It may be a little bit mean to buy as a Christmas gift but the Melissa and Doug Magnetic Responsibility chart is a great way to help your kids to behave. As a parent you will have already heard about behavior charts. This one is based on the same principle but works with magnets and is color coded. The kids find it fun to use and parents like it as it works.

The idea is that the child gets a magnet for doing things like making their bed, picking up clothes or toys or not whining. Some parents have turned the number of magnets into a cash reward system – say five cents for each magnet. Others have used them to “buy” time with the family to spend watching a movie. Anything that can help corrects a child’s behavior and lead to a happier home is worth looking at even if it is Christmas. The only negative with this product is that it is slightly age restrictive but then one would hope kids wouldnt need a chart at 8 and older!

If you check out any best sellers list, you are bound to find Melissa and Doug products mentioned at least once but probably a lot more than that. This company has a knack of knowing exactly what children love to play with and the products appeal to parents as they are usually educational in nature.
Find Out Why Melissa & Doug Slice and Bake Cookie Set Is A Bestseller

If your child is creative, The Melissa and Doug Deluxe Standing Easel has been on the best sellers lists for ages. This is double sided. One side of the easel is a chalk board while the other is used for painting. It has a paper roll as well as a child friendly cutter and space for paints and chalk. The easel is easy to assemble but the chalk board may need priming so it is best to read the instructions as you might want to prepare it before it is opened by your child.
It is a real nightmare that the easel doesn’t come with proper accessories though. I think it is a bit mean that the manufacturers sell it the Melissa and Dough Easel companion set. To me it should be one product.

The companion set gives you four paint pots to put on the easel as well as the paint. You also get a roll of paper, four paint brushes, some chalk and an eraser. It is a great pack and when combined with the Deluxe easel will keep your kids entertained for hours but as I said, it would be better if it was sold as an all in one product. After all an easel isn’t much good without paint etc now is it?

For those children who prefer to play make believe rather than paint or draw, they may like the Melissa and Doug shopping trolley which also features on the best sellers list. There isn’t an awful lot to say about this really. It is child friendly and it looks and acts like a shopping trolley you find at the store. If you don’t already have some accessories you may want to get the Melissa and Doug Food Groups set. This is a 21 piece food set divided into the four main food groups, just perfect for putting in the shopping trolley.

For those of you who really want to help their kids start school on the right note, the Melissa and Doug See and Spell set is the perfect gift. It also features in the top 100 best selling toys. It is a charming little wooden set that will appeal to young kids as it has bright colors and pictures. It is also appealing to parents as they will have change left over from $15!

Click Here for more Melissa and Doug Toys

Melissa and Doug is from fantasticchristmasgifts.com

Find out why I am not the only one saying not to buy this

Instead you will find yourself sitting down beside your child working all the add ons for him. The only one he could work himself was the swirl ice cream piece. While I love playing with my kids, I hate it when playdough sets or any other toys for that matter fail to do what has been advertised on TV. On the TV it looks like you can make all different types of Ice cream and you probably can but only the once as the playdoh gets all mixed up. Also most kids that have played with this set couldn’t work out how to use the tiny shapes like the kids did on the TV advert. Hasbro must employ child geniuses to make these ads!!

And to end this rant – can the people who make these playdoh sets please remember that us parents like to clean up after our kids and teach them how to put things away – this is not possible when the play doh sets can’t fit back in the box!!! Instead you have to find somewhere to leave the set which is not easy when you have three kids and piles of toys.

So my advice – save your cash and buy a couple of the ordinary play doh sets instead. This one gets a huge thumbs up from parents. Not only will your kids enjoy them a lot better but you can get your five minutes Mom time to grab a hot cup of coffee for once. (those parenting books never warn you that us moms end up drinking lukewarm coffee all the time do they?)

Play Doh Ice Cream Factory – Don’t Bother Buying is from fantasticchristmasgifts.com

And yes all the parts still work. The only part that is missing is the phone handle which my second son fell so in love with, he used to take it to bed with him! But Megan doesn’t seem to notice and still gets great enjoyment from this baby walker. Honestly for less than $40 this is the best baby walker on the market and is an absolute bargain.

So what does the VTech Sit To Stand Learning Walker do?

