LEGO Mindstorms NXT

LEGO Mindstorms NXT
From LEGO

For the older kid who's already mastered all of the basics of Lego. There's a good chance that she or he is also interested in computers and robots, in which case, Lego Mindstorms is without a doubt, a perfect gift. This is a real robot kit (Lego's most advanced ever) featuring the new NXT Intelligent Brick -- the robot's brain.

Customer Reviews

Lego Robotic Tournaments for kids
I am buying an NXT for my 11 year old son who has been begging for one for awhile. He is a member of the Robotics team at his elementary school (his 3rd year) and so he interacts with these every day, but wants one of his own to play around with at home.

For those of you whose children are or may be interested in science/engineering/robotics, etc. or are just looking for something creative to do, there is a worldwide program out there that they can join to help develop these skills and have fun at the same time! Lego created this program about 15 years ago and it is now worldwide. Go to [...] to learn all about it. The FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Program is absolutely wonderful. They start out at age 6, with the Junior FIRST Lego League (JFLL); 9-14 yr olds. [or about 3-8th graders] compete in the FIRST Lego League (FLL), using the NXT or RCX (older model) robots; and when they hit high school, they begin building real, actual working robots to compete with.

If your school does not have a team, look into starting one (anyone can: schools, churches, boy/girl scout troops, community organizations, whatever). The fees are not much after the initial kit cost (around $600, which includes the robot and all tournament supplies) and often you can find sponsors to cover some, if not all, of the fees. The kids do not just play with robots, they also work very hard on a research project which they present to a panel of judges at each tournament (there is usually a tourney for city, region, state, national, and then international if your team qualifies for each next tournament), and there are awards for many things: robot competitions, teamwork, research, robot design, team spirit, overall score, etc. If you are looking for a great extracurricular for your gifted or creative child, this is it!

Great Physics and Computer Science Tool for Children
This is a great way to teach children physics, robotics, and computer science. Even if children don't want to make a robot, they can be very creative with the components just as with many lego products.

THIS IS COOL!!!
Mindstorm can do almost anything! I got it for Christmas.
I was so excited. I am only 8 but I love bulding. THIS PRODUCT IS GREAT!

More : My Favorite Gifts for Teenagers

Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (White)

Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (White)

Customer Reviews

Great little camcorder
The Flp camcorder is a great little device which fits easily into your shirt pocket. It is simple and user friendly. The only problem is that the red record button has several functions and must be pushed just right to begin and end recording. Sometimes the red button does not function at all. Overall I highly recommend the Flip camcorder.

Love. This. Camera!
I love my flip camera! What more can you ask for? You point and film and its a good quality video. I use it for You Tube, church videos and everything else. For the price you can not beat this little camera. I carry it in my purse everywhere I go! I love it! I've never had a problem out of it and I've had it almost a year! I would highly recommend this camera!

great camerea, for what it is
Super easy to use, no format conversion, straight to youtube from any usb port.
this does exactly what it claims.
batteries last a good while, too

Product Description

The FVULT60MINB 60-Minute Flip Video Ultra Camcorder lets you capture the everyday moments that happen anywhere and share them with friends and family everywhere. It's simple, portable, and amazingly affordable. Simple editing tools let you make custom-edited movie mixes with music Create and organize your personal video library 1.5 diagonal color anti-glare playback screen for instant viewing and deleting, 528 x 132 pixels screen resolution Video Resolution - 640 x 480 at 30 frames per second Video Bitrate - 4.5Mbps (average - auto adaptive algorithm) Video Format - Advanced Profile MPEG4 Lens Type - Fixed Focus (0.8m to infinity) Aperture - f/2.4 (fast lens for great results in low-light environments) Fast lens for great results in low and bright light, smooth multi-step 2x digital zoom Interface - 8 Buttons (Power, Play, Delete, Record and 4 way navigation) PC Connection - Built-in flip-out USB arm (up to USB 2.0 speed) NTSC TV Out with included cable Battery Life - Up to 2.5 hours with 2x AA Alkaline batteries, Up to 6.5 hours with 2x AA Energizer e2 batteries System Requirements - Intel Pentium 4 2.0 GHz, Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista, SVGA display monitor (1024x768) and video card, Windows Media Player 9.0, Microsoft DirectX 9.0, PowerPC G4 1.0 GHz, 512 MB RAM, Mac OS X 10.3.9, SVGA display (1024 x 768) monitor and video card, QuickTime 7 or later Dimensions - Height 4.17 x Width 2.16 x Depth 1.25

More : My Favorite Gifts for Teenagers

Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway - Thomas the Tank Engine

Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway - Thomas the Tank Engine
From Learning Curve

All two year old boys love Thomas the Tank Engine; the wood or metal ones are both great.

