Ride-ons are toy classics–right up there with blogs and dolls. As soon as man invented the wheel, mom and dad probably thought up the ride-on. We like ride-ons that spark the imagination and get kids moving–here are our picks for Award Winning Ride-Ons from our Hottest Holiday Toys.

Going to the toy store is a magical experience and a real treat for kids. Local toy stores often have impressive displays of stuffed animals, dolls and trains. My son’s favorite spot is the train table at our local store.

While he plays happily with Thomas the Tank Engine and friends, I have the opportunity to discover some high-quality toys unavailable at the big box stores. And I can count on the friendly store owner to provide expert advice on the best gifts for the kids on my holiday list (and free gift wrapping on my purchases).

Another helpful source of shopping advice is the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) 2009 Best Toys for Kids Award Winners. Over 500 of America’s top independent and neighborhood toy retailers selected the Best Toys for Kids based on their experience and understanding of what kids like.

The Halo SleepSack Swaddle is the Cadillac of swaddlers. It’s lusciously soft, and it’s designed to not only help your baby sleep better by preventing the “moro” (startle) reflex, but also to reduce the risk of SIDS. And it’s so simple to use, even a sleep-deprived parent of a newborn can put it on swiftly and easily.

It’s well-known that immobilizing the arms of your infant by swaddling them helps them sleep better–but that’s sometimes easier said than done…

Personalization is enjoying a renaissance in the children’s market.  But why settle for just having your kid’s name in a book when the main character can look like your kid.
Even better, MJM Books publishes original personalized, customizable children’s stories with illustrations drawn by an artist.
All three available books are sweet stories about the unique perspective children have on the world.  My favorite is What Animal Are You? — a version of a game my daughter loves to play.  A series of friendly critters tries to determine what manner of creature …

When an ordinary blanket just will not do, when you cannot find the perfect cover to match your child’s room, Posh Blankets offer a chic custom option.

Design your own blanket by selecting the size, from itty bitty and lovey for babies up to the generously-sized blankets for teens or adults. Posh Blankets even creates pillows, too. Then, select from beautiful fabric choices for the front and back. You can also choose to add monogram, patchwork, and satin ruffle border options…

The Miss Gigi-Mae Tether System is a Momma Gotta Have. If you’ve ever reached around to grab a toy off the floor of your car while driving or picked your child’s sippy cup off a grimy restaurant floor, you’ll understand the need for this tether system.

This mom-invented product is designed to attach to a carseat, stroller or high chair. Simply attach baby’s toys or sippy cup to the four retractable clips to keep them off the floor and safely in reach. (You can view a demo of this product here. )

For Mother’s Day, I received a beautiful charm from Not Just Any Old Day. The solid sterling silver calendar charm is marked with a clear Swarovski crystal for my son’s April birthday. You can select from 12 different birthstones to customize your charm.

The pictures don’t really do this charm justice. Each charm is customized by the designer and then hand-antiqued, which gives the finished piece more of an heirloom quality rather than a cookie-cutter look. The Fleur De Lis gives the calendar charm a feminine touch.

The best children’s books stick in your head long past your childhood–and if you first encounter them as an adult, reading the stories to your own children, the tales transport you back to that time of childlike wonder and whimsy.

Although many of Neil Gaiman’s first children’s books (The Graveyard Book and Coraline) are macabre chapter books and better suited for school-aged children, Blueberry Girl and Crazy Hair are perfectly kooky reads for preschoolers.

Momma Loves Her Little Son, a new book by the son of June Carter Cash and Johnny Cash, has won a place in my heart and on my bookshelf. John Carter Cash explains that the book is based on his own relationship with his mother who frequently told him that “Momma loves her little son.”