The approaching holidays are a chance for us at ZRecs to raise our heads up above the fray of our daily reviewing and compile a list of some select items we'd recommend to anyone looking for a perfect gift for their toddler or preschooler. These are just some of the best products we've reviewed this year - if none of these suit your budget or tastes, browse our reviews by the category buttons on the righthand sidebar of our blog to find your own perfect gifts!
Most of the blurbs here are drawn from our full product reviews, which are linked at the foot of each listing where available. Remember, Z Recommends doesn't window shop - every item in this gift guide is an item we have used and can personally vouched for.
Gifts for $25 or less
1-2-3 Game [Game]
Our favorite of several number-driven preschool games we've played recently, the 1-2-3 Game is also one of the least expensive. Ravensburger's 1-2-3 Game helps children learn to count and represent numbers by hand, on dice, and in numeral form. [buy on Amazon]
The Adventures of Polo [Book]
"French illustrator Regis Faller's Adventures of Polo is a comic book suitable for very young children. At three, Z finds it absolutely thrilling, and has progressed rapidly from suprised laughter at Polo's antics to a deep affection for this book and an interest in sustained solo reading - she's been doing a bit of this for a while, but the consistency and sustained interest this book inspires is unusual." [read review|buy on Amazon]
A Treasure in My Garden [DVD]
"We rarely come across a DVD which exhibits such a range of animation styles yet dazzles us in so many cases. ... But it's the music that deserves top credits for this collection's success." [read review|buy on Amazon]
Baby Loves Jazz, Greatest Hits Vols. 1 and 2 [CD]
"The musicianship and chemistry of this band of contemporary young jazz musicians - John Ellis, Aaron Goldberg, Sharon Jones, Miles Griffith, Omer Avital, Ali Jackson, and more - is sure to please adult jazz-lovers as much as the song selections and characters please kids." A great buy at $14 for the two-disc set. [read review|buy on Amazon]
Bright and Beyond Activity Cards [Card deck]
"At around $10 for a deck of 52 full-color, high quality cards of activities, we think Bright and Beyond makes a product from which parents will get more than their money's worth. We think the older (K-3rd and age 7) decks are quite good, that the age 3-5 deck is excellent, and that the baby (0-12 mos.) infant (12-24) and toddler (24-36) decks are truly exceptional." $10 per pack. [read review|buy on Amazon|buy direct]
Classical Baby 3-Pack: Music, Art, and Dance [DVD set]
From our review of the Dance volume: "It's really a great mix, and the choreography is not 'inspired by' in the same sense that Hollywood movies are "based on a true story" - Jenni, who danced from early childhood through her adolescence, stopped wonderingly to comment that the moves in a segment (Jerome Robbins' in West Side Story) were exactly like the ones in the film musical..." A three-disc set of Dance, Music, and Art is a fabulous DVD deal at $23. [read review|buy on Amazon]
Gustafer Yellowgold, Have You Never Been Yellow? [DVD]
"Yellow?'s status as a sequel allows it to launch into song with all of that sticky work already taken care of, and the CD/DVD lets its freak flag fly. Perhaps it's this new sense of even greater freedom that resulted in Yellow? feeling a bit less sorrowful, a bit more musically varied, and a bit more intriguingly odd." $15-$20. [read review|buy on Amazon]
The Hipwaders, Educated Kid [CD]
"The Hipwaders' sophomore effort gets more out of jangly, hook-infused power pop than almost any other children's album we've heard in years, and it has the confidence of a songwriter (Tito Uquillas) who can to take in elements of other genres and make them his own in a band that hasn't lost its edge or power to surprise." $15. [read review|buy on Amazon]
Geo Shape Tack Set [Reusable craft kit]
"Although you'd hate to lose any of the set's tacks in your living room carpet, the toy is really like nothing we've ever seen, and is loads of fun for a three-year-old." This cute and clever toy by HABA is sold in 50-piece and 100-piece sets for around $15 and $25, respectively. [read review|buy on Amazon]
Geotrax's New Trains [Toddler electric train]
