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Top Christmas Gifts for 7 and 8 Year Olds and Up

Host Bee — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:39:46 +0000

Top Christmas Gifts for Boys and Girls 7 and 8 Years Old and Up!

Are you looking for a fabulous Christmas Gift for a favorite child? Take a look at a few of my top recommendations:

Legends of Magic Kit

Setting this kit apart from others is the cool “illusion box” that makes a very official-looking performance table and instructions to help kids use compelling conversation to keep the audience entertained! (Hearthsong, Legends Of Magic, $59.98, ages 7 and up)

Magnetix I-Coaster

This new toy is really cool – incorporating magnetix components to construct a roller coaster and then adding music from your child’s I-Pod!! (Magnetix I-Coaster, $97.99, ages 8 and up)

Find It: A Container Adventure

This unique item is a cross between a toy and a game that can be played alone or with friends, at home or on the go. Each cylindrical toy is filled with tiny, colorful recycled pellets and hidden within the pellets are tons of tiny objects. Turning, spinning and shaking the container is addictive for both kids and adults. Play with Find It alone to pass the time or with a group in a competitive race to find the items! Different versions are available for kids, adults, or with themes like “Find it at the Zoo” or “Find it at the Beach.” (Find It, $17.95, ages 8 and up)

CSI Field Kit: Junior Investigator Kit

This fun, hands on kit, offers 20 different activities and over 70 working pieces. Amateur investigators will be able to gather evidence, compare samples and catch the perpetrator! (CSI Field Kit, $47.90, ages 8 and up)

Pop-Up Scrapbook Kit

By Creativity for Kids, this award winning toy features colorful paper, easy pop-ups, stickers, stencils, rhinestones, scissors, glue stick and punch out embellishments. (Pop-Up Scrapbook Kit, $24.38, ages 7 and up)

Kick N Go Xcelerator

This scooter is unique with a kick pedal self-propulsion system that allows kids to move quickly without pushing off the ground! A fast, smooth ride with tight turns is promised! (Pulse Kick ‘N Go, Xcelerator, $69.00, ages 8 to 12)

Boochie

This is the perfect game to get kids moving either indoors or out! And while active, athletic prowess isn’t necessary for a win! Players roll a large, 12 sided foam die and then take turns tossing balls and hoops towards it. After everyone has tossed, the instruction on the die may award the points to the 3rd closest object or the furthest! Performing other feats as you throw adds to the fun! (Boochi, 23.89, ages 8 and up)

Ruk-shuk

This unusual game encourages players to pick a card depicting a rock formation and then replicate what they’ve seen in 60 seconds or less using 7 game “rocks” that they’ve drawn from a large pouch. Each rock bears a different point value and tallying the score cards is part of the fun. The rock formations in the game are based upon formations from around the world and facts about each are included with the game! (Ruk-Shuk, $49.94, ages 8 and up)

The Encyclopedia of Immaturity

Published by Klutz, this hilarious 410 page book is filled with hundreds of crazy tricks and goofy ideas for hours of laughter and silliness like: how to bounce a doughnut, fake a sneeze and much more! This book promises to amuse kids and grown ups, too! (Encyclopedia of Immaturity, $12.17, ages 8 and up)

Lego Digital Camera

This cute camera is made of Lego blocks and can hold 80 photos before needing a computer download! While kids can’t disassemble the camera, they can add additional Lego blocks to it! (Lego 3MP Digital Camera, $42.99, ages 7 and up)

Flowboard Alternative Skateboard

This cool new version of a skateboard promises that kids can “surf without waves, carve without snow” made possible by patented 7 wheel trucks that make an incredibly smooth ride! (Discovery Store, Flowboard Alternative Skateboard, $79.95, ages 8 and up)

Do you have a favorite idea for a Christmas gift for a 7 or 8 year old boy or girl? I’d love to know!

For more ideas on fabulous Christmas gifts for children, take a look at:

Top Christmas Gifts for 5 and 6 Year Olds and Up

Host Bee — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:17:14 +0000

Top Christmas Gifts for Boys and Girls Ages 5 and 6 Years and Up!

