Seuss robe. Older kids and teens adore
the theme bracelets at Gabriala's, also
in downtown Plymouth. Everything
from soccer and golf charms to the
Detroit Red Wings grace the pretty
bracelets.
In Birmingham, where thousands
of twinkling lights wrap the city in a
holiday glow, youngsters never pass
Adventures in Toys without a quick
looksee. Favorite nooks and crannies
in this fantasy land include the cos-
tume and dress-up area — where
you'll find everything from magic
wands, feathery wraps, cowboy hats
and swords
to the overflowing box
of educational menus on which kids
can learn while they eat. One staffer
tells us Mayogo's getting pretty popu-
lar. The furry doll dances, shakes and
swings when you clap at it.
Everyone's talking about Zolo. No,
it's not a Greek God, just a throwback .
to the old Mr. Potato Heads. A bit
artier, the plastic Zolo allows kids to
create zany-looking Zolo people. It
comes in three different boxed sets,
ranging from $15-$50, based on num-
ber of pieces. We spotted it at the
Print Gallery in West Bloomfield.
Other pleasers at the Print Gallery
include its fine-art coloring books and
cute kid clocks and lamps.
Our shopping sleuths discovered
extra-special loot at the Troy Historical
Museum's gift shop. Unusual slate
boards (not your basic blackboard and
chalk), fun stationery, and lovely head-
toppers — straw hats for boys and sun
bonnets for girls — impressed us so
much, we're making a note to stop
here for those tough-to-find on our
list.
Among this year's many fine
toys that contribute to children's
mental, physical, social and/or cre-
ative development are a few that
offer something extra: an innova-
tion, a multi-
purpose versatil-
ity or a chance to
express one's individ-
uality.
Our testers greeted
the following list
of playthings
with gasps of delight, a
sense of wonderment
and the eager antic-
ipation of "I
can't wait to
get started!"
To find out where
these items are avail-
able locally, call the
numbers following
each listings.
Grip & Grab
Rattle features six
grasping handles
Opposite page:
Cyberspace pets, like the
Tamagotchi, are the rage
this holdiay season.
Tamagotchi is available at
KB Toy and Hobby Store at
Twelve Oaks.
Left: Barbie is politically cor-
rect this season with a multi-
ethnic look. Barbie is
available at KB Toy
*446 VA' :13401,4014 ta361W
and Hobby store at
Twelve Oaks.
Left: Kids'
Schoolhouse, avail-
able at metro-
Detroit Target
stores, is a two-sided
activity center where
a child can be artist,
teacher, student or
builder. Photo cour-
tesy of TodayS Kids.
Below: The World
Ball, available at
Rand McNally at
The Somerset
Collection, keeps
lift bouncy.
(each a different rainbow
color) connected by four
transparent spheres. Shaking
it produces gentle sounds and
a swirl of colored beads inside
the spheres. (Ages 3 months
and up, $12, Learning Curve,
1-800-704-8697.)
Push & Ride Coupe is a
sporty vehicle that starts with
the child passenger pushed by
an adult. When the push
handle and floorboard are
removed, the child operates
the coupe by foot power.
(Ages 1-3, $40, Little Tikes,
1-800-321-0183.)
Kids' Schoolhouse, a two-sided
activity center where a child can be
artist, teacher, student or builder, fea-
tures a smooth desktop, large enough
for two children. The desktop reverses
to a Lego/Duplo-compatible building
surface. A chalkboard/bristleboard fits
upright into the "wall" for simultane-
ous use by children on both sides. A
spacious storage locker and pull-out
drawer hold supplies. (Ages 1-1/2 to
6, about $75, Today's Kids, 1-800-
258-8697.)
Rainbomaker sounds like rainfall,
looks like a rainbow, and _ , children
can't keep their hands off it. Upending
the 16-inch see-through cylinder pro-
duces a dazzling display of tiny beads
cascading through a column of col-
ored disks. More fun than maracas for
a rhythm band. (Ages 3 and up, $17,
Small World Toys, 310-645-9680.)
Scooter Fox is an investment in
quality and safety. It provides a
smooth, stable ride that helps children
develop balance and coordination in
the pre-skateboard years. Solidly built
with a blue tubular steel frame, and
sleekly designed with a red all-in-one
foot plate and rear wheel fender, it
also features a foot brake, locking
kickstand and wide rubber vinyl tread