Spring 1998
Seal of Approval
Product Testing Report
Past Seal of Approval Reports | TNPC Home | TNPC Mall | Boards/Chat for Parents
Products recognized as winners in this report have been judged by independent parent testers. Submitted products are evaluated on their individual levels of appeal, desirability, sturdiness, interactive stimulation, price and other elements essential in the make-up of a quality product.
The National Parenting Center and its Seal of Approval are registered United States trademarks
Welcome and Thank You to our newest sponsor/partners:
& 
Visit The National Parenting Center
on the World Wide Web at:
http://www.tnpc.com
Growing Minds
with Music -
Traditional Lullabies
Twin Sisters Productions
This soothing, relaxing audio CD features music that will calm
anyone within earshot. Beautifully produced, this CD could become
a staple in your bedtime routine. The music is long playing and
features instrumentals that move gently from transition to
transition. With no abrupt starts, stops or loud notes, your
child can drift off to the gentle lullabies. Parents also gave
high praise to the beautiful artwork on the cover of the CD jewel
case.
Suggested Age: Baby Price: $12.99 CD - $8.99 Cassette
Picture Me As Cute As Can Bee
Picture Me Books
One of the guaranteed ways to bring a smile to a young child's
face is to let them see themselves in a picture or on TV.
Borrowing that idea, Picture Me Books has created a cottage
industry of their own. Cardboard-paged books with a variety of
settings all feature a cutout circle that displays the pasted
photo of your child in a variety of settings. This means that
each and every page stars your child. Parents loved the bright
visuals and the sturdy construction of the book, and of course
the main character delighted our little readers.
Suggested Age: Pre-school Price: $6.99
Hello Toes! Hello Feet!
by Ann Whitford Paul
DK Publishing, Inc.
This delightful book features an adorable conversation between a
young girl and her feet. We are along for the ride as she and her
feet playfully move throughout the day. From hopping and clumping
to leaping and walking Ann Whitford's story zooms along
accompanied by upbeat and lighthearted illustrations that will
make you smile.
Suggested Age: 3 and Up Price: $15.95
The Illustrated Book of Fairy Tales
DK Publishing, Inc.
This beautifully illustrated book of fairy tales will capture the
imagination of you and your children. You will find some of the
best known and loved stories along with others from around the
world that will lift your spirits and transport you to a world
where imagination rules. What our testers told us was unique and
special about this hard cover literary treasure was the sidebar
notes that accompanied each tale, giving further insights into
the story line, the author or the time period. Parents told us
they really appreciated the extra information and that it helped
them in their own ability to read the stories to the children,
some told us that it even enhanced their own performance.
Suggested Age: All Ages Price: $19.95
Me & You - A Mother Daughter Album
by Lisa Thiesing
Hyperion Books for Children
One of the most unbelievable things about childhood is when your
mother tells you that she was a kid just like you. Yeah, right!
Somehow the image of Mom in diapers just seems too silly to
believe. Lisa Thiesing is a mother who knows of what she writes,
and in this delightful book she shares with her young daughter
the realities of just how alike they are. Using color as well as
black and white photographs to illustrate the generational
divide, we see that the journey of childhood has indeed been
traveled before. From making friends, to playing, eating, and
taking baths, Mom knows of what she speaks. This is a sweet
touching book with illustrations that successfully match the
feelings we get from this wonderful book.
Suggested Age: All Ages Price: $14.95
My Alphabet Book - A Wipe-Off Activity Book
TREND Enterprises, Inc.
When children are introduced to primary concepts such as numbers
or letters it helps to make the lessons hands on. By allowing
children to trace and draw letters with the dry markers included
with My Alphabet Book, our youngest testers were identifying and
tracing the characters that are the building blocks to future
learning. The bright, bold markers help to enhance the
experience, while the sturdy construction of the pages promised a
long play life.
Suggested Age: 3 to 6 Price: $3.79
I Can Count to 20
TREND Enterprises, Inc.
