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See
our Current Gift Guide
The following handpicked products--including games, music,
video, and software--make wonderful family gifts. Every family
needs a good electronic encyclopedia and an essential print
shop--our favorites are included here. As well, we've recommended
a "master" cooking software program, computer board and
word games, multi-generational music, and a video game that
everyone in the family will enjoy. Whether you are
buying for your own family or someone else's, these products are
sure to delight.
| Software
for the Family |
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 Top
Pick Microsoft Encarta Reference
Library 2002 is the latest edition of an already
excellent reference suite, and it is better than ever.
Beautiful to look at, filled with multimedia and helpful
content, and easy to use, this reference library will help
make any family's research efforts easier. It makes a
fabulous gift for the family! The search feature is
excellent, with content from all titles in the suite
seamlessly integrated together. New streaming live media and
easy updates contribute to an exceptional product. For
children over approximately 12 years of age, this program
will prove invaluable. Kids only just beginning to need an
encyclopedia will do best with World Book 2002--it is
easier to read than Encarta. However, the whole
family will enjoy Encarta. The
dictionary/thesaurus/almanac is superior and contemporary,
the "extras" (such as games, curriculum guides,
report-writing feature, 3D virtual tours, etc.) are
fabulous, and the integration between the handpicked web
links and the encyclopedia itself is smooth. [Buy Microsoft
Encarta Reference Library 2002 at Amazon.com]
 Top
Pick If you don't already own a
print shop software program, consider buying The Print
Shop Deluxe 12. It's easy to use and versatile enough to
be used by kids and parents alike. Families can make
stationery, greeting cards, invitations, party supplies,
banners, and even supplies for a small business. [Buy The Print Shop Deluxe 12.0 at
Amazon.com]
Based
on the UpWords board game, which in turn is loosely
based on Scrabble, this well-designed CD-ROM delivers a good
time for any word-game aficionado. If
you’re not already familiar with the game, players spell
words on the game board grid using their letter tiles in
order to score points. The twist here is that there’s a
third dimension to game-play – letters are stackable, so
that lone can not only become alone, but also long
or along. An easy scoring system is understandable
for people of all ages, and multiplayer options are
available, including Internet or network play. Playing
against the computer’s artificial intelligence, Maven
(that will be familiar to owners of Hasbro’s Scrabble
CD-ROM), is fun because you’ll never have to wait for
lengthy periods while she decides which words to play, and,
best yet, you get to choose her skill level. There are 10
levels of challenge, but if you get anywhere close to 10, be
prepared for a humbling experience! [Buy
Upwords
(Jewel Case) for only $9.99 at Amazon.com]
 Top
Pick If
your recipe cards and clippings could use a bit of
organization, you may decide to stash them away altogether
in favor of this fabulous CD-ROM. Mastercook Complete Suite
Featuring Betty Crocker lets you browse through, and
organize, a whole slew of recipes, most of which are family
pleasers. You won't find many gourmet offerings in this set,
yet there is enough variety in its recipes--including
holiday specialties and "light" cooking--to please
most family cooks. This suite is an easy to use program that
features a large collection of everyday cooking recipes,
along with cool features (such as an automatic recipe scaler)
and cooking tips/lessons. [Buy
MasterCook: The Complete Suite Featuring... for approximately $29.99 US at Amazon.com]
For family fun on the PC,
the Hoyle Games line of software is a fabulous
choice. These well-designed programs offer a variety of
games with multiple difficulty levels and settings to appeal
to people of almost any age. New to the 2002 editions are
PDA-ready games. Multiplayer options also include Internet
play, and the games' 3D characters add spunk to the
programs. Hoyle Word Games
2002 compiles word game favorites like Crosswords and
Word Searches along with more involving strategy games like
Wordox. There are nine games altogether, and all are fun and
educational too. [Buy
Hoyle Word Games 2002
for approximately $29.99 US at Amazon.com]
Hoyle Board Games 2002
features 16 computer board games, including Battling Ships,
Checkers, Backgammon, Chess, Snakes & Ladders, and
more. [Buy
Hoyle Board Games 2002
for approximately $29.99 US at Amazon.com]
|
| Game
for the Brain |
|
 Cranium
is a "whole-brain" game designed for kids
older than 12 and adults. Its variety of activities and
questions is its most impressive feature. Players form teams
and compete to get to the purple brain at the center of the
board called Cranium Central. They might have to answer
multiple-choice questions, act out something for others to
guess, or sculpt a mystery object from clay. It's a fun and
engaging game. [Buy Cranium
Amazon.com for approximately $35 US]
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| Video
Games |
|  PacMan
World 2 for Nintendo's Game Cube is a fun video game for
the entire family. Children will love the 3D platform
adventure format, and, as they play, they can unlock classic
arcade games that will give their parents a dose of fun
nostalgia! Children collect dots and fruits, gobble up
ghosts, and meet bosses on 6 fantastic levels. The arcade
games include the classic PacMan, Pac Attack, Pac Mania, Ms.
