The Online Helper

Kids: Live Butterfly Garden Review
by Richard Mas

In this article, we will take a look at one of the most amazing and inexpensive Gifts for kids.
The Live Butterfly Garden. It quite literally is the gift of life.

One of my kids favorite activities is going to the zoo. We visit the zoo in our hometown several times a year (which is never enough) and often find the local zoo when we are on our summer holidays. My daughter loves to see the animals and watch how they live. Of course, she is always asking for more pets for our house as if she wants to start a veritable zoo in the living room.

While we are unable to accommodate that request, we can come close to bringing a small part of the zoo to our home with the Live Butterfly Garden. The Live Butterfly Garden has been rated one of the Best Toys for Christmas 2009 but it is much more than that. When I first saw this advertised, my initial thought was: "Is this for real?"

The advertisement said that we could raise caterpillars and watch them turn into butterflies. We could actually watch the metamorphosis live. I was slightly incredulous: How do you buy a gift online with live animals inside of it? How would the animals survive?

Well, the Live Butterfly Garden is designed very cleverly and conducive to the lifecycle of the butterfly. The four-stage lifecycle of the butterfly begins with the egg which transforms into the Larva (the caterpillar stage), onto the Pupa, and finally into the adult stage of the butterfly. So, obviously, when you buy this gift online, you cannot receive live Larva because they would not survive.

So, when you purchase the Live Butterfly Garden, you receive all the necessities to raise the caterpillars and watch their metamorphosis into full adult butterflies. This package includes a transparent, mesh habitat to raise the Larva (caterpillars) and a feeder to keep them healthy and growing.

So where are the actually Larva? When you purchase the garden, you receive a free mail-in voucher for five butterfly larvae and special food for growth. When we ordered our package, this worked flawlessly. We received the food and the growth process began.

My daughter was simply astonished. It one thing to go to the zoo and see this but another to create and oversee the process on your own. This is also one of the best teen gift ideas that you may find. My teen was playing coy (I am too old for this!) but she could not take her eyes off the evolutionary process of the butterfly.

At under $15, this is truly one of the best inexpensive Christmas gifts that you can get for your children.



About the Author
Find the Live Butterfly Garden on the Christmas Gifts for Kids page at the Christmas Store Online. The author, Richard Mas, is a retail specialist and senior editor at The Christmas Store Online.

Great Games--Under $20
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Adventuria
$18.45 USD

** Adventuria is a Fabulous Game for the younger child.
You Be The Bee!

• Adventuria is a non-violent game kids and their parents go crazy about!
• No fighting except for who gets to play first.
• Game features groovy eye-candy cartoon-style animation and catchy soundtrack. Fly around and pollinate flowers instead of shooting monsters and spilling blood. The game has stunning levels and great bonuses to help you through.

3D Pool Game is a billiard style game. This game has 2 features, one is single player, where you can make score as much as you can by pocket balls by finishing unlimited rack.

• And you can submit the score online to eivaagames.com website.
• And second is 15 ball two player pass and play mode, where you need an opponent to play with you. If you miss the shot, the next chance will go to other player. If someone has reached the score more than 60, he or she will win the match. Each score will depend upon the ball number.
• Have fun and play.

Jewel of Atlantis is a new and exciting action puzzle which combines match-3 mechanics with breakout-style gameplay mayhem.

• In this game you explore just uncovered ancient continent in search of valuable treasures and Relics.
• There is huge map available for your exploration with number of various roads and pathways to travel.
• Sink below the deep sea to witness exciting adventures in mystical places like Sacred Temple, Ship Wreck, and Sunken Volcano by yourself!
• The registered version of the game features unrestricted gameplay, over 100 brick-busting levels, 19 mysterious relics, 2 non-linear game modes, free game updates and technical support

• Create the best tank on the battlefield! Use powerful upgrades to improve your tank and its weapons!
• Defend your military base and defeat all of your insolent enemies!
• You can improve your weapons, equipment, and the tank itself by purchasing upgrades. Plenty of useful power-ups, tank improvements, and more than 60 intense levels with enemy bosses will make your battle extremely fun!
• This game runs under Windows 9x/Me/2000/XP/Vista.