Counting and basic mathematic principals hold an interesting
appeal to children. The precise nature of math satisfies many
children's desire for a right or wrong answer. Much like black
and white, the answer is correct or incorrect, that's all there
is to it. Using bold, colorful markers that easily wipe off,
"I Can Count To 20" lets kids practice their number
skills over and over. It’s all done with fun in mind using a
variety of games and activities that invite play and learning.
Suggested Age: 5 to 7 Price: $3.79
Annabelle's Wish
Ralph Edwards Films
Asking parents to get into the Christmas spirit in March is not
an easy task. Despite the lack of snowfall, and the fact that the
first flowers of the season were blooming, our parents welcomed
the opportunity, particularly after they spent 90 minutes
watching Annabelle's Wish. Parents told us that this is the type
of uplifting tale that they look for when choosing a video for
their children. The video is about an adorable collection of
barnyard animals and their touching story that brings them
together. All the right elements are included in this video
production. Good triumphs over evil, and there is an ending that
is sure to leave a smile on your face.
Suggested Age: 6 to 12 Price: $16.98
My Personal Tutor
Microsoft
Engaging children who are still in their toddler and pre-school
years with educational software can be quite challenging. Getting
them to sit still at the computer and absorb lessons requires an
approach that entertains while teaching. My Personal Tutor does
all this with a sophistication that impressed our testers. There
are many different disciplines being taught here and the child,
who maintains control of the environment, is challenged to
understand patterns, colors, the alphabet, early math and more.
In fact, My Personal Tutor, is designed to grow with your child
through age 7 and it does just that. The steps used include
evaluation of the child's ability, teaching new skills,
strengthening weaker areas and then advancing. Parents told us it
gave them a lot of bang for their software buck.
Suggested Age: 3 to 7 Price: $54.95
The Little Wizard
Gizmo Gypsies
This delightful playtime storybook is a whimsical activity center
that invites children to explore and enjoy. There is some new
technology utilized here that makes Little Wizard slightly
different from previous storyline software titles. The basic
premise of interactively uncovering a story and participating in
the character’s movements will feel familiar. The animations
are attractive but because some game play options will baffle
younger players, parents suggested that the first few times
through a grown-up should stay nearby to ease any frustrating
moments.
Suggested Age: 3 to 8 Price: $29.95
IBM Crayola Color A Story in 3D
IBM Corporation
Interactive storybooks were among the first children's software
titles. They give children the opportunity to control the
storytelling experience with simple mouse clicks. Color A Story
offers the unique twist of allowing children to color, with 3D
modeling, some of the greatest stories ever told. Classics such
as Gulliver's Travels and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, come to
life with your children's artistic interpretation. There is a
dramatic narrator, who along with a musical score, breathes life
into these wonderful tales. Our parents loved the use of such
timeless classics, while the children enjoyed all the creative
tools that helped make their stories come to life.
Suggested Age: 5 and Up Price: $29.95
World Book 1998 Multimedia Encyclopedia
IBM Corporation
The interactive encyclopedia wars have escalated the competition
between some pretty big software rivals. One of the biggest, IBM,
has joined forces with World Book, and produced an impressive
research and learning tool. The articles are a pleasant departure
from the traditionally dry text found in encyclopedias. There are
pictures, maps, videos, articles, and Internet links for updates
and more. These are standard equipment for every credible title
of the genre, however, what sparked our testers interest was the
Homework Wizard. This insightful and well produced tool gives
step by step instructions for the creation of time lines, charts,
and even full blown reports with note cards, outlines and
detailed bibliographies.
Suggested Age: 10 and Up Price: $69.95
Solar System
Rock 'N Learn, Inc.
Jam-packed with fascinating facts, Solar System is half science
class, half musical fun. Filled with upbeat, rapping ditties
about the stars and planets this audiocassette is a lot of fun,
and will surprise you with its wealth of intriguing information.
If your child has expressed an interest in the night sky and a
curiosity about the solar system they will really enjoy these
songs and the great photos in the accompanying book.
