Top 4 Baby Gifts for 2015

Christmas season is upon us and as a parent you're probably wondering what your child will delight in. The following selection is for babies and toddlers, but there are lots of other great toys available for kids of all ages.

Babies grow quickly, which means they also outgrow their toys quickly. However, there are some toys made with this in mind, so they grow with your baby. The Bright Beats Smart Touch Play Space is one of them.

This toy is ideal for babies ages 6 months to 3 years. It literally surrounds your child with its semi-circular interactive plastic bar. This bar has smart touch technology, meaning it responds to your child's touch with lights, music, and engaging sound effects. On this bar, you'll also find the numbers one through five, all 26 letters of the alphabet, and instrument graphics, including a whistle and a drum. There's also a bright green ramp with three colorful balls, a bat-at roller, and a spinner.

As a parent, you'll enjoy that there are three modes of play:

• Piano Play for babies who can only move their hands.
• Dance Party, which acts like a disco for babies who are learning how to stand up.
• Learning and Games for teaching babies their alphabet and numbers.

This toy is great because it incites your child's curiosity and helps develop both their gross motor and sensory skills.

Beep! Beep! The Go! Go! Smart Wheels Ultimate Rc Speedway is zooming into your home to make learning fun.

There's over 13 feet of interchangeable track, measuring over 4 feet wide with eight mechanical features, four action zones, and nine SmartPoint locations (e.g. a gas station and stunt ramp) at which "magical" things occur.

Of course, this wouldn't be complete without the chunky car your child easily controls with a two-button, steering wheel-shaped remote. Ralph CarRalph is seated in the No. 8 racecar, which makes “whoosh” and "vroom vroom" sounds. Of course, those aren't the only sounds they'll hear. There are many other sounds, phrases, and songs to keep your child entertained. Ralph CarRalph even offers safety tips (e.g. the importance of wearing a seatbelt).

This is one toy that's sure to keep your child busy for many hours to come!

Playskool Play All Day Elmo is Hasbro’s newest Playskool Elmo pal. He does everything from play games to respond to how your child plays with him.

This really is one of this year's most interactive toys. Not only is Elmo soft, but he's also 21 inches tall and features two modes of play:

• Toddler mode: Elmo interacts with over 150 different responses. If you hop, Elmo makes boing noises; if you spin him in the air, he tells you he loves somersaults; if you swing him by the arm, he makes animal sounds; and if you give him a kiss he'll say “Mwah!”
• Preschool mode. All of the toddler responses are still there, but Elmo also plays eight games including Red Light Green Light, Pat-a-Cake, Freeze Dance, Elmo Says, Hop and Count, Guess the Color, Animal Sounds, and What’s Up In the Sky.

While Elmo is a lot of fun to play with, he'll also help calm your child down and get him ready for bedtime when you switch Elmo from play mode to nap mode, Elmo sings a lullaby then asks for a kiss goodnight before playing a soft instrumental lullaby for two minutes. You can squeeze his nose and he'll replay the lullaby for another two minutes. Elmo won't speak again until you move his switch back to play mode so your child won't wake up.

The Tomy Toddler Toys Jumbo Jamboree is one of those toys your child will enjoy playing with for hours on end. Not only is this a cute elephant, but it plays a sweet medley of five different instruments at once. Your toddler can also take apart the instrument pieces and play each instrument by itself (e.g. the tail is a drumstick, the ears are a mini tambourine, and the elephant’s trunk is a saxophone). When you're ready to put the elephant away again, simply match the colors' pieces to the correct place on the elephant’s body, which teaches your child sensory skills too. So, if you want a fun, engaging Christmas toy, you want the Tony Toddler Toy's Jumbo Jamboree.

There are a lot of great toys available for children of all ages this year! So, don't feel left out if you don't find something for your child here.