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In case you didn’t know, it’s ridiculously hard work having a baby.

It’s nine months of worrying, eating for two and drinking for none, reading enough books to qualify for one’s Ph.D. in obstetrics, and enduring however many numbers of excruciating painful hours of labor.

What else could be nearly as stressful? I think finding the perfect Baby gift is a close runner-up! The task gets increasingly difficult if you are not a knowledgeable, experienced mom or grandma yourself; and the ante gets upped if you are buying for the second or third-time mom who already has all the basics.

Case in point: I know a neighbor on her third baby. She has everything her new baby needs. More than everything; as her house is full of new and gently used items piled up in teetering stacks in every available corner. When friends suggested throwing her a shower, this "new" mom practically snapped. The last thing she wanted or needed was another mound of ‘stuff’ that a seasoned mom knows she really won’t use, no matter how cute or costly it is. Take note; don’t let this happen to you.

For the first-time mother, or the experienced pro, what a Mom really wants is something useable.

When shopping for a gift, or gifts, ideally you want a mix of perishable, practical, and whimsical items. Giving a gift they will actually use and appreciate will make you a legend among your friends. Collect a few of the prettiest and most practical things you know the new mother needs. Every new baby needs onesies, sleepers, socks, washcloths and bibs. Once you have a no-nonsense basic gift in hand, then feel free to add a personal or whimsical touch. A small keepsake of some kind is always appreciated.

Being the mom of two baby boys myself, it meant that we received enough blue teddy bears to overrun any magical picnic in the forest. I ended up re-gifting most of them to every available boy baby I could find over the next few years. Please, step AWAY from the giant, carnival-sized stuffed animals.

Remember Mom is a person too. She knows that her baby will take priority above all, but it’s still nice to let her know she is loved and appreciated as a person. Add something sweet for her, whether it’s an edible chocolate treat, or scented bath salts, just to let her know she’s special.
These days, there are unlimited varieties and terrific value for your money in giving a gift basket. It is a versatile, gorgeous, and practical gift that delights every person who receives one. They can be tailored to occasion and baby gender, and showcase a bountiful array of thoughtful gifts.

You can find baby gift baskets online, shop by theme and price range, and find a high quality selection of premium items in a beautifully presented gift basket. It absolutely saves you precious time shopping several different stores for each item, and it saves you the cost and inevitable headache of buying paper and wrapping the gift yourself. Many companies will deliver the next day.

So, need a practical and pretty gift for baby? Try ordering a luxurious, beautiful gift basket.
Not such hard work, after all.


About the Author:
Vivi Andris is the owner of Amor Gift Baskets,where you can shop for gift baskets for any occasion including baby gift baskets.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/shopping-articles/shopping-for-baby-gifts-make-it-pretty-practical-644592.html

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In recent times an immense interest has been shown towards teaching pre-verbal hearing babies sign language. Parents, baby-sitters as well as daycare centers have now adapted to teaching babies with easy to learn and remember signs. Even though in early days it was believed that teaching sign language would delay and harm the speech of a baby, latest research has now shown that it is the contrary. Teaching sign language to babies actually enables the baby to speak early as well as it increases the intelligence level and helps develop cognitive skills of the baby.

One of the most popular reasons for the acceptance of baby sign language is that it minimizes the frustration that babies and caregivers go though while communicating with each other. This is especially beneficial for daycare centers since it enables the caregivers to easily understand and meet the needs of the children and minimize the stress and frustration they face each day. Also this in turn provides the caregivers with more available time for activities which enhances the progress of the child. Another advantage of teaching sign language to babies in daycare is that it enables the baby to communicate his/her needs, thoughts or questions and answers with ease, thereby naturally reducing the amount of irritated screams and cries at the center.

It is not hard to teach baby sign language to infants/toddlers. Previous experience or qualifications are not required. But patience, commitment and consistency are the main factors required in teaching babies sign language. As a caregiver you can easily learn simple and everyday used signs by the help of a sign language book or website. Usually signs such as “milk”, “eat”, “sleep”, “more” and “no” are the ones which are popularly used with babies. After you are fluent with the signs you can start teaching them to the children under your care. Starting with one sign and being consistent is the key to success. Always remember that you should speak the word out loudly while signing it. This enables the child to easily understand as well as say the word as well.

It is believed that signing can be taught to babies as young as 6 months of age. An important fact to remember is that the baby would not be able to sign back at you as soon as you teach him/her. Also in the first stages the signs the baby shows will not be as accurate as the ones you have taught him/her. This is where you need to be patient and committed. Keep on signing with the baby and ensure that you are consistent. Every time you say out the word make sure that the baby is able to clearly see the sign as well.

Baby sign language is the best and easiest way to communicate and bond with all children under your care and help them develop their speech.

Kindersigns.com is one of the largest Baby Sign-Language Networks worldwide. Their Kindersigns Instructor Business Opportunity includes everything you need to start your Baby Sign Language Business including learning modules, class materials, web site and email.

Source: http://www.articleheaven.com/article_620617_59.html

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Can anyone tell me are these big kids or small teenagers?

If you are in contact with this age group on regular basis, you most likely would agree that it depends on the day and situation. Well, really the hour.

So the dilemma for Christmas gift giving becomes finding a Christmas gift for this age range that does not offend their 'grown-upness' but still plays to their childlike tendencies. After all, a nine year old is still a kid.

To help you sort through some of thinking behind finding the right gift this group, I have put together a few tips for you.

1. Buy Gifts that Give the Kids Permission to Play

There are some very fun toys out there that are targeted towards more advanced role-playing. Two examples would be -

1. A helmet with voice activated noises and lights, yes very cool.

2. Deluxe model transformers: these have additional features that younger kids would not know how to play or would break. Playing swords with a helmet that has lights everywhere would be great fun for all ages. Anything that flies or moves would be great interactive gifts.

2. Creative Gifts

So much fun to shop for! You can find just about anything you can dream up for this age group in the creative thought line.

