The Nutcraker—in dance, music, and décor. Your youngster will enjoy decorating for the holidays with the Classic Wooden Nutcracker Kit. The kit includes a 9-inch tall wooden nutcracker and everything needed to decorate it—white “hair,” rhinestones, stickers, nontoxic acrylic paints, brushes, glitter glaze, and glue. A great seasonal project for your young artist! Ages 5-up. $21.95. Young Explorers catalog. 800-239-7577, youngexplorers.com.

An Elf Magic Elf is sure to add magic to your preparation for the holiday season. Visit www.elf-magic.com, choose a special North Pole elf for your child, and he or she will arrive on your doorstep, ready to make mischief and charm your youngster. Each evening, your special magic elf will hide in a different place (with your help, of course), ready for your child to find the next morning. (The elves are especially pleased to hide in the freezer – it reminds them of home!) During the day, your youngster will enjoy playing with the elf—she can even change her clothes, if she’d like, with items from the Forever Elf Fashion Collection. You’ll find Elf Magic’s Hanukkah Helpers online as well. All ages. Elves and Hanukkah Helpers, $29.95. Fashion Collection items, $17-$20. 877-353-6244.

Make room on your fridge for this Magnetic Countdown Calendar that will keep your kids counting the days until Christmas. This is a 5-piece fir tree with 24 colorful ornaments for each day of December and a bright shining star to add to the top on Christmas Day. Let the anticipation begin! All ages. $4.95. The Lakeside Collection catalog. 847-444-3150, www.lakeside.com.

Baby & Toddler
You never know what you’ll find inside the colorful What’s Inside? toy box. From squeaky frog and silky fish, to a butterfly with crinkly wings, there are ten different objects inside the seven-inch square plush box. The four-inch opening makes it easy for your little one to reach in anwww.ttgo.comd discover the fun inside. Ages infant-4 yrs. $39.99. Toys to Grow On catalog. 800-987-4454,.

Your tot will have a great time playing with this most unusual stack toy. The Elephant Musical Stack & Play features a tower with lots of colorful soft-textured pieces that babies can take apart and stack together again. A friendly electronic elephant atop the tower giggles and speaks, as lights blink and music plays. Ages 6 mos.-up. $34.95. Young Explorers catalog. 800-239-7577, youngexplorers.com.

The Play-n-Go from Star Kids Products will keep your baby happily occupied on the road or in the air. This portable entertainment center is designed to be used on high chairs and airplane tray tables. In addition, it fits snugly onto the Snack & Play Travel Tray for use on the go in car or stroller. The Play-n-Go features a peek-a-boo mirror, a squeaky and crinkly toy, mesh pockets, removable shapes, and more options for your baby or toddler to enjoy. Ages 6-24 mos. Play-n-Go $24.99. Snack & Play Travel Tray $19.99. www.starkidsproducts.com.

The Elefun Busy Ball Popper from Playskool features all the fun of the original Busy Ball Popper in the shape of a colorful little elephant. Pop the balls into the elephant’s ears and see where they reappear—popping out of his trunk, or rolling into his belly. Sure to have your little one giggling and grinning from ear to ear. Ages 9 mos.-up. $29.99. Target, Toys R Us, amazon.com, hasbrotoyshop.com.

Just like Mommy’s, My First Purse has all the accessories for lots of pretend play. This colorful, soft-sculpture purse comes with plush smartphone, key ring with squeaker, flower-shaped mirror, play lipstick, coin purse, and two pretend money pieces. Ages 12 mos.-up. $7.95. The Lakeside Collection catalog. 847-444-3150, www.lakeside.com.

Your toddler will have hours of Toy Story fun with the Little People Buzz Lightyear & Spaceship and the Little People Woody & RC racer. Buzz’s spaceship makes engine sounds, has rocket lights, and features fun movie phrases from Buzz, Woody, and aliens. There is a command center, and wings slide out when it’s time for flight. Woody’s racing car features a spot in the driver’s seat for Woody, engine sounds, and movie phrases from favorite Toy Story characters. Ages 1 1/2-5. $25 each. Fisher-Price catalog. 800-747-8697, fisher-pricestore.com.

Cuddly Friends
Now your little one can snuggle right up to Sweetpea Sue, Squacky, CowBella, and Apollo with these plush Pajanimals, the sweet characters from the Sprout series. Maybe your tot will even look forward to bedtime with one or more of these friends by his side. They are available in nine-inch and 15-inch sizes. Ages 18 mos.-up. Nine-inch $10.99; 15-inch $19.99. target.com, walmart.com.

This little Doodle Bear invites your child’s creativity right on her cuddly body. She comes with two dual-tipped washable markers, featuring a drawing tip at one end and a stamper design at the other; and a stencil with three shapes to trace. Your little artist can decorate Doodle Bear, and then you can machine wash it for a fresh canvas. Ages 3-up. $20. Fisher-Price catalog. 800-747-8697, fisher-pricestore.com. Also available, Doodle Bear Babies that include an adorable puppy, kitty, and bunny, complete with a baby bottle and washable marker. Ages 3-up. $8 each. Fisher-Price catalog. 800-747-8697, fisher-pricestore.com.