Gift Ideas for Girls:

All Natural Day Spa Kit

This kit has everything a girl could need for a Spa Party for four guests! Invitations, party planning guide, shopping lists and materials to craft natural spa treatments at home! (Mindware, All Natural Day Spa , $29.95)

The Enchanted Doll’s House Pop-Up Book

This beautiful book explores houses from the 16^th to the early 20^th century and the families who lived in them. Girls will read journals, explore jewelry boxes and more! (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Enchanted Doll’s House Pop-Up Book, $25.19 members, $27.99 non-members)

MoMA’s Modern Play House

Kids will be inspired to create modern spaces with an innovative set of modular nesting boxes, mix and match furniture and removable vinyl clings! (MoMA Store, Modern Play House 2010, $17.99 members, $19.99, non-members)

Personalized Polka Dot Sleeping Bag

Girls in this age group are just starting to think about sleep overs and with an adorable sleeping bag like this one will be the best accessory! (Chasing Fireflies, Personalized Jumbo Dots Sleeping bag, on sale for $118.00)

Barbie Video Girl

Barbie goes high tech with a real video camera inside of the doll. The lens is hidden in her necklace and the video screen is on her back! (Barbie Video Doll Girl, $39)

Gifts Ideas for Boys:

Rip Rider 360 Bike

This three wheeled bike features back tires that swivel all the way around for an especially “wild” ride! (RipRider 360, $71.99)

Dinosaur K’nex 20 Model Building Set

This set allows kids to build 20 different dinosaurs, complete with stomping and roaring sounds! (K’Nex Dinosaurs 20 Model Building Set, $21.97)

Playmobil Pyramid Play Set

Young explorers can make big discoveries with secret chambers, trapdoors, mummies, hidden treasure and more! (Playmobil, Playmobil Pyramid, $104.99)

Speed Sensing Sport Balls

These high tech, digitally equipped balls measure the speed of your pitching with a baseball and the distance of your throw with a football! (Big Smile Toys, Digital Speed Sensing Baseball, $19.95; Virtual Distance Football, $22.95)

Gift Ideas For Both Girls and Boys:

Super-Simple Tie-Dye Machine

Creating cool tie-dyed clothing can be a big mess, but not with this kit that includes enough supplies to dye 12 items! (Super-Simple Tie-Dye Machine, $19.99)

Perplexus

This fun game will boost children’s concentration and coordination with a 3-D puzzle that’s fun over and over! (Fat Brain Toys, Perplexus, $21.95)

Habitadule – The Perfect Play Space

This oversized construction set allows kids to create all sorts of playscapes! The word “habitadule” is French for living spaces and offer endless possibilities! (Hearthsong, Habitadule, on sale for $74.99)

Lego Digital Camera

The Come Back Kids Gift Set

This set includes four timeless toy treasures that will bring back memories for adults and entertain the next generation! Look for the original Slinky, a Duncan yo-yo, Silly Putty and Crayola crayons in a vintage case. (The Hall of Fame Toy Pack, $9.40)

Touch the Art Interactive Books

These books allow kids to do exactly what is forbidden in museums! This set features famous works of art with fun commentary, tactile materials and interactive components! The titles themselves are fun, too - Brush Mona Lisa’s Hair, Pop Warhol’s Top,Make Van Gogh’s Bed, and Feed Matisse’s Fish! (Uncommon Goods, Touch the Art Books – Set of 4, $35)

Dogs Around the World

This adorable toy features five different stuffed dogs from five countries and their coordinating houses! One example is the Yorkshire Terrier, housed in a little English cottage. (Hearthsong, Dogs Around the World, $19.98 each)

Disney Apples to Apples

This newly classic game is great fun in its original version and even more fun with a Disney twist! The game features comparisons ranging from the Disney theme parks. to movies and Disney channel television shows. (Apples to Apples, on sale for $19.93)

Do you have a favorite Christmas gift idea for a 5 or 6 year old boy or girl? I’d love to know!

