Toys

Watching a hamster whirl around in one of those transparent play-balls inevitably inspires one idea: I sure wish they had those for humans.

Now they do — for kids-sized humans, at least. Kids can climb into the Small World Toys Fun Roller, hold on, and take the ride of their lives. By shifting their body weight around, kids can operate the Fun Roller themselves; a push from a friend sends the wheel spinning even faster. And heaven help us if they decide to let it start rolling down hills.

The Fun Roller holds a maximum of 80 pounds and is recommended for children age 5 and up.

Available at psychobabyonline.com.

Judging from the blissed-out expressions on their faces, most animal toys look to have a consciousness level somewhere between “peaceful” and “zombie.” Fine for the non-judgmental baby, but some adults would prefer a toy with a little more going on.

That’s why we love the Vilac’s Yoshitomo Nara My Sweet Dog Pull Toy. With an intense mien that’s anything but sweet, the dog will roll smoothly behind your child, glowering all the way. What slight has angered him? A lack of Snausages? Not enough walks? The agony of being anchored to wheels and a leash for all eternity? Maybe he’s just lonely.

Available at unicahome.com.

If you’re too hot, too busy or too pregnant to leave the house, it’s not too late to stock up on summer essentials.

Tiny McSmall’s online shop’s got everything you need for a day at the beach (or in the backyard): kids’ swimsuits from Flora & Henri, pint-sized Little Raggio sandals, Hable Construction totes, paper fairy wings and birthday party invites. The site features a super collection of European and U.S. artisans and designers who are parents themselves (so there’s no funny business when it comes to quality).

And that’s no small feat.

Visit tinymcsmall.com.

As the mother of an infant, your physician will strongly urge you to give your baby Tummy Time. Back when we all used to sleep on our bellies, the stomach muscles got a workout and every baby crawled. Now our nation of SIDS-panicked back-sleepers has such a collective flabby gut, many kids skip right over crawling and walk instead. This is supposedly bad for development, another thing your physician and spiteful other moms will tell you.

Anyhoo, if your babe’s not the type to coo and gurgle when placed on her belly, floor toys like the transcendently cute Wish Come True line will help. Each three-inch figure has a chiming bell inside, and a heavy bottom so it rocks from side to side without falling down. Plop one down in front of the kid and watch him stretch and reach to bat it. Heck, at $7.50 they’re cheap enough to get all six and make an obstacle course. According to the manufacturer, you’re supposed to make a wish when you rock them. Here’s one: I wish Tummy Time was over.

One caution: the Wishing Toys are in “blind boxes,” meaning you won’t know which one you’ve got until you open the package. Hey, maybe you can wish for the one you want!

Available at friendswithyou.com.

It sure is fun to play with miniature doll duds, but every popular line has a fatal flaw: Bratz clothes are too hoochie, Barbie clothes too Joan-Collins-in-Dynasty, Groovy Girls apparel is just way too pink. Save your wardrobe-update dollars instead for the Petite Mode Collection: 30 Days in Style doll clothing. Crafted in coordinating stylish shades like black, gray, and red, the “30 Days” collection is made up of simple, up-to-the-minute pieces that are meant to be mixed and matched. Go ahead, put the (approximately Barbie-sized) black-and-white striped T-shirt with the navy suspender shorts; you can’t go wrong.

Manufacturer Re-Ment is best known for its miniature sweets, and it retains its usual strategy for packing its fashion offering: you never know exactly what outfit you’re getting until you open the box. It’s a good thing, really; this way you can much more easily justify buying the whole collection.

Available at asiaphilic.com.

There are times when you just need your backyard dotted with holes. Well, actually, there probably aren’t. But you could put up with said holes if your child(ren) were being kept busy at a wholesome outdoor activity that improved her hand-eye coordination, right?

I present to you the Big Dig, a mesmerizing excavation toy. Children aged 3 and up can perch on the sturdy tip-resistant stool, dig the satisfyingly heavy claw into the dirt using the nifty hand controls, rotate, dump, and repeat. For hours. And hours.

The Big Dig is available at uniquetoyshop.com.

That rickety plastic microscope you got for Christmas circa 1985 is like a fossil now that EyeClops Handheld Bionic Eye is on the scene. The handheld magnifier looks a bit like a classic webcam, except instead of capturing digitized video it blows up whatever you point the EyeClops at and displays the image on a TV screen.

EyeClops couldn’t be easier to use — the included jack plugs simple into the television, and then you just point the EyeClops at whatever you want and choose your level of magnification, up to 400 times its original size. Nothing is safe from the Jumbotron: hair becomes thick as cables; salt looks like towering boulders; a fingertip is a deeply carved labyrinth.

Want to take an up-close-and-personal look at the insects in your life? Accessories include a Bug Vac that will scoop up the six-legged for inspection. Just remember to look modest when your kid is winning the Nobel prize thanks to your science enrichment.

Available at entertainmentearth.com.

Judging by the looks of her mashed potato tower, you may have an artiste on your hands. Too bad you chucked all the markers — sweet smelling but toxic — from the toy bin.

Eco-dough is an all-natural alternative to smelly, sticky sculpting clays. The handmade dough is gluten, dairy and soy free (for all those glue-eating kids out there) and can be revived with just a little olive oil. The gift bag comes with a bamboo rolling pin and reusable flour sack for five unscented colors like mango and lemon.

It’ll be putty in your hands.

Available at ecokids.com.

All the warnings you ever heard about lead in toys come flooding back to you the minute your see your young chef sticking a Made in China play spoon in his mouth. Ever wondered why the box his cookware came in had a “Warning: Not for use with real food” sticker on it?

A safer option is Green Toys’ beautifully basic Cookware and Dining Set ($40), made from recycled milk jugs and other plastics and containing no traceable phthalates or BPA. They’re unpainted, so you needn’t worry about lead, and they’re durable and safe enough to be used to hold real food. Tea parties without fear! What a wonderful world we live in.

Available at WoodenHorseToys.com.

As your baby whizzes through developmental stages, discarded toys litter your place like shrapnel. A greener option is BabyPlays Toy Rental Program, which works much like Netflix: you pay a monthly fee ($36.99-64.99), you pick toys to put in your queue, and then the UPS guy starts visiting your house with much greater frequency. You can hang on to toys as long as you like with no late fees, or ship duds back right away to be exchanged for ones your child might prefer. If it turns out your kid really loves a particular toy, you can even purchase it at a delightfully discounted price.

Feeling squeamish about your kid getting pre-drooled-upon playthings? No need. BabyPlays sanitizes toys each time they return back home.

Find out more at BabyPlays.com.