Take advantage of Amazon’s superb selection of unique & affordable Mother’s Day gifts. Choose from sentimental Mother's Day jewelry, delicious gourmet gift baskets, relaxing spa gift baskets, beautiful flowers & plants, charming home gifts, bestsellers and more! Perfect for moms, grandmas, new mothers and all the special ladies in your life. These gifts are all available online and are ready for delivery when you are! Skip the trip to the crowded shopping mall by selecting from these quality products offered here at Amazon's competitive prices. As always, free shipping for orders over $25!

The LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet is our top educational toy pick for ages 4-8. This is one of the smartest purchases you'll make for your child since this amazing, interactive product gives pre-readers and early readers a head start on learning! The LeapPad Explorer is a  personalized learning tablet that has a library of 100+ educational games, apps, digital books, videos and flash cards. You can't beat this type of multi-sensory learning that reinforces skills and concepts in reading, math, science, geography, art, music, language and more. This means children see the information, hear the pronunciation of words or directions, and touch the screen, stylus, letters or shapes for additional sensory input. The combination of this multi-sensory approach is not only fun, but reinforces the learning process and develops critical thinking skills. The LeapPad Ultra eBook feature builds reading comprehension skills and expands vocabulary at 3 different levels. Best of all, LeapPad automatically adjusts app levels to match your child's individual pace and progress.

But wait…there's more! This sturdy tablet has a built in camera and video recorder so kids can edit and share video and animation. This easy to use feature encourages hours of creative fun for kids of all ages.The LeapPad Explorer is a child's one stop source for educational entertainment.  The great news is that the LeapPad also works with Leapster Explorer games, so if you already own a Leapster, you can continue to use your favorite games on the LeapPad.

We believe that LeapFrog is the leader in the field of "best interactive educational toys and games" consistently producing multiple award winning products for years. The new LeapPad Explorer Tablet has to be their best and hottest product yet!  It's the perfect choice for boys and girls ages 4-8 and is available in green or pink. So if you're looking to get kids hooked on learning, check out the LeapPad Explorer where kids can dive into the action and have a blast developing valuable skills. It's a wonderful investment that promotes learning and guarantees fun!

See more LeapFrog Products at Amazon.com…

Visit www.littleones.com for our selection of  Great/Award Winning Children's Books, Little Ones Recommended Toys & Gifts,  Birthday Theme Parties  and Baby Basics, along with teacher tips, parenting articles, family fun and much more!

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Visit the  Amazon.com Valentine's Day Store to find the perfect gift for your special Valentine.

See the Little Ones Valentine's Day Special for Valentine's Day recipes, Valentine's crafts & activities, and charming children's Valentine's books.

Visit www.littleones.com for our selection of  Great/Award Winning Children's Books, Little Ones Recommended Toys & Gifts,  Birthday Theme Parties  and  Baby Basics ,along with teacher tips, parenting articles, family fun and much more!

If you haven't done so already, Subscribe Now to receive our weekly Little Ones articles via E-mail.

See Little Ones Valentine's Day Special Feature: 10 Creative Ways For Kids To Say "I Love You!" 

Also see the Little Ones Valentine's Day Special for Valentine's Day recipes and charming children's Valentine's books in Valentine's Day Books They'll Love and Adorable Valentine's Day Books for Little Ones

Visit www.littleones.com for our selection of  Great/Award Winning Children's Books, Little Ones Recommended Toys & Gifts,  Birthday Theme Parties  and  Baby Basics ,along with teacher tips, parenting articles, family fun and much more!

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The Kindle Fire is designed to be super easy to use with its extra durable touchscreen. It's a well designed reading machine that houses numerous favorite children's books with vivid, full color illustrations. This display boasts an amazing 16 million colors. There are classics like Brown Bear, Curious George, chapter books, children's bestsellers, comic books, color magazines and more. In fact, the Kindle Fire has over one million bestsellers available for readers of all ages and abilities. Children's eBooks are the wave of the future, bringing excitement and a brand new twist on reading to young readers. All it takes is downloading the quality children's literature available in the Kindle library.

