We all want our kids to grow up to be super smart and solve the world’s problems, don’t we? Of course we do. Well, kids don’t just become smart on their own. It’s our job to stimulate those little brains and get them moving down the path of intellectual superiority. One of the activities that my kids really love is doing puzzles. I can see the gears turning in their heads as they’re thinking about how the pieces fit together. And there is a fantastic sense of accomplishment when they get them completed.

I’m always looking for new and interesting puzzles to challenge my kids, and I found probably the best selection around at Educational Toys Planet. My kids are a bit younger, so the over-sized floor puzzles are great for them. But they also have a fantastic selection of math puzzles and jigsaw puzzles for the older kids. They have some really unique products - puzzle crafts, map puzzles, first puzzles. There’s definitely something for everyone. So, if you’re looking for a great way to spend time with your kids and to get their minds working, pick up a puzzle or two.

Whether it’s a horse, zebra, or cow, kids love their rocking toys. And like me, you probably want to give your kids all the playthings that will make them happy. But maybe you’re one of those parents who can’t bear the thought of bringing another large, brightly colored, cartoon-themed, toy in to the house. This is the answer. The Olga Rocker is probably the most stylish kids rocker that I’ve ever seen. With its clean and modern lines and natural colors, this is sure to blend in with your swanky adult decor. And as long as it rocks, your kids will love it! So really, it’s the best of both worlds - fun for the kids and nice piece of furniture. I found the Olga Rocker at Modern Tots, a very cool shop with a wide range of hip and modern products. It’s a bit on the pricey side at $280. But well worth it if aesthetics are important to you.

After my recent posts on Diesel jeans and Burberry booties for infants, I received a few messages along the lines of “Yeah, those are cute… but c’mon! Who’s going to spend that kind of money on baby clothes?!” I agree. Even though I really did like those items, realistically, they’re just a bit too much. Even for a splurge. However, I’ve always got my eyes open and I found these little sandals that are hip and cool… and they’re just the right price. There’s baby stuff out there that is obvious baby style. But these things are just tiny versions of the adult sandals. So cute! I’m pretty fond of Kenneth Cole stuff myself, so I love that I can put my little one in the same thing. And like I said, they’re pretty reasonable for a little splurge. $39 at Zappos.com. Available in a variety of infant and toddler sizes.

At first glance, the Stokke Xplory is a weird looking stroller. If you’re used to the traditional image of what a stroller should look like, this is nowhere near it. But if you like modern attention-getting style, then this is the ride for your little one.  Still not sure if it’s really for you?  Consider that this is the stroller of choice for Madonna, Courtney Cox-Arquette, Heidi Klum, Tori Spelling, and other famous moms.  You do want to have the same stroller as the celebrities, don’t you?  Of course.  Besides making you really cool, it’s actually a very well designed and functional stroller too.  One of the neatest features is the ability to raise and lower the seat height, so you can bring baby right up near you.  You can get all the details at the Stokke website and you can find it for purchase at several of your higher end baby stores for about $1000.  Yes, for about a $1000.

I’m not going to even try to justify this one. They’re cute and soft and cozy. Yeah, they’re kind of over-priced and not the most practical purchase you can make. But if you want to start your kid on the path of snooty country clubs and high priced designer clothes, then you must buy these booties for them! Hmmm… did I just justify buying these things? I guess I did.  So there you go, valid reasons to buy the Burberry Check Booties: social status, and they’re cute, soft, and cozy. Available at Nordstroms for $69.

I know, I know… infants do not need Diesel jeans. But just think about all the things that you’ve bought for your kid. How much of that did they really need? Exactly. So, if you’re going to make an irrational purchase, what better than these fashionable little jeans? Besides, these are more about making the parent feel hip. A two year old won’t know the difference, but imagine the pride you will feel in showing off your little fashionista. Just don’t let them play in these things. Maybe save them for the next Baby Loves Disco. They’re available directly from the Diesel Store in 6-24 month sizes for $75.

