Crayola Glow Station can create with Light!

via Amazon.com: Crayola Glow Station can create with Light!: Toys & Games.

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Vtech – Kidizoom Digital Camera – Pink

via Amazon.com: Vtech – Kidizoom Digital Camera – Pink: Toys & Games.

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This half-hour Christmas show is one of the truly lovable animated specials in TV history, a status proved by its annual network telecast since 1965. A Charlie Brown Christmas was the first, and best, of a series of programs based on the Charles M. Schulz cartoon strip “Peanuts.” Hapless hero Charlie Brown finds himself depressed at Christmastime, searching for the true meaning of the holiday amidst the glitz and commercialism of the modern age. Appointed director of the school holiday pageant, Charlie Brown ventures out with Linus to buy “a great, big, shiny aluminum Christmas tree.” Instead they bring back a miserable tree–a real one. A Charlie Brown Christmas shows off the “Peanuts” gang doing what they do best: Lucy is bossy, Snoopy is crazy, Linus is sweet, and Pig Pen is, well, filthy. Instead of using adult actors trying to sound like kids, the production features real children providing the voices, an endearing effect. The jazz music score, composed by Vince Guaraldi, has become a classic in its own right; like so much about this program, it’s an unexpected but perfectly right choice.

There really were aluminum Christmas trees back then. There were also pink frosted trees with some really psychedelic decorations, too.

I’ve watched this every year since I was a child. I used to stare up at the TV while CBS played that “SPECIAL” graphic and music and then . . . there it was: The Charlie Brown Christmas special!

Now that I’m an adult, my schedule has almost made me miss the show each Christmas season. But now that I have the video, I will never miss it! A friend of mine even gave me the cassette of Vince Guaraldi’s musical score to go along with it. Hooray!

I’m always touched by the message in the story. Christmas is too commercial. It pains me to see Christmas stuff in the stores before school starts, or to see commercials pandering to children so their parents can buy more stuff. But watching Charlie Brown and the gang reminds me of a simpler time.

Snoopy, with his gaudily decorated dog house, represents all that’s commercial and greedy about Christmas. Charlie Brown tries to overcome that with his involvement in the school play and his search for the right Christmas tree to set the mood for the play cast members.

I love this show. I heard that ABC bought the rights away from CBS for all the Charlie Brown specials. But I’m glad I have my video copy so now I don’t have to worry about whether it airs or not.

That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown! “Christmastime is here. Happiness and cheer.” And for Peanuts fans everywhere, it just wouldn’t be Christmas without this classic holiday delight. Christmas lights may be twinkling red and green, but Charlie Brown has the Yuletide blues. To get in the holiday spirit, he takes Lucy’s advice and directs the Christmas play. And what’s a Christmas play without a Christmas tree? But everyone makes fun of the short, spindly “nevergreen” Charlie Brown brings back – until the real meaning of Christmas works its magic once again in this Remastered Deluxe Edition with Improved Picture and Audio. Happy Holidays.

A Charlie Brown Christmas (Remastered Deluxe Edition)

Warner Home Video 2008, DVD, $11.36

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Cute Animal Christmas Song

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In December 2007, J.K. Rowling unveiled The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a very special book of five fairy tales illustrated by the bard herself, embellished with silver ornaments and mounted moonstones. Amazon was fortunate to come into possession of one of the original copies, and it was our privilege to share images and reviews of this incredible artifact. Now J.K. Rowling is giving millions of Harry Potter fans worldwide cause for celebration with a new edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, available December 4, 2008.

Offering the trademark wit and imagination familiar to Rowling’s legions of readers–as well as Aesop’s wisdom and the occasional darkness of the Brothers Grimm–each of these five tales reveals a lesson befitting children and parents alike: the strength gained with a trusted friendship, the redemptive power of love, and the true magic that exists in the hearts of all of us. Rowling’s new introduction also comments on the personal lessons she has taken from the Tales, noting that the characters in Beedle’s collection “take their fates into their own hands, rather than taking a prolonged nap or waiting for someone to return a lost shoe,” and “that magic causes as much trouble as it cures.”

