It’s never too early to start shopping for Christmas.  Especially when the hottest toys sell out quickly. One of this year’s best is Zhu Zhu Pets and is predicted to be the top seller of 2009.

This interactive hamster toy follows on the heels of the popularity of Littlest Pet Shop, which has been wildly successful for years, but these little guys will have you believing they’re real.

Zhu Zhu Pets are battery operated and have various mode settings, which allow them to squeak, bump and roll through their hamster house or play in the many different play sets available. One that I like is the Zhu Zhu Pets Giant Hamster City, which comes with everything your child needs to get started.

This set includes two hamsters, funhouse, exercise wheel, garage, sleep dome and adventure ball.  Kids can set the mode to whatever activity they want.  Time to play (watch them race around!) or time to snuggle (they’ll coo and purr when you hold them.) They’ll love watching  these silly hamsters explore their habitat and because this particular set comes with two pets, a sibling or friend can join the in the fun!

Though I’m not usually a fan of electronic toys, this one is great for boys and girls who really enjoy “things that go”. when the battery runs out, don’t replace it. They’ll get hours more fun  making the hamster run around using “kid power”.

Zhu Zhu Pets are also sold separately if you want to start out small (Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster “Pipsqueak” With Orange Pet Bed And Carrier) for a younger child.  But don’t hesitate; these little guys are flying off the shelves!

Every kid I know wants a metal detector. This was a “hot” item to buy a few years ago within my circle of friends and the novelty has not worn off yet in my household. Discovery Channel makes a good one that they will use for years and it’s so full of upgrades, you’ll want to use it too.

What a great way for kids to entertain themselves, get a little fresh air and a science lesson to boot!   The Discovery Exclusive Metal Detector boasts a telescoping design that allows it to adjust to different height levels, so even little kids can use it.

This model is highly sensitive and will distinguish between ferrous and non-ferrous metals and the LED light indicators will determine the different types of metal found. Bury the pirates “doubloon” included in this kit and watch their excitement as the detector starts to “beep” indicating they have found some buried treasure.  They can then use the shovel and sifter (comes with) to uncover their finds.

This is the kind of toy that is fun to take with you on these last days of summer. There are plenty of riches to find at the beach, park or even the local playground.  If your kids find something of real value though encourage them to put an ad in their local paper to help find the owner.  Include some Walkie Talkies for all-important communication and you have a toy that never gets old. (Discovery Toys FRS Walkie Talkie Watch Set)

Some of you may remember sticking brightly colored alphabet letters on your mom’s refrigerator as a child.  While she cooked dinner you would be playing at her feet, asking her how to spell this or that.  It was a great way to entertain yourself, and guess what? It was educational too.

With the introduction of Leap Frogs Fridge Phonics, this easy activity is taken to a whole new level.  With its magic letter reader, kids can simply insert the letter in to it and it will teach them its name and sound, as well as fun learning songs.

This is a simple and appealing way to teach your child the fundamentals they require once they reach kindergarten.  Sadly, some schools no longer teach phonics, a very important skill to have in order to succeed in reading and spelling. In addition, batteries are safely encased in each letter so even babies can play.

Once they master this, consider purchasing the Word Whammer also by Leap Frog.  This ups the challenge by allowing them to create up to 325 three-letter words, learn how to blend the letters together to make words and even demonstrates how to rhyme them.

What an innovative way to give your kids the head start they need.

When it’s time to wrap things up at the end of a long day, it seems most children just aren’t ready to go to sleep.  Getting them to go to bed can be a real problem for most parents.

I think I found something that will make it much easier to coax them in to their rooms, and keep the scary monsters under the bed away at the same time.  The Twilight Turtle is the first plush constellation nightlight ever created and a gentle way to help ease kids off to dreamland.

A magical array of stars is projected on to your child’s walls and ceiling in three-color options. Eight real constellations are included in this awesome show including the Big Dipper.  Little ones will be fascinated and even older kids will enjoy it.

The Twilight Turtle Star Guide is included for those of you who need a refresher course as well as an adoption certificate (don’t forget to name him) a delightful Twilight Turtle book is also included for a quick read, and automatic shut-off safety feature is standard.

What a wonderful way to say goodnight to your kids. And a neat way to learn about the constellations too!

It’s one of the most important pieces of equipment you need when you have a new baby. A good breast pump. Although it’s natural and has been done for thousands of years, often nursing your new born isn’t that easy and a good breast pump makes a difference if you struggle in the beginning. And many women do!

Though breast feeding has made a comeback in recent years, many women are initially committed and then after a struggle fall back to bottle feeding. It’s not because they didn’t try, it’s often because for many women, with no guidance and no encouragement, getting past the early struggles that may occur due to everything from a premature baby to carpal tunnel, bottle feeding just seems more appropriate.

It doesn’t have to be that way and absent a lactation nurse or other trained helper, having a good breast pump and the phone number to the local La Leche League can get a new mom through that critical two week period when baby and mom learn to work  as a team.

This compact double electric breast pump model is both small and powerful. It’s easy to use and comes with an AC and even a car adapter! That’s a big plus for moms on the go lacking nursing privacy…which is all too common these days.

With lots of cool features like the ability to control the rhythm and suction, this breast pump is one of the best on the market.

I’ve been considering buying my son a camera so have been trolling the web to find the best one. Of course, part of my motive for buying this electronic wonder is to stop him from using my more expensive model, which I fear he is likely to break sooner or later!

I’ve created a short list of requirements and have found this cool waterproof model from Fisher Price fits the bill!

It’s an award winner and a best seller. This isn’t always one of my requirements, but since most parents have many of my same concerns, (listed below) this turned out to be important.

It’s tough and waterproof…which means he won’t break this one either.

It’s easy to use – there are only a few buttons and they’re pretty self explanatory

It includes all of the goodies I look for in a camera – that is…easy, easy, easy – with not too many options; an automatic flash and the requisite preview screen.

It includes a USB cable just like my camera so I can easily upload his picture and print them out on my computer.

Big bonus- A two eye viewfinder! This is so critical for young children…and many adults I might add!

Though it holds up to 500 pictures, I suspect he won’t take more than 10 at a time before rushing to see them on the computer screen and print them out. I should probably invest in some more printer ink before I give the camera to him!