By all counts, 2009 was a huge year for animated movies. There were big crowd pleasers like Up, The Princess and the Frog, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, but for our money, the most entertaining was Wes Anderson’s stunning stop-motion tale Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Based on the book by Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), it’s the story of a fox who plots the greatest (chicken) heist ever. With an all-star cast of voice talent like George Clooney, Bill Murray, Meryl Streep, and Owen Wilson, this is a film you’ll want to see over and over, whether or not the kids are around.

Let your kids time-travel back to a mystical land where things like Star Wars video games, “Battle of Endor” Lego sets, remastered DVDs, and constant SpikeTV marathons didn’t exist. Can you imagine the horror? Ah yes, the late 1970s, back when the only way to bring Star Wars home was through action figures and the “The Story of Star Wars” album (on vinyl and 8-track!)

Thanks to some vinyl historians, now the next generation of fans can hear “The Story of Star Wars” in all its glory. Clocking in around 50 minutes, the album features dialogue, music, and sound effects from the movie, as well as narration by the gravel-voiced actor Roscoe Lee Browne. It’s a vivid description of the Star Wars universe, so it’ll thrill devoted little Jedis, while still being a fun introduction for those kids just starting out on their journey.

Al Madrigal burst onto the comedy scene in 2004, winning an award at the prestigious US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. Nicknamed “The Latin Breeze” for his casual storyteller tone onstage, Madrigal talks openly about cultural and parenting issues, squeezing painfully funny details from his life as a half-Mexican, half-Sicilian married father of two.

His stories touch on things all parents can relate to: swearing in front of the kids, bouncy house birthday parties, and why you should never let your kid watch The Wiggles. We recently chatted with the comic via email.

The Dad List: What was your childhood like? Do your kids have it easier than you?

Al Madrigal: I had it way easier than my kids. Both my parents worked, so me and my two little brothers really got to do as we pleased. We all took the streetcar— the N Judah in San Francisco—45 minutes everyday. We were alone from 3 to 6. We watched TV, played in the street with neighborhood kids, and played sports at school. There was no guitar, no rec league sports.

I’m so freaked out about my son getting hit by a car or kidnapped we’re with them at all times. If he so much as looks at a piano, he’s in a class. Art class, summer school, summer basketball leagues… poor guy has a tighter schedule than I do.

TDL: Before you broke into comedy, you spent almost 10 years firing people. How hard was that, and did it help you to be a better comic or dad?

AM: If you saw “Up in The Air,” that’s pretty much what I did. It was hard at first, but then I became really cold and started to make a sport out of it; that’s when I knew I needed to get out and do something creative and try to give back. I volunteered with Big Brothers and Big Sisters, took stained glass classes, and eventually tried stand-up. I’ve easily fired over 1000 people. It’s a weird skill to have but it did give me a couple things that I [still] use: I’m able to make tough decisions quickly without showing emotion, and I’m able to remain pretty calm when someone is giving me shit. Both things translate to comedy and parenting.

TDL: How did parenthood affect your stand-up routine?

AM: It gave me a whole new area… I still haven’t scratched the surface. Other kids and their parents are such idiots the potential for stories is limitless.

TDL: Is there anything about your family that’s off-limits? How thrilled was your wife about the “Pregnant, Horny, & Gassy” routine?

AM: No, everything is fair game. I’ll probably stop talking about my kids as they become more aware of what I do, but my wife is pretty thick-skinned and knows that making fun of her pays the bills. After “Pregnant, Horny, and Gassy” she cried (mainly because she really was pregnant) and made me promise to stop telling that bit. I crossed my fingers and kept doing it… still haven’t found a better opener.

Al Madrigal appears at the Punch Line in San Francisco through March 6th (tickets available here), and you can always get the complete lowdown at AlMadrigal.com

When do you have the best bonding experiences with your kids? For many, it’s the quiet times just before bed or a lazy Sunday afternoon where you and your kids can get lost in a story together.

Now, what if you never got those moments? For parents who travel frequently or relatives who live far away, it can be tough to build that special bond. That problem led one dad to create Readeo, a new site that offers a shared reading experience called BookChat. The service lets friends and family read stories together no matter how far apart they are.

Once you become a Readeo member, you get access to their library of quality books (along with their video chat system) that lets you share storytime anywhere in the world. They’ve launched with about 30 titles in their library, with more being added every day.

But please, be responsible: use Readeo when you truly need to be away; reading bedtime stories from a bar isn’t a good look.

For years, kids have delighted at the work of Mo Willems. The prolific author/illustrator, best known for Knuffle Bunny, The Pigeon (Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!) and Elephant and Piggie (There is a Bird on Your Head), has a knack for diving into kids’ minds. He’s talked about how his books are filled with the same pure emotion that kids constantly feel: joy, anger, and jealousy.

His new series is Cat the Cat, and it’s a kinder, gentler Mo Willems. The two new books (Cat the Cat, Who is That? and Let’s Say Hi to Friends Who Fly!) are clearly aimed towards the younger set.

As always, the art is great to look at, and it makes a nice introduction to the Willems universe for 2-4 year olds. Enjoy it while it lasts. Before you know it, they’ll be ready for the really funny stuff.

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.

Don’t worry, we know you’re a good person.

