Wow, I totally sympathize with that woman. My two-year-old takes one nap a day, and if it happens to be for 5 minutes in the car on the way home, that’s all he takes. I’ve tried all those tricks, and have now resorted to rolling the automatic windows up and down; he gets so confused he wakes up. I’d much rather have a Nap-Be-Gone. Oh well…

I’ve never seen one of these in real life (a fake hamster in real life?), but in the pictures and videos they look pretty cute, I’ll admit. And I bet that once you have all the trails and cars and skateboards and wheels, it’d be fun to let a big horde of Zhu Zhu’s loose to do their thing. And in case you’re wondering, it’s true – a group of hamsters is referred to as a horde. Is that awesome or what?

Anyway, the Zhu Zhu Pets Hamsters are shaping up to be THE HOT toy this year, just like the Tickle Me Elmo, Cabbage Patch Dolls, and others in previous years. If you’re shopping for Zhu Zhu Pets, you’d better start now!

Zhu Zhu Hamsters
Hot Christmas Toys 2009

What kid doesn’t want to be just like Dad? Let Junior complete the effect with this cool kid-sized recliner from JC Penney. Available in five different colors, it fits kids aged 2-9, and is available online only.

Link (via Nerd Approved)

We just spotted this gift a few days ago, and instantly fell in love. How could you not like a bowling game fit for babies, and where you knock down little animals with a soft foam ball? Too cute, and too fun!

Link (via Red Envelope)

A lot of people (OK, mostly old people) complain that toys nowadays aren’t any good, that they don’t compare to the toys of 20 or 30 years ago. I beg to differ, and the Smart Cycle is a great example. The Smart Cycle is a game system that you plug in to your TV, then the child rides the bike through different environments, including Dora’s Jungle Safari, Sponge Bob’s Ocean Adventures, and more. On top of that, as they are riding around, they are learning important preschool concepts like letters, numbers, shapes and colors. What a fun toy, that kids are bound to just love – and parents will love it, too! There was nothing like this around when I was a kid!

Link (via Amazon)