(Mattel $54.99) It’s an ambulance with siren (a loud one) and lights to get Barbie to medical emergencies fast. But this is no ordinary ambulance. Push the lever and the vehicle opens and converts into a big clinic that is two feet wide with a waiting room, gift shop, and most important of all...a treatment center with exam bed and diagnostic equipment plus medical supplies. A miniature play setting for role playing doctor and nurse. It's big enough for Barbie to drive, but r

(Mattel $30.99) The package we received with this Barbie is called Barbie Shop for a Dinner Party. But online it's called a supermarket, even though it is more like a mini-market, right? So, here’s my story and I’m sticking with it. Barbie's at her beach house; you can tell since she’s wearing her floral sundress and sneakers. The weekend is coming and Barbie will be having dinner parties for her guests, you can be sure. Naturally, she has no time to lose. She’s at the shopp

(Mattel $30.99) Summertime on the farm and this Barbie is no slouch. She’s right there riding a red tractor, feeding the animals and ready to fill the pink crate on the cart that connects to the tractor. There is something a little cynical about plastic toy in a box with a message promoting the idea of sustainable methods of farming to keep the environment clean. Just saying. At least the tractor is kid activated—no batteries needed. Ages: Preschoolers, Early School Oppenheim

(Mindware $24.99) Although it’s anything but open-ended, we think boys and girls will like the interaction of this active pretend superhero “game” that is designed to be a parent/child activity. Use it with one child on a rainy day or outdoors with as many as five kids ( who will have to wait their turn). There's only one cape and one set of wrist bands, a target, a lightning bolt, and a super mask. Not all the accessories are worn at once. The double-sided action cards tell

(Mudpuppy $14.99 each) Bring home a storybook favorite, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, that preschoolers will like taking apart and putting together, again and again. Or for kids who are fascinated with Safari Animals, choose a colorful jumbo puzzle. These two 25-piece puzzles assemble into huge 22” big square images. The big sturdy pieces are challenging for beginners, who will need some strategies for following the image on the box the first few times. Both of these are somew

(Mattel $15.99 ) Dressed for action, Baseball Barbie is a Made to Move edition with a wide range of action poses built-into her joints. She's a lot skinnier than the team players of A League of Their Own, but this Barbie looks ready for pretend play of an active kind...quite different from her old party girl image. Wearing her pink baseball cap, striped uniform, catcher’s glove, ball and cleated shoes, she’s ready to get out there and pitch! Ages: Older Preschoolers, Early Sc

With her netted helmet, gloves, and totally covered beekeeper outfit, this is the newest Working Barbie. She keeps her bees and hive under control with a turn of a dial. No worry about bee stings here. Drop the little plastic bees into the hive, turn the magic dial and watch them produce honey! Players can even collect the honey and put it on Barbie’s pancakes or sell it at the produce stand. Not exactly a STEM toy, but Barbie flirts with the idea of how bees make honey. Avai

(Gamewright $14.99) It’s totally true—this is an “udderly ridiculous card game” that will keep you laughing as you make your m-o-o-o-o-o-ves. Players compete to build the largest herd and longest cow by collecting heads, middles and tail cards. But watch out! Opponents can capture parts of your herd with special cards that allow them to take a calf or a whole cow. The cards are amusing and the moves call for limited strategy. A fun family game for mixed ages. Gameplay is abou

(VTech $7.99 each or $21.99 set of three) Push the window on these little vehicles and they light up and activate music and sounds and scoot across the floor. Scaled for little hands they provide the kind of powerful “make- something-happen-action” that toddlers delight in. Also fit their active style of repetitive play, as they chase after their little vehicles. Bring home one of a fleet or more. These were originally designed for big playsets with ramps and tracks, but todd

(American Girl Doll and book $115) Luciana Vega, an Hispanic girl doll, aspires to be the first to land on Mars. In short, she’s a STEM-inspired doll with accessories to match. Her flight suit ($28) is more affordable than her Space suit $75). Like all American Girl dolls, she’s 18 inches tall with a soft body and vinyl arms, legs and head. She has dark brown eyes and long dark brown hair. With her interest in space she’s lucky enough to win a prize and gets to go to space ca