The Kindle Fire is also destined to be the perfect "one stop" source for children's entertainment. The Kindle FIre is designed to support your child's favorite apps and games making it a great game machine. But wait, there's more…don't forget the choice of over 100,000 movies and TV shows including a wide selection of children's shows that you can download and enjoy. If your child still wants more, he can listen to selections from his very own music library or spend some time surfing the web using Silk, Amazon's super fast and easy to use web browser.

Another great kid friendly feature is that the Kindle Fire is extremely portable and is perfect for kids on the go. It weighs in under 1 pound and measures 7.5" x 4.7"x 0.45" which makes it small enough and light enough to fit in children's backpacks, mom's purse or just about anywhere. However, although the Kindle is designed to be portable and durable, we recommend purchasing a Kindle MicroShell folio cover (available in different colors) to provide additional protection for your child's Kindle. The Kindle FIre is also great for kids because its larger screen is more suitable for young, developing readers than smaller screens, and allows for the Kindle "pop up text" feature so that kids can enlarge text when necessary.

Best of all, the Kindle Fire costs significantly less than its competitors, selling for only $199. Plus, if you subscribe to Amazon Prime, you receive 2 day free Amazon shipping all the time, and your first month of Amazon Prime free! Amazon truly has a real hit on its hands with what it calls a "premium product for a non-premium price." Still not convinced? Get all the details and see a demo for yourself at the Amazon Kindle Store.

The Kindle has had very impressive pre-order sales before its official release on November 15, 2011, so our recommendation is to order yours today at the Amazon Kindle Store before they are all gone. They certainly got the name right, because this Kindle is truly on fire. There is no question about it… it's our #1 holiday pick for kids.

For Kindle Fire eBook recommendations see:

Kindle FIre: Recommended Full Color eBooks for Children (Ages 1-3)

Kindle FIre: Recommended eBooks for Children (Ages 4-8)

Kindle Fire: Recommended eBooks for Older Children/Teens (Ages 9-12)

Also available:

Kindle Fire MicroShell Folio Cover by Marware, Graphite

Kindle Fire MicroShell Folio Cover by Marware, Pink

2-Year SquareTrade Warranty plus Accident Protection for Kindle Fire, US customers only

For more recommended children's products and hot holiday picks see:

Little Ones "Top 25" Award Winning/Outstanding Toy Picks

  Visit www.littleones.com for our selection of  Great/Award Winning Children's Books, Little Ones Recommended Toys & Gifts,  Birthday Theme Parties  and Baby Basics, along with teacher tips, parenting articles, family fun and much more!

 If you haven't done so already, Subscribe Now to receive our weekly Little Ones articles via E-mail.

Kindle Fire, Full Color 7" Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi Of all the hot holiday picks this year, our #1 choice has to be the Kindle Fire. This versatile tablet serves as a color eReader with over 1,000 children's & young adult bestselling titles; a game machine which supports your child's favorite apps and games; an awesome entertainment tablet with downloads of over 100.000 movies, TV shows & their favorite music, as well as a sophisticated web browser. Who could ask for more in one gift? Get all the details and see a demo for yourself at the Amazon Kindle Store.

LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet (Green) Coming in at a close 2nd place is the LeapPad Explorer for kids 4-8.  The LeapPad is a highly educational personalized learning tablet that has a library of 100+ games, apps, digital books, video and flash cards. This sturdy tablet also has a built in camera and video recorder so kids can edit and share video and animation. The great news is that the LeapPad also works with Leapster Explorer games. You can't beat this type of fun, interactive learning that reinforces skills and concepts in reading, math, science, geography, art, music, language and more.  The LeapPad Ultra eBook feature builds reading comprehension and expands vocabulary at 3 different levels. Best of all, LeapPad automatically adjusts app levels to match your child's individual pace and progress. It's a wonderful investment that promotes learning and guarantees fun! Available in green or pink.

