3G2S "Top Picks" 2012 Holiday Gift Guide for Kids

1.  Guidecraft 42pc Roadway System($80.00) - This wooden toy by Guidecraft is a system of roads your child can build in various configurations to suit whatever scenarios he or she has thought up.  The one-sided pieces interlock much like a jigsaw puzzle.  To help you envision the actual size of this large floor toy, the width of each 2-lane road is 5" across.  Although my children do enjoy playing with trains, they much prefer playing with cars and trucks.  This roadway system is far less limiting than a set of train tracks.  Our children can build a whole town to their liking without getting bored like they did with their printed play mats.  These roads are the perfect size for 1:64 scale die-cast cars (not included) and would also likely accommodate 1:43 scale toy cars.  Use even larger vehicles if you make each road a one way street.  This toy is perfect for a child from age 2 until he or she loses interest in play with toy vehicles and action figures.

The Guidecraft Community Buildings($80.00) are also made of wood and are the perfect companion for the roadway system.  This set of 6 buildings includes a gas station/car wash, fire station, police station, hospital, school, and a store.  This is an extremely sturdy set and having real buildings that your child's own figures can enter and cars can drive through is so much better than buildings printed on a mat or a rug.  Each building stands approximately 6-1/2" high.

To learn more about either these wooden toys, visit www.guidecraft.com.

2. Lite Brix Building Toys($19.99 - $99.99) - These are light-up translucent model kits called Lite Brix by Cra-Z-Art.  Each kit comes with all you need to build a specific model, including decals, plus a battery pack, which requires 3-AA batteries.  Included in the instructions for our Lite Brix Space Trooper($24.99), were instructions to rebuild the model into an alien with the same pieces.  We used two Space Trooper kits to build the two models pictured above. These building toys are recommended for children ages 6 and up.  All Lite Brix pieces from each kit can be used with pieces from other Lite Brix kits.  They are also compatible with other popular brands of build bricks.  Since each of the parts are unique, it is fun to see what types of things my children can build using these pieces in conjunction with ones from other sets.  If you have a child who enjoys building like mine, then Lite Brix will add new life to his or her creations.  Visit www.superlitebrix.com to view all the Lite Brix kits available.  You can purchase Lite Brix toys nationwide at major toy retailers, such as Toys"R"Us and Amazon.com.

3.  Your Santa Story Personalized DVD ($29.95) - This is a DVD of a personalized message recorded to your child or children from Santa Claus.  It is meant for the DVD to be discovered and watched on Christmas morning.  The personalization includes your children's names, their hometown, names of their pets, special messages or recognition of achievements, a thank you if your child had left goodies for Santa and his reindeer, and where to find an extra surprise gift Santa left somewhere in your house.  Although this is the first year Your Santa Story is available to the public, I had the pleasure of testing it out on my 3 children last year.  I tied a red ribbon through the DVD and hung it on our Christmas tree for our children to discover on their own on Christmas morning.  You should have seen their mouths hanging wide open when they realized Santa was talking directly to them on the DVD.  There were huge smiles all around, especially when Santa got to the end of the message and told the children that they each had one more present hidden inside our shoe bench.  If you are looking for a new way to help keep the magic of Santa Claus alive, visit www.yoursantastory.com to learn more about this personalized DVD.  Since this is the first year Your Santa Story DVDs are available, please know that there are only limited quantities available for 2012.

4. Micro Chargers Loop Track($19.99) - This Micro Chargers racetrack is one of the winners of the Good Housekeeping's 2012 Best Toy Award.  It comes with a micro stunt car, a handheld charger (requires 2 AAA batteries, not included), a loop track, and a trading card.  The racetrack is easy enough for a child 7 years or older to put together.  The exclusive stunt car that comes with this set only takes 8 seconds to charge and could go up to 600mph if it were a full scale car.  Of course, the cool thing about this track is the loop, which the stunt car goes through twice, once on the way down the track and a second time when it slingshots back from the end of the track.  Last year, Santa brought our son, who was not quite 8 at the time, a slot racing set.  It turned out to be too sophisticated for him, but the Micro Chargers toys allows him to have the thrilling speed in a more age-appropriate toy.  This track can accommodate two stunt cars at once. You can purchase additional stunt cars separately.  Visit www.microchargers.com to learn more about this and other play sets.  Micro Chargers toys are available at major toy retailers, such as Target, Toys"R"Us, Kmart, and Amazon.com.

