Through some divine coincidence, the Disney Princesses are up next in my list of Kid Mysteries, and I had the chance the spend some time this weekend with a Princess-obsessed 2 year old. She insists on being called Princess, has an almost entirely pink wardrobe and a pink bedroom complete with Disney Princess bedding. It was an interesting weekend to say the least.

I have some conflicted opinions about the whole Disney Princess phenomenon, but it will require another post, because I think it will end up being a huge rant. But here are some links for a little more background on the Disney Princesses, so you can impress the little girls in your life.

• Disney Princess party ideas
• Disney Princess Make-Overs at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Orlando, Florida
• Disney Princess magazine for girls aged 4-7
• Disney Princess Bridal Gowns for big girls
• Info on the Disney Princess franchise on Wikipedia
• Is is any surprise the Disney Princess franchise generated $4 billion and is “on its way to becoming the most successful marketing venture ever“?
• And, should we be scared of the Disney Princesses’ influence on little girls?
• BTW, which Disney Princess are you? I’m Pocahontas.

I love kids, but I don’t necessarily “get” them. They are into a lot of stuff that, frankly, I find a little annoying. But, therein lies the beauty: not being a parent myself, I only have to deal with these annoyances in teeny tiny doses. And a little knowledge of what kids like makes it easy to hit a home run in the gift department every time, at least with the kid in question. So I’ve decided to compile a top ten list of things kids like that I don’t quite understand.

1. Elmo

2. The Wiggles

3. Disney Princesses

4. Dora the Explorer

5. Thomas the Tank Engine

6. Freaky looking dolls like Bratz and Baby Alive

7. Cars

8. Nickelodeon

9. Blue’s Clues

10. Hannah Montana

So stay tuned for my in-depth reports coming soon!