Suggested Age: 7 and Up Price: $9.95
Little Smart
Count 'N Go Bug
VTECH
VTech has had wonderful success in the field of electronic toys
that talk to and teach children. The Count 'N Go Bug is no
exception. With a clear, easy-to-understand voice, toddlers will
enjoy playing with and pulling along this colorful toy. As they
play, they will learn more about colors, numbers and shapes.
Parents liked the design and the reactions of their little ones
to this adorable bug. The Try-Me packaging also got high marks
from our parents, who liked the ability it gave them to test out
the product's features.
Suggested Age: 6 mos. and Up Price: $21.99
Busy Bath Activity Center
Discovery Toys, Inc.
Children love playing with, and manipulating water and that is
exactly what Busy Bath lets children do. This bath time
playcenter will entertain your little one bath after bath. Bath
toys are a staple of early childhood and this is no exception.
Filled with toys that pour, spin, squirt and more, Busy Bath is a
durable self-contained water park. Kids loved the bright colors
and the cause and effect results of their bath time endeavors.
Suggested Age: 19 mos. to Preschool Price: $19.98
Corinth Waterway
BRIO Corporation
Looking for an engaging water toy to entertain and cool your
child at the same time? Corinth Waterway from Brio might be the
best answer yet. This engaging water play system fascinated both
young and old testers with its ability to teach about the
properties of water, while providing lots of old-fashioned, wet
fun. You can move your boats along the waterway, propelled by
your own efforts, and even learn how a "lock" works.
Once you see it you'll say, "So that's how the Panama Canal
works". That may sound like pretty heady stuff, but trust
us, Corinth Waterway is really all about fun.
Suggested Age: 3 and Up Price: $70.00
Koosh Jr. Big Boing Golf
OddzOn, Inc.
If you have a little Tiger Woods wanna-be in your house, then you
might want to think about getting them Boing-ing, before heading
out to the local golf course. Ever since Tiger came along a added
a spark to the sport of golf, a sport that had previously
attracted a much older crowd, little duffers are springing up all
over the place, and this practice set can put your little golfer
on the right course. Each correctly hit ball results in a Big
Boing, and the elevated tee helped our little testers really find
their stroke.
Suggested Age: 3 and Up Price: $20.00
Kooshlings Key Rings
OddzOn, Inc.
The key ring craze is here for real. There is a certain status to
having the most key rings dangling from your backpack when you
hit the schoolyard, and these brightly colored hairy Kooshes
certainly caught the eye of our school age testers. Even if the
parents don't get it, which many told us was the case, they
didn't mind the $6 price tag and had to admit they were pretty
cute.
Suggested Age: 3 and Up Price: $6.00
Koosh Jr. Soccer Ball
OddzOn, Inc.
This soft, yet sturdy ball from the Koosh folks is great for
playtime in or out of the house. If your child longs for
ball-play but can't go outside, then this ball will satisfy both
of you. The fabric covering is padded and the ball itself is
light enough that it bounces well, but shouldn't cause
significant damage. Our testers found the brightly colored fabric
to be both durable and attractive.
Suggested Age: 3 to 6 Price: $15.00
Cat's Eye
Cadaco
This fun, easy to learn game entertained such a wide age range of
children and adults that it qualifies as a superb family fun
activity. The frantic nature of trying to fill your card first
with the right colored marbles had everyone in stitches. The
games are short so that losers get a chance at redemption
quickly. Watching 3-year-olds keeping up competitively with their
older siblings encouraged parents to view this as a family fun
game of the highest order.
Suggested Age: 4 and Up Price: $11.99
Sum Time
Cadaco
This superbly designed math drill game comes in such an
attractive carry-along case that parents were raving about this
product before they even saw what was inside. Math practice cards
encourage children to place the correct tiles in their spaces to
complete equations. Each piece is coded so that when a child
lines up the correct part they are rewarded by having it slip
into place. The hard plastic briefcase makes transporting Sum
Time a snap, and also makes it easy to keep the pieces together.
Suggested Age: 4 and Up Price: $19.99
The Funday Jar
Berco Industries, Inc.
