v3 issue 18: Holiday Gifts

The Holiday gift-giving season is upon us...and so is the worry about what to buy. Our gift-giving issue is full of the best gifts to give for all ages and all price ranges.

Cover photo by Connie Hill

Toys Galore



1-Editor’s Pick! Custom Made For Kids, The First Adventures of Incredible You is our favorite gift to give this season. An award winning personalized children’s book, it makes the perfect gift for every occasion. The book is personalized with your child’s favorite people and places and follows your child from the day they arrived on Earth through their exciting adventures in life. Take a virtual book tour to see pages from the book. For $32.95 you will create a gift that will be cherished for a lifetime.
2-We love these modern plush blocks by Dwell Baby. Dwell takes their beautiful prints of bold colors and lines to playtime blocks. Set of 6 blocks come in an easy stow bag. Blocks have jingles inside and are woven from 100% combed Egyptian cotton. $35 at Pokkadots.com.
3-How adorable is the new Inchworm by Radio Flyer! Your tot bounces up and down to make the inchworm go all while sitting on the comfortable ergonomic saddle. $40, Toys R Us.
4-Wry Baby’s stacking cubes are designed to bring laughs. Their motto “raising funny people” rings true with their attack of the 50 foot baby cardboard stacking cubes that are made to topple. Illustrated scenes by David Sopp, $28 at Wrybaby.com.
5- Wallcandy Arts’ Chalkboard panels go up in seconds and remove without damaging your walls so your kids can draw and write their thoughts anywhere. Each kit contains 4 wall panels. $58 at Wallcandyarts.com. Also available are the chalkboard border, chalkboard animals, and chalkboard circles.
6-The ClickStart My First Computer by Leapfrog introduces computer and preschool skills by turning any TV into your child’s first computer. For ages 3-6, $60 at Leapfrog.com.
7-Tub toys are a favorite gift for all children and these water flutes are a great gift for children ages 3 and up. The Tub Tunes Water Flutes use water to make beautiful music…and with five flutes the musical possibilities are unending. $12, giggle.com.
8- To add to the tub fun, these tub stickers will provide great entertainment. Made of thick foam, they stick to the tub or tile when you get them wet, making the wall a blank canvas for creativity. Choose from vehicles, under sea pals, or the ABC’s. Just $8 at Giggle.com.
9-Radio Flyer’s Big Flyer is definitely one of the coolest bikes we have seen. This flyer has a grip tread, real chrome handlebars, realistic gauges, a 3-position adjustable seat and racing pennant for safety. The new improved chopper look makes this trike stand out among the crowd. $60, RadioFlyer.com.
10- The Bilibo is a simple piece of molded plastic that provides endless hours of imaginative fun. The Bilibo provides hours of fun at the beach, in the snow…just about anywhere! There are virtually an unlimited number of ways to play with the Bilibo; from rocking, to spinning, sitting and more. $30 at FatBrainToys.com.
11-Their favorite television series are now available in boxed sets. Choose from Bob the Builder, Thomas the Tank, and even Barney. All available at FoxHome.com.
12-The Color and Cuddle Washable Pony by Alex allows her to color the pony one day and after you wash it, she can color it all over again. This soft, cuddly pony comes with markers and preprinted patterns (or she can color her own). Made of Tyvek, each comes with 4 washable markers and washing instructions. $15 at Madallie.com.
13- The TykeLight by Mobi will make nighttime fun as they explore their room, tent or backyard. The TykeLight is fully rechargeable and has a soft glow nightlight feature as well as brighter lights as you click the bottom. Illuminates up to 10 hours on a single charge and even glows while charging. The impact resistant plastic means its safe and durable. $25, Baby-wise.com.
14-We love Djeco’s Pull Toys. These classic toys will be passed from generation due to their quality and adorable looks. Choose from a variety of dogs, a cat, elephant, cow and bunny. Prices range from $30 to $50, Moolka.com.
15-This colorful musical table by Boikido is ideal for keeping baby entertained. The xylophone, drum and cymbal are all built in to the wood table. Includes two drumsticks. $50 at Mookla.com.


Get Involved

During the holiday season we all wish we could do more for less fortunate and would like our children to learn the value of giving back and helping others. Giving and volunteering are two of the most satisfying family activities and is a way to teach your children to be altruistic. Giving of your time and money feels good and helps others. It can also be a great way to spend some quality family time. By starting when your children are young, they will grow up wanting to help others and hopefully inspire others to help as well. Volunteering teaches responsibility and provides your child with the knowledge that one person can make a difference and will inspire them in their futures.
Get your family involved in your community by calling a local charity, church, hospital, soup kitchen or shelter. By dialing 211 on your phone you can get phone numbers of local human service organizations in your area. Use the internet to find your state’s food banks to donate money or your time. Many food banks currently have companies matching funds donated through the holiday season. Since food banks can purchase bulk lots at discounted pricing, in many cases just $50 can feed 500 people when local companies match your funds.
Even small children can get involved by picking up trash at the beach or your neighborhood park. It may be difficult to commit your time weekly, a great idea is to get a few girlfriends to commit to meals on wheels on a particular day of the week but take turns (just four women means you are committed one day a month). Other volunteering opportunities include an animal shelter, visiting the elderly in a nursing home, helping at your child’s school, planting trees in your community, the list is virtually unending.

Showcase: Gator Tots

Got Gator Tots? This holiday season, GatorTots.com is serving up a unique dish: a snappy helping of American-made toys!
Gator Tots…It’s a silly name for a store offering some seriously fun toys, books, and tees for “gators” of all ages. Owned and operated by a 4th grade teacher turned stay-at-home mom, Gator Tots features children’s products with educational value, including marble roller coasters, magnetic building toys, alphabet and number puzzles, baby and kids storybooks, and over 25 different toys that are made in the U.S.A! Keeping with the gator theme, this cute site also has a colorful selection of funny Gator Tots Tees, plush Gund gators, and kids’ gator books. For an extra-special touch, have your items packaged in gator gift wrap or a drawstring gator backpack!
Buy American! Parents concerned about the recent toy recalls will be impressed by Gator Tots’ collection of toys made in the U.S.A. Choose from embossed alphabet blocks, wooden animal pull toys, baby ring stacker (all pictured), as well as wooden puzzles, trains, rubber alphabet and number toys, Block-N-Roll marble maze, lacing toys, peg building sets, magnetic playsets, and more to come. A variety of Italian-made Quercetti marble runs are also available.

This award-winning plush dino rocker from Earlyears is sure to please energetic toddlers during indoor play this winter. Jingling bells and crinkling fabrics of all textures make this vibrant ride-on toy extra fun. Safety features include handle bars, foot rests, and sturdy rockers – all hardwood construction.
Whether wearing Goofy Gator, Later Gator, Tasty Gator, or the Gator Tots Definition Tee, your child will look so snappy in these exclusive Gator Tots Tees! The funny gator shirts come in 19 colors, 11 sizes, and many styles: onesies, rompers, sweatshirts, t-shirts, and long sleeve tees. They are only available at GatorTots.com!
What are you waiting for, you snappy little gator? Visit www.GatorTots.com for unique toys, books, and tees!
Tot Trends Weekly Readers: Save 10% with coupon code TTW, through 12-12-07!