Christmas shopping for your favorite gremlins that trash your house on a daily basis and may at times deserve a lump of coal in their stockings but always manage to sucker you into a heap of presents under the tree can be exhausting. Here are 10 gifts that just might peak their interest on Christmas morning and may offer you with your own chance to have your belly shake like a bowl full of jelly or at least have those 5 minutes of uninterrupted time to yourself.

Twilight Turtle Constellation Night Light $24.99

For your little buddy who needs a lovey, a modern take on the beloved glowing creature from our childhood, the Twilight Turtle gently transforms nurseries and bedrooms into a starry sanctuary that comforts and calms children by projecting a complete starry night sky onto the walls and ceiling of any room. Choose any one of three soothing color options blue, green, and amber to create magical, tranquil environments. Auto shut-off; 45 minutes sleep timer.

Playskool’s Alphie $34

I remember this toy growing up along with Teddy Ruxben so I was delighted to see it brought back for my own boys. The new Alphie is just an improved version of our classic Playskool favorite. The small robot provides fun and engaging entertainment by teaching your child letters, math skills, special reasoning, cause and effect, sings and plays music and features light up buttons while using double-sided cards to improve your preschooler’s abilities from a different point of view. Additional cards can be bought to add additional lessons for a broad range of activities.

Fisher-Price iXL 6-in-1 Learning System (Blue/Pink) $79.99

If you’re not ready to splurge for a hand held game device and your child wants something that is multipurpose then the iXL is the way to go. This handheld learning tool has 6 different features that allow your child to use the digital reader, game player, note pad, art studio, mp3 player and photo viewer. The iXL comes pre-loaded with software for the various applications so there is never any need for additional cartridges. It opens just like a book revealing a 3.5” color screen with a built in speaker, action button, tethered stylus, headphone jack, SD memory card slot and built-in memory.

Live Butterfly Garden $19.99

If you just happen to be around the TV with your child when this commercial comes on then you know the response, I WANT I WANT I WANT! Aren’t you a little curious to see the butterflies too? Witness one of nature’s most spectacular transformations up close by watching butterflies metamorphosis in the convenience of your own back porch. The kit includes a reusable, collapsible habitat with a feeder, five butterfly larvae, food and complete instructions.

Scientific Explorer’s Mind Blowing Science Kit for Young Scientists $19.99

Winner of Parents’ Choice Approved Award and Dr.Toy One of the 10 Best Educational Products 2005 Award this kit contains a variety of experiments and instruction guide with scientific explanation. Spark your child’s curiosity in science while they are young! Learn about colors, learn about volcanoes. A great family kit with experiments that will intrigue several ages and may promote several of unwarranted experiments at least in my own home but all in good fun.

FINIS: Wyland Dolphin Tail $29.

Do you just happen to have a little girl in your life that is quite certain she would be the prettiest mermaid ever? The Wyland Dolphin tail allows your child to turn into the mermaid with their monofin that slips onto both feet and secures with an adjustable Velcro strap so they can mimic a dolphin swimming technique. A portion of all Wyland’s sales goes to their ocean preservation efforts so you can ensure that one day your little princess might have the chance to search for her very own thingamabobs.

Think Geek: Kids Guitar & Drum Kit Electronic T-Shirts $29.99

My boys play air guitar to Guns and Roses, true story. So when I saw these shirts I thought how perfect they would be at providing countless hours of entertainment over objects that neither could snatch out of each other’s hands and then proceed to beat each other with. These shirts produce authentic sounds for rocking out wherever they may be. The shirts are based on real playable instruments with each button on the shirt’s guitar neck representing a major chord. Strum the guitar by waving the magnetic pick over the strings and clip the amp speaker to your belt. The drum shirt features 7 different drums and sounds with an embedded speaker with volume control. The shirts are available in children’s sizes as well as adult sizes small – 2XL to satisfy even your biggest kid.

Coloud: Marvel Comics Headphones $40

Between the handheld devices that bleep constantly and the road trips filled with DVD players blaring the latest movie craze, there are times that silence is more than golden; it’s a damn necessity in order to keep mom from losing her mind. That’s where the Coloud headphones come in hand. Unlike ear buds on your child that sometimes have an issue with remaining in or comfortable, Coloud headphones are easy for your child to place on or remove into any 3.5mm jack, including iPod, without needing assistance. Coloud offers several Marvel characters there will be no mixing up who owns which. The sound quality is pretty awesome too for those impromptu jam sessions that we parents just need to sneak in while the ones who make the most noise are fast asleep.

