The classic Ker Plunk game updated to include those unabashedly adorable aliens from Toy Story. The strategy is simple; the game, addictive: Players take turns removing sticks from the “rocket ship” and try to avoid the kerplunkety action of the little plastic aliens tumbling to the floor. Whomever is responsible for the fewest fallen little green [...]

First Act makes some really nice instruments for the pint-sized Picasso. (That sentence would have made sense if Picasso was a musician and not a painter, but it sounded good.)  I’m partial to the Band in a Box, which includes a harmonica, egg shakers, a tambourine, a wooden kazoo, and more.
The kazoo even [...]

When I was a kid, I wanted a dog. . . like, really badly. My mother saw this and decided to pretend she was allergic to dogs until I was 18. She also bought me a plush dog every birthday, which I guess was supposed to make me feel better but was really just, like, [...]

Oompa.com is an online purveyor of fine European toys aimed at children age 6 and under with a policy of “no batteries, no blinking lights, no cartoon-themed toys.”

Oompa has a huge selection of gift items you won’t find at major retailers or even smaller specialty shops. And while these types of toys can cost a [...]

As in, did you know that everyone’s favorite construction cartoon this side of Handy Manny is now the star of his very own stage show? The 90-minute musical extravaganza has an environmental theme and includes Scoop, Dizzy, Lofty and the rest of the gang.
A trip to a live show makes a great gift for a child: [...]

Back in the day, Fisher-Price Little People were actually little. Heck, they were originally made out of wood. And they made Little People versions of Sesame Street characters. And I had to walk 3 miles in the snow uphill (both ways!) just to get to the toy store to buy them.

Imagine it’s Christmas Eve, and you’re on your way to a big family dinner, but you’ve been too busy to buy presents because you’re a neurobiologist at Columbia and you’ve been studying proton transfers in the frontal lobe all week. (OK, so maybe there was a little too much back story.) You have an hour to shop. Go. (To kill two birds with one stone, I’ve selected items that are also available on Amazon.com, where you can order through today and still use free super-saver shipping to get your items by December 24.)