Customer Reviews

Trains get uears of use
My son got this wooden train as part of a set on his first birthday. He is now eight, and although there's a little paint missing, the engine is still going, and the Thomas trains still hold tremendous appeal. The wooden tracks are nice to play with, although I wish the whole thing were better engineered, so that when you pulled a train around the tracks, they actually stayed on better. In the end, they are pretty indestructible and wooden toys just have a kind of feel that you can never get with plastic.

Excellent little toy
When I bought it online I thought it was a bit expensive. But it's good quality and my daughter loves it! She takes it everywhere with her and is constantly asking for "Thomas"!

More Reviews : Toys and DVDs for Toddlers, 18-36 months

Chicken Dancer Elmo Sesame Street Dancing Doll

Chicken Dancer Elmo Sesame Street Dancing Doll
From Mattel

Customer Reviews

Must Have for every 1 year old
My son had a similar version of this toy and of course he broke it by throwing it. I explained Elmo wasn't meant to fly and land so hard, but that fell on deaf ears. Anyway he would get so mad every time he saw the broken toy that it didn't work I decided to find a new one. This Elmo was a,little bigger and still cute, we were a little stumped by how to turn him on but once we did the fun began! My son sat and watched Elmo over and over. I taught him how to turn him on in fear I would never be able to leave the room. Chicken Dance Elmo makes my one year old a very happy boy!

Product Description

Do the Chicken Dance with this adorable singing and dancing Elmo doll dressed in a fuzzy chicken suit. He moves his legs and flaps his arms as he sings the "Chicken dance" song. During the chorus and anytime you press his foot, Elmo will move his head in an adorable action that is sure to get you laughing and moving too. Measures approximately 9 inches tall. Requires 4 "AA" alkaline batteries (included).

Features

• Elmo is approximately 9" tall
• For ages 18 months +

More Reviews : Toys and DVDs for Toddlers, 18-36 months

Fisher Price Learning Home

Fisher Price Learning Home
From Fisher Price

Customer Reviews

My Daugher LOVES This Toy!
I saw this toy when researching what to get my daughter for her first birthday. I also saw the Learning Kitchen. I wanted to get her both, but it just wasn't something we could do based on the price of both toys, so we decided to buy her the kitchen (which is also amazing!). A few weeks later we were at a children's consignment shop and saw this toy for an amazing $15. It was in perfect condition, already put together and had all of the parts with it. From the day we brought it home, my daughter has played with it almost non-stop. She loves the "mail" and mailbox, the lightswitch, opening and closing the door and the window, playing the radio, moving the hands on the clock, flipping through the address book and spinning the sun/moon. It even incorporates other Fisher Price toys, and has a "charger" spot for the Laugh & Learn Learning Phone. We usually set this up with her ride-on toys next to it as a drive way, and put the kitchen behind it. She loves to play with this toy and it really is an excellent choice. Great job, Fisher Price!!

Best Toy We Have Purchased
We bought this toy for our son when he was around 7 months old. This was during the time he was crawling and pulling up on everything! He is of the personality that nothing really entertains him for more than 5 minutes (even his leapfrog table that most kids love), but he will play with this toy for quite some time. He is now 10 months old and walking and still plays with this toy every day. It has been a lot of fun watching him learn new things about the toy as he gets older. He loves putting the balls down the shoot and flipping the light switch on and off. I love how sturdy the toy is because my son is constantly pulling up on it and even tries climbing up it. I feel like this toy will continue to be a hit with him until he is a year and a half or so.

kids love it
I brought this toy yesterday and it's a hit! I brought it for my 9month old twin boys...but my older kids totally took over lol...they're 15,14 and 11....I had to shoo them away so the babies could play :) I must say though...the price of this toy is kind of high...I brought mine from babys r us for 70 bucks....even though I had a 15% off coupon..it's still pricy.....I took the plunge though after reading all of the glowing reviews....they were pretty dead on...this toy's packed with things to do...my favorite...is the little light switch on the back....TO CUTE!! I can see this toy growing with my boys...and being one that they'll love for a long time!

