What if kids could design their own stuffed animals? They’d probably look a lot like Aminals, a new line of soft toys that gets its design inspiration from kids’ drawings.

Of course, toys this cute need to come with cute names too. Choose from the “Liun,” “Wayul,” “Smal Bayr,” and even “Momey” and “Dady.”

Plus, you can feel good about letting your kids snuggle with their new best friend, since they’re made entirely from certified organic materials and vegetable dyes.

How many times have you bought something for one of your kids because, secretly, it was you that really wanted it? Well, get ready to do it again.

While vinyl collectible toys (from the likes of Kid Robot) have been popular for a while, PIPEROIDs are the only Japanese robots made entirely of paper. Like everything else cool, these little robots were first unleashed in Japan back in 2006, but are now available worldwide.

Besides looking good, the real treat is that you get to build them. PIPEROIDs come in small packages that contain several tube-shaped pipes; just cut, fold, and connect the paper until your creation is complete. Even the least crafty Dads should be able to finish in 20 minutes or so—but give yourself 45 minutes if you’ve got a little one who wants to “help.”

Currently, there’s 14 different PIPEROIDs, each with their own name and story. Music fans will flock to the Guyzer & Bean model (pictured above): Guyzer is the leader of an imaginary metal band, and Bean is his biggest fan. Other PIPEROID characters include hard-working Muscle Joe, legendary Samurai warrior Kibatora, and Hammer Rose, a fortune-telling girl robot.

Any of these mighty bots are sure to look great in your kids’ rooms, but then again, maybe you should keep it on your desk… you know, just to be safe.

*** WANT ONE? Sign up for our newsletter, Tweet about this post, or become our fan on Facebook and post about PIPEROIDs on our wall by Friday, December 18th and you’ll be entered to win a little bot of your very own.

Sure, everybody knows about Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, and the rest of The Muppet Show’s big-name stars, but let’s salute the unsung heroes of the show: the Whatnots. These hard-working Muppets were the wacky-looking extras that appeared in the background of various skits. Granted, they lack the glamour of the celeb-Muppets; Whatnots are truly the working man’s Muppets.

While Animal and Gonzo were up to who-knows-what in their fancy trailers, Whatnots were getting chased by Muppet chickens and pelted by Muppet eggs, just to earn a few seconds of screen time. They weren’t in it for the fame, they only wanted to make you laugh. Now is your chance to pay them back, by bringing one home.

The Muppet Whatnot Workshop site lets you create your own custom Whatnot, with a wide selection of body types, eyes, noses, hair styles, and clothing options to choose from. Of course, you can preview your creation, and keep changing it until you get it just right. Then, just a few days later, you’ll have your very own Whatnot. But please, treat them with the respect and dignity that these entertainment veterans deserve.

Based on a very simple premise, Stomp Rockets are among the very few toys that are a hit with just about everyone. Any 3-year old can figure it out: put your rocket (actually a soft foam tube) on the air hose, stomp on the pad, and watch it blast off into the sky. Then, do it again for the next three hours. On those Saturday mornings when your kids need to burn off some energy, Stomp Rockets come in very handy.

The creators of Stomp Rockets, D&L Company, claim that they’ll go as high as 100 feet, but it takes far less to inspire total delight in your kids. Sure, you could even use the rockets to inspire a conversation about gravity and physics, but it’s more likely that you’ll find yourself seeing how high you can launch the rockets while screaming “awesome!”

A small warning though: if you take Stomp Rockets to the park, your child is going to have to be OK with taking turns (or else they’ll need to learn very quickly). Once you start using them in a public place, you’ll soon have a small swarm of kids around you, anxious to get stomping.