Too bad this won’t be available to buy until next year - it would make the ultimate Christmas gift! This Coral Reef Activity Center is made by Hape-Educo and designed to keep children ages 2 and up happily busy and learning for hours. Designed for use in waiting rooms, this hexagon actually has 7 sides to keep kids busy - counting the bead maze on top.

The 6 sides include a sea creatures pathfinder panel, turtle zig zag game panel, googly eye blowfish spinner panel, hide and seek blocks, bubble gears spinner panel, and diving helmet mirror panel. The hexagon measures 29 1/4″ x 29 1/4″ x 39 3/4.’”

It might be a bit much to buy for just one child, at $599.95, but this activity center has enough fun to entertain six or seven of them! You can view it at SensoryEdge.com, where it will be available in 2009. Put it on your child’s list for Santa next year.

Any toy that can teach my child important skills while keeping her entertained is a winner in my book. I was given this Storybook Station Activity Center from my mother for my youngest Megan and she hasn’t stopped playing with it since.

All she wants to do is sit on her playmat and push all the buttons to make sounds, look in the attached mirror at her pretty little face, play the driving game and try to mimic the animal sounds that the toy makes. This activity center teaches essential motor and cause-and-effect skills.

She gets so excited when she’s about to push the button, knowing that something will happen as a result. You can check this activity set out and others at babyscholars.com. This one goes for $41.95.