parents

Parents Ready, Set, Go!
$17.79
My grandson loves these. It's his second set. They are very sturdy, unless an English bulldog sneaks off with them.

Bee Bob Band, Red
$19.99
We have purchased this set many times as gifts. It is durable and kids seem to gravitate the instruments. My son loves it and has played with it for years - and he is only 4.

Red Carpet Double Feature: Fear/Parents
$14.98
My stars are for "Parents," as "Fear" is poorly written, poorly acted, and a complete waste of time. "Parents," on the other hand, is an overlooked gem of a movie. It's quirky, kooky, and unpredictable. The movie appears to be mainly from the child's point of view, and he's a weird, spooked sort of kid, so we wonder if the slightly creepy vibe we are getting about his parents are just his own feelings (as most kids feel their parents are weird) or if they really are different from the rest of the "normal" world. The movie features some interesting cinematography and plays on the legendary status of the 50's as a time of wholesomeness and order. I have been waiting for YEARS for this movie to come available on DVD and was so excited to see it finally made it! Even better, "Parents" was as good as I remembered.

The only downside to this DVD is the sound isn't too good, and the lead child tends to mumble...and there are no subtitles to help out.

The unexpected bonus to this DVD is that it is WIDESCREEN, not full-screen as stated on the box and descriptions. And it is anamorphic to boot.

Parents Pop Beads Snap
$16.49
It's such a great toy to explore a child's creativity. One day the pegs are jewelry pieces for a store they are setting up in the playroom. Next day, they have pieced them together to be people who are playing in the dollhouse. Another day, they are currency with the larger pieces worth more than the others. They like to put them into piles, line them up by shape or color or just group them while discussing from one minute to the next what they plan to do with them. Each child has played individually with them and they play together as well. It's as interesting for the four-year-old as it is for my eight-year-old. It's what they do with them that's different. I love it. Any toy that allows a child to imagine with it and make it their own inventive idea each day is a winner in my book. After buying one for each child, I ordered four more for gifts.