Those Crazy Kids :: An EDGE Holiday Gift Guide
They’ve seen the new one, now show them the classic
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By now most kids - and many adults - have seen the new film, Where the Wild Things Are; for many grownups, watching this latest version has come with both a sense of nostalgia and a longing to share the original with their children, nieces and nephews. Luckily that’s easy, since Scholastic Storybook Treasures offers the original animated adaptation taken directly from Maurice Sendak’s masterpiece.
The classic Scholastic Storybook Treasure also comes with a bonus- a few in fact. The newly repackaged Where the Wild Things Are... and Five More Stories From Maurice Sendak DVD includes the namesake story of young Max’s fantastical adventure, plus a heaping handful of other Sendak content that will keep kids - and parents - enthralled for hours. When it was originally released, the DVD won awards from numerous parents’ associations, and after watching it it’s easy to see why. We completely agree with Parenting Magazine that this is of the "50 Best Videos for Kids." In fact, we’d put it much higher on our list.
The DVD is available for $10-15 at bookstores and children’s stores nationwide and online at www.NewKideo.com and Amazon.com
Another classic made fresh
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If you were born in the 70s or early 80s you likely remember My Little Pony. (If you’re gay and had a sister, you may remember a bit too well...) The pretty ponies had long silky manes and tails that you could brush and braid... or cut off, if your sister was being a bitch. Later editions even had glitter (and we seem to remember some of them being scented...). Like many things 80s, My Little Pony is back- new millennium style.
My Little Pony: Twinkle Wish Adventure was released this fall to critical acclaim from multiple parenting sites. What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? Not a lot, but it does mean that kids will like it, but it’s not going to turn their brains to mush- making parents happy as well. The story is cute, and a bit too sweet for cynical adults- exactly as it should be. Even the most jaded on our staff got a kick out of the ponies’ names however, which include Cheerilee, Scootaloo, and - our favorite because it sounds a bit dirty - Pinkie Pie. Aside from the feature-length movie, the DVD also includes six sing-along songs (Somewhere Super New is our top pick, for all the ’esssssssss’ sounds, gurl!), an animated short, four downloadable activities, and more.
My Little Pony: Twinkle Wish Adventure is available for about $15 where kids movies are sold; slightly less on Amazon.com
Double duty :: Good for kids, great for parents
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When giving gifts to kids, if you can find something that also benefits the parents, you’ll earn some serious bonus points. Normally these gifts take the form of entertaining or distracting children; in the case of the Project of the Month Club however, not only does the gift itself provide entertainment and give kids something to do, it also saves the adult time, since they don’t have to go shopping for supplies. Kits arrive with nearly everything needed to complete a fun and fabulous project- all kids need are common household tools - scissors, tape, etc. - and a little help from an adult.
The club’s got a wide range of projects for kids to work on, and you can choose to have a project delivered every month, bi-monthly, quarterly or for four months in a row. You also get to choose the type of crafts that are sent, including Mix-N-Match, Master Builder (woodworking and building projects- future lesbians love this one), Future Designers (jewelry, sewing, scrap booking, etc.- perfect for baby gays) and more. Projects are designed to be completed with an adult, and they help kids learn things like motor skills, coordination, patience, and other valuable tools that are no longer taught at home or in school, but that they may find useful later in life.
Fun projects that also make a parent’s life easier and let them spend time with their kids? Sign us up! Available at www.ProjectOfTheMonthClub.com
Farting elephants- next page!
