Elefun Busy Ball Popper

My son received the Playskool Elefun Busy Ball Popper as a gift.  He is one year old and this toy (designed for ages 9months and up) is perfect for him.  He was excited about playing with the elephant before I even turned it on.  He enjoyed simply placing the colorful balls in the hole and watching them fall down into the open compartment on the bottom.  I let him enjoy it for a couple minutes before turning it on.  This took things to a whole new level for him.  There is air that blows the balls up and out of the elephant's trunk. The design is adorable; the elephant 'catches' the balls with his ears. When my son saw the colorful balls popping up out of the elephant's trunk, he was delighted!  He scampered around the living room trying to collect the balls as fast as he could and put them back in for some more fun.  My son even enjoys playing with the elephant without the balls sometimes.  He likes to just push the button and put his hand (or his face- LOL!) over the opening and feel the air blowing. Sometimes he will play with the balls separately as well.  They are so lightweight and the size is perfect for him to carry around in his hand.  My daughter is four years old and she loves playing with the Elefun ball popper too.  This is great because it's something that the two of them can play with together, and since there are five balls included, there is no arguing about sharing.  This toy encourages both fine and gross motor development.  This is perfect for toddlers who are just learning to walk because it motivates them to chase after the balls when they fly around the room.  The elephant's trunk moves; you can angle it down for younger kids if you want the balls to roll on the floor, or point it up for older children.  The Elefun Ball Popper plays music and makes a sound like an elephant trunk.  The songs are actually really cute, and there are 10 different songs, so I don't mind listening to it. I also like the Elefun Ball Popper because it's teaching object permanence; my son is starting to understand that when the balls 'disappear', they're not really gone.  This toy keeps my son occupied for a while, so I actually have a chance to wash some dishes or fold some laundry! You can purchase the Playskool Elefun Busy Ball Popper for $34.99.

Leapfrog Learning Table

We recently purchased the Leapfrog Animal Adventure Learning Table for our one year old son. We chose the primary color model for our son, but it also comes in a girly color version. The great thing about this product is that the legs are removable, so it can be used with younger babies who cannot stand up yet. Simply take the legs off and your baby can sit on the floor and play. The Leapfrog Animal Adventure Learning Table encourages your baby to learn to stand up. When your child is ready, you can attach the legs to the table. It will motivate your child to support his/her weight while they use the table to help balance so they are able to push the buttons and see the lights. The table is designed for ages 6 - 36months. My son loves any toy that makes music and/or lights up, so this Learning Table and many other products from Leapfrog are perfect for his developmental stage right now. He loves to be in control; what toddler doesn't, right? I think its's because he's learning about cause and effect (when I push this button, I hear music). My kids love the adorable songs this table plays. My four year old has already learned the words to many of the songs and enjoys singing along with it. My one year old loves to dance to the music and we love watching him! The Learning table has two different modes, which is great for mom because I won't get tired of listening to the same few songs. The music mode has over 30 unique songs and musical activities. The learning mode is awesome for my son because it is interactive. It helps him learn about numbers, colors, opposites, and letters. My favorite thing about the Leapfrog Animal Adventure table is that it has a low/high volume control! The table features an interactive drum that lights up when my son hits it and piano keys that teach counting. It also has a fish rattle that he can spin and watch the little balls inside move around. My one year old has no trouble turning the pages of the little flip book. He enjoys opening and closing the hippo's mouth to peek at himself in the little mirror hidden underneath. This table is also good for building my son's fine motor skills as he slides and flips the different movable parts. We are very pleased with the Learning Table. It is educational and my son has so much fun dancing along to the music. Purchase the Leapfrog Animal Adventure Learning Table for $34.99  

Dream Lites

My daughter received a Dream Lite as a gift. She has been wishing for the rainbow unicorn Dream Lite for a long time now. She has had a Pillow Pet for some time now, which is always with her in bed every night, so when she saw the Dream Lites, she had to have one! As soon as she opened her new Dream Lite, she was thrilled. She couldn't wait to try it out. The directions recommend setting it on top of a dresser to maximize projection, but of course my daughter wanted to take it to bed with her. We turned off the lights and turned it on. Just like the commercial, my daughter's bedroom ceiling was covered with stars! The rainbow unicorn Dream Lite projects an image of the unicorn's face as well. My daughter was delighted. This is the perfect night light for her. She can push a button on the unicorn to change the color of the light projection, or set it to automatically change colors every four seconds (blue, green, and amber). And the best thing is that you can set a timer for the Dream Lite to automatically turn off after 20 minutes, so you don't have to worry about your child falling asleep and leaving it on all night long and wasting the batteries. The Dream Lite requires three AAA batteries. My four year old daughter had no problem figuring out how to use the buttons and the timer. I think Dream Lites are so much better than a regular night light. My daughter has trouble falling asleep some times, and with her Dream Lite, she gets distracted and just lays down and watches the lights. Dream Lites are an As Seen on TV product. They have so many adorable different animals to choose from. You can purchase a Dream Lite for your child for $29.95. Dream Lites would be perfect for any child who is afraid of the dark. They would also be very comforting if your child gets restless while trying to fall asleep. I would definitely recommend Dream Lites to anyone who has young children.