But currently it is hard to find what you need if you do not know what you are looking for. With a million toys on market today, it is tough to pick out best combinations of fun and learning. However, every beneficial toy should be fun, safe, and help child develop and exercise some skill. When faced with so many choices, asking yourself some simple questions about your child's development can help you make best selection.

The following is a list of characteristics you should look for in a good, educational toy:

1.Sensory attraction: How many senses will toy occupy? Does it respond to and with lights, sounds, or movement? Is it colorful? Does it have a smell or a texture?

2.Activation method: Will toy provide a challenge without frustrating your child? Will it be a fun and rewarding experience?

3.Self-expression: Will toy allow your child to express himself, be creative, and make choices?

Capture precious moments of your kid birthday party for all time by taking great pictures with your still camera, digital camera and your video camera.

Your child gets ready to blow out candles on their birthday cake (the cake you spent so much time making), you pick up your camera to capture this very important moment in your child's life and...

You're out of film, you've run out of Smart Media cards for your digital camera or you're out of tape for your video camera, or you're out of batteries! Sound familiar?

While everyone waits, candles on your wonderful kid birthday cake are now melting away, and your child and all their guests are getting impatient.

Film cameras, digital cameras and video cameras are now fairly common in more and more homes.

But most of time, our cameras sit forgotten on a shelf in a dusty closet... Then, at last minute we say "now where did I put camera?"

So do yourself, your family and your child a big favor...

Several days before your kid birthday party, find your camera or cameras and get them ready to capture all very special moments of your child's birthday party.

Pick up plenty of batteries (make sure they're right ones)

Charge up your video camera batteries

Pick up plenty of film

Pick up Smart Media cards for your digital camera

Pick up plenty of blank videotape

Make sure your cameras are working

You absolutely don't want to leave these preparations until last minute...

If you do, it's very likely you'll run out of time and won't be able to stop for batteries or film or videotape.

How To Take Great Pictures Of Your Child Birthday Party