I have two little girls, so I’m a total sucker when it comes to cute baby clothes. I’m always on the look out for hip and stylish stuff. Clothes for little girls are just so freakin cute that I just can’t help myself! I recently was turned on to a site called Divas and Drooligans a super stylish boutique with lots great stuff for boys and girls, from newborns through toddlers. I really like things that are unique and you can’t just find anywhere. I couple of my favorite items are the Kung-Fu Bambini Peach Parfait Lounge Set and the Bumble Bags Jessica Messenger Backpack. They have lots of other things too - boys clothes, shoes, accessories, playthings. Check them out!

I wasn’t really sure where to put this one. It’s really more for parents than it is for kids. But then again, there are probably more parents than kids reading this so I guess it’s appropriate. Whatever the case, I just had to share this. I saw it for the first time this morning when a co-worker turned me on to the website of Jason Freeny, an artist/illustrator from New York. This particular piece is called “Anatomie Gummi Bär”, and as you can see, it’s an incredible illustration of the anatomy of a Gummy Bear. Ok, I know that the bears are really just “gummy” all the way through. But considering that this is coming out of his imagination just makes it that much more impressive. This small image doesn’t do it justice. Go to MoistProduction.com to see larger versions of this and his other work. He also has created “Pneumatic Anatomica” (anatomy of a balloon dog), “Immaculate Confection” (the brith of a gummy bear), and many other great pieces. They’re available for purchase as prints on his website. Check them out. Very cool stuff!

I’m guessing that most of you have probably heard of these things by now. I actually had no idea they existed, but apparently, they’re the must-have toys of the moment. Yeah, they really are ugly. But strangely, they’re soooo freaking cute too. As an added bonus, there are dozens of different Ugly Dolls, so if your kid makes you feel really guilty you’ll end up buying all of them. Fantastic! This is a picture of “Ox”, but there are also dolls like “Chuckanucka”, “Wedgehead”, and “Peaco” too. They’re about $20 at most stores, or you can buy them directly from their website too. Take a look at www.uglydolls.com.

Ok, we know the folks at ActivePlaythings.com. But they have such cool stuff that we’d write about their products anyways. Definitely, our favorite items have to be their kids animal chairs. Here’s a picture of Pat the Puppy, but there’s also Larry the Lion, Peter the Panda, and Freddy the Frog. They’re all super cute and our kids love them!

They’re only $19.49 at ActivePlaythings.com

Surely, you must have heard about Baby Loves Disco by now. It has definitely become one of the most popular events out there! In dozens of cities all across the country, some of the hippest and trendiest night clubs are being transformed in to baby-friendly discos. You’ve got the DJs, fog machines, velvet ropes, and bouncers. But the dance floors are packed with kids and their parents, with noise makers, hula hoops, and playful scarves. And while there are adult beverages for the parents, there are also juice boxes and healthy snacks for junior. We took our munchkins to our local Baby Loves Disco, and they loved it. Check them out and look for the next date in your city.

“Hullabaloo is farm-fresh, free-range, organic kid-folk in a genre filled with musical Twinkies and Ding-Dongs.” I love that description from their website. This is one of the few kid-friendly bands out there that parents will like as much as their kids. No singing dinosaurs or cartoon characters, but plenty of super fun folk-rock that you and your kids will love. Steve played at our kid’s birthday party and everyone had a blast. The kids were on their feet, clapping their hands, and dancing around. And afterwards, all the adults wanted to know “Who is this? They’re awesome!” Check them out and buy their CD. You’ll be tapping your feet and dancing with your kids in no time!

We received this book as a gift and our two year old absolutely loves it. The author does a fantastic job of creating rhythmic sing along using a bunch of different animal names. The main characters are Tanka the elephant and his friend Skunka. Say their names together and they sound like drums. Tanka, Skunka, Tanka, Skunka, Tanka Tanka Skunk!  $7.37 at Amazon

Oh my goodness. These things are ridiculously cute! They look like tiny little cowgirl boots, but they’re actually soft and cozy socks. Just imagine your baby wearing these things while riding a rocking horse!

$22 (set of 6 pairs) at Uncommon Goods