Product Description

Baby loves crawling through the big blue front door into a two-sided playhouse that encourages exploration of everyday activities and introduces the alphabet and numbers. With soothing music, traditional sing-a-long songs and sounds, the Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Learning Home with shape-sorter and two interactive play modes makes the experience of learning a joy. Baby will learn from cause and effect activities and be rewarded for taking risks. It measures 29" x 22" x 32 and it requires 3 "C" batteries, which are not included.

More Reviews : Toys and DVDs for Toddlers, 18-36 months

Tiny Love Symphony-in-Motion Remote Mobile

Tiny Love Symphony-in-Motion Remote Mobile
From Tiny Love

Customer Reviews

Good stuff!
My Baby can play with this all day long.
Good product.
Only thing is...It plays around 10 minutes...so, I wish it plays little longer or I able to set the time.

Nice mobile
Pros: Creative cute animals, bright colors, good music quality

Cons:
- The beads have a metal ring on the inside that scrapes and clinks against the plastic rod as the mobile spins around. So when you should just hear music, you hear a LOUD sliding sound over the music.
- There are only 2 volume settings for the music. Loud and medium. There is no quiet option which is an issue since the speaker is right next to the baby.

It would also be nice if there was a motion only option or a music only option. We also have never used the remote control but I could see how it could be nice to have. Overall, our baby likes the mobile and falls asleep to it and that's all that really matters.

Fantastic Mobile
This is a very nice mobile, we really enjoyed it so as our little baby Gabriela. This is a very recommended product.

More : Toys Your Baby Will Love!

Lamaze: Freddie the Firefly

Lamaze: Freddie the Firefly
From Rc2

Customer Reviews

Great buy
I purchased this item for my 4 month old. She's very entertained while on the car seat or her stroller - with all the different colors, textures and sounds. But most of all...biting at the wings :-). This is a great buy and it's machine washable.

Great Toy
This toy came recommended and i can see why. It's colourful, cute, durable and has plenty of things to see on it and do with it not to mention its a great value. Hayley is only 3 months old and i notice that she is enjoying it more and more each day so i'm sure she'll get continued play out of it as she gets older. I'd recommend it for any mom with young babies.

Still Use It After All This Time
My wife and I got this toy when our baby was still a few months old. Now, at 16 months, she still plays with this toy. We always clip it to her stroller to distract her while we wheel her around.

Product Description

This friendly bug features a soft velour body and busy wings with peekaboo mirror, textures, squeaker and crinkles. Also includes clinking rings, tethered ladybug teether and knotted antennae for chewing. Machine washable. Measures 11 l x 11 h. FUN

Source : Toys Your Baby Will Love!

Tiny Love Gymini Super Deluxe - Lights&Music

Tiny Love Gymini Super Deluxe - Lights&Music
From Tiny Love

Customer Reviews

Excellent quality, fabulous entertainment
I put this mat on our registry based on all the good reviews and I can't say enough good things about it. We got another activity mat as a gift as well, the Baby Einstein Baby Neptune, but this one by Tiny Love is far superior in quality, design and ease of use. When we first got it before my son's birth, i was so taken with it, i spent a good half hour just playing with it myself! My son is now nearly five months and has been using this gym since he was a couple weeks old. It's been amazing watching him interact with this mat as he develops different skills.

The mat unfolds easily out of the box and is ready for play right away. The snap holding the arches together in the middle can be easily undone and the arches laid flat to enable baby to nap on the mat. The arches can also easily unsnap altogether when you need to wash the mat. I unsnapped the arches and curved them into my suitcase on top of the folded mat when i recently went overseas for an extended trip with my son. We spent two months out of the country and this Tiny Love mat went with us. He played and napped in it every day and i thanked my stars everyday that I had brought it.

Keeps my son entertained!
We love this activity mat. My 11 week old son is learning to grab toys, and he "talks" to the animals as he reaches for them and bats at them. When we first purchased it he was 6 weeks old and he could really only stay on it happily for 5-8 minutes at a stretch, but now at 11 weeks he will enjoy independent play for a good 10-15 minutes - long enough for Mommy to put in a load of laundry! We also use it for the dreaded tummy-time, as it has flaps with crinkly noises that distract him a bit from how frustrating tummy-time can be.

Features

• Deluxe gymini with plush dangling toys.
• Immediate feedback based on baby's actions for cause & effect learning.
• Large mirror encourages head turning.
• Nursery tunes & lights encourage head lifting to touch lights.
• Mat is machine washable and folds up flat for travel.

Thank you : Toys Your Baby Will Love!