As the name suggests, this toy can be used by baby when he or she is sitting down. The front panel is easy to remove and my kids had a ball playing with the sounds, shape sorters and piano keys. My model looks slightly different to the one available in stores today but given the positive reviews by the parents, looks are the only thing that seems to have changed.

Don’t just take my word for this being the best toy ever – read the 100 plus four and five star reviews here

When baby is ready to start walking, this V tech walker gives him some support and helps to build his confidence. This baby walker is heavy enough to help him walk without being so heavy that it would hurt him badly if he fell. Baby walkers all work in a very similar way although some come with a lot of extras such as the VTech First Steps Walker though these extras usually mean a much higher price.

In terms of baby learning, the VTech sit to stand learning walker is described as an educational toy. Baby can listen to different animal sounds as well as learning their numbers from one to five. But let’s get real about this. Babies learn from life that is going on around them. No toy, regardless of how educational it is supposed to be takes the place of Mom, Dad or siblings in teaching a little one about life. Being a toddler is supposed to be about having fun and this VTech baby walker will keep your child amused for ages. There is more than enough time later in life for baby or parents to worry about their educational progress or lack thereof!

Click Here For The Best Price Now

Why is this VTech Baby Walker the best baby walker?

Ok so I might be a little biased as this is the walker I personally own but if it was rubbish I would tell you – just look at my review of the play dough ice-cream factory if you don’t believe me!

Apart from the fact that my own version is still going after 8 years of being played with by toddlers (that should say abused as any parent of young kids knows toddlers don’t tend to play nicely with their toys all the time!), this toy has many other advantages.

This sit to stand toy is very easy to clean too which is always useful especially if your son or daughter uses it outdoors as well as inside your home. Your child is at the stage in his life when he is going to be putting his hands, and everything else he can grab, into his mouth. So it is very important to keep his toys clean to prevent infections. Although don’t go overboard as a little bit of dirt will help build his immune system.

Will a VTech baby walker help a toddler to walk?

Parents the world over worry about when their children are going to reach big milestones. I was certainly worried about my daughter and having two older children I should have known better. Megan didn’t start walking until she was 18 months old but now she never wants to do anything but walk!! So be careful what you wish for! Most kids start walking between thirteen and fifteen months but some do it a lot earlier and others do it later. Should you buy a baby walker to help them get started? Most experts would say no as some people believe that walkers will make a child lazy. They will become dependent on the walker and will take longer to become an independent walker. As a mom I don’t really buy into that. Megan and her brothers all loved to push chairs around the kitchen when they were learning to walk and the plastic wheels of a push along baby walker are much kinder to the ears not to mention the floor covering.

What not to do to help your child walk:

• Don’t buy him or her shoes too early. Kids have to learn to balance and walking barefoot or in non slip socks is the best way to do this (at home obviously!). First shoes should be soft and properly fitted so leave the fashionable cheap shoes in the store. Baby feet are very soft and easily damaged.

• Don’t leave your baby strapped in his stroller or in his cot all the time. If he has nowhere to go, he is not going to learn how to become mobile is he?

• Encourage him. All babies love an audience, particularly that of Mom or Dad. So help him to walk by letting him hold your hand or shins and clap out loud when he attempts a step or two.

As always listen to your parental instinct when it comes to your kids. You know them best. Take him to your physician if you are especially worried or if he is coming up for two and still content to sit or crawl around.

Baby walker reviews are never complete without the following warning!

As with any walker, baby should not be left to play with this toy unattended. Toddlers are often unsteady on their feet and accidents can happen regardless of the quality of the toy they are playing with. As parents of young kids know, they can fall over their own feet at times!

When it comes to the best walker, baby will just love the VTech sit to stand walker as will parents and grandparents. A great toy built to last and available at a fantastic price. What more could Father Christmas or anyone else ask for?

Click Here To Read The Full Reviews And Buy Your Baby Walker Now

VTech Baby Walker Still Going 8 Years Later! is from fantasticchristmasgifts.com

If you have watched the film you will know that Andy has now grown up and no longer needs his toys including his favorites Woody and Buzz Lightyear. The toys have all been packed up for storing in the attic but as luck would have it they end up first in a nursery and then at the local dump where they are in danger of being incinerated. The Toy Story 3 Imaginext Tri County Landfill plays out the dump scene from the film.

Lotso starts the film as an evil character although he initially appears all sweet and innocent. He is in fact the dictator in the nursery where the toys end up.