5.  World Vision Plush Farm Animals ($25.00) - World Vision sells gifts that give to benefit children and families around the world.  One of the ways World Vision helps families is by providing them with farm animals that produce eggs or dairy products.  These adorable and cuddly plush animals measure approximately 5" tall and are safe for children as young as newborns.  Currently we have Pallu the Pig, Chuma the Chick, and Gertie the Goat.  Each plush animal is sold separately.  You also have the option of purchasing Chuma the Plush Chick plus 2 chickens to donate for $50 or a Gertie the Plush Goat plus a goat to donate for $100.  Such gifts mean so much more and would be a wonderful way to teach a child about helping those who are less fortunate.  To learn more, visit the World Vision Gift Catalog.

6. Chipmunks Christmas CD($9.99) - One of our children's favorite Christmas songs is "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)".  That is why I knew that the Chipmunks Christmas CD, which is new for 2012, would be a huge hit with them.  This CD includes Holiday favorites, such as "Here Comes Santa Claus", "Up On the House-Top", "All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)", "The Twelve Days of Christmas", and 14 more popular Christmas songs.  This would be the perfect first Christmas CD for a child because it is fun, endearing, and upbeat.  It would make a very nice stocking stuffer or an wonderfully affordable gift.  Chipmunks Christmas on CD is currently selling on Amazon for $9.99 with Free Super Saver Shipping or on MP3 for $5.99.

7.  The Trash Pack Collectible Trashies ($6.99 - $11.99) - Whether your child is a long time Trash Pack toys collector or wants to start a new collection, The 5-pack and 12-pack sets of Trashies would be a great way to add to or begin a collection.  Most of the Trashies in each multi-pack are hidden, so it is always a fun surprise to open each trash can to see what is inside.  Series 3 in the blue trash cans were only recently introduced and my children are so excited to see what new Trashies Moose Toys has dreamed up.  Leave it to them to turn trash into something adorable and collectible.  These Trash Pack multi-packs would make an affordable gift, plus you can always open the packages to use the individual trash cans as stocking stuffers for multiple children.  To learn more about the current series of Trash Pack toys, visit www.trashpack.com.

8.  RoseArt Art Supplies ($1.29 and up) - For any child that considers himself or herself an artist like our daughter does, a basket full of art supplies would make a delightful gift.  RoseArt does make all the basic supplies a child may need to create a masterpiece, such as crayons, markers, colored pencils, and watercolor paints, but they also offer so much more.  RoseArt makes fun and unique products, like Color Blanks, Swirl Pencils, Neon Metallic Crayons, Glitter Magic Markers, and more.  If you remember to include a sketch pad in your child's RoseArt gift basket, it will surely keep him or her busy for many hours on Christmas day and during Christmas vacation.  Visit www.RoseArt.com to view their full selection of art supplies and craft kits.  You can find RoseArt products at most major craft and office supply retailers.

9.  The Amazing Spider-Man Hero FX Glove ($14.99) - If your little Spider-Man fan likes to play pretend, then this realistic glove will provide many hours of fun.  It would make a great addition (or alternative) to a Spider-Man costume for playing dress-up.  The various sound effects can be activated by motion or by pushing the button.  Our 8 year old son has so much fun with this glove, mimicking Spider-Man's movements, and pretending to be fighting evil villains.  This glove requires 2 AAA batteries, which are included and is recommended for ages 4 and up.  You can purchase the FX glove from most major toy retailers.  To learn more, visit the Hasbro Toy Shop.