Let's face it, sometimes life just gets a little too busy. When
it does, it ends up robbing us of those precious moments that we
meant to share with our families. The special, shared times that
make a family unique are celebrated in The Funday Jar. The idea
is to set aside one part of week where the family all gets
together and participates in a shared activity. Some of the ideas
are basic like baking a pie or having a barbecue. Then there are
more adventurous activities like building a birdhouse or a worm
farm. The idea is that the act of reaching your hand in the jar
each week helps you commit yourself to planning special family
time that you and your kids will cherish.
Suggested Age:4 to 12 Price: $19.99
Sploosh Water Flingshots
OddzOn, Inc.
These new, safe, water weapons caused quite a stir and produced
tons of giggles and belly laughs. The water filled, hairy sponges
flew here and there, hitting their targets with practiced
accuracy, and devastatingly water-drenched results. The
Flingshots, which are launched much like a rubber band would be
shot, make a great summertime toy. Just the thought of these
colorful projectiles cooling off a sweltering day had our testers
ready to change into swimsuits.
Suggested Age: 5 and Up Price: $8.00
Spell Time
Cadaco
Self contained toys and games have a way of eliciting positive
reviews from our parent testers. Perhaps it is the easy clean up,
perhaps it is the ease with which it can be taken along while
traveling. In any event, the design of Spell Time drew high
praise from our testers who applauded the design and
functionality of this teaching tool. Inside the hard plastic case
are a series of spelling cards with pictures. Children place the
coded tiles in the their spaces to correctly spell each word
which is identified with a picture. The coding of the tiles lets
children correct themselves, and provides positive reinforcement
when they spell a word correctly.
Suggested Age: 5 and Up Price: $19.99
ZOOB
Primordial LLC
This plastic building toy saw more than it share of attention in
our testing centers as children flocked to this colorful, easy to
use building toy. Less detailed than other toys from this
category, Zoob lets kids get started right away and in no time at
all they were making elaborate designs either from the enclosed
instructional handbook or from their own imaginations. Some
parents told us that the price tag was a little steep, while
other felt that the fact that both their sons and daughters could
play with Zoob with an equal level of enthusiasm made the price
worthwhile.
Suggested Age: 5 and Up Price: $40.00
The Rokenbok System
Rokenbok Toy Company
Wow! You could hear the rave reviews from across the hall when
parents and children experienced the phenomenal Rokenbok for the
first time. This unique, building/construction set offers so many
levels of interactivity and play for the whole family that
parents were amazed and enthralled. The really dazzling aspect of
Rokenbok is the fully animated remote control trucks that move
through your construction zone doing jobs like loading and
unloading from one area to the other. With the full set,
including the add-ons that we tested, you can have up to four
players operating eight different trucks around and through the
brightly colored construction site. The level of enthusiasm for
Rokenbok was matched only by the difficulty the parents had
tearing their children and themselves away.
Suggested Age: 6 and Up Price: $149.99
Koosh Catchers
OddzOn, Inc.
OddzOn has taken a good idea, namely the velcro catching toys of
a couple of years ago, and made it a whole lot better. Using
their looped string Koosh balls, instead of the single string
balls they are famous for, the Koosh Catcher makes a great,
easy-to-use catch toy. The rather large "gloves"
feature hundreds of soft, nubbed ends that really grab onto
thrown balls. The very large and forgiving surface hauls in balls
that would have been near misses in the past. Very young children
and older adults had a blast with the Koosh Catchers in the
testing centers. There was hardly a moment when brightly colored
Koosh balls were not flying in one direction or the other.
Suggested Age: 7 and Up Price: $20.00
Conscience
Goru Products, Inc.
A board game that teaches right from wrong? Sounds like a pretty
lofty, unattainable goal. However, Conscience does achieve much
of what it sets out to do. By encouraging discussion and
confronting some pretty tough issues in the context of a board
game, Goru Products provides parents a vehicle for opening up
avenues for exploring how children feel about such matters as
drugs, education, crime, violence and charity. Winners will
navigate through the course gathering more gold stars than black
marks for taking the correct paths. Parents gave Conscience high
marks for it's straightforward approach to confronting difficult
issues and presenting them in a thoughtful manner.