He resets Buzz who forgets that the Andy and the other toys are his friends and instead he helps Lotso to keep the toys prisoner. In their haste to escape the nursery the toys end up in danger at the landfill site. Your kids can recreate the entire scene where the aliens rescue the toys and Lotso (huggin bear) returns to being good when he finally finds love in the form of the dumpster driver.

So what do you get for your money? The Tri County Landfill has two conveyor belts, a crane with grappling hook, a dump basket and of course the dreaded incinerator. Buzz and Lotso are included as are the aliens but you can buy your child’s favorite characters as they are sold separately. The giant scoop lifts the toys onto the sorter from where they are dispatched onto two conveyor belts. As they move downwards towards the incinerator you can use the crane arm to grab your favorite and move it quickly to safety.

As you would expect from Fisher Price, the toy is well made and doesn’t have any sharp edges. There is plenty of room for little hands to explore the moving component parts. It will stimulate their imagination especially if you buy additional characters such as Buzz, Jessie, Big Baby and Slinky Dog etc and perhaps the film DVD to remind them of the original scene.

You can buy the Sanitation Garbage truck which comes with Woody and another alien figure. This will help your kids to recreate more of the story as you can load the truck up with the aliens and other characters, drive to the landfill, turn the dial and unload your cargo. The landfill’s giant scoop can then pick up the toys to put them onto the conveyor belt.

Toys with moving parts are a hot favorite with little kids as are ones that remind them of films they have enjoyed. With this winning combination, don’t be surprised if Toy Story 3 Imaginext Tri County Landfill and the Garbage Truck are hard to find in stores this year.

Toy Story 3 Tri County Landfill is from fantasticchristmasgifts.com

This range of toys was introduced years ago but have been changed slightly and re-launched a number of times. You may be one of the many parents who remember collecting this particular doll and her friends when you were young. You are probably wishing your mum had kept them so that you could pass them to your little girl.

The main character is a little redhead who tends to wear her pink hat quite a bit. She has a group of friends who also have delicious names. The other Strawberry Shortcake dolls include “Angel Cake”, “Orange Blossom” or “Plum Pudding”. All the characters live in Strawberryland where they enjoy many different adventures. They love to sit at the Berry Cafe eating delicious treats. The Strawberry Shortcake remote controlled car in a pretty mix of pink green and red as well as various DVD sets are currently the best selling items in this range. The Berry Cafe is also popular.

This set has the distinctive smell and is shaped in the form of a strawberry. It is an educational toy and has about twenty moveable parts which will delight and enthrall younger children. The windows open and close and they will love playing with the bird on top. Some people say that this should be a collectors item while others agree that children will love playing with it. Almost all said it is not suitable for those with children younger than three due to the very small parts that resemble food.

Depending on the age of the little girl you are buying for, you can find plush or plastic dolls in this range. You can buy the latest model from Hasbro or a vintage model to perhaps remind you of your old toys. If you have any doll collectors in your family they may already have a number of these delightful characters in their collection. Currently a hot favorite is the Strawberry Shortcake Blueberry Muffin doll and you can see why she is very cute!

It isn’t just dolls that are available on sale. You can also find Strawberry Shortcake costumes for those little ones who love to dress up and get into character. There is also a range of DVDs and books for you to enjoy, not to mention games and puzzles.

If your little one really loves this cute red head, you can also decorate her bedroom using the themed bed covers, curtains and other accessories including wallpaper although that may be taking things a little too far. It looks like Strawberry Shortcake dolls are here to stay bringing joy to yet another generation.

Strawberry Shortcake Dolls is from fantasticchristmasgifts.com

My Pillow Pets are cute, cuddly and collectible and are a certain winner for kids aged 3 and upwards this Christmas. They are so easy to use. All you have to do is open the Velcro closure to use it as a pillow. When you are finished resting, close it up and you have a cute and cuddly toy. Slumber parties won’t ever be the same again.

Click Here to see if your favorite is in stock right now.

My pillow pets come in a range of different animals. There is pillow pets Buzzy Bumble Bee, a Unicorn, Dog, Miss Lady Bug and lots more. If you ever had problems leaving your little one at a friend’s home or at your parents, you will know how important it is to a toddler that they have a sense of home. Some parents resort to letting their kids carry around dirty blankets as a comforter. Now we don’t have to do that anymore. These cute toys are machine washable so long as you place them inside a pillow case and wash on a cool wool setting. Don’t put them in the tumble dryer though!