Oh! You Beautiful Doll
Maybe you remember the Cabbage Patch Kids from your childhood. Your child can welcome one of the Cabbage Patch Kids Babies into the family. Each soft, cuddly baby comes in a removable pajama or onesie outfit with matching blanket, along with a special CPK cabbage leaf-shaped bottle and pacifier. A variety of hair and eye colors as well as ethnicities is available. And of course, a birth certificate with a one-of-a-kind name and a birth date, as well as adoption papers are also included. Ages 2-5. $24.99. Target, Toys R Us.

Doll dress-ups are endless fun for your young designer with the Color & Cuddle Washable Doll. This machine-washable, 16-inch soft doll comes with four washable markers, two dresses and a pair of overalls. Select and color the perfect outfit for the day’s activities and, after washing, create a new ensemble for tomorrow. Ages 3-up.
$19.95. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 800-468-7386, www.store.metmuseum.org.

These magnetic dress-up dolls come with their own dollhouse, making play with them twice the fun. Included with the Magnetic Dress Up Dollhouse are four magnetic dolls, their pets, and 130 outfit pieces—enough outfits to make these dolls very well-dressed indeed. Ages 3-up. $49.99. Constructive Playthings catalog. 800-832-0572, www.cptoys.com.

Recall the timeless tale with the There Was an Old Lady Doll & CD. This ol’ gal has a tummy pouch under her bright red dress that holds a miniature collection of all that she swallows—a cow, bird, spider, cat, dog, goat, horse and of course, the fly! Your youngster will get a kick out of listening to the CD while playing with the doll and exploring her unusual diet. Ages 5-up. $36.95. Young Explorers catalog. 800-239-7577, youngexplorers.com.

All Booked Up!
Music and art go beautifully together in these book and CD sets from The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Children’s Songs Book and CD features 40 classic children’s songs paired with works from the Museum’s collection by Renoir and others. Songs are recorded on the included CD. Your child will sing along while learning to recognize some famous works of art. Ages 2-up. The Lullabies: Songbook and CD pairs 37 best-loved lullabies with works of art by Cassatt, Van Gogh, and others. Ages newborn-up. $29.95 each. $44.95 both sets. 800-468-7386, www.store.metmuseum.org.

Your tot is sure to enjoy Ernest, the Moose Who Doesn’t Fit, the delightful tale by Catherine Rayner of a moose who is simply too big for the book. He shifts and shimmies, and even with the help of his chipmunk friend, he just can’t seem to fit inside its pages. See how he resolves this most distressing problem! Ages newborn-up. $14.95. Cricket catalog. 800-821-0115, www.cricketmag.com.

Your child will feel special each time he hears the charming rhymes of On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman. You can celebrate his birth together as the moon smiles, polar bears dance, and the wind and rain whisper the child’s sweet name. Ages newborn-up. $16.95. Cricket catalog. 800-821-0115, www.cricketmag.com.

For a super spectacular pop-up book, invite your child to leaf through DC Super Heroes: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Green Lantern, and all the DC favorites are featured in over 25 impressive pop-ups. Some added surprises include a light-up Bat Signal and a twirling Lasso of Truth. Ages 3-up. $29.99.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 800-468-7386, www.store.metmuseum.org.

Find out how the dinosaurs celebrated the holidays in the Dinosaur Train: Ride the Holiday Train lift-the-flap board book. Straight from the popular TV show, Buddy and his friends travel to the North Pole for the winter solstice where the Pteranodon family builds snow dinosaurs, plays a prehistoric game of ice hockey, and makes new friends. Over 45 flaps hide lots of surprises for little ones to discover. Ages 3-up. $9.99. amazon.com.

Can you believe that Waldo of Where’s Waldo fame is 25 years old? To help celebrate, your youngster might like Where’s Waldo? The Search for the Lost Things, a compilation of spot-the-difference puzzles, mazes, memory games, word games, doodles, tangled line teasers, and more. This book is full of activities to keep her busy for hours. Ages 7-10. $12.99. Barnes & Noble, amazon.com.

Promising “1,000 wild & wacky facts & photos!” the Ultimate Weird But True Kids’ Book will keep your youngster’s attention from cover to cover. In “bite-size” stories, kids learn that it really can rain frogs, that a great white shark can weigh as much as 15 gorillas, and so much more. Ages 8-12. $19.95. National Geographic catalog. 888-225-5647, www.shopng.org.

These kids are the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys of the 21st century. The Club CSI Series will keep your middle schooler guessing and turning pages until the mysteries are solved. After a group of students become interested in forensic science in their classroom, they form Club CSI and investigate crimes and capers at their school. Grades 6-8. Hardcover $15.99 each. Paperback $5.99 each. amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com.

This story of aliens will have your youngsters giggling from page to page. Aliens Love Underpants by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort introduces kids to some loveable extraterrestrials who come to earth solely for the purpose of stealing earthling underpants. The book is written in verse with colorful illustrations and comes with a fun, plush alien doll dressed in, what else? Underpants! $27.95. Young Explorers catalog. 800-239-7577, youngexplorers.com.

Hallmark has launched a new series of books called “Be a Part of the Story.” As you read these books with your child, he can chat with the main character. The technology enables the characters to ask a special question when highlighted lines are read. When your child answers, the character responds, and the story continues. Titles include A Visit to the North Pole, A Day at Fairy Grandmother’s, and All Aboard. $24.95 each. Hallmark Stores. www.hallmark.com.

