Present Professor » kids (3-9)

A Game. No, It’s Not a Video Game. It’s a Game Game. Yes, They Still Exist. Yes, They’re Still Fun.

carli — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:51:44 +0000

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 men is the winner.

Toy Story Ker Plunk Game, $18.19 at Amazon.com.

Band in a Bucket, Okay in Berlin

carli — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:27:20 +0000

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 comes with a 34-page instruction book. Perfect for the aspiring professional Kazooer. Kazooist? Oh, who am I kidding? That’s not a real job.

Band in a Bucket Holiday Edition, $19.99 at Toys R Us.

Also shown: First Act Percussion Pack, $29.99 at Toys R Us.

I-Dog. You Human. But We Can Be Friends, K?

carli — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:15:55 +0000

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, “Here, little Present Professor. Let me pour a little hydrochloric acid into your paper cut.”

Maybe if she’d given me this i-dog Plush Puppy speaker, I wouldn’t have been so upset. It’s cute and cuddly and will play music from an ipod, CD player, or most any music source. The sound isn’t fantastic, but it’s decent enough for a kid’s room.

I bought this for my 7-year-old niece for Chanukah. I hope it’ll be a nice accessory for her new ipod. And if not, I’ll take it. It’ll go well with the dozens of other stuffed dogs I have, floating on a river of tears and resentment.

i-dog Soft Speaker, $14.99 at Target stores and Target.com.

Oompa (No Loompa)

carli — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:02:44 +0000

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 pretty penny, there’s an ample selection of great gifts under $25. (I especially like this Soft Puppy Stacking Toy by Rich Frog, $21.99.) The site also offers very reasonable shipping rates: $5 flat-rate shipping, with orders over $65 delivered for free.

A great site for anyone looking to escape the clutches of Hannah Montana and Optimus Prime–who, by the way, I hear are dating.

What About Bob the Builder?

carli — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:51:04 +0000

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: The experience will be a memory they won’t soon forget, and you keep yet another toy from clogging your home. To find when Bob the Builder is coming to a city near you, check out this TicketMaster Web site.

And if Bob’s not your thing, there are many other “ticketed” events to that make great gifts, from rock concerts to Broadway shows (Telecharge.com), to ice shows to Monster Truck shows to hockey games to. . . well, you get the idea. Not only does your loved one get treated to live entertainment, but they’ll get to spend some quality time with you. And after all, isn’t that the greatest gift?

And hey, a giveaway! We have two tickets to Bob the Builder Live! Spud’s Big Mess on May 30, 2009 at 2 p.m., at the Beacon Theater in NYC. To enter, leave a comment below and tell us the best live event you’ve ever seen. Good luck!

The sweepstakes has ended. Congratulations to winner Jackie H.!

It Only Goes To Show What Little People Can Do

carli — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:59:09 +0000

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.

Over the years, the Little People went through several changes–the current larger folks bear almost no resemblance to the originals, long since abandoned due to choking concerns. But now, Fisher Price has released 50th anniversary Little People sets very much like the originals. . . only not as little. . . ’cause, you know, the choking thing. Available are the farm, schoolhouse, and house set (a Target exclusive). All are portable, providing big on-the-go fun for your little person. (Target, $14.99)

It’s Not Last Minute Yet… But Last Five Minutes, Definitely

carli — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:02:45 +0000

Tonight, while waiting in a ridiculously long line at the local drugstore to buy a ridiculously expensive bottle of generic ‘Tussin ($6.99? Robbery!), I decided to challenge myself:

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.)

1. For Mom, Sis, Cousin Barbara, Unnamed woman with parched hands. . . pamper ‘em all with items from Burt’s Bees — this particular hand care set includes lemon-butter cuticle cream, almond-milk beeswax hand cream, a pair of restorative treatment gloves and a mini-book about hand care. Bees not included, which is good, ’cause, you know, they sting, and honey is sticky, and live bees just don’t make good gifts. ($8.95)

2. For Dad, Aunt Carol, that dude who always has corn in his teeth. . . the Oral B Triumph 9900 Toothbrush with Smart Guide (SRP: $149.99 Amazon:$104.99). This toothbrush eats other toothbrushes for dinner–then brushes its teeth with itself. If Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove a toothbrush instead of a race car, he’d be driving this toothbrush. We’re talking 40,000 in-and-out pulsations a minute. A remote display that shows you how long to brush in each quadrant of your mouth. A sensor to tell you when you’re brushing too hard. And you thought it couldn’t get any better than mint-flavored floss.