My pillow pets’ plush folding stuffed animals are really soft. Your child will be happy to sleep anywhere with his dolphin or ladybug. Don’t worry about travelling on a plane or bus again. Just pack one of these cute little toys to keep your child amused while awake and provide something cozy and comfortable to sleep on.

Although aimed at toddlers, being cute and collectible these soft toys are appealing to all ages from grandmothers to toddlers. With so many to collect, the kids are having competitions as to who can own the whole series first. The average Pillow Pet costs less than $30 – it depends on size, popularity and the animal, although it pays to shop around for the best prices. But be careful as they are so popular there is a huge risk that stores will sell out in the frantic run up to Christmas. Since they have appeared in various adverts on TV some of the animals are particularly hard to find already. The ladybug with matching slippers has proved extremely popular and has already sold out in more than one shop.

The most popular of the Pillow Pets are the Unicorn and its matching blanket and the Ladybug with the matching slippers. But if you have a child who doesn’t do sweet things, you may find that they prefer the Alli Alligator. Of course any child who loves dinosaurs will go mad for the Dino Triceratops, Pterodactyl or the Dino T Rex.

Are there any concerns with the My Pillow Pets toys? Some parents have reported that their children get very hot when sleeping on them so it is an idea to move them to one side of your child if this is an issue in your home.

My Pillow Pets is from fantasticchristmasgifts.com

Read reviews here on Wow Wee Paper Jamz Guitar Style 2

* You can simply play along to the song which is great as you don’t even need to know it.
* You can choose the Rhythm mode which allows you to control the rhythm.
* Freestyle – you can create your own tunes rather than using the three preprogrammed ones.
* The Karaoke mode is a winner as it allows your child to sing along with the song and pretend they are on Pop Idol or another reality TV music show.

If you have kids that love to play air guitar they are going to go nuts over the Paper Jamz guitar. It is made from paper and cardboard but has built in technology allowing your child to play flawless music. How about that for a confidence boost!

You can buy different models in the series all of which require 3 AAA batteries and all have a volume button. There are no strings so you don’t have to worry about breaking them or having calluses on your fingers. There are currently six styles and each one plays 3 different songs. Style 3 is popular and plays “Born To be Wild”, “Mississippi Queen” and “Smoke on the Water”.

In addition to playing different songs, each guitar looks different. Paper Jamz guitar style 3 has a shark face while style 4 is shaped like a rock stars guitar. If your child prefers the drums there is the PaperJamz drum range too which feature the same songs. Children dream of becoming rock stars. Now your kids can put together their own band, becoming a rock guitar superstar and ace drummer playing the preprogrammed songs accurately at the first attempt. The Paper Jamz amp will add to their new rock band image.

If you want to encourage your child to play a musical instrument, this could be the introduction you are looking for. While it is cool to be able to play accurately at your first attempt, older kids will get bored playing the same songs over and over. The freestyle option on these guitars allows them to experiment. They can play real chords simply by using their fingers on the fret of the board. So they quickly learn the basics and may just want to progress further and learn how to play a real guitar. In the meantime Paper Jamz provides them with the opportunity to have lots of fun either alone or with their friends.

Paper Jamz is from fantasticchristmasgifts.com

So what is the Batman Lego game all about? Regardless of the medium used i.e. Wii, DS or Playstation, the basics are the same. The game is set in Gotham City where Batman and Robin are fighting to return the villains to the asylum. They fight through the sea, land and air in various Batmobiles including the stealthy Batwing. You have to build certain things and solve various puzzles to unlock special powers etc. You don’t need to be an expert on the Batman story either. This particular game, unlike Lego Star Wars or Lego Indiana Jones doesn’t follow the movie script.

Every level needs to be played twice, once in story mode and once in free play. In story mode, you get to unlock various characters which you then use to play in the free play mode. Once in free play you get to solve puzzles and release bonuses. You can also build vehicles and weapons to use to fight your enemies. The characters have individual moves and there are many different elements to the game so you or your kids won’t get bored playing. Young kids may struggle a little with the moves but with a little help they should be fine. Most will appreciate that unlike some other Wii games you don’t have to start again if you die but simply lose coins.