Top Toys

Games

Bananagrams  Multiple-award winning, fast paced, educational word game for ages 7-adult. Addicting scrabble-like game that has requires no board and allows for numerous players.

Qwirkle Award winning wooden tiles game develops logic and strategy skills. This challenging family game has simple instructions that require players to match tile shapes and colors to earn points. Ages 8-adult.  

Loopz Game Crazy new musical game of skill & action. Players must correctly repeat the sequence of lights and music by waving their hands through the semi-circular motion sensors. Features 7 different games including solo or group play. Way cool! Ages 5-teens.

Apples to Apples Junior – The Game of Crazy Comparisons! Multiple award winning family & party game! Players pick cards that best describe the judge's card. Humorous comparisons of people, places and things.  Includes over 1000 cards. Ages 12+. Also available 

Cosmic Catch – Talking BallChallenging and incredibly fun game of catch! Talking ball calls the shots as players quickly pass the ball in a choice of 4 tricky games. Includes 1 durable electronic ball and 6 hand tags. Awesome party and family game, Ages 7-adult

ThinkFun Rush Hour Traffic grid lock brain teaser. Players maneuver 16 cars and trucks across grid board in order to get their red car out of grid lock. 4 levels of play with 40 challenge cards including solutions. Ages 8+. Also available in Junior version.

Music & Electronics

Wow Wee Paper Jamz Guitar – Style 4  Play like a rock star right away! This amazing circuit embedded "paper guitar" lets kids play instant guitar with the touch of their hands. Simply choose from the 4 modes of play to jam along with 3 included licensed hit songs. Each guitar style comes with a different pop music selection. In addition, have some fun playing free style, play real chords or make up your own songs. Built in speaker with volume control and guitar jack to plug in headphones (not included.) Open-ended possibilities and endless fun for an affordable price. Ages 8+.

V.Reader Animated E-Book System Multiple Awards Winner! Bring reading to life with the all new V. Reader. It's a perfect choice for pre-readers and early readers ages 3 to 7 years old. Young children can practice important core reading skills while having fun with this incredible and durable touch screen learning machine. Children see the words and illustrations, hear the story recited, and interact with the story by touching the screen to learn and do more. See Little Ones V. Reader toy review.

LeapFrog® Tag Reading System Winner of 2009 Toy of the Year Award. Inspire a love of reading with the amazing touch technology of the Tag pen which make words talk, pictures sing and stories come to life. The Tag Library contains over 30 books and games based on popular characters. Develops reading skills, vocabulary, word recognition, and phonics while parents monitor progress online. Worthwhile investment for ages 4-8.

Science & Discovery

Snap Circuits Electronics Kit Multiple award winning electronics kit makes building simple circuits and devices fun & easy. Over 60 snap on parts can create 300+ exciting projects with lights, sounds, motors and more. Hours of experimentation for ages 8-14. Also available Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100

Live Butterfly Garden Experience the magnificent metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly up close in your very own home. This Butterfly Garden is a reusable, collapsible habitat where children can observe 3 weeks worth of nature's "magical" changes which transform butterfly larvae into Painted Lady Butterflies. Simply mail in the enclosed voucher for 5 prepaid butterfly larvae along with special butterfly food. Kit includes clear and complete instructions, and a booklet of butterfly facts. Children will be amazed by this awesome and educational experience. Ages 4-14.

Stomp Rocket Jr. Glow Kit: Multiple awards winner! Incredibly awesome, reasonably priced air-powered rocket kit for ages 3-8. Stomp on blast pad to launch glow in the dark, foam rockets up to 100 feet. No batteries required…just "stomp power." Includes four 9"inch yellow foam rockets. Additional foam rockets available for purchase. Kids absolutely love stomping and watching rockets soar!