But the true jewel of this new edition is the enlightening and comprehensive commentary (including extensive footnotes!) by Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, who brings his unique wizard’s-eye perspective to the collection. Discovered “among the many papers which Dumbledore left in his will to the Hogwarts Archives,” the venerable wizard’s ruminations on the Tales allow today’s readers to place them in the context of 16th century Muggle society, even allowing that “Beedle was somewhat out of step with his times in preaching a message of brotherly love for Muggles” during the era of witch hunts that would eventually drive the wizarding community into self-imposed exile. In fact, versions of the same stories told in wizarding households would shock many for their uncharitable treatment of their Muggle characters.

Professor Dumbledore also includes fascinating historical backstory, including tidbits such as the history and pursuit of magic wands, a brief comment on the Dark Arts and its practitioners, and the struggles with censorship that eventually led “a certain Beatrix Bloxam” to cleanse the Tales of “much of the darker themes that she found distasteful,” forever altering the meaning of the stories for their Muggle audience. Dumbledore also allows us a glimpse of his personal relationship to the Tales, remarking that it was through “Babbity Rabbity and Her Cackling Stump” that “many of us [wizards] first discovered that magic could not bring back the dead.”

Both a wise and delightful addition to the Harry Potter canon, this new translation of The Tales of Beedle the Bard is all that fans could hope for and more–and an essential volume for the libraries of Muggles, wizards, and witches, both young and old.
There is no easy way to define the experience of seeing, holding, or reading J.K. Rowling’s The Tales of Beedle the Bard, so let’s just start with one word: “Whoa.” The very fact of its existence (an artifact pulled straight out of a novel) is magical, not to mention the facts that only seven copies exist in all the world and each of the never-before-told tales is handwritten and illustrated by J.K. Rowling herself (and it’s quite clear from the first few pages that she has some skill as an artist). Rowling’s handwriting is like the familiar scrawl of a favorite aunt–it’s not hard to read, but it does require attention–allowing you to take it slow and savor the mystery of each next word.

So how do you review one of the most remarkable tomes you’ve ever had the pleasure of opening? You just turn each page and allow yourself to be swept away by each story. You soak up the simple tales that read like Aesop’s fables and echo the themes of the series; you follow every dip and curve of Rowling’s handwriting and revel in every detail that makes the book unique–a slight darkening of a letter here, a place where the writing nearly runs off the page there. You take all that and you try and bring it to life, knowing that you will never be able to do it justice. With that, let’s dig in and begin at the beginning, shall we? –Daphne Durham

The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Standard Edition

J. K. Rowling. Children’s High Level Group 2008, Hardcover, 128 pages, $2.60

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From Hasbro, the Nerf Dart Tag Hyperfire Deluxe 2-Player Blaster Set includes everything you need for fast-paced battles and action-packed contests. Featuring two Hyperfire blasters that hold 10 darts each for rapid firing, and two Micro Blasters for close-range sneak attacks, this set is sure to keep kids eight and up on their toes and having fun.

This game is a blast! Blasters hold lots of darts and shoot all the way across the house! Yet, the darts are safe and don’t damage anything. My boys love dart tag…way to go Nerf! Vests are actually moving scoring targets. Glasses are for safety…and their really cool looking. This is the perfect Christmas gift for any boy over 5 or so.

The price (under $20) I paid for the set at Amazon was awsome! Best value for boy’s toys for a long time. I agree with most of Amazon.com Review. My 9 year old son, his class mates, and his dad, all have lots of fun with them. They don’t use the vest much though. They just like shooting each other and stick the dart to opponents’ clothes (it sticks well to fleece). The set comes with plenty of darts but the extra darts are easy to find at the local discount store.

This toys is awesome! Got it for my son’s 10th birthday. He wanted ANOTHER set so more of his friends could play together. Now we have four guns and me and my husband play too!!! It is super fun and we’ve had them for two years now.

A Whole New Game of Tag
Getting ready for battle is quick and easy. Strap on an adjustable scoring vest and slip on your sleek, Vision Gear glasses. Then load your blaster up with foam darts and take aim at your opponent. Forget laser-tag games that burn through batteries and simpler foam dart guns that require you to reload after every shot. A Hyperfire Blaster can hold 10 darts at a time, and with an auto-advance barrel, you can get lots of shots off quickly.

Whether you play indoors with couch cushion forts offering you cover, or outdoors in an open field, there’s lots of different ways you can strategize against your opponents. Take as many shots as you can right away, or wait until your opponent is low on ammo and get in a single, perfectly aimed blow.