Your child will be pleased with any one of a number of Recordable Storybooks from Hallmark. As their name implies, these books allow a parent, grandparent, or other special adult to read and record the story which will then play back for the youngster as the pages are turned—a great idea for working or traveling parents, distant grandparents, or military service members away from home. Choose from these titles: All I Want for Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Very First Christmas or La Primera Navidad, Jingle’s Magic Christmas, The Night Before Christmas, and A Charlie Brown Christmas. $29.95 each. Hallmark Stores. www.hallmark.com.

Music & Movie Magic
Your preschooler will enjoy all the adventures of Peter Rabbit with The Beatrix Potter Collection 3-DVD Set, a screen translation of Potter’s works produced in association with the BBC. Pastel animation brings Peter and friends to life with all the tales you remember so well from your childhood. Oh my, the mischievious little bunny is still attracted to Mr. McGregor’s garden! Ages 3-6. $34.95. Cricket catalog. 800-821-0115, www.cricketmag.com.

Now your little one can enjoy all the fun with Buddy the T.Rex and his adoptive family of Pteranodons anytime she wants with the Dinosaur Train: Big, Big, Big DVD from Jim Henson Company, PBS Kids, and Paramount Home Entertainment. Buddy and his siblings travel back to the Jurassic Period on the dinosaur train for eight exciting adventures that bring dinosaurs to life and make science fun for your youngster. Ages 3-up. $12.99. amazon.com.

Dreams can come true and Christmas dreams are twice as sweet.
A Princess for Christmas, a new holiday film from Lionsgate Home Entertainment, shares the fairytale of an ordinary young woman from Buffalo, guardian to her mischievious niece and nephew, who gets swept away for the holidays to Europe to visit her long-lost royal family. Together she and the children turn the prim and proper castle into a lively place full of merriment and love. And oh yes, there is a prince charming in her future! All ages. $14.98. amazon.com.

Who knew Santa and Mrs. Claus had a daughter?? Well, they do, and in Hallmark Channel’s Annie Claus is Coming to Town it’s time for Annie Claus to leave the North Pole to see the world. She makes the trip to sunny California, where she meets some new friends and spreads Christmas cheer. Santa though is worried about the man she will choose to marry and bring home to take over the affairs of the North Pole. Two suitors are in the running, and only Annie can make the decision with the fate of Christmas hanging in the balance. All ages. $14.98. amazon.com.

Ignite the Imagination
This is a great idea—tying building block fun in with reading, in the LEGO DUPLO Read and Build Sets. As you read the board book, your tot will enjoy building along with the narrative, creating the characters he hears about in the story. There are three sets to choose from: Grow Caterpillar Grow!, Busy Farm, and Let’s Go! Vroom! Ages 1 1/2 -up. $12.99 each. Toys R Us, amazon.com.

Mr. Potato Head has certainly evolved from your childhood and mine. Now your youngster can play with Mr. Potato Head the Amazing Spider-Man Spider Spud, dressed in a Spider-Man outfit, of course, and Mr. Potato Head Star Wars Darth Tater, complete with black helmet, mask, and cape, as well as the infamous red lightsaber. Hard to believe, but the original Mr. Potato Head is celebrating his 60th birthday! Ages 2-up. $9.99 each. Toys R Us, amazon.com, hasbrotoyshop.com.

Space adventures are endless for your youngster with the 2 in 1 Space Rocket Play Set. This colorful rocket includes a detachable upper capsule, NASA logo, hatches that open and close, two astronauts, a moon buggy, and even three aliens to capture or fly home to their own planets. Push the button, and hear the countdown and the engines roar. Ages 3-up. $65. Smithsonian catalog. 800-322-0344, www.smithsonianstore.org.

Kids’ creations are unlimited with Imaginets, colorful magnetic pieces in all shapes and sizes that will adhere to the magnetic dry-erase surface on the inside of their wooden carrying case. Your youngster will be learning about color, shapes, proportion, and more as he creates with the pieces and draws backgrounds for his designs. Set includes 42 wooden blocks, 50 design challenges, and the carrying case. Ages 3-up. $29.95. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 800-468-7386, www.store.metmuseum.org.

Hopefully you won’t hear them hiss or roar, but your kids are bound to squeal with delight when they put the Mouth Man Hooded Tees on, wrap their arms around themselves, and see the creatures they have created. These long-sleeved tees come in seven screen-printed designs—dragon, cobra, tiger, tree frog, raptor, shark, and t-rex—on 100% quick-dry sport fabric. When your youngster folds his arms across his chest and moves them up and down, the animal’s jaws come to life. Sizes 4T, 6, 8, 10. $29.98. HearthSong catalog. 800-325-2502, hearthsong.com.

Building and re-building the Build-Your-Own City will give your youngster hours of fun. This set of 150 pieces includes ramps to zoom down, working lifts, and even a construction site with crane. The pieces snap together easily for endless “urban renewal.” Six vehicles and building instructions are included. The perfect town for those Matchbox and Hotwheels cars. Ages 4-12. $49.99. Toys to Grow On catalog. 800-987-4454, www.ttgo.com.

Your young aspiring pilot will have hours of fun with the Aircraft Carrier Playset. The carrier is 31-inches long and has such cool features as a working elevator, jet-blast deflectors, and a control tower. It comes with four die-cast metal jets. Ages 5-12. $29.90. Toys to Grow On catalog. 800-987-4454, www.ttgo.com.

