Best Toys of 2009: Toddlers and Preschoolers

Best Toddlers and Preschoolers Gifts 2009

Houston, we do not have a problem. This big (14+ inches high), goofy, adorable Space Man Hat by Elope is sure to inspire all sorts of imaginary adventures. There's even a secret pocket inside to hide whatever alien substances your space explorer can dig up. (Note to self: Check the secret pocket.)

Available at The Village Hat Shop for $24.95.

Elope, Inc.

Can your little one get some exercise and learn at the same time? They can with 1-2-3 Stomp! by Wild Planet Entertainment. This game asks "premath" questions like, "What comes after 7?" Your child must then run to pick up a number 8 piece and then run to place it into the game base. Math + running = smarter kids that get tired out. (Which also equals happier parents.)

Available at Wild Planet for $29.95.

Wild Planet Entertainment, Inc.

Zhu Zhu Pets by Cepia LLC are toy hamsters that move around by themselves -- like a real hamster, without the smelly cage or the inevitable backyard funeral. They're cute, clever and are already the biggest hit of the holiday season. The suggested retail price is $9.99 for the hamsters, $14.99 - $24.99 for various accessories. But as we told you here on ParentDish Zhu Zhu Pets, are crawling right off the shelves. If you think the kids will want one this year, buy early.

Available at Amazon.com for $9.99 (suggested).

Zhu Zhu Pets™ and all related artwork, logos, designs and packaging, TM & ©2009 are the property of Cepia LLC

Kids can imagine their beloved characters have come to life with Richard Scarry's Busytown Eye Found It! by I Can Do That! Games while they pretend to solve mysteries and find "hidden objects" on a six-foot-long game board.

Available at Toys R Us for $14.99.

I Can Do That! Games

The game that asks the age-old question, "Can you put your hand on the letter E while placing your foot on the letter K and also putting your ear on the letter Q?" Think of Dr. Seuss Super Stretchy ABC Game by I Can Do That! Games as Dr. Seuss meets Twister, a match made in toy heaven.

Available at Toys R Us for $14.99.

I Can Do That! Games

Another "active learning toy" from Wild Planet Entertainment, Mickey's Mouse-ke-TAG features classic Disney characters. The real fun, however, seems to involve listening to Goofy's voice tell kids which character to grab, and then bonking said character into the base station. Good times, good times.

Available at Wild Planet for $34.95.

Courtesy of Wild Planet Entertainment, Inc.

This computer game for prereaders is more than just a point-and-click experience for young mouse handlers. In ItzaZoo by Sabi Games, kids play with the animals at a virtual zoo. (Just make sure they know they can't do that at the REAL zoo.) Then the real fun begins -- the program asks children to draw simple items, and the Living Ink™ technology recognizes what they draw and uses it to create fun animations.

Available at Amazon.com for $14.99.

Sabi Games

Stuffed animals are great, but do you really know where Brian the Lion came from? Joobles, from Fair Indigo, are made by Peruvian craftspeople "under fair trade conditions," so you can give a gift without feeling the guilt. Calley the Cat, Fair Bear, Jiffy the Giraffe, Icy the Penguin, Pip the Dog, Mooey the Cow and Mel the Monkey are all made with earth-friendly materials. Give one to the little liberal in your life -- or give it to a conservative parent and watch their head explode.

Available at Fair Indigo for $25.

Fair Indigo

These bold, colorful stacking blocks can be manipulated by hands large and small. The Zoolino Maxi Building Blocks by Haba set (pictured) includes 16 pieces made of beech wood that can be configured into an endless amount of zoo-rific animal combinations.

Available at Amazon.com for $35.99.

HABA