Building Toys:

LEGO® Road Construction Set Awesome 300 piece set has everything you need to build several construction vehicles including a truck, front loader, steamroller and more. Set also includes mini figure. Ages 4+

ZOOBMobile Car Designer 76 Make movable creations with this awesome ZOOB building set. Design your own vehicles or follow easy instructions to build 12 different models. Includes 12 wheels which are notched to work like gears. All pieces are compatible with other ZOOB building sets. Endless possibilities and fun! Ages 6-18.

K'Nex Dinosaurs 20 Model Building Set Super 334 piece dinosaur creator set with special building block that makes realistic stomping and roaring sounds. Easy to follow instructions for making over 20 dinosaurs. A real value and a great set for dinosaur fans ages 5-10.

Transparent Marble Run Awesome 61 piece transparent marble run set including 16 marbles. Develops fine motor, and problem solving skills. Loads of excitement and creative play. Ages 4+.

Arts & Crafts

Perler Bonding Bead Blast Gift Box This awesome gift box contains 8000 colorful Perler beads and can make 40+ cool bead designs. Design your own magnets, ornaments, desk accessories and much more by placing beads on pegboard shapes. With an adult's help, iron the beads to make them fuse together. Gift box also includes 4 fun pegboard shapes, ideas booklet, ironing paper and instructions. Ages 5-10.

IlluStory: Make Your Own Storybook Multiple Awards Winner! Imagine the sense of pride & accomplishment when your child creates and professionally publishes his/her very own storybook! This amazing set allows children to write and illustrate their own story on the special pages provided (or completely online using the Storymaker instructions.) Drafts are mailed in prepaid envelope (included) and in a few short weeks, your child will receive a color-copied, professionally hard bound storybook! Books can include About the Author, special dedication and title pages.This set includes 18 book pages, 2 cover pages, 10 washable markers, story web planner, instructions and order form. Encourages reading, writing and illustrating skills! Extra copies can be ordered for family members. A truly unique gift that lasts for years to come! Ages 5-9.

Creations by You My Masterpiece – Turn Your Drawing Into A Work of Art   Multiple Awards Winner!  Professionally preserve your child's artwork for a lifetime with this awesome wall art kit.  Your child's original artwork is enlarged onto your choice of background, and can be either placed into a wooden frame (your choice of colors) or changed into a museum style poster including the artist's name, artwork name and date. Many custom options are available including purchase of additional copies. Artwork can can done by hand or done completely online using Internet Production drawing & photo tools. Your child's masterpiece will be returned in a few short weeks. Makes an incredible and personal gift for any occasion! Also makes charming artwork to hang in your home, office or child's room. Ages 3+.

Dolls

Corolle Classic Baby Doll Bebe Charmeur – 14" Doll This sweet, high quality, soft-bodied 14 inch baby doll resembles a real newborn. Great features such as the ability to sit up, turn her head and her soft vanilla scent make this doll easy to love. Includes outfit, bottle, bib, pacifier, hat & booties. Doll is machine washable. Ages 3-7.

Corolle Les Cheries Doll Chloé Ballerina – 13" Doll  Award winning, absolutely beautiful and durable doll! Moving limbs, eyes and hair that can even be shampooed. Comes dressed in a gorgeous ballet outfit.

Our Generation Alexis Doll Lovely 18" Fashion doll. One of several dolls in the "Our Generation" doll series. A reasonably priced alternative to the more expensive American Girl dolls. Ages 3+

Fisher Price Loving Family Grand Dollhouse Super Set Lovely 8 room dollhouse which folds for convenience. Includes Mom, Dad & twin babies plus a  bonus set including 5 extra rooms of furniture and big sister doll. Hours of dollhouse fun!

Cars & Vehicles

KidKraft Deluxe Garage Set Award winning interactive wooden garage set. Features winding ramp from top floor to ground, working elevator & garage doors, helicopter & helipad, car wash with moving scrubbers, 6 cars & trucks, gas station, ticket booth and more! Loads of fun for ages 3-6.

