New Mexico Kids!
Holiday Gift Guide By KAY SNYDER Mery the Cherry Teether (birth and older) These days you can get a teether just about anywhere, but you can’t always find teethers like these by Oli & Carol – handmade in Morocco from all natural rubber and handpainted with natural pigments. They are also shaped like fruit so babies can practice “eating” healthy food while they gnaw on something cute. $14.99 at Toyopolis in Santa Fe.
Indestructibles Baby Books (birth and older) Perfect for tossing into a diaper bag for on-the-go baby entertaining, Indestructibles books are, as the name suggests, indestructible. These colorful books are rip proof and chew proof. They also can be washed, even in the dishwasher. Many different titles are available, making them great stocking stuffers. $5.95 at Toyopolis in Santa Fe. DimplStacks (6 months and older) Fat Brain Toys does it again. Not only are DimplStacks perfect for stacking (which helps build baby’s coordination and reasoning skills), they are also great for pushing and popping because these stacking toys are made from soft silicone bubbles, each with a uniquely textured pattern on top. Made from 100 percent non-toxic food-grade silicone. $20.99 at Toyopolis in Santa Fe. Spin Again (12 months and older) Spin Again uses forces of gravity to entertain toddlers (and adults too for that matter!). As baby places one of the five colorful disks on the threaded corkscrew column, they can then watch as it twirls all the way down to the reversible base. Disks come in different shapes and colors to make this even more fun – and educational – for toddlers. $29.99 at Toyopolis in Santa Fe.
Hape Tito Pull-Along (12 months and older) With his liquid-filled “shell,” Tito the turtle is ready to be pulled along by a little one who’s just learning how to walk. As he is pulled, his shell rolls, helping toddlers learn cause and effect by watching the green liquid that travels from one part of Tito’s shell to another. Made of high-quality wood. $23 at the Santa Fe Children’s Museum. Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog Fidget Friend (18 months and older) Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog Fidget Friend by Learning Resources gives tiny hands fun things to twist, turn, push and spin. This toy helps children build hand strength and fine motor skills. And who can resist that cute hedgehog face? $13.99 at learningresources.com. Animal Puzzle and Playset (2 and older) This toy by Begin Again is a puzzle and a playset in one. For each letter of the alphabet, there is an animalshaped puzzle piece. Kids can fit all the pieces together in one fun twisty puzzle or use their imagination by playing with the animals separately. $38 at the International Folk Art Museum in Santa Fe. A smaller dog family version also is available for $15. Uncle Goose Elemental Blocks (2 and older) Instead of the traditional ABC blocks, why not introduce little ones early to the periodic table of the elements? These colorful blocks by Uncle Goose each contain the atomic number, symbol and name for six different elements. They are handmade from sustainable basswood and printed with non-toxic inks. $38 at the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History in Albuquerque. continued on page 10
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New Mexico Kids!
November/December 2021
