Established in 1938, HABA products have a great reputation for being high-quality, safe and fun. Their 2007 line-up lives up to their reputation and adds even more of an interactive flair.

The Animal Den (pictured – top right) is a cool fabric ball for babies that has all sorts of fun things to pull out that rattle & crinkle, and they have lots of cool baby toys where that came from!

At The Zoo With Alex is one of the great new HABA games that I’m in love with for the toddler & preschooler range – it’s a fact book with 5 built in animal puzzles and a dice game for 2-4 people. I love toys & games that are multipurpose and educational without being over the top & screaming “Hi! I’m multipurpose & educational!” These HABA games are the type that children will play with and not notice they’re learning. (A perk to HABA games? All of the instructions are online!)

Check out all of the new games and toys from HABA with their handy age recommendations beside each product. HABA toys can be found at specialty stores and in specialty catalogues & websites. Use Google to find a retailer near you!

We’ve got both of the above mentioned products from HABA’s 2007 line for one lucky TOP reader. As always, all is takes is an email to be entered in the random draw. Email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with HABA in the subject line and simply list one other HABA item you’d like to have in your home. Contest closes 7/11/07 at midnight MST. Congratulations Chynna!

Dado Cubes from Fat Brain Toys have been on the market less than a year and they’re already winning awards and are in toy rooms around the continent.

After playing with them for a few days, it’s not a mystery to me how something so simple could win awards. These things are cool!

Available in “original” and now “the blues” for approximately $25 USD, there are ten cubes in a package ranging from 1 inch to 5 inches. The cubes are hollow (like a box with no bottom and no top) and have a slit in the centre of each of the four sides to facilitate building.

They’re completely simple and allow for the kind of open ended play that I love to see kids engaging in. Even my 14 month old can manage to stack two and loves to fit the small ones inside of the large ones (though they’re recommended for kids 3+). It’s awesome to see kids exploring with simple toys like these and watch as they learn concepts of shape & size, gravity, architecture & more while they think they’re just playing with some cool new blocks.

We’ve got a set of “The Blues” to give away! Email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with DADO in the subject line and tell us another Fat Brain Toys Co. product that you’d like to know more about. Contest closes at midnight MST on 6/27/07. Congratulations Patti!

Oompa Toys is a fab online toy store that carries some very unique toys that you won’t easily find anywhere else. They also have a great selection of the most popular kid goods all in one place that you’d normally have to hit several stores to find (and pay several shipping charges, when Oompa Toys offers either cheap or free shipping depending on your order!)

My favourite so far are the Creanimaux (which retail for $45.99). The set consists of 52 pieces can be used to assemble a hippo, lion, tiger, rooster, zebra, elephant, giraffe, crocodile, rhino or bear. But that’ll only last so long until the kids start to mix them up and create funny, unusual creatures!

The big, chunky pieces are easy for toddlers and preschoolers to hold and stack. The designs are great – child-friendly without being too cutesy. The deep, saturated colors are even and superbly applied to each smooth, wooden block. The pieces are made of solid wood with completely non-toxic, child-friendly paints and finishes. Designed by the talented artists at Paris-based company Djeco.

Speaking of wooden animals, check out this cool non-toxic Fanfan stacking elephant for the younger set. It’s made of solid wood with leather ears and consists of a stand, 4 body pieces and a head. The pieces are large and the bright colour is very appealing to little eyes!

No batteries. No annoying noises. Just plain old-fashioned play. Now that’s what I’m talking about.

And we’ve got one of each to give away! If you’re feeling lucky (or you want to get lucky – heh) email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with OOMPA in the subject line and tell us another toy from there that you would like to have in your collection. Contest closes Friday at midnight. Congratulations Johannah & Amelia!

We’ve got a straggler from games week. I was saving the best (in my grade one teacher opinion) for last and then the Victoria Day long weekend arrived and…well…now it’s Monday! We’ve got lots more great goods currently under review, games and not games, so stay tuned and visit daily!