All sorts of critters will come to live at your house when your children build with the Crazy Creatures Gear Set. The set includes 115 colorful pieces from springy extensions, to buggy eyes, to lots of gears, as well as a motor that will bring the whole creation to life. Ages 6-up. $39.95. Young Explorers catalog. 800-239-7577, youngexplorers.com.

With the LEGO Friends Adventure Camper, your child will have lots of summertime fun when the winter winds blow. The side of the camper opens and the roof lifts. Inside she’ll find sleeping bunks and even a flat screen TV. Friends Olivia and Nicole are enjoying bike riding and picnicking by the campfire. Ages 6-up. $29.99. Target, Toys R Us, Walmart, amazon.com.

Your youngster can create a robot like no other with the Tin Can Robot Kit. All you need to supply is a soda can, and the kit will turn it into a walking, wobbling, googly-eyed robot. A fun project for you to do together. Ages 8-up. $15.98. HearthSong catalog. 800-325-2502, hearthsong.com.

Getting Crafty
This bead project is so easy and so much fun. The AquaBeads Power Pen features a pen dispenser with color wheel loaded with brightly colored beads. Your youngster just clicks the wheel to select a bead, puts it in place on the workstation included in the kit, and repeats the process until the picture is complete. Then, just a misting with water will make the beads magically stick together—no heat necessary. The kit comes with 300 colorful beads—enough for a host of projects. Ages 4-up. $21.95. Young Explorers catalog. 800-239-7577, youngexplorers.com.

These dinosaurs can be as playful or ferocious as your child pleases when he paints the Design-Your-Own Dinos. This variety of six little dinos are about three-inches in height and made of smooth, sturdy plaster fashioned from recycled paper. The kit includes two brushes, 18 paints, and a finishing glaze. Ages 4-10. $19.99. Toys to Grow On catalog. 800-987-4454, www.ttgo.com.

Trace-N-Draw Projector makes drawing easy for your young artist. He chooses a slide, inserts it in the device, and traces a perfect outline for coloring or painting. There are over 80 images—dinosaurs to fire trucks! Projector comes with six rotating slides, lightbulbs, pencil, and paper. Ages 5-12. $19.99. Additional set of 12 slides available at $6.99. Toys to Grow On catalog. 800-987-4454, www.ttgo.com.

Only their imaginations will limit the characters they will become when your youngsters delve into the Make-Your-Own Mask kit. Your home will be visited by pirates, queens, lions, and almost any creature you can think of. The portable handled kit contains ten sturdy mask forms with elastic cords, cutouts, pom-poms, feathers, fringed paper, and double-stick tape—205 pieces in all. Ages 5-up. $18.95. MindWare catalog. 800-999-0398, mindware.com.

Kids will have a great time creating colorful pictures, and moms will appreciate the mess-free aspect of the Crayola Wonder Light Up Paint Palette. Wonder Paints are clear—the color only appears on the special Color Wonder paper, not on clothing, drawing surfaces, or even hands. The kit includes a light-up base unit, brush, six different paint colors, and 20 pages of paper. Ages 5-up. $24.99. Toys R Us, amazon.com.

The little girl in your life will enjoy this craft and look beautiful in the process with the Happy Headbands Kit. The kit includes eight satin and two stretchy headbands and all the trimmings to make them tres chic! Whether bows, bejeweled flowers, pom-poms or ribbons, she’ll have enough embellishments to match a different outfit every day of the week. Best of all, no gluing is involved—accessories just wrap, slide and layer, making it easy to create and re-create the perfect look for any occasion. Ages 6-up. $29.95. Young Explorers catalog. 800-239-7577, youngexplorers.com.

The perfect spot for all your child’s special keepsakes—a shadowbox. The Scrapbook Shadowbox Kit provides a sturdy wooden box and lots of craft items to decorate and personalize it, including paper flowers and designs, scrapbook paper, ribbons, stick-on gems, stencils, glitter, and stickers. Markers, glue, and scissors are also included. She’ll be delighted with the message bottle and metal lock and key charms also in the kit. Ages 6-9. $24.95. Cricket catalog. 800-821-0115, www.cricketmag.com.

Encourage your youngster to design greeting cards, and yes, thank-you notes, for friends and family with the Make-Your-Own Cards Kit. The kit includes 20 envelopes, 20 blank cards in seven colors, and more than 500 colorful pop-out shapes to create endless unique designs. Ages 6-9. $19.95. Cricket catalog. 800-821-0115, www.cricketmag.com.

For a new twist on “paint by number,” offer your child the Colored Sand: Birds of Paradise Art by Numbers Kit. He or she can bring the four pre-printed images of exotic birds to life using the 12 individual pots of colorful sand. Best of all, there is little mess as the sand is applied to the picutre right in the storage box. As each color is completed, the excess sand can be siphoned back into its storage pot. Ages 6-9. $17.95. Cricket catalog. 800-821-0115, www.cricketmag.com.

Your little girl will be right in style wearing the new scarf or belt she fashions herself with the Romantic Scarf Kit. Along with a detailed instruction booklet and loom, the kit includes ribbon yarn, feather yarn, crochet hook, three colors of thread, beads, gems, and enough yarn to make one scarf or two belts. Ages 8-up. $19.98. HearthSong catalog. 800-325-2502, hearthsong.com.