Suggested Age: 8 and Up Price: $24.95
Stops - American Edition
STOPS
Stops is a fun geography based trivia game that is challenging
without being frustrating. Featuring a variety of questions that
vary in difficulty, Stops is a game that can be played by
geography experts and novices at the same time. The questions
range from obscure facts that might be more suited to Jeopardy,
to easier fare about landmarks, capitals and more. Testers gave
high marks to the design of the board, and the simple directions.
Many of the teachers at the testing centers told us that they
believed Stops would make a great tool in their classrooms.
Suggested Age: 9 and Up Price: $29.99
Wadjet - A Family Board Game
Timbuk II, Inc.
This exceptionally beautiful and elaborate game carries one of
the steepest price tags we've ever seen for a board game.
However, this did not deter our testers from giving high marks to
Wadjet for game play, ingenuity, and particularly in the area of
design. The game is roughly similar to Clue, but with a much more
exotic setting, the Egyptian desert during the 1920's. Players
assume the roles of real life archeologists, who must recover
lost treasures from King Tut's tomb. Much of the game is centered
on logical reasoning and a little luck. The descriptive account
of events that lead up to the loss of the treasures is
captivating and sets the stage for the game beautifully.
Suggested Age: 10 and Up Price: $59.95
Remond Table Seat
Remond S.E.B.I.R.
This extremely well-made and well-designed baby's table seat
impressed our parent testers with it's strength and
functionality. Very easy to use, this seat will support a child
up to 35 lbs. If you haven't used one of these before you'll be
amazed at how many places you will think of including
restaurants, relatives homes, and more. The Remond Table Seat
sports a very attractive fabric design that works well with
either girls or boys. Our testers told us that the price is a
little steep but that they recognized the Table Seat as a
necessary tool that would only make their lives easier.
Suggested Age: 6 mos. to 35 lbs. Price: $59.95
Koala Konnection Swimwear
Koala Konnection
Here is a great line of quality swimwear with a twist. Koala
Konnection continues to develop and market well-designed UV
protective clothing that makes a real fashion statement as well.
These snug fitting outfits give your child 100% UV protection.
The bright colors are real eye catchers and the almost
wet-suit-like designs were kid pleasers. Parents also liked the
fact that the fabric is designed to withstand the onslaught of
chlorine and salt water.
Suggested Age: 12 mos. - 10 yr. Price: $36-39.00
Stingray Bay Surfwear
Stingray Bay
Ultraviolet protective swimwear has made quite splash here in the
States in recent years. Leading the way has been a few high
profile children's lines of swimwear. Stingray Bay's Surfwear
features brightly colored swimsuits that help keep your child
free from UV rays, while the almost neon colored fabrics help you
keep an eye on them in the crowded swimming pool! The Stingray
line features designs that reach just above the knee and down to
the forearm giving each child who wears it additional sun
coverage that they wouldn't get with a regular swimsuit.
Suggested Age: 2 to 12 Price: $39.95
Koala Konnection Cotton Cover-Up
Koala Konnection
For children who need special attention when it comes to exposure
from the sun, this line of clothing from Koala Konnection offers
both kids and their parents a welcome level of relief. With 100%
protection from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays, these
outfits, which come in a variety of colors and designs, are both
attractive and useful. Regardless of your child's skin type, it
is always a wise move to take extra precautions when it comes to
overexposure. According to our testers and their kids, these
Cover-Ups fit the bill.
Suggested Age: Sizes 2T to 10 Price: $16-24.00
Lingo Bingo!™ Game
Learning Resources, Inc.
Lingo Bingo is a fun game that children and teachers really
enjoyed. Designed for children who are building their reading
skills, and focusing on the sounds and characteristics of
letters. Up to four players try to make a three piece Bingo while
matching various words either starting or ending sounds on their
individual Bingo cards. The game play is very simple, and the
game length is short, which our parents found noteworthy.
Suggested Age: 5 And Up Price: $15.95
Koosh Creative Color Catchers
OddzOn, Inc.
