Here is a must-see holiday gift guide moms approved and children tested. These toys are not only fun for kids, but they are also safe, educational and have long lasting play value.

Alex Brands offers toys for babies, toddlers and tweens. Its educational activity kits, science kits, wood construction blocks, art supplies, magic sets, outdoor and nature products will be sure exercise kids’ brain cells and their imagination. There are so much to choose from, such as but not limited to: Arts & Crafts, Building & Construction, Infant & Preschool, Outdoor & Sports, Pretend Play, Science & Learning. For children who love to color and draw, there are various Artist Studio sets to choose from. Even tweens love Alex Brands, thanks to its jewelry, quilt, stitch and spa sets. For children who are curious about science, there are many fun microscopes and telescopes, nature and experiment kits too.

Arckit offers unique, educational building toys that enables all to explore and build their ideas. It brings “real life” building into a child’s room. Arckit is creative, and its free form model building system introduces architecture to children and adults. Kids may refer to it as “Reality Minecraft,” while adults may regard it as “Legos for Grownups.” Adults will love displaying this toy in the home and building it over and over again, thanks to the high quality components, because it’s so beautiful. For those looking for online fun, Arckit has free online access to Arckit Digital components within the SketchUp 3D Warehouse. Go ahead and take a peak , and see how you can build your house and then design it online.

Amy Howard‘s moto is “Rescue, Restore and Redecorate.” Instead of buying gifts, she shows everyone how to find old and unused items around the house and transform them into  great gifts that your friends and family can cherish. It’s something everyone can engage in with kids, and save money at the same time! For example, who knew that an old pillow can be something that even a dog will love. To make your own decorative pillow, follow Amy’s easy to steps here. The Amy Howard at Home collection is available at Ace Hardware, so stop by your Ace to find everything you need to decorate your home this holiday/winter season.

Back to the Roots have a great collection of gift sets for both kids and adults who love food, especially fresh food that they can grow at home. Its Mushroom Farm enables you to grow gourmet, organic mushrooms out of a box in less than two weeks, and is so easy to use. Best of all, the mushrooms grow quickly and taste yummy. There are also garden kits that grow organic herbs at home, such as basil, cilantro, dill and sage. Back to the Roots offers safe, fun and easy to do for everyone, as there is no mess at all, no chemicals and no transplanting.

BISSELL SmartClean Robotic Vacuum is ideal for the tech lovers. This robotic vacuum is great for those who love robots and live in a busy home, where time is of the essence. Parents and grandparents who grew up during the age of The Jetsons dream of having robots going chores for them. Finally, BISSELL came out with technology that does the cleaning for you! The SmartClean Robotic Vacuum comes with high tech features that can be scheduled to clean when you want, set to automatically return to its docking station and it’s smart enough to avoid stairs and anywhere that it can fall off. BISSELL SmartClean Robotic Vacuum’s unique navigation system will help get rid of crumbs under furniture, along edges and in tight corners, kitty litter, and even cat and dog hair from carpets and hardwood floors. This robotic vacuum is fast, very small (13″ x 13″ x 13.4″) and lightweight (5 lbs), that it an fit practically anywhere.

Discovery Kids, owned by Discovery Communications which started The Discovery Channel in the mid ‘80’s, are loved by everyone who appreciate animals, nature and science. It encourages all explore the world outside and inside the home. For times when kids need to stay inside, its website has loads of interesting rare insects and wild animals, as well as science experiments to do with friends and family. Discovery Kids toys are for kids who love science, such as but not limited to: Dino Skull Dig, Extreme Shark Science, Discovery Underwater, Foldable Tent, R/C shark and Clown Fish, Microscopes and Telescopes. Animal Planet have toys that enable kids to explore wild animals, pets and humans too. The Animal Alphabet Playpad is an interactive toy that lets children listen to and learn the animal alphabet. They can explore the alphabet, animal names and animal sounds by touching any button. It’s compact, lightweight, and portable which makes this ideal for on-the-go learning (family road trips). The Animal Atlas Book will take any animal lover to an adventure via its full color maps and graphics that show where on the planet all animals can be found.

