Everything And Nothing

A new tool for sidewalk artists

The Rainbow Rake gives sidewalk sketch artists an easy way to spruce up outdoor canvases. A quick slide of the two-foot handle spreads or pulls together the tool's fingers, letting kids make multicolor lines, swirls, and, of course (thus the name), rainbows.

$15.68

The Great American Backyard Campout

Mark your calendars. The next Great American Backyard Campout is set for June 23. Participation is easy: just walk down your back steps (or visit a local park or campground), pitch a tent and enjoy! For details or to sign up, visit www.backyardcampout.org.

All the news that's fit for kids

News Flash Five is a new Web site from PBS where kids can get their own weekly updates on current events. The newscasters are five tween avatars who cover the latest in national and world news, sports, entertainment, technology and weather.

Kids can also play games that teach the basics of journalism and even submit their own news stories.

Pre-Pixar Artists

2Animate allows kids to create their own stop-motion animation. Kids start by drawing their picture with a felt-tip pen (the mouse), then they move it to a frame at the top of the page. When all the frames are complete, they simply click on the Play button and watch their movie come to life, similar to a flip-book. You can also import digital images into the animation.

$29.99

Get their message out

Crafty kids will love customizing their own messenger bag by coloring in images with the six permanent markers. Ages 6 and up.

$17.14

Kiss my tootsies

Make those adorable baby feet doubly hard to resist with Fortune Tootsies.

The take-out box contains: two pairs of white and one pair of red socks, each with individual fortunes printed on the bottom. Plus fortune cookies for mom and dad! Machine wash warm/tumble dry. 80% Cotton, 20% Nylon. 0 to 9 months.

$18.95

Couture Baby Wipes

I was teased recently about all of the stuff I have in my purse - Band Aids, notebooks, colored pencils, Bapy wipes, Shout wipes. But when they need a tissue, who do they run to? ;)

Quentin is seven now, but since he's been a baby I've always had Baby Wipes on hand. (You find a myriad of uses for them and then find them hard to let them go. I dusted the dashboard of my car with one the other day. A delightful baby scent left behind.) Now I can dress up my wipes, it seems.

Then they can all really make fun of me.

$32

Paint your sand castle

Remodel your sand castles with spray-on color. Draw right on the sand. Or use the paints to play games like tic-tac-toe and hopscotch. Colors are harmless to people, pets and the environment.

Set includes eight packets of tinted powder (dissolve in warm water to create eight colors) plus four spray bottles and instructions.

Sand Paint Refill has additional packets in the same eight colors.

For ages 5 and up.

$16.95

A See-Saw Built for Two

The Share Chair.

Or a See-Saw Built for Two.

Maybe it's because I had a boy, but I see this beautiful chair as an accident waiting to happen at my house. If you have calmer children who would not see if they could propel their friends across the room by rocking raucously, this may be the perfect chair for you! ;)

$525

A new solution to an age-old problem

One book, one lap - two or three kids.

Hal Taylor's solution...a rocking chair big enough for the whole family!

[ via Smart Stuff ]