Block Building Set

There are block-building sets with motors so your creations actually move. You can build Lego or other Lego type toys into transforming robots. My nephew loves his 'creature' like this and will tell you about his dad and him building it. K'nex and Magnetix (if you do not have small children or pets in the house) are tons of fun.

Science Experiments

I found lots of science type experiments that the kids would have a great time doing. Whether it is stargazing, exploding volcanoes, or watching a larvae to butterfly you can find an activity that is specific to the interest of your child.

3. Interactive Family Games

This age group tends to be very self-critical and desperately needs the reassurance of adults in his/her life. Interactive games are a great way to strengthen these relationships.

Board Games

A fun board game I found was Gobblet. Although I have not played this game personally it looks like a fast moving fun game. I highly suggest at least one gift that is not an electronic enable a different type of family interaction.

Game Systems

And course there are game systems very targeted at this age group, so depending on the system your child has you may want to consider a new game. My family as a Nintendo wii so I am looking at the Mario driving game.

4. Electronics

Each family will have to make their own decision about the age appropriateness for their children. Very popular choices in this age group: cell phones, digital cameras, Nintendo ds and game systems: Sony ps 3 and Nintendo Wii.

No mater what you decide for a gift it is important for the child to feel special and loved. Choosing a gift that compliments their personality will let the child know that you notice them. Possibly consider a short note to the child to put in with your gift telling the child how much you love them and one or two special attributes you have noticed. Even if during gift opening that note seems unappreciated you can be assured that your note will be saved long past Christmas morning. Because aside from all the gift hype at Christmas, deep down each child just wants to know that they are loved and special.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rodney_Grubbs

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Educational Toys and Life Skills

Educational toys not only promote developmental skills in children. They also help children acquire and improve essential life skills. Creativity, self-confidence, independence, responsibility, and integrity can all be cultivated through the use of carefully selected educational toys.

Creativity

One hallmark of educational toys is how well they support creative, open-ended play. A tray of wooden food can inspire a child to spend a whole afternoon running a pretend restaurant or planting and harvesting crops on a pretend farm. A set of blocks can be turned into a tower, a road system, a fort, a car, or even different animals. And the possibilities for a pound of modeling clay are endless! The more time a child spends exploring all the different things a toy can become, the more developed the child's powers of imagination will be. This fosters an open-mindedness to new possibilities that will help the child think of creative and innovative solutions to any challenges he or she ends up facing as an adult.

Self-Confidence

One way to build self-confidence is through play that encourages a child to assert him or herself. Singing, performing, and acting in front of an audience all help children assert themselves both in the planning stage and during an actual performance. Children also learn to assert themselves by acting out scenarios or performing informally with peers. Open-ended toys such as musical instruments and dress-up clothes and props encourage this type of play.

Taking risks that pay off will also develop a child's self-confidence. Susan G. Solomon, author of American Playgrounds: Revitalizing Community Space, notes that "Children need a chance to take acceptable risks, learn cause and effect, make choices and see consequences. If they don't learn to take risks, we'll lose a generation of entrepreneurs and scientists." To take such risks, children must develop powers of risk assessment and decision making so that they can be sure that the risks they plan to take are, in fact, acceptable. The act of riding and controlling large toys such as bicycles requires children to calculate physical risks. The logic needed to play certain strategy-based board games like Monopoly, chess, and checkers involves risk assessment such as whether or not to invest in a property or risk one piece for a future, greater gain.

To improve their ability to calculate risk, children should also develop their decision-making skills. Science and engineering kits can help by requiring children to use observations and directions to make decisions about how to run an experiment or build a working machine. Puzzles and building construction sets can also hone this skill.

Independence

In general, allowing children to direct their own play and be in charge of what to do during their free time helps them become more self-sufficient and resilient. In particular, certain educational toys foster skills such as problem solving, taking charge of a situation, and leadership. One aspect of being independent is being able to solve a problem on your own. Working with a construction toy system allows a child to explore different solutions to the challenge of building various items. Logical challenges faced on your own, such as figuring out how to use a set of pattern blocks to replicate certain complicated patterns, also build problem-solving skills.

Another aspect of being independent is taking charge of a situation. This can be as simple as providing your baby with two toy choices and allowing the baby the autonomy to make his or her own decision about which to play with. Beyond that, you can also encourage the development of independence by allowing your child to direct what roles you will take on when playing with your child or letting your child be in charge of how a toy will be played with. Providing your child with open-ended play sets such as farms, fire and police stations, pirate ships, tree houses, and train stations creates a situation where your child can control what scenarios he or she will act out that day.

A third aspect of being independent is taking a leadership role. While unit blocks and communal building sets of oversized hollow wood blocks, huge foam blocks, or sturdy cardboard blocks can foster cooperation skills, they can also offer opportunities for one child to lead others in a positive way to build a specific construction that that child has in mind. Educational toys can also help children become self-motivated and self-directed so that they can lead themselves to accomplishments without always relying on outside support and affirmation.

Responsibility

To become good citizens, all children should develop a sense of personal, societal, and environmental responsibility. In general, trusting children to take good care of their toys, to play nicely with them and put them back where they belong when play is done, can begin to foster a sense of responsibility. At the most basic level, a chart such as Melissa and Doug's Magnetic Responsibility Chart can help a child keep track of his or her personal obligations. Beyond that, specific toys can develop other kinds of responsibility.

When a child is provided with an open-ended toy such as a construction set that must be assembled by the child, he or she will take on the personal responsibility of following the directions and making sure the toy is put together correctly. This will train the child to take a sense of pride and personal responsibility in any future jobs he or she is expected to do. And, when a child takes care of a doll or pretend pet, he or she also develops a sense of personal responsibility for fulfilling his or her obligations to someone else.

Role-playing of obligations can extend to creating a sense of responsibility to society. When a child pretends that he or she is a construction worker or a doctor, that child is practicing taking on adult responsibilities that must be fulfilled if people are to live together in communities. Such role-playing socializes the child and allows him or her to get used to the idea of becoming a contributing member to such a community once he or she is grown.

