IKEA®: 2007 Holiday Shopping Ideas for the Children

"The IKEA® vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. We make this possible by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them."

IKEA® has stores in 37 countries around the world and offers Swedish designed products at bargain prices.

Success Through Play™ will be highlighting the following IKEA® products that are sure to make great Holiday Gifts this Season, without breaking the bank.

Push/Pull Toys from IKEA®

Toddlers will require fairly good balance skills before they will be able to use pull or push toys effectively. Pull Along and Push Toys such as these ones from IKEA® are wonderful for encouraging gross motor skills; your toddler will be motivated to walk more. Your toddler will be using many additional skills such as refining his balance skills, using eye hand coordination, motor planning and upper extremity strength and endurance all while having fun!

The MULA Push Along Toy
is designed by Francis Cayouette. The small figures jump up and down when the toy rolls forward/backward. Suitable for children ages 18 months and older.

The colorful characters will delight your toddler and will provide positive reinforcement for him to continue walking. The handle is nicely sized for a toddler hand and will allow him to grip the handle with comfort and ease.


The KLAPPAR GRODA and KLAPPAR FISK PULL-ALONG TOYS - are suitable for ages 18 months and up, are beautifully made and compare with many other higher priced European Pull Toys.



The delightful faces of the fish and the frog will endear your toddler and these will soon become his/her new best friend that he will want to take for regular walks. The fish and frog are brightly colored and feature traction on their wheels to help make gliding smoother. Your toddler will be excited to see the fish and frog open and close their mouth when your toddler takes them for a walk.

KLAPPAR GUBBA



*Designed by Francis Cayouette

*Recommended for children 3 years and older.

Many toys on the market are passive toys; high tech battery operated plastic toys which require very little participation on the part of your child. We commend IKEA® for developing toys which promote active participation: fine-motor dexterity and imaginative play. Your child will have a wonderful opportunity to improve his hand strength, eye-hand coordination, refine his bilateral hand coordination, pronation and supination of the wrist, develop motor planning skills, visual-motor development and higher level functions: logic, problem solving, reasoning, judgment, concentration all while having so much fun playing with KLAPPAR GUBBA.

The KLAPPAR GUBBA is an outstanding developmental construction set that your 3+ year old will love. This toy is a bargain in every sense of the word. This construction set is bright, colorful and beautifully made. The toy arrives with a book which features 6 designs that can be constructed with this toy. Older children will be able to work through the book to build each design. Challenge your child's creativity and imagination by encouraging him to make his own unique designs. Highly Recommended.

LEKPLATS Playmat

*Designed by Annie Huldén

*Slide protection underneath; reduces the risk of slipping (backing)

*Length: 4 ' 5 7/8 "
*Width: 5 1/8 "
*Height: 5 1/8 "

*Machine wash, warm 104 F (40°C), delicate cycle.

The LEKPLATS play mat is a steal for the price and can be used in so many ways in your child's room/family room. The design of the mat will capture your child's imagination and will provide the backdrop for many wonderful magical adventures - pretend and imaginative play. Your child can take his vehicle collection and use the mat as a "track"....just follow the road! This activity will help your child to refine his eye-hand coordination and is a great activity that can be pulled together in seconds! Encourage verbal skills by asking your child to tell you about the places on the mat (hotel, etc) and discover the mat together.

We would like to thank IKEA® for sending us samples of the above toys for this review. We plan to feature additional IKEA® products in March 2008 (Baby Shower Gifts). If you haven't discovered the Childrens' Section at your local IKEA®, rush over there now!! Kids can play in the play area and have a great time "testing out the IKEA® childrens' range". IKEA® simply offers customers outstanding value for their hard earn money and we applaud IKEA® for designing quality, developmentally stimulating European quality toys at rock bottom prices. Look no further then the isles at IKEA® to outfit your child's play area and the money that you are saving can be invested into his college fund!


On the IKEA® website, you are able to check the stock availability in the store nearest you, which will save parents a great deal of time and frustration.

To find an IKEA® in your area, please visit:

www.IKEA.com