A Mighty Girl's 2012 Holiday Gift Guide

Hi! My name is Jen, and along with my work on A Mighty Girl, I'm a stay-at-home mama to my own 8-year-old Mighty Girl. Our family enjoys group activities, like family game nights, and toys that encourage exploration and creativity. My daughter also really likes to get outside and move, which helped a lot as I worked on the Outdoor Toys section! Some of my favorite toy selections are listed here.

Scribbles: A Really Giant Drawing and Coloring Book

There are plenty of coloring and activity books out there to simply keep your child busy. Far more unusual are books like Scribbles! Prompts are given, but in a way that requires your child to engage with the subject, and the result is entirely up to your child's imagination. The pages include lots of white space for creative wanderings and the book is about an inch thick!

For more toys like this one, visit our Drawing / Painting section within Arts / Crafts.

Balance Board

Balance and coordination are key when using a balance board. If you don't have them already, you will quickly build the skills as you get into the rhythm of rocking on the board. The balance board is great fun and helps prepare kids for activities like skateboarding, skiing, and more.

For more toys like this one, visit our Jumping / Balancing section within Movement / Riding Toys.

Dixit

A board game that is never the same twice! Players use the beautifully-illustrated cards as a point of story-telling inspiration, and the creativity flows from there... We've played this game many times in our house, and are always eager to share it with others.

For more toys like this one, visit our Board Games section within Games / Video Games.

Quadrilla

Here is a toy that combines building skills, cause-and-effect, and beauty. The Quadrilla components are all high-quality materials, and once complete, the marble run is both functional and aesthetically appealing.

For more toys like this one, visit our Building Toys section within Toys / Games.

Africa and the Middle East GeoPuzzle

GeoPuzzles let you practice your puzzling skills along with geography. Each puzzle piece is cut along country borders, as opposed to the more traditional jigsaw shape, so working on the puzzle will really give you a feel for how the countries fit together. Our family has several GeoPuzzles, including this one, and they've been lots of fun!

For more toys like this one, visit our Geography section within Toys / Games.

Consensus Junior

This board game leads to all sorts of interesting conversations, and lots of laughs! A basic understanding of nouns & adjectives is all you need to get going. There are no right or wrong answers -- just your opinion. But, only those who are part of the majority get to move forward on the board!

For more toys like this one, visit our Board Games section within Games / Video Games.

Kids Yoga Deck

There are always times when a little quiet and centering are in order, and this oversized card deck is a great resource to have on hand. Really, it is fun to explore during energy-filled times, too. Poses range from simple to more involved, and there are several cards especially designed for two people to do together.

For more toys like this one, visit our Indoor Active Play section within Toys / Games.

Linkology: Animals

The Linkology: Animals card game is your typical, fast-paced card game -- with a twist. The cards all feature content relating to the animal kingdom, and players alternate text-image connections in order to keep the game moving forward. The photographic images are really attractive, and the game itself can be addictive.

For more toys like this one, visit our Natural World section within Science / Math.

Zoomy digital microscope

What a great development in the world of microscopes! The Zoomy does what you'd expect from a microscope, except that since it attaches to your computer (via USB), you can see the image on your computer screen. You are also not limited to what will fit on a glass slide so we've had lots of fun with ours exploring everything from wood grains to nose hairs.

For more toys like this one, visit our Science / Math section within Toys / Games.

Slackline

Here's a chance to put your dreams of being in the circus to the test! Or, just an opportunity to have fun with friends. A low-slung, wide strip of webbing securely attaches to two fixed objects (e.g., trees) with the enclosed system, and provides instant balancing practice for athletes and adventurers of all ages.

For more toys like this one, visit our Movement / Riding Toys section within Outdoor Play.