The Scholastic I Spy books are a huge hit with the pre-school and school aged crowd. I keep at least 10 in my classroom library and they’re always some of the first off the shelf at free reading time. Briarpatch has again jumped on a popular trend and turned it into games that engage children of all ages as they search for and find every day objects hidden in plain sight.

For the younger set (3+), I Spy Seeing Doubles consists of 48 cards, 4 picture dice and an action die. Kids roll the dice and race to spy the objects that match their card. A more difficult game level is included for older children, but no reading is required for either.

For the worldly 5+ group, I Spy 3D is totally awesome. Players read rhyme cards and wear 3D classes (how cool is that?) to search & find “floating” objects on the colourful game board that they create using the sixty 3D tiles that are included. Because the kids make their own board each time, it’s always different creating a continuous challenge. The child who collects the most tiles wins.

I don’t know what it is about finding hidden object, but it appealing to every child and, if we’re honest, most adults if we take the time to enjoy it (and it’s not the car keys, the beloved stuffed animal or the last clean sippy cup). These games are great for developing visual acuity but that’s not the concern of any child when they’re shouting “I found it!!”

We’ve got each of these featured games to give away. To be entered in the random draws, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with I Spy and either 3D or Seeing Doubles in the subject line. Include the correct answer to the question: What’s another I Spy item available from Briarpatch? Contest closes at midnight MST on Tuesday 5/22/07. Congratulations Heather & Rebecca!

Honestly, I’ve never really seen the appeal of mutant turtles named after artists who live in the sewers of Manhattan. However, almost all of the boys I know love them so there must be something there.

If there’s a game that can be made from something kids love, Briarpatch is on it. They’ve recently added a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Joining Forces game to their lineup.

The goal is to help Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo “join forces” to defeat Max Winters (the supreme villain of TMNT) and his alien army. Two to four players aged 6 and up can play. The game contains a “capture board,” 40 see-through vinyl (cool!) TMNT cards, 10 alien cards and, of course, the rules.

We’ve got a TMNT game to give away! To enter the random draw, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with TMNT in the subject line and the correct answer to the following question: What other TMNT product is available from Briarpatch? Contest closes at midnight MST on 5/18/07. Congratulations Cliff!

Award winning developmental game guru Briarpatch has added two new Thomas & Friends games to their offerings.

In Mix n’ Match Bingo, pre-schoolers roll 3 dice creating a one of a kind picture. They have to match the images of Thomas, Toby, Harold, James & Spencer on the bingo board to the picture created by the dice. There are four developmental levels of game play included so this game grows along with your child from ages 3 and up. (Though I know a certain Thomas addicted two year old who would have no problem.)

Making Tracks is a super fun game for 2-4 players aged 4 and up. The object of the games is to help Thomas and his friends Molly, Percy & James lay combinations of curved & straight tracks (which insert into holes in the board – very cool) from their sidings to the main line so that they can travel over the bridge and into the train shed. The first engine to make it home wins!

Check out all of the other great Thomas and Friends games from Briarpatch!

We’ve got one of each of the featured games to give away. To be entered in the random draws, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Thomas – Bingo or Thomas – Tracks in the subject line and name one of the other Thomas and Friends games from Briarpatch. Contest closes at midnight MST on 5/18/07. Congratulations Mamie & Rolonda!

Jackpot!, one of the newest games from Briarpatch, is a great tool for kids aged 7 and up to develop sequencing & observational skills while they think they’re just playing a fun game. It’s flashy like Vegas, but like all of the Briarpatch games, it’s a developmental learning tool too.

Created for 2-4 players and requiring no reading skills, the Jackpot! board features 9 squares which get covered randomly by 8 fruit tiles leaving 1 space blank. Each player is dealt six cards with a 3 fruit combination on each. The object of the game is to turn over one of your cards and create the pattern in as few moves as possible. Roll the dice to determine how many moves you can make before having to add cards to your hand. Beat the odds and create the pattern in fewer moves and you get to discard cards. The other player(s) must be paying close attention because if they spot a winning combination first, they can call Jackpot! The first player to get rid of all of their cards wins.