"It's rare to see a toy developers with such a comfortable position in the market thinking so intelligently about what to do next, but the second generation of Geotrax trains has as much freshness as the original design did when it was first introduced. The new reverse gear, for one, makes all kinds of track layouts that were sub-par (as are many achievable track layouts for those unwilling to get spendy on extra track pieces) suddenly filled with adventure, and makes operating two trains on the same track make far more logistical sense. And then there's the people." The new trains sell for $16-$20. [read review|browse on Amazon]
Hyper Dash: RFID meets a run-around game suitable for kids as young as three. The clapper's ability to recognize each of the chipped pods individually means you can create a running or scavenger-hunt-type game for kids, and since you place the pods yourself, there really isn't any age limit for enjoying this game - just scale your activity to the needs of your players. The game can also "run" itself, since it calls out the item to "tag" itself, at random, and it can be set to call for colors or numbers, which makes this game an early-learning tool as well as fun for kids who can't yet read numbers. One of the best uses of a new technology we've seen this year. [currently overpriced at $40 on Amazon.com, buy direct from WildPlanet for $25]
In the Night Kitchen, Maurice Sendak [Book]
A classic, perfect for preschoolers. Z has loved this book since she was two, and we love to read it - the musicality of Sendak's language makes it a joy to recite, and the images always feel fresh. $12. [buy on Amazon]
Magic Maestro, Peter and the Wolf [CD]
"The production is excellent, with lively narration, a wonderful performance, and plenty of extras to make the experience a memorable one, like a narrative track that explored the music's themes and background, and a full version of Peter without narration." $15. [read review|buy on Amazon]
Mr. McGroovy's Box Rivets [Reusable cardboard fort-building aid]
An ingenious fastener designed for cardboard fort-building, Mr. McGroovy's cardboard box rivets are a great alternative to the tape-and-a-prayer method you've used in the past. Reusable and affordable, they're an idea that will make cardboard fort-building huge in your household. A project kit with two boxes of rivets, a utility knife, and a rivet remover is $25; get some cardboard and you're in business. [read review|buy direct]
Nursery Tap Hip to Toe Vol. 2 [DVD]
"By focusing attention on a close-up view of one or a pair of dancers' leg and foot movements, Nursery Tap effectively "spotlights" the key area of interest in dance - what the body does when dancing - in a way that makes light bulbs - cannons, even - go off in young children's heads." $15. [read review|buy on Amazon]
Pretend Soup and Other Recipes, Mollie Katzen [Book]
"Recipes are written in text first for the adult and then fully illustrated, step by step, in a numbered sequence for children to follow. All of the recipes are simple to make and most of the steps are young-child friendly. Recipes are also all vegetarian, which is a plus for our family." $12. [read review|buy on Amazon]
Putumayo Kids, Animal Playground [CD]
"This compilation paints with a broad brush Putumayo has pulled out only once before in its eight-year history, for the 2003 album of international lullabies Dreamland, and it works marvelously; the variety of languages and musical styles are refreshing and engaging to both children and adults." $15. [read review|buy on Amazon]
The Quiet Two, Make Some Noise [CD]
A new musical favorite in our "to-review" pile, The Quiet Two's 2007 rerelease features acoustic-driven, wry and witty pop that will please adults and kids. $15. [buy on Amazon]
Tattoos for Tots [Temporary tattoos]
"Pictures are combined with words ('corn,' 'grasshopper,' 'cloud') to make fun, well-designed graphic art for your kids to wear and talk about." With a wide variety of themes to choose from, Tattoos for Tots make a great stocking-stuffer at $4 for a pair of identical sheets. Perfect for splitting between two kids! [read review|buy direct]
The Terrible Twos, If You Ever See An Owl [CD]
"A great pop album with lyrics directed towards kids but songs good enough that you don't feel embarrassed or annoyed that you're singing along when the kids aren't around." $15. [read review|buy on Amazon]
Zoobie Pets [Stuffed animal, blanket, and pillow combo]
"The genius of Zoobie Pets is that the blankets zip to the body of the animal and when folded up and zipped inside, make either a pillow or the shape of the animal. Anyone who has dragged a toddler blanket through an airport should appreciate just how great this idea is." With ten animals to choose from, they're a steal at Amazon's current price of a shave under or over $25. [read review|buy on Amazon|buy direct]