Kid Galaxy Cobra Radio-Controlled Land/ Water Vehicle  Very unique amphibious remote control vehicle. Comes with 4 wheel drive, padded wheel treads for both land and water operation. Includes working headlights. Ages 5-9.

TYCO R/C Stunt Psycho Vehicle – Red Awesome 10" inch wide stunt vehicle. Performs wild and crazy stunts such as wheelies, tornado spins and flips. All terrain wheels work on a variety of surfaces. Simple to master remote. A thrilling gift choice for ages 8+!

For more holiday information, please see:

The Little Ones Holiday Gift Giving Guide  and

Little Ones "Twelve Weeks Before Christmas"  Holiday Toy Series: This holiday series is designed to help parents and grandparents make smart choices by featuring outstanding/award winning "toys that teach," accompanied by reviews which highlight and explain the educational benefits and specific skills children receive from these types of toys.

Little Ones "Top 25" Award Winning/Outstanding Toy Picks

Visit www.littleones.com for our selection of  Great/Award Winning Children's Books, Little Ones Recommended Toys & Gifts,  Birthday Theme Parties  and Baby Basics, along with teacher tips, parenting articles, family fun and much more!

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The votes are in and the winners are the following top 10 children's games. Our readers have chosen these bestselling children's games from toddlers through teens. Many of these winners have received prestigious awards and high rankings in the areas of entertainment, educational value, versatility and quality. You'll find some old classics in addition to favorite new games. Whether on family night, a playdate or a rainy day, playing games is always a great choice. So check out these fun-filled top sellers.

See Top 10 Children's Games at www.littleones.com.

Also see the Little Ones complete list of recommended games at the following links:

Board Games For Younger Children (Toddler- Kindergarten)

Board Games & Card Games For Older Children (Ages 7- Adult)

Little Ones "Twelve Weeks Before Christmas"  Holiday Toy Series: This holiday series is designed to help parents and grandparents make smart choices by featuring outstanding/award winning "toys that teach," accompanied by reviews which highlight and explain the educational benefits and specific skills children receive from these types of toys.

Little Ones "Top 25" Award Winning/Outstanding Toy Picks

  Visit www.littleones.com for our selection of  Great/Award Winning Children's Books, Little Ones Recommended Toys & Gifts,  Birthday Theme Parties  and Baby Basics, along with teacher tips, parenting articles, family fun and much more!

 If you haven't done so already, Subscribe Now to receive our weekly Little Ones articles via E-mail.

For more holiday shopping tips, please see:

The Little Ones Holiday Gift Giving Guide and

Little Ones "Twelve Weeks Before Christmas"  Holiday Toy Series: This holiday series is designed to help parents and grandparents make smart choices by featuring outstanding/award winning "toys that teach," accompanied by reviews which highlight and explain the educational benefits and specific skills children receive from these types of toys.

Visit www.littleones.com for our selection of  Great/Award Winning Children's Books, Little Ones Recommended Toys & Gifts, and Children's Educational DVDs along with teacher tips, parenting articles, family fun and much more.

If you've been waiting to order the new Kindle Fire, today is your chance. The Kindle Fire officially releases today and it is predicted to be a hot holiday seller. The Kindle has had very impressive pre-order sales, so if you are considering ordering the Kindle Fire for the holidays, you may wish to order asap at the Amazon Kindle Store before they are all gone. The Kindle Fire costs significantly less than its competitors, selling for only $199. Plus, if you subscribe to Amazon Prime, you receive 2 day free Amazon shipping all the time, and your first month of Amazon Prime free! 

Still not convinced? Get all the details and see a demo for yourself at the Amazon Kindle Store. They certainly got the name right, because this Kindle is truly on fire!

Thinking about The Kindle Fire for your kids? Read our complete product review, Kindle Fire For Kids at www.littleones.com.