Fisher-Price Rainforest Bouncer

Fisher-Price Rainforest Bouncer
From Fisher Price

Customer Reviews

great for a long time
When my son was a newborn, the vibration feature was great. He'd sleep in it while I worked at my desk. Now that he's almost 5 months old he plays with the toys and watches the lights on the waterfall. He starts to wiggle and kick his feet as soon as I go to strap him in! When he's done playing, the vibration lulls him to sleep. He can be occupied/napping for over an hour. He loves the feature where the lights and music are activated when he bounces. He's learning cause and effect as he wiggles to get the fun started! I love that it's been helpful since birth, and will continue to be a useful for several more months.

My son loves it!!
My son loves the lights and the monkey and the frog moving! he adores it so much...and stays on it for almost 1 hr. He talks to the monkey and smiles alot@!!

Good overall
We bought this a bit late...when she was about 3 or 4 months old (almost 7 months now). She would be happy in it for about 15 minutes, sometimes 30. But that's all we needed. She enjoyed it quite a bit (still does on occasion). I've never had to change the batteries, though we don't use it a whole lot, so not sure if that is typical. She did get bored with it quickly after a while. It became a 5 minute distraction. At one point, her foot got caught in the parrot's "ring/swing". That was a bit scary! Of course, once she realized she was okay, she put her foot through the ring on purpose a couple times. We use it every now and then still, but only for a few minutes, since she can sit up on her own, and she will lean over the sides. She's also grabbing the frog as he pops up, and it clicks. I'm afraid she'll break it soon! I think it's time to get the Jumperoo! (She loves to gnaw on the parrot's beak :(.)

Features

• Two great modes of play include: 1. mom activated - with 6 longer, continuous playing songs and 2. baby activated - with 6 shorter songs plus 3 sound effects that reward baby for active play with the toys
• Also includes mom activated calming vibrations and volume control
• 3 point restraint keeps baby safely seated and the pad is sacked out to fully support baby's head, neck and shoulders
• 2 colorful character friends up top, a monkey and a toucan, keep baby visually stimulated
• The toy bar easily removes for getting baby in & out

Reviews Source : Toys Your Baby Will Love! - Listmania!

Fisher-Price Infant To Toddler Swing in Red

Fisher-Price Infant To Toddler Swing in Red
From Fisher Price

Customer Reviews

Best Purchase Ever
I bought this swing for my daughter who was 8 mos at the time. I hung it in the basement so we wouldn't go stir crazy through the cold weather. She absolutely loves this swing. I can put her in it for an hour it seems. She gets upset when I try to take her out of it. It's very sturdy and simple to lift the tray to put her in/out. The safety straps are adjustable and easy to use. This was the best purchase!

As advertised....
I wanted a simple, inexpensive swing for my 7 month old and this works perfectly. I spent another $10 on chain and hooks at the hardware store and we were good to go. It's safe and comfy...

Nice Swing for the Price
I purchased this swing to match one that I already have. My only faux-pas is that it's very hard to adjust the ropes to make them even. Other than that, two thumbs up!!!

Features

• The Infant to Toddler Swing is an outdoor swing that spans the development of a child from infant to toddler.
• The tray holds toys or snacks and lifts up out of the way for easy in and out.
• A dual restraint system, with three point harness and tray, keeps the child secure.
• This swing is as friendly to parents as it is to kids and now it can be reclined for use with infants as young as six months.
• Recommended Age Range 6 to 36 Months

Source : More favorite toys

Lamaze Puppytunes - Christmas Popular Toys

Lamaze Puppytunes
From Learning Curve

Customer Reviews

it's ok
Pros: The crunchy crinkly sounding ears were a big hit with both our kids. It's vanilla scented as opposed to baby powder scented (some of us can't take that fragrance). Bright colors.

Cons: The legs are too hard to squeeze for a baby. When they do get strong enough it doesn't hold their attention long.

Good colors, Poor sound
The colors and textures of the puppy are fun for my granddaughter, but there is no way that she can exert enough pressure on the legs to make any sound.

Puppytunes is AWESOME!
I give puppytunes as a gift to all my friends that have a new baby. Puppytunes is always their (the baby's) favorite toy! :)

Product Description

Designed in conjunction with Lamaze, America's leading childbirth organization, the Play and Grow collection features soft, lovable toys that inspire imagination and discovery. Stimulate your baby's senses by introducing her to the exciting world of sight, touch, sound and smell. This adorable dog is bound to become your baby's favorite companion. With black and white ears, a yellow snout and red body, Puppytunes is designed with vibrant, contrasting colors that will stimulate a baby's visual senses. His soft vanilla scent is appealing to babies and adults alike. Tug on each of his four legs to hear a different musical note. Puppytunes even comes with a songbook that plays merry melodies. Surface washable.

