For most (gift-giving) holidays, I share my top guide picks. This year, there are so many great ones out there, that I’m just going to highlight a special few new ones.

1. DollsLikeMe.com is a Web site devoted to multicultural dolls toys and games. Click here to see their “Top 25 Latina Dolls for Christmas ‘08”.

2. Grandparents.com is a website for Grandparents. They mainly focus on content for grandmas and grandpas, but they also have some content that your parents will enjoy as well. Check out their Ultimate Holiday Guide (it has activities, traditions, recipes, and gifts ideas).

And

3. Mom Central also has a great Holiday Gift Guide. They share gifts in three price ranges (under $50; under $100 & over $100) for her, him, baby/toddler, kids, tweens, teens and pets. Along with the guide, they are giving away prize packages every day (including weekends) until December 18th. (To be eligible to win the daily prizes, you have to register on Mom Central, log-in, and leave a comment on each day’s post.)

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Recently, I received a few products from the Littlest Pet Shop line to review. This is really an adorable line of toy pets and virtual interactive pets.

For the younger kids (ages 4+), I received a “Portable Pets” and “Pet Pairs” from their new line of mini pets. Retailing from $3.99 to $5.99, these make great stocking stuffers for little pet lovers. (Kids love collecting these little pets.) I’ll be giving these two away to one Mom in the City member.

Portable Pets

Pet Pairs

I also received the Littlest Pet Shop Tail Waggin’ Fitness Club (for ages 4+). If you want to see your little one’s eyes light up, this is a great gift option. I gave it to a Mom in the City member’s daughter. She loved it! She kept carrying the box (which is pretty big in comparison to a kids’ body) around. A small set of kids also kept stopping by to see the fitness club. Along with the gym (that includes workout centers, lockers, a snack bar and rest area) the set comes with 2 pets and other various accessories.

I was also sent the latest from the LPS VIP line called VIP Friends. VIP Friends are only out for a limited time (until the end of December). The age range is 6+ but I’m including it because some of you have older kids also. These Virtual Interactive Pets (VIPs) have codes hidden in the collar. Older kids can visit littlestpetshop.com to play games and participate in activities for both the kids and the pets. When I gave this toy to a young girl in my neighborhood, she just hugged the pets and told her mom ”I’ve always wanted this!”

Mom in the City newsletter subscribers can enter to win the two minis package by leaving their name in the Comments section below along with the name of their favorite Littlest Pet Shop pet or by sending an email to contests@mominthecity.com with “Pet” and the answer in the Subject line by December 31st.

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(Normally, I don’t run ads on Mom in the City. However, the review of this consultant’s products on our site is being delayed due to unforeseen circumstances on the part of the assigned reviewer. The reviewer has said “I can tell you the products look great and are really exciting.” So, I wanted to introduce you to the company in time for the holiday season….)

Memories…what are you doing with yours?

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(To see the full ad, please click here.)

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The stuffed animals in this line (Snow Leopard, Polar Bear or Giant Panda) by KIDDesigns are adorable. It just so happened that we received the panda (perfect timing – we saw Kung Fu Panda later that week!) for review.

Girls (ages 3+) will especially love the animals, because Barbie’s voice is used to speak. However, don’t open it around animal-loving little boys – they’ll want to keep them too. Each animal comes with a variety of items (syringe, bottle, thermometer, tweezers, an ice pack and a bandage cuff) so that the kids can play veterinarian and nurse their animal back to health. It was great watching my kids tend to their panda’s needs. I was impressed - kids really do pay attention to how we parents take care of “boo-boos”. (Areas that need attention light up and sometimes the animal makes noises too. When the animal is “better”, the light goes out and the sound changes.) Each wildlife animal also comes with a pretend Passport and an adorable little Adoption Certificate with the animal’s “photo” on it. Best of all, Mattel (the licensor) will make a donation to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), an organization that helps protect endangered species.

