The joy of watching babies grow and learn

One of the most magical and mystical things about babies is watching them grow and learn. To observe all their milestones and the stages they go through is amazing. Their minds are such sponges--all of a sudden, they've mastered a new skill. To them, it's just playtime, but with a toy such as Bright Starts Drop & Giggle ($12.99) from Kids II, Alpharetta, Ga., they are developing hand-eye coordination.

As baby learns to drop any of the four colorful, easy-to-grasp balls into the head or outstretched arms, he's treated to silly sounds and giggles. The clear body lets the child watch the balls fall down and roll out the feet. A convenient feature is that the body twists so that the balls will stay securely inside for storage.

With Bright Starts Pop & Roll Bug ($7.99), babies are encouraged to crawl along as they push the bug, activating the bright popping beads. It features easy-to-grasp wings, a soft, velour head, and an appealing smile.

The Bright Starts Twisty Bug ($5.99) plays 12 fun sounds as your infant pulls and twists its body. With a face that lights up and a tail that rattles with colorful beads, the Twisty Bug employs multiple textures for stimulation. Its wings crinkle and the antennae are closed, so it easily can be attached to Fun Links to keep it at hand in the stroller, infant carrier, etc.

For little drummers at heart, the Bop & Roll Drum ($10.88) plays four melodies and 10 silly sounds, with lights flashing, when tapped on the ends. It also features rattling bead chasers and a large reflective area for playing peek-a-boo. The music and lights also can be activated when the drum rolls across the floor, encouraging baby to crawl after it to start the fun all over again.

Another of our favorite products from Kids II is the Baby Einstein Move & Go Music Mirror ($24.99), designed to entertain in the car. With a smiling caterpillar to introduce colors in English, Spanish, and French, the lights flash in tune with the music as engaging songs are played. It can be activated by remote control from anywhere in the car, and the parent can select music only for nighttime driving, just lights for quiet time, or simply the colors for reinforcement. It has a volume control and mute option and a mirror at the top helps the driver see rear-facing infants. The adjustable attachments should fit any vehicle, whether the car seat is rear- or forward-facing. Best of all, the classical melodies from Mendelssohn, Mozart, Telemann, Vivaldi, and Beethoven are as soothing to the driver as they are to the child. For more information, visit www.kidsll.com.

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COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning