Lil Adventurer Travel & Gift Set, oopsydaisy! beautiful baby; $26; www.oopsydaisybb.com.

Our testers loved this collection of bath and baby products for little ones. Developed by a mom who was searching for a way to keep her two girls clean without constant trips to the tub, all five products contain gentle and natural ingredients and are packaged in a compact pouch for on-the-go convenience.

 

Two rinse-free “must-haves” are the High Chair Hair Care shampoo and the No Bath Bubble Bath body wash. Also included in this travel set are: Pip Squeaky Clean, a traditional shampoo and body wash; Kiddo Kream, a head-to-toe moisturizer that lubricates even sensitive skin without feeling oily; and Cutie Pie Curlz, a leave-in conditioner and detangler.

“It’s great that these products can be used without water to rinse.”
– Dermatology Judge

“I love that it’s all natural! The rinse free shampoo and body wash are AWESOME!”
– Mom Tester
 

Best Bang for the Buck Winner! 

$29.99; www.LEGO.com; for ages 8 and up. Sure to please the LEGO lover in your life, this set includes design plans for three different dwellings and doesn’t spare any detail. Comes with everything from mailbox, barbecue and roof gutters to a fireplace, satellite dish and skylights. 

 

For more LEGO building fun, check out:

Lots to Learn: Head to Toe With Buster, Lots to Learn, LLC, 2008; 30 min.; $19.99; www.lotstolearn.com; ages 2 to 5.

 

Learning how to tie your shoes using different colored shoelaces and other age-appropriate tasks are made forever easier after viewing this child-interactive video. It’s on target with key preschool concepts, such as learning about colors and facial expressions. While kids love the games and songs, parents can appreciate the simple language and introduction of Spanish words.

“Brilliant! This DVD really talks to kids at their level. It takes material that is sometimes dry and gives it new life so it’s interesting for adults and children alike.”
– Adult Juror

“I liked how they made different faces when they were learning about expressions.”
– Child Juror, age 5
 

Walt Disney Home Entertainment, 2008; 72 min.; 19.99; http://home.disney.go.com/shopping; for ages 5 to 8. This DVD features episodes from the delightful Little Einsteins TV series. While not specifically about space, the story is about the main characters racing in space to save the Three Little Piggies, whose planes have spun out of control. Children are captivated by the elements that both they and their parents have enjoyed on TV: classical music, art and a life lesson or two. 

 

For more adventures with the Little Einsteins, check out:

Late, Lost, and Unprepared: A Parents’ Guide to Helping Children with Executive Functioning, by Joyce Cooper-Kahn, Ph.D. and Laurie Dietzel, Ph.D.; Woodbine House, 2008; $19.95; www.woodbinehouse.com.

 

Many children with ADHD and other learning disabilities have trouble with executive functioning, or the brain's ability to process information, interpret events, and react appropriately to life's ups and downs. Our testers found this book helpful because it puts aside the diagnosis and focuses on specific areas that need help. There are sections on strategies to help a child who does homework but does not turn it in, and strategies to help a child who gets upset when peers break the rules or behave in unexpected ways.

 

The book is chock-full of information, and it’s worth the effort to digest it all, because the time you put in up front will be paid back tenfold as you see your child better able to shift gears, get started and follow through to the end, to be organized, and to monitor their own behavior and control their impulses.

“The tone is very friendly and positive. The book is intended as a practical guide for long-term solutions rather than for day-to-day solutions. The short chapters are designed for busy parents – I like that!”
– Tester/Editor

“The chapter that explains to a parent what it feels like to be a child with weak executive skills does both children and their parents a great service.”
– Tester Mom

 

Likewise!, Buffalo Games, $24.95; www.buffalogames.com; ages 12 and up.

 

Thinking alike is a classic game goal, and Likewise! has that feel in an entirely fresh setting. Players are presented with a random pairing of a Description and Subject Cards. (For example, the pairing might be “massive” and “car,” or “exotic” and “food.” Each player writes the first thing that comes to his mind on a wipe-off paddle and flashes it for all to see, adding doodles and add silly embellishments to his answers. A roll of the die occasionally allows you to double-team the others for a slight advantage, but it all comes down to matching what your opponents think.

 

An endless variety of situations and combinations keep the game engaging; and the better you know your playmates, the better you’ll do! 

Lemmetellya! New Twists on Old Tales, Joanne Piazzi, 2005; $12; www.cdbaby.com/cd/piazzijoanne.

 

Wacky stories that take a few traditional tales to a whole new level: Big Stupid Wolf (Big Bad Wolf’s cousin) is out for revenge after the three pigs disaster, Martha of Stewart redecorates the princess’s castle, and more. Creativity abounds and both kids and parents will find themselves laughing out loud. 

Leapster2 Learning System and Dora the Explorer Camping Adventure: Explore Spanish Words, LeapFrog Enterprises, 2008; $69.99/Leapster2 and $24.99/Game; www.leapfrog.com; for ages 4 to 8. Requires: Windows XP or Vista, and Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher; or Mac OS X 10.4.8 or higher, and Safari browser; plus a CD-ROM reader and USB cord (included).
This Leapster2 handheld unit is the newest addition to the Leapster family of learning game systems. This year’s design is sleek and easy to hold. By connecting the unit to a home PC or Mac computer, parents can monitor what their kids are playing, the skills they are learning and the degree of mastery through the unique Leapfrog Learning Path system (available online at no cost). The Leapfrog Learning Path maps out and updates each child’s skill building in different areas, such as comprehension, listening, speaking, math and more. In addition to the NAPPA-winning Dora game, the current Leapster game library includes a wide variety of popular characters from Pixar, Star Wars and Nickelodeon.

Let’s Go!, by Susan Ring, illustrated by Nadeem Zaidi; Baby Einstein, 2009; $6.99; www.babyeinstein.com. 

This book of eye-catching photographs celebrates everything that moves and explores: cars, boats, trucks, cycles, trains, buses, planes and more. The back cover provides parents and caregivers with information and ideas about how to share the book with babies and make it an interactive experience. Real life photographs, coupled with clear captions, extend knowledge and engage your movement-loving child. The padded cover has rounded corners to suit young readers (ages 9 months and up). Meant to be read over and over, Let’s Go! delivers. The visual wealth of the pages presents opportunities for discussion and learning.
 

$89.99; www.LEGO.com; for ages 6 and up. Play tabletop cops and robbers! Every detail of the design and size is well thought through. Set includes many fun accessories (trick walls, handcuffs, cells, etc.); the seven figures and three vehicles increase playability long after the HQ is built.

For more LEGO building fun, check out:

LEGO Creator Beach House
A World of LEGO Mosaics
Port of LEGO City
Model Town House