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1. Alex Toys’ ‘ROUND THE FARM : Suitable for ages 6 months+, this award-winning toy is great for helping babies learn better motor skills (i.e. catching, rolling, grabbing, etc.). Little kids will especially enjoy hearing the different animal (dog, cat, pig and frog) sounds as they learn to press each animal’s ear.
Price $24.99

2. baby Zoobies : The perfect size for children under 2, these stuffed plush animals are adorable. They convert to very comfortable pillows. Also, there are very soft, warm blankets inside that can be used separately (the blankets feature a “comfort corner”).
Price: $25.00

3. Fisher-Price‘s Laugh & Learn™ Learning Home™ : For ages 6 months to 36 months, this little house will help your little one learn in a variety of ways. It not only teaches academics (letters, numbers, colors, shapes, etc.) but also everyday experiences (dropping, spinning, sorting, etc.). Both sides of the house are filled with activities including 21 “sing along” songs. Note: 3 “C” alkaline batteries are required for this toy.
Price: $70.00

*4. Infantino’s Play Time Activity Center: For newborns +, this 4-sided center will grow with your baby. It’s great for playing on the floor during “tummy time”. It’s also fun for infants to play with as they grow older. Activities include a peek-a-boo mirror, put-and-take bird’s nest and more. There are many different variations of this type of toy (for obviously good reasons!) but this is my pick for 2008.
Price: $29.99

5. International Playthings’ Yookidoo Discovery Playhouse: Ages 12+ months will love this roomy playhouse. They will have fun playing with the various built-in games (i.e. ball play, sorting shapes, peek-a-boo, etc.) on both the inside and outside. It is also a great hiding place for when the kids get a bit older (there’s space for several children to play in it). One of the things that I like the most about the playhouse (as a city dweller) is that it’s sturdy but easily folds up so that you can tuck it away.
USD$ 99.99

6. Leap Frog’s Learn & Groove® Counting Maracas: Appropriate for ages 6 months to 3 years, these little maracas are a lot of fun for the kids. There are three different “modes”: 1.Counting - each shake allows the child to count to 10 in both English and Spanish. 2. Colors - introduces the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple in English and Spanish. 3. Music Play – music plays when the infant shakes the maracas. This is another toy that parents can see their kids grow with. (Initially my kids would just mouth the maracas, look at the lights and enjoy the music. As they grew older, the playtime became more meaningful. This is one of my favorite gifts to give to parents of small children.)
Price: $16.49

7. Melissa & Doug’s ABC Blocks : Recommended for ages 1+, these three plush blocks are great starter toys for the little ones. I especially like their bright colors, the different textures and the jingling sounds. (Moms will also appreciate that the blocks’ carrying case is phthalate-free.)
Price: $19.99

8. VTECH’s Sit to Stand Alphabet Train™ : For ages 12 months to 24 months, this little train teaches a lot! There are letter blocks, a small book, number buttons and much more. I like that this toy can grow with your child. When they’re younger, they can play with the different parts on the floor. Later, they can use it as a walker or as a ride-on toy. Once again, there are many different variations of this type of toy (for obviously good reasons!) but this is my pick for 2008. Note: 3AA batteries are required for this toy.
Price: $49.99

*Mom in the City newsletter subscribers can enter to win Infantino’s Play Time Activity Center by leaving one of their personal top infant toy picks in the “Comments” section below or in an email to contests@mominthecity.com with “Infants” in the Subject line by November 30th.

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1. Crayola Beginnings’ TaDoodles™ Scribble And Sing™ Art Station: Recommended for ages 18 months and up, this station will keep your kids busy with over 15 activities. Most little ones like to scribble and/or color so I especially like the fact that the five markers in this set are shaped for the hands of young children. I also like that both singing and drawing are combined in this one product. (Sean’s aunt is getting him TaDoodles for Christmas and I look forward to spending time making some fun “creations” together with my little musical one!) Note: This toy requires 3 AA batteries.
Price: $29.99

2. Fisher-Price’s Little People® Learn About Town™ : Kids ages 2 years to 5 years will enjoy these four play sets in one. They can choose to play at the doctor and dentist office, the pet shop, the ABC school or the pizza shop. Wherever they decide to go, there’s plenty to learn (including the alphabet, counting, colors, shapes, etc.) and experience (opening and closing, pressing, etc.). The songs and sounds also help to make the learning more fun. This is a classic toy with a new twist that both parents and kids will like. Note: This toy requires 3 AA batteries.
Price: $45.00