3.75" Marvel Avengers Figures and Spider-Man Figures ($9.99) - Also from Hasbro, are a wide assortment of 3.75" super hero figures from the Avengers series and the Spider-Man series.  My children want to collect them all, so I know first-hand that gifting one of these figures to a child who wants to complete a collection would be a much-appreciated gift.  Each figure comes with a fun weapon or accessory to make it unique from other versions of the same super hero.  These would make affordable gifts for children 4 years old or older and would also make very nice stocking stuffers.  You can find these figures at most major toy retailers nationwide.


Although complimentary product samples were sent to facilitate this gift guide, with the exception of one company who paid small fee instead, all opinions expressed are my own.  

100-Piece Magneatos Better Builders Set by Guidecraft

Guidecraft is a leader in children's toys and for good reason: they feature quality products that engage children's brains and stand up to the test of time. We own several developmental toys from Guidecraft, and, after many months of playing, none of them have shown any signs of wear. Because of this, saying yes to another review from Guidecraft was a no-brainer.

This time, Guidecraft sent us their newest building set, a new version of their classic Magneatos, in a 100-piece set. This Magneatos Better Builder Series has super strong magnets, unique rod and ball builders, and nearly endless possibilities for creation. It also includes a convenient storage bin and 22-page activity guide to get your little architect's creative juices flowing. The magnets are all safely and securely built so there's no risk of choking or other hazards for children over 18 months old. An Oppenheim Platinum Best Toy Award Winner, you can rest assured knowing that this toy is both fun and educational.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

As soon as we opened the box, we were in love with Magneatos. We've never owned anything like these before, so that just added to the fun. The inner magnets are very strong and easily "stick" together so the designs we make stay in place until we're done but they come apart easily when we're ready to tear them down. We had a blast building houses, towers, hotels, bridges, spiders and other creatures, and even using them to spell out our names. Both my kids, ages 5-1/2 and 11, loved this set, and even my husband and I enjoyed building with them.

Magneatos help to build both fine and gross motor skills because they are relatively small but they require gross motor muscle use when taking them apart. I loved coming up with building challenges for my boys and seeing their faces as they tried to figure how to construct what I'd imagined for them. We've literally had hours of fun with these since we got them a few weeks ago and I'm sure we'll have many, many more hours of use in the years to come.

As with all Guidecraft products, these will surely be around for a long time because of how sturdy they are. In fact, I'd say my kids will outgrow them long before they need to be retired. You can purchase Guidecraft's product on their website, www.guidecraft.com. This 100-piece set of Magneatos Better Builders retails for $159.95.  You also have the choice of the smaller 30-piece and 60 piece sets.

Thank you to Guidecraft for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our contest prize.

A NOTE TO 3G2S READERS: As an effort to give back a little, I will be adding an extra optional entry in some of my giveaways to "Like" the Facebook page of various small businesses or blogs that I have identified as needing a little love.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

Guidecraft Espresso Bookshelf plus 5 Storage Bins

It has been a long process, but we have been slowly ridding the living room of toys over the past few weeks.  Of course it would be unrealistic to make the living room completely toy-free, so I decided that this Espresso Children's Bookshelf and the Set of 5 Canvas Storage Bins from Guidecraft would be the perfect thing to store a few toys and other things in the living room.

The reason why these shelves are perfect is because they have the look of classic furniture that blends in well with the rest of our living room furniture, unlike the mismatched storage we previously used.  Although this is classified as a child's bookshelf, it is a roomy 31-1/2"W x 24"H x 11"D, similarly sized like a standard 2-shelf bookcase.

Like with all the Guidecraft furniture we own, this bookshelf is sturdy and of very high quality.  It only took my husband 15 or 20 minutes to assemble it.  The set of 5 canvas bins, which fits this bookshelf perfectly, are actually sold separately, so you only need to have them if it suits your needs.

Click here for my tutorial on how to make these canvas bin labels.

To view the entire Classic Espresso furniture collection, which includes a desk, vanity, toy box, play kitchen, and more, visit www.Guidecraft.com.

Good luck in the drawing!