Busy Bee Lifestyle is an affiliate of Amazon, Hearthsong, and Uncommon Goods

For more fun gift ideas for children ages 5 and up, see Top Birthday Gifts for 5 and 6 Year Olds and our Christmas Gift Guide, detailing gifts for kids by type!

Christmas Gifts for 1 and 2 Year Old Girls and Boys

Host Bee — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:07:40 +0000

Top Christmas Toys for Little Ones 6 Months to 2 Year Olds!

Are you looking for a fabulous Christmas Gift for a favorite child 6 months to 2 years old? Take a look at a few of my top recommendations!

Re-Introduced Vintage Toys

From the late 1950’s and early 60’s, you’ll love giving these classic gifts from your own childhood! (And don’t be surprised if you find yourself playing with them, too!) Consider the Two Tune Television, Chatter Telephone, Dr. Duck Pull Toy or the Pull-a-Tune Xylophone. (Two Tune Television; Chatter Telephone; Dr. Duck; Pull-a-Tune Xylophone, ages 12 months and up)

Personalized Story Books

Children will love the special personalized story books created just for them at I See Me! Choose from two versions: “My Very Own Name,” a story in which entertaining animals bring letters one by one to spell the first and last names of your child or “My Very Own Fairy Tale,” which stars your very own little girl! (I See Me, Personalized Books for Kids, starting at 24.95, ages newborn 24 months)

Animal Bags

I wish that the Animal Bag had been available when my own children were young and stuffed animals ruled the day! The cleverness of this item is unbelievable. An ingenious person designed an oversized plush bag with several transparent “windows,” which you fill with your child’s stuffed animal collection! The bag then becomes a bean bag chair for sitting and playing, all the while storing those ever multiplying stuffed animals! (Boon Inc., Animal Bag, on sale for 49.99, ages 18 months and up)

Patty Cake Toy

From MoMA, this adorable stacking toy creates a cupcake with four layers that when played with develops fine motor skills. It also squeaks, crinkles and rattles – all of which little ones especially enjoy! (MoMa, Patty Cake Toy, on sale for $18.00, ages 6 months and up)

Felt Food

If you can’t get real fruits or vegetables into your child’s diet, at least add their recommended daily allowances into play time! The Land of Nod offers 100% wool felt fruit and vegetables perfect for encouraging creative play in 1 and 2 year olds, but also enjoyed by older children as well! (Land of Nod, Fruit, Vegetables, on sale for 19.95-$39.00, ages 3 and up)

Café Barista

We tote our children to coffee shops on a regular basis and this fun toy allows kids to be their own baristas! Real life sounds including grinding coffee beans and frothing milk make the toy more authentic and kids will have fun serving you coffee along with the yummy looking pastry treats. (ToysRUs, Cafe Barista Playset, on sale for $29.99, ages 2 and up)

My First Christmas Doll

This new little friend will always remind the little girl in your life of her very first Christmas! These soft, squeezable dolls have embroidered and appliqued faces and are dressed in velvety dresses and arrive personalized. (Lillian Vernon, My First Christmas Doll, on sale for $19.98, all ages)

Flippy and Friends

Flippy is a whimsical little tadpole who encourages kids to use their imaginations to be anything they wish! The four books and stuffed animals that go along with them are just delightful! (All ages, Flippy and Friends, on sale for $9.31, all ages)

Dino Ball Pit

A bright plush (machine washable) dinosaur unzips to reveal a baby friendly ball pit, complete with 60 balls in two different sizes! Babies will enjoy sitting amongst the balls, and 1 to 2 year olds will probably bounce in them and follow the balls around the room, too. The balls encourage both fine and gross motor skill, and the bright colors, textures and patterns stimulate little ones’ senses and keep their interest. (I’m The Boss Dino Ball Pit, on sale for $79.95, ages 6 months and up)

