The Family Groove Gift Guide 08

Cranium Family Edition
The family that plays together stays together—so turn off the TV and get gaming. With a revamped mix of 16 new and classic Cranium activities (Can Dad remember the first five gifts in “The Twelve Days of Christmas”? Can Brother draw a castle with his eyes closed? Can Mom balance cubes on her elbow while standing on one foot?), this interactive board game is laugh-out-loud fun for everyone (ages 8 and up) and gives your kin the chance to actually interact with one another—imagine that!
($19.99, www.cranium.com)

Name Your Tune
Hear ye! Hear ye! Get your kids in on the act with a 14-song CD of personalized versions of their favorite tunes. (Think: “Little Scarlett Had a Farm” and “If You’re Max and You Know It.”) Kiddos will hear their names 80 times throughout the made-to-order music experience. Enviro-bonus: The CD packaging is made from recycled materials and uses vegetable-based ink and water-based coating, and it arrives with a Zerofootprint Seal, confirming that the company has offset the carbon footprint resulting from the shipping.
($20, www.nameyourtune.com)

Tiny Tillia Plush Set
Make splish-splash time fun and safe with a Tiny Tillia Plush Gift Set. The super-snuggly stuffed animals (TT Cow, Indy Sheep, Ben Giraffe and Duncan Dog) come with a paraben-free all-over body wash or bubble bath and make for a unique gift that won’t break the piggy bank.
($12.99, www.shoptillia.com)

Easy-Bake Oven & Snack Center
It’s back—and more fun than ever. Capture the fancy of bakers-in-making with this classic, complete with its signature side-loading oven that heats via a light bulb, three different mixes (can’t you just taste them now?), two baking pans, two utensils, a pan pusher, two warming cups and recipes. Done in its original aqua color, this iconic toy is a slice of the good old days.
($25.99, www.hasbro.com)

Sylvania g Netbook Meso
Keep your kids connected—while you’re keeping an eye on them!—with this low-cost, lightweight laptop. Perfect as the family’s second computer or Junior’s first, it comes in four hip colors (yellow, pink, black and white), and at just 2.2 pounds, carries easily in a backpack and all around the house. Worried that something so handy dandy—and affordable—won’t be fast? Don’t be. This tech treat is powered by Intel’s new Atom processor. Other features include an 8.9-inch backlit LED with 1024 x 600 pixel resolution, battery life of up to four hours, built-in webcam, 1 GB of memory, built-in Wi-Fi and stereo speakers. Speedy, smart, chic and you can use it, too—now that’s a gadget worth inspecting!
($349, www.amazon.com)

64 Zoo Lane
Kids are captivated by the funny, lesson-teaching adventures of Lucy, a lively little girl who lives next door to a zoo. Every night, she climbs out of her window, slides down the neck of a giraffe, and listens to one of her animal pals tell a story that explores social and emotional issues like responsibility, friendship, helping and caring. From the award-winning Belgium television producer and best-selling author An Vrombaut, these toddler- to preschooler-friendly smart and spirited tales showcase good times gone wild.
($12.99, www.amazon.com)

Pixie Dust Apron
Fit to be tied, this retro-chic accessory—crafted with fabrics inspired by iconic children’s nursery books, ’60s collectibles and vintage French textiles—keeps your little cookie-making monsters cute and clean. Complete with a bib front and contrast pockets, the apron helps kids cook in style—and saves Mom from doing extra laundry. Genius.
($24, www.pixiedustdecor.com)

Tonka Bounce Back Racer
Make vroom for this easy-to-operate (just two buttons: forward and reverse) remote control car designed for hours of racing. Bump it into an obstacle and it flips over and keeps on cruising minus any scuffs, thanks to its soft wheels and body. It’ll drive kids 3 and up crazy with glee, and it just might keep some of the bigger kids, aka Dad, busy for a while, too.
($29.99, www.playskool.com)

Kicky Pants Bamboo Knit Hoodie
Keep Junior cozy, comfy and cool in this year-round knit hoodie made from bamboo, a sustainable and eco-friendly fabric. This wardrobe essential is the perfect look and feel for your budding greenie.
($50, www.kickypants.com)

Why Don’t Your Eyelashes Grow?: Curious Questions Kids Ask about the Human Body
Keep kids—and yourself—entertained with answers to often wondered and often weird questions like “Why do you have earwax?” “If you eat Pop Rocks and drink soda, will your stomach explode?” and “Why do you hiccup?” Written by Dr. Beth Ann Ditkoff, a surgeon at Columbia University Medical Center, and her two daughters, the funny and informative book is full of fascinating factoids and just might spare you from the tirade of incessant question asking—well, for a little while anyway.
($14.95, www.amazon.com)

CLIPO Figure Bucket
Little ones will delight in making people, places and things with the 50-piece play set of assorted basic and deluxe shapes, including faces and figures. Bright colors and easy-to-assemble (and disassemble) pieces keep toddlers 18 months and up entertained while they develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
($19.99, www.playskool.com)