With Madison only being 5, it’s hard sometimes to get her to understand about money. At this point, she only understands that there is rectangle money and circle money. That being said they do have a treasure chest at school where you can donate money to (which, in turn, gets donated to the church. For those of you who don’t know, Madison attends a Catholic School).  That is the beauty with this bank.  The kids can actually see where they money is going towards.  I love that each chamber actually can be emptied out through a different foot (would that be a hoof on a pig?).  No worries about mixing the money.  There are goal setting stickers that you put on the bank.  For example, for invest, you could put the graduation cap, because you are going to use that to save for school.  You can also draw your own ideas of what your goals are on the blank stickers.  There is also a great booklet included with ways to talk to your kids about money.

The Money Savvy Pig is a great way to start teaching your kids about money.

Madison loves her I Dog Plush Puppy. Not only is it a cuddly stuffed animal, but it’s a speaker for your I-pod! All you have to do is plug it into your I-pod or MP3. No batteries required!  My kids love it because it is just so darn cute!  It is for ages 6 and up and is available in variety of colors.  This is great for the kids who has everything!

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As many of you know, I do not want a real animal in my house.  We have fish, and that’s enough for me for pets.  However, my kids love pets and Zhu Zhu Pets fit that bill.  It’s a win/win situation for both me and the kids.  I can honestly say that I think the Zhu Zhu Pets hamster and accessories are going to be one of the hottest items this Christmas.

I love this hamster, because besides the batteries, I don’t have to anything.  They don’t stink, they don’t have to be fed, and they don’t die (Not that I am too worried that Will would squeeze the life out of hamster but you never know).  They run around just as much as real hamster and act like one too (when you pick them up and pet their nose, they squeak at you.  They actually have around 40 different sounds they make.)  There are 5 different hamsters to pick from, so you can get one that fits your kids the best. There are a ton of accessories that you can get like the funhouse, wheel and tunnel, mobile and garage, spiral slide and ramp, adventure ball, surfboard and sleep dome, skateboard and U-turn, pet bed and blanket, and pet carrier and blanket.

You should be able to find these at Walmart, Toys R Us, and Target though I’ve heard that they are somewhat hard to find. This is definitely the must get gift this year, so make sure you get your hands on one of these Zhu Zhu Pets!

For the toddler who wants a pet, the DinoRoars Hatchlings are the perfect gift.  These dinosaurs respond to touch.  They move their heads and make prehistoric sounds.  They even come with a sheet of fun facts!  They require 3 triple A batteries and come in several varieties including triceratops (which is the one we have), T-Rex, Pterodactyl, and Stegosaurus.

Will, my 2 year old, adores this.  He thinks it is the coolest thing ever that it responds to him.  As soon as it starts moving, he starts giggling.  He then runs to go pet it again to get it to respond.  It’s actually quite cute and funny to watch.

I can highly recommend this.  My kids are loving it, and they love that is responds to them.  It’s cute and soft, and even though Will has dropped it several times trying to carry it around, it still works!  This would definitely make a great Christmas present.

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Another blast from the past — Mr. Potato Head!  My kids are in love with Mr. Potato Head.  It’s one of the great toys that make you use your imagination yet it’s easy enough for my 2 year old to do.  It’s amazing what kids can do with only 13 pieces.  The other thing I love about Mr. Potato Head is that it is able to store all of its pieces inside itself.  This fall there are two new Mr. Potato Heads coming out:  The Fryer Fighter tater and Captain Potato Chips (okay, I’ll admit I’m giggling as I am typing that).  The Fryer Fighter has its own handy fire extinguisher while the Captain Potato Chips comes with a peg leg, eye patch,and hooked hand.

This is a great gift for children of all ages.  They will have fun for hours and will giggle at the creations that they make.

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