fisher price

While much has been said about the importance of the family meal no one ever said that meal had to be at home. My husband and I love to take our lil ones out to dinner to try new foods, but doing so does take some planning.

When building with sugar packets and playing with the paper from our straws grows old, I dive into my bag to pull out some tricks to keep everyone entertained. In addition to crayons and travel-sized games, my latest restaurant necessity is a lift-the-flap book that will keep my son busy while his meal is being prepared. These Fisher Price Little People books ($9) fit perfectly into my diaper bag and provide a good 20 minutes of activity until our server returns with our food. In addition to providing my lil guy with some hands on fun, I've found the books to be a great way to enhance his vocabulary. With eight books in the collection, I foresee many more enjoyable dinners out in our future.

Going to your local toy store and asking the sales help for advice on a gift for a six-month-old can provide you with more opinions and deep explanations than you bargained for, never mind the fact that half the items are never in stock. Rather than risk disappointing the child’s parents, and wasting your time, stick with one of these items that is sure to make everyone happy (plus, you can just order them online and be done with your shopping!).

The colors and variety of activities on the LeapFrog Learn and Groove Musical Table ($40) encourage kids to pull themselves into the standing position. Once they are standing they can groove to the different musical instruments, turn the pages of the book and hum along to the songs.



The adorable Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Learning Puppy ($22) lights up as he sings familiar songs and encourages your child to hug him and play along. You'll hear "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" and "Patty Cake," as well as a funny little sneeze that to this day keeps my son laughing.

To see more gifts for six-month-olds just read more

Thanks, College Humor!

The latest trend in gaming is exergaming, which is a combo of exercise and gaming. Think Dance, Dance Revolution and Wii. Fisher Price saw an opening in the market and went for it.

The Smart Cycle is a stationary bike, a learning center and an arcade game system for kids 3-6 years old. The Smart Cycle plugs into your TV, kids hop on and as they pedal, animated characters guide them through learning discoveries, games and even exciting races. It's not available just yet, so I am not sure how much it will cost, but you know I am loving this idea. It's hard to keep kids away from the video games, so this way they can still have their video games, but get active while playing. Do I think a better option is to get kids outside on actual bikes, well of course, but sometimes that is not always an option, so this is a great backup.

To check it out, visit Fisher Price online. This is a great way to get your kids moving earlier, and maybe you'll even end up with a little Lance Armstrong on your hands. To see more pics of this great toy for the kiddies, read more