Finally, science kits that encourage children to study the earth can educate children about why people must take care of animals, land, resources, and so forth. Plus, toys that are crafted from sustainable materials (such as Plan Toys) or bioplastics (such as Green Toys), or designed to use recycled materials (such as the Uberstix Scavenger sets), encourage a respect for the conservation of natural resources. This in turn leads to a developed sense of responsibility for caring for the environment.

Integrity

Educational toys can also help children develop integrity. Using costumes and props to role-play situations such as customer and server can help children practice politeness and manners. Acting out scenarios such as taking care of an injured doll or animal can foster compassion and empathy. And playing competitive games fairly by taking turns and following the rules develops a child's appreciation for right and wrong.

The educational benefit of toys for child development cannot be underestimated. The childhood pursuit for play and discovery continues into adulthood. Children develop fascination about their surroundings from playing with toys and continue to pick up hobbies late into their adult life.

About Kids Toy Club

Kids Toy Club is an online provider of educational toys that is dedicated to adding value to the money its customers spend. Understanding that educational toy purchases are an investment in a child's future, Kids Toy Club makes the effort to provide quality products and useful information about the relationship between toys and child development.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laeke_Gebre

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Today's parents feel pressured to use technology to begin their child's education in utero. For example, the BabyPlus Prenatal Education System promises to "give your baby a headstart" by playing rhythmic patterns to help stimulate early learning. It is time, therefore, to step back and evaluate the true value of toys that incorporate technology to teach.

Toys that are formed from high-tech electronics embedded with semiconductor chips are generally known as edutainment toys. The quality and substance of their play may be limited by the number of buttons a child can push. Some promise to challenge a child by allowing him or her to interact with the educational content to learn it. For example, V.Smile offers a Baby Infant Development System aimed at introducing interactive learning to kids 9 months to 3 years. They can watch educational videos with this system or push buttons on a tray to influence what is happening on a television screen.

Some older toys are also adding electronic bells and whistles to appeal to the current technologically sophisticated generation of children. Dolls now interact with the Internet. Wooden Brio trains make electronic sounds and can be controlled by infrared remotes. The classic Fisher-Price Rock-A-Stack now also comes in a Dance Baby Dance version whose center rod lights up and plays songs when the rings are stacked on it.

Open vs. Closed-ended Toys
An open-ended toy encourages free play with an unlimited number of outcomes. For example, a building set can be used to construct a variety of different structures. A closed-ended toy, on the other hand, has a limited and often soon exhausted number of outcomes.
Not all closed-ended toys are bad. After all, a stacker is a classic closed-ended educational toy: it can only be put together correctly in one way. However, to solve a stacker, a child must develop and use logic and fine motor skills. The child benefits from the repetition of playing with the pieces of a stacker, manipulating them with his or her fingers over and over and thinking about how they fit together until the solution is mastered and then repeated for pleasure.

A closed-ended edutainment toy, on the other hand, may only require a child to press a few buttons. Eventually, it leads to a dead end and the child grows bored and tosses the toy aside. As Martha B. Bronson notes in The Right Stuff for Children Birth to Eight, although a child can have a rich play experience with any toy, basic, open-ended toys encourage this type of experience more than rigidly programmed toys with only one or two functions do. This sort of edutainment toy is not timeless. It is meant to be replaced sooner rather than later by the next big product in edutainment that uses the latest in technological innovations.

Often people assume that toys that use new technology are more innovative and educational than non-technological educational toys. In fact, childhood specialists such as Jane Roberts (president of Young Media Australia, a consumer advocacy group), question how educational and interactive high-tech edutainment toys really are, noting that "[p]ressing buttons and having items do things for you is fairly limiting in terms of how children learn." Furthermore, many traditional toys are themselves becoming more innovative about stimulating a child's imagination and creativity without having electronics in them. For example, the blocks in FoxMind's Cliko game can be used for a variety of games that are challenging to children and adults alike.

Negative Impacts of Edutainment Toys
Overall, parents might not want to encourage children, especially younger ones, to use too often edutainment toys that involve televisions and computer screens. The authors of "Effects of Preschool Television Watching on First-Grade Children," found that preschoolers who watched more television than their peers did worse in school and were not as well socialized when they entered first grade. Researchers Frederick Zimmerman and Dr. Dimitri Christakis found that babies watching Baby Einstein DVDs and videos scored lower on language skills than babies who had never watched them at all.

In addition, Allison Sloan notes in Shopper's Guide to Healthier, Greener Toys that computers and television sets emit EMFs, "invisible forcefields whose possible health effects, from headaches to sleep disruption to cancer, are the subject of heated debate." Children's developing brains are in the greatest danger from such outside influences.

A final caution about edutainment toys is that they can foster in children an acceptance of a disposable consumer culture. A timeless toy such as a set of wooden unit blocks will hold up under heavy use for generations and can be played with at the same time by children (and adults!) of a variety of ages. Edutainment toys, on the other hand, are usually played with by only one child at a time, and they generally have a shorter playtime and life span. Children quickly master and get bored of them, or their high-tech components break, rendering the toy useless, and then they are discarded, releasing toxic chemicals and metals into the environment.

What Parents Can Do
As technology and the Internet permeate society and people's lives more and more, it does make sense to introduce children to computers and other inventions that they will need to use as they grow older. A toy is not necessarily bad or useless because it incorporates technology. That said, smart parents should examine the stated purpose of an edutainment toy, evaluate how and what it teaches, and determine if their children could receive equal or greater value from a simpler, classic toy. Roberts warns against the dangers of a parent using high-tech toys as babysitters, substituting interaction with a machine such as a single-player computer game for what should be "the best learning for young children-real-life experience when they model, create, explore, and develop their own initiatives through play."

For more resources on quality educational toys visit Kids Toy Club.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laeke_Gebre

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One of the largest toy makers in the world, Hasbro, has introduced a set of new games to help teach preschoolers manners. The NOODLEBORO games "let you nurture kids’ social skills naturally through multi-sensory play". Each game comes with a storybook and an audio CD so kids can see, hear, play and then live each NOODLEBORO life lesson.