Photo courtesy of Discovery Kids & Animal Planet, used with permission

Disney, renowned for movies, shows and songs that make kids discover their feeling and parents shed tears of heartwarming emotions, offers kids magical toys this holiday season. Choose from new characters such as Moana to favorite franchises like Star Wars, the collection will have Disney’s diverse collection of instant classics for all to enjoy. Here’s a teaser of what Disney has in store for the holidays: Classic Moana Doll, Elena of Avalor Scepter with Light and Sounds, Frozen Northern Lights Elsa Doll & Journey to the Lights Book, Royal Castle by Hasbro, Spider Man Web Warriors Ultimate Bridge Battle by LEGO, Marvel’s Legends Series by Hasbro, Hot Diggity Dancing Mickey Feature Plush by Just Play, Lion Guard Training Lair Playset by Just Play, Descendants Neon Lights Ball Feature Dolls & Return of the Isle of the Lost Book, Tsum Tsum Advent Calendar, Cars Flag Finish McQueen by Mattel, Star Wars The Force Awakens 20″ Big Figs Rey Action Figure.

Photo courtesy of Disney, used with permission

Educents is a new technology platform that allows small businesses and manufacturers to sell their educational products online, enabling them to boost sales (some now doing over $1 million). It’s a new seller platform, like Amazon but specific to educational products. This amazing online marketplace is allowing thousands of small businesses and publishers to bring their educational products to the everyone. Plus, Educents has saved educators over $20 million dollars. This holiday, be sure to check out Educents Holiday Gift Collections, which has toys and books for babies, children and tweens. Whether you’re looking for a gift for an artist, builder, games & puzzles for the entire family, home school outdoor play, pretend play, scientist or special needs — there is something for all.

Photo courtesy of Educents, used with permission

KidsConnect GPS Tracker Cell Phone is a great tracking device to keep children safe. It’s an all in one device that allows kids to safely explore their world without the anxiety of losing contact. Unlike other GPS trackers and simple Bluetooth tags, The KidsConnect GPS Tracker Cell Phone allows parents to set custom perimeters (GeoFencing), track three days of location history, voice monitoring, four pre-programmed speed dial numbers, an S.O.S. button for emergencies, parental control of all incoming and outgoing numbers, no texting or Internet, program rich calling and alert features and more. Its intuitive Free App allows parents to monitor everything from their smartphone, tablet or computer. The cell phone for kids is easy to carry, and can be worn multiple ways around the neck on a lanyard, on the wrist or in the child’s backpack or pocket. Service plans are available for as low as $8.33 a month with an annual plan, giving parents total peace of mind.

Photo courtesy of KidsConnect, used with permission

HoverTrax 2.0 by Razor is a new and improved Hovertrax 2.0 self-balancing scooter that was launched recently this fall. This is a hands free, motorized, dual-decked scooter that is easier and safer to step onto, maneuver and get off the board. Hoverboards were hot last year, and many A-listers were seen riding them. Many thought hoverboards were a thing of the past after the industry wide safety recall last year, but Razor is making promise that it’s here to stay. This summer, Razor was the first U.S. brand to receive a UL 2272 safety listing. Now, with the launch of Hovertrax 2.0, they’re not only making safety a priority but also answering consumers’ calls for a better riding experience. Hoverboards have notoriously been extremely difficult to mount, but the Hovertrax 2.0 has been built with exclusive EverBalance™ that auto-levels the board before you even step on, providing an easier mount and smoother ride, every time. Parents can have a peace of mind with the Hovertrax 2.0, because it is a Razor product. This means it is backed by Razor’s proven history of innovation, technology, quality and customer service.

Photo courtesy of Razor, used with permission

Just Play Care Bears Cousins are back with an all new colorful and plush little bears such as the honorable Brave Heart Lion, adorable Cozy Heart Penguin, delightful Bright Heart Raccoon, and the endearing Lotsa Heart Elephant. Kids will be sure to fall in love with these new Care Bears friends. Each cute little bear has a unique symbol around the belly — something that symbolizes the special trait of the bear. These make wonderful gifts for toddlers who are discovering their feelings and building friendships.

Photo courtesy of Just Play, used with permission

Just Play Puppy Surprise & Kitty Surprise bring back the 90’s phenomenon, and are just too adorable and cute! These make perfect gifts for all those who love pets, especially puppies and kittens. They also are wonderful for parents who are not yet sure if having a pet or kitten is right for their child(ren). Seeing how kids interact with the Puppy or Kitty Surprise sets will help parents realize that letting a real little ball of fur come home can be a good thing, because pets help with learning (children enjoy reading to their pets to sleep, just like how mommy and daddy read to them), provide comfort (especially when a child is afraid, angry or sad), promote nurturing (kids treat their pets like their own babies, similar to how parents treat them) and they build family bonds (just imagine the laughter when family and friends see the puppy or kitty chase its tail). Both Puppy Surprise and Kitty Surprise feature a mommy with a surprise number of babies (pups or or kitties) in her litter — three, four or five little ones are hidden inside for kids to hug and love. One puppy or kitten in every litter makes precious, sweet sounds too. New families this fall consist of real dog breeds of Beagles and Dalmatians (some with glittery fur). All pups and kitties have beautiful colors and feel incredibly soft and huggable.