This stained-glass creation kit produces brightly colored works
of art that your children will proudly decorate their windows
with. The easy-to-use kit comes complete with simple eye pleasing
templates that children can get to work with quickly. The need
for instructions is minimal as everything is quite simply laid
out. The colors are bright and appealing and when the finished
product is stuck up on a window where the sun shines through, the
effect is quite satisfying and attractive.
Suggested Age: 6 to 12 Price: $12.00
Lionel New York Central Flyer Freight Set
Lionel LLC
There are train sets and then there are Lionel train sets. When
it comes to locomotives, cabooses and everything in between, the
name Lionel conjures up a whole history of model trains. Just
feeling the hefty engine of the New York Central Flyer gave our
testers a thrill. Many of them told us of their first experience
with Lionel trains, and the elaborate set-ups that consumed many
of their basements. This set is designed to introduce model train
play to newcomers. While the price tag is steep, and the track
layout options are limited, given the scarcity of parts, there is
a level of quality evident with every piece.
Suggested Age: 8 and Up Price: $169.95
K'NEX Hyperspace Training Tower
Connector Set Toy Company
To test this newest K'Nex building system we gave each of our
review kits to two 5th grade and one 6th grade class and asked
them and their teacher to report back to us. We expected them to
take a few weeks to figure out how to assemble this 6-foot tall
contraption. After all, that's how long we scratched our heads
just looking at the box. By the weeks end each class had reported
back with their reviews, and as you might guess K'Nex has another
winner. Continuing their streak as one of the most decorated
product lines, the Hyperspace Training Tower brings home another
award for K'Nex with a system that is as fun and educational as
it is tall! If you don't have a K'Nex toy in your home yet all we
have to say is, "What are you waiting for?"
Suggested Age: 10 and Up Price: $109.99
Hugabear Nightliter
Kidpower
This huggable teddy bear, all dressed for snuggling in bed, holds
a secret in its tummy. When squeezed by your child, a nightlight,
with a similarly designed Hugabear, lights up from across the
room! By putting this control in your child's hands, parents give
them the power to turn on a security light, but also the power to
turn it off. Parents felt that this ability to test themselves
and gauge their own ability to cope with the dark was very
compelling. The remote control has very good range and parents
also liked the ability they had to override the remote by either
turning the light on or off directly from the nightlight.
Suggested Age: 1 1/2 and Up Price: $24.99
The Original Baby Sling
Noel Joanna, Inc.
This is one of the very best baby carriers, providing the user
many different positioning options that other brands do not. A
baby is most comfortable and secure when they are held close and
The Baby Sling provides the small child with a warm, safe
comforting place. The other benefit of the sling, according to
our parent testers was the freedom they achieved for the hands.
If you've ever tried to balance a baby, bags of groceries and a
purse, you know what we're talking about!
Suggested Age: 0 to 30 lbs. Price: $36.00
Baby Cover Up
Noel Joanna, Inc.
The first touch of the fleece inside of this car seat cover up
gave our testers a feeling of cocoon like warmth. Being able to
provide their children with an extra layer of warmth on cold days
got high marks from our testers who also told us that they
believed they could skip some of the extra bundling normally
associated with taking a little child out on wintry days. The
very easy to use Cover-up fits easily over just about any car
seat and the front zipper makes taking the child in and out a
snap.
Suggested Age:0 to 6 mos. Price: $24.00
Baby's First Photo Album
Noel Joanna, Inc.
This book was a big hit with our parent testers as well as the
babies who saw it and chimed in with coos of support. The little
ones particularly loved looking up close into the faces of the
baby pictures we included. When a baby saw there own picture or
one of Mommy or Daddy, the response was positively magical. The
use of black, white and red designs struck a responsive chord
with our testers who have come to understand the stimulating
effect those patterns have on their children.
Suggested Age:3 mos. & Up Price: $13.00
Fascination Station
Sassy, Inc.
