The Best Baby Christmas Gifts:
Announcing the 2009 Toy Award Winners

These toys have been tested and re-tested for durability, educational encouragement, and (best of all) fun.

Each toy has been hyperlinked so you can quickly find the best deal online. Look for those toys that have won multiple awards for double the learning power.

The 2009 Award-Winning Baby Toys From...

Here are the top award-granting organizations that publish "Best of" lists for baby toys. I've researched all these companies and share all their favorites here.

• The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio
  The Platinum Award is given to toys that represent the most innovative, engaging new products of the year.
  

  The Gold Seal Award is given to outstanding new products that enhance the lives of children.
  

  SNAP (Special Needs Adaptable Product) Award is given to to products that can be used by or easily adapted for children with special needs

  To peek at the award-winning toys of last year, click here.

  To get simple ideas on how to make your baby's first Christmas memorable and special, click here.

• Dr. Toy Best Products
• Parent's Choice Awards
  Offer designations and awards from Gold, Silver, and Recommended products for babies.

• Parenting Magazine
• National Parenting Council Seal of Approval
• iParenting Media Award
• Parents Magazine

For the Organic Baby Dandelion Shape Sorter

For the Techno Baby vTech Skippy the Smart Pup

For the Fussy Baby Polar Cuddle Cub with Soothing Sounds and Vibrations

For the Genius Baby P'kolino Puzzle Stacker

For the Active Baby Bright Starts Baby Playplace

Baby Christmas Gifts:
$60 and Up

Bright Starts Baby's Playplace

It comes with 7 different toys, and plays 8 melodies and nature sounds for 25 minutes. An extra large mirror, water-filled teether, rattles, and other toys make this award-winning toy a good investment into the coming year.

• Award Won: Dr. Toy's Best Products
• Favorite Features: machine washable play mat, easy storage for trips, adjustable toy bars to encourage reaching and crawling, extra links to add other favorite baby toys that you have at home.
• Age Appropriate: Newborn and up
• Best Price: The best online price ($62.50) is at... Amazon.com

Your Baby Can Read Deluxe Kit

They also give you 3 free gifts: a CD of sing-a-long songs, "My First Words" window book, and the Early Learning Workshop DVD hosted by Your Baby Can Read founder, Dr. Titzer.

• Award Won: Dr. Toy's Best Products for 2009.
• Favorite Features: interactive and multi-sensory approach to introducing your baby to reading, a complete kit that includes everything but the kitchen sink, the option of other programs to teach your baby to reading in Spanish, French, Italian, and German.
• Age Appropriate: 6 months and up
• Best Price: Order through the Your Baby Can Read website and choose between a $14.95 trial with 3 payments of $66.65 after that, or purchase the entire kit for $199.95 and save the $14.95 trial fee. (Guaranteed or your money back.)

Baby Christmas Gifts:
$30 - $59

Tiny Love Princess Mobile

This mobile is a step above the old-fashioned string-and-toy mobiles of yesteryear. As the little toys turn, they spin so they are constantly looking down, into your baby's face. The attached music box plays Chopin, Mozart, Bach, and Debussy as well as a "nature" button with birds.

A remote control allows you to turn it off and on without your baby seeing you. (Personal Note: I love these mobiles and plan on getting my newborn this version for Christmas this year!)

Have a boy? The Classic Developmental Mobile was also given an Oppenheim Platinum award this year. See the list below for the link.

• Award Won: Oppenheim Toy Portfolio - Platinum Winner
• Favorite Features: Classical music soothes and educates (every bit helps, right?), engaging moving characters keep your baby's attention during "crib playtime", remote control is heavenly.
• Age Appropriate: Newborn - 5 months (for mobile), Newborn + (for music box)
• Best Price: The best online price ($49.89) is found at... Kazoo Toys.
  Get an additional $10 off your $50 purchase with checkout code 10502009 or get $25 off your $100 purchase with checkout code 251002009.

Other Award Winners for $30 - $59

Tiny Love Classic Developmental Mobile Newborn - 5 months Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award See this Toy	Stack 'n Surprise Block Songs 'n Smiles Sillytown 9 months and up Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Winner Oppenheim Toy Portfolio SNAP Winner See this Toy	Dandelion Shape Sorter Organic Toy Newborn and up Dr. Toy Award Winner iParenting Media Award See this Toy	Zoobies Bubba the Black Bear Both stuffed animal and blanket Newborn and up Dr. Toy Award Winner See this Toy
Tony Tractor Pushing Vehicle Wooden Toy 6 months and up Parents Choice Award - Approved See this Toy	P'kolino Puzzle Stacker Wooden Toy 12 months and up iParenting Media Award See this Toy	Shape Fit Eebee 6 months and up Parents Magazine Winner See this Toy	Knit Fruit Rattles by Yellow Label Kids Newborn and up Parents Magazine Winner See this Toy
The Magic Blocks Farm 9 months and up Parents Magazine Winner See this Toy	Buzz Buzz Mobile Newborn - 5 months Parents Magazine Winner See this Toy	Dandelion Stacker Organic Toy 6 months and up Parents Magazine Winner See this Toy	Baby Einstein Stack and Discover Blocks 6 months and up Parenting Magazine Winner See this Toy

