Christmas Toys For Kids | Top Toys For Christmas 2009 » Melissa & Doug

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Standing Easel

admin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:48:50 +0000


Features double sided chalk and dry erase-boards and includes a locking paper roll holder, a child-safe paper cutter, four clips and a plastic tray. Easy-clean storage and height adjustable. Exceptional quality and value.

Melissa & Doug 60-Piece Standard Unit Blocks

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:50:16 +0000

Every toddler and young child should have at least one wooden block set in their toy collection. The Melissa & Doug Standard Unit Blocks include 60 precision-cut, standard-shaped, solid wooden blocks that will engage your child's imagination for hours. Designed for ages three and up, these blocks feature smooth, rounded edges and are housed in a convenient, sturdy wooden storage crate. Standard Unit Blocks Ages: 3+ Requires: Parental help moving storage case What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: The Good: Classic wooden blocks made of 100% hardwoods with smooth, round edges. The Challenging: When filled with blocks, storage crate is too heavy for younger children to lift. In a Nutshell: 60-piece set of classic wooden blocks made with Melissa & Doug's signature focus on safety and design. The 60-piece Standard Unit Blocks from Melissa & Doug provide hours of creative fun. View larger. Your little architect will love building bridges, towers and more. View larger. Hardwood Quality with Smooth, Rounded Edges In these days of electronic toys, it's important not to forget the fundamentals of childhood development. Wooden blocks offer children endless ways to exercise their imagination as they improve their hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills. They also help children establish important relationships between the "part" and the "whole," and the help to provide basic lessons on engineering and gravity. These Standard Unit Blocks feature Melissa & Doug's signature focus on simple designs, safety and utility. Each block is sanded to an ultra-smooth finish and features smooth, rounded edges so your child can play safely. The blocks are made of 100% hardwoods, with no fillers, paints, or varnishes, adding to your peace of mind. Includes Durable Wooden Storage Crate Included in the set are all the classic wooden-block shapes that allow children's imaginations and engineering skills run wild as they build bridges, towers, houses and more. The blocks are packaged in a handsome, durable wooden storage crate that will help you keep the blocks stored in between building sessions, and help you keep them in your family for years to come. Parents should note that when the storage case is filled with all 60 blocks, it will be too heavy for younger children to carry without their help. The crate measures 12.5 x 15 x 5.25 inches (WxLxH). About Melissa & Doug Started in the garage at Doug's parents' house in 1988, Melissa & Doug has grown to become one of the most popular toy makers in the world. Their toys have garnered dozens of parenting and "best toy" awards over the years, and have been featured widely in national print media and on television. One of the company's points of pride is that their toys are thoroughly tested for safety, and meet all US consumer product safety regulations. The toys are tested at the factory of origin during various phases of the production process to assure that every toy meets the company's stringent safety requirements every step along the way. In particular, the paints and coatings on Melissa & Doug toys are tested frequently to be sure they meet or exceed government recommendations limiting heavy metals and lead in children's items. Since day one, Melissa & Doug has been in compliance with every US consumer product safety regulation and will continue to stay compliant as the laws continue to evolve, assuring parents that their children can have a safe childhood while playing with Melissa & Doug toys. What's in the Box 60 wooden blocks and wooden storage case.