GigaBall $49.99 (for the 51” version available in a variety of colors)

It’s a known fact children love two things; being outdoors and balls. What could be better than one that combines those two plus allows your child to climb inside of the ball for an all around good time? The Gigaball allows you to bounce it, climb it, get inside it and roll around with endless possibilities and hours of entertainment. It hasn’t been determined who will laugh more, the children or the parents watching this roll around their yard but it’s a guaranteed good time to be had by all. With weight capacity 150lbs, there is a good chance you just might get a chance to try it out for yourself while providing that adult supervision of course.

World’s greatest Shelby slot car racetrack $249 (verify pending 2010 Holiday catalog, check site for details)

I admit that this toy is entirely for me and has nothing to do with my children much less the ones in your life. When I found this last year while searching for toys, I immediately thought of the badass slot car track I had when I was 8 and how cool it would be to own this one now. I kick myself for not splurging on it not caring that it would have taken up the entire living room in my apartment, I would have a slot car track again dammit! It proves to be an impressive track with twists, turns and 63 feet of track. The cars come equipped with neodymium ground-effect magnets and extra-long guide pins so while in a heated race you don’t have to worry about the cars flying off the track. Included in the set are two cars, two controllers, grandstand and pit, power pack and of course the track. The Restoration Hardware site states the item is sold out however per their customer service department neither denied nor confirmed that the track will be back in their 2010 Christmas catalog so keep a look out for it when they release it later this month.

In past speeches, President Obama has told kids to “put down the PlayStations,” and name checked the Xbox 360 whentalking about out kids education. Now it seems that the leader of the free world is changing his tone, as he’s backing a challenge to get kids to make video games.

The National Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) foundation wants kids to become more interested in creating video games and are offering prizes to the kids who can create the best educational games.

“I applaud partners in the National STEM Video Game Challenge for lending their resources, expertise, and their enthusiasm to the task of strengthening America’s leadership in the 21st century by improving education in science, technology, engineering and math,” said Obama. “Our success as a nation depends on strengthening America’s role as the world’s engine of discovery and innovation.”

There are two separate challenges in the competition, one for grade school kids to create their own game, and the other for developers who are asked to make an educational game. For more information on the challenge, check out the STEM Challenge webpage

So the other day I saw a video on TED featuring 12-year-old Adora Svitak. She explains to an audience full of adults what they can learn from children. It’s actually a really wonderful talk and Svitak is an amazing speaker, I’d venture much better than most her age. She’s also brilliant, so listen carefully to her ideas! Although, her voice does kind of sound like Sarah Palin’s…

COLUMBIA, Mo. — University of Missouri News Bureau — It’s summertime, summertime, sum-, sum-, summertime! For some kids, that means little league, play groups, swim lessons, camping, summer school, dance class and many other activities. But hold on a second! All of those structured activities may be doing more harm than good. A University of Missouri occupational therapist says that toddlers and elementary-aged kids need unstructured playtime during the summer, in part, to help with their emotional and physical development. In fact, a lack of unstructured playtime might be the reason today’s young adults have trouble with problem-solving or critical thinking.

“Play is the vehicle for the development of many major life skills” said Lea Ann Lowery, a clinical assistant professor of occupational therapy in the MU School of Health Professions. “Children can work on simple, basic social skills such as taking turns, interacting with others and following directions and fine motor skills such as dressing, cooking and hand-eye coordination during play time. While some structured play is fine, overly structured play doesn’t encourage critical thinking and problem-solving skills.”

Lowery also said that playtime doesn’t need to be expensive. Most children can develop their imagination skills with stuff around the house or old standby games that require no accessories. Empty boxes, plastic bins, cans and lids can become spaceships, drum sets or cages for plastic animals. Other activities include “I Spy” “Simon Says” or “Memory” that need nothing more than an outdoor setting or a deck of cards.

Anecdotally, Lowery is concerned about some trends related to how children are spending their free time. Some of those trends include children becoming reliant on certain objects “" usually electronics “" to have fun; lacking creativity in games or the inability to find other ways to play with toys; needing immediate gratification during activities; becoming too dependent on reinforcement; and becoming bored because they don’t know how to occupy themselves.

“Even children with developmental delays can benefit from unstructured play” Lowery said. “Play isn’t play if there are too many rules, and it’s important to allow children to make messes. Parents also can make playtime out of work time. Preschoolers love to be helpful and can cut fruit with a plastic knife, can help mix ingredients for a cake or clear the table. Many age-appropriate, summer activities “" both play and work “" can help children develop specific skills.”

Lowery said that becoming too focused on drills and practicing academic skills such as memorizing letters and numbers too early in development can cause some bad habits and frustration. According to Lowery, play is the foundation for many life skills and there is plenty of time to focus on academics.