In the first game, the children try to have a picnic but pesky ants keep getting in the way. They must have good manners and say 'please' and 'thank you' to get rid of them. In the second game, the kids run a pizza shop but must learn to listen and pay attention in case the customers order such things as stinky socks as a topping. The third game centres around a carnival and the social skill being taught is sharing. The children must collect as many sharing stars as they can before the park closes. The players are not rewarded for a particular dice roll but rather for listening carefully, sharing tokens with friends and saying "please" and "thank you."

These are all important skills that young children must learn. I'm not sure if learning them through this type of game is a 'natural' way to learn, but perhaps it will give parents some confidence in teaching these skills if they can put it in a context that the children understand and have fun with. The important thing is to reinforce these qualities at home from day to day. There is no point playing games where the child is encouraged to be polite and think of others if there is no reinforcement outside the game, book or the CD.

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I have written in a previous post how puzzles can help young children develop important hand-eye coordination and motor skills. Puzzles are a fun way for children to solve a problem and to enjoy a picture or design at the end as the solution. They get a very real sense of accomplishment when they have put all the pieces together on their own.

This puzzle goes a step further than most puzzles for young children. Made from sturdy wood, the puzzle is actually in three layers and each layer is a step involved in growing a garden. As the child constructs the puzzle, the story emerges.

In the first layer the child sees a young boy and girl carefully planting seeds into the earth. The sky is blue and birds fly merrily up above. In the second layer they see that their efforts are paying off! The plants are growing, but there's still more work to do. Weeds need to be taken out and the plants still need watering. Finally, in the last and topmost layer, they can barely see the children! After all of their work, the sunflowers are growing tall and strong.

With twelve shapes in total, this puzzle teaches colour, shape, size, sequence, and problem solving. Children over 2 years will love the bright colours and chunky pieces.

For more information on where to buy, go to Right to Learn Toys

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One of the oldest giants in the toy producing market is the Germany based company Marklin. It is known world wide for its high tech toys and also for model railroads. The company was established in 1859 and since then it has become like a synonym for model railways. Marklin produces almost every famous model railroad. It was because of them that the gauges for toy trains were later adopted by the international standards. They made the O gauge, HO gauge and Z scale. The only gauges not made by Marklin are wide gauge and the N gauge.

Trix is yet another brand name for Marklin. They are together the leading manufacturers of the HO scale model operated on DC. However the earlier models of the company are also widely accepted by many, the latest invention has gained a tremendous favour by the people.

With the beginning of the new millennium this company made a step forward. Apart from manufacturing model trains, the company took an initiative to produce sets for mechanical constructions. They also produced many lithographed toys. The company is very well known for the Marklin system as well which basically refers to the techniques used by them. The system uses a rail that is hidden in the roadbed of small studs while the outer rails are electrically connected. Hence, just the two outer trains are visible having simple wiring and one train is invisible. So it is actually a three train system.

Marklin had collaboration with Motorola in 80's and introduced a revolutionary concept of digital train systems. A two train DC Trix is the one that is enabled with digital command control system. It basically consists of a chip, Marklin k83. The component is responsible for controlling the model train. It is because of this only that the signals are flashed in green and red colour. K84 is a component used instead of k83 sometimes.

As the time has passed, the company has truly gained a reputation in the toy market. The company is immensely popular because of its wide range of products. The product packaging is stupendous as well. Every detail of the product is well arranged and consists of all that is needed. Marklin has always been available easily in every market and now making a mark online.

Get more information on marklin and radio control vehicles.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Adan_Mills

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Education experts worry that American children are falling behind in science and math skills. But parents can instill an interest in science by capitalizing on children’s natural curiosity. Science isn’t a complicated, difficult subject – it is all around us. Here are ten ways to find science in everyday life and share science with your children.

1) Astronomy. Look up in the sky – there it is. Stars may be out of reach to little ones on the ground, but learning about them isn’t. Use the Internet, or find books that show the constellations, then spend a warm summer evening star gazing. If you have a planetarium in your neighborhood, pay a visit. If not, go to Nasa.gov to find photos, video and lots more.

2) Zoology. Animals are everywhere! Go for a nature walk and see what you find. A trip to the pet store can also be informative. Visit the zoo for a close-up look at animals, and check beforehand to see when you and your child can enjoy a lecture or feeding time.

3) Entomology. Or the study of bugs, in layman’s terms. Bugs are also everywhere. Try an ant farm, or bug collecting kit.

4) Geology. Rocks are pretty easy to find, as well. Check some books out of the library, then go for a hike and try to identify different kinds.

5) Anatomy. The human body is an exciting mystery! Did you know that the adult human has 100 trillion cells, 206 bones, 600 muscles and 22 internal organs? There are lots of interactive games, diagrams and photos online. Check them out!

6) Aeronautics. Build paper airplanes and conduct a contest to see whose design flies fastest and farthest. Read a book about the Wright brothers, while you’re at it.

7) Botany. Head to the nearest nursery and have a look around. As long as you don’t try to show up on a warm Saturday in the spring, one of the horticulturists might give you some personal tips. Take home a couple plants and care for them – watch them grow.

8) Cartography. Dora the Explorer has this one covered. Help your little ones make maps of the house, the neighborhood, their hometown. Get out other maps and do some exploring!

9) Paleontology. I’ve never met a four-year-old that wasn’t fascinated by dinosaurs. Check out some books or websites, play with dino play sets, bury “bones” in the sandbox and dig them back up!

10) Meteorology. When my children were preschoolers, we kept a weather calendar in the kitchen to be updated every day. We spent time lying on our backs in the grass, watching clouds. There are some great books and Internet resources for weather. Try the National Weather Service, or weather.com, where you can check out Doppler radar and see weather details for the entire planet!