How to Make Easy Interchangeable Labels for Canvas Bins

For the past few weeks, I have been slowly reclaiming the living room.  What does that mean?  I am attempting to remove all of the toys that had overrun the room, making it appear to be a playroom rather than a living room.  If you take a look at the type of toy storage we were previously using, then you will likely agree that this Guidecraft Espresso Bookshelf paired with the Set of 5 Canvas Storage Bins is a huge improvement.

These shelves blend much better with the rest of our dark wood living room furniture and will allow our children to keep some toys close at hand in the living room.  The only problem is that our children would throw anything and everything into these bins unless each bin has a designated purpose.  I had to come up with a way to label canvas bins without permanently altering the bins, like using fabric markers would.  The reason why this is important is that the bins' labels would need to change as our needs change.


Canvas Bin Labels Craft . . .

SUPPLIES NEEDED

1 Wooden Shape Per Bin (I chose oval, but you can choose almost any shape)

Thin Permanent Markers (Choose colors that will match your decor)

Mini Wooden Clothes Pins  (I bought a package in assorted colors at A.C. Moore)

NOTE:  These wooden shapes are unfinished, so the markers may bleed anywhere from a tiny bit to quite a lot.  You may want to test your markers out on the backside of one shape or on a scrap piece of unfinished wood before proceeding.  To avoid bleeding, you can finish or paint the wooden shapes.

Step 1.  Create a border for your shape.  The possibilities are endless.  I chose to draw lines around the edge alternating between two colors.  Then I added fine dots around the inside of the border to add a little whimsy.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

Step 2.    Add the lettering for each label.  I chose to print uneven letters in all caps to make the labels more interesting, but still easy to read at the same time.

Step 3.  Clip the wooden labels onto the canvas bins.  Using one or two mini clothespin, secure the wooden shapes onto the outward-facing side of each bin.  Our bins have cutout handles, but you can also clip the shape to the top edges of your canvas bins.

If you make a mistake or change your mind about a label, the wooden shapes are double-sided, so you can just flip it over and start again.  As a precaution, I did purchase a few extra shapes, but I did not end up needing them.  These labels were quick and easy to make, but you can spend more time on yours by using paint, stencils, stamps, sponges, or any of your favorite wooden craft supplies.  These labels would also work on vinyl or leather bins as long as the walls of the bins are not too thick for the clothespins, which do come in a variety of sizes.


Thank you to Guidecraft for providing a complimentary product sample for this project.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: A Balance Beam Builds Proprioception

For kids on the autism spectrum, knowing their own bodies and being aware of what they’re doing with them is a struggle. This is called proprioception and it’s something that my 4 year old son, Quinn, struggles with as well. Guidecraft was generous enough to send me their Balance Beam to help Quinn learn to build proprioceptive responses. Anything that works on balance is great for children like Quinn because it truly takes a lot of mind and body control to be able to stay on without falling off.

This balance beam is awesome for many reasons. For one, it’s made of solid wood so it’s very sturdy and sure to last. Second, it’s not too high off the ground, so little ones don’t fear trying it out. Third, it actually has an easy and difficult way to use it simply by turning the long beam onto its short side. This is great for older children or once younger ones have mastered it the traditional way. The harder way is still too difficult for Quinn, but he’ll get there someday.

Initially, Quinn could not keep his balance when walking heel-to-toe on the beam, he just side walked it. After much prompting and even holding his hands to help, he has finally figured out the heel-toe way and does very well. We usually keep it in our hallway, so sometimes he still steadies himself on the wall, but he can do most of it on his own. He’s had a great time playing with it and is very proud of himself for being able to do it. I love that he’s building so many skills but in a way that’s fun. Plus, as with all Guidecraft’s products, this will be around for a very long time.

You can buy the Balance Beam and all Guidecraft’s developmental products on their website, www.guidecraft.com. This item retails for $90.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: Building Proprioception with Marble Maze Balance Bases

In my most recent review of Guidecraft’s Balance Base, I described the benefits of using balance-building activities with children on the Autism spectrum. In addition to the Balance Base, Guidecraft generously sent us their Marble Maze Balance Bases, which are a fun twist on a regular balance base. This set of three bases features a marble maze in the center of each one, to make the balance-building into an activity.

