I have already started reviewing products that I thought would make great presents for Christmas.  However, from here on out, I am going to title them Countdown To Christmas.  These will be must have ideas for Christmas presents.  I am hoping to find things that your kids will love, things that you will love, and things that the person you never know what to get will love!

If you are a PR firm reading this, send me your pitch.  I can’t guarantee I’ll list it.  However, if you send a sample, you will more likely get listed since my kids and I will be able to try out your product.  If you are one of my wonderful readers, let me know if you have any cool things I should review.  I am always looking for ideas, and I have no idea what we are getting the kids for Christmas!

Teddy Bear’s Fun to Learn First 1000 Words is book that is great for all little ones. My 4 year old enjoys it just as much as my 1 year old. Granted, you won’t find las vegas hotels in here. However, there is pretty much everything else. Each page in the book has a theme (like the beach). It lists the theme and a ton of items to go with it (for example, the beach pages show things like sunscreen, water wings, sailboat, beachball, etc). There is also a picture in the center of the page with all the miscellaneous items.  There is also a short poem asking you questions about the theme.  Will (my one year old) just likes to look at everything and go “ohhhh”.  Madison (my 4 year old) enjoys looking at the pictures and telling us what each thing is.  She likes to answer the questions for us too.  My only complaint is that the pages are paper which are a little to easy for Will to rip.

This book is great because your little ones can use it as they grow older.  I would definitely purchase it a birthday, baby shower, and/or Christmas gift.  The little ones who you are getting for will get a lot of use out of it!

Often when we are in the doctor’s office, we see Highlights.  For many of your who are in my age range, we all pretty much remember Highlights.  It is one of the few magazines that is for children and is educational.  My only issue with Highlights is that it is for old kids, and I have younger ones.  When I found out that Highlights now makes High Five, I was estatic.  High Five is for preschool age children, and it is a huge hit in my house.  When Madison’s magazine comes, she literally will spend an hour flipping through it herself on the chair.  That is even before we sit down together to do some of the activities!  I love that it is right at her level.  You aren’t going to find a small business for sale or a crossword puzzle. Instead, there are stories and activities that you can do with with your children.  In my latest issue, we learned how to make bathtub crayons and chocolate covered bananas.

If you are needing a gift for a preschool age child or have on yourself, make sure you subscribe to High Five.  It is the only magazine I have seen on the market for that age group, and you know it is quality since it is made by Highlights!

365 Days of Baby Einstein is one of the books that is such a great deal that you cannot pass it up. This book teaches your children about art, language, poetry, math, and science. The illustrations and pictures in here are awesome and engage your child. There are read aloud rhymes, interactive questions, and poems that encourage your children and you to have a conversation about what is going on on that page. The pages of this book are paper, so you do have to be careful. There are things in this book that both Madison (my 4 year old) and Will (my 1 year old) can do and be entertained by. Each section of the book is color coded, so if you want to work on certain skill like language development, you can easily find it. They even have pages where you can learn how to say words like dog and cat in other languages (my husband has been looking for some golf bags translations in there but we have yet to find any. LOL)  This is a book that can easily be given as either a baby shower gift or a birthday present, and you won’t break the bank either.

Sometimes you come across a product that you know another mother had to have designed. The Bathtub Assistant is one of these products. Designed by a mother whose son hit the faucet in the tub when he slipped out of her hands (and ended up with a black eye), it allows you to support yourself without having to lean against the tub.

First, the thing I love the most about this product is that it keeps mommy dry.  Nothing is more frustrating to me than having to change my clothes after giving my kids a bath because I leaned up against the side of the tub that happened to be all wet (and this ends up happening more times than not).  Instead, you are leaning against a cushion that is actually quite comfortable.  Second, I was able to put this together all by myself with a little help from the directions.  I personally hate products that require me to be brain surgeon to figure out.  These aren’t those type of directions.  Third, it is adustable for short people like me!  I was able to use it and so was my husband (who is a foot taller than me!)  Lastly, The Bathtub Assistant fold up, so when not in use, it doesn’t take up much space at all.  Also, it makes it super easy to travel with too!

If you are looking for a prodcut to make your life easier if you have little ones, then this is it.  It also would make a great baby shower gift or baby gift for the new moms in your life!