For Children's Kindle Fire eBook recommendations see:

Kindle FIre: Recommended Full Color eBooks for Children (Ages 1-3)

Kindle FIre: Recommended eBooks for Children (Ages 4-8)

Kindle Fire: Recommended eBooks for Older Children/Teens (Ages 9-12)

This is only a small sampling of the numerous children/teen Kindle eBooks available. See for yourself at Children's eBooks for the Kindle for a complete selection of eBooks grouped according to age levels. Also, check out Amazon's top 100 list of bestselling children's eBooks at Children's eBooks for the Kindle.

Also available:

Kindle Fire MicroShell Folio Cover by Marware, Graphite

Kindle Fire MicroShell Folio Cover by Marware, Pink

2-Year SquareTrade Warranty plus Accident Protection for Kindle Fire, US customers only

  Visit www.littleones.com for our selection of  Great/Award Winning Children's Books, Little Ones Recommended Toys & Gifts,  Birthday Theme Parties  and Baby Basics, along with teacher tips, parenting articles, family fun and much more!

 If you haven't done so already, Subscribe Now to receive our weekly Little Ones articles via E-mail.

LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet (Green)

The LeapPad Explorer is our top holiday pick for preschoolers age 4+. The LeapPad is a highly educational personalized learning tablet that has a library of 100+ games, apps, digital books, video and flash cards. This sturdy tablet also has a built in camera and video recorder so kids can edit and share video and animation. The great news is that the LeapPad also works with Leapster Explorer games. You can't beat this type of fun, interactive learning that reinforces skills and concepts in reading, math, science, geography, art, music, language and more.  The LeapPad Ultra eBook feature builds reading comprehension and expands vocabulary at 3 different levels. Best of all, LeapPad automatically adjusts app levels to match your child's individual pace and progress. It's a wonderful investment that promotes learning and guarantees fun! Available in green or pink.

Top Toys:

These high quality, and creative toys can be found in homes and Preschool classrooms everywhere. You just can't beat entertaining toys with this kind of educational value. Kids can play for hours upon hours with these colorful, engaging toys while supporting important first time educational skills such as eye-hand coordination, imaginative play, problem solving and much more.

Recommended Toys Categories

Games & Puzzles:  Games & puzzles are a fun and challenging way to sharpen children's problem solving and social skills. Learning how to concentrate, analyze and retain information is an important lifelong skill, and what better way to practice than through play. Early education puzzles contain a limited number of large pieces with simple picture designs. "First time" puzzle pieces usually have a small peg handle for easier manipulation.

My First Games Set (Set of 4 Classics) The ideal set of "first" games for non-readers! Set include the 4 following classics: Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders, Memory Game & Hi Ho Cherry-O! Young children practice matching, colors, counting skills and more while having fun. Ages 3-7.

ThinkFun Zingo   An award winning reading game! This exciting & educational variation of Bingo features 72 picture tiles which teach simple sight vocabulary and matching skills to pre-readers & readers ages 4-7. An instant favorite! 

Cranium Hullabaloo A high energy game perfect for the preschool age group. Kids listen for commands that make them move, jump and dance on colored shapes and pads. Encourages listening skills, color & shape recognition and lots of giggles & fun! A little hard to find in stores, but well worth the hunt. They'll love it! Ages 4+.

Melissa & Doug Farm Cube Puzzle Challenging 6 puzzles in 1! 3D solid wooden blocks create 6 different farm animals. A great value for ages 3+. See more Melissa & Doug Products at Amazon.com…

Let's Pretend Toys: These types of toys have open-ended possibilities, and are great for group or solo play. The real appeal is that these types of toys grow along with your child's imagination. Popular choices include:

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Puppet Theater It's showtime! This quality wooden puppet theater is incredibly entertaining and boosts performer's self-esteem. Features sturdy construction, non-tip base, roomy backstage, velvet curtains, chalkboard, clock with movable hands and detailed designs. A childhood treasure for years and years of imaginative play. Ages 3+. See more Melissa & Doug Products at Amazon.com…