Photo courtesy of Just Play, used with permission

LeapFrog Leap Start help children (preschoolers to first grade) thrive by making it fun for them to learn. This interactive learning system surpises parents too by teaching them fun science facts. The Level 1 is ideal for preschool, as it teaches ABCs, counting, problem solving, shapes, colors, music and more. Level 2 is for pre-k, and teaches reading, writing, early math, communication and social skills. Level 3 introduces kindergarten kids phonics, math, animals, conversation, logic, reasoning and more. Level 4 is for 1st graders and teaches them vocabulary, STEM, problem solving and communication.

Photo courtesy of Leap Frog, used with permission

Little Passports STEM Focused Subscription Kits launched recently this fall, and are great gifts for young, aspiring scientists and engineers. These science themed series of educational subscription boxes for kids brings to life STEM related concepts. Kids can engage in monthly themes such as magnetism, forensics or rockets. Science Expeditions encourages science education at home and inspire them to learn through curiosity and hands on experiments. Children 9 and older will love Little Passports’ popular characters such as Sam and Sofia. Science Expeditions monthly themed packages will include: guide and materials for science experiments; 16 page comic book with a glossary and bonus activities; a new mystery to solve with Sam and Sofia; achievement badges; and access to online videos.

Photo courtesy of Little Passports Science Expeditions, used with permission

Merge Virtual Reality Goggles make great gifts for children 10 years and up. It’s a must-have for sci-fi fans, as it delivers virtual reality using a smartphone! Go ahead and let your imagination go wild — play games, go to outer space, explore the unknown world, or watch a music or sports events right in living room simply by downloading apps. These goggles are perfect for holiday travels too, because they can endure backpacks and fun to share with loved ones on a family road trip (the ride to your in-laws’ may not be so bad after all). These goggles engage with the virtual world by allowing kids to use their hands. Merge Virtual Reality Goggles are soft, lightweight and work with iOS and Android smartphones. Try them with hundreds of mobile VR apps and 360º video available on the App Store, Google Play and YouTube. They’re made with durable foam, so they are very comfortable, fun and easy to clean. It has adjustable lenses that compliments all face sizes and shapes, a controller doc, anti-fog ventilation channels, audio ports, camera access, an optional top strap, and is safe for the whole family to learn, play and explore.

Photo courtesy of Merge, used with permission

Puzzlets by Digital Dream Labs is a new app enabled toy that teaches kids (6 and up) STEAM. It introduces programming skills by allowing children to plan out code for characters in compatible game apps using a Play Tray and 22 unique programming tiles called Puzzlets. It encourages children to think like a programmer in a fun way via a “cognitive foundation” and more than 40 hours of game play. It aligns with Common Core State Standards and International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards. Puzzlets is compatible with various devices (iPad, iPhone, Android tablets and phones), either wirelessly through Bluetooth 4.0 LE or USB.

Photo courtesy of Puzzlets, used with permission

Sakar is highly regarded worldwide for its consumer electronics and accessories that are cutting edge and on trend. Its Music & Karaoke Sing Along Machine is a must-have for all future pop artists and rock stars, as it enables kids to sing along with their favorite characters. It has color flashing LED lights to brighten up any space this holiday season. The front load cd and karaoke player is ideal for playing all your favorite tunes. This awesme karaoke machine can connect to a tv for amazing sound and have cd and can also have lyrics display on the screen. Connect it to a tablet or cd player, and enjoy the children singing to the lyrics of top favorite tunes on the tv screen. It’s really a precious and unforgettable moment when you watch your little ones perform. There are so many characters to choose from for boys and girls: Blaze and the Monster, Disney Frozen, Hello Kitty, Monster High, Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob and even The Voice (for tweens or adults who dream to be the star of The Voice). Sakar also has other fun electronic toys for learning such as Batman walkie talkies, Dora intercom set, Hello Kitty smartwatch and text messenger, My Little Pony password journal, and more.