We’ve got a Jackpot! game to give away! If you’d like to try to beat the odds, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Jackpot! in the subject line and name one other new Briarpatch product. We’ll do a random draw after midnight MST on 5/18/07. Congratulations Jacqueline!

That’s not a question I’ve ever been asked (thank goodness), but the game by the same name from Briarpatch will have kids asking this outrageous question over and over again.

In Do You Look Like Your Dog? players match dog to owners and owners to dogs, then vote on who has made the best match! Players have 30 seconds to state their case and bury their bones. What a hilarious way to practice persuasive arguing! Each game comes with 20 owner & 20 dog cards, 8 ‘Go to the doghouse’ cards, 24 bones, 4 tokens and a game board. (And, of course, the rules if you choose to read them.) It’s played by 3-4 players aged 7+, and no reading is required.

Check out this You Tube video and if you think you really do look like your dog, submit your photo here. Whether you’re tall & long-faced and own an Afghan or big & bearded with a Newfoundland dog (and even if you don’t own a dog at all) this is a fun game for the school-aged set that’ll have you laughing – and running to the mirror with your pooch.

We’ve got a game of Do You Look Like Your Dog? for one lucky TOP reader (or your kids if you can’t admit it’s for you). To be entered in the draw, email us via this link before midnight MST on 5/16/07 and a winner will be selected randomly. Please include your name & mailing address with your entry. Your information will be deleted after the contest closes and is never shared with anyone. Congratulations Betty!

Not that it wasn’t cool already, but with the Young Scientist Club, even the least scientifically inclined kids will be enthralled.

The Adventure Science Kits are designed as a continuous learning experience and they not only build upon each other but are also interlinked. For example, the child makes a compass with kit 3 (magnets) which then will be used to study wind direction with a self-made weather vane from kit 4 (weather station). As a teacher, I know for a fact that this continuum based learning is much more easily retained than isolated lessons. There are currently 8 kits available and they’re designed for ages 5 and up. Many of them can be used individually and parents have the option of starting at kits other than number 1 with older children. They work on a subscription basis – either once or twice a month, and the site has some great links to accompany the kits. The kits are also available individually from several stores, including Amazon.

The Volcano Madness kit (kit 6, pictured @ right) comes with everything your child needs to discover volcanoes and their structures by creating and designing a volcano. They get to touch, feel, and experiment with real volcanic rock (pumice). Ultimate explosion solutions are created by measuring and mixing different substances in test tubes. This kit finishes with the roaring experience of volcanic eruptions that Young Scientists will want to repeat over and over again.

Zany Crystals (kit 8, pictured @ left) allows children to explore crystal shapes, create crystal art, grow ice crystals, design a salt crystal garden, and grow crystal stars. The best part? Kids create and grow real rock candy! Mmmmmm…

Other than some very basic household ingredients, every kit contains all the supplies you’ll need – right down to the safety goggles.

The newest Young Scientist Club addition is a series of Magic School Bus kits. If you’ve never watched Magic School Bus with your kids, you don’t know what you’re missing. I use the programs in my grade one classroom regularly – there’s one for almost every unit. These kits also contain pretty much everything you need. Kids are guided by the infamous Miss Frizzle on a trip through the Mysteries of Rainbows (pictured), the World of Germs or Into the Human Body. With the Mysteries of Rainbows kit, kids will wear rainbow glasses, create a rainbow spinner, blow rainbow bubbles, make rainbow milk and find out why rainbows appear on the back of CD’s. What an awesome way to encourage learning about the wonders of nature!

I’d highly recommend these kits for anyone who is homeschooling children, has a gifted child requiring enrichment or just has a kid who likes cool stuff. They’d make great activities for summer holidays or Christmas vacation. You know – all those times when kids forget all they’ve learned the rest of the year. Keep ‘em busy, entertained and learning with The Young Scientists Club.

