Every year, Larry Balaban, creator of Baby Genius, picks some of the best educational toys of the year. We hope they help make your gift selections easier!

While you’re browsing, be sure to check out Baby Genius' Holiday Toys for Baby Genius toys that won awards or made toy expert best of lists this year!

From all of us at Baby Genius, may you and your family have a wonderful holiday season!

Building Set Krinkles On-The-Go
Age 2+
$12.00


Expand your child's imagination with this colorful building set. Make a racecar for DJ, an airplane for Vinko, or a convertible for Frankie. The sky’s the limit! With so many pieces to mix or match, your child will have hours of creative, building fun.


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Pet Care Center
Age 2+
$12.00

 

There is so much to do for a new puppy! Your child will have hours of enjoyment taking care of Melody. Feed her, listen to her heart, trim her nails, and give her lots of cuddles. The excitement begins when your child opens the pet carrier door and hears Melody's playful theme song. Plush puppy and all accessories store easily inside.


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Pet Care Center
Age 2+
$12.00

 

There is so much to do for a new puppy! Your child will have hours of enjoyment taking care of Melody. Feed her, listen to her heart, trim her nails, and give her lots of cuddles. The excitement begins when your child opens the pet carrier door and hears Melody's playful theme song. Plush puppy and all accessories store easily inside.


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Text & Learn
Age 3 years +
$21.99


Tech-savvy preschoolers on your list can imitate mom and dad with this durable, just-forkids learning PDA. Games focus on letter recognition, shape matching, and QWERTY keyboard skills, allowing preschoolers to exchange text messages with Scout, check Scout's planner, and explore in a pretend browser mode. Learning skills include QWERTY keyboarding, the alphabet, shapes, and following directions..


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CenterSolutions - Colors & Shapes Robot Race
2 Big Games
Age 4+
$29.99


All-New CenterSOLUTIONS™ 2 Big Games – Designed to make learning fun, these new board games will help children ages four and up learn important basic skills such as visual discrimination and strategic thinking. Learn colors and shapes with robot friend!


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CenterSolutions - Counting Quest
2 Big Games
Age 4+
$29.99


High seas adventures make counting fun! Children are in for big learning fun with Carson-Dellosa's new CenterSOLUTIONS™ 2 Big Games. Featuring a time-saving, ready-to-go format and directions printed directly on the game boards, 2 Big Games will quickly engage players with educationally sound, correlated instruction in exciting, easy-to-follow games that encourage kids to learn while they are having fun.
Developed with ease of use and quick clean-up in mind, CenterSOLUTIONS™ 2 Big Games open big and fold down quickly for easy storage. Measuring a giant 39” x 27”, the two-sided game mats are laminated for durability and can be used indoors or outdoors. Each game offers two different levels of game play for 2-4 players and includes 45 game cards, one spinner, and four playing pieces.


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Elmo's Tickle Hands
Age 18+ mos.
$29.99


These big, furry, red Elmo hands allow your kids to dance just like Elmo does! The gloves easily slide on to little hands and when Elmo's nose is pressed, the fun begins! You'll hear funny Elmo phrases and, of course, his signature giggle! But that's not all, kids are also introduced to an all new song and a corresponding dance – the Tickle Hand Groove. This new dance encourages kids to get moving and grooving! The Hands also come with a fun DVD that teaches kids how to do this new dance, step by stepwith Elmo. Additionally, in the DVD, Elmo sings the new song with a little help from his friend Cookie Monster!


Now kids can not only sing and dance like Elmo, they can actually BE Elmo, with Elmo's Tickle Hands!


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Little Superstar™ Jammin' Band™
Musical Microphone
Age 6+ mos.
$49.99

 

Future rock stars can jam out with a real working microphone and two modes of play, including Sing-Along Musical Discoveries. Ten songs (six sung), musical riffs, fun phrases, scats and sound effects add to the fun. The light-up microphone noticeably amplifies baby's voice and rewards vocalization with encouraging phrases and cheers. Baby can press the light up piano keys, guitar and drum on the microphone stand to get fun musical riffs, songs and phrases. Two detachable instruments – a maraca and tambourine – add rhythmic fun as baby plays along. The stand is a perfect height for a sitting baby in its lowest position. When baby is ready, the stand height can be extended with a sturdy handle for extra stability to make it just the right size for a standing baby. Requires 4 AA batteries, not included. device: DVD players, MP3 and video players, digital cameras, video game consoles.


