Explore and Grow Tumble 'N Twirl Ages: 6 months and up No assembly or batteries required

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: The Good: Helps your infant improve gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination. The Challenging: Hollow plastic could result in breaking if dropped or thrown repeatedly. In a Nutshell: Colorful balls swirl and pop in the spinner, or onto the ground for chasing.

You never know where the balls may land when the door's open!View larger.

The balls are small enough for most six-month-old infants to hold in their hands, but plenty large enough not to be a choking hazard. Though the ball-twirler is made of a durable, sturdy plastic, keep in mind that it can still break with repeated dropping. Also be careful of runaway balls, since you never know where they may land once they come popping out of the spinner.

Toy That Grows Along Side Child
The Tumble 'N Twirl has a variety of activities for different developmental levels. For younger infants, the combination of bright colors and the kinetic movement of the balls will be plenty to keep them occupied. The spinner also helps your infant with eye-and-hand coordination, and it helps improve their gross motor skills.

The silly, smiling faces and vibrant, bright colors make this toy visually appealing, even to adults. It may become a little too simple for older infants, but for the younger one's still trying to figure everything out--it's one fun-filled, ball-spinning top.

What's in the Box
Ball spinner and four plastic balls.

Ride & Learn Giraffe Bike Ages: 18 to 36 months Requires: screwdriver for assembly 3 'AA' batteries (short-life demo batteries included; rechargeable batteries not recommended)

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: Novelty factor: The Good: Aids early motor development, teaches the ABCs and counting. The Challenging: Continuous stream of images and sounds does not always correspond to child's movements. In a Nutshell: Stationary bike helps kids learn while they exercise.

This interactive stationary bike will teach toddlers their ABCs and numbers as they peddle. View larger.

Bike assembly is easy for adults and takes no more than a few minutes, with parts that click neatly into place. Parents should take note that once the bike is assembled, it cannot be disassembled. The bike's overall design emphasizes safety and stability, with easy-to-use pedals that are well-suited to toddlers. A wide stable base restricts side-to-side movement and ensures that the bike won't tip over.

The hard plastic seat is adjustable to two different height positions, catering to a toddler's rapid physical growth. Though the seat is designed to bounce, it shouldn't give more than half an inch or so. Most children will be drawn to the variety of knobs and buttons around the LCD display, as well as the moving images, which change in response to additional pedaling.

As an added bonus, the bike will automatically power down after several minutes of disuse, saving battery life and keeping the house quiet.

The More You Pedal, The More You Learn
Five different activities await your child. In ABC mode, letters of the alphabet will appear in succession on the LCD screen. Each time the pedaling stops, the letter freezes, and an object beginning with that letter appears on the screen. In moments of inactivity, the Alphabet Song begins and letters move across the screen.

In Animal mode, children will be asked to identify a specific animal. The idea is to keep pedaling until that animal appears. In Counting mode, children will see more numbers the more they pedal.

Curious children will love pushing buttons and turning knobs alongside the LCD display. Changing activities is easy, though the continuous stream of images and sounds makes it difficult to associate each button with its respective function. Parents may want to assist in selecting from the five different activities. Either way, an active child will have little trouble finding new things to learn about.

What's in the Box
Ride and Learn Giraffe bike, user's manual with assembly instructions. (Short-life demo batteries included.)

The bike features a number of cheerful, educational matching activities.

Fly with Elmo Ride-On Ages:1 - 3 years Requires: 3 "AA" batteries (included) Adult supervision for battery replacement Weight limit: 65 lbs.

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: Novelty factor: The Good: Kids can ride or simply press buttons for sound effects and a spinning propeller. The Challenging: Younger children should be supervised while riding. In a Nutshell: Kids will love co-piloting this colorful plane with the help of talking Elmo.

Children will love riding around on this interactive plane with Elmo at the helm. View larger.

A steering wheel allows kids to "fly" the plane, or press interactive buttons that play music and sound effects. View larger.

