The Parents Busy Zoo toy is a great option for moms and dads who want to find high-quality, educational toys this holiday season.  I bought one of these for my toddler when she was about 18 months old, and it has really been very well-received at our house.  My daughter still plays with it, and other children who have come over to our house have been drawn to it as well.

Designed for children ages 12 months and up, this wooden toy features a bead maze, cute animal alphabet spinners , peek-a-boo doors (a favorite in my experience), and much more.  The colors are attractive and appealing and the toy adds a bit of cheer to any child’s bedroom or play room.  With so much play value, it does not surprise me that the toy has received a Parents’ Choice Award (2006).

You can purchase one of these fun toys for $49.95 at Target.com.

Many toddlers and preschoolers go through a pirate phase.  These days, there are so many pirate-themed clothes, toys, and bedding sets on the market that it is almost unavoidable.  This Large Plush Pirate Ship Set with Animals by Joo Joo is one of the most unique that I have seen in a while.  It includes a plush pirate ship and four cute stuffed animal “pirates.”  This would make a great toy or a unique piece of bedroom decor.

Each pirate is approximately 10″ in height. The ship measures 15″ x 30″ x 30″, so it is a fairly large set.  Whether your child is engaged in pretend play or snuggling up with one of the cute little pirates for nap time, this toy offers a lot of options.  It is a bit of a luxury item, however, carrying a hefty $159 price tag.  You can purchase one at Nordstrom.com.  It would be a very generous gift for any little pirates in your life.

Would your child like to find a puppy under the tree this Christmas morning? Maybe you’re not quite ready for that yet. My 4 year old son has been asking for a dog, but isn’t quite old enough to handle the responsibility of caring for one yet. Here’s one solution: buy your child the FurReal Friends Biscuit My Lovin Pup this Christmas.

Running on 4 D batteries, Biscuit has voice recognition for 6 commands, including sit, speak, and lie down. He also will give you his paw, wag his tail, bark, move his head and his eyes. Biscuit also comes with an adoption certificate that can be registered online.

This fun lovin pup measures 24 inches long x 14.5 inches wide x 6.25 inches high, and weighs about 12 lbs. He is a bit expensive, at $179.99, but the hours of enjoyment he will provide your child are priceless. You can view and purchase Biscuit at Target.com. It is recommended for ages 5 and up, so I don’t think my son will be finding a Biscuit under our tree this Christmas. Maybe next year.

Your child can get playful with this little caravan of a Camel, Elephant, Giraffe, Bird and Lion. I think children will want to “handle” these animal blocks in the Zid Zid Caravan Block Set. They look like they’d weigh pretty solidly in your hand, and the cool vinyl material coupled with the embroidery details makes this a tactile delight. The company also offers a variety of block styles/themes, including “Off to the Country” and ”In the City Blocks”. It’s a very unique concept in children’s blocks.

Zid Zid Kids was founded by married artist/designer couple Julie Klear and Moulay Essakalli in 2003 after they and their two children relocated from Massachusetts to Morocco, where Moulay was born and raised. Julie and Moulay combine the local warm colors and unique designs to their line of high quality products for generations to enjoy. All of their products arel handmade by artisans in Marrakech, Morocco.

The caravan block set includes the colors blue, brown, orange, silver, gold. They are handmade from high quality vinyl with fine embroidery details.  The set even comes with a re-usable cotton drawstring bag. Sizes range from 3-14 inches.

Purchase this unique block set for $68 at pokkadots.com.

This great little set of utensils is sure to bring joy to your dinner table (or your child’s high chair).  Made from stainless steel, this three piece set features a penguin knife, a dolphin fork, and a seal spoon.  They are 4.5 inches in length, so they are easy for a toddler to use.

Although I’m not sure that my two-year old needs a knife (yikes!), I do think this set is quite sweet.  I like that it incorporates friendly animal shapes without introducing plastic into its design.  The set is imported from Japan and can be purchased for $20 at gingerandscallion.com.  It would make a nice gift, too.

I’ve seen similar baby bath wraps online but these Nursery Critter Bath Wraps made me chuckle.  Your baby is not going to notice that the hood is decorated with an animal theme, but it might just make you smile.

Imagine that it’s been a long day and you’ve been at home all day with baby OR you’ve been at work at the office all day and this is the only one-on-one time all evening that you have with your child?  It’s very easy to get caught up in “getting things done” and we can miss important moments that also need to happen. So you put on one of these silly bath wraps on your baby and it just makes you smile and stop for a moment to enjoy what all your hard work makes possible - a loving and caring environment for your little ones.

Each wrap is woven of thick cotton terry and measure 31″x23″. Imported, personalization is available (add $6.50).

Price: $24.00 at potterybarnkids.com.