Using the wooden blocks shown on each puzzle, players progress from sort-of-easy to really challenging tasks of building the image shown with just the blocks shown. There are 9 blocks all together of varying fixed shapes. But fitting them together to replicate the image takes logic and spatial/visual perception...not to mention patience and stick-ability. This is a game that can be played solo or take turns if you like. There are 60 challenges at 5 different levels. They say 5-99. We think 5 year olds are going to need help.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Dressed for gymnastics practice, 18-inch McKenna is determined to master the challenges of the balance beam and more. She arrives with her long caramel-colored hair is tied up for her active life style. In this Summer Olympic season, you can be sure, the young athletes, in London, will inspire girls all over the world, as they go through their routines. McKenna is not an Olympian; though one day she may be one! American Girl has created a whole line of accessories for McKenna. There is an accessory bag ($26) with mini water bottle, trail mix, school papers, exercise booklet and more. We love her team gear with jacket, trousers, medal, and slippers($28.)  There is also a beam and bar set ($85) for McKenna to practice on, two outfits in a practice wardrobe ($35) and just in case, a cast and crutches ($30) should she stumble when she does a daring double backflip!

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2012.

Learning right from left is not an automatic. It is one of those concepts mastered over time. Should you want to speed up the process, this is an entertaining game that just might help. There are 32 reflex cards in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, brown, pink, and white with a bolt of lightening on each and 80 action cards-10 of each color with an object and hand direction–left or right. Listen up! How quickly can you slap the right color card with the correct hand? Players try to collect one of each color of the reflex cards. Players race to be the first to slap the one of the reflex cards using the proper hand-left or right. This all sounds more complicated than it is in reality. It's a fun game for kids who are close in age. Very young sibs will have trouble keeping up. It is properly marked for 3-4 players ages 6 and up.

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2012.

A globe/ball for all ages. How kids use it will depend on their age. Some will like boucing it and simply playing with it. Others will love the fun of labeling the countires or color coding them. Inflate this jumbo 16-inch ball that comes with a set of permanent fabric markers. A word of warning, this has a strong odor when it comes out of the box that disappears in time. It's the size of a big beachball, though not intended for the water. It does bounce well. This ball is marked 3 & up, but will be of more interest to school aged kids.

Activity idea: Kids can add a dot or star to the globe as various countries win medals during the Olympics.

Age: Preschool, Early School Years, Later School Years, Tweens. Award Year: 2012.

These are bigger than the usual crayons and better suited for small hands. The plaid box has 18 colors inside and some have a neon look as well as pastels and your basic primary colors. A good choice for 5 & up.

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2012.

It's pretty tricky making all the add-on antlers to Super Moose! A balancing game that calls for dexterity and some strategy. Players take turns adding on wooden form after another without making them go kaboom! Chances of getting all the antlers on as they appear here are remote. In fact, although this is marked for 3 and up, we think kids under six or seven are going to find this tough going! That said, we do think older kids will like it a lot.

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Think Connect Four, but now imagine a beautifully crafted wooden board and you have Eternas. The game is designed for two-players. The dark wooden circular board allows you to place either your white or green wooden play pieces on one of the spokes.  You win if you get four of your pieces in a row--either vertically, horizontially or on the diagonal.  Learning how to play will be quick--but don't be fooled, this is a challenging game.  We love that it forces players to look at things differently in terms of strategy, offensive and defensive blocking moves.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years, Tweens, Teens. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Oh, what a night-when the tooth fairy comes on its magic mission! This 9-inch square pillow has a pocket for leaving a note for the tooth fairy and a felt pocket to tuck the lost tooth into. The little super hero is detachable from its yellow cape and used as a finger puppet. There is a girl version of this with Princess finger puppet and pastel look. Usually tooth treasures will not be needed before 5-6.

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

You may have seen the book called Gallop with its moving images. This wonderful toy allows children to create their own moving images. The case and markers come with premade art that young kids color. Then they close the case and turn the dials to see their colorful creation come to life. The kit comes loaded with a roller in place and a spare roller with more images that can replace the original. We usually steer clear of coloring toys that are not open-ended. But this goes beyond simple coloring. It's a little magic, science and illusion. Younger kids will need help with setting it up and adding the second roller. 

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

To celebrate the upcoming Summer Olympics this version of Banangrams has five extra colorful joker tiles with pictograms of various Olympic sports. It is otherwise the same game in a convenient banana shaped zip up pouch. Players divvy up the tiles and play side by side creating their own connected words. It's different from Scrabble since you do not take turns, although you must take extra tiles when your opponent uses up her tiles and is ready to take more. A great take along for vacation time. Quick and easy to learn. 7 & up.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years, Tweens, Teens, Adult. Award Year: 2012.