PacMan, and more -- these can be played using tokens that
kids collect throughout the platform game. This is a treat
for the whole family. [Buy Pac
Man World 2 for the Game Cube at Amazon.com for
$49.99 US]
 Backyard Soccer has
made its console debut. Available for the PlayStation, it is
now even more accessible. Kids as young as 5 or 6 can enjoy
this sports simulation, and parents have been known to play Backyard
Sports titles for hours too! Game-play is quite
realistic, though some fantasy elements (like fun power-ups)
are here to add to the fun. It is entirely kid-friendly, and
emphasizes the power of the team. [Buy Backyard Soccer
for the PlayStation at Amazon.com for $19.99 US]
|
| A
"Starter"
Digital Camera for Kids |
|
 An ideal starter camera for
children this age is the Jam Cam 3.0. This durable
entry-level digital camera allows you to snap photos, load
them on your computer, edit them, and then store or publish
them. Its durability means you can feel confident placing it
in the hands of your 6 year old, which in turn helps build
confidence and pride in your child. The results are far from
perfect, but kids won't mind. [See
our review. Buy KB
Gear JamCam 3.0 Digital Camera (Blue) at
Amazon.com]
| Video |
If they don't already own it, Shrek is an
excellent video choice for families. Its humor is
multi-level, designed for both adults and kids, and
you'll be humming lines from its upbeat soundtrack all
day long. Shrek is a feel-good video the whole family
can enjoy. [Buy Shrek
at Amazon.com for $14-20 US]
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|
| Music |
| Top
Pick Justin Roberts' Yellow Bus is a
recording aimed at children that parents will enjoy as well.
It's refreshingly natural and features songs with themes
that range from funny and silly to simple and
sweet. [Buy Yellow Bus
at Amazon.com]
 Music
for Little People produces a fantastic line of recordings
that the whole family can enjoy, entitled A Child's
Celebration of. While most are excellent, A Child's
Celebration of Song is a family favorite. Paul Simon's St.
Judy's Comet and Kenny Loggins' House at Pooh Corner
are just a couple of the fantastic songs on this CD. [Buy Child's Celebration of Song at Amazon.com]
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| A Super
Art Activity for the Family |
|
 Top
Pick Yet
another fabulous book/activity set has been released from
Klutz. Window Art is a fun and easy art activity the
whole family can enjoy. The premise is simple, but the
results are nothing short of fabulous: slip an included
plastic sheet over one of the book's pages of templates, use
a black squirt-bottle to trace the outline of a design, then
fill with more squirtable color. Each design--whether it's a
family of colorful bugs, an ice cream sundae, or a
collection of underwater creatures--takes about 24 hours to
dry. Once set, the design becomes "clingable"--ready
to display on any window of the house. The results are
positively vibrant--your windows (and view) will never look
better. [Buy Window Art
at Amazon.com for $14-20 US]
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