Your Guide to Shopping St. Charles for Kids

Editors Note: This is the second column in a three-part series that offers suggestions for shopping locally in St. Charles. The first article suggested. This column suggests unique ideas for the kids on your list. The final  publication on Dec. 23, will provide suggestions for the women on your list.

For the kid obsessed with "fill-in-the-blank" 

Everyone has a childhood obsession. Some people have several as they grow up. It starts as tigers or unicorns then changes to Dora the Explorer or Superman and finally ends with your closet doors covered with posters of the Backstreet Boys or Albert Pujols.

This first gift is for the younger kid who can never own enough horse or tiger figurines and T-shirts. While your family has already bought every tiger-related knick knack within four counties, they probably haven't checked the in St. Charles. According to employee Matt Cox, it's the best kept secret in America as he sells all kinds of paintings at wholesale prices.  

Paintings are adult gifts. That's what you're thinking. But that's exactly why they make great kid gifts. What kid doesn't spend all their time wishing they were older or playing house?  Plus it's a mom-approved gift because she'll never have to pick it off the floor.

The gallery has thousands of paintings of all sizes, but within a few minutes of browsing paintings of a tiger, ships and horses were found.

Price: Through Christmas all the paintings are marked down by 20 percent.  A 24x36-inch tiger painting was originally $75 and is now $60.

For the over-achiever

The only person who's busier than this kid is his mom. Monday's wresting practice, Tuesday's gymnastics, Wednesday's a double-header, Thursdays are music lessons, and the weekends? Forget about it!

Buying for a busy niece or grandson can be difficult. How do you pick a gift that shows you actually listened the last time your brother or best girlfriend talked about their kids' hobbies, but that isn't a gift their over-achieving parent has already bought them?

in downtown St. Charles offers a clever solution. A kid's wrist watch. Most people use their phone to tell time, but for kids who operate on a strict schedule and don't own a phone, a wrist watch is a classic alternative.

The watch bands are made from soft plastic and are one size fits all. You can choose from a variety of themes including ballerina, softball and ice skating. The variety guarantees that you'll find one that dovetails nicely with the busy schedule of the future President of the United States in your life.

PRICE: $10

For the kid who's so hot he's cool

This next gift is for every kid whose parents refuse to turn on the air conditioning during the summer no matter how much he whines. If you're one of those parents, then this gift will make plugging in fans cool again.

Why settle for a boring vanilla box fan when you can buy a decorative fan from , a home décor store, in downtown St. Charles? These fans are wire works of art disguised as cats, dogs, frogs and more.

Ranging in size from 12-24 inches tall, these fans are just the right size to sit securely on a night stand or dresser. The larger sizes are two speeds while the smaller ones are only one speed.

PRICE: $52 to $109, depending on the size.

For kids with short attention spans

It would be a miracle if this kid sat still for longer than 10 minutes. Because of his wiggles, spending quality family time can be challenging. on West Clay in St. Charles has your miracle.

Fluxx card game takes two minutes to learn how to play.

"It's a game about achieving goals," said Fantasy Shop manager Mike Brodeur. He explained that the goal of each game changes, but is simple for anyone to learn. For example, to win, a player might need to collect all the "milk" and "cookie" cards. Once a player completes the game's objective, which is determined at the beginning, the person wins.

Brodeur called Fluxx a great game for families with kids and is a stepping stone game to other card games like Hearts and Spades. A player can win in as few as five minutes or as long as 30, depending on how the cards fall. It's a fast-paced game that will keep any kid with a short attention span entertained long enough to get in some quality family time.

COST: $16

For kids who can't stop reading

You don't really remember what this kid's face looks like because it's always in a book.

Luckily, reading is one of the rare addictions a kid can have without upsetting adults. It also makes for easy gift ideas – that is until you see the kids' section in the big box bookstores. Thanks to the popularity of Harry Potter and other blockbuster books-turned-movies, the kids' section has exploded into several categories: children's, middle grade, independent reader, young adult. Then there's the subcategories…

Before you give up and reach for a gift card, stop by in downtown St. Charles where owner Vicki Erwin can help you navigate the pop literature chaos. You will leave the store with selections every self-respecting bookworm should own.

Children's

Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney
This fourth book in the Llama Llama New York Times best-selling series follows Llama as he counts down the days to Christmas. Llama really hates waiting and as always the rascally boy's antics will delight both parents and kids as they read aloud this book together. You can also buy a plush of Llama, at $5.99, for younger kids to hold as you read the book.

PRICE: Hardback - $16.99

Young Adult for Boys

The Chronicles of Vladimir Todd by Heather Brewer

A book junior high boys and some high schoolers will love. No sparkling vampires allowed here. As if being in eight grade wasn't bad enough already, Vlad is a vampire and it bites. For the aspiring writer, you can also snatch the "This Journal Bites" Vladimir Todd Journal that features snarky quotes from the book.  Main Street Books also has copies of the book signed by the author.

PRICE: The book & journal each cost $8.99.

Movies & Epic Fantasy

Other good titles include: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, The Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Peterson, or The Tale of Despereaux by Kate KiCamillo. All three of these titles are been made into major motion pictures in the past couple years. Or if your bookworm gets more excited about epic fantasy series, consider buying the latest book in the Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson called Towers of Midnight. If your reader is a Wheels of Time fan, this is a must Christmas present. If you're not sure, a quick peek at their bookshelf will tell you.  It's hard to miss the 12 previous, oversized-sized books.

PRICE: $7.99 to $29.99