We’ve got one of each of the featured kits to give away. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with either Science-Volcano, Science-Crystals or Science-Rainbows in the subject line and list one other kit available in the Adventure Science series. Contest closes at midnight MST on 5/15/07. Congratulations Ash & Becca!

There’s something about blinking noisy plastic toys that makes me cringe. My home is full of them, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I’m always excited when I come across a toy or game that makes kids actually use their imagination in order to use it. You know…good old fashioned play.

Go Figure! shape-making cards from Made By Hands are for kids aged 4 and up and they do just that. Available in three themes, each game comes with a set of over 150 pop-out shape cards that players take turns putting together in order to make an image that their opponent recognizes as something other than a pile of shapes. The creativity that blooms when kids play these imaginative games is amazing and is sure to bring forth rambunctious laughter. I’m especially loving the Crazzzy Critters set. When was the last time you saw a six-legged, two-tailed, three-headed, dinosaur eating llama with a mane?

Each set is only $11.99 and can be used for more than just the prescribed game. Kids can play with the pieces alone and create endless combinations, play beat-the-clock, play in teams or deal out all the cards and see how many crazy combinations each player can come up with. Give a child a game like this and they’re sure to come up with their own rules. Nothing beats good old fashioned non-plastic, non-blinking playtime!

We’ve got a Ways To Go set to give away to one lucky kiddo. To enter, email us and tell us the name of the Go Figure! set not mentioned in this review by midnight MST on 5/15/07. Congratulations Jaime!

Kids today learn about the steps we can take to protect the earth from a very young age. The Matter Group has taken eco-learning to the next level with their great award winning two-player collectible XEKO eco-adventure trading card games.

The first edition, Mission Madagascar was a huge hit with eco-kids everywhere. In the second & newest edition, Mission Costa Rica, kids learn about some amazing animals, explore the principles of bio-diversity and go on a virtual adventure through the 12 distinct ecosystems of Costa Rica.
Each player has a deck of cards and each card is either a species of animal, a power-up “Boost” card or a special XEKO card. The endangered species wage “turf wars” against each other that mimic real-life nature drama. A turf war is won when one player lays down a more viable ecosystem than the other. When one player runs out of cards both players add up their Eco-Points, plus some bonus points, and the highest score wins the game! (Watch the animated game demo for a better understanding.)

The cards are stunningly illustrated and are printed on recycled paper.

From the XEKO site: A Xeko Master understands that balance is required to support any ecosystem. A balance of spending resources to support diverse—and sometimes endangered—species, as well as conserving resources for the future. The competition for resources can be fierce among species and competition between Xeko Apprentices can be equally ferocious at times.

Check the Xekopedia for information on all the cards and some super cool information about the animals.

Being that our kids are the future guardians of the planet, we should be doing everything we can to increase their awareness of and sensitivity to the earth and it’s inhabitants. What better way than play?

Mission Costa Rica retails for $29.99 USD and booster packs are available for $3.99. Check the Xeko storefinder for online and storefront retailers. Four percent of net sales are donated to Conservation International. Watch for Mission Indonesia coming out at Christmas 2007. The XEKO games are intended for children aged 8 and up.

We’ve got a XEKO Mission Costa Rica game to give to one lucky TOP reader. To be entered in the random draw, email us before midnight tonight and tell us one of the Costa Rican animals featured in the Xekopedia. Congratulations JR!

The majority of kids are visual learners. Even if that’s not their primary learning forte, they’ll still love Goosie Cards, and so will you. Founder Jen Marchetti originally developed Goosie Cards out of her desire to teach her child about their family through family photos, but the cards uses are limited only by your imagination.

These are not just any old flash cards. They’re extremely high quality, thick, plastic sealed cards that are completely customizable. You simply create an account, upload your photos, customize the text and wait for your parcel to arrive in the mail.

