The party box includes over a thousand cards for many card combinations. View larger.

Unexpected and funny comparisons make the game fun to come back to again and again. View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good:Quick set up; inspires quick thinking and creativity; fun for whole family The Bad:Not as fun without at least five players; subject matter targeted for mid-teens and older In a Nutshell:Quick-paced board game requires just a minute to set up and will have everyone laughing for hours At a Glance Ages:12 and up Requires:At least four players

Smart, Award-Winning Fun
Apples to Apples has won numerous awards including "Party Game of the Year" by Games magazine and "Mensa Select" by Mensa International. And for good reason: it involves quick thinking, humor, and strategy. For teens, the game teaches them to think about how different things can be compared to one another and how analogies are formed. One of our criticisms is that although the game states that it is designed for ages 12 and older, many of the subjects are clearly for older teens.

Hilarious Comparisons and Analogies
The name of the game is a play on the phrase "apples to oranges," and the game is about making comparisons between different things. General game play is as follows: players are dealt red cards which have a noun printed on them, and the judge (a different player in each turn) draws a green card on which an adjective is printed and places it for all players to see. Each player then chooses a red card they are holding that they think best describes the green card. The judge then decides which adjective she likes best.

The fun is in the variety of unexpected comparisons people make, sometimes apt, funny, creative, or simply absurd. For example: people might match "Awkward" with "Oil Spills," "My First Kiss," "Dandruff," and "Gold Chains. " Or: "Painful" with "High School Reunions" and "Regis Philben. " Strategy comes into play since, because each player takes turns being the judge, you begin to pick up on the preferences of each player and tailor your choices accordingly.

Players can also try variations on the basic game play. For example, instead of choosing the most apt comparison, players might try choosing the red card that is least like the green one. These variations keep the game fresh and interesting every time.

Conversation Kick Starter
Part of the fun is in standing up for your choices. For instance, you might discuss why you think "Regis Philben" is painful, or segue into a discussion of the embarrassing situations you got into on your first day of school, or your first kiss. Apples to Apples excels as an ice breaker and promotes a good amount of social interaction, as many conversations will be kick started thanks to these little cards.

More Players, More Fun
Although the box states that the game is playable with just four players, we found that the game is a lot more fun when there are at least five or six players. This increases both the frequency of funny answers and also requires players to refine their strategy a little more. Once we got going, hours passed, and it was only the lateness of the hour that reminded some of us that we had to go home.

This Party Box set comes with more than 1,000 cards total, and will entertain for a long time. Additional expansion sets are available to further increase the variety of word combinations.

Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Baby iCan Play Case

The Laugh and Learn Baby iCan Play Case lets babies enjoy their very own apps while protecting mom or dad's iPhone or itouch. Simply place the Apple device into the case, twist the lock and the electronic is protected from baby's dribbles and drool. The durable, rubber case holds the device behind a clear film to protect the screen. Easy-grasp handles are sized just right for baby to hold. Download free Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn apps from iTunes. Babies love to learn when their interactive touches control the action. And this case is the perfect way to let baby be in control while protecting electronic components. The case entertains baby even without a device inside, thanks to rattle beads on the handles and a mirror on the back. Apple products are not included. It is compatible with the iPhone 1G, 3G/GS, 4G and iPod Touch 2G, 3G and 4G.

• Product Dimensions (inches): 2 (L) x 8 (W) x 8 (H)
• Age: 36 months and up

Baby will love the Apptivity case, and you'll love that your phone is protected!

Protecting your phone is quick and easy!

Busy Activities for Baby&Protection for Your Phone
The Laugh&Learn Apptivity Case is fun all by itself, with busy beads and a mirror to keep baby occupied. When you insert your iPhone or iPod touch into the case, it locks securely inside. Clear film protects the screen from baby’s dribbles or sticky fingers. You can even choose to cover the home button to keep baby from pressing buttons or making calls! Additional Usage Hints: You can use anything with a strong, thin edge to open the case; There are two ways to put your phone into the device: home button accessible and not accessible (more detail in the included instruction sheet but it's mom/dad's choice if they want baby to be able to access the home button.); Fisher Price designed the Fisher-Price apps not to time out...knowing that baby may not always give input consistently, and we wouldn't want the screen totime out and have the home button blocked.

Free Apps to Download
Don’t just protect your device, make it truly baby-appropriate with free Laugh&Learn apps. Your baby will love learning about animals and counting (Let’s Count Animals™), parts of the body (Where’s Puppy’s Nose?™) and Animal Sounds, all with fun music, sing-along songs and games. The apps were created following the popular Laugh&Learn approach of bringing learning to life through everyday play. These three apps can be downloaded at no charge from the App StoreSM. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

Developmental Benefits
The Laugh&Learn Apptivity Case is a great way to foster development of basic skills, helping baby practice eye-hand coordination with fun hands-on activities. There are easy-to-grasp, textured handles and beads to slide and rattle, enhancing fine motor skills. And, because babies love to look at themselves, it features a high-quality mirror that encourages self-awareness and discovery. Adding free Laugh&Learn apps to your device offers additional benefits with learning games and songs.

Live Butterfly Garden At a Glance: Age:4 years and up Requirements:Larvae, which are available with the included mail-in coupon ($5 shipping and handling required; ships to all U.S. states except Hawaii). Warranty:Insect Lore guarantees that at least 3 of the 5 butterfly larvae sent through the mail will metamorphose into adult butterflies.

Watch larvae turn into butterflies! View larger.

12-inch habitat, guide, dropper, and coupon. View larger.

Live Caterpillars Mailed Directly to You
The Butterfly Garden comes with a coupon to send away for five caterpillars. The caterpillars are hatched from eggs in a butterfly nursery and mailed to your home in a special clear container, complete with caterpillar food.

Live caterpillars and food

Keeping the caterpillars out of direct sunlight, children can watch them eat, grow, and after seven to ten days, form their chrysalides and begin their transformation into butterflies. The transformation from caterpillar to butterfly normally takes two to three weeks: seven to ten days in caterpillar stage, and seven to ten days in chrysalis stage. Insect Lore guarantees that at least three of the five caterpillars you receive will grow into adult butterflies.

Observe the Metamorphosis Up Close
The Butterfly Garden comes with a pop-up butterfly observation habitat, which is a cylindrical mesh container measuring 12 inches tall. Once the caterpillars become chrysalides, they can be transferred to the habitat, where they will complete their transformation into adult Painted Lady butterflies. Children will be excited to keep a close eye on the changing chrysalides and watch this seemingly magical metamorphosis.

Your Very Own Butterflies
Once the butterflies emerge, children can have lots of fun feeding them and watching them eat. The kit comes with a dropper for squeezing sugar water into the habitat for the butterflies to drink. It is recommended that flowers be placed in the habitat for the butterflies to rest on while they enjoy their meals. Kids will delight in observing the butterflies unfurl their proboscises to suck up the sugar water.

If you receive your butterflies during warmer weather, when temperatures are above 55 degrees, you can experience the excitement of releasing the butterflies into the wild. Caterpillars are available for delivery year-round, so if yours arrive in a colder month, you can keep your fully-grown butterflies in the mesh habitat for their lifespan, which is about two to four weeks.

Additional mail-in certificates are available for order, so once you've released your butterflies, you can reuse the Butterfly Garden and experience the magic of metamorphosis again and again.

What's in the Box
Mesh butterfly habitat, feeding dropper, activity guide, complete instructions, and mail-in coupon for five caterpillars, and food.

The next generation of Leapster with hi-res graphics, a stylus to practice writing, and a powerful processor that allows for action-packed gameplay and the ability to download games, e-Books, videos and more through LeapFrog's online Leaplet store.

• Recommended Ages: 4 years - 9 years

Explorer Learning Game System Ages:4 to 9 years What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: Novelty factor: The Good: The amazing touch screen shows crystal clear images. The Challenging: Comes with only one free downloadable game. In a Nutshell: A sophisticated handheld gaming system for younger kids that will teach and entertain.

Exploration and Learning in One Exciting Handheld Device
From LeapFrog comes an exciting new handheld game system focused on learning and fun. The light weight Explorer boasts an amazingly clear touch display and a kid-friendly interface.

This touch screen gaming device covers music, math, and other educational topics. View larger.

Kids can engage in a number of fun, interactive activities - including a digital pet. View larger.

The Leapster Explorer works similarly to other gaming devices for older kids and adults but plays age-appropriate educational games. Kids will be prompted through gameplay to use certain buttons, but the tethered stylus and touch screen are the main modes of interaction.

The Explorer comes with a free Leaplet download that you'll chose from a collection of games and activities on the LeapFrog site. You can access the free download after connecting the Explorer to your computer with the included USB cable and setting up an account. Other preloaded extras include previews and trailers for current and upcoming Explorer titles and Pet Pad, a digital pet that kids can design, play with, and care for.

Grow Your Explorer Library and Your Child's Learning Opportunities
Though the Explorer device comes with a free Leaplet download and a few entertaining extras, you'll want to purchase additional cartridges and Leaplets. LeapFrog has created over 30 games and activities and continues to expand its selection.

You'll appreciate the categories for Explorer games, which are focused on specific skills and learning objectives. Games focused on creativity incorporate art, music, and imaginative play, while school basics games integrate activities for math, reading, writing, and spelling. Some select titles will even help your child learn geography, life skills, and science concepts.

Monitor Your Child's Progress
Be active in your child's learning by tracking her progress in specific games and subjects. When you connect the Explorer to your computer the first time, you'll set up a parent account that shows your child's progress in different learning touchstones and how much time she spends playing certain games. The Explorer's tracking feature automatically updates your child's progress whenever you connect the Explorer to your computer. This feature shows your child's strongest and weakest subjects, and you'll get to know your child's passions and preferences. This information will aid you in helping them cultivate strengths and improve weaknesses. And because the Explorer can hold up to three profiles, it can be used by the whole family.

Other Expandables
The Leaplet Explorer provides access to Leap World, an online virtual space where kids can create their own character, build spaces, and expand their learning and entertainment opportunities.

With the camera and video recorder attachment, the Explorer transforms into a creative multi-media tool. Kids can take pictures and video recordings, edit the material with fun effects, then email the results to family and friends. These fun projects can even be used in other Explorer applications.

Minimum System Requirements
OS:Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Mac OS X v10.4 or higher Processor:Pentium III 500 Mhz processor Memory:512 MB RAM Hard Drive:300 MB available Video Resolution:1024x768 or higher	CD or DVD drive Available USB port Internet connection