Although we like to think that kids love the goodies, it is fair to say that they can like playing the baddies just as much if not more. With this game it is possible to play from both sides i.e. they can be Batman or Robin or they may prefer to be one of the villains such as Joker, Catwoman or Penguin.

The Lego Batman game can be played either alone or with other people for extra fun. If you get stuck on a level and can’t find your way out there are plenty of videos on YouTube with solutions. It is fun trying to solve the puzzles yourself but sometimes it can get a little frustrating. Of course if you want to cheat your way through the Lego Batman game you can find plenty of clues to help you do this but that really ruins the fun of this fantastic game.

Lego Batman Games on Nintendo Wii, DS or PSP3 is from fantasticchristmasgifts.com

The Ucreate music was huge last year but remains popular for this Christmas too. Just as reality TV music shows continue to be popular so too do those toys that allow you to create your own music. So what is this particular toy? It is an easy to use digital remixing machine so your kids can pretend they are music producers a la Simon Cowell.

Click Here to Read Reviews On Ucreate Music

They can create their own tracks, share them with friends and also access the special effects, tracks and other bonuses available at the online library at myucreate.com. You can mix and match different tunes i.e. ones you create yourself or those that you download to come up with a different sound. Just be careful not to crash your computer when downloading as these files can be quite large.

One of the main complaints about this toy was that it took some time to set up but others thought that added to the appeal. The recommended age range is 8 to 15 years but as you will see from the reviews posted online a lot of adults have bought this gadget for themselves.

It is extremely easy to operate and you can record your performance and then listen to it on your iPod which increases the cool factor. The more you use it the more you realize how much potential there is to have fun with this. Sure you may want to buy your child a good pair of headphones so that they can practice in peace. We are all trying to get our kids to be more creative and to stay away from the TV and video games so this is an excellent choice as it appeals to their love of technology and their wish to be seen as cool by their friends. Well worth the price especially when you can often find it on sale.

A lot of people who buy the Ucreate music also buy the Multi Voice Changer by Toysmith. Although made by a different manufacturers the two complement each other perfectly. The voice changer contains ten different voice modifiers in one unit but you can actually create hundreds of different combinations. It also has flashing LED lights which always delight kids. It costs less than $15 but provides hours of fun with some reporting that the kids had problems wrestling their voice changer away from the adults who all wanted to say “Luke, I am your father” in their best Darth Vader voice.

You should also look at Paper Jamz if your kids love musical toys.

Ucreate Music and Multi Voice Changer is from fantasticchristmasgifts.com

Read Reviews on Squinkies Cupcake Surprise Bakeshop

The Squinkies Cupcake Surprise Bake Shop is shaped in the form of a large cupcake with a slot on the top. If you take off the cherry you can fill the cupcake with either the 9 bake related Squinkies that come with the toy or any of the hundreds of other ones available. You then simply enter a dime or the Squinkies coin, turn the dial and the cupcake dispenses a Squinkie just like a real vending machine. Don’t worry about your child becoming bored as the Cupcake opens up to become a bakeshop and this will keep her amused for ages.

This toy isn’t suitable for those kids who like to put things in their mouths as they are so small. You can buy individual Squinkies as stocking filler. The Squinkies bubble packs come in a series so you can tell people which ones your daughter has so they don’t double up. The bubble packs contain up to 16 individual balls and start from about $8. You can buy a couple of different ones to make sure you have a variety of different characters although with over 100 available it may take you a while to collect them all.

Parents will love the Squinkies Cupcake Surprise toy as it doesn’t require batteries and also provides a place to store all the little tiny toys. If other people are asking you what they can buy for your daughter you could direct them towards the Squinkies Gumball Surprise Playhouse or the Tea Time Surprise. Both follow the same principle in that they act as miniature gumball machines but are very cute and colorful. If your little one already owns loads of these, the Squinkies Place Surprise makes a useful display stand. The Tote and Go Organizer is a handy carry case and holds up to 140 bubbles.

Are these educational toys? No, not really although some parents argue they inspire creativity and imagination. They certainly lend themselves well to storytelling and sharing. But then playtime shouldn’t always be about learning. Sometimes our kids just need to have fun and the Squinkies Cupcake Surprise Bake Shop will help them do that.

Squinkies Cupcake Surprise Bake Shop is from fantasticchristmasgifts.com