Babble

  Sometimes it's the simple things (and after Christmas, there's nothing wrong with simple and cheap). Like a book I can read over and over again to my 9-month-old that he never tires of. Despite its cheesy title, Peekaboo Kisses by Barney Saltzberg is just that book. Perhaps it's the silliness of the animals covering their eyes ...

  The holidays make me think bowling and this holiday is having me bemoan how few bowling alleys are left in the world. (I just found out my go-to Christmas bowling stop in Springfield, Va., is on the verge of closing.) Well, if you can't bowl out, you can still bowl at home, and this adorable bowling pin set from Sassafras is a rather ...

  I'd never heard of these ride-along toys from Apple Pie until a far-away Santa stowed one under our Christmas tree. Having Ellie the Elephant in hand, I can tell you she's sturdy and quite attractive looking. Details include rubberized wheels which protect both your floor and little hands, a fun bendy nose and a cute waggable ...

  If the Christmas celebrants get to dress up as elves, wise men and shephards, certainly the Hannakah celebrants can don a menorah outfit ($12.95)--or perhaps a torah ($17.47) is more your child's style. While I've never been to a Hanukkah celebration that included costumes, seems like it would be a lot of fun to have a shiny ...

  I swoon at all things tastefully retro. I get weak in the knees for stationery of all sorts. It's easy to see why Darling Clementine's cards just might make me re-think my moritorium on all purchases not directly food or holiday gifts. Of particular note is the Marionette line--the Oslo, Norway, company's foray into ...

Excite kids about history and geography with Kiikkerland's place mats. The reproductions of the U.S. states as they were in 1885 are almost too pretty to spill food on (in which case you could use them as posters, wrapping paper, book covers, etc.). Up close and personal, you'll be impressed by the detail of cities, rivers, landmarks, ...

  This doll harkens back to a time when dolls were handmade from available materials. It's crafted from fleece, which is balled up and strung on a cord. The result is a soft, colorful, pliable doll that's easy for even small children to easily grip. Like any good doll should, after you look at it for a while, it really starts to grow ...

  While I love oohing and aahing at the cuteness of kids kitchen sets, I've always wondered at their practicality. Why not give kids kitchen utensils they can actually cook with? That question seems to have crossed the minds of the Head Chef designers. Their new line of kids cooking tools are made of high-grade silicone and suitable for ...

  I've been stumbling upon Makie's clothing and outerwear all across town, but it's this GASA winter jacket that's caught my eye. There are several (very lucky) kids running around my neighborhood in it, and I know kids don't care that side buttons are tres chic, but they are. Despite the higher than average kids winter ...

  Once all the blinking and battery-powered toys get thrown in the corner, chances are the kids will head for toys that spark the imagination, and Kinderkram's wooden dragon and cave playset is certainly on my short-list of imaginative toys. The photo doesn't really do the hand-painted wooden set justice. It stands 11 inches tall and ...