Melissa & Doug Slice and Bake Cookie Set

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:45:50 +0000

Young children naturally love to pretend they're doing "grown-up" things -- it's a fun and important part of childhood development. The Melissa & Doug Wooden Slice and Bake Cookie Set lets children ages three and up pretend to bake, decorate, and serve cookies, all while practicing fine motor skills, learning number concepts, and more. The set includes a dozen wooden cookies, a dozen wooden decorating pieces, and toy wooden kitchen utensils. Slice and Bake Cookie Set Ages: 3+ What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Educational factor: Novelty factor: The Good: Sturdy, high-quality wooden toy is built to last, offers plenty of opportunity for both independent and interactive pretend play The Challenging: It's a toy with a lot of individual pieces, but it includes handy, clever storage solutions In a Nutshell: Wooden cookie set comes with toy kitchen utensils, providing fun tools to foster imaginary play in preschool-age children Kids love using the wooden spatula to remove their cookie creations from the tray.View larger. "Slice" cookies from the tube of "dough" with the wooden toy knife. View larger. Bake Up Something Good The Slice and Bake Cookie Set features a dozen cookies that are packaged in a cardboard tube that looks just like a tube of cookie dough from the grocery store. Because they're held together with Velcro, the cookies slide out in one piece. Use the wooden toy knife to "slice" the cookies apart -- the Velcro makes a satisfying slicing sound when it separates. The child can then place the cookies on the cookie sheet and pretend the cookies are baking, making sure to hold the "hot" cookie sheet with the oven mitt once they're done. (Note that the toy kitchen utensils are not meant for use with real food or with real kitchen appliances.) Once the cookies are done baking, it's decorating time! The 12 "vanilla" and "chocolate" frosting pieces attach to the cookies with Velcro. They are painted with different, yummy looking sprinkles, candy pieces, and icing patterns, so your child can create a variety of different looking cookies. After the decorating is done, your child can serve them up with the included wooden toy spatula. Perfect for preschool-age children, this toy not only offers plenty of opportunity for imaginary play, it also helps small kids exercise their motor skills. Our preschool-age tester found it challenging, yet fun, to slice the cookies apart. And while our toy tester enjoyed playing with it independently, this toy makes a great parent-and-child activity, too. Adults can place custom orders for cookies, play counting and matching games, and more. If you're at a loss for ideas, Melissa & Doug includes interactive play ideas on the back of the cookie sheet that help you encourage your child to learn while she plays. Sturdy, High-Quality Construction The Slice and Bake Cookie Set definitely has plenty of pieces, so we were glad to find that the cardboard tube is big enough to contain both the cookies and the toppings, making cleanup and organization much easier. We also love the toy's sturdy wooden construction that's built for plenty of rough play. And as with all of their products, Melissa & Doug states that this toy is made with non-toxic coatings and meets or exceeds US toy testing standards. About Melissa & Doug Started in the garage at Doug's parents' house in 1988, Melissa & Doug has grown to become one of the most popular toy makers in the world. Their toys have garnered dozens of parenting and "best toy" awards over the years, and have been featured widely in national print media and on television. One of the company's points of pride is that their toys are thoroughly tested for safety, and meet all US consumer product safety regulations. The toys are tested at the factory of origin during various phases of the production process to ensure that every toy meets the company's stringent safety requirements every step along the way. In particular, the paints and coatings on Melissa & Doug toys are tested frequently to be sure they meet or exceed government recommendations limiting heavy metals and lead in children's items. Since day one, Melissa & Doug has been in compliance with every US consumer product safety regulation and will continue to stay compliant as the laws continue to evolve, assuring parents that their children can have a safe childhood while playing with Melissa & Doug toys. What's in the Box 12 wood cookies, 12 decorative toppings, toy cookie dough tube, wooden cookie tray, wooden spatula, wooden toy knife and oven mitt.

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Ice Cream Parlor Set

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:44:58 +0000

The Ice Cream Parlour Set features four magnetic, colorful ice cream scoops, two cones and two magnetic scoopers in a playful freezer storage case. Encourages creative play! Eight pieces. The ice cream parlor comes to your house with this 8-piece set, packaged in a playful "freezer" case. Set includes four colorful ice cream scoops, two wooden cones, and two scoopers. Dimensions: 2.5" x 7.75" x 14.75" Packaged Recommended Ages: 3+ years

Melissa & Doug 100 Piece Wood Blocks Set

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:43:47 +0000

With the Melissa & Doug Wood Blocks, you get 100 brightly colored blocks in a variety of versatile shapes. A set of wooden blocks provides an opportunity for a child to pass the hours constructing towers, castles, or dollhouses. Designed for children ages three and older, this set offers the opportunity for younger kids to practice their fine motor skills and experiment with the laws of physics while giving older kids an outlet for their creativity. Wood Blocks Ages: 3+ What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Educational factor: The Good: Toy blocks are built for durability and will "grow" with your child for years of play. The Challenging: We wish the storage box was as sturdy as the blocks. In a Nutshell: Wood blocks in interesting shapes and bright colors offer years of creative fun. The 100-piece, brightly colored blocks provide hours of creative fun. View larger. Your little architect will love building bridges, towers and more. View larger. Classic Toy Provides Hours of Fun This classic wood block set includes 100 solid wood blocks painted bright red, blue, yellow, and green. A versatile variety of shapes are included: rectangular prisms, cubes, cylinders, half circles, arches, and two different sizes of rectangular planks and triangles. The blocks come in a variety of sizes including the half-circle measuring about 1-1/2 inches long and the tallest rectangular plank measuring about 3-1/2 inches long. Their size, combined with the wonderful variety of shapes, makes them just challenging enough for younger children to manipulate. A three-year-old tester enjoyed trying to build towers and walls as tall as possible, as well as sorting the blocks by shape and color. And the smaller size of the blocks keeps them interesting for older children, too--so kids can easily get many years of use out of them. High-Quality Construction Parents will appreciate the safe, durable construction of these blocks. Though they're made of solid wood, these blocks are light in weight, which makes them safer for small children. The blocks have rounded edges and a smooth painted finish that won't splinter with play. The only drawback: while many Melissa & Doug toys come packaged in long-lasting, aesthetically pleasing storage containers, this set of blocks comes in a cardboard box. But while the box won't last forever, these blocks will. And as with all of their products, Melissa & Doug states that this toy is made with non-toxic coatings and meets or exceeds US toy testing standards. About Melissa & Doug Started in the garage at Doug's parents' house in 1988, Melissa & Doug has grown to become one of the most popular toy makers in the world. Their toys have garnered dozens of parenting and "best toy" awards over the years, and have been featured widely in national print media and on television. One of the company's points of pride is that their toys are thoroughly tested for safety, and meet all US consumer product safety regulations. The toys are tested at the factory of origin during various phases of the production process to ensure that every toy meets the company's stringent safety requirements every step along the way. In particular, the paints and coatings on Melissa & Doug toys are tested frequently to be sure they meet or exceed government recommendations limiting heavy metals and lead in children's items. Since day one, Melissa & Doug has been in compliance with every US consumer product safety regulation and will continue to stay compliant as the laws continue to evolve, assuring parents that their children can have a safe childhood while playing with Melissa & Doug toys. What's in the Box 100 painted wood blocks in various shapes.

