(Spinmaster $19.99) A fascinating spinner that animates the 15 double sided art disks. Kids can color them with the markers, add stickers (also included. ) Kids can even put their own designs on the three blank disks. Now, dim the lights or better yet go into a dark room that has just a trace of light a watch as the disk spins and the light on the spinner flashes to animate the images. DON'T be fooled by the photo above...it won't work as it should in a brightly lit room! Som

(eeBoo $15.99) A playful way to learn the names of the planets and other spacey facts. It’s a traditional concentration game with 24 pairs of matching cards. There’s interesting reading on each of the cards such as Neil Armstrong, 1969, First Person on the Moon or Past the outer planets is the Kuiper Belt, or Titan, Saturn’s Biggest Moon. These small trivia facts may in fact spark the curiosity and lead kids to finding out more, especially kids who are already fascinated with

(Hasbro $99 ) A new FurReal interactive bear that like his bottle and honey comb snack and makes eating sounds of enjoyment, to prove it. His ears and nose move, as well as his mouth and he babbles like a baby when you speak to him. Cubby likes to play peek-a-boo when he’s in the mood. But he’s a sleepy cub and has big sleepy eyes that close when he settles down to sleep. In fact, he plays soft sleep time music for five minutes that are supposed to help your little one dose

(Fisher-Price $59.99) For all the very young Frozen fans out there, here's a charming pretend setting for replaying and making up new stories. This Little People version comes with two important characters: Elsa and Olaf and has magical sounds, lights and action built in. Open the doors, and tap a button and Elsa’s song begins as the palace lights up. Turn a button on the left to make the staircase appear. Spin the snowflake and press the button and the palace gets even talle

(eeBoo $15.99) With 24 pairs to match, all playful puppies on this concentration style game. With cute illustrations by Dan Yaccarino, it’s easy to think you have a match since some of the puppies are close, but not alike. It’s not as simplistic as some matching games, which can be a good thing. Kids need to sharpen their visual skills with these pictorial pairs before they begin seeing the difference between words that look almost the same as in...bed vs bud or bid. Introduc

(Wicked Big Sports $49.98) We’re always on the look-out for fun outdoor games and this one is uncomplicated. Our testers used this Supersized Pong game for a family party. No, they did not fill the giant size cups with anything (though water that splashed might have been fun). It’s a good team game that can be played by mixed ages and ideal if there are young ‘uns to chase after the ball. It comes with six “cups”, one ball, a pump with needle and a storage bag. Ages: Early Sc

(Corolle $38.99) Padded and lined with a playful cat printed fabric this lightweight doll carrier will hold a 14-17 inch doll. It’s perfect for take-along pretend. Dolly can nap or ride in the car on the way to Grandma’s or a play date. It has a nice handle and a curved bottom so kids can even rock their dolly to sleep. A special gift for nurturing play. Makes a nice big sister gift for the family with a new little sibling. Ages: Preschoolers, Early School Oppenheim Toy Portf

(Mattel $48.99) You’ll need a clear wall to set this up and not to worry…it comes with removable command strips that do not mark the wall. We're happy to report that it also comes with a wall template to take the guesswork out of putting it up. Be forewarned: An adult must do the assembly. Older kids can help with putting the track together, but this is not something kids will be able to figure out on their own. One of our test families was so eager to play, they found the ho

(Home Learning $7.99) Seeing patterns and knowing what comes next in a sequence is a skill used in math...as in 5, 10, 15.. and what comes next? Recognizing patterns helps us make educated guesses or to formulate a hypothesis. This little card game is a good way to build pattern awareness. Players take turns choosing a ticket card with a pattern and then dig in to the big top cards to find the card that completes the pattern. The player who finds the match keeps the card and

(Home Learning $12.99) Learning left from right until it becomes automatic just got easier with an entertaining card game that comes with a red (foam) chili pepper. It’s a little like playing Hot Potato only you are not just listening for a signal and trying not to get caught holding the potato. In this game, players pass the chili pepper following directions on the card they draw and those cards are all bout using your right or left hand, or both…for example: “Pass your ri