Kids love to make and share friendship bracelets, and the Loopdedoo Bracelet Maker makes it easier than ever. The special twisting tool allows them to twist, wrap, and loop color combos into thick or thin bracelets in minutes. They can also create necklaces, anklets, and belts. Along with the twisting tool, the kit includes 18 skeins of embroidery thread and detailed instructions. Ages 8-up. $34.98. HearthSong catalog. 800-325-2502, hearthsong.com.

Your youngster will decorate everything from pencils and pens, to stationery, fashion accessories, and even cell phones and school lockers with the Tapefitti Tape Art Tote from Fashion Angels. The 12 rolls of repositionable and removable Tapeffiti come in a wide array of colors and patterns. Ages: tweens. $11.99. www.fashionangels.com, www.target.com.

Get in the Game
Intended for the littlest members of the family, the Little Balancing Game can be enjoyed by everyone. Wobbly frogs teeter on lily pads over the pond, trusting the players to balance them perfectly. With each round of play, the stacks, and the stakes, get higher. Play can be modified for any age group. Ages infant-3. $19.95. Cricket catalog. 800-821-0115, www.cricketmag.com.

You won’t want to be the one to make the stack fall in the Don’t Let the Bugs Fall! Game. Kids will enjoy stacking the colorful bug blocks. Players roll the die to select a color and then must pull a matching bug from the stack and place it on top—all while keeping the tower upright. Not easy, but lots of fun for two to four players. Ages 3-up. $9.99. Toys to Grow On catalog. 800-987-4454, www.ttgo.com.

Toss a ball at this target, and you’ll get a whole lot of sass back! The Annoying Orange Fresh Talking Target Game features a sturdy target board to hang almost anywhere and six balls for target practice. But beware! Annoying Orange and his Kitchen Crew will challenge your play with heckles and funny jokes. Talk about annoying!!! Ages 4-up. $21.99. Toys R Us.

Lots of laughs are sure to erupt when the kids play the When Pigs Fly Game. Be the first to successfully launch all your porkers and win the game. Included are a spinning game board with canopy sky, and 12 little piggies. Ages 5-up. $34.95. Young Explorers catalog. 800-239-7577, youngexplorers.com.

Spot It! is a different take on familiar matching card games. The round Spot It! cards contain multiple everyday items. But there is one, and only one, matching item between any two cards. The first player to spot the match wins the round. The player with the most rounds, wins the game. Ages 6-up. $12.95. Spot It! Jr. Animals features a variety of animals on the game cards waiting to be paired up. Ages 4-up. $10.95. MindWare catalog. 800-999-0398, mindware.com.

A version of the familiar Rubik’s cube, Rubik’s Race pits player against player in an attempt to match the pattern on the scrambler. The first one to do so wins. Ages 7-up. $14.99. amazon.com, toyrus.com, kohls.com, hasbro.com.

Your family will be proud to be American, especially if they can pull off a win at the American Trivia Board Game Family Edition. The game poses more than 2,000 questions in four categories—geography, history, arts, and general knowledge. Your children will be learning as they meet the challenge of this game. Ages 9-up. $34.95. Young Explorers catalog. 800-239-7577, youngexplorers.com.

Perfect for family game night, 5 Second Rule “Just Spit It Out!” challenges players to name three of something in just five seconds. Can you name three breeds of dogs in five seconds? Sounds easy, but under pressure it may not be. Perfect for parties too. Game includes 576 questions on 288 cards, a 5-second twisted marble timer, and of course, rules. Ages 10-up. $14.95. The Lakeside Collection catalog. 847-444-3150, www.lakeside.com.

Not your grandfather’s hide and seek! Hide-&-See Safari features either a plastic monkey or tiger to hide. The seekers use a “Magic Seeker Wand” to find the jungle animal. The wand lights up if the player is getting closer to the quarry or farther away. The set includes the monkey or tiger and two wands. Additional wands are available. All ages. $36.95. Additional wands $21.95 set of two. Young Explorers catalog. 800-239-7577, youngexplorers.com.

It’s a Puzzlement
Here’s a geography lesson that will have your child on the floor, piecing together all 50 states. The USA Map Floor Puzzle features colorful soft, chunky puzzle pieces in the shapes of all the states, just waiting to be connected one to another. The back of each piece shows the location of the state capital and other significant landmarks. Ages 3-up. $29.95. MindWare catalog. 800-999-0398, mindware.com.

Tangoes from Smart Toys and Games are based on ancient Chinese Tangram puzzles that combine artistic and mathematical elements for hours of fun. Seven puzzle pieces can form an infinite number of designs, including human and animal figures and everyday objects. Just draw a card and arrange the pieces in the pattern you see there. Fun for one, two, or teams of players. Ages 5-up. $9.99-up. www.smarttangoes.com.

Bendit, a unique puzzle game, offers 60 engrossing challenges that will keep players occupied for hours. The game offers the solution to your challenge of choice—it’s up to you to look for color patterns to determine which balls are connected and how, by bending all the puzzle pieces and clicking them into new positions. Quite the challenge! Ages 7-up. $14.99. amazon.com.

We fear there may be some competition among the members of your family, even the adults, to get their hands on the Sudoku Puzzle Game. The sturdy wooden puzzle board is accompanied by 81 colorful marbles to place in groups of nine—no pencil or eraser needed. Great for teaching the kids about deductive reasoning, strategy, and the process of elimination. Ages 8-up. $19.98. HearthSong catalog. 800-325-2502, hearthsong.com.