Science doesn’t have to be complicated. Help your child discover the world around him. Find some interesting things to learn about, then do some research together!http://www.qualitytoysandhobbies.com/

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Learning maths certainly doesn't need to be boring for your children in view of the wide variety of Educational math toys that are available. Make the learning of this essential skill fun and exciting. Take advantage of the many toys that have visual and moving elements, to make math more real. The learning patterns from using these educational toys have been proven to help children improve their counting abilities. And you kids with love all those educational toys!

Choosing the right educational toys and games for your children at a young age will make sure that they start out in live with the right learning environment. In order to learn, it is important to stimulate your child's creativity, curiosity, and discovery. All this can be easily achieved by making use of the educational crafts, games, puzzles and toys.

It may seem a difficult decision at first to decide on which educational toys and games to choose. Try starting out with a simple book or educational toy, and then slowly progress to more complex educational toys, music activities and puzzles. Attempt to create a fun environment for your child to learn in. Do this by taking note of your child's interests - if he or she is into monsters and dinosaurs then based your decision on choosing the educational toys on this fact. This will make sure that your child's interest remains with the toy.

Learn simple addition through play to encourage children to become familiar with numbers and slowly introduce them to math concepts, such as basic addition, counting and sorting. With some simple research into a child's ability level and toy quality, you should have no trouble in locating a variety of educational math toys to spark interest while at the same time reinforcing the importance of learning mathematical concepts.http://www.educational-toys.andallabout.com,

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The "Top Toys Awards" are presented each year in New York at the American International Toy Fair. There is a variety of categories from infant up to the older children. The best and brightest toys of the year are picked. The Toy Industry has chosen the following top toys 2008 in each category.

The toy that took the best toy of the year from all categories was the TMX™" Elmo from Fisher-Price®. Elmo has three tickle spots, which are located on his toes, tummy, and chin. Tickle him and he'll start to laugh. It's easy to see why this was one of the best of the Top Toys 2008.

The girl toy of the year is made from Hasbro Inc., and it is the Butterscotch Pony from the FurReal Friends collection. Every girl dreams of having their very own pony and now they can, with the realistic sounds and movements of this lifelike little pony.

The boy toy of the year is the Spy Video Car made by Wild Planet Entertainment Inc. This small remote car has a built in infrared camera so spying on siblings and friends is great fun. You can see that top toys 2008 for both boys and girls are fun and educational.

The top game of the year for both board and CD Rom is Cranium's Zooreka. The whole family can enjoy this game, by building your very own zoo. Every move keeps the players thinking. Wait, there's more than just building a zoo, there's also danger lurking at every move in this game of chance.

There are some great choices if you are in the market for a new toy, but wait - there are more top toys 2008, so let's carry on.

The best outdoor toy for the year was a tough pick but in the end, it was Radio Flyer's Fold 2 Go® Trike. This compact handy trike can go anywhere. It comes fully assembled and folds for easy storage or transport. Now you can take your child's trike to Grandma's house. The low center of gravity makes it very stable.

Educational toys are always a popular choice and this year the toy that was chosen for providing the best skill development was the Small Globe™ 2.0 made by Oregon Scientific. It comes with 30 activities and you can make use of the cordless smartpen to navigate through all the learning activities. Your child will learn countries, populations, currencies, leaders, and so much more.

Every child needs a good activity toy and this year one of the top toys 2007 in this class was the Moon Sand™ from Spin Master. Moon sand is the new play dough. It never dries out and it can be used repeatedly, and it expands to twice the size of the package. It'd designed for ages 3 and up and your kids will find hours of playtime here.

In our modern world, electronics are important so this year the Digital Camera from Fisher Price ® is the top pick in top toys 2008 placement. There's a lot of high technology in this Kid tough camera that will keep the imagination flowing.

We've covered just a few of the top toys 2008 choices, however there are others, and what's important when buying your children toys is to buy quality, well built products, that stimulate, and help your child grow.http://toptoysguide.com/

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A new electronic toy seems to be helping children with autism develop language skills. Helma van Rijn developed the toy as part of her graduation project at Delft University of Technology's Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering.

The electronic toy, which is called LINKX, consists of blocks that the children must place against a specific object. The objects -- for example a table or a window -- are equipped with a small electronic device of a certain colour. If the children place a block against such an object, the block lights up in the same colour as the object and the child hears the word that corresponds to the name of the object (this word has been pre-recorded by the child's parents).

Van Rijn has tested this method on autistic children (aged 3-5 years old). Parents and teachers have reacted extremely positively to LINKX. More importantly: it appears that the children do indeed learn new words, although it is still too early to arrive at any definitive conclusions about the long-term effects of the toy. Following further tests, the project group for which Van Rijn designed the toy, plans to include the toy in its product catalogue.

Van Rijn: "The most important thing is that I first thoroughly familiarised myself with these children and then, based on my experience, I created the design. I also worked very intensively with the parents, because they are the experts with regard to autistic children."

The approach taken in the design represents a departure from the most commonly used methods; these methods primarily require children to learn the language via a computer. Van Rijn's method is clearly based on real-life experiences.

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Adapted from materials provided by Delft University of Technology, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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The main purpose of toys is to bring joy to children. It adds more fun to their games. But one can never underestimate the power of toys. Toys are very helpful in preparing your child to learn bigger things. Although it may only seem that they are just playing and having fun, there are a lot of things that they can learn. There are educational toys that give your child the fun of playing and learning at the same time.

Toys have been your child's constant companion since he was still a baby. Small colorful toys helped him discovered the different colors and shapes. It also introduced him to the different sounds in his surroundings and allowed him to distinguish the different textures. Through toys, your child discovered the fun of using his senses.

At preschool, your child is more active. Although he has outgrown those colorful toddler toys, his interest to discover and create new things is continuing to take its toll. He starts to learn new things like associating his toys with the things in his surroundings. He learns to do role playing and takes his imagination to a new level. He also learns to appreciate and create new things out of the different colors and shapes. Their toys can aid you as well in teaching him how to write, count and draw. You can also teach him responsibility by assigning him a task to organize his toys after playing. You can teach him to socialize as well by asking him to share his toys with other children.