One really great feature is the way darts actually stick to the included vests, so you never have to argue about whether or not you’ve scored a hit. Micro Blasters that hold one dart each and offer a shorter range add to your strategic options.

Dramatic, Fast-Paced Play
It is critical to give a little thought to the field of play before a game begins. The Hyperfire Blasters have a surprising long range, and they shoot darts with an impressive amount of force. Even though the darts are made of soft foam, if you take a lot of shots at close range your opponent probably won’t want to play again. Similarly, fragile items could be broken if you hit them directly. So it’s a good idea to test your gun before the first battle so that you can estimate how much space you’ll need to play.

Let’s face it, even adults love Nerf guns. So, in addition to inspiring competitive friends and siblings to spend time together, this set provides a great way for parents and kids to play together. Our one real complaint is that, even though this set is lots of fun for older kids and adults, the safety glasses and the scoring vests are sized only for younger players.

And while the included glasses are well made with a pleasant orange tint, they aren’t very adjustable. So if they aren’t comfortable or secure, you might want to replace them with protective eyewear of your own.

Overall, it’s hard to imagine having more fun than we had with these Hyperfire Blasters. We do suspect that it would be pretty easy to lose some of the 24 included darts, especially if you play outdoors on a windy day or in a cluttered basement. Fortunately, you can buy refill packs to replace lost darts or to extend the length of game play.

What’s in the Box
Two large blasters, two micro blasters, two scoring vests, two sets of safety glasses, and 24 micro darts.

Nerf Dart Tag Hyperfire Deluxe 2 Player Blaster Set

Hasbro 2008, Toy, $82.99

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Little girls who love to play house can have their very own place with the Playskool Dream Town Rose Petal Cottage. And with its economical price and lightweight, compact build, parents are sure to be happy. Designed for children ages 3 and up, the Rose Petal Cottage lets kids take imaginative play to a whole new level.

We bought this for my 3 year old girl’s birthday. It was SO easy to set up…only took 1/2 hour for all pieces, including the oven and sink! The attention to detail in this product was amazing and the quality was far better than I expected. She absolutely loves it. The best part…when she is tired of it for a while, take it apart and store it under the bed or in the attic. I can’t wait for more pieces to come out. All the parts nest inside each other for space saving too. I HIGHLY recommend this item!!!!

My daughter received this for her 2nd birthday-she loves it! It is larger than we thought it would be in size. It takes up a good portion of our living room, but my daughter has too much fun with the cottage to worry about the space it takes up. The house pieces nest together nicely, but I wish that it would be a little easier to take the whole thing down if we wanted to-we just don’t want to put the poles together again. Overall, the whole cottage goes up very easily and it is a blast to play with.

Charming Playhouse Features Delightfully Pretty Touches
The Cottage consists of two open halves, each measuring approximately 37-by-18-by-42 inches (LxDxH), with the collapsible chimney adding about eight inches to the height. It’s constructed with two lightweight plastic and metal frames, snugly fitted with a nylon exterior that meets the flammability requirements of CPAI-84. The included toy stove has plastic and fiberboard construction.

All of the components require adult assembly. It took us about 1-1/2 hours to complete the job, and although no tools are required, you’ll need a little bit of muscle to push the metal posts into the plastic connector pieces to construct the frames. After completing the frames, you next slide the nylon exterior on, which, as we discovered, requires a extra dose of patience. Since it’s a tight fit, be careful! The fabric can snag and tear on the metal frame if you pull too hard or too quickly.

Yes, it takes some time and effort to assemble — but it’s well worth it. The Rose Petal Cottage is completely charming. Its cheerily printed exterior sports pretty pastel colors and old-fashioned roses, shutters and shingled-roof details, and a pink, vented chimney. Lace edges the roof and real curtains adorn the mesh-covered windows. The blue, Dutch-style door has a working mail slot, and it secures with two magnetic clasps.

We were delighted with the Cottage’s many configuration possibilities: set the two sides apart from each other in any position that’s convenient for your home, and your child can play in an “open” space. Push them together in a closed, “one-room” configuration, and your child can enter and exit through the door. Vents in the chimney and the mesh-covered windows ensure good air circulation. She will love having a private place to play and imagine. Two small children can fit easily inside, with room for other toys. And when your child is finished playing, you can slide one side into the other for space-saving storage.