3. Leap Frog’s Fridge Phonics® Magnetic Set: Appropriate for ages 24 months to 5 years, this is a set that will grow with your child. At first I was a little thrown off, because Leap Frog has changed the look of this set. (I and many of my friends have the former version on our refrigerators!) However, I was happy to see that the core of the product is still the same. The set comes with 26 colorful, magnetic letters and a magnetic letter reader that easily attaches to your fridge. When placed in the reader, each letter both talks (teaching the name of the letter and the sound that it makes) and sings (fun, little learning songs). Many kids love playing with magnets on the refrigerator and this is a great toy to make that playtime educational.
Price: $21.99

4. Little Tikes’ Jungle Jamboree™ Tiger 2-in-1 Piano: Kids ages 1 1/2 years and up will love playing music (AKA banging) on this little combination piano and xylophone. There’s a reason that I see this toy in almost every home with young kids that I visit (including my own home) – it’s cute and fun! Four music sheets with the notes to popular nursery songs are included with the piano. (Most young kids - except musical prodigies - won’t use the sheets, but they are enjoyable for the adults to play songs for their kids.) This is an item that I highly recommend and often give to toddlers as gifts
Price: $19.99

5. PLAYSKOOL CLIPO CREATIVITY TABLE : For ages 18 months and up, this is a great little play station. CLIPO pieces are already fun to connect by themselves (my kids love playing with their CLIPO sets). Combine the pieces with the toy’s spinning turntables and the creative fun is taken to a whole other (better!) level. Also, on a practical note, the shape sorter and drop slot will also help kids’ motor skills. Note: This toy requires 2 “AA” batteries
Price: $32.99

6. Radio Flyer’s #46/#46G Classic Lights & Sounds Trike: For ages 2 years to 5 years, these retro-styled bikes cannot be beat. Practically every kid loves getting a bike for the holidays. There are plenty to choose from, but this is my bike pick for 2008. First of all, these bikes are both well-built and beautiful to look at. Besides the aesthetics, kids will enjoy the electronic aspect of the bike (the dashboard has a turn signal, music, and a honking horn) as well as the fact that they can store their little “treasures” under the bike’s seat. Note that 3 AAA batteries are needed for this bike.
Price: $59

7. Step2 50’s Diner: Kids ages 2+ will enjoy hours of pretend play in this (multiple!) award-winning retro-styled kitchen. Normally, I try not to include large toys as picks (due to urban space restraints), but I just had to make an exception for this great toy. (Besides, I know that some of you have basements, play rooms, etc.) Both adults and kids will enjoy this fifties styled 2-sided designed diner (there is a kitchen on one side and booth-style seating on the other). There’s so much for kids to love in this diner including a variety of accessories (coffee pot, sound-making griddle pan, dishes, silverware, etc.) as well as play food (burgers, fries, ice cream, etc.). Note: This diner requires 4 “AA” and 2 “AAA” batteries.
Price: $149.99

*8. Thinkativity’s Soar & Explore Storyteller : Ages 2 years+ will enjoy this airplane-shaped storyteller. Kids will be able to build their own stories as they spin each story block and listen to the plane “read” their various adventure stories. What’s especially neat is that the storyteller introduces kids to eight different languages!
Price: $24.99

*Mom in the City newsletter subscribers can enter to win Thinkativity’s Soar & Explore Storyteller by leaving one of their personal top toddler toy picks in the “Comments” section below or in an email to contests@mominthecity.com with “Toddler” in the Subject line by November 30th.

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1. American Girl’s Bitty Twins Dolls: Little girls (or boys) ages 3 and up will love playing with these adorable dolls that come dressed in plaid and denim outfits. There are many top doll brands out there to choose from (several of which you have seen/will see on this site) but this is my doll pick for 2008. I like the quality construction of the dolls; that the buyers have a lot of choice (skin tone, hair color and gender) and that you get two dolls for the price of one!
Price: $95 (two dolls with outfits and a book)

2. Cranium’s Hullabaloo: Kids ages 4 and up (and their parents!) will love this high energy game. There are so many games out there that are fun for the family, but this my 2008 game pick. (You can read Mom in the City reviewer Lesley Thompson’s thoughts on this game here.)
Price: $24.99

