A Thing for Robots

I have had a thing for robots lately! I also love Vilac! So what do you get when you put the two together? This Vilac Magnetic Robots game from Kangaroo Boo ($35.99).

from Scratch

There's a new line at Moolka called Scratch that makes this friendly Lion Ball Track. I loooove ball tracks for the 1-2 year olds. They love to watch the balls go down, down, down then they grab them and put them back at the top. They are truly fascinated by it!

I'm Leavin' on a Jet Plane

New from Vilac is this Vilac Air airplane available on Moolka ($54.99). SO much better than it's plastic/electronic counterparts! My son has the Vilac race track and loves it and this has a similar build. I love that it comes with removable passengers. So cute!

Kinda Creepy

This is about the most unusual toy I've ever seen. I really like the concept though and I know a couple of my readers will get a kick out of this doll ;) It's a cloth version of the "Anatomy Jane" doll they had on Grey's Antatomy the other night. Anyway, it's called Erwin the Little Patient from Sigikid and you can get it at Moolka for $45.99, if it doesn't creep you out.

DIY book for babies

Babies loooooove to look at other babies and kids. So, when my son was little I filled an 8x8 scrapbook album with pictures of babies. I took old parenting magazines and cut down the pictures to fit the album sleeves. He loved it! Here's a few suggestions when making this:

• Find babies showing different emotions or expressions (ie: crying, smiling, staring)
  
• Also include babies doing different activities (ie: sleeping, eating, playing, etc)
• Cut out extra pictures to rotate in the album so your baby doesn't tire of it
• Make an album of just family members and close friends
  
• Most important: talk about the babies in the pictures, about the feelings, or what they're doing in the picture.

I guarantee your baby will love it! And best of all, it's cheap!

Kitchens

There are so many new kitchens on the market right now. The new line from Nathan grabbed my attention with their bright colors and sleek design. I love the cabinet sorter. It has space for children to sort plates, cups, and flatware. They are available through Oompa and start at $214. Children love to imitate what they see adults do. Play kitchens are great for socio-dramatic play by encouraging cooperative play between children. This is one reason that nearly every preschool setting has a kitchen or house play area. In fact, Nathan's pieces are sold to preschools in Europe and are built to be used by preschoolers so you know they'll last for years and years.

Kitchen Accessories

There are also a lot of accessories for kitchens out there. I came across these tonight and fell in love with the colors. I love the Le Toy Van line and these are no exception. Below are the Baking Set and Breakfast Set sold on Landbridge Toys for $80 a set.

Building From the Ground Up

Bricadoo lets you build your own house using miniature bricks and real mortar. The best part? When you're done you can soak it in water and re-use the bricks to start all over on a different design. This comes from the Netherlands and is for ages 6 and up. I found it on Romp's website for $22. It would make the perfect gift for a kid who likes designing or playing with blocks but wants something more "real life."

The Winners Are...

Thank you to all who entered. Your comments and feedback were very insightful. I hope to start implementing them soon. Congratulations to...

Kirsten for the Cordoba blocks
and

Heidi for the Jack Jesters

I have emailed you both with directions on how to claim your wins. Thank you for participating and enjoy your new toys!