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Sammamish Families: Holiday Gift Guide

Some great places to do your holiday shopping and toys and books that will be hits as holiday gifts for the whole family.

I’m on the hunt for great books and non-electronic toys that encourage creative play and enhance problem solving skills to give as holiday gifts. In my quest for great gifts, I've enlisted the help of “gift gurus." This year my gift gurus include the staff of Raven’s Books in Gilman Village, Bellevue Art and Frame and the Toy Place in Bellevue and Planet Happy in Ravenna.

Where to Buy Great Toys and Books for Holiday Gifts

There are some great locally owned book and toy stores near the plateau. I like in Redmond. The store has a huge selection of creative play toys including shelves of science kits, puzzles, crafts and art supplies, lots of Breyer horses and accessories, dress up outfits, LEGOS, stuffed animals and books. You will receive personal service here and great gift suggestions and they’ll wrap your gifts for free.

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White Horse Toys in Gilman Village in Issaquah is also a favorite toy source for many plateau families. There is a whole room here dedicated to Playmobile and Thomas the Tank Engine. The store has another room for just dolls and accessories. If you are looking for a puzzle, craft kit or LEGO set, you’ll find many to choose from here. And they’ll also wrap for free. Just a few doors down is my favorite new bookstore, Raven’s Books. The charming store is a locally owned, independent bookstore that includes a section with books for toddlers to teens.

offer a huge selection of toys, art supplies and activity kits. Customers are encouraged to play with some of the store's most popular toys. There are often free or low cost activities offered to engage your kids while you shop. The staff always have great gift suggestions based on your budget and the child’s age and interests. Customers also appreciate their free gift wrap station, stocked with all the supplies needed to wrap gifts before going home.

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Further afield, but one of my all time favorite resources for gifts, is Planet Happy. The store is located just north of U-Village, next to the Queen Mary Tea Room.  Planet Happy is small but packed with great toys, art supplies, science kits and books. The toys are made from safe, sustainable materials. I never fail to find something unique here that engages my kids in creative play. Note before you head over 520 for a visit, that the store is open Tuesday through Sunday, closed on Mondays.

Great Gift Suggestions

Books

Lisa Boynton, co-owner of Raven’s books, suggestions the following books which you can find at her store.  For infants and toddlers, the “read alouds”, Larry Gets Lost in Seattle and Seattle ABC by John Skewes. For elementary age, Lemony Snicket’s  A Series of Unfortunate Events and Redwall  by Brian Jacques. For teens, The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins and James Patterson’s teen series Maximum Ride

Great books to give to families as a holiday gift include Talking Pictures – A Parent's Guide to Using Movies to Discuss Ethics, Values, and Everyday Problems with Children by Ronald J. Madison, Ed.D. and And Words Can Hurt Forever – How to Protect Adolescents from Bullying, Harassment, and Emotional Violence by James Garbarino, Ph.D.., as well as these colorful picture books for the whole family, Spectacular America by Dana Levy, Atlas of World History by DK Books and Skeletons An Inside Look at Animals by Jimmy Johnson.

Toys and Other Great Holiday Gift Ideas

The following toys are suggested by Robin McLane and Gretchen Crossley of Bellevue Art and Frame, where you can find everything they suggest. For infants to toddlers; Eco Blocks by Sprig, $34.99, Imaginets by Mindaware, $29.99, Toobers & Zots by Little Kids Inc., $24.99, Oblo Puzzle Spheres by Great Circle Works, $19.99, Smart Max by Smartangos, $79.99 and Early Melodies pound and tap bench by Educo, $29.99.

For elementary age kids; LEGO Champion $39.99, Robotikits by OWI $24.99, DJECO Gouaches, $29.00, beaded snowflake ornaments by Creativity for Kids, $22.99 and Shrinky Dinks Delux, $24.99

For tweens and teens; Nano blocks by Ohio Art $9.99 to $17.99, Zip It by Bananagrams, $14.99, Art journaling kit by Strathmore, $10.99, Buddha board by Budda board, $12.99 to $34.99 and Duck tape by Duck, $5.99.

And for the whole family; Tell tale by Blue Orange, $12.99, Story Cubes by Gamewright, $9.99, Knot so Fast by Thinkfun, $19.99, Ravensburger puzzles $9.99 to $22.99 and Doink it Darts by Marky Sparky Toys, $29.99.

Breah Furlong of Planet Happy recommends the following toys, all of which can be found at the store or on the store’s website. For infant to toddler, classic wooden Uncle Goose Block sets, $24.95 to $44.95. Green Toys, $10.95 to $32.95.  Fulong says, “these toys are fun, eco-friendly and safe options for babies and children of all ages made from 100% recycled plastic milk jugs. They contain no BPA, PVC or phthalates and are made right here in the USA." Wooden bike and scoots, $149.95 and $249.95, including the super popular Wishbone 3-in-1 Bike. Little Labs Botany science kit, $36.95 and the Kiss Naturals Kits, $24.95.  The kits lets kids create their own bath fizzies and lip balm using all natural ingredients. Morph-o-scope Circus Kit, $19.95. Furlong raves, “the Circus Kit makes a perfect party activity, is great for traveling, quiet time or getting well and is the winner of 19 national educational toy awards!”

For tweens and teens; Design your Own Umbrella Kit for $14.95 and Shains Bracelets for $12.95. “Shains bracelets are recycled accessories that encourage and empower kids to make their own statements and change them whenever they want!” Cahootie Fortune Tellers, $6.95. Furlong says, “If you are simply nuts for any animal you meet, then you'll have a blast playing Cahootie! Commonly known as a 'fortune teller,' the Cahootie is a thought-provoking game reinvented for animal-lovers. Based on fun facts from Animal Planet, each Cahootie includes 40 removable and interchangeable stickers along with create your own stickers, and plenty of fortunes and questions all about the love of animals!”

For families, Furlong recommends Top Trumps Card Games $7.95 and the Jamtown Family Rhythm pack $89.95.  Furlong says, “Jamtown fair trade world music instruments bring the joyful experience of hands-on music and art to children, families, and music lovers of all ages. The Jamtown Family Rhythm Pack features five authentic, rich-sounding rhythmic instruments handcrafted by village artisans in Peru, Indonesia, and Bolivia.” Musical fun for everyone – now that sounds like a great holiday gift!

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