When your child is older, there are a lot of board games that you can introduce to him that will enhance his analytical skills. Game boards such as chess and domino help develop the strategic skills of your child. If you want to widen his vocabulary you can teach him how to play scrabble and word factory. This will also introduce your child to the different rules and regulations and the limitations it brings. He will also learn the value of sportsmanship and humility through this.

Children's interests vary as they grow. If your child does not show interest to any board game, then don't force him. You can ask him about the sports he is interested in and support it. He will surely learn a lot from it. He will be able to socialize by playing with a team and value the significance of teamwork. He will also learn about discipline and hard work in order to attain their team goal.

You may have not noticed it, but toys play a very important role in the development of your child's well being. His desire for toys change over the years because his needs varies from one stage to another but this does not mean that what he has discovered and learned with the previous toys he had will be forgotten. He may not be able to remember how he played when he was still a baby or how much he liked to put things together, but it will show in the person he has grown into. http://www.thekidstoystore.com/

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The Man of Steel turns 70 this month, but his popularity has waned in this 21st century world of flawed, postmodern heroes. This indisputable icon of American culture first made him appearance in the June 1938 edition of "Action Comics", the brainchild of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

Superman is the original superhero, with superpowers, the cape and colourful costume, the secret identity and his mission to fight against Evil for Truth, Justice and the American Way. He can fly but is not an aeroplane or a bird. He's faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!

But Superman comic sales have fallen over the last few years, while darker characters like Batman, Spider-Man or Wolverine of "X-Men" fame have become favourites. Is Superman too good and uncomplicated for teenagers these days? Only time will tell if he will survive another 70 years, but if he continues to evolve as he has until now, then he will continue to be a hero of our cynical world.

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Solving puzzles is a great way for young children to develop important hand-eye coordination and motor skills. The most basic of puzzles are those which include shape sorting, whereby a child is required to manipulate various shaped blocks and place them in the appropriately shaped slot. These are suitable for children as young as one, and will help them develop very basic problem solving skills as well as hand-eye coordination.

Jigsaw puzzles are very popular among children. Jigsaws with increasing levels of difficulty are available for a wide range of ages and developmental stages. Jigsaw puzzles utilise a handful of specifically shaped pieces that fit into corresponding holes in a board. The number of pieces can range from as few as four up to a thousand. Often with puzzles for younger children, the jigsaw pieces are decorated so that when placed together correctly they form an entire picture. Completing these simple puzzles not only aids hand-eye coordination but also will help develop a child’s memory. Jigsaws designed for older children may include letters and numbers to help familiarise them with the alphabet and learn basic numeric skills.

Other puzzles designed for children rely on the matching of shapes and colours. These will again aid hand-eye coordination, but will also encourage your child to distinguish between different shapes and colours. These are basic problem solving skills, but are essential for them to develop and ready themselves for bigger challenges.

Puzzles are an invaluable aide for skill development. However, it is important to introduce children to those that are suitable for their age group. Young children in particular can get very frustrated with puzzles that they cannot solve. Often this is simply because they haven’t yet developed the necessary hand-eye coordination or thought processes required to complete them.

Introducing puzzles to children at a young age is an enjoyable way for them to develop important manual dexterity, memory, and coordination skills. As they get older, they will be able to advance to more complicated puzzles promoting development of language and numeric skills. It is important to help your child with puzzles initially. As they become more comfortable with the idea of puzzles, they will be able to complete them on their own, providing a rewarding experience for both you and your child.

Puzzles for children from age one and up including jigsaws, wooden puzzles, spelling, number, and a variety of other educational puzzles are available at BrainGrow Toys.
Pam Fallon - CEOhttp://braingrowtoys.com

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As parents, we try not to feed our children anything that was not beneficial for them. Likewise, the same applies for toys. We want to buy toys which are educational; something that will benefit our children and will help them grow to their full potential. However, knowing each child is born with different capabilities and interests, there are many factors to keep in mind when purchasing toys for your child.

If a child is asked to pick out a toy of her preference she will naturally chose the most eye catching toy. But as a parent, when picking out toys for your child, you should consider what your aim is for that particular toy. Do you want the toy to teach your toy something specific, or do you want the toy to stimulate your child's imagination? It is not easy picking out the good toys from the bad, as there are many on the market. Keep in mind your child’s strengths, weaknesses and interests.

If you are feeling a little lost as to what type of toys to get your child, here are some of the questions you ought to keep in mind.

1. Are you looking for an educational toy or one that encourage your child imagination? These are both legitimate but often a toy does not do both.
2. Have you noticed any area that your child might need help in? If your child has difficulty recognising shapes, for example, playing with blocks and simple puzzles can help here.
3. What are your child's strengths and how can the toy you are thinking of buying develop this strength?
4. Is the toy labelled/fit for your child’s age? You don't want to buy something too advanced for your child as this will only frustrate her.
5. Does the toy have a good review and reputation? Listen to what other parents say about the toy and do a little research into it's strengths.
6. Is the toy well made? Toys made from wood are usually very hard wearing and will last longer than those made from plastic. Make sure there are no small parts if your child is very young.
7. Is your child getting a balance of electronic toys as well as simple or traditional toys like lego and blocks? There is a place for electronic games, and they can help children's fine motor skills and coordination, but getting the balance right is important.

So, when purchasing toys the most important criteria to remember is to buy a collection of toys that will cater for many purposes. Keep in mind your child's personality and needs. Electronic or non-electronic, both toys carry it's own special purpose, and it is up to you as a parent to figure out what exactly your child’s needs are.

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Colouring books are one of the educational tools readily available today. They come in many different themes and styles to attract children of all ages. There are colouring books pages available online as well as in all bookshops. Some are simple and others are elaborate stories unfolding throughout the book.
So what are the benefits of your child spending time colouring in outlines of pictures created by someone else? Does this benefit them in any way?
Here are some benefits kids get from colouring:

• Increases concentration. Colouring requires good concentration and this type of focusing on one task can help a child develop her overall concentration levels. This is a skill that many children find difficult to master, although essential for later schooling.
  