Shopkins are on all little kids’ wish list and adults too! The adorable little Shoppies and Shopkins characters are just too cute and yummy, and super fun to collect. For those who love to build, then be sure to check out Shopkins Kinstructions sets. Shopkins Kinstructions aren’t just super cute, super tiny collectibles that kids love to collect, but also allow them to build and designed the world of Shopkins with multiple piece construction sets. Kids can stretch their creativity and imagination by creating their very own special Shopkins characters by mixing and matching pieces. Some top favorites this holiday season are:

* Deluxe Set Food Court which completes the world of Shopkins and features a pizza parlor and a sushi restaurant. The set includes popular Shopkins characters such as Candy Apple, Candi Cotton, Suzie Sushi, Little Sipper, Banana Splitty and Pretz-Elle.
* Food Fair Truck is the perfect place for Shopkins characters to play with each other at. It includes a mini table and chairs, and “Mix & Match” figures such as Taco Terrie, Frank Furter, Millie Shake and Ice Cream Dream.
* Mini Packs allow for kids to build their favorite Shopkins sets for the ultimate Shopkins experience. The Shopping Cart, Checkout Lane and Frozen Treat Stand are ideal for standalone play or to add to larger sets to build a whole Shopkins world. All characters are buildable figures for “Mix & Match” buildable fun. The new line comes with the Shopping Cart with Patty Cake and Candy Cookie, the Checkout Lane with Kelly Calculator and Penny Pencil, and the Frozen Treat Stand with Snow Crush and Popsi Cool.

Photo courtesy of Shopkins Kinstructions, used with permission

Smart Letters and Numbers by Marbotic are wooden characters (made of quality wood also used for Montessori tools) that interact with iPad gaming apps to reinforce classroom lessons (math, reading, writing) and making them fun. These toys do not require batteries, wi-fi or even a bluetooth connection to interact with the iPad, which is great for on the go learning fun such as family road trips. Children have choices, as they can play with or without a tablet to create fun games with their own rules. Here’s a quick video about this wooden connected toy, which is a combination of both traditional and tablet touch screen technology. It enables children to manipulate physical objects so they can learn better.

Photo courtesy of Smart Letters & Numbers by Marbotic, used with permission

Space Scooter isn’t like any other traditional scooter. They’re super cool, fast, practical and great for the entire family. They’re available in a junior variety for the young ones, and the standard version for adults. Space Scooter can propel you to your destination at up to 17 MPH. Instead of a traditional kick scooter where you need to push with your feet, simply use the seesaw motion to get you where you’re going , quickly and safely. It has a dual mode silent drive system, and enables one to move up and down in a teeter totter like motion. Space Scooter comes with an anti roll back protection, handbrake, air suspension and hand brake on the rear wheel. It’s so versatile, because it can also work like a traditional scooter and convenient because it’s foldable, perfect for transportation and storage.

Photo courtesy of Space Scooter, used with permission

Target Top Toys for 2016 has every toy all kida can ask for at amazing prices that Target is famous for. It’s the best of the best toys from Target’s vast toys collection. It’s for small kids, big kids and grown ups who just don’t want to grow up. There’s so much to choose from, such as but not limited to: Crayola Trolls True Colors, DC Super Her Girls Wonder Woman Invisible Set, Fisher Price Think & Learn Code a Pillar, FurReal Friends Torch My Blazin’ Dragon, Hatchimals, Love2Learn Elmo, Our Generation Doll, Nickelodeon Paw Patrol Zoomer, Pokemon Sun or Moon Nintendo 3DS games, Shopkins Smoothie Truck, Star Wars X-wing vs Death Star Assault or Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Toys, Target Exclusive Ice Cream Truck.

Uncle Milton, which offers education toys that inspire imagination and learning and encourage kids to explore and discover, has an Ant Farm that will delight kids and grownups too. The birds and the bees are always fun to watch, but ants can be too. A fun and educational way to study ants is to keep them in an ant farm. Uncle Milton’s Ant Farm is super fun, educational, fascinating for both kids and adults. Little kids get so excited to peek at the ants, especially to see what they have done over night. It’s a wonderful way to teach kids how to be patient. Their little faces will beam with amusement when see the ants fast at work in creating their ant colony by digging tunnels and moving mountains in an escape proof container (ants must be ordered separately online).

Photo courtesy of Uncle Milton, used with permission

 

* In addition to Lifestyle411, Bevs Lim also contributes to Thrive Global and Huffington Post.