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Standing Easel

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:37:38 +0000

With the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Easel, children can create art with paint, chalk, pens, crayons, markers, and more, all at one convenient station. And when art time is over, parents and caregivers will appreciate the two-sided easel's easy-to-clean design. Designed for kids ages three and up, this easel will provide hours of creative activity that is both educational and enjoyable. Deluxe Floor-Standing Wooden Easel Ages: 3+ Requires: Adult assembly What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: Novelty factor: The Good: Two-sided easel lets children create art with a variety of different media. The Challenging: Art supplies and paper must be purchased separately. In a Nutshell: Easy-to-clean 2-sided art easel offers ample space for creative expression. Kids can create art with paint, chalk, pens, crayons, markers, and more, all at one convenient station. The integrated butcher paper roll makes it easy to pull the paper through either side of the easel. (Paper sold separately.)View larger. Designed for Maximum Creativity The Melissa & Doug Deluxe Easel features a bi-fold wood frame with two art stations, one on each side, which allows two children to work at one time. It's also designed to let children experiment with several different art media: on one side is a chalkboard, on the other is a dry erase board, and in between the two easel sides is a dowel for holding a butcher paper roll. (Paper must be purchased separately.) Pull the paper through to either side of the easel for your child to paint or draw. Once the painting is complete, the paper can be torn neatly against the top of the frame and set aside to dry, and a new length of paper can be pulled down for the next art creation. The easel includes sturdy clips that can hold oversized individual art papers onto the easel's surfaces. Art Made Easy Early childhood education experts say that working on easels offers a variety of valuable learning opportunities for the preschool-aged child. Painting or drawing with large strokes encourages motor development while giving the child the opportunity to experiment with color, shapes, and the varied textures created by different art media. Our preschool-aged toy tester enjoyed working on the easel, whether she was drawing with chalk or painting with poster paints. In fact, her creative output increased significantly with the easel. She especially enjoyed mixing paints to make different colors. Like many children her age, she likes standing while engaged in creative play, and the easel makes it much easier for her to draw and paint large pictures without having to reach awkwardly across a table surface or kneel on the floor. Cleanup, Simplified As everyone knows, art can be messy, so that's why parents and caregivers will appreciate the easel's easy-to-clean design. The trays and art boards are held in place with screws that have large plastic knobs for easy loosening and tightening. This allows the trays and board to be easily removed, and washed individually in the sink. (We strongly recommend using only washable paints with this toy.) The easel also folds flat for easy storage: just unscrew the crossbars and close the stand for easy storage against a wall or under a bed. The easel also includes two plastic storage trays: one tray is a long trough, perfect for holding pens or chalk; the other has four spaces for paint cups and additional sections for paint brushes and other supplies. Unfortunately, art supplies are not included with the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Easel. However, you can purchase the following accessories separately: the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Easel Companion Set, which is a collection of art supplies for the easel; and the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Easel Paper 3-Pack, which includes three large rolls of paper. About Melissa & Doug Started in the garage at Doug's parents' house in 1988, Melissa & Doug has grown to become one of the most popular toy makers in the world. Their toys have garnered dozens of parenting and "best toy" awards over the years, and have been featured widely in national print media and on television. One of the company's points of pride is that their toys are thoroughly tested for safety, and meet all US consumer product safety regulations. The toys are tested at the factory of origin during various phases of the production process to assure that every toy meets the company's stringent safety requirements every step along the way. In particular, the paints and coatings on Melissa & Doug toys are tested frequently to be sure they meet or exceed government recommendations limiting heavy metals and lead in children's items. Since day one, Melissa & Doug has been in compliance with every US consumer product safety regulation and will continue to stay compliant as the laws continue to evolve, assuring parents that their children can have a safe childhood while playing with Melissa & Doug toys. What's in the Box Two-sided art easel, instructions, and all necessary hardware for assembly.