A few more music options:
- Monty Harper, Paws Claws Scales and Tales [read review|buy on Amazon]
- Duplex, Ablum [read review|buy on Amazon]
- The Bottle Let Me Down: Songs For Bumpy Wagon Rides [read review|buy on Amazon]
- Uncle Rock, Plays Well With Others [read review|buy on CDBaby]
- Sugar Free Allstars, Dos Ninos [read review|buy on Amazon]
Gifts from $25 to $50
Automoblox [Vehicles and construction toys]
"The predominantly-wood vehicles have a solid, weighty feel, but the rubber and plastic wheel components give them a bounce and glide unmatched by other wooden toddler toys. The design is a key feature of Automoblox's charm, and the use of materials qualifies as a true innovation." The company is accepting pre-orders for a line of Automoblox Minis selling at $8 apiece, which we think is a fabulous idea. $28-$35. [read review|buy on Amazon|buy direct]Corolle dolls
"One great thing to know about Corolle dolls: If you draw all over their face and appendages with a dry-erase marker, they will not be marked for life with a disturbing green full-body tattoo. It will come off the plastic, and the body will be left with an attractive tie-dyed pattern." These are the highest-quality dolls in the 8"-24" range we've found. The hair of dolls in their Chouquette line can be "brushed, washed, blow dried on low heat, curled or straightened on low heat, and styled." We heart Corolle dolls. Ours, which Z dubbed "Baby Ya Hair," is on Amazon and shown above. $45-$55. [read review|browse Corolle dolls on Amazon]Cranium Super Fort [Fort-building construction toy]
"Having access to two tube types - one flexible, the other rigid - expands the design possibilities of the Super Fort in satisfying ways, and allows for constructions to have an organic and eclectic quality lacking in some large-scale building toys." Well worth its price tag of $40. [read review|buy on Amazon|buy direct]
Lotuspads [Kids' PVC-free yoga mat]"The Lotuspad is, frankly, a luscious yoga mat. It's soft and thick (5mm, great for our tile floors), and even its non-slip side doesn't feel sticky like our PVC adult yoga mats do." At 24"x48", the Lotuspad is the perfect size for children until they hit that adolescent growth spurt. $28. [read review|buy direct]
Orchard [Game]
If you buy one game for your three- to four-year-old, it should be Orchard. If you buy two games for them, you should take them back and buy Orchard. At around $38 we expected a lot, and HABA delivered with this top-shelf game. Quality of production (dozens of colorful wooden playing-piece fruits, dense cardboard, rich color printing and wicker baskets for collecting the fruit) justify the price tag on their own, but the game's design has the perfect combination of simplicity and excitement that make it a truly stellar cooperative game. $38. [read review|buy on Amazon]Sansa Shaker [MP3 player]
"In our view, Sandisk has a great success on their hands, and virtually no competition for the features they're offering in this cute little player. ... Overall, we are extremely pleased with this little mp3 player." The Sansa Shaker is available with a 512MB or 1GB Sandisk SD card. The Shaker runs $30 with a 512 GB SD card or $40 with a 1GB one. [read review|buy on Amazon]
Twinkle Cakes [Reusable craft kit]"Twinkle Cakes provide a blank canvas of sorts for a variety of activities. They can be integrated with small toys or used with other felt cut outs you might make or buy; we are planning a felt-based storytelling board with characters and bits of scenery, so we can already see some interesting crossover potential." $49 covers the handmade craftsmanship of a toy that could last generations. [read review|buy direct]
Gifts over $50
A World of Adventure [Game]
HABA's "A World of Adventure is unlike any game we have seen before, for adults or for children. It consists of four smaller games, each interesting in its own right, that can be played independently or fitted together in a four-unit grid to be played in a sequence of the players' choosing, using high-quality wooden 'adventurers' to travel from one site to another, competing in each of the four challenges." Beautifully conceived and gorgeously executed, designed for children ages 4 and up. $52. [read review|buy on Amazon.com]