Top Three Birthday Ideas for Four Year Old Girls
by Nath Lafleur

Here's a list of Birthday Ideas for Four Year Old Girls that will sure put a smile on your little girl's face.

1) Melissa and Doug Slice and Bake Cookie Set: The Melissa and Doug toys have garnered dozens of "best toy" and parenting awards over the years, and have been featured widely on television and in national print media.

As you already know, four year old girls just love to pretend they are doing grown-up things. Not only is it fun, but it is also a crucial part of their childhood development.

The Melissa and Doug Slice and Bake Cookie Set will let your little girl pretend to bake, decorate and serve cookies. At the same time, she will learn number concepts, practice fine motor skills and much more.

The Slice and Bake Cookie Set includes a dozen wooden cookies, the toy woken kitchen utensils and a dozen of wooden decorating pieces.

Pros: This set is a high-quality and sturdy wooden toy that is built to last and that offers lots of opportunities for both interactive and independent pretend play. The cost is less than $15 and there are many other kitchen sets that you can add to the collection.

Cons: As you might suspect, it's a toy containing lots of individual pieces. However, it also includes a very clever and handy storage solution.

2) Zhu Zhu Pets: This is one of the bestselling toys for 2009. There's a whole series that come with the starter set which makes it easy to expand the collection during the year also.

The other toys of the series can be offered for your girl's birthday or can make great suggestions for grand-parents, godmothers and friends.

Among the other toys included in the series, let's mention the Add on Garage, Hamster Wheel, Ramp and Slide, the Funhouse, the Surfboard and the Sleep Dome, etc.. As you can see, you can collect and connect all of the Zhu Zhu Pets accessories to make a giant Hamster city.

Pros: These toys will keep your kids entertained for hours. Plus, you won't have to buy a real hamster with all the expenses and work that come with it.

Cons: If your little girl is really rough on her toys, it's possible that you may have to reassemble the parts.

3) Vtech Tote and Go Pink Laptop

The Vtech Tote and Go Laptop will program your preschooler for early learning. The Vtech Laptop is just like the computer Mom uses and offers big style for the little learners.

This one of a kind educational product comes with a detachable mouse that is designed for both right-handed and left-handed users and with a colorful keyboard.

You will really appreciate the handle for easy fold-up and go. In addition, the Vtech Laptop contains 30 engaging activities that teach math, music, games and language.

The reviews are unanimous on this one: this is a great educational and learning toy that is durable and offered at an extremely reasonable price (less than $25).

Pros: Very durable and awesome for lefties. It's a terrific value.

Cons: It didn't bother the vast majority of the parents, but some said that the monkey can bit a little bit noisy.

About the Author
To find Christmas Ideas for Four Year Old Girls visit http://www.hot-gifts-for-christmas.com. The website provides suggestions for all age groups, price comparisons and reviews.

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Kid Approved Meals Will Help You Quickly And Easily Prepare Healthy Meals Your Kids Will Enjoy Eating.

You Need Quick And Easy Meals Your Kids Will Actually Eat!
There are many fun and easy breakfast and lunch recipes for kids.How about Breakfast Pizza or Cheese and Meat Pinwheels to change things up a bit?

It is important for the nutrition of our children to have a balanced assortment of foods in their diet.In addition, their little taste buds need to be exposed to variety to help them learn to appreciate various foods as they grow.

Play Kitchens and How to Buy Them
by craigan

Play kitchens are great for children and every child should have one at one point or another. It doesn't matter if the child is a boy or a girl, there are certain skills that are learned through playing with kitchen sets. Each one of these skills is something that has to be learned at some point so that the child can develop properly. And the earlier the better, which is why you must know how to pick the right play kitchen out of the many you have to choose from.

So the first thing you need to ensure is that your child is old enough. This means the child is old enough to know not to put small objects in his or her mouth. Some kitchen sets have small objects that do come off. And you also need to look at the height of your child versus the height of the kitchen set. If your child is too short, you may want to take a few things into consideration. For instance, it may suffice to put some sort of stepping stool in place so that the child can reach everything.

Also take a look at how much space you have. If you have plenty of space, then there is not an issue with the size of play kitchen you buy. Since there are different play kitchens to choose from, you should be able to find one that suits your home quite well. Play kitchens are big toys, so you have to make sure there is room for the kitchen and enough room for your child to move around. You don't want your child to be too restricted when it comes to movement because they could hurt themselves or simply not want to play because they can't move around.