Powered by Imagination
These days it’s not easy to find toys that don’t blink and beep, which is why we find the Rose Petal Cottage so refreshing. It simply provides beautiful props to fuel your child’s creativity without limiting her, leaving play completely up to her imagination — no batteries required.

The Cottage benefits parents, too: it’s less expensive than other child-size houses on the market, plus it stores compactly and, with its lightweight build, is a cinch to move around. However, because of its tent-like build, leaning against the back from the inside will cause it to wobble and even tip completely over if your child is not careful. We suggest making sure the house is set against a wall or sturdy backing during play.

The Cottage comes with a stove, and additional toy appliances, furniture, and other accessories are available separate purchase should your child desire to furnish her cottage further.

What’s in the Box
Components for assembling the Rose Petal Cottage: 2 fabric cottage covers, 30 connectors, and 38 frame tubes; unassembled toy stove

Hasbro Playskool Dream Town Rose Petal Cottage

Hasbro 2007, Toy, $75.99

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The award-winning and best-selling Kid Tough Digital Camera was the first preschool appropriate digital camera that was tough and easy enough to stand up to rough preschooler use. For Fall 2008, the Kid-Tough Digital Camera is tougher and better than ever with the addition of enhanced “kid-tough” styling and the new kid-tough dimension of WATERPROOF!

The Camera also maintains its easy-to-use format and simple buttons while also featuring a 1.5” color LCD preview screen which allows kids to instantly see the picture they’ve taken and view or delete previous shots, Image resolution of 1.3 or .3 Megapixels(user selected) for quality 4”x6” prints, Auto-flash, 64MB of Flash memory for storing up to 500 pictures, USB Cable for computer connection, dual handle grips, and a 2-eye view finder that makes it easy for kids to take great pictures. PDCN: Adjusting package to the PVC Oval Window Box (same construction and size as the orginal KT Camera Package).

The award-winning and best-selling Kid Tough Digital Camera was the first preschool appropriate digital camera that was tough and easy enough to stand up to rough preschooler use. For Fall 2008, the Kid-Tough Digital Camera is tougher and better than ever with the addition of enhanced “kid-tough” styling and the new kid-tough dimension of WATERPROOF! The Camera also maintains its easy-to-use format and simple buttons while also featuring a 1.5” color LCD preview screen which allows kids to instantly see the picture they’ve taken and view or delete previous shots, Image resolution of 1.3 or .3 Megapixels(user selected) for quality 4”x6” prints, Auto-flash, 64MB of Flash memory for storing up to 500 pictures, USB Cable for computer connection, dual handle grips, and a 2-eye view finder that makes it easy for kids to take great pictures. PDCN: Adjusting package to the PVC Oval Window Box (same construction and size as the orginal KT Camera Package).

With a working flash, a double view finder, a larger (than the older version) display, easy to work controls to scroll, delete and turn on and off, it’s approx. 60 picture internal memory, the durability and attractive look for a toddler; there’s only one more thing that you could ask for and that’s a bit better picture quality. The pros FAR outweigh the con. To me, it was just a bit pricey, but I think we have gotten what our money paid for! My 3 1/2 year old son LOVES this, and out of everything it has already become his favorite gift, the strap never leaving his wrist! He LOVES seeing his pictures, and taking pictures of everything, including little piggy-toes, the wall, or the dog’s tail! LOL.

This is a big hit in our home…. Though where I bought my new version of this item, it was $[...], so shop around for a good price.

The Kid Tough Digital Camera from Fisher-Price is rugged enough to go everywhere your child goes. With two-eye viewing, sturdy grips and a built-in flash, this real digital camera is designed to survive being dropped, and it is waterproof to protect against spills and splashes. This camera is a perfect way for kids aged three and up to document all their favorite things.

Easy to Start Taking Pictures
An adult will need to use a screwdriver to install the four AAA batteries before kids get their hands on this camera. With a textured button on the front that releases the shutter and large buttons on the back that let little hands turn the camera on and off, browse through pictures and delete images, using this camera is so easy it doesn’t need to come with instructions.

The fun, brightly colored body helps distinguish this camera from boring adult models, making it an instant favorite.

