Trio Lane Records, 2007; $15; www.parachuteexpress.com; for ages 1 to 4. If the kids don’t want Gymboree class to end, bring the fun home with Parachute Express, whose finely tooled songs satisfy every occasion. This CD is upbeat kiddie rock with guitar, piano, hand claps, and a bit of funk and calypso thrown in for good measure.

 

For more Parachute Express, check out:

iKeepSafe Coalition, 2006; free; www.ikeepsafe.org; for families with kids ages 3 to 17. Requires: Web browser.
The mission of iKeepSafe is to empower parents, educators and policymakers with the information and tools needed to teach children safe and healthy use of technology and the Internet. Faux Paw the Techno Cat is the site’s engaging, animated character that provides creative examples to show kids where risky or irresponsible behavior can lead in the virtual world. These scenarios give parents the groundwork to begin discussions about screen time, privacy and online abuse, so that children recognize the importance of safe online behavior.
 

Family Fun Winner! 

Lynn Ruehlmann, Cascade Productions, 2007; $15; www.cascadingstories.com. Feel like an insider and catch an earful of White House life long ago – as told by the wives, daughters, neighbors and servants of eight Virginia-born presidents. Quirky tidbits about Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Harrison, Tyler, Taylor and Wilson bring alive the years from the American Revolution to World War I.

For more presidential fun, check out:

Abraham Lincoln for Kids
Thomas Jefferson's America

In the Kid Zone, Asheba, COV Productions, 2009; $13; www.asheba.net; all ages.

Get on board and take a delightful musical cruise to the Caribbean with Asheba and his friends. Asheba’s distinctive and joyful voice – accompanied by steel drums, guitars, bass and drums – creates infectious rhythms and authentic instrumentation that will have Grandma doing the limbo in this rousing, 11-song set!
 

It’s Picture Day Today!, by Megan McDonald, illustrated by Katherine Tillotson; Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2009; $16.99; www.simonandschuster.com.  

Get ready, get set and grab your glue! It’s time for some art fun on this school picture day. In this story, picture day takes on a new meaning as the most unusual students arrive for their class portrait: buttons, wheels, string, cardboard, feathers, glitter and more! Sparse, carefully selected words bounce across the page with bright colors and capture the creative action. The clever storyline is sure to inspire craft-making in every young reader; and parents, teachers and librarians will all treasure this book as a jump-off point for projects.
 

Family Fun Winner!

Gee, Spot! Records, 2008; $14.98; www.gunnarmadsen.com; for ages 2 to 10. Madsen’s vocals and witty lyrics sparkle atop crisp, tasty rock/pop arrangements. Don’t miss “Mozart’s at the Window” – a silly symphony in which the classical composer sneaks into your house and causes all kinds of chaos – “Swinging from the chandelier / Drinking Papa’s beer / In his underwear!”

Ice Age: The DVD Game, Screenlife Games, 2009; $19.99; www.screenlifegames.com; ages 5 and up.

 

Requires: DVD player or PC, with board and moveable pieces. This fun little board game is driven by on-screen puzzles, video challenges and mini-games that feature characters from all three of the popular Ice Age films. It cleverly supports development of kids’ listening and basic math skills while being just fun to play. 

$7.99; www.sassybaby.com; for ages 6 months and up. This newly redesigned rotating rattle has many attached shapes that spin; motion-sensor lights are an added bonus. The rattle can be secured on its suction cup base or hand-held.

I’ll Hold Your Hand So You Won’t Fall: A Child’s Guide to Parkinson’s Disease, by Rasheda Ali, Foreword by Muhammad Ali; Merit Publishing, 2005; $19.95; www.meritpublishing.com.

A straightforward and eloquent book for children about Parkinson’s Disease, with a foreword by Muhammad Ali, the author’s father. Our lead judge thought the best part of this book was the design, which makes it easy for parents to read along with kids and expand the book into a meaningful discussion. He also loved the striking artwork, combining photography with drawing for a blurry-at-the-edges effect that is evocative of Parkinson's Disease.

“Clear, concise, basic information, easy to understand and paraphrase even for very young children. Forward and message from Muhammad and Rasheda Ali make it more personal.”
– Pediatric Judge
 

Best Bang for the Buck!

It’s All Too Much, So Get It Together: Less Junk, Cleaner Mind, Better Life, by Peter Walsh, illustrated by Jon Pack and John Hendrix; Simon & Schuster, 2009; $12.99 (paper); www.simonandschuster.com. 

Professional organizer Peter Walsh brings his mental and physical de-cluttering concepts to a teen audience. Peter is best known as the professional organizer from TLC’s hit series Clean Sweep. He’s helped thousands of adults organize their lives and now he’s focusing on helping teens, but this book has so many great suggestions that parents may want to sneak it out of their teen’s room for their own reading. The good news is that the entire family will quickly start applying Walsh’s organizational secrets to create calmer surroundings and increase peace of mind.