Melissa & Doug Cutting Food Box A marvelous 31 piece set of quality wooden fruits, vegetables, and bread along with a rounded edge wooden knife and cutting board. Realistic crunching sounds when food is cut. Great for developing hand/eye coordination, learning food categories and even introducing fractions (1/2, 1/4 etc.) A huge hit with children 3+. Guaranteed to be played with over and over again! See more Melissa & Doug Products at Amazon.com…

Melissa & Doug Pizza Party Kids will have hours of imaginative fun with this wooden pizza set! Take orders and mix & match toppings. Set includes 50 toppings, pizza server, pizza cutter and wooden storage box. Ages 3+. Also see Melissa and Doug Slice and Bake Cookie Set. More Melissa & Doug Products at Amazon.com…

Learning Resources Teaching Cash Register  Multiple awards winner! Toddlers LOVE to pretend shop. Talking cash register teaches basic math & money skills for ages 5-9. Includes make believe cash and coin reader. An exciting way to "play store." 

Little Tikes Shopping Cart – Yellow/RedSturdy shopping cart will provide hours of rolling fun. Features a deep basket for groceries, a folding seat for dolls or favorite toy to ride along, and storage underneath. Perfect size for little shoppers. Ages 2+.

Dalmatian Vet Cage Great for pretend play! This adorable vet set includes includes carrying cage, mini puppy, and medical tools like stethoscope, hammer, tweezers, tongs, thermometer bandages and much more! Ages 3+. Also see Learning Resources Pretend & Play® Doctor Set.

Creative Building Toys: Always a big hit with children, these toys can be played with over and over again without creating the same structure twice. Whether children are building, pretending or just experimenting, they are allowed to explore their creative potential, while practicing basic manipulative skills. The endless possibilities of these building sets make for long term play value and big time fun!

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Folding Princess Castle Award winning, gorgeous solid wood Princess castle. Extra large castle folds for storage and is stunning with its pink and gold screened accents. This enchanting castle has turrets, balconies, buttress, flag and a working drawbridge. A perfect choice to delight all the princesses in your life! Quality & Exceptional Value! Ages 3-9.  See more Melissa & Doug Products at Amazon.com…

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Folding Medieval Castle Award winning, sturdy solid wood Medieval castle. Opens fully and folds for storage with detailed Medieval accents. This awesome castle includes 3 poseable play figures and has a working draw bridge, trap door, courtyard, turrets, dungeon, staircases and more! Fantastic toy will inspire hours of imaginative play! Ages 3-9. Also see Melissa&Doug Castle Blocks. More Melissa & Doug Products at Amazon.com…

.LEGO Duplo Ultimate Building Set – 71 Pieces  Colorful tub of building blocks for little fingers 18 months-5 years. Award winning toy provides hours of creative fun! LEGO also has a tremendous selection of building sets to delight children of all ages and interests. See Little Ones Special Feature: The Wonderful World of LEGOs. Also see LEGO Ultimate Building Set  for older children.

LEGO Duplo LEGOVille Feeding Zoo #5634  Extremely popular 53 piece zoo set includes, zookeeper, boy, girl, vehicle, numerous zoo animals and accessories.

LEGO Duplo Thomas Starter Set Super 82 piece Duplo set with movable parts will delight Thomas fans. Includes Thomas, Sir Topham Hat, tracks, station, water tower and more.

Guidecraft 72-pc. Magneatos Construction Set Multiple awards winner! Colorful 72 piece magnetic construction toy promotes creativity and problem solving skills. Various set sizes available. Ages 3+

Quadrilla Marble Railway, Basic Set Award winning 97 piece marble run plus 50 marbles and play tips DVD. Develops spatial relation skills and critical thinking. Endless designs and entertainment for boys and girls ages 4-10!

Electronic & Musical Toys

LP RhythMix 6-pc. Rhythm Kit  Kids love a parade! This award winning 6 piece set of great sounding rhythm instruments will get children moving and shaking! Includes a handled drum, jingle stick, triangle, tone block, two Chick-Itas, two mallets, and a small backpack for storage.