I love the idea of a family set of cards with faces and names of people you want your child to be familiar with but may not get to see every day (that might be a good thing, but the cards don’t nag or leave the seat up.) Goosie Cards are also perfect for children with autism or any range of developmental disability. Use them to document a memorable occasion or family trip, teach about the holidays or teach the names for common items in a different language. The limitless nature of Goosie Cards is fantastic.

If you don’t want to use your own photos, the Goosie Gallery is loaded with high quality images of letters, numbers, animals, sign language and more.

Stumped for what to do when they arrive? The site offers ideas of games to play with your Goosie cards.

Gift sets & gift cards are also available from GoosieCards.com.

We have gift certificates for a custom set of ten Goosie Cards for two lucky TOP readers. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Goosie Cards in the subject line and tell us What’s another category of pics available in the Goosie Gallery? Contest closes at midnight MST on 4/2/07. Congratulations Lesha & Chelle!

As parents, our homes suffer from a sudden inundation of plastic from shortly after conception until the kids move out. That’s why I was so happy to find these awesome handcrafted classic wooden blocks from Il Cocco di Mamma. Imagine, a toy with no buttons, no beeps and no pthalates in this day and age. And if the classic nature of them isn’t cool enough, they’re available in seven languages!

Donna Bottari, owner of Il Cocco di Mamma, grew up speaking both English and Italian and developed a great appreciation of different cultures, languages and people. Her store was conceived when her first nephew was born and she had difficulty finding gifts that were as perfect and unique as he. Luckily for the rest of us, in her quest she discovered some great multicultural products and created some of her own to form Il Cocco di Mamma.

Multilingual or not, Il Cocco di Mamma has great and unique gifts for all children. Just don’t be surprised when you hear your toddler speaking to the family dog in Turkish.

Il Cocco di Mamma is currently offering FREE SHIPPING in the US and Canada!

No plastic for you. We’re giving away a classic set of English blocks from Il Cocco di Mamma. Email theopinionatedparent[at]gmail[dot]com with BLOCKS in the subject line and name one language other than English that the blocks are available in before midnight MST on 3/20/07. Congratulations Mary!

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Founded in 2006 by Canadian mother and teacher Kirsten Fantazir, Fantaztic Learning Store offers products selected by educators for educators (and parents!) that compliment Canadian curriculum and align with Canadian learner expectations. If you cannot find what you are looking for, just ask us and she will search her selection of over 24 000 products for you. If you’re a teacher or homeschooling parent planning a unit, just email Kirsten and she will provide a list of appropriate resources for you…free! Now that’s the kind of service opinionated parents (and teachers!) love.

As a parent, Kirsten appreciates the advantages of learning through play. We know that educational toys are one of the best ways to encourage explorational and discovery learning. For some great ideas, browse the Fantaztic educational toys section.

My personal favourite right now is the Play Foam. Squish it, shape it, save it….or smoosh it and start all over again! We tested out the PlayFoam as compared to similar brands on the market, and we love this stuff. It lasted a 3 and 5 year old well over an hour and they still weren’t bored. Best of all, when they were done and we went outside to play, we just left it on the table for later because it never dries out! It’s a lightweight, colorful foam sculpting material that won’t crumble and it doesn’t stick to skin or any surfaces that we tried. It’s one of those great ‘no cleanup required’ toys that encourages imaginary play and is stress-free for parents. When you’re done for the day, just toss it in a bag or a container and your PlayFoam will be just like new the next time you take it out. If that’s not enough, PlayFoam is non-toxic and, for those kids who tend to eat their sculpting materials, contains no gluten/protein ~ No worries!

Get 10% off your order with the code TOP07.
Find Fantaztic Learning Store in the TOP Shops!

You can win a 6 pack of fabulous Fantaztic Play Foam ~ simply email theopinionatedparent[at]gmail[dot]com with Fantazic in the subject line and the answer to the question “What 2 products would you be most likely to purchase in the next year from Fantaztic Learning?” Help Kirsten learn what catches the attention of opinionated parents like you, and have a chance to win in the process! Get your entries in by midnight MST on Friday, March 2, 2007. Congratulations, Louise!

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