So when sifting through play kitchens, it is important that you take these things into consideration, which you do know best because you are the parent. You know what your child can have and what they can't have. Just make sure that you purchase a sturdy play kitchen and one that your child can enjoy for years to come.

About the Author
Finding the right kitchen set amongst all of the play kitchens out there can present quite the challenge, but finding the right one can prove to be a quality investment. http://www.chasestreasures.com/gifts.html
http://www.articletrader.com/

Kids Toys - What's Hot and What's Not
by VickieLexom

With all the hype about kids' toys you may be wondering what the hot trend is for the upcoming months.

While trends come and go in kids' toys, some things will always be in style for kids' toys. Learning, creativity, imagination, safety, value, durability, and versatility are all things to look for in kids' toys this season.

Among the hottest trends in kids' toys are the toys that encourage learning, creativity and imagination, while having fun. Kids enjoy learning new skills like numbers, colors, and letters, but want to have fun doing it. A boring repetitive activity like flash cards can be helpful but is an outdated idea to learn these concepts. Instead look for things like a toy laptop that teaches letters. Kids can fill their imaginative and creative needs while still learning their letters and numbers.

Another hot trends in kids' toys are things parents look for in a toy. Safety, value, durability, and versatility are all key qualities for kids' toys. Safety is the key thing parents look for in kids' toys. Durability is essential to a kids' toy because if the toy you purchase will not hold up to an active youngster's demands, it is really not a good value. Versatility is also important in kids' toys because the kids will find more uses for the toy, using their never ending supply of imagination and creativity.

One growing trend in kids' toys is green toys. Green toys are thought to be safer for both the environment and for your children. With the recent firestorm regarding safety in kids' toys, more and more parents are choosing green kids' toys.
While some of the hot trends in kids' toys are looking at creativity, imagination, safety, durability, and versatility, some of the trends about what not to buy in kids' toys are also. What's not hot in kids' toys include unsafe toys, toys with only one purpose, and toys that easily break.

Hazardous toys with small parts or lead based paints are being avoided. This trend is ongoing, and with toy manufacturers stepping up to increase the safety level of toys aimed at infants, toddlers, and small children, injuries caused by kids' toys are sure to decline.

Toys with only one purpose discourage imagination and creativity and are out of favor. In days gone by, parents looked for toys that focused on one skill, whether it is letters, colors, or numbers. This is no longer true. Also, toys that are not durable are no longer in favor. The easier it will break, the less likely parents are to purchase the toy for their kids.

About the Author
Vickie Lexom is a part time author when she isn't running her coffee shop or chasing her little one around. The Little Tikes Company, is a multi-national manufacturer and marketer of high-quality, innovative children's products. Known for their durable toys, Little Tikes has become the leader in distributing children's toys in households throughout the world. Little Tikes encourages your child to play, and use their imagination, with toys for a wide range of ages! Find exactly what you are looking for at Little Tykes today! http://www.littletikes.com/toys/little-tikes-toys.aspx http://www.articletrader.com/

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Asus and Disney team-up for new laptop aimed at kids
by Sarah Maple

Taiwanese budget computer giant and the Walt Disney Company have teamed up to release their child-friendly laptop: the Netpal. Due to be on sale in the US by July, the move is in stark opposition to current trends in the American toy industry which is seeing manufacturers cutting back on high-priced toy production, and instead opting for cheaper goods.

However, the plans are not only brave, but they also signify an intriguing progression in the development of computer technology. Asus seem a prime candidate for production duties - laptop reviews of previous models frequently commend their value-for-money and simple products - and with the increasing popularity of netbooks it seems that small, simple, web-surfing, word-processors may be set to make a big impact over the next year.

Whether it will appeal greatly amongst youngsters remains to be seen - and many will be following the popularity of the Netpal with a keen eye. According to Reuters, Mattel, Hasbro Inc and Toys "R" Us have all pushed for cheaper toy production as the recession causes credit-weary parents to cut back on spend this summer. The Netpal will retail at around $350.