Source : More favorite Christmas toys

Trotter the Pony - Christmas Popular Toys

Trotter the Pony
From Learning Curve

Customer Reviews

Joy To A Child
We love our Trotter pony. He is so bright and colorful. It is so much fun seeing our grandson having fun with this. This is great for helping with teaching different colors, sounds and the material textures. Very educational and fun to play with. Your child, grandchild or friend will be very happy with this pony. He has alot to offer to all.

Baby catnip
At 3 months, she was not yet using her hands and playing with toys. Until she saw this guy. She's addicted, and we appreciate the endless moments of peace that result. In order to play with the toy, she learned to use her hands in very short order. She never seems to lose interest in him, and he remains her constant favorite. All of us benefit from this inexpensive antidote to infant insanity.

Great Toy!
I bought this for my 3 month old, who wasn't very intrested in toys or rattles, but once she saw this colorful toy she has constantly played with it. She loves that she can grab his legs making his feet rattle and crinkle. He also makes a great chew toy. This is a great toy that is reasonably price and definitly worth every penny.

Product Description

This soft, velour pony features a peekaboo saddle, see-saw legs for pulling, satin tail for chewing, clinking rings and sounds in each hoof. Machine washable.

Source : More favorite Christmas toys

Hasbro Playskool Step Start Walk 'n Ride

Hasbro Playskool Step Start Walk 'n Ride
From Hasbro

Customer Reviews

It's only OK
When my 11 month old son decided that walking around pushing around a rectangle laundry basket was the best mode of transportation, my mom decided that her grandson should have a proper walking toy to play with instead of the "ghetto version". Besides - it was on sale. Needless to say, after finally figuring out how to use this Walk 'n Ride, my son still prefers to cling onto chairs, laundry baskets, and even small garbage cans to push around. While it's not a total loss as he enjoys pushing this toy around while crawling, I really don't think he actually cares much for this toy. I actually wouldn't recommend buying a walker/pushing toy like this for a kid - it seems like my son is learning how to walk faster by trial and error on regular household items.

Toy to grow with..
Sturdy and colorful toy, easy to assemble.Appropriate for the age range described. Quick delivery.

He took off with it!
Well I had this toy with my 4 year old and got rid of it and got pregnant immediately. So this time I went to buy a 'walker' for my 9 month old at the consignment shop and this was the only one they had. As soon as I brought it home he pulled up and started pushing it. Yes, it is best for carpet (as most like this are), but it is light enough not to be an issue if it tips. Also my older child liked the ride on mode for awhile, but it did seem to get small for him quick. Though he is now dying to make my baby's into a ride on. Oh and to me it is very simple to change from ride on to walker. I like the rolly toy on top, as he can play with it while standing up with it. Overall definitely worth the $5 I paid at the consignment shop!

Push Around Buggy (Pink) - Christmas Popular Toys

Push Around Buggy (Pink)
From Step2

Customer Reviews

Happy, Independent Toddler!
My 2yr old nephew got this from grandma his first birthday and he still loves it! He not only loves riding in it but now loves pushing it to. He will either push it using the handle or I will easily remove the handle so he can push just the car. He loves to ride everytime he visits grandma (which is 2-3x p/wk). He is small for his age so it still fits him just fine.

My only concern is that there is no brake on it so when he tries to climb in on his own it will start to roll. The older and more independent he gets the more he tries to climb in on his own. We have put it inside the garage so it is not as easily accessible to him.

During the summer the buggy is only used in the mornings and evenings because without a sunshade the buggy becomes too hot. The sunshade you can buy to go on the buggy only provides minimal protection.

Fun, durable toy that continues to provide many hours of entertainment and is a great alternative to a stroller!

FYI-Watch out for other toddlers at the park who are going to climb in it, all the kids love it.

Nice change from average stroller, but LOUD
I bought this car for my 21 month old bc she was tired of riding in her stroller and enjoyed riding in the mall "cars". This car is durable and the cost is good, but be warned that it is very loud. If you don't mind pushing something that sounds like a freight train, it is easy to steer and the handle is nice and tall. My only other negative is that the foot area is not enclosed and my child throws her feet out onto the ground while it is moving when she wants out.

Push Around Buggy (pink)
Our grandaughter loves to be able to "drive" as we push her. Buggy is durable and great for toddler age.

Reviews Source : Some things Katie might like (7 months to a year)