Christmas wish list 2009

Some people have asked me what is on Grace's Christmas list this year. I guess one of the great things about having a 2-year old is that she is not always asking for things. Even when we walk through the toy store (which I do purposely to see what captures her attention for more than a minute) she will point to toys and say, "Dat one, dat one" but then when I tell her we need to put it back on the shelf she complies. So, Grace's Christmas list is really what I think she would like to have and will make good use of. And I have been thinking about it for a while now. If you look back at my post on August 4th about the board games, you can read my rationale for the toys I like to choose for her. So, without further adieu, here is "The List":

The Gift of Critical Thinking

• A 24 piece floor puzzle like the kind from Melissa and Doug . They are available on websites like Amazon.com or www.sensoryedge.com for around $15 (plus shipping) but TJ Maxx usually sells them for less (around $8).

Melissa and Doug floor puzzles

The Gift of Discovery

• Books - Any books! It is great fun to go to the bookstore or the library and see old favorites or discover new titles. We are always reading and Grace loves to "read" aloud to me, too!
  

• LeapFrog Tag Junior books to go with the Tag Junior that Santa is bringing. If you are not familiar with the Tag Junior, it is a little hand-sized device that is programmed to recognize the book you are "reading". You put the little man on words or pictures in the book and it will read and talk to you. It can even be set up to know your child's name so when you turn it on it says, "Hello, Grace". Cool, huh? The books cost $10.99 each but the tag device can only hold five books in its memory, so she doesn't need every book they offer. These seem to be good ones for what Grace is learning now. I saw these books on sale this week at Toys R Us for $7.99 each!

· 1-2-3 Dora the Explorer

· Curious George Color Fun

· Dr. Seuss Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?

The Gift of Creativity

• Art supplies - we have lots of crayons, but there are so many other creative art supplies out there, especially those made by Crayola. I have always been a big fan of new crayons, colored paper, and sharp pencils (maybe that's why I became a teacher!) so when I go into the art section at the toy store I want everything! And then I leave the store with nothing because I can't decide. So no recommendations here...we love it all!
  
• A kid-sized table and chairs set would be perfect for art projects and tea parties with human and stuffed friends like Elmo, Big Bird, and Abby Cadabby. We have a small space for it so this KidKraft one which is about 24" square is about the right size. Toys R Us carries them, too.

The Gift of Pretend

Grace has been pretending to be a mommy to her dolls for the last couple of months so I am so excited for her to get The American Girl "bitty baby" I bought on our New York trip. (It has dark brown hair and medium skin just like Grace!) But like any good mom, Grace is sure to want some things to take care of her baby:

• A doll hairbrush (www.americangirl.com) They recommend a wire brush for the American Girl doll's hair and this one is reasonably priced at $7.
• A diaper bag set with wipes, a changing pad, pretend diaper rash cream, etc. American Girl sells one, and I am pretty sure Target. Toys R Us, and WalMart do, too.
  
• A doll bed or cradle such as any one of the following:
  

o Pottery Barn Kids Janie doll bed ($49.00) or

o Our Generation doll bed with drawer and accessories from Target ($51.99) or

American Girl trundle bed and bedding Item # F6207 ($68)

• I started to create a play purse for Grace with a phone and some money but then I found My First Purse from International Playthings on Amazon.com ($9.99). It got great reviews and seems to have all the things a little girls would need when she takes her baby out shopping, including play lipstick for those last minute "touch-ups".
  

The Gift of Exploration

The Gift of Active Learning

• I can’t help but think of the Fisher Price Smart Fit Park (about $40) as a Wii Fit for kids. The system comes with a mat that connects to a TV. Kids get to walk, run, jump and stomp while at the same time learning about letters, numbers, shapes, colors and more via encounters, games and races. The system boasts 6 games, each with 3 levels of play. I am sure this is something Grace will enjoy, especially during those winter months when we can't get outside to play after work because it is cold and dark!

The Gift of Music

Music continues to be a wonderful interest for Grace. It is amazing to see her dance when she hears a song she likes and sometimes I catch her singing songs to herself. She knows the words to a lot of kids' songs, but she also likes what she calls, "mommy's music" - CDs I play in the car when I am tired of listening to Sesame Street one more time....Grace can always use new CDs to add to her collection and to the playlist on her MP3 player. Two that have come highly recommended are:

• The CD/DVD combo packs from the band "They Might Be Giants" either Here Come the ABCs or Here Come the 123s. Amazon.com has them for $13.99.
• My friend Melody recommended we add some jazz to our collection. The repetition of sounds is similar to what you find in classical music. She said Miss Ella's Playhouse (all original music from Ella Fitzgerald) is one of their favorites. (Amazon.com $12).

Now, I have to stop searching the internet for the "top" kids toys of 2009. This list is long enough!