Seems the school bus has shrunk a little, but it's still one of those perennial favorites. This season it has been updated for the Sesame Street gang. But it only comes with two characters, Count Von Count is the driver and Elmo is there with his backpack. If you want more passengers, that will be extra, please. It can hold three figures and since loading and unloading passengers is so much a part of the fun, we suggest you bring them home with the bus. Passengers can get on through the door or the open roof top. To open the door, press the purple button on the hood. No batteries needed for this roll and play vehicle. They say 18 months & up, we think it will be enjoyed more by 2's and up. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

A jumbo see-through paint can with four big tubes of finger paints, two interesting textured rollers, two sponge stampers (a star and a circle), 25 sheets of finger paint paper, a mixing dish, a disposable apron and for those who need more--instructions and ideas. Just be sure to cover your work surface and stand back. This is a kit that will give hours of satisfying discoveries.  3 & up.

Age: Preschool. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

A 36-piece set makes a good choice for beginning builders or as an add-on to other block sets. Although these are not unit block size, they add interest as decorative elements. Some of the blocks are painted with small shaped that resemble windows. There are arches, cylinders, squares, rectangles, triangles and other odd shapes that kids will find useful for creative building. The set includes a cloth storage bag. All of the pieces are big enough to be safe for toddlers. 1 1/2 & up. There is also a smaller 23 piece set with interesting shapes that is also interesting. PBS Kids Tower Blocks (29.99)

The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

There are countless ways to play with this 34-piece block set. Kids can simply use them for building in an open-ended way or use the numerals to mark other bock structures. Ideally, they will also be used for playful math activities. All of the wooden blocks have numerals, dots, number words and pictures on their various sides. Some are cubes, others rectangles. Use them for simple matching games, dominoes, or number facts. Several of the blocks also have chalkboard finish that kids can draw on with the chalk included in the set. The set comes with a cloth bag for storage. 3 & up.

The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

SNAP Activity:

Put 3-4 numeral blocks out. Use a drum or clap your hands. Can the playr find the numeral block that matches the number you clapped. Listening and connecting the beats to the symbol for that number is a concrete way to reinforce number concepts and counting.

Age: Preschool. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Hands-on learning is built-in to this classic math for beginners puzzle. There are 16 wooden pieces that fit on the rounded pegs. They have 1-2-3 or 4 holes that fit on the 1-2-3 or 4 pegs. The smooth wooden pieces are colored with aniline dyes and made of eco-friendly rubberwood. Everything fits on the smooth natural finished base. Use these for color sorting as well as matching numbers. This comes with a small activity booklet with good ideas for introducing the toy and math and color concepts. This also develops fine motor skills and eye hand coordination. 2 & up.

SNAP: A good choice for beginning counting skills and developing visual discrimination.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Children love multiple piece games and this has 20 playing boards and 20 matching shapes. This will give kids a chance to name and know the shapes they are going to use. Once they can identify the puzzle pieces (a moon, rabbit, fish, leaf, bird, person, etc. you can use this for a more challenging game. Put several tiles on the table. Have children take turns reaching into the bag to find the shape that matches the tiles in front of them. This is a good game for solo play or with friends and family. It comes with a small activity booklet with good ideas for introducing the colors and concepts. The set comes in a drawstring canvas bag for gameplay and storage.

SNAP: This kind of game that gives children a chance to hone their sense of touch. For kids with visual disabilities, this plays on an important skill they need to develop. For starters put most of the playing pieces away. Take time to develop the names of the items and play some initial games with a few puzzles. Gradually add more as they gain mastery of the first ones.

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

A hands-on way to learn about simple fractions. These natural wood cups hold the whole, halves, quarters and thirds. The solid wooden pieces are stained with eco-friendly colors that won't chip off. They come with an activity booklet for ideas to share. For younger players this is about eye hand coordination and developing fine motor skills. The math part is built into the discoveries children make as they manipulate the pieces. Marked 2 & up. We think it's a better bet for 3-4.

SNAP: Introduce one cup at a time. For a while use just two cups and gradually add the other sets. Once you start talking about fractions, reinforce the concepts when you servr a sandwich in halves one day, in quarters another day. Do the same when you are cutting a fruit. 

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Storybook style transportation graphics give this 10-piece wooden puzzle eye appeal. Each of the puzzle pieces has a small peg for lifting and refitting the puzzle pieces in place. Lift the pieces and a two-toned graphic is there to use for matching. This kind of wooden puzzle board is good for developing fine motor skills as well as language. You can also use the puzzle pieces other games.

Riddle Me This Game Put five of the vehicle in a row. Now make up a riddle that describes one of the vehicles. i.e. "I'm thinking of the vehicle that has white and grey paint" (note the boat, ambulance and motorcycle have) Now add another clue... "I'm thinking of the one that police use..it has a PD on it" (two of them have that) Now give the final clue... "I'm thinking of a vehicle that doesn't travel on land, but on water." After your child gets the idea of this, switch roles and let him give you riddles.

The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

SNAP Adaption: Adapting the pegs for kids with physical challenges. Attach a strip of wide doubled masking tape to the peg. Make the strip at least two inces long. This will be easier to grasp than the tiny pegs.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

For pretend time lunches, how about something healthy? So many pretend toy are about hot dogs, cupcakes and ice cream. Here is a new look. A felt pita bread in two halves with a pocket ready to fill with felt lettuce and Swiss cheese and wooden pepper, onions, pickle, and tomato slices. These are great as props for dramatic play. They are also good for knowing and naming as well as simple sorting. Pita Lunch Color Game for Two: Each player gets a half a pita. The object is to get one piece of each kind of food in your pita pocket. Make a color die with a small block and put green marker on two faces of the cube, put red marker on two others, yellow on one face and purple on another. Now players take turns rolling the die. They can take a piece of food that matches the color thrown. The first to get one of each color wins. Follow up with some real pita sandwiches for a snack or lunch--that will probably cost less than the toy.

The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Preschool. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Our testers really enjoyed this new version of the classic game featuring their favorites: Big Bird, Elmo, Abby Cadabby, etc. The colorful cards are made of sturdy, easy-to-pick up stock that will hold up to lots of rounds. Comes with 36 picture cards. As you start introducing this game to younger players, use half the pairs to begin. This kind of memory game builds readiness for matching and recall, skills needed when they start learning to read more abstract symbols like letters and words. Better to start with pictures. 

Age: Preschool. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.