Braincandy Series [DVD set]"The first great coup of this series is pulling off a lead character who is the anthropomorphized figure of an exposed, disembodied human brain and spinal cord. The second is the thematic structure it hints at: 'Bruce Brain' serves as a guide and interpreter for the experiences of each of five sense-organ puppets." The company is offering the full set of five videos for $60 if purchased directly from their store - a great deal for DVDs with production values this high. [read review of partial set|buy direct]
Celestron Sky Scout [GPS-enabled astronomical guide]
"It's a dream come true for an astronomer in the making. I try to avoid blurby praise in my reviewing, so please understand, it really is like a dream come true: sort of magical, way too easy, certainly of limited use regarding my ultimate goal - in this case, to actually know this stuff - but also a device I could really see helping me get to the point where I can pick out a few of the highlights, device-free, for a wide-eyed five- or six-year-old." $350 for holiday shoppers, thanks to a $50 rebate from Celestron. [read review|buy on Amazon]Fisher-Price Kid Tough Digital Camera [Toddler/Preschooler camera]
When we reviewed the previous version of Fisher-Price's innovative toddler camera, we wrote, "The three key features to consider turned out to be picture quality, ease of use, and durability; like the old adage about speed, quality, and price, you get to pick two, but you can't have all three." With the fall release of a new edition of the camera in its pink and blue buttressed forms, F-P has proven that you can. The new model boosts the camera from its crippling 640x480 resolution to include a 1.3-megapixel option, and since we already loved the camera, well, we're pretty floored. Worth every penny at $60 on Amazon (a discount of $10 from list). [read review|buy on Amazon]Fortamajig [Fort-building device]
"Unlike many toys that attempt to create a commercial solution for what was already a perfectly good homemade invention (the blanket fort), the Fortamajig actually enhances the experience of building a blanket fort, rather than confining it within a narrowed set of options. Building forts with the Fortamajig, my three-year-old daughter Z and I actually had the feeling that we were inventing ways to use it, which is about the best feeling any toy can give." $65 for single-sided model, which was good enough for us, or $90 for a reversible one. [read review|buy on Amazon|buy direct]
iHome To Go [iPod case]"The most obvious limitation of the iHome2Go - that it pares down some of the iPod controls, including access to the screen and menu functions - is a boon when it comes to using the device with young children. We set up the music for Z - including determining a playlist to draw from if we want her to have "quiet" music only, or putting it on shuffle - and then zip it up; Z then controls that playlist through the forward and back controls." $65. [read review|buy on Amazon]
Learning Tower [Platform for counter-level experiences]
"Unlike a chair or stool, the Learning Tower features a large platform for standing on (approximately 18 inches square), the platform can be set at any of four different heights (around 11" to about 19" off the ground), and a railing runs around the perimeter at your toddler's waist height. This makes it a very safe place for your toddler to participate in highly engaging activities without either of you worrying about him falling down." Unlike other "practical" items we love that didn't make this list, this highly functional object is also one of the "most fun" to have around. $170. [read guest review on Eco Child's Play|buy on Amazon]Polaroid Pixie Video Camera
"Mattel and Hasbro's moves in digital video [back in 2005] were downright conservative compared to the streamlining and rethinking Polaroid has done with its new Pixie camcorder, which hits what we believe is the new sweet spot: devices for kids too young to manipulate slightly outdated adult electronics but old enough to start feeling their way through the world with creative digital devices." [read review|buy on Amazon]Treasury of 100 Storybook Classics [DVD box set]
"If your child has seen and enjoyed any previous Scholastic titles, you should know that the quality in this collection is well above the average, and you (like we) are likely to be quite pleased with your acquisition as long as you know that 'classics' means that few recent adaptations are included, however good they might be. Some of the DVDs have their main story outfitted with Spanish-language audio as well." Currently on sale at Amazon.com for 
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