little
kid toys
BY
SUSAN WICKSTROM
quick
gift picks
One-Minute Manager
It's never too early to instill those capitalistic
values that make our country so great. Prepare your child
for some summertime entrepreneurship with a Lemonade
Stand ($129.95, Kids at Heart, 3445 SE Hawthorne Blvd.,
231-2954). This well-built wooden booth will assure customers
that the tiny business owner is serious about the product.
Remember, it takes money to make money.
Hello, Dolly!
The orange-haired beauty turned 85 this year, but
she still looks as fresh as the day Johnny Gruelle created
her for his daughter. Commemorate this classic toy's longevity
by giving a Huge Raggedy Ann ($60, Thinker Toys,
7784 SW Capitol Highway, 245-3936, and 1626 SE Bybee Blvd.,
235-2970). This life-size version of the world's favorite
rag doll is suitable for tea parties, dancing and cuddling.
Since she's very well-made, Ann will probably still be
around when your child has grandkids.
Captive
Audience
Every parent's nightmare is that inevitable trip to
the ball pit where kids lose their shoes, get slimed by
mysterious liquids and sometimes vanish altogether. Now
you can contain the fun at home with a Tent Filled
with Balls ($169.95, Bridges, 6559 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale
Highway, 292-1311, and 402 N State St., Lake Oswego, 699-1322).
This particular model is much more substantial than the
megastore version. The nylon is sturdy, and the tent can
be zipped up securely and tightly. It's large enough to
keep a couple of toddlers in minimum-security lock-up
for the good part of a morning.
Dog Heaven
Every year at the dog track, the wildly
popular wiener-dog races make those lanky greyhounds turn
green with envy. Now kids can experience the thrill year-round
by perching on a wooden Brio Rocking Dachshund
($39.95, Kids at Heart, 3445 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 231-2954).
This adorable riding toy is sturdy, cute and much more
unique than a tired old rocking horse.
Be a Uniter, Not a Divider
This popular item should be listed in the toys for
adults section, since some mom or dad is hogging the controls
at every store display. Rokenbok Interactive Starter
Sets ($99-$199, Thinker Toys, 7784 SW Capitol Highway,
245-3936, and 1626 SE Bybee Blvd., 235-2970) feature robotic,
radio-controlled vehicles that are incredibly fun to maneuver.
Choose from a pump station, action factory or monorail.
Each starter kit is fun to build and easy to expand. This
is one gift that will bring the entire family together.
Don't Throw a Fittipaldi
Traditional race-car sets are either the noisy remote-controlled
variety or the wimpy Hot Wheels type. But Darda Race
Sets ($39.95, Bridges, 6559 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale
Highway, 292-1311) use ingenious self-propelled cars that
whiz madly (and quietly) over a smooth track. Choose from
stunt, police-action or competition-speedway sets. No
batteries necessary.
Fit for a Queen
Are girls as smart as boys when it comes to computers?
They can be if they start with the Princess Cleo Learning
PC ($79.99, Sears, 9800 SW Washington Square Road,
620-1510, or www.oregonscientific.com). This kid-sized
laptop will lead your little darling through fun, educational
games and help her create greeting cards that will enable
her to start honing her social skills. It's pink, it's
perky, it's pretty easy to use.
Engineers in Training
There must be huge kid magnets
hidden inside the Biro Train Table ($215, Finnegan's,
922 SW Yamhill St., 221-0306), because every toddler who
sees one is immediately stuck to it. As the child gets
older, he or she can demand endless accessories: track,
train cars, tunnels, buildings, trestles, bridges, cows--well,
you get the idea. Parents who are enslaved to their children's
desires can put this beauty right in the living room;
it doubles as a fine cocktail table.