Kid-Friendly Technology
Kids can pick between using the live view on a 1.5-inch color LCD preview screen or looking through the two-eye viewer when taking pictures. The preview screen also lets kids look at pictures the moment after they take them. With a built-in flash that automatically illuminates darkened scenes, and a shutter noise that makes it easy to know when a picture has been taken, kids are sure to be delighted by their images.

The 64 MB built-in memory stores up to 500 pictures and eliminates the need for handling fragile and expensive memory cards. Two image resolution settings, 0.3 and 1.3 interpolated mega pixels, let kids take plenty of pictures and make 4 x 6-inch prints.

Fun, Durable Way to Encourage Creativity
With its big rubberized grips and sturdy construction, we found this camera lived up to its incredibly durable reputation. Able to easily withstand being dropped again and again and waterproof for 30 minutes in up to three feet of water, this camera can handle the rough reality of active play.

The heavy-duty construction that makes this camera so durable can also make it seem somewhat bulky for little hands, but this won’t prevent kids from wanting to take it on all their adventures.

Older children and adults may be disappointed by the image quality, but higher resolutions would allow less pictures to be stored and decrease the amount of fun children have with this camera. Kids quickly find that there’s plenty of resolution for exercising creative urges and documenting the wonders of everyday life.

The camera comes with a USB cable so pictures can be downloaded quickly and easily for editing and viewing. It is compatible with Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Apple Mac OSX, Apple Mac OS9 and requires a USB port 1.1 or higher for computer connectivity.

Fisher-Price Kid – Tough Digital Camera Blue [Amazon Frustration - Free Packaging]

Fisher-Price 2008, Toy, $59.99

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Inspire your young Picasso with the Melissa and Doug Deluxe Standing Easel. This easel will fuel your child’s imaginative side and gives them the freedom to create with an extra-large chalkboard, dry-erase board, and easy-load paper roller. Your budding artist will be inspired by free-form expression and spend hours drawing, painting, sketching, and doodling. It is also an excellent educational item and children love playing school with the chalkboard side. This work station is ideal for kids ages four through 10 and has an adjustable height to accommodate the little ones as they grow.

This easel is a great buy! Very sturdy and high quality as most of mellisa and doug products. Colorful, kid friendly and easy to put together. Both the writing boards and the trays are adjustable for the height of your child. It folds up easy, but stands strong. This easel DOES have a place for a paper roll!! I did not think it did by the amazon description (I almost bought a more expensive one for the paper roll but decided to go with this and am so glad I did) … the roll goes in the center between the boards and the paper comes up through the top and under a paper guide in front of the dry erase side. I can’t image why you would spend more on another brand of easel, this one has everything I could think of wanting and is simple, solid wood, looks good and is super functional. This is the first review I have written, but wanted to pass on how happy I am with this product.

I bought this easel as part of the classroom I set up for my preschooler. I love the adjustable size, durability and ease of use. My only complaint was the chalkboard. Though I followed the priming instructions diligently, I found that even the good chalk scratched the board and did not write well. Melissa and Doug did reply immediately to my concern and were willing to do whatever necessary to correct the problem. On a whim, I decided to try some chalkboard paint instead. It now writes beautifully, and I love the black chalkboard, rather than the green it came as. It is perfect.

A Great Alternative to Professional Easels
Just like a professional easel, this work station is generously sized so that children can complete projects both big and small. Its durable wood construction ensures that it won’t tip and it folds up easily for convenient storage. The easel also has a sturdy paint tray with cup holders for easy use and clean-up, and another tool tray that holds erasers, chalks, and clips. Four large, colorful clips are included with this easel. Paper rolls can be loaded effortlessly into the holder and a paper cutting edge at the top delivers clean cuts and leaves your artist’s work whole. Parents may have to assist removing and loading the paper, as it can be difficult for kids to do on their own. (The paper rolls and paint cups are not included.) A standing easel is essential for any young artist. This large easel has a chalkboard, dry erase board, and paper roller to let the children express themselves with different mediums. It also has an adjustable height that grows with the creator and delivers years of use. The brightly colored tool containers are capacious enough to hold lots of different items and are simple for tiny fingers to utilize. This toy will unleash the little artist inside every child and could spark a lifelong interest in fine art.

What’s in the Box
Easel, paint tray, chalk tray, 4 colorful clips, and paper roller.

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Standing Easel

Melissa & Doug 2006, Toy, $37.97

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