In contrast to industry trends though, Chris Heatherly, vice president of global toys for Disney's consumer products unit, argued: "What parents consistently told us is 'I'm not looking for the lowest price point. I'm looking for something that is good value for money that my kid is going to get use out of'."

In keeping with the positive market research, the Netpal will also be occupying a unique space in the market - giving children aged between six and 12 the chance to surf the web and send e-mails, but with better parent-implemented security options.

Yet, another intriguing aspect regarding the plans is the timing. Not only are fewer people spending money on leisure items currently, but I would anticipate that the Netbook will begin to sell better after the summer months and during the colder run-up to Christmas. However, I'm sure Heatherly will have done his research there and it seems that by December the Netpal will be a well-established product within the marketplace - and the first name among kids laptops.

About the Author
T Roberts writes about technology for children. For laptops (http://www.reviewcentre.com/products10.html) and computer hardware reviews visit Review Centre. http://www.articletrader.com/

Personalized Gift Sets for Children
by melvillejackson

Have a child in the family who thinks the world of you? Whether it's your son, daughter, nephew, niece, grandchild or god children, there will come a time when you need to give wonderful gifts to these children, and before you can do that, you will need to have some idea of what's available in the market for children.

Gift giving is an art, particularly when children are at the receiving end. These experiences are cherished by any child for a lifetime. A great gift lets the child know how much he or she is loved. Even if the child is too small to understand what he or she is receiving, they will grow up to hear stories or have fond memories of the gifts they receive.

So, instead of picking up a toy set at random, why not give them a personalized gift set for a change? When they receive these personalized gift sets, their eyes will light up with pleasure and they will be excited to receive a wonderful gift with their name on it.

Fortunately, these days, there are many, many gift ideas for children, from books and toys to clothing, furniture and mind games. So, there really is no excuse for you not to find the perfect gift for a wonderful little child.

The first thing to do before you buy personalized gifts for children is to find out the age of the child. Obviously, you can't gift a story book to a one-month old child, nor can you present bibs to a two year old! It's important to choose age appropriate gift sets.

The second thing is to choose gifts that the child will like. Boys have preferences different from those of girls. Imagine gifting a Barbie set to your nephew!

Some of the best gifts for children include story books, stickers, journals, backpacks, child jewelry and of course, toys! These gifts are wonderful because they give children many hours of happiness. They can have fun and show off too! And if it's something that keeps them gainfully occupied, parents will be happy too.

You can go one step further and increase the child's pleasure tenfold by presenting them with personalized gifts. To personalize these gifts, you can have the child's name imprinted on the object. Imagine the child's pleasure when they get to eat from plates or cups that have their names on it. There is also the option of sending personalized clothing. The good news is that you can easily get robes, baby suits and other items with the child's name or picture on them.

Personalized gift sets are wonderful because they are apt reminders for the child regarding each milestone or happy event. With a little thought, you could find something that is unique to the occasion or to the child, whether it's a birthday, home coming or a graduation!

Buying personalized gift sets for children is easy, regardless of their age or sex. This is largely due to the number of online shops that have extensive catalogs that bear almost every kind of gift there is. So, the next time there is a birthday or other occasion for celebration, just conduct an internet search and select a gift set that the child will enjoy.

About the Author
Personalized Gifts For Babies - Chase's Treasures is a chic boutique that offers fine and unique products and gifts for babies, children, home and moms. http://www.chasestreasures.com/gifts.html http://www.articletrader.com/

Toy Shops and the Internet
by: Jenny Talorman

The stores can also be very crowded and extremely unhelpful to someone shopping for a child.
A great alternative to regular toy stores are online toy shops. These stores offer all the same items, and sometime even better ones, than regular toy shops while offering the convenience of shopping from your own home.

Action figures

If a child really likes action figures, he or she is likely to have many already. It can be hard to find new action figures that the child does not have in the store. Searching online can be a great place to find hard-to-find types of collectable dolls. Many online toy shops offer a larger variety and selection than any retail store. It is also possible to find these toys through auction sites and other person-to-person sales.

