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The Independent Guide to Children's Media

LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book

LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book

(LeapFrog $17.99) This interactive talking book is a responsive toy that will say the name of each image as it is touched. Put the setting on English or Spanish—this is a bilingual toy. Push the setting to the search mode and they get more than the simple name of the image—they get “fun facts.” Push the setting to the musical notes and they get the sounds that the animal or object typically makes. There are pages of animals, foods, clothes, colors, body parts, and more. Model

LittleBits Avengers Hero Inventor Kit

LittleBits Avengers Hero Inventor Kit

(littleBits $149.95) Like all the LittleBits Kits, this one is designed to get kids interested in electronics with practical, safe construction materials and excellent on-line animated instructions. Here, kids create toy versions of Iron Man's arm-mounted devices, it even comes with a replica-stand that looks likes his arm, but can also be worn using Velcro straps. The play-value goes beyond STEM, as many kids will use the toy they build for imaginative (if often combat-orien

Smart Sketcher Projector

Smart Sketcher Projector

(smArt Sketcher $74.99) Upload the app for the Smart Sketcher and they are ready to learn how to sketch pictures and photos to make them their own. The instruction manual takes them step by step through the process as they download photos from a device or use pictures from a book or magazine to trace images for projects that they can color and embellish in their own unique way. We don't usually suggest tracing toys, but there comes a time when kids get self conscious of their

Snap Circuits BRIC: Structures

Snap Circuits BRIC: Structures

(Elenco $34.99) Our tester used the idea book to get started with these snap circuits and was excited with the constructions she was able to make. She quickly learned how to use the bricks to make structures with lights, sounds, and moving parts. She could light up a tower and make a working drawbridge! Following directions called for reading comprehension as well as dexterity and problem solving—important skills that are reinforced through construction sets like this. This s

Playmobil Country Barn and Silo

Playmobil Country Barn and Silo

(Playmobil $69.99) Love the country? Dream of owning a farm with a horse, cow, chickens? Here you go, all under one roof with no shoveling required. A miniature setting for pretend play. You may want to hold back some of the props and add them gradually, since this set-up comes with 215 pieces! That’s a lot of little pieces. But along with the animals, two figures, plus hay, fencing, ladder, pitchfork and other tiny parts, there’s a working silo—probably the best part of the

Playmobil Dreamworks Lucky's Happy Home

Playmobil Dreamworks Lucky's Happy Home

(Playmobil $99) Lucky has moved to the country with her Dad, Aunt Cora, and her horse, Spirit. For fans of the Dreamwork storyline, this elaborate play set with 137 pieces is a setting for replaying and creating new stories for Lucky and Spirit. It’s a doll house with a pre-made cast of characters and comes with lots of detailed props for pretend play. It’s marked 4 and up, but we think this is more like a toy for early school years and children with the dexterity to handle a

Playmobil Take Along Haunted House

Playmobil Take Along Haunted House

(Playmobil $39.99) Just in time for Halloween, a Haunted House Play Set with a vampire waking up in his coffin, a mad scientist making magical potions in his lab with bubbling test tubes, a green headed monster in chains, and a huge spider dangling down. There are skulls, mice, bottles of poisonous potions, a lantern and other accessories that all store away in the house that closes up tight. This would make a fun centerpiece for a Halloween party, that will have a play life

Hape Jungle Adventure Railway Table

Hape Jungle Adventure Railway Table

(Hape $99) Designed for standing up toddlers, this clever table has beads on wires for toddlers to move around and about. An interesting way for toddlers to develop fine motor skills and visual tracking. Those little beads would be a chocking hazard if they were not tethered on the wires, so, your tot can't take them off. An ideal way for baby to get to play with otherwise forbidden fruit. In addition to the beads on wire, there's a figure eight roadway for the little wooden

Fat Brain Toys Sensory Rollers

Fat Brain Toys Sensory Rollers

(Fat Brain $16.99) Three silicone balls that have six different and interesting textures plus chimes inside that make a quiet sound as they are rolled back and forth. The balls are quite heavy and not intended for throwing. Being heavy, they won't roll far, so for crawling babies, these will be easy to catch up with. Keep them out of the hands of preschoolers who might throw them...they are designed strictly for rolling. Ages: Infants Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award 2

Fat Brain Dimpl

Fat Brain Dimpl

(Fat Brain $12.99) Push and pop the five silicone bubbles that are built into the plastic frame. Their bright colors will attract baby’s attention. Interesting way to explore cause and effect, as they push the bubbles and change position. This is a simple looking toy that encourages baby to use fine motor skills and get a sense of mastery as they change the bubbles from up to down, turn it over and do it all over again. Marked 10 months but tots need serious finger power to m

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