• Aids fine motor skills. Colouring helps young children with their coordination and the use of pens and pencils. Trying to stay inside the lines takes considerable skill and when they master it they gain a sense of accomplishment.
  



• Encourages colour awareness. Using different colours gives children a chance to explore different combinations and lets them see how they can change the appearance of the picture. It is great also for gaining awareness of the lesser known colours. If they are using paints they can combine different primary colours to make a new colour.
  



• Stimulates creative thinking. There is scope for creativity during colouring. The child can develop a drawing style and enjoy making an imaginary world from her work before she is ready to actually draw full pictures on her own. This will encourage her to continue this type of creative play and give her a sense of accomplishment.
  

This is where colouring is most useful. We need to give young children every opportunity to gain self confidence and a sense of self worth. If they can create something that is aesthetically pleasing, then this will help in the positive development of their personality.
Older children may become bored with colouring and prefer to draw freely on their own. This is a natural progression and one to be welcomed. Nevertheless, colouring does have a place in child development and can easily be incorporated into a child’s day.

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Toys are an integral part of a toddler's world. It is very important to choose the right toys because so much of their play centres around the imaginary world they create using these toys. Never again will they learn so fast and so easily, so if the toys are educational as well as fun, they will be entertained at the same time as being taught important skills and ways of grasping the world around them.

It is at this age that children start being aware of their surroundings and notice everything with surprise and awe. Their toys should help them make sense of their world and their place in it.

Most toddlers are very active and inquisitive, and want to explore and experiment with everything around them. Toys which allow them to be active and also help develop their gross motor skills are perfect for this age group.

Climbing structures, puzzle blocks, balloons, interactive dolls, and toy bikes and cars are all great. Some more educational toys are puppets and stuffed toys, coloured building blocks, peg boards, pedal toys and swings. These toys provide physical and mental exercises, developing the body muscles and brain cells, including thinking and logical capacity.

Toddlers are also fascinated by colours so coloured pencils and crayons with simple colouring books or drawing books can be useful for teaching shapes and colours while providing fun. You can encourage your child to scribble, colouring, and experiment with the colours to develop their creativity.

With the development of the brain cells, toddlers start associating objects with whatever they are taught and thus, arranging blocks according to shapes, sizes, and colours can be a very educational game. Blocks can be used in a myriad of ways and can be incorporated into many different games. Stacking, sorting, even knocking them over is huge fun.

Toy trains, wooden logs and interlocking blocks help build the toddlers' hand and eye coordination abilities. Playing with sand and clay can also be a very good way of building their imagination and developing their muscular flexibility.

As parents and guardians we must make sure that there are no small objects incorporated in the toys we give to toddlers. Children this young love to put things in their mouths, so keep a watchful eye out and there should be no problems.

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Word search puzzles are pen and paper puzzles containing a grid of letters. The player's task is to locate words hidden within this grid. Each word is in a straight line, but can be placed in any direction, horizontally (left to right, or right to left), vertically (upwards or downwards), or diagonally. Just to make the puzzle that little bit more difficult, words may overlap or intersect, and of course not every letter in the grid is actually part of a word.

Most children seem to enjoy solving word search puzzles - they're an enjoyable way to pass the time. Parents often like these puzzles too, as they can keep the kids busy, instead of getting bored, on a rainy day, or during a long plane or train journey.

It should also be remembered that while word search puzzles are mainly about fun, they can also have educational benefits too. Solving a word search puzzle requires concentration and attention to detail. Furthermore, in order to solve these puzzles, kids need to focus on the exact spelling of words.

It is possible to buy books printed with word search puzzles, however a more flexible option is for a parent or teacher to create the puzzles themselves with the help a computer and word search puzzle maker software. Simply enter a list of words, and the computer can generate a puzzle in an instant! Doing it this way has the big advantage that you can tailor the puzzle, for example choosing words based on this week's spelling list or around class project, or perhaps turning off some of the more difficult directions when creating puzzles for younger kids.

By S. Tanna. To create your printable word search puzzles for kids, please go to http://www.wordsearchprinter.com/

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If you are searching for the right educational toys for your preschooler, you may be overwhelmed with all the options available. Toy manufacturers are now busier than ever, working hard to keep up with the latest trends and styles, and competing to make their toys the best and most popular among small children. Though the decision of what to buy your child can be difficult, here are several suggestions that may help you.

When choosing an educational toy, you want to be sure it will serve its educational purpose. You want your child to learn something while playing with a particular toy, and for that to remain a popular one with your preschooler for a reasonable amount of time. This is why you should choose carefully.

When selecting educational toys, it is also important to keep your child's interests in mind. Remember, it isn't the educational factor that will interest your child, rather the fun the toy will bring. Encourage your child to play with different toys and learn new things, but always try to give preference to the more educational preschool-level toys, whether they teach basic math or reading skills, colour recognition, or just stimulate different parts of a child's developing brain. After all, these simple, educational games can often be the most entertaining.

Chalkboards are among the most popular toys for preschoolers. They are also among the oldest. And since many modern chalkboards are double-sided-- with a chalkboard on one side and a magnetic board for plastic letters on the other, this toy can also serve a dual purpose. By playing with it, your child will be able to learn the letters of the alphabet with the magnetic letters, and then be able to practice those letters on the chalkboard once this is accomplished. It also allows for free-hand drawing and hours of creative fun.

Toy pianos are also among the most popular and most beneficial toys. As shown in recent studies, children who learn music, even on the most basic level, tend to perform better in math and science-oriented subjects, and also tend to score higher on scholastic exams. Aside from that, this kind of toy is a great way for your child to be creative while making his or her very own music.

Blocks have long been among the most basic, yet most fun toys a child can own. There are many types from which to choose, from blocks that interlock, to those that simply balance on one another. Your child will have hours of fun building towers, houses, or just simply learning to stack and count.

