Published: Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008

Updated: Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008

Gifts designed with your kids in mind

One Step at a Time: Kids’ Gifts by the Numbers

One Step at a Time: Kids’ Gifts by the Numbers A gift for a toddler? Gifts for teens? Take a deep breath: you can do this. First, run the numbers.

Puppy Puppet: Textured toys are a hit for kids under 1. Earlyears’ Puppetivity Pal is perfect for them to play with on their own or with a parent. International Playthings

Freefall Fun: Kids start to learn cause and effect at 9 months. The higher they stack Munchkin Caterpillar Spillers, the funner they fall. Munchkin

Plush Puzzle: Motor skills and sight improve from 4 to 7 months, making the My First Taggies Puzzle a go-to toy for kids to try out their new talent. Taggies

Toss the dice: Tweens love to socialize, so the Kubit2Me Truth or Dare game is just the thing. Kubit2Me

A game they can’t refuse: Part of being a hip teen is enjoying a classic board game, like The Godfather Trivia Game. Endless Games

You know the drill: you get to the toy section of the store, get confused, grab something that looks fun, and leave. Then, you cross your fingers. Will the child like it? Do they already have one? It’s not easy to buy the younger ones in your life a Christmas gift. But hopefully, with our guide, it will be a little easier this year. That’s because we’ve talked to experts about the hottest trends and have broken down where a child is developmentally to help create a foolproof way to buy children’s gifts. The number one advice we got? Ask, ask, ask. “Say, I want to get something this child is really going to use. Can you guide me in any way?” says Melissa Bernstein, one half of toymaker Melissa & Doug. “For example, my kids love princesses, so anything related to princesses they are going to like.” Here’s our breakdown:

Babies Under 1 Year Where they’re at, developmentally: Newborns love color and patterns with a lot of contrast. From about 4 to 7 months they can see more clearly and their motor skills improve – it’s easier for them to pick things up and shake them. From 9 to 12 months, they start to learn cause and effect (think stacking toys). What they like: bright mobiles, rattles, soft balls, textured toys that make sounds, soft books, push toys. “Organic and eco-friendly toys are all the rage for babies,” says Amy Fierstein, vice president at The Cradle.com, a lifestyle destination for expectant and new parents. Our suggestions: Earlyears Puppetivity Pal Interactive Activity Puppet (International Playthings); My First Taggies Puzzle lets you lift the circle to see a bee, find the bear under the square, and discover a mouse under the triangle (Taggies, $30); Bloomers Baby Diaper Cake, a three-tier tower with silk flowers ($68, or make one similar yourself).

Toddlers 1 to 3 Years Where they’re at: Not only are they walking now, but these little ones can twist and turn objects they grab. What they like: blocks, shape sorters, big wooden puzzles, trucks and large crayons. This is also when imagination develops. “Preschoolers love pretend play,” Bernstein says. Great examples include toy kitchen sets, telephones, dolls and dress-up clothes. Our suggestions: The Belinda Iris doll laughs and cries, and her eyes blink. ($25, The Goldberger Company); Munchkin Sea & Learn Bath Shapes are made from foam and stick to the tub wall ($7.29, Munchkin); Lamaze Birdhouse Xylophone comes with a bird-shaped mallet ($20). A big trend is also anything related to dinosaurs and bilingual toys, since kids in this age group are beginning to talk. For a gift parents will love, check out FlattenMe’s books. Send in your child’s photo, and they will make him the star in their next book.