Reveal the fiery orange dragon as you work on The Dragon’s Castle Puzzle. You’ll also find his impressive castle as well as a brave knight ready to challenge him. This 54-piece puzzle is just right for smaller hands to piece together. All ages. $15.95. Cricket catalog. 800-821-0115, www.cricketmag.com.

Learning Fun
Your youngster can join Scout and his friends in two adventures with the LeapFrog: Gift of Learning 2-DVD and Scout Plush Set. Included are LeapFrog: Scout & Friends Phonics Farm, in which Scout, Violet, Eli, and Penny take their magical toy car to a farm, discover a remarkable alphabet collection, and enjoy lots of ABC antics; LeapFrog: Scout & Friends Number Land, in which Scout and his buddies travel again by magical toy car to Number Land where they meet the residents, attend a surprise birthday party, and build early number skills. The set also includes a cuddly, plush Scout. Ages 2-up. $29.98. Best Buy.

One of your little one’s favorite friends, Ready for School Elmo from Playskool, teaches her a host of new skills. She can begin to develop fine motor skills with the zippers, snaps, and fasteners on his clothing, while exploring colors, shapes, and more. Elmo sings the ABC song and a numbers song for more learning fun. Ages 2-up. $29.99. Target, amazon.com, hasbrotoyshop.com.

Your kids will be world travelers with a subscription to the Little Passports USA and World Edition kits. The USA Discovery Kit includes a letter from travel guides Sam and Sofia, a wall-sized USA map, field guide, scratch book, disposable camera, and photo scavenger hunt. Each month your children will receive a travel journal packed with 32 pages of activities themed around two different states, a 3D pop-up model of a state landmark, state stickers, postcards, and a letter from Sam and Sofia. They will also receive a code to access games, activities, facts, and printable images online at the Little Passports website. The World Edition begins with the Explorer Kit, a mini-suitcase with a letter from Sam and Sofia, a wall-sized world map, a passport to personalize, travel stickers, activity sheets, and a code to Little Passports’ online Boarding Zone. Each month kids will receive a new country pack, Sam and Sofia’s latest letter, a country souvenir, postcard, stickers, activity sheets, and an online code. 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month subscriptions available. 12-month subscription, $10.95 per month plus shipping. www.littlepassports.com.

Just for Tweens
Keep those precious toes warm and cozy with fuzzy [wuzzy] ballerina skimmers. These soft, furry slippers come in lots of cool, colorful patterns. A great place to keep her feet on cold winter nights. $5. Five Below stores. www.fivebelow.com.

Keeping track of the time is just one reason for sporting this wristwatch. The six-color transparent color wheel disc revolves around the matching face of the Color Magic Watch, creating a blend of colors in 60 variations per minute, making this watch fascinating to “watch.” The clear band further enhances the color changes. $45. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 800-468-7386, www.store.metmuseum.org.

Any little girl will be thrilled with the Wildly Cute Wildlife Pendants featuring a host of wild animals from which to choose. Styles vary, but the necklaces may sport hand-painted enameling, crystals, or stones; all come with a 16-inch chain and are cradled in a soft velour box. Choose from panda, ladybug, koala, dolphin, turtle, fish, frog, flamingo, or lion. $9.99 each. National Wildlife Federation catalog. 800-756-3752, www.shopnwf.org.

Kids in the Kitchen
Your youngsters will be cooking up all kinds of fun and delicious food in the kitchen with the Playful Chef Kit, featuring five age-appropriate laminated recipe cards, five child-sized cooking tools, an apron with pockets, color-coded measuring spoons and cups, a baking pan, mixing bowl, and timer, as well as lessons in kitchen safety, science, measuring, nutrition, seasonings, and clean-up. You might even want to add a host of additional recipes with the Playful Chef Cookbook especially for kids. It’s never too early to have the kids helping out in the kitchen. Ages 3-6, 6-9. Chef Kit: $39.95. Cookbook: $14.95. MindWare catalog. 800-999-0398, mindware.com.

Is it science? Or is it cooking? Maybe it’s both! With the Candy Factory kit, kids can make chocolates, caramels, hard candy, gummy shapes, and more as they learn all about the science of candy. The kit includes an illustrated experiment manual with 25 recipes and info on the biology of taste, chemistry of sugar, and history of candy; a thermometer, spatula, stirring and dipping tools, molds, cutters, wrappers, and lollipop sticks. Ages 10-up. $39.95. MindWare catalog. 800-999-0398, mindware.com.

It’s Electric! Electronics for All Ages
Just for fun, your youngster will enjoy changing the tone of her voice with the Voice Changer. Three different settings allow her to sound like a robot, an alien, or a space traveler. It is encased in colorful, clear plastic so that she can actually see how the device works. Ages 3-up. $19.95. National Geographic catalog. 888-225-5647, www.shopng.org.

The Electronic Chatimals Talking Hamster is a noisy, furry little fellow that is sure to delight your children. They just press his paw, wait for the red light, say anything that’s on their minds, and hear their chatter repeated in a hilarious, random critter voice, including in silly squeaky hamster talk. Ages 4-up. $29.95. Young Explorers catalog. 800-239-7577, youngexplorers.com.