The Bobo Glove

This silly sounding item is really a very creative and entertaining toy for very young ones! The glove (worn by a grown up) features lots of fun things to engage a baby: teething, rattling and squeaking. With bright colors, no need for batteries, and a companion board book, this really is a fabulous baby toy! (Bobo Glove and Book, on sale for $12.89, all ages)

Twilight Turtle

Truly the best nightlight ever, this soft turtle sports a shell that illuminates stars in 3 soothing colors onto the nursery ceiling. The turtle has a 45-minute shut off, a star guide to help identify constellations, a story book and an adoption certificate. Other colors are also available and part of the proceeds go to international conservation efforts. (Twilight Turtle Constellation Night Light, on sale for $22.24, ages 2 and up)

Construction Dishware

Serve dinner to your toddler creatively and they just might be a little more excited to actually eat their meal! This fun construction set includes a plastic dish featuring compartments, and comes with a bulldozer pusher, front loader spoon and fork lift fork! (Uncommon Goods, Construction Dishware, on sale for $14.95-17.50, all ages)

Heirloom Sled

This elegant and classic pull sled would be a wonderful gift for baby’s first Christmas! Built to last for generations, this sled features thick birch planks, hand carved willow hand rails, stainless steel hardware, copper accents and a marine grade finish! A reversible pad is also available. (Craftsbury Kids, Heirloom Sled, on sale for 120.00) ages 6 months to 4 years

Dream Meadow Playmat by Haba

This adorable toy is perfect for newborns and up! The mat is colorful world with pop-up features babies will love to clutch, push, remove or play with. Bright houses, trees and castles fold down or pop up as you wish. This toy is bright and fun, whiimsical and hand washable. (Oompa, Dwarf’s Land Play Mat, on sale for $80.99, ages newborn and up)

Violet Girl Plush Doll

These colorful and Cute Dolls are hand knit of super soft, 100% cotton in South America and perfect for girls of any age! Make your pick by hair color - lavender, brown, lime green or orange! (Land of Nod, Thank Heaven for Little Girls Dolls, $40.95, Ages 6 months +)

Do you have a favorite Christmas gift idea for a 1 or 2 year old boy or girl? Please share!

For more ideas on fabulous Christmas gifts for girls and boys of all ages, see:

Retro Christmas Holiday Cocktail Party

Host Bee — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:00:38 +0000

Retro Holiday Cocktail Party!

I so enjoyed writing about the retro decorations available this year that I wanted to take the theme a step further and create a cocktail party based upon fun, vintage touches! Take a look and see if what’s old feels just right for today!

Invitation

Four funky and fresh invitations with a vintage feel are available from Invitation Box! The styles include a Las Vegas neon sign, a 1950′s style billboard and retro trees! (Retro Billboard, Retro Trees, Welcome to Vegas, Cadillac Santa, 50 for $108)

Tabletop

Pick up an adorable reproduction pattern tablecloth from Retro Redheads! Find cloths embellished with ribbons, presents, Santas and Christmas trees! Layer a topper over a plain white cloth to accommodate a larger table and let the colors guide your choices of paper goods, candles and flowers! (Retro Redheads)

Cocktails and Hors D’Oeuvres

I found the most fabulous website that will answer all of your questions when planning a retro menu! At retrovintagecollectables.com, you’ll find recipes for cocktails whose names you haven’t heard in decades (think Stinger!), a wide array of “canapés from the past” (think Roquefort olives!) and the option to purchase vintage accessories! This site is so terrific that it will transport you immediately back to the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s! Take a look even if you aren’t planning to host this particular party!!

Favors

With another nod to the past, purchase “choirboy” candles for your guests from The Vermont Country Store! This classic decoration will surely bring back memories for all in attendance! Wrap one or two candles in cellophane bags! (Vermont Country Store, set of 3 for $17.95, with Santa and angel styles as well)

I know that your guests will love this unique twist on the traditional Christmas cocktail party, and if you’re like me, you’ll enjoy gathering special items that bring back wonderful childhood memories! Cheers!