In the past few years, you’ve given to charities for New Orleans, Sri Lanka, and Haiti. You would have liked to give more, but hey, times are hard and you’ve got your own growing family to take care of.

Hmm, if only there was a way for you to buy the things you need, while still doing good in the world... Say hello to TOMS Shoes.

Each time you buy a pair of TOMS, they’ll give a brand new pair of shoes to a child in need. Started just over three years ago, TOMS’ One for One business model has already given away a remarkable 400,000 pairs of shoes.

Why shoes, you ask? Well, since most kids in the developing world grow up barefoot, they get cuts and wounds which lead to parasites and all sorts of other nastiness. That’s just one of many reasons why they’re so important.

Now, in addition to their shoes for adults, TOMS has introduced Tiny TOMS, a line of cool, stylish shoes for little ones. At around $30, they’re a whole lot more unique than those Nikes down at the mall.

It’s simple: kid needs shoes, you buy TOMS, kid looks good, you feel good. Repeat as needed.

Gever Tulley knows how to make learning fun.

Five years ago, he founded Tinkering School, a camp where kids are encouraged to build all types of wild contraptions. Think, make, tinker reads the motto. Now, along with fellow Tinkerer and wife Julie Spiegler, he’s assembled Fifty Dangerous Things (You Should Let Your Children Do), a collection of projects and activities for junior thrillseekers.

Conceived as a collection of “‘dangerous’ things that are interesting, eye-opening, enlightening or just plain fun,” the book was rejected by at least 16 publishers, likely due to potential lawsuits. Why all the worry? With chapter titles like “Lick a 9-volt Battery,” “Break Glass,” “Make a Bomb in a Bag,” and even “Play With Fire,” it’s bound to make a few parents nervous.

Each of the 50 activities include a “how-to” guide, appropriate warnings, and some scientific factoids. There’s also a “Field Notes” section, where kids can write down their observations, and ideas on how to improve the project.

Despite all the controversy about the book, what’s overlooked is that it provides a great opportunity for families to spend quality time exploring the world together. And to blow stuff up.

Kids love to create their own little world whenever they can. Leave any child alone with a sheet and two chairs for five minutes, and they’ll build their own Fortress of Solitude, far far away from the Land of Boring Grown-Ups. We know that kids thrive when given their own space; there was even a little boy named Max who became a king.

Play forts are fun, but when you’re looking for something a little more permanent than a cardboard box, check out Modern Cabana. They create pre-fabricated buildings using sustainable materials like bamboo flooring and recycled denim insulation.

Recently, they’ve begun offering the “Kiddo” model. Housed in a compact frame (48″ x 65″), the modern, sleek structure includes tons of natural light, a multi-paneled door, chalk paint interior walls, a fold down table, and even a paper roll art station.

Available for about the same price as that HDTV you’ve been eyeing, it’ll give your kids years of enjoyment, and it might even let you reclaim a little bit of your own home.

Two years ago in New York City, Lenore Skenazy handed her 9-year old son a subway pass, twenty bucks, and said good-bye, leaving him to take the subway back home. Is this the heartbreaking story of a child’s abduction? Nope. Her son was fine—in fact he loved it. But when Skenazy wrote about the experience, angry parents wanted to see her locked up for child abuse, and she was dubbed “America’s Worst Mom” by the media.

Cut to 2010, and Skenazy has become the “Generalissimo” of the Free-Range Kids movement, which she calls “a common sense approach to parenting in these overprotective times.” We recently spoke with the always funny and outspoken Skenazy.

The Dad List: You talk a lot about parents needing to give kids time and space to explore.

Lenore Skenazy: In our desire to help our kids, we’re outsourcing their childhood to ourselves. “Let me help you with this, let me fix that.” And who’s the one that’s just sitting there like a blob? It’s your kid. One mom wrote me a fantastic note that summed it up: “self-confidence is not parent-assisted confidence.”

TDL: So, when did this transition happen where parents started to find the danger in everything?

LS: I would say it’s been in the past 15 to 20 years. A big factor is that there’s more media, and when the media is competing, they have to get you to pay attention. The story that keeps people glued is an abduction. “Entertainment” shows have picked up on that too, so the same stories that you see on CNN, you’ll see with a ghastly twist on “CSI” or “Law & Order” or all the other ones. They find the most compelling story they can—kidnapping—and they bring it to us day after day.

TDL: What are some first steps for raising a free-range kid?

LS: You want to always look for ways to increase kids’ independence. When they show you that they’re capable of crossing the street safely, and know to never go off with a stranger, then I certainly think a 6 or 7-year old can walk down the block and knock on a friend’s door without it being an international incident.

For older kids, try unplugging for a day so they can’t call you and tell you exactly where they are. Once, I got a call from my son asking if he could have another piece of banana bread, and I thought, “you’re 10!” In another era, he’d be a silversmith apprentice, and here he is asking if he could have another slice of homemade, healthy banana bread because he’s hungry.

I thought (laughing), this is a terrible moment for both of us, because somehow I’ve trained him that he needs to ask, and somehow, he’s listened to me! So, one way to help your kids grow up is to just not take your cell phone with you, since they’ll never leave theirs at home!

Lenore Skenazy is the author of Free-Range Kids, and speaks regularly around the country.