Kid
Stuff
BY
SUSAN WICKSTOM
LOONY TUNES?
Is the sound of Raffi's voice making you delusional?
Give your kids some tunes that you will enjoy, too.
World
Playground: A Musical Adventure for Kids (CD $15.98,
$10.98 for a cassette, Thinker Toys, 1626 SE Bybee Blvd.,
235-2970; 7882 SW Capitol Highway, 245-3936) is a collection
of feel-good music from around the world, including such
countries as Senegal, Greece, Jamaica, Brazil, Congo, Israel,
Chile and the United States. The collection comes with a
colorful pamphlet that offers a story about each song as
well as the lyrics so kids can sing along. Kids' music doesn't
have to be mind-numbing; it can even broaden their horizons.
And it will certainly get them dancing. A portion of
World
Playground's proceeds will support arts and multicultural
education throughout the U.S.
DEAD POET'S LEGACY
The world is full of children's books, but only a
handful are written by a Nobel Prize winner. The late
Joseph Brodsky served as the U.S. Poet Laureate and won
the 1987 Nobel Prize in Literature. Now, three years after
his death, kids can experience one of his unpublished
children's poems accompanied by Vladimir Radunsky's vivid
illustrations. Discovery ($16, Powell's,
1005 W Burnside St., 228-4651) is a charming examination
of America and the different ways in which it has been
discovered. This is an appropriate book for a sensitive
kid who understands metaphor and has a sense of humor--or
one who just likes pretty pictures.
I AIN'T GOT NO BODY
Some people remember the freaky Visible Man
($23, Finnegan's Toys & Gifts, 922 SW Yamhill St.,
221-0306) from childhood. This plastic model of a human
body comes with the skeleton, vital organs and skin that
all real humans require. Of course, the fascinating, three-dimensional
anatomy kit is easier to assemble than the real thing--and
requires much less maintenance. A 12-page illustrated
manual written by medical experts accompanies the hardware.
Whether your kid is an aspiring doctor, massage therapist,
organ broker or Dr. Frankenstein, this is one gutsy gift.
PLAY AN ACCORDION, GO TO JAIL
Did your siblings torture you when you were kids?
Here's your chance to get them back. Your little niece
or nephew will love Schylling's red plastic Accordion
($11.95, Kids at Heart, 3435 SE Hawthorne Blvd.), a fully
functioning musical instrument that may spark an interest
in Cajun or Polish music. This sweet little squeezebox
may actually work too well; kids can really pump up the
volume. If they play this accordion in Portland, South
Dakotans will hear it. And Lawrence Welk will hear it
from that great polka party in the sky. Earplugs for the
parents are not included.
FASHION JAM
There is nothing cuter than a toddler in jammies,
unless he is also carrying a puppy. A kid spends about
half his life in pajamas, so why not find some that will
keep him cozy all night long and well into the morning--until
his parents can get it together to dress him in daytime
clothes. Double Blanket Sleepers ($11.95, Nordstrom,
710 SW Broadway, 224-6666) are the perfect choice for
chilly Oregon winters. Not only are they warm and fuzzy
on the outside, they're warm and fuzzy on the inside too.
They come in a variety of bright and sedate colors as
well as some fun prints: basketballs, purple hearts or
Christmas lights. The non-skid footpads are great for
wobbly walkers, but these sleepers aren't just for the
wee ones. They come in sizes for bigger, elementary school-aged
kids too.
GET BUGGY WITH IT
It's hard to know whether kids like chocolate or bugs
better; here's a gift that combines both. Yummy Chocolate
Bugs ($15, The Discovery Channel Store, 700 SW 5th
Ave., 222-0015) is a craft kit for children 6 and older.
It comes with a pound of chocolate, molds and edible paints
so the little artist can create colorful butterflies,
spiders and ladybugs, then devour the results. This kit
also comes with cellophane gift bags so grandma can get
just what she always wanted for her birthday.
EMPIRE BUILDER
The simplest toys are the best: They stimulate a child's
imagination and never need new batteries. Child development
experts have long touted wooden blocks as one of the most
ingenious toys for inspiring young geniuses. Natural hardwood
Plan Toys Building Blocks ($29, Child's Play, 907
NW 23rd Ave., 224-5586) are beautiful to look at and lovely
to hold. Kids (and adults) will be unable to resist their
understated yet powerful attraction. The pleasant clunking
noise of blocks sounds divine after an onslaught of Furby's
false electronic screaming.
ANTE UP
Some people call it an ant farm; animal-rights activists
call it an ant gulag. But the people who make this version
of the traditional ant sand village sandwiched in plexiglass
call it an Ant Factory ($19.95, Bridges, A Toy
& Book Store, 6559 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway,
292-1311; 402 N State St., Lake Oswego, 699-1322). Children
age 5 and older can assemble this see-through ant habitat
that includes everything except the ants themselves. The
kid simply sends off an enclosed certificate with $1.50
for shipping and handling, and the colony of pretty new
pets arrives in the mail. If the thought of inviting scores
of insects into your home is unsettling, start small with
the Mini Ant Factory ($14.95). According to Aesop, ants
teach people to be industrious, especially factory ants.
GET A JOB
Some 30-year-old adults are still wandering around
wondering what to do with their lives. Get kids motivated
early by promoting interesting career choices. Play
Aprons ($17, Haggis McBaggis, 6802 SE Milwaukie Blvd.,
234-0849) can help. These cool kits come with aprons,
duh, as well as accessories for different jobs. The cook
apron is stuffed with a spatula, hotpad and recipe card.
The restaurant apron comes with a menu and an order pad.
Kids love make-believe; why not encourage them to pretend
to be ambitious? Maybe it will stick. Though Haggis McBaggis
is primarily an upscale shoe store for tots, the owners
also stock fun accessories such as backpacks, socks, girly-girl
bangles and other neat gift ideas. The store also has
a play area and big cookie jar.