The Ride-On has a maximum weight capacity of 65 pounds, and as with all toys designed for young children, adult supervision is recommended for safe play. With a plastic seat that is only eight inches from the ground, the ride is stable, but leaning too far over the front wheel could cause a child to fall forward. The Ride-On comes with three "AA" batteries installed, but adult supervision is a must for assembly and battery replacement.

Turn the Ignition and Watch the Propeller Spin
With its many colorful buttons, knobs, and pictures, the Ride-On is a versatile toy, even for children who aren't yet old enough to ride it. Smaller kids will enjoy simply turning the ignition and watching the propellers spin as they push the plane around the room. Twin propellers on the plane's wings make cool ratcheting sounds when turned.

Kids will be happy to find some of their favorite Sesame Street characters in the windows on either side of the plane and on the steering wheel's push-buttons. Two green buttons on the steering wheel activate songs, and the Elmo button gets Elmo talking.

Kids Help Tidy Up with Under-seat Storage
After play time is done, parents can teach kids to tidy up and stow their smaller toys in the Ride-On's under-seat storage cubby.,The plane's wings fold up making it more compact and easier to store. Another adult-friendly feature is the adjustable volume control, which is located beneath the plane where most kids won't find it.

What's in the Box
Tek Nek Fly with Elmo.

Explore and Grow Busy Ball Popper Ages: 9 months and up Requires: 4 "D" batteries (not included) Phillips screwdriver Adult assembly

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: The Good: An exciting sensorial, put-and-take toy for your infant/toddler. The Challenging: Could be damaged if dropped or thrown repeatedly. In a Nutshell: A colorful toy that pops balls into the air or onto the ground for chasing.

Watch the fan pop the colorful balls into the air! View larger.

The popper is made to withstand the rigors of your infant's play and can be easily cleaned with a damp towel. The plastic balls are large enough that you will not have to worry about them as choking hazards, but when your child is popping the balls, make sure to keep an eye out for balls as they can go off of the track occasionally. The popper also includes eight lively songs that start once you have pumped down the plunger to activate the ball-popping fan.

Keep in mind that although the Busy Ball Popper is made out of a strong, durable plastic, it is fairly heavy and should be kept on a flat surface while being played to avoid any damage to your furniture. The toy also shuts itself off after a short period of time, but it is recommended to always turn it off manually for battery conservation.

Great Sensorial, Put-and-take Work For Your Child
This ball popper is a great toy for infants gaining gross motor skills, or for toddlers who are ready to chase the balls around the house and dance to the upbeat music. It is visually appealing with its bright, colorful balls and characters, and you never know where the balls may land, making it an exciting and new adventure each time.

What's in the Box
Ball popper base, plastic ball tray and lower trough, and five plastic balls. (Batteries are not included.)

A world of jumping fun for your little one! Rewards baby’s jumping with music, sounds and lights!

Spinning seat lets baby easily explore all activities all around!

Height adjusts as baby grows! Just switch on when baby is ready to play. Volume control too!

A Variety of Features Encourage Developing Motor Skills
As your baby stands upright in the Jumperoo with his weight supported, he prepares his muscles for walking. At the same time, as he moves around to look at or play with the different toys, he enhances his large motor skills. As your baby feels more comfortable, he can start bouncing and jumping--actions that strengthen his legs and build confidence. Additionally, the toys offer a variety of textures to provide tactile stimulation and encourage healthy sensory development. There's also an electronic play area at the front of the Jumperoo that can be activated by your baby--teaching him the relationship between cause and effect.

Bright and colorful toys like a plush banana and parrot are perfect targets for batting, while a cheery lion and a spinning color wheel stimulate your baby's visual and auditory senses. As your baby reaches and grasps, she improves her hand-eye coordination and enjoys the pleasure of physical movement.