They’ll be making music in no time with the Sing with Me CD Player. Your child can sing along with a favorite CD using the working mike, or have a friend join her using the dual microphone feature. For quiet times, she may just want to listen to her favorite tunes. Ages 4-12. $39.99. Toys to Grow On catalog. 800-987-4454, www.ttgo.com.

Your child will have complete command of Rapid-fire Robot at the touch of his handheld controller. He’ll have a great time ordering the robot to walk forward and backward, turn left and right, travel into another room, talk, dance, and launch soft foam disks into the air. Ages 5-up. $39.95. National Geographic catalog. 888-225-5647, www.shopng.org.

The moon and stars are at your youngster’s fingertips with the Interactive “Laptop” Planetarium. She can explore the solar system and glean thousands of facts about the sun, the planets and their moons. Ages 5-up. $34.95. National Geographic catalog. 888-225-5647, www.shopng.org.

No doubt you’ll find this arachnid a little creepy, but we bet your youngster will love the Remote Controlled Tarantula. It moves its fuzzy body forward, backward, and in a 360-degree spin on eight furry legs. Its eyes light up, making it especially frightening when it appears to unsuspecting friends and family. Ages 6-up. $29.95. Hammacher Schlemmer catalog. 800-543-3366, hammacher.com.

Inspired by the Disney Pixar movie “Brave,” in Brave: The Video Game players become Merida and other popular characters from the film as they play through the landscape of mythical Scotland, utilize their wits and bravery against fierce enemies to end a magical curse, and save the kingdom. Ages 10-up. $24.99-$29.99. Wii, Xbox 360, PS3, PC/Mac. amazon.com, target.com.

The Skylanders are back this holiday season with Skylanders Giants, their latest video game adventure featuring the debut of 16 new characters, new technology, returning favorites with new powers, and new playgrounds to explore. The Starter Pack (Wii, Xbox 360, PS3, 3DS) at $74.99 includes the video game, a portal of power, three Skylander figures, one poster, three sticker sheets, and three trading cards. The Portal Owners Pack (Wii, Xbox 360, PS3) at $59.99 includes the video game, one Skylander figure, and one each poster, sticker sheet, and trading card. Ages 10-up. Toys R Us, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, amazon.com.

Kids can tag along with Mickey Mouse in two exciting video game adventures. In Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, players become Mickey and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit as they visit Wasteland, a world full of forgotten Disney characters and theme park attractions. All ages. $39.99-$59.99. Wii, Xbox 360, PS3, PC. Disney Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion pays tribute to the classic Sega Genesis title “Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse” and focuses on the Castle which has fallen into Wasteland. Players become Mickey, exploring the Castle of Illusion on a mission to stop the evil deeds of the wicked witch Mizrabel. All ages. $39.99. Nintendo 3DS. amazon.com, target.com.

Your youngster can enter an enchanted world filled with Disney princesses playing Disney Princess: My Fairytale Adventure. Players become an apprentice to the Fairy Godmother and explore the worlds of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Ariel, Belle, and Tiana. All ages. $29.99-$39.99. Wii, DS, PC/Mac. amazon.com, target.com.

Everyone will enjoy stretching and pinging To-Fu as he tries to become the “Master of Chi” in the new game To-Fu Collection. There are 200 trials for To-Fu to complete, including unique surfaces and booby-traps, as he tries to reach the Fortune Kitty exit. All ages. $19.99. Nintendo. amazon.com.

Stocking Stuffers
Kind of creepy, but lots of fun, these Eye Pop Dinosaurs get bug-eyed when your youngster gives them a good squeeze. Just 2 1/2-inches tall, these colorful squishy dinos come in a set of four. Ages 5-up. $19.98 the set. HearthSong catalog. 800-325-2502, hearthsong.com.

Dress up their sneakers with these Light Up Shoelaces. LED lights feature three settings—constant glow, blink, or slow flash—and come with replaceable batteries for up to 70 hours of light. Each set comes with two 30-inch laces in green, blue, pink, or red. Ages 6-up. $12.98. Hearth Song catalog. 800-325-2502, hearthsong.com.

Light up their fingertips in Light-Up Gloves, white sequined gloves with LED lights built right in. The gloves feature six settings of multi-function flashing, three-color lights. They’ll have a great time dancing in the dark sporting these gloves. Ages 6-up. $19.98. HearthSong catalog. 800-325-2502, hearthsong.com.

These dot-to-dot drawings are very intricate but loads of fun. Extreme Dot to Dot Books will keep your child occupied for hours. After connecting 500 to over 1,400 dots, she will enjoy coloring them in with special Chisel-Tip Markers that handle broad coverage and fine detail with ease. Book titles include Extreme Animals, Legends & Lore, Around the USA, Around the World, Prehistoric, Sports, and more. A great way to exercise both sides of her brain! Ages 8-up. Books: $8.95 each, 3 for $19.95. Markers: $5.95. MindWare catalog. 800-999-0398, mindware.com.

Here’s a 21st-century way to communicate—Hallmark Text Bands. This nifty little gadget looks like a wristwatch. Kids enter up to 10 characters onto the screen, and when they meet a friend with a text band, a fist bump or high five will transfer messages between the two youngsters. $14.99. Hallmark Stores. www.hallmark.com.