No matter which educational toys you choose, be sure they are age-appropriate for your child. Check to be sure they don't have loose parts that could be harmful to your child, and that they aren't too complicated for his or her age and education level. You do not want your child to become discouraged by playing with a toy he or she does not understand. Also, play with your children. If you show an interest in the toys you buy, they are more likely to do the same.

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The market today is flooded with a number of educational toys both branded and locally manufactured. Educational toys are very popular among parents, as they provide a good medium to educate their children. No matter how rich or poor, parents want to purchase educational toys for their children. However, the high price tags restrain many people from buying them. The offer of cheap educational toys by retailers and shopkeepers has been a solution to this dilemma.

Many companies on the Internet offer cheap rates on educational toys. Their web sites carry details of the products such as the toy description, learning objectives, pictures and prices. Customers typically register on these sites, place an order and pay online. There are also companies that provide toy rental services at affordable rates. Toys can be rented on a monthly basis.

There is a wide range of inexpensive, quality educational toys for children who are as young as three months. Wooden toys are a favorite with parents as they are cheap, safe, durable and high quality. Cheap educational toys also include storybooks, learning activity kit, construction toys, puzzles, craft kits and baby toys. Books, games or animated movies are also categorized as educational toys and are available at cheap rates. The most popular categories of toys among little children are organic stuffed animals, dolls, block-games, cars, and wooden toys. They are carefully designed and crafted to help shape young minds.

Social service organizations that concentrate on children's welfare believe that it is essential to regulate the prices of toys and make them affordable for everyone.

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Sometimes when we choose the colours in our child's room it can be more indicative of our owns preference or cultural norm rather than the child’s needs. Do boys really prefer blue and girls pink?

Pink and blue or fully-saturated primary colours are not necessarily what children prefer. Children are careful observers and can distinguish subtle colours and shading even if they cannot yet verbalise this understanding.

Most experts agree that the large areas in a room–such as the walls, floors, and ceilings–should be neutral or subdued, in effect mirroring the way that colour occurs in nature. Bright, saturated colours can be applied in small, focused areas, just as one might find a vibrant flower in vast green field.

Here are a few general ideas to keep in mind when selecting colours for a child’s room:

• Bright colours are best used in small amounts and neutral tones in larger amounts to mimic the proportions found in nature.


• Highly saturated colours work best when juxtaposed with an absorbent, complementary colour to balance it. For example, pair red with a moss green.


• Children do most of their playing on the floor, so it is best to keep this area neutral.


• Pale blue and pink reflect cultural norms, but not necessarily children’s preferences.


• Add colour in unexpected ways with plants and rich natural woods.

If you have any suggestions do let us know. Thanks !!

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Furniture has the ability to encourage a child to move about more freely.

Have you ever thought about how much time your child is physically confined in a stroller,

crib, highchair, playpen, or car seat. If you add it all up, it would probably be a significant 

part of the day.

But allowing a child to explore in a safe environment will provide many learning advantages.

Although unorthodox, there are many viable alternatives to cribs and highchairs.

In a Montessori home, for example, infants sleep on mats on the floor rather than in cribs. 

Many of these children crawl and walk months earlier than the average child because they have 

more opportunities to practice.  

Children as young as seven months sit in weaning chairs with their feet on the floor rather than 

in highchairs. 

Although this method requires meticulous child-proofing and patience in getting the child to 

focus on the task at hand, it encourages a child to move, explore, and learn.



It is important to be flexible and willing to make adjustments when things don’t work. 

An adult sized dresser that is too tall or has excessively heavy drawers - while fine in a 

newborn’s room -discourages an older child from learning how to dress himself.

Books stored on high shelves with spines out are hard for children to see, access and put away.

What kind of furniture have you bought for your child ?

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Every parent wants to give their child a head start when it comes to their early development, and there are many educational toys available that can stimulate your child to grow and develop in fun and playful ways. It’s been scientifically proven that young minds need stimulation to develop thought and reflex patterns and good hand/eye co-ordination. The toys available must also entertain your child if you want basic learning skills to develop. The child won’t even realize that lessons are being taught, because it’s so much fun!

Toys that feature a lot of turning buttons and items will help to develop motor skills and co-ordination. Toddlers and infants especially love the toys that make noise. Also, toys that feature keyboards or noise-making buttons can help your child to associate actions with obtainable and fun sounds. A basic ability for sound recognition is usually developed in this manner.

It’s important to realize that there are age-specific toys for every level of childhood, because children grow through various stages of their development. Educational toys must stimulate the child’s imagination during play to be effective, and these toys must match their learning ability. Interactive toys are some of the best educational and fun toys for a child. They usually stimulate and entertain the child so that they can learn while having fun.

Any activity that involves pulling or pushing something is also a favorite activity, followed next by filling and emptying anything. Toddlers are curious and have to touch and look at everything in their world. Action toys, cause and effect toys and any activity that challenges their minds are always favorites. Stacking blocks, simple puzzles and any toys that pop up are also high on the list of fun and educational toys.

Shape sorters, which are colorful and interesting, can keep a child entertained for hours. Bath toys are also colorful toys that are a great way for your child to have fun and learn in an unlikely spot. Interesting bath toys that bob and float and make noise are wonderful playmates in the bathtub! Some great bath toys include the traditional rubber ducky, foam letters and numbers, and the more sophisticated bath play areas that are educational and fun additions to any child’s bath time.

Older toddlers can have fun with colorful fridge magnets, books that feature sounds and songs and other interactive toys. Any sorts of fanciful play sets, such as garages, airports and dollhouses, can also be popular and educational ways for your child to learn about the world around them. Toys that feature clay modeling, chalkboards or anything that the child can write on will help to give the older toddler an outlet for expression.

Mastermind Toys is a Canadian online toy store featuring educational childrens toys such as lego, lego Mindstorms, Aquadoodle, science toys, outdoor toys, music toys that will help your child learn while having fun.http://www.mastermindtoys.com/

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