Designed to Keep Your Baby Active, Engaged, and Comfortable
The Jumperoo encourages long-term, comfortable play. The seat is suspended by three springs that allow children to hop up and down. The springs also provide limited travel from left to right and front to back. The Jumperoo's seat is easily height-adjustable by means of three position straps, so it truly grows with your baby. And to help keep your baby engaged, a motion sensor encourages him to explore and play by rewarding him with an explosion of lights and sounds whenever he jumps.

Safety, Portability, and Compact Size Give Parents Peace of Mind
Besides being great fun for your baby, the Jumperoo includes many perks to make parents happy too. First, its safe design keeps your baby secure, even as she moves around, providing a great alternative to walkers. Additionally, the Jumperoo requires no doorway; simply set it up anywhere you choose and take it with you from room to room as you clean, cook, or relax. Finally, the storage tubes simply pop off the base, so you won't have to worry about this toy cluttering up your home.

Safety and Development Information
The Jumperoo can safely hold children weighing up to 25 pounds or measuring up to 32 inches. It's designed only for children who are able to hold their heads up unassisted and who are not able to climb out of the seat or walk.

The Jumperoo requires three "AA" batteries (not included).

About Fisher-Price: Over 75 Years of Delighting Children with Fun, Safe Toys
A subsidiary of Mattel, Inc., Fisher-Price manufactures a range of fun, educational, and developmentally appropriate toys for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Founded in 1930 by Herman Fisher, Irving Price, Margaret Evans Price, and Helen Schelle, Fisher-Price has created approximately 5,000 different toys. Now headquartered in East Aurora New York, Fisher-Price's guiding principles haven't changed. The company still focuses on each toy's intrinsic play value, innovation, and safe and sturdy construction. Some of Fisher-Price's top-selling lines include the Little People toys, Power Wheels, and the Chatter Telephone, as well as an assortment of Disney, Sesame Street, and Barney toys marketed under the company name. Fisher-Price also designs and sells infant care products and electronic toys for preschoolers.

Zippity Learning System Ages: 3 to 5 years Requires: 8 "C" batteries Phillips screwdriver for battery installation Television with standard video/audio input

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: Novelty factor: The Good: Video game features calibrating levels that customize to preschoolers' ability The Challenging: Younger preschoolers may find games challenging but will grow into them In a Nutshell: Video game system gets preschoolers jumping and dancing while making learning fun

Featuring Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, this interactive video game system plugs directly into your TV. View larger.

With 8 different games, the Zippity encourages kids to be active and helps develop skills like coordination and memory.View larger.

The main unit, which requires minimal assembly, is essentially an oversized joy stick--so instead of sitting sedately with a game controller in hand, kids play the Zippity game with their whole body and get plenty of gross motor coordination practice. It consists of a large activity mat with different colored sections, and the "bopper," which is a joystick-like pole that requires big arm movements for moving backward, forward, and side to side.

Play and Learn
The Zippity's eight games feature favorite Disney characters in quality, three-dimensional animation. All are designed to introduce preschool-age kids to a wide range of learning skills--not least of which is practicing listening and following directions. The game system starts out with Mickey Mouse teaching your child (and you!) the basics of how to use the controller, and each game is introduced with either a narrator or a character giving instructions.

Listening, memory skills, and coordination skills are also developed in several games, such as "Darby's Honey Pot Jam," "Goofy's Fancy Dancing," and "June's Twist n'Twirl." These games ask the child to do certain "moves" in a short sequence to create a dance, for example, to step on the green section of the mat or to push the bopper in a certain direction.

The Zippity introduces plenty of other learning skills through the eight fun games, including color recognition, letter and number recognition, and even introduction to classical composers and world cultures. In games featuring Handy Manny, kids get a little introduction to Spanish vocabulary; and in "Super Sleuths on the Case," kids put their problem solving skills to use by helping Winnie the Pooh collect clues to answer questions.

The "Learning Path" in the system's onscreen main menu provides a bit more information about the learning skills the Zippity introduces to your child. Leap Frog also has a more robust online Learning Path Web site, which is touted as a complement to all of its products, including the Zippity. We found, however, that the Learning Path Web site is better suited to use with Leap Frog's other Internet-connectable toys and doesn't augment the Zippity experience in a substantial way.

