Gifts for Kids

 XBox 360 Kinect
The Kinect is a video game system that uses the wave of your hand or sound of your voice to be the controller! It brings video game play to an entirely new level!  It's available in major retailers nationwide along with an array of games for all ages. Available at retailers nationwide.

 ZhuZhu pets
Last year's must-have gifts are back again this year with battle scars and princess attire.  In fact, they are the number one selling brand of plush girl toys in the US (according to NDP). The Zhuniverse now includes the ZhuZhu Princess and ZhuZhu Babies (they won't arrive until Spring so you won't be finding them under the tree quite yet).  The princess has a castle sold separately and she's even capable of dancing with her prince.  And the battle-scar pets are a big hit with boys who like to see the tough side of ZhuZhu land.  The ZhuZhu pets are available nationwide.

 Grasshopper Preschool Prep Kits
Want to give the kind of gift that can help your child learn?  You may want to try the Grasshopper Preschool Prep Kits.  The concept behind the kits is brand new...they are the first of their kind to contain no pencils, workbooks, or electronics.  The kits are ALL fun and packed with games designed to help give kids a head start and build confidence for school all while they play games.  The kits are created by an expert (pediatric occupational therapist) and each contains a guidebook with all the info a parent would want.  The kits are in Barnes and Nobles and FAO Schwarz along with the company website:  www.grasshopperkits.com.   

The Learning Tower is a sturdy, non-tip structure that serves several purposes for toddlers, from step stool so that they can help in the kitchen at counter height to an art easel (with the adaptable Art Easel piece) that allows them to color for hours.  There are different settings based on your child's height, making it convenient for more than one child.  If you have a little chef in the home this is an ideal way to get them involved while keeping them safe.  As an easel there's a dry erase board on one side and a chalkboard on the other side.  And you can get these in a variety of colors to match your home, from natural wood, dark cherry, ebony, soft white, red, azure blue, royal blue, pink, to apple green.

Both items can be purchased online at www.littlepartners.com and throughout the U.S. and Canada (please see store locator on website) THE LEARNING TOWER: Cost is $199.99  THE ART EASEL: Cost is $59.99

Little boys love things with remote controls that they can play with and the Zibits are ideal for taking along in their pockets!   ZIBITS is a line of mini collectible robots that come to life with remote control. Kids can collect 12 Zibits in multiple unique, fun designs. At a size of just more than two inches, Zibits are brought to life with the touch of a button that moves the robots several directions. They're also fully equipped with robotic lights and sounds. Every Zibits comes with a name & back story, giving each robot his own personality! Senario has recently released groundbreaking play sets, so kids can form their own buildable & expandable Zibits communities.  Zibits (by Senario), $9.99, Target and Toys “R  Us

Scare Me Not Monsters
As a child I was always afraid of being in my room by myself.  Same thing for lots of other children these days, but now they have Scare Me Not Monsters to keep them company.  The large plush monsters have velcro to help them hang in your room or you can cuddle with them at night.  They help children face their fears and get them through separation anxiety.  The small monsters are perfect for travel!
Full-size $24.99            Travel size $14.99         Can be purchased online at http://www.scaremenot.com or at select specialty toy stores nationwide

 My Secret Circle
Tween girls love to keep a diary about their day to day dramas and now they have a high tech option for doing just that.  Senario's electronic portable journal, My Secret Circle, gives them a special place to record their innermost thoughts and experiences. My Secret Circle is a USB key, so girls can plug it in wherever there is a computer with an Internet connection. Users can also create photo pages and scrapbook in a digital world where everything can either be kept private or shared only with their selected friends. The added bonus is girls can also connect to their friends who also have My Secret Circle in a secure environment.  My Secret Circle (by Senario), My Secret Circle B.F.F. Packs, which include two access keys for sharing, is sold at Target stores nationwide for $19.99. Single key packs are sold on Amazon.com for $12.99.

My Name Is Not Isabella is a picture book perfect for girls 4-8 years old.  It conveys an empowering and inspiring message that mothers, grandmothers, aunts and sisters will want to pass along to little girls in their lives. The protagonist, Isabella, celebrates everything a woman can be by using her imagination pretending to be some of the groundbreaking women who changed history: Annie the sharpshooter, Rosa the activist, Marie the scientist, and many more. This heartwarming tale introduces girls to some amazing role models and empowers them with the knowledge that they can be anything they want to be. It’s truly a perfect read for any kid who is constantly imagining what they want to be when they grow up. Ages 4-8. My Name Is Not Isabella (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky; ISBN: 978-1-4022-4395-0; Picture Book $16.99; September 2010); wherever books are sold.

LadybugsandLullabies.com:  Adorable Hair Accessories for Little Girls

 Ladybugs & Lullabies (www.ladybugsandlullabies.com) offers adorable hair clips--even for little ones who have next to no hair. Filled with flowers and bows, ladybugs, butterflies, tiaras, duckies, doggies, kitties, and even a birthday cake, you don't need to be a celebrity to love these adorable clips and headband creations made from felt, crochet and ribbon fabrics. What makes them even more special is that the clips are guaranteed to gently hold in a single strand of hair and even peach fuzz, so they stay in your little ones hair. The company uses no chemicals on their clips and ensures that quality is a topmost priority. Plus, they offer no slip clips and bows for all ages, including: babies, toddlers and school age children and ship to both the U.S. and Canada. Parents can choose from the popular no slip hair clips to the new Felt collection (http://www.ladybugsandlullabies.ca/category.php?category_id=54) or their ever popular line of adjustable headbands (http://www.ladybugsandlullabies.ca/category.php?category_id=95) and boutique beanies (http://www.ladybugsandlullabies.ca/category.php?category_id=99), priced between $4.99 and $6.99 for a no slip clip, to $6.99 to 19.99, for adjustable headbands or boutique beanies.