Interactive toys

It seems that almost all of the toys made for children these days are interactive. They talk, walk, make computations, make things, take instructions, and more. There are computers designed for children, game consoles designed for children, and strange interactive contraptions that don’t really have a purpose, but look cool. It can be hard to know which toy to purchase for a child who loves interactive toys. An online toy shop can often be helpful in choosing the right interactive toy for a particular child. Many online stores offer toy guides for relatives and friends of a child who wishes to buy a toy. The guides offer helpful tips about what toy is designed for what age level. Many of these sites also review different toys of all kinds to help people choose the best toys for their kids.

Hard to find toys

If you have a child who has to have a certain toy that cannot be found anywhere in stores, you are in luck with online toy shops. Not only do online stores often have a larger number of a certain toy than offline shops, but sometimes they are even cheaper. If you cannot find the toy in an online store either, then it is possible to search auction sites or trading sites to help get the perfect toy for your child. It is also possible to find toys that are no longer being made, such as toys that you had when you were a child. These toys often carry more meaning to a child because they have meaning to you as well.

Other kids toys

If you are a parent or friend of a child you have probably noticed how many commercial toys there are. Most of the toys in stores are promoting some type of television show or movie. If you do not want your child to be a walking advertisement, then alternatives must be found. Online toy shops are some of the best places to find wholesome toys that are not related to any movie or television show. These toys encourage imagination and offer a wholesome style of play that is good for any child. Check out these online toy shops today.


About The Author
Jenny Talorman is an amateur writer who enjoys learning and educating people on a range of topics including; toys and games, children’s issues and baking. If you have any feedback on this article please feel free to get in touch. At the moment I’m really enjoying Timmy Time toys.
For more information on toys click here http://www.thetoyshop.com/

Same Day Music

Xbox 360 Console Tips And Tricks
by robertoms2003

Playing games on Xbox 360 gaming console is sure an exciting experience, but not knowing how to use your gaming console properly can potentially trigger your worst nightmare. There are a number tips and tricks that users must apply to ensure you play safe while operating their consoles. So, what are those tips and tricks? Let us take a look:

1 - You are a game junky who cannot think beyond spending countless hours with your Xbox gaming console. While this gadget pumps up your adrenalin, make sure it needs to be shut down at least every 6 hours to prevent your TV from getting a burnt image. Play safe and shut down your console using Xbox Dashboard.

2 - So, you like rock, eh? Good news for you! Well, now your Xbox 360 can also play music. But, do not expect it to play hard rock numbers as loudly as you would expect from an exclusive music system. If you play music in a game, the sound effects can be reduced to some extent. However, you can manually lower the sound through the Xbox media player once you hit the speaker icon on the guide. Talking about music, you should know that this awesome gaming console can also store music files by ripping music from a CD. You should be glad that it reads a wide range of discs including CD-R and CD-RW formatted discs.

3 - Many prefer playing their Xbox 360 wireless. If you are one of them, make sure you have your batteries charged to enjoy playing for extended period of time. After all, no serious gamer would love to see their controller die before their final boss. Also, if you want to stop worrying about constant battery consumption, investing on a Play & Charge kit is a wise idea.

4 - If playing your Xbox gaming console gives you a high, playing them with your friends offer your excitement a whole new definition. You would have to replace your HDD to take it to your friends` house, be careful while you replace the HDD on the top of your Xbox 360. Just click push the button at the front of the HD and then pull it gently. Similarly, to put it back in, slide in the back end first and then bring it down to its place until it makes a click sound. While doing all these, make sure you do not try too hard to press anything.

5 - It might so happen that your buddies might bother you while you are playing games on your Xbox 360 with a coupe of friends. If their frequent interruptions get on your nerve, get rid of them by changing status with Online Appearance at Personal Options button. Depending on what your mood is, you can choose from `Away' or `Busy` or even go on the offline mode.

6 - If you are new to the online gaming world, you may have to face difficulty understanding the Xbox points systems. For example, if you want to change your gamertag, you may have to do so at the cost of some Microsoft Points. For your kind information, an MP or Microsoft Point is the currency used with the Xbox Live marketplace, where you can purchase Microsoft Points in 500, 1000, 2000 or 5000 denominations. Remember, you need to shell out 1 USD per 80 Microsoft Points. Hence, make sure you check out the prices and features of any game content.
About the Author
You can have access to articles about video games in portuguese language from page Video_Games
Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for Polomercantil http://www.polomercantil.com.br/
http://www.articletrader.com

XBOX 360 Vs. PS3: An In Depth Look

By Tony James
All gamers are awaiting the release of the Xbox 360 and the PS3. This article takes an in depth look at how the two systems compare.