Different Learning Levels Customize to Child's Ability
Each game features two levels of difficulty, and at each level the game calibrates itself to the child's level of advancement, so the games can grow with your child. We found that our three-year-old toy tester is just old enough to start using this toy. She required an adult to reinforce the directions given by the game--more practice would make the process easier, and older children would also be able to catch on more quickly.

Be warned: although the picture on the box shows a child energetically leaping on the interactive mat, the pace of the games is much slower, especially at Level 1. But the slower pace and the level of challenge doesn't make them any less enjoyable. Although our toy tester found the games challenging, she had a lot of fun trying-- and she would only get better with practice. And once the included games are mastered, other game cartridges are available for separate purchase.

What's in the Box
Zippity main unit with "bopper" and interactive mat; console with attached AV cable

About the five toys included: Goo Goo Goldfish: This orange and yellow polka dotted fish has a clear, plastic tube that connects the head to the tail. Colorful beads rattle inside the tube when shaken and teach baby cause and effect. The fish’s "fin" offers baby something interesting to mouth on when teething.

Hello Baby Phone Rattle: This rattle phone features nubby textures, soft noises, and bright colors to stimulate baby’s senses. Its miniature design is the perfect size for tiny hands to hold onto.

Circle Rattle: This thin ring (perfect for little hands) of bright patterns, soft sounds, and chewy textures provides baby with visual, auditory, and tactile stimulation.

Smiley Space Face: Meant to capture baby’s imagination, this toy has eyes that move, a nose that beeps, and beads that rattle. A mirror on the back helps develop self-awareness and interaction. (Babies react to faces by the age of 2 to 3 months, so the bright yellow Smiley face plus baby’s own reflection will interest even young ones.)

Teething Wing Butterfly: This happy butterfly has one textured, open wing (making it easy for baby to hold) and one water-filled wing—both perfect for mouthing. Exploration with the mouth helps exercise lips and tongue for sound and speech development. The Wing Butterfly can be placed in the refrigerator if baby prefers a cool teether when cutting new teeth.

Ultimate Family Wagon Ages: 18 months+

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: Novelty factor: The Good: Safety belts, five possible seating configurations, and cup holders for both kids and adults. The Challenging: Restless children might be able to escape from the lap safety belts, and the wagon could be too big to fit in compact cars. In a Nutshell: A roomy luxury wagon that protects against sun and rain, and offers lots of storage.

Pack up the cargo space for longer journeys. View larger.

Seatbelts ensure that every ride is a safe ride. View larger.

Assembly is fairly easy, although the instructions don't feature much text, mainly illustrations. We wished, too, that the children's cup holders were placed somewhere other than at their feet, where little cups could easily get knocked over. Still, your kids will enjoy riding in this big, comfortable, and versatile wagon, which also features a fold-over handle for easier storage.

Safety Features Make It a Standout
The roominess and safety features of the Ultimate Family Wagon really make it a standout. Though built to accommodate two passengers, a child who rides solo in this red and white wagon gets plenty of extra room, and can also use the activity surface for coloring or playing. Parents will enjoy the extra storage in the back. The sun canopy is another fine feature.

Seat belts, too, are an excellent innovation, although children might be able to get free of the simple lap belt if they are too restless. The sturdy rubber tires roll smoothly, and thanks to the front axle with no-tip turning, give kids a safe ride. This premier wagon can be difficult to maneuver in small spaces, but if comfort and roominess are top priorities for you, the Ulimate Family Wagon is an ideal choice.

What's in the Box
Wagon with two kid cup holders and two adult cup holders; two child seat belts; 4 wheels and parts for assembling wheels; sun canopy with storage bag; and instructions.

Even infants can enjoy riding in the Ultimate Family Wagon. View larger.	A collapsible surface can be folded out to provide a table for activities. View larger.	The spacious cargo area can accommodate lots of luggage -- plus a kid! View larger.