(Yoto $99 for player; cards are $8.99 and up) If you’re looking for a 21st century music and story player, you need to see the Yoto Player, an audio device that offers content for preschoolers and early school age listeners. Kids can use this independently since the audio cards fit in a slot that’s easier to load than your old cassette player. A well curated library of music, active games, and stories give you many choices, although the price tag for adding these can add up.

(Mindware $15.95) For young puzzlers who love ponies, this giant floor puzzle in 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide when put together and it’s getting it together that it’s all about. The colorful white pony with tan markings and a purple saddle comes together with 49 big pieces. Flowers, butterfly, heart, and blue ribbon will help in placing the pieces. Marked 3+, it’s definitely a better bet for plus side--older 4s, 5s, and 6s depending on their experience with puzzles. The pony s

(eeBoo $15.99) Underground, in the garden and up in the air, a collection of Wild Things come together in this colorful puzzle. The pieces are mid-size, not giant floor puzzle types, but bigger than small jig saw pieces. The finished puzzle is 15 X 15 inches. There’s a red fox and chipmunks underground and a big grey rabbit in the flowers. That rabbit may be a good treat in some Easter baskets. With 64-pieces, it’s definitely challenging. Marked 5+ , but that depends on how

(eeBoo $8.99) Get the pennies out or raisins to pay off points as players hit a ball, strike, or a home run for this sit-down game of baseball. Players turn cards that give the next action. A good way to learn the rules of the game with cards and a fold-up baseball field, instead of ball and bat. Let your star player use some easy math skills as score keeper. 5+ Ages: Early School Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award 2022

(eeBoo $15.99 each set ) Our six-year-old first grader has lived half his life in a pandemic with an awareness of health issues that we can only hope his one-year-old sister will not ever know. Although these Health and Safety cards feel a bit didactic, they may, in fact, give some children some pro-active rules to live by, giving them a sense of empowerment. In a classroom, a teacher might use them as once a week or daily health and safety tip of the day. Parents can do the