Graphics:
Everyone has seen an Xbox and a PS2 in action and we are all waiting to see which of the two next generation consoles for the two systems will have the edge when it comes to graphics. We have all seen the screenshots of the games on the two systems but what about actual gameplay graphics. Despite the hot debate, when you look at the numbers the two systems use a different but equally effective method of delivering graphics processing power. The XBOX uses a custom ATI processor with 48 graphics pipelines and the PS2 has a custom NVIDA graphics processor with an estimated 24 pipelines. The numbers are misleading because the PS2 piplines are more powerful than the XBOX pipelines. In the end the two different graphics processors will deliver about the same amount of power, we can expect to see impressive results from both sides.

Games:
Both systems have several franchise titles such as Halo2 for the XBOX and Gran Tourismo for the PS2 that you will see in the next generation systems, but what other games can you expect to see. If you are a fan of genres such as role playing that are dominated by Japanese and other foreign developers such as Square, you should look forward to the PS3. There is no indication that the XBOX 360 is going to gain much more support from foreign developers and buyers than the original XBOX. An article on GameSpot.com reports that only two percent of Japanese gamers are interested in buying an XBOX 360, with sixty percent looking forward to the PS3 and eight percent to the Nintendo Revolution. Overall you can expect to see more games on the PS3 than the XBOX 360, reflecting the selection for the current generation systems. Only time will which console will have the quality of games which all of us are been expecting

Media Type:
Will the media storage type be a factor in the quality of the games? Since PS3 is owned by Sony and BLUray is Sony’s next high definition storage medium, the PS3 games will be stored on the BLUray discs which hold approximately 54 gigs. The Xbox 360 games will be stored on Double Layer DVDs which store 9 gigs. Obviously the BLUray discs can store a lot more data, but at the current stage of game development, any game developed will fit just as well on the 9 gig DVDs, so this is not a major factor but one that may come into play later on.

Processing Power:
How do the two systems compare when looking at brute processing power? The PS3 uses a Cell processor with a PowerPC-based core with seven synergistic processing units while the Xbox comes with a Custom IBM PowerPC CPU with three dual-threaded cores that can handle six total threads at a time. An important comparison to look at is the number of dot product calculations per second the systems can perform. The reason this number is important is because it is used extensively during gameplay in 3d math to calculate various things such as vector lengths, projections, transformations, and more. Both systems are clocked at 3.2 Ghz. The PS3 can handle 51-billion dot product operations per second and the Xbox can handle 33.6. There is a debate over which system has more brute processing power and these numbers can be confusing to the average person, but overall it seems that the PS3 has an edge over the Xbox when it comes to overall processing power.

Media Type:
Since PS3 is owned by Sony and BLUray is Sony’s next high definition storage medium, the PS3 games will be stored on the BLUray discs which hold approximately 54 gigs. The Xbox 360 games will be stored on Double Layer DVDs which store 9 gigs. Obviously the BLUray discs can store a lot more data, but at the current stage of game development, any game developed will fit just as well on the 9 gig DVDs, so this is not a major factor but one that may come into play later on.

Games:
When considering games, you have to look at the XBOX and the PS2. The XBOX is very popular in the US and has a few great franchise games such as Halo, but the PS2 has an international reach and several popular game franchises such as Gran Tourismo that the XBOX has yet to beat. The XBOX 360 will need to appeal to foreign game developers and consumers to compete with the PS3. Only time will which console will have the quality of games which all of us are been expecting

Controllers:
The controllers on the two systems retain the basic shape from the original systems with some modifications. The PS3 controller has the most dramatic change; it has a streamline shape that looks more like a stealth airplane than a game controller. The XBOX controller is basically the same shape as the previous system with a different color scheme. From the pictures released, it seems the XBOX controller will be more comfortable and natural to use. The PS3 controller looks like it would just slip out of your hand but we will not know how the controllers feel during actual gameplay until we get our hands on them.

Tony James is an author and webmaster. He currently runs the website Freeware Games.net