*3. Fisher Price’s Computer Cool School™ : Kids ages 3 to 6 years will learn so much with this computer keyboard that features five learning centers. They use it along with your computer to learn a variety of skills (reading, writing, math, science, art and music). It really does help to make learning fun. The thing that I especially like about this product is that (unlike many other computer styled programs) it helps kids with their writing skills by including a writing and drawing tablet for right or left-handed kids (which is great for my little lefty!). On a computer safety note, the system has password-protected controls that blocks access to parents’ computer desktop and websites. Note: This computer works with Microsoft® Windows Vista™ or Windows XP operating systems. It’s not Mac-compatible.
Price: $60.00

4. Hasbro’s The Incredible Hulk - Hulk Smash Hands : Little boys (or girls) age 3 and up will love punching things (and people!) with these talking Hulk mitts. Don’t worry though…they’re plush/soft to the touch. As I have written before, my four years old son Michael was jumping up and down yelling “Hulk Smash!” while Sean (who’s 1) kept saying “Wow” even before I finished opening the box holding the hands. They both then proceeded to try to “Hulk Smash”/attack me with the hands. Very cute! Their friends enjoy playing with the hands and I’ve also heard from other Mom in the City moms that their kids love them too. My favorite fist line (that I’ve borrowed in other scenarios) is “You’re making me angry! You won’t like me when I’m angry!” Note: This toy uses 3 AAA batteries.
Price: $19.99

5. LeapFrog® Tag Reading System : Kids ages 4 to 8 will learn that reading can be fun with this web-connected system. I’m a big fan of educational toys (obviously) and this is one of the more exciting ones out there. With this touch reading system (a small infrared camera at the tip of the reader “reads” letters, words and
symbols) words talk, pictures sing and much more. The reader only works with the 20 books and activity sets in the system library. Parents download each book’s audio, then drag and drop content onto the reader (like digital camera or MP3 files). That can be a bit of a hassle for non-techy parents (like me!) but on the positive side, each time that parents connect the reader to their Mac or PC, they can view their child’s progress and get more content to keep their child’s interest.
Price: $49.99

6. Little Tikes My Real Digital Video Camera : Kids ages 3 years and up will have fun recording video and taking pictures of their activities with this video camera. I especially like that the video camera is both sturdy and waterproof so that kids can film underwater (or simply just so that the camera doesn’t get ruined when it gets exposed to water – which most electronic items “happen to” in the hands of young kids). What’s also fun for the kids (and parents) is that there are movie making editing features as well as the ability to add graphics and sounds to both videos and pictures. Note: This camera requires 2 “AA” batteries.
Price: $99.99

7. Mattel’s Matchbox® Power Scouts™ Vehicles & Playsets : Kids ages 3+ will enjoy playing with these track systems and line of 4 x 4s that are designed with smaller hands in mind. These battery-powered vehicles really are tough (they’ve been riding over and under all types of things in my house!) and kids love them. They work either by the kids pushing them manually or in the battery-powered all-wheel drive mode. I prefer the manual use, because the noise from the battery-powered mode gives me a headache after a long while. (Of course my kids have the opposite preference, so I sometimes have to “hide” the cars or slip out the batteries to get a brief break!) In any event, you simply press down on the back of the trucks to activate the motor. If your kids want or need something special to test our their new 4 x 4s, they can try one the three new Power Scouts™ Playset and Challenge track system assortments. (We have the “Skull’s Challenge” one which both boys enjoy.)
Vehicles Price: $6.99+; Adventure Playsets Price: $16.88+

8. Vtech’s KidiJamz Studio™ : Kids ages 4 years to 7years will love recording and listening to their own songs and music with this interactive music station. This is Michael’s #1 Christmas wish item - it knocked another toy off his list. (He’ll be getting his wish, but don’t tell him!) After recording, kids will be able to play their pieces back on a detachable music player. Kids can also mix their music with a variety of kid friendly tunes. They can also choose from 10 different musical instrument sounds and several other stylistic options. A microphone and digital voice effects are also included for your little singers. Lastly, there is a musical scratching disc (Michael’s favorite – he wants to scratch like a DJ) and a light-up keyboard. I’m already thinking about which earplugs I’ll need….Note: This studio requires 4 AA batteries.
Price: $59.99

AND ONE STOCKING STUFFER…
-eeBoo’s Tell Me a Story / Creative Story Cards: eeBoo is such a smart company, that I just had to include these cards as a “stocking stuffer” idea for kids ages 3 years and up. Kids (and parents!) will enjoy using their imaginations to combine the 36 different images on the cards in order to play a variety of games and activities
Price: $9.95

*Mom in the City newsletter subscribers can enter to win Fisher Price’s Computer Cool School™ by leaving one of their personal top preschooler toy picks in the “Comments” section below or in an email to contests@mominthecity.com with “Preschooler” in the Subject line by November 30th.