There is so much going on in this compact little high chair toy
that your child will most likely be amused and entertained for
quite some time. The toy, which utilizes a suction cup to secure
itself in front of your high-chair bound baby, can also double as
a rattle-to-go. The bright colors and spinning parts absolutely
entranced our youngest testers who teethed, shook, pounded and
played with the Fascination Station relentlessly. Through it all,
this sturdy little award winner kept them coming back for more!
Suggested Age: 6 mos. and Up Price: $7.99
3-In-1 Gym to Walker
The First Years
This superbly versatile product is an ingenious example of design
and functionality. Able to grow with your child from birth right
through those exciting first steps, the 3-in-1 Gym to Walker is
bright and appealing. This well-made toy is also sturdy enough to
be passed down from sibling to sibling. Parents who told us that
space was a concern also liked that this product offered so many
activities and folded away so compactly. The other high marks
came on the price category where every tester found this to be a
superb value.
Suggested Age: Birth to 2 Years Price: $29.99
A Mother's Touch -
The Difference a Mom Makes
Zondervan Publishing House
This book packs an emotional punch both visually and verbally.
This beautifully produced hardcover book features an assortment
of real life photos and first hand anecdotes about the experience
of being a mother. The book drew raves from our testers who told
us how they were moved and touched by the poignancy of the tales
and the emotion that overwhelmed them as they read each page.
Motherhood is celebrated here in all its glory, from the triumphs
to tragedies. The emotional roller coaster that is mothering, is
brought to life by the many contributing writers. Our testers
often found themselves moved to tears by this book that vividly
captured the emotions of their real life role.
Price: $34.99
Discover Educational Toys for Children
Scholar Books
This parent’s resource book is chock full of educational
information. There are resources you never knew existed out there
waiting for you to access them. Now, armed with this book you too
can find out where to head in your quest for the best of the
best. You'll find good web sites to visit for parents and sites
that are child appropriate as well. As with any book that is
dedicated to an industry that is growing so explosively month to
month, there will be outdated information almost from the day you
first read the book, but this is a good starting point for those
parents who haven't found square one yet. Particularly helpful is
the listing of addresses for major toy companies and parent's
magazines.
Price: $12.95
Make Way For
Baby
Amphion Communications
If you are expecting a baby, or if you have a friend or relative
with a child on the way, here is a supportive tape to consider.
Featuring exercises and relaxation exercises. There are tips for
helping the expectant mother prepare for breastfeeding and a lot
of information about the various stages of pregnancy. The purpose
of the video is to support and educate the new mother to be in
the months before delivery. This can be very helpful particularly
to a mother that has extra concerns and/or worries. Supported by
very good animations and visuals, Make Way for Baby impressed our
testers with its scope and presentation.
Price: $19.95
The Only Baby-Sitting Book You'll Ever Need: A Guide
for Parents
Teaching & Learning Company
Using a title that might sound more boastful than descriptive,
here's a book that delivers the goods. An exceptionally well
thought out, well executed guide, this is a comprehensive, and
perhaps even exhaustive book that helps parents relieve some of
the concerns they naturally have when hiring a caregiver. There
are pages that can easily be detached and copied for reuse. From
allergies to pet care, its all in there. The result is a
thorough, informative guide for your next sitter, nanny or
relative. The only complaint, which renders the title slightly
inaccurate, is the lack of a child weekly activity calendar for
extended care giving periods.
Price: $10.95
Turn off the TV -
Family Games & Activity Catalog
Turn off the TV, Inc.
Here is a catalog that is dedicated to the concept of promoting
family time away from the TV. Throughout every edition of this
catalog you'll find products that are designed for family play.
From board games to craft activities, this is a superb and broad
sampling of products. Always accompanied by product photos, you
will be intrigued and perhaps wooed to pick up the phone and
order any number of products featured. The concept struck a very
responsive chord with our testers who told us that the mega-toy
stores often overlooked the family play time concept, making it
hard to find these types of toys.
Price: Free
Or, for more information about The Seal of Approval or The National Parenting Center call: 1-800-753-6667
Hosted by
VectraNet Communications
http://www.vectranet.com
Last Update: April 18, 1998