Baby's Learning Laptop Review

from VTech

Honestly, I'm not really a fan of all these plastic electronic toys, but I decided to try and see if my son would like toy with lots of buttons, and blinking lights and music. My son, of course, likes to reach for my laptop the most, especially if I'm watching video's. He is simply fascinated by all the moving pictures, and noises coming from it. So one day I was walking through a toy store and saw this "laptop" by VTech. VTechis a pretty popular brand, very commercial, you constantly see it on TV. They actually make a lot of education toys and games (not sure how good they are, I haven't tested them out yet).



This Baby's Learning Laptop has large buttons, a screen with patterned lights blinking and moving. It talks, and sings songs, just as one of these toys should. And honestly my son can spend good 15 minutes around it pressing buttons, and trying to bite it, and this is pretty long, considering that his usual attention span is roughly 15 seconds. He likes the noise, he likes that someone talks to him, so all in all I'm actually rather pleased. And of course it teaches shapes, objects and feelings.



There are two volume settings, and it will shut off automatically, if no one plays with it. There are also three different learning settings. Of course we dropped it already a bunch of times, and that doesn't seem to effect it. Great carrying handle too!

Pros: a nice entertaining alternative to all the natural wood/cloth toys, and well worth the price
Cons: can get a little annoying (to you, and sometimes the baby)
Age: 6mo+

Price: $17.99 at Amazon.com

Tiny Love - Touch & Discover Electronic Play Book Review

from Tiny Love

This is the first book that I got my son, and his opinion of it seemly varies, based on his mood. But there are plenty of times when he really does enjoy it. The Touch & Discover Electronic Play Book is very interactive, allowing for a very sensor-rich experience. Its theme is animals, and when your little one touches the book with an electronic bee the animals in the book (depending on which he touches) begin to make sounds, and lights are activated. There are also a few tunes and environments the animals are in.



Tiny Loveis a great company that for the most part makes great baby toys. This book gives your little one a rich learning experience in learning animals, and different textures (you can feel sheep's fur inside, not real of course, but fuzzy none-the-less).



Pros: cute adorable animals, great sounding melodies
Cons: there are complaints that after a while the book stops playing sounds. It doesn't bother me. Anyway, you can always change the batteries or get a different book :)
Age: 6mo+

Price: $21.41 at Amazon.com

Water, Fire, Air and Earth Element Puzzle Review

from Grimm's Spiel and Holz Design

I believe that letting your child's imagination develop is one of the most important and essential responsibilities a parent has. There are many ways one can see that this occurs, such as with certain literary pieces, poetry, or other means that trigger our mind, and allow us to dream. This toy in not a toy at all, in my mind. It is a world all in its own, one where shapes and colors come together in a harmonious allegory of myth and legend, and when your little one's hand finally get to play with it a new world is bound to be created.

This is a wooden puzzle, and the Element of Water has 12 colorful pieces encourage the feeling for colors and forms in play, 3 dimensional thinking and inner flexibility. What you or your little one chooses to do with this here puzzle is entirely up to either of you. Create with in the frame, and dream beyond it.

The Element of Fire has 13 colorful flame-shaped pieces and you can bring this puzzle to life, and you will feel its warmth.




The Element of Air, this lovely wooden puzzle has a rainbow in the clouds and a soaring white bird. 14 colorful pieces altogether.




And the Element of Earth shows five colored crystals set in surrounding of stone and earth. There are 14 pieces altogether.

Pros: it is puzzles like these that allow for our children to do great things. let your child's mind wonder to new worlds that lie hidden inside
Cons: don't be scared of the price
Age: 3yr+

Price: $42.98 at Amazon.com

Kushies - Zolo Barbell Stacker Review

from Kushies

So this is the ideal first stacking toy. Baby power! It's a really fun way to get those chubby legs into shape quick! (not really) This toy is soft, lightweight and easy to hold, and being that the rings come off - it makes it officially the first stacking toy your chubbster can get. Shake away to chime and rattle. There are really quite a few positives about this toy. It's very visually stimulating, and is designed to develop your little one's dexterity and hand-eye coordination.

Kushiesis famous for manufacturing quality baby products and accessories for more than 50 years.

Pros: so many positives, very entertaining toy that's great for development. What more could you want?
Cons: maybe a little bit overpriced but overall probably worth the bang
Age: 6mo+

Price: $24.99 at Amazon.com

HABA - Clutching Toys: Squeak Squeak Mouse, Grrowl Bear, Crooak Froggy Review

from HABA

So I couldn't understand why this toy was so popular until I saw it at a friends house. Its durable and cute! It's elastic and gives your little one a great touching flexibility sensation, because the mousy bends and twists. There is a little rattle inside as well. It's made of natural wood, and natural paint. The little arms are connected by one rope, so they pull from side to side- a cute feature my son figured out on his own.



There are also these characters that you can get separately: Grrowl Bear and Crooak Froggy



Pros: colorful, attractive to the eye
Cons: the parts tend to break off sometimes, like a hand, or a little ball. So Beware your child doesn't try to swallow it.

Age: 3mo+

Price: $14.39 at Amazon.com

Hand Knit Pool Balls Toy Review

from Yellow Label Kids

This is a really neat and colorful collection of rattle balls for your little one, when he is already at a "must grab everything I see" stage. It's great to improve hand coordination, and the little rattle is an attention grabber. It's hand sewn, and soft. If you ask me, though, it looks like a first billiards set :)



Designed in San Francisco, CA and handcrafted by artisans in Bangladesh. Yellow Label Kidsworks with the Fair Trade Federation to ensure that the artisans who produce their products are paid fair living wages.

Pros: squishy, easy to grab, a rattle, and colorful!
Cons: no cons, really, it is what it is
Age: birth+

Price: $25.00 at Amazon.com

Educo - French Kitchen Review

from Educo

I know you're an avid cook, the toughest critic your home has seen, the master of spice and spirit, and surely you want your offsprings to follow in your foodsteps. Well, now they can, starting from very early on, with this wonder-kitchen. Teach your little one the joy of cooking, the true appreciation for all things gourmet, and a desire to master their (and soon your) kitchen.

So this French Kitchen comes complete with a stove-top, oven, cupboard, and sink making it easy for your chef to clean and put away the dishes after each feast. Your child will love the soft rattle of the salt and pepper shakers (amongst many other wonderful surprises).

So this great kitchen has all the basics, and some room left for imagination as well. The all-in-one wood unit has an oven with a see-through door, cupboard or refrigerator, cook top, sink and utensil rack.



Included with the French Kitchen:
2 plates
2 forks
2 knives
1 spatula
1 serving spoon
1 saucepan with lid
1 skillet
1 salt shaker
1 pepper shaker
1 fried egg
1 pizza
1 carrot (splits into halves)
1 cheese slice
2 mushrooms
1 loaf of bread (splits into 4 slices)



Pros: very stylish kitchen, many many pros to the way your child can develop, and imitate you in the kitchen
Cons: many people complain of it's small size. But come on! You should just be smart enough to see that this kitchen measures approx 31.5 x 21.25 x 13 inches. Just pay attention. And yes it is really tiny. So I recommend buying it on a very first birthday - just remove all the small pieces.
Age: 1yr+

Price: $93.80 at Amazon.com