Schoenhut My First Piano II Well built, bright red or white 25-key tabletop piano is the perfect choice for a toddler's first piano. Delightful sounding notes. Great for encouraging musical creativity and hand/eye coordination.  Play-by-color teaching method, makes playing simple and fun. A removable color strip fits behind the keys to guide small fingers. Includes songbook of familiar tunes. Ages 3-6 years.

V.Reader Animated E-Book System Multiple Awards Winner! Not quite ready for an eReader? Bring reading to life with the all new V. Reader. It's a perfect choice for pre-readers and early readers ages 3 to 7 years old. Young children can practice important core reading skills while having fun with this incredible and durable touch screen learning machine. Children see the words and illustrations, hear the story recited, and interact with the story by touching the screen to learn and do more. See Little Ones V. Reader toy review.   (Also see Little Ones Review of Kindle Fire for more information about children's color ebooks for slightly older readers.)

LeapFrog Scribble and Write  Award winner! Little fingers can practice the formation of letters and shapes with this fun learning machine. The child-size stylus along with screen lights make it easy for kids to draw simple pictures, shapes and eventually upper & lower case letters. Amusing learning games reinforce letter formation. A great way to teach writing skills. Ages 3-5.

LeapFrog Text and Learn Award winner! Like a blackberry for kiddies! Practice letter names and sounds while having fun. Exchange text messages with your puppy pal Scout, play educational games, check your agenda, view the browser, dance to music and more. Features 3 learning modes, a qwerty keyboard and the ability for parents to connect online for customized learning ideas. Kids will LOVE this toy! Ages 3-5.

LeapFrog Learning Game System The original and best learning system on the market! Can't say enough about this portable gaming system that combines video games and learning! Kids will LOVE the huge library of interactive games (sold separately) which teach math, reading, phonics, spelling, critical thinking and more. Well-worth the investment. Also available: Leapster L-Max and Leapster2 which are compatible with TV or computer. Ages 4-10.

Active Play Toys:

Pacific Play Tents See Me 6' Tunnel A smash hit!!!! This indoor 6 foot tunnel is non-stop entertainment for ages 3 and up. Made of durable 70 denier nylon and spring steel construction with padding to protect little knees. Contains two mesh windows to peek through. Best of all it collapses flat for easy storage. A great toy for energetic little ones and an outstanding value. Ages 3+.

Pacific Play Tents Playchute 10' ParachuteBright, rainbow colored 10 foot diameter play parachute promotes cooperative group play. Great for parties! Durable and machine washable with separate hand handles for easy control. Comes with convenient storage bag. Loads of active fun!

Playhut Fire Engine Lightweight and portable Pop Up Fire Engine will keep kids entertained for hours. Room enough for two children with 2 sunroofs, side windows, inflatable steering wheel, roll up flap door and tunnel port. Folds flat for convenient storage. Ages 3+.

For additional ideas, we recommend:

Books for Toddlers & Preschoolers

Toys For LIttle Fingers

Electronic Learning Toys and

Children's Educational DVDs & Music CDs.

For more holiday information, please see:

The Little Ones Holiday Gift Giving Guide  and

Little Ones "Twelve Weeks Before Christmas"  Holiday Toy Series: This holiday series is designed to help parents and grandparents make smart choices by featuring outstanding/award winning "toys that teach," accompanied by reviews which highlight and explain the educational benefits and specific skills children receive from these types of toys.

Little Ones "Top 25" Award Winning/Outstanding Toy Picks

Visit www.littleones.com for our selection of  Great/Award Winning Children's Books, Little Ones Recommended Toys & Gifts,  Birthday Theme Parties  and Baby Basics, along with teacher tips, parenting articles, family fun and much more!

If you haven't done so already, Subscribe Now to receive our weekly Little Ones articles via E-mail.