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This past year, my family has officially become a “gaming” family. As long as we also do other active and mentally stimulating activities outside of the Wii and DS, I’m okay with that. So, here are my top 8 video game picks:

1. Active Life Outdoor Challenge: I reviewed that here.

2. Carnival Games: This game was included as one of my Favorite Things for April after we bought it for Michael’s birthday in March. I wrote: “I like this Wii game that my son received for his birthday. Of course he beats me at many of the games (he has incredible hand-eye coordination!). I don’t take it personally though — he beats most visiting adults! The only thing that I don’t like about this software is that you can’t choose a black or brown character to represent you like with the other Wii games. They need to change that. Other than that, it’s really fun. (Be forewarned that the carnival game “hosts” talk a lot of trash when you miss/don’t win at games.)”

3. Celebrity Sports Showdown: You can read my review here.

4. EA Sports All-Play: Back in June, I was able to preview this new line of sports games. I really like them because they have various levels so that both young kids and experienced adults can enjoy the game. So far, there are five different games in the series (golf, 2 football games, basketball and soccer). Recently we have been playing with the basketball game (my husband will be writing a review of it soon). Our schedules have been so full that we haven’t taken the time to figure out the various levels yet. We’ve mainly been playing, 2-on-2 at the beginner level (basically, you just point the remote when you want to pass or shoot). We’re superstars in this mode…I haven’t lost a game yet! (I’m sure that I’ll be “humbled” as we go to higher levels of play…)

5. Guitar Hero: I had the Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock game at home. (I recently gave it away in anticipation of getting the new Guitar Hero World Tour which I previewed back in August.) Both games are great. The World Tour one just has a little more variety and features. With either choice, you’ll have a blast “rocking” (really, even when you’re not good – there are easy levels that can fool you into thinking that you are!) It is fun to play alone, but it’s also a fun party game. You’ll see…there’s a rocker waiting to get out of most of us. (Just note that you might need to get earplugs.)

6. Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir: I reviewed this DS game here.

7. Wii Fit: I’ve shared tidbits about this game in various posts. It’s one of my favorite Wii “games”. It’s a great addition to your exercise routine, because it offers both a body test and fitness training. With the body test, the system measures your center of balance, your BMI/weight and how well you control your body. (It’s encouraging when you’re sticking to your routine, but not so much fun when you don’t. For instance, I ate a lot a couple of weeks around my birthday and gained a couple of pounds. The Wii Fit asked me WHY had I gained weight and gave a few options. It’s hard to get defensive with a system, so I just had to admit the reason was because I had been eating more and get back with the program!) The training party is fun too because there are a wide variety of exercises (yoga, balance games, strength training and aerobics). The favorite around here (group-wise) is the hula hoop competition – for girls and guys.

8. Wii Music: I reviewed my favorite family-friendly music game here.

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It would be impossible for me to include all of the amazing toys that are out there. However, I did want to highlight some of the other toys that received high marks from various Mom in the City moms.

1. Cabbage Patch Kids (celebrating their 25th anniversary!)

2. Dora Knows Your Name

3. GeoTrax (especially the Grand Central Station)

4. Helmet Heroes

5. Learning Block Books: Numbers, Colors, Shapes and Animals [BOX SET] (Board book)

6. Little Mommy™ Real Loving Baby™ Gotta Go™ Doll

7. PARENTS® Bee Bop Band

8. Thomas & Friends - Take Along

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My kids absolutely love playing this game. I have two boys (ages 3 and 5) and this was right up their alley. Any game that keeps you moving works great in our house. There are 16 pads with different shapes, colors and pictures that are spread out on the floor. Then you turn the Hullabaloo on and it gives different directions to follow – “spin to a red,” “crawl to a square,” “bounce to a food.” I think the kids got the biggest kick of watching my husband and I join in on the fun. I have even found my 3 year old setting up and playing the game all by himself. Very easy to learn and play and the room just fills with laughter!!! I really recommend it!

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