Our annual Holiday Gift Guide contains boys, girls, and unisex items new and familiar. Hopefully, something for everyone on your list. (If not, please ask us)

Bang for Your Buck clockwise

My-Size-Doll-2-Love- 3’ best friend – Ask your child to name her new bestie. Ballet shoes feature elastic bands to slip over a the bigger girl’s feet.  Can “dance” or “walk” with her new companion. Floral-patterned dress and yarn hair- blonde or brunette. Eminently huggable. Imagine the next tea party! $59.98

Double Free-Throw Basketball Challenge Game – Do you watch the games together, shout at the television, own jerseys? This will occupy them for hours in weather unaccommodating to outdoor practice and/or teach skills before the big court.  Approx. 89H” x 49″W x 79″L. Sturdy steel stand folds for storage. Good for aim and coordination. Keeps score electronically.  Cheers when you score! Includes six 7″ basketballs. $169.00

Giant Plush Dragon – Designed by John Murphy- with real character and retractable flame tongue! 63” x 48.5” Polyester/Polyester fill. He’s a pet, a pal, a nap mate, and a reason for stories. $126.65  Start with My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Styles Gannett

And the Book.

Girl Books

Rosie Revere’s Big Project Book for Bold Engineers – by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts- Scientists and engineers are NOT only men! Rosie shows your young prober how to design a better bicycle, build a simple catapult, construct a solar oven… Teaches problem-solving , creative-thinking, and even indispensably, that failure is an inevitable part of success. Rave reviews. Suggested age 5 &. $14.95

Another site carries 100% cotton, machine washable Rosie Revere Pajamas! $36.95

Eloise at Christmastime by Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight – If your daughter, granddaughter, niece-whomever, doesn’t know about Eloise yet, what, what, what are you waiting for?! The irrepressible six year-old lives at The Plaza Hotel. “It’s Christmas time/with a blizzard outside/ and four below zero/ or more/But inside the Plaza/ we’re cozy and warm/in our rooms on the tippy top floor. We’re Skiperdee who is my turtle/and Weenie who is my dog/Nanny my mostly companion/and ME/and the blazing Yuletide Log…” $12.82

If she really love Eloise, take her to The Eloise Tea at The Palm Court of The iconic Plaza Hotel – a memorable treat!

Go! clockwise

Tinkertoy Wild Wheels Building Set – For the young builder/designer/inventor- This time-tested spokes and spools system, builds eleven smooth-rolling, suggested vehicles: a small buggy, a high-speed racer, a duck on wheels, a rolling ladybug, a tractor, a station wagon (with instructions) as well as anything conjured by imagination. Includes 76 durable lightweight pieces – 4 connectors, 5 stoppers, 4 angle connectors, 4 “T” connectors, 4 yellow spools, 4 red spools, 8 washers, 8 wheels, 10 spool connectors, 13 small spokes, 4 medium spokes, 4 large spokes, 2 small bendable spokes, 2 large bendable spokes. $35.95

EM4 Educational Motorized Robot Kit – Build “Cricket—who’s a joy on 6 legs, Beast—the  master of bipedal movement, Trailer—the little engine that  could move forward thanks to its motorized transmission, and good ole Grandpa-bot—everyone’s favorite bobble-headed gear-driven family member. Each mode is equipped with its own unique form of movement.” Pretty cool looking bots. Colorful, fun, and not too techy for young ones. Kind of a soft sell way to learn something about robotics. They recommend 8 years old. Requires 1 AA battery (not included). $17.96

Claw Climbers R/C Offroad Vehicle – What boy doesn’t go through the souped-up car/truck phase? Why own something tame when this monster version gives him the full down and dirty rhumm/rhumm experience? It’s big, bright, powerful and remote controlled! 5 year-old Justin took his out in the back yard but a park would do or even your playroom. Dad made sure to demonstrate the remote first. He said he enjoyed watching it. The vehicle traveled up and down hills and over small rocks, tipping but never turning over. Help your driver understand relative size of obstacles matter. Justin says the claws are “super cool.” Dad tells me they actually grip, but you need to experiment to discover when best employed. Includes 2.4 multi-channel technology, a high-torque engine, front and rear wheel articulation, and massive tires with manually retractable claws that will rumble over a 100-foot range. Requires two AAA batteries and 6 AA batteries (not included). BUY BEFOREHAND!  $49.98                                                                                                 

Unicorns clockwise

Unicorn Purse – Baby alpaca. Let her carry a symbol of imagination and fantasy. 6 1/2”H x 9”W; 17” handle drop. Created by Brooklyn-based Oeuf, whose mission is to bring modern design to high-quality, sustainable, and fun products for kids, in equitable partnerships with artisans and suppliers around the world. $43.20

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle – “The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone. She was very old, though she did not know it, and she was no longer the careless color of sea foam but rather the color of snow falling on a moonlit night. But her eyes were still clear and unwearied, and she still moved like a shadow on the sea.” This is a simply lovely book- not airy-fairy, about a unicorn masquerading as a white horse-they do, you know, while having adventures looking for others of her kind. Paperback  $10.97

Dazzle the Unicorn – Super-soft-plush unicorn to remind her the world still contains fantasy. A cuddle pet and true friend. Approx. 20″ x 40″L Embroidered with hearts. Pink collar. $39.98

Kids’ Unicorn Hat – Is this adorable?! Perfect for photo ops. Woven from soft Peruvian baby alpaca. Created by Brooklyn-based Oeuf, whose mission is to bring modern design to high-quality, sustainable, and fun products for kids, in equitable partnerships with artisans and suppliers around the world. Sizes from 0-6 mos. To 4-6 years  $58.00

How Things Fit/Work

Top: Giant Tinkertoys – There’s a reason this is a classic/perennial toy. 100 assorted rods, spools, flags, washers, and end caps made of strong, high-quality wood, provides kids with hours upon hours of safe, creative play-and-learn experience. For those who need direction, there are step-by-step instructions to create 15 exciting structures. Brightly colored; easily connected for frustration-free exploration. Packaged in the iconic tube-style, reusable container printed with retro graphics. This is the kind of thing that should be passed down from generation to generation. $44.95

Bottom: National Geographic Kids How Things Work: Inside Out! by T.J. Resler –  “It’s for kids who think. You know the type: the ones who always have questions…” An absolutely terrific book, big, glossy and jam packed with experiments, diagrams, myths vs. facts…title heads include: Just The Facts, Tell Me More, Try This, Tales From the Lab, Make It Better…How can a penguin help submarines move better under water? How does a turbine work? Animals don’t have to be made of gooey plastic to have amazing sticking power. How can recycled materials become innovative buildings?  How do the wick and wax of a candle work together? How do you dig a tunnel? $19.99

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