4. Culinary Herb Garden
Tester Sanaa, 4, Upper West Side
Objective Kids can plant five varieties of common herbs in a self-watering terrarium. Markers help children remember which herb is which as the stems rise.
Entertainment value Sanaa was thrilled to shovel soil into the box, rake pebbles into a pattern and get her hands grimy along the way. When the seeds sprouted, she beamed with pride. The best part: No upkeep past Day One.
Mess factor High. Dirt travels, so spread newspaper on the floor.
Sound bite “They grew some more today! Isn’t that cool?”
Grade A
Dunecraft, $25; at fao.com. Ages 4 and up.