Gifts that Give Back
Help save a child’s life when you present your child with the Boogie Monster Book Set. A portion of your purchase will go toward UNICEF’s campaign to aid children all around the world. This interactive storybook includes a CD of dance tunes to get the toes tapping. Best of all, it comes with furry, slip-on “monster legs” to make the dancing even more fun. Ages 3-up. $30. UNICEF Holiday catalog. 800-553-1200, www.unicefusa.org/shop.

Your kids will love decorating their backpacks and keeping track of their house keys with these adorable Animal Buddy Keychains from the World Wildlife Fund. Surface-washable, the critters come with cool messages about our planet. Choose from the following pairs: giraffe/elephant, alligator/shark, turtle/penguin, African wild dog/tree frog, panda/tiger. Your purchase will help in the general support of worldwide conservation efforts. $25/pair. 800-CALL-WWF, worldwildlife.org/gifts.

Symbolically adopt an animal, and you’ll be helping to protect America’s wildlife and their habitats, as well as encouraging your child’s love of nature. The National Wildlife Federation has three “adoption” plans to choose from: the $20 Adoption provides a certificate of adoption, and an 11”x14” poster of your adopted friend; the $30 Adoption adds a plush animal “twin” of your adopted friend to the basic plan; the $50 Adoption adds a photo calendar magnet of your adopted animal to the $30 plan. Free shipping is included in all plans. Choose from a host of favorite animals, from the alligator to the white-tailed deer and just about everything in between. 800-756-3752, www.shopnwf.org.

These cuddly stuffed friends do so much more than just provide friendship and comfort for your child. Gertie the plush goat and Chuma the plush chick help the World Vision organization fight poverty in nearly 100 countries, including the U.S. For your donation of just $25 either Gertie or Chuma will arrive on your doorstep to befriend your youngster. All ages. World Vision Gift Catalog. 888-511-6511, worldvisiongifts.org.

Purchase a toy from the IKEA Soft Toys for Education campaign and help educate children around the world. IKEA donates one euro ($1.35) per purchase to such organizations as UNICEF and Save the Children. Choose from a host of stuffed animals, finger puppets, and books in all IKEA stores and online. All ages. $.49-$19.99. ikea.com.

From a workshop in the Holy Land comes this unique Hand-Carved Nativity. Carved from olive wood, the set includes Mary, Baby Jesus, Joseph, shepherd, cow, donkey, and sheep. No two sets are alike. You’ll be helping to make life easier for disadvantaged children around the world. $45. UNICEF Holiday catalog. 800-553-1200, www.unicefusa.org/shop.

Shopping Tips!
Bargain Hunter’s Websites
You’ll find coupons, great deals and savings on clothing for the whole family, toys, electronics, sporting goods, and much more, from scores of companies, including Barnes and Noble, The Gap, JC Penney, Nordstrom, Old Navy, Toys R Us, Banana Republic, Bath & Body Works, Kohl’s, Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Babies R Us, amazon.com, and hundreds more.  Carve out a half hour or more, and sit down to browse these comprehensive websites loaded with bargains.
Don’t overlook Facebook, where businesses often offer special deals to members on their pages, and Twitter, where you’ll find coupons from popular retailers.

Smart Holiday Spending
Having looked over this vast array of gifts, is your head spinning? Are you wondering where to begin?
The folks at Consolidated Credit Counseling Services, Inc., a nonprofit educational credit counseling and debt management organization, have some practical advice in their “Holiday Survival Guide.” You can download a free copy of the guide online at www.ConsolidatedCredit.org/booklets/holidaysurvivalguide.pdf. Here is just a brief summary with a few tips, hints, and warnings from CCCS to keep in mind.
·Begin your shopping by making a holiday giving budget, and do your best to stick to it. You may want to ask adult family members to set spending limits on gifts or to consider drawing names for giving. Let your youngsters know that there is a budget for their gifts, and ask them to prioritize their wish list. You might want to give them gift cards for some of the items on their lists and hit the mall after the holiday for great bargains.
·Before setting out to shop, make a list of those you are buying for, with possible gift purchases, each marked with a dollar limit. Check newspapers, catalogs, and ads to determine where you need to go to buy and which stores have the best prices on the items on your list. Start your shopping early enough so that there is plenty of time to comparison shop.
·Keep track of how much you’ve spent. And remember, things like taxes, gift wrap, postage, and shipping all add up – budget for them also.
·Consider using cash in lieu of credit. Decide how much you want to spend and take just that amount of money with you shopping. Or use debit cards or your checkbook.
·If you decide to use plastic, use no more than two credit cards – one with a low rate for any purchases that you may need to pay for over a period of time. CCCS recommends that you keep in mind “…you are the best judge of what you can comfortably manage. Just because you have a certain amount of credit available, doesn’t mean you should use all of it between Thanksgiving and New Years. REMEMBER: Never borrow more than you can reasonably pay off. Giving gifts should be a gesture, not a sacrifice.”
·If you are shopping online, use credit cards. If you’re scammed, you generally are not responsible for any more than $50. Shop at companies you’re familiar with. And most importantly when you enter the shopping cart or the e-commerce area of a site, remember that secure servers show “shttp” or “https” instead of simply “http” at the beginning of their website’s address or URL. Don’t include credit card information or personal information like social security numbers in an email - legitimate shopping websites use special forms. Stay away from unsolicited email offers as they are often scams.
With a lot of planning and a little common sense, your holiday shopping can be a pleasurable prelude to the delight of the season.

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