3. For anyone who ever gets cold: college students, parents, siblings, grand uncles, misplaced warm-weather penguins. . . Meet the plush throw blanket, my friends. As ubiquitous as it is useful–who doesn’t want an extra blankie to cuddle up with on the couch? Target has them. So does KMart, Kohl’s, Walmart, Macy’s, Bed Bath and Beyond, and just about every other store. In fact, if Gimbel’s hadn’t gone out of business in 1987, they’d be world renowned for their plush throw blankets. I love my Pinzon Microtec Throw from Amazon ($9.99). But you can’t have it. Buy your own!

4. For the young ones, consider some board games. Now, at first they’ll be confused and try to stuff those little Monopoly houses into their Wii consoles. And don’t be surprised if a 3-year-old loses at Chutes and Ladders and calls it an “epic fail.” But nonetheless, this is a great time to introduce your kids (or someone else’s) to games that require no batteries, chargers, or fake guitars, and that can be played over and over again. Games like Cranium Cadoo ($9.99) encourage friendly competition and creative play.

So I’m finally at the register, ready to buy my generic cough medicine and what is now $4,000 worth of gifts for my imaginary neurobiologist to give her imaginary family. One thing that’s not imaginary: The clock. It’s ticking–one week of shopping left!

A Little Like Rock Band for the Hannah Crowd

Shannon — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:42:52 +0000

Update: Congratulations to Melissa V., winner of our Disney Sing It giveaway!

Disney Sing It lets your little (or not so little. . . I have to admit I love the Disney pop music) Disney Channel fan rock out with the likes of Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, the Jonas Brothers, the High School Musical cast, Jesse McCartney, the Cheetah Girls and even a Billy Ray Cyrus song. And no, it’s not Achey Breaky Heart.

You’ll hear the actual artists singing their tunes (unlike many karaoke games) along with movie and concert clips. You sing along while the lyrics play at the bottom of the screen, along with a scale of bars and an indicator to let you know if you’re hitting the right pitch.

Available for the Wii, Playstation, or Xbox ($59.99 bundled with microphone) at Amazon.com and most gaming and retail stores.

Want it? You can enter to win it (for Playstation 3). Right here. Because The Present Professor rules. Embrace it. And then leave a comment below telling us who your child’s (or your) favorite Disney pop star is. We’ll choose a winner at random on Saturday 12/20 at 11:59 pm ET.

Contest is now ended.

Gift List: Sock It To Me, Monkey

carli — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 03:42:39 +0000

1. Sock Monkey 2009 Wall Calendar ($13.71, Amazon)

2. Sock Monkey Slippers ($14.99, Target)

3. Gift Box of 10 Sock Monkey Cards ($25 at Etsy)
Choose from the SockMonkeyCards store’s numerous designs. (If the gift box isn’t available, contact the seller–they will likely relist it for you.)

4. Sock Monkey Dreams: Daily Life at the Red Heel Monkey Shelter ($10.17, Amazon)
Humorous account of the life and times of various sock monkey characters

5. Original Sock Monkey Toy ($14.99 at ThinkGeek)

Be sure to check out the rest of our Gift Lists.

Gift List: Great Gifts To Build With

carli — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 20:31:39 +0000

1. Magnext 100 Count MagnaCase 360 ($14.99, Amazon)

2. LEGO Pink Brick Box ($14.99, Amazon)

3. Fantasy Blocks From Haba ($36.99, Oompa)

4. Tinkertoy Classic Jumbo Set ($19.99, Amazon)

5. Eames House of Cards ($25-$35, MomaStore.org)

6. LEGO Creator Mini Jet ($4.99, ToysRUs)

Be sure to check out the rest of our Gift Lists.