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10 Top Toys that Have Stood the Test of Time

Host Bee — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 04:01:47 +0000

10 Top Toys that Have Stood the Test of Time!

As Christmas approaches, I’ve been asking my children, now ages 11, 14 and 18, what they’d like to find under the tree this year. But, the process of shopping and wrapping is nowhere near as fun as it was when they were younger and toys ruled the day! While feeling nostalgic, I thought I would share 10 toys that have been welcomed gifts and enjoyed by my son, two daughters, friends and cousins over the many years that I have been parenting!

Parachute: one simple, colorful parachute has served many purposes at our house. From its intended use, to picnic ground cover and impromptu “fort,” this washable, multi-use item has proved itself to be a fabulous toy. (Play Parachute, on sale for $11.99; Six Foot; Twelve Foot)

Corolle Doll: my girls have had dolls that do just about everything from eating to talking and even a few less attractive activities! But the dolls by Corolle have always stood out. They have no special talents, other than to be the sweetest, most attractive dolls you will find anywhere. These dolls are sold in a variety of sizes suited to a wide array of ages and offer a lovely variety of play accessories. (A First Doll; Classic Baby Doll; A Doll For Older Girls)

Small Electronic Keyboard: if I had a dollar for every time I have heard the music of this small keyboard, I’d be rich! The fun music generated by this compact instrument has played often and sometimes loudly in our playroom and throughout the house! (Small Electronic Keyboard)

Veterinarian Play Set: this toy has been sought out time and again. I think that all children love animals and are attracted to this relatively simple toy. While my children’s set only included a puppy, this cute version includes a kitten as well! (Veterinarian Play Set)

Flying Turtle: forget scooters, wagons and rip sticks! This ride on toy has been so popular at my house that we now own two! A flying turtle is low to the ground; powered without pedaling, batteries or a motor; and fits kids up to 150 pounds! (Flying Turtle)

Apples to Apples: I often hear the din created when my children and their friends are playing this game! Played with 4 to 10 players, the game requires at least three players and one judge. Each player is given seven red apple cards with nouns and the judge has the green apple cards, which are adjectives. After the judge chooses an adjective, players must select the noun best suited, in their opinion, to the adjective. Lively conversation follows the judge’s decision as to the best noun! A junior version is also available. (Apples to Apples)

Fisher Price Loving Family Doll House: every time that I thought we were ready to pass this toy on to younger friends, interest was renewed! This dollhouse is unique in that it has a wide variety of family members that you can add and particularly special home accessories that are clever, modern and include small details. (Fisher Price Loving Family Doll House)

Find It: bright, colorful and great for one or a crowd, this toy is a container filled with small items that you search for among lots of tiny pellets. The Find It collection includes themed searches like Beach, Birds, Glitz and Glamor, Zoo and Sports – all of which can travel in cars or planes or be enjoyed at a party or in a restaurant. (Find It)

A Bucket of Super Balls: this might sound very basic, but for years, a small tin bucket filled with an assortment of super balls or bouncy balls, has been a highlight in our playroom! The kids have created games with the balls, tossing competitions and much more – and every time we clean up, more lost balls are returned to the bucket! (Definitely for the three and up crowd: Bucket of Super Balls)

Play Lemonade Stand: the version of this toy that my children had was a small stand with chalkboard front and striped fabric awning. The stand was relatively simple which allowed it to play many pretend roles! From restaurant to grocery store to snack bar, this stand did it all. Looking for a similar type today, Melissa and Doug have created a toy that can alternate between grocery store and lemonade stand, and comes along with bins and a removable chalk board sign. Just for fun, add some of Melissa and Doug’s wooden lemons and vegetables! (Lemonade Stand; Lemons; Vegetables; Fruits)

It was a lot of fun identifying these 10 toys and gathering input from my children for the final list! I know that every family has its favorites, but I hope that these suggestions might make the Top 10 in your home or give you inspiration for a great gift. What would you add to this collection of best toys? We’d love to hear!