Baby Christmas Gifts:
$20 - $29

Infantino LoopaPalooza

It's wonderful on all the senses. Babies can touch the different textures, hear the crinkle petals, see themselves in the mirror, slobber all over the teething rings, and smell...well...perhaps smelling is best left undone.

• Award Won: Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Gold Seal
• Favorite Features: The wide variety of textures and patterns available for exploration. Ribbons, a mirror, pretty much everything a baby could want in a rattle.
• Age Appropriate: Newborn and up
• Best Price: The best online price ($20.22) is at... Buy.com

Other Award Winners for $20 - $29

Ducky Duck Pulling Toy Wooden Toy 12 months and up Parent's Choice Award Approved See this Toy	Stack 'n Surprise Blocks Peek-a-Boo Choo Choo 9 months and up Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Platinum See this Toy	Fishing for Taggies 6 months and up Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Gold Seal See this Toy	Dozy Dolphin On the Go Cloud b Newborn and up Dr. Toy Best Product See this Toy
Gentle Giraffe On the Go Cloud b Newborn and up Dr. Toy Best Product iParenting Media Award See this Toy	Stack 'n Stream Tub Fountain 12 months and up Parent's Choice Award Approved See this Toy	Lil' Shopper Play Set 6 months and up Parent's Choice Award Approved See this Toy	Pop Up Activity Set Newborn and up Parent's Choice Award Approved iParenting Media Award See this Toy
Learn With Me Bear Newborn and up iParenting Media Award See this Toy	Polar Cuddle Cub Newborn and up iParenting Media Award See this Toy	vTech Skippy the Smart Pup 12 months and up iParenting Media Award See this Toy	Twilight Turtle Newborn and Up iParenting Media Award See this Toy

Baby Christmas Gifts:
$10 - $19

First Snaps and First Pops

A definite brain-booster, this toy is original and an excellent way for your baby to play and learn at the same time.

• Award Won: Parent's Choice Award, Silver
• Award Won: Parenting Magazine Award
• Award Won: iParenting Media Award
• Favorite Features: Moms can make up matching games for increasing sorting skills, linking the toys together builds dexterity and builds up gross motor skills.
• Age Appropriate: 6 months and up
• Best Price: The best online price ($14.89) for the First Pops is at... Kazoo Toys
• Best Price: The best online price ($14.89) for the First Snaps is at... Kazoo Toys

Other Award Winners for $10 - $19

Bababall Newborn and up Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Platinum See this Toy

Infantino Spiral Spin Top 6 months and up Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Platinum See this Toy

Pull-Along Caterpillar Wooden Toy 12 months and up iParenting Media Award See this Toy

Zoobies Tama the Turtle Newborn and up Dr. Toy Best Products See this Toy

Baby Christmas Gifts:
Under $10

Funky Farmyards See Me Cow Mirror

Teach your baby to match his nose in the mirror with the cow's nose and he will see a cow-baby looking back!

• Award Won: Parenting Magazine Best Toy
• Favorite Features: First your baby's amazement at her own face, then her giggles when she learns to match her nose with the cow's nose.
• Age Appropriate: Newborn and up
• Best Price: The best online price ($8.99) is at... Amazon.com

Other Award Winners for Under $10

Sassy Illumination Station for High Chairs 6 months and up Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Platinum Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, SNAP Award National Parenting Council Seal of Approval See this Toy	Infantino Jittery Jungle Pals Newborn and up Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Gold Seal See this Toy	Sassy Grasp and Glow Newborn and up Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Gold Seal Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, SNAP Award See this Toy	Sassy Ring and Phone Rattle Newborn and up Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Gold Seal Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, SNAP Award See this Toy
Jemima Puddleduck Rattle Newborn and up Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Gold Seal See this Toy	Eric Carle Ring Rattle Newborn and up Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Gold Seal See this Toy	Eric Carle Teether Rattle Newborn and up Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Gold Seal See this Toy	Munchkin Wet Wheels 6 months and up iParenting Media Award See this Toy

These baby Christmas gifts have all won numerous awards for innovation and have been tested by mothers and other educational experts. They are the creme de la creme of the infant toy world!

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