Dance Baby Dance Classical Stacker
(Fisher-Price $22.99 Score:) This prior award-winning stacker is reintroduced in new colors. Star rings fit on the post in any order (a plus). Post has magical lights that wink and play music when top is pressed. Sound quality is not excellent, but it is a long-term favorite. The sounds and lights make this a multi-sensory toy with great appeal. Encourages eye hand and dexterity as well as playful problem solving.

Age: Infants,Toddlers. Award Year: 2005.

Stacking Activity Cubes
(Small World Toys $15 Score:) These three cubes can be stacked in any order; the shape fits under the cutout. Each block can be activated by cranking, spinning, or pushing a button. They take some finger power for the motion payoff. Introduce one at a time; once they have them all figured out, introduce the stacking aspect for multi-action surprise! 18 mos. & up. (800) 421-4153.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2006.

Stacking Shapes Pegboard
(Learning Resources $14.95 Score:) A classic toy returns! Little hands will be busy with twenty-five easy-to-grasp, brightly colored chunky pegs that can be sorted by color or shape on the big 10"-square base. Pegs can be stacked and eventually strung like beads. Marked two & up, we’d say this is for slightly older twos and even threes. (800) 222-3909.

Age: Toddlers,Preschool. Award Year: 2006.

Lamaze Balancing Bug Stacker
(Learning Curve International $14.95 Score:) Five chunky bugs and a snail can be stacked one on top of another or explored one at a time. Our 8 month old tester thought they were best for teething and tossing. Each has eyes, colorful patterns and chewable wings, legs, or feelers. With magnets safely enclosed in the body of each, these are safe for mouthing and fun for little hands to explore. Add a box or bowl and they will be fun for filling and spilling. Marked 6 months & up, but will be enjoyed most when your baby is able to grasp and release--usually comes a little further down the road. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Infants,Toddlers. Award Year: 2007.

Lamaze Stack, Roll and Crawl Ball
(Learning Curve International $20 Score:) A stack of rings fit onto a straight post, so there is no size order for fitting them on. However, to put the ball together, they will need to be in order. That said, this is a toy that can be enjoyed long before babies can put it together or take it apart. It’s a colorful ball with beads rolling around the top, that you can spin or roll back and forth with baby. Taking it apart will come before they can fit it back together…in order or otherwise. So, this is a versatile plaything that won’t roll too far away from beginning players, can encourage social behaviors, crawling and eventually eye hand coordination. 6 months & up. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Infants,Toddlers. Award Year: 2009.

Read to Me Tot Tower
(eeBoo $19 Score:) The Read to Me Tot Tower has sturdy cardboard blocks with handsome illustrations of images to know and name. 1 & up.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2004.

Plan Toys Shape-n-Sort
(Brio $15 Score:) A handsome wooden three-shape sorter. Drop the pieces in place, hit the tray, and pieces drop out.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2005.

Plan Toys Shape Sorter
(Brio $20 Score:) A handsome curved wooden platform holds four shapes in place. Cut-out shape boards are fitted over the circle, square, rectangle, and triangle. Boards can be used to reinforce color, shapes, or fractions. Also see Plan Toys’ Shape & Sort ($20 ) with three shapes that drop in and slide out—Abracadabra!—when platform is touched. (888) 274-6869.

Age: Toddlers,Preschool. Award Year: 2005.

Zolo Stacrobats
(Kushies $45 Score:) Five colorful fabric acrobats and three colorful balls can be balanced (sort of) and arranged in multiple ways on their colorful magnetic fabric balancing three-ring circus style pad. Magnets inside make for interesting experiments that will be going ka-boom on a regular basis. A fun toy for interacting with young toddlers. Play figures store in the magnetic base, so toss the plastic bag they come in. This is a pricey toy, but attractive. 1 & up. (800) 841 5330.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2005.

Lamaze Spin n Stack Rings
(RC2/Learning Curve $24.99 Score:) This stacker has four big plastic rings decorated with interesting textured fabric and ribbons that spin when the music in the post is activated. We thought the big ring would be too big for little hands, but our 10-month old tester loved it and soon figured out how to hit the post to activate music and make the base spin. (800) 704-8697. Still top rated, the Classical Stacker (Fisher-Price $19.99 ) has a post with twinkling lights and sounds as each ring is put on. (800) 432-5437.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2006.