Quinn has to really be aware of his body and concentrate on controlling it to get the marbles from one side of the maze to the other. This is so fantastic for building his gross motor muscles, but really helps build his lacking proprioceptive (one’s own perception of themselves) feedback. Many children with Autism struggle with their proprioception, so this activity is perfect for them. These bases are different from the other Guidecraft Balance Base I reviewed, not only because of the marble maze, but these bases pivot all directions, not just side-to-side, for an added measure of difficulty and fun.




With these bases, we tend to do “races”. Three children line up with the bases and see who can finish their maze first. Everyone gets encouragement for finishing and we never have “losers”.  It’s all in good fun and they know that, but competing really kicks their minds into overdrive and helps them to accomplish the tasks much quicker. I’ve noticed that Quinn does much better when he’s being pushed to finish quickly rather than taking his time and getting frustrated with it and eventually quitting. This activity is so good for him, I’ll do anything to make sure he practices frequently.

As will all Guidecraft’s products, these are extremely well made and sturdy. The bases are solid wood with the maze etched out of the wood and covered by clear plastic. Ours did crack a little on the sides when a teenager over 100 lbs. was on them, but they are by no means broken. To be safe, I wouldn’t let anyone bigger than that on them to increase their life. This Set of 3 Marble Maze Balance Bases come in a set of three and retail for $150 on www.Guidecraft.com.


Thank you to Guidecraft for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: Balance Base for Gross Motor Development

Though Quinn’s delay is in fine motor skills, it’s never a bad idea to strengthen gross motor skills. Guidecraft’s Balance Base is one way to enhance those large motor skills and keep them above par. The Balance Base is made of solid wood, so it’s very sturdy and will last for many years, and it’s double sided, for two different balancing experiences.

The solid side is a more simple balance builder, made for kids with a gross motor delay or younger children who are still developing those large motor muscles. On this side, children can space their feet all the way apart or very close together so they can practice at their comfort level.

If you flip the base over, the center is “hollow” and there are two places designed for their feet. This side of the base rocks significantly more, so it really helps strengthen the muscles and teaches children on the Autism spectrum about being aware of their bodies and learning to control them, something Quinn struggles with a lot. On the plus side though, the base never rocks enough on either side for children to fall or even feel like they’ll fall. It has a very strong center, so even though it teaches balance, it does so in a way that makes them feel secure. I am very thrilled with this base and know it will be well-loved in our home for many years.

You can purchase this and all Guidecraft’s products on their website, www.guidecraft.com. It retails for $60, which is a suitable price because it will truly last for many years.


Thank you to Guidecraft for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: Guidecraft Sensory Stepping Stones

Sensory problems plague many children these days, whether they are on the autism spectrum or not. When Guidecraft sent us their Sensory Stepping Stones, I was very excited because it was one of the many things on my list for therapy tools for my son, Quinn, who has Asperger’s. The six Sensory Stepping Stones help aid with balance and gross motor use, as well as self-awareness, and of course are a very tactile activity because the stones each have textures. Each of the six wood stones has a different texture on it. From sandpaper to foam to smooth wood, each one is a sensory delight for children.

We started using these by feeling with our hands and talking about how each felt to touch. Then we moved onto standing on them and talking about how it feels under our feet. Quinn loves the stepping stones and frequently moves them from his room to the living room to get to walk on them more.

Some of the textures, like the corkboard-feel one, really bother him and he doesn’t like them, but others like the ridged foam one, he loves. Sometimes he walks on them with his eyes open, picking his favorites and jumping around and other times he closes his eyes and talks about how they feel under his bare feet. Regardless of how he plays with them, they are giving him the tactile awareness that he needs.

Sensory Stepping Stones, like all Guidecraft’s products, are very well made and sturdy and will last for a long time with good care. This set of six stones retails at $55 on Guidecraft’s website, www.guidecraft.com.


Thank you to Guidecraft for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.