I Dream of Genie

Let’s admit, there’s been quite a bit of dvd-watching over the last few months. How else are you supposed to get the gifts wrapped, the holiday cards sent, and the cookies baked–or at least ordered through a handy toll-free number?
But while those animated features have their merits, there’s something to be said for working the imagination too. For example, letting your kids know there’s more to the story of the Arabian Nights than that motormouth blue genie and the squawking parrot. I love that with this colorful 1001 Nights magnetic mosaic from Haba, I can put my own child in the director’s chair.
80 beautiful but sturdy wooden tiles can be arranged and rearranged, and as the Arabian architecture changes, so will the tales invented by your little storyteller. And because the board is magnetized, it’s a great choice for plane and car trips–and even home, where hopefully the magnetization means fewer pieces to dig out from under the couch at the end of each day. –Julie