S2H REPLAY
Is there a child in your life you'd like to get more active?  The S2H REPLAY may be ideal.  It's a unique activity tracker that records and rewards physical activity. For every 60 minutes of activity, earn a special reward code that you upload to S2H.COM for points. Simply earn and accumulate these points towards free Nintendo Wiis, Apple iPod Nanos and iTunes, DVDs, movie tickets, gift cards and more!
$19.95 with additional replacement bands $2.99
Purchased at- S2H.COM and online at Sears and Amazon

Have some readers on your list that you need to find the best book for this year?  These are great options! 

Time For Kids and Sports Illustrated Kids wanted to create books that parents and children could enjoy together that are unique, educational, interactive and compliment school work.

For Sports Illustrated, there are so many avid sports and pop culture fans and the Sports Illustrated covers are a part of history. Sports Illustrated wanted to put together a compellation for their fans.

Sports Illustrated:  The Covers - The editors of Sports Illustrated present Sports Illustrated:  The Covers, a 208 page collection of every single Sports Illustrated cover. With over 2,500 color photos, Sports Illustrated:  The Covers showcases the magazine’s historical and iconic covers, in chronological order, starting with the first issue (Aug. 16, 1954) and going through 2009. Divided and organized by decade, this index is further supplemented by chapter introductions written by the Sports Illustrated editor most closely associated with each 10-year block.

Sports Illustrated Kids: All Access – All Access is your pass to behind-the-scenes photos of athletes, locker rooms and more. Most fans experience sports from afar, but Sports Illustrated Kids gives you an All Access pass. Get an up-close look at the coolest items and places in sports. What does the inside of a baseball look like? What’s behind the doors of an NFL locker room? What lies inside Fenway Park’s Green Monster? Readers can unveil details by lifting up clear layers of acetate and go places they haven’t been before. Packed with exciting photos from Sports Illustrated and fascinating trivia, this hands-on book is guaranteed to entertain sports fans of all ages.

The BIG Book of Why - The BIG Book of Why answers the biggest questions kids commonly ask and adults can rarely answer. With 1,001 facts, the 192-page hardcover book, The BIG Book of Why goes beyond just answering the questions, but dips into the science or history to further explain the answer in an easy to follow, straightforward and fun way. Kids learn “why” through detailed explanations and over 200 colorful photos and illustrations. Divided by subject area – humans, animals, environment/nature, technology, science, and space – and written in an exciting and engaging manner, each answer is accompanied by either a photo or an illustration to prove the reasons why.

That’s Awesome - That’s Awesome brings kids awesome facts guaranteed to impress and remain with the reader long after they are finished with the book. Written in an authoritative, age-appropriate and clear style, That’s Awesome incorporates fascinating photos and diagrams for which TIME and TIME For Kids are known. That’s Awesome is divided into kid-appealing subject areas, including the most “awesome” aspects of Sports & Games, Music, Extreme Geography, The World of Plants and Animals, The Human Body, Technology, and The Most Expensive Items in the World (from autos to planes to toys). That’s Awesome hasn’t forgotten the gross factor that children love, such as the smelliest bug on Earth or titan beetles that can snap a pencil in half. Besides facts-at-a-glance and detailed photo captions, articles from TIME For Kids magazine provide background and the inside scoop on various topics. The lively writing engages and entertains readers as they learn about the world around them.

Sports Illustrated:  The Covers (Sports Illustrated Books; October 12, 2010; $29.95) and Sports Illustrated Kid: All Access (Sports Illustrated Kids; October 26, 2010; $19.95) 
That’s Awesome (Time Home Entertainment, Inc., October 5, 2010, $19.95, Ages 8 and up) and The BIG Book of Why (Time Home Entertainment, Inc.; August 10, 2010; $19.95, Ages 8 and up)
All four books are available at major bookstores and www.Amazon.com

Disney offers some great options for children, from dresses to plush dolls, to super stocking stuffers such as Fairies bubble bath, Totally Tink Cosmetic sets, and Cars Bath Shaving kit.

Ah Goo Baby Plush Pad
The Plush Pad® by Ah Goo Baby® is the multi-purpose memory foam surface for baby...bringing the comfort of the nursery into any room and any place.  Machine washable and water-resistant, it’s perfect for diaper changes, tummy time, infant/parent classes, around home, on-the-go, or during extended travel. Toss it in the stroller or car for a quick change while on the road; Take it to beach or park, so baby can relax on a soft and cozy surface; Replace the plastic/vinyl pad in one’s diaper bag with The Plush Pad®, for really comfortable daily changes.  This product is patented and the only portable station that incorporates memory foam, a rolling design (much like a yoga mat) and is also water-resistant and machine washable.  The Plush Pad comes in two options.  One is $24.95, and can be purchased at Babies R Us, Diapers.com, or buybuybaby.com.  The other is boutique which retails for $29.95 and is available in hundreds of fine boutiques across the country as well as direct via www.ahgoobaby.com.

 


***Special note to readers: Many of these companies sent samples of their items to be included in this gift guide.  Most of the items were then donated to a charity for fundraisers or a gift for the holidays to those less fortunate.