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Girl Gourmet Cake Bakery
Age 8+
$34.99


JAKKS has partnered with world-renowned celebrity baker Duff Goldman of Food Network's Ace of Cakes on the all-new Girl Gourmet Cake Bakery product line, with which young chefs can create elaborage mini 2-tiered fondant cakes in just 30 seconds in the microwave. Now young bakers can whip up delicious mini 2-tiered fondant cakes that they can customize and decorate!


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Matchbox® Rocky™ The Robot Truck
Age 3+
$59.99


In 2009, every boy's best friend and hard-working buddy will be Rocky™! This bright yellow and black, fully functional dump truck is packed with personality, featuring Rocky™, a new character who lives in kids' living rooms. This new best buddy can be played with like all traditional dump truck toys but will also have kids laughing and dancing as he stands up, squats, shakes, tells jokes and even dances. Kids will delight as Rocky™ says, “Shake what your mama gave you!” and wiggles and jiggles to his own fun music. Activated by interactive sensors and featuring motorizedmovement, his headlights flash and he says more than 100 phrases like “Rocky reporting for duty” and “Let's get to work.” His rugged design and full-tilting bed add to the great play value. Boys will be fully engaged as they get ready to load ‘em up and move ‘em out with real hauling and dumping action. He stands up and shakes out his load and says “Great job, Champ!” And when the day is done, Rocky™ goes to sleep, squatting down into his tires, snoring loudly.


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Glodoodle
Age 4+
Batteries 3AA
$19.99


Introducing Glodoodle, the new illuminated, brightly coloured, no mess drawing board! Glodoodle allows you to create magical works of art drawn in real light!You can draw using the provided stylus, or even use your finger. It's like finger painting with light! Glodoodle is see-through for easy tracing, or simply hold your picture up to the screen and trace away. Glodoodle lights up in three different bright neon colors. Touch the Glodoodle board to draw, and when you’re done, press the Magic Erase button to clear the screen and start all over again. No messy markers needed, just endless hours of drawing fun.
Package includes:

 

• One Glodoodle Board
• One drawing stylus


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Paperoni is Paper n' Fun Rolled into One!
Age 6+


Paperoni is an all new arts and crafts activity that uses simple rolls of paper to make incredibly creative works of art! Paperoni design studios are mess-free and require no glue or drying time. Simply pick your colored paper rolls, peel to reveal the sticky colour coded 2D or 3D character templates, match the colours with the Paperoni's and magically create your own original and fun 2D and 3D works of art. Try letting your imagination run wild using the free form sheets to make your own magical creations! Each kit comes with everything you need to make amazing Paperoni masterpieces right out of the box.

 

Paperoni 2D Design Kit

The Paperoni 2D Design Kit comes with design tools to create amazing 2D masterpieces. There are four designs to make and collect: Kitty, Butterfly, Puppy and Frog.


Paperoni 2D Design Kit includes:
• 250 pre-cut Paperoni
• One 2D template with self-adhesive
• One tweezer
• Four gem accessories
• Foam accessories for eyes and mouth

 

Suggested Retail Price: $4.99

 

Paperoni 3D Design Kit

The Paperoni 3D Design Kit comes with design tools to create amazing 3D masterpieces. There are three designs to make and collect: Monkey, Pig and Elephant. Also comes with clear sticky sheets and long Paperoni rods for freestyle creations and a stand to display your wacky, crazy designs.


Paperoni 3D Design Kit includes:
• 350 pre-cut Paperoni
• One 3D template with self-adhesive
• One tweezer
• Two gem accessories
• Foam pieces for eyes, mouth, ears, feet
• Display stand


Suggested Retail Price: $7.99


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