Gifts For Kids

If you’re looking for a gift for a young computer wiz, then the Imagine video games series might offer a solution. Myself, I love Sim style games, and sales statistics show that I am not alone. They are considered girly games, but my young boys, especially the six and a half yo love them too. These games are educational. They are not only non-violent and gore-free, they also offer some learning experience, by teaching kids about various professions. A few titles you may want to consider -

Imagine: Animal Doctor - simulating running a veterinairy clinic and teaching kids not only to care for the animals, but also some basic business skills.

Imagine: Master Chef - Nifty game for kids who enjoy cooking. They actually get into their virtual kitchen where they can follow recipes, “chop” up ingredients and prepare food.

Imagine: Fashion Designer - an excellent gift for a fashion oriented kid, allowing them to combine cuts, fabrics and colors to create their own clothing lines, and let’s not forget accessories!

Click on any of the three links to see the product page in Amazon. Don’t forget to hover over the product image, as it will show you screenshots of what the games actualy look like.

What an awesome idea for a gift! For any kid over the age of seven, the SpongeBob Typing Instructor is bound to be an instant hit. Expect applause from the parents as well, because let’s face it, typing skills are crucial, now more than ever. SpongeBob is a favorite with many kids (hey, adults too, I’m a fan myself!), and with a variety of typing games and fun tasks, along 17 different levels, this is a great game and learning experience in one.

Get SpongeBob Squarepants Typing on Amazon now

The Green Angle

Did you know that CD’s and DVD’s can and should be recycled? Why not add a note to your gift about this and encourage the kid to recycle any old and non-functioning CD’s? Here’s a good link with more info about recycling CD’s and DVD’s.

Why frogs? Well, why not? Also, I am Jewish and it being Passover, frogs are actually a bit of a seasonal theme, so even a better reason for doing frogs today. Stuffed frogs are the best, and no, not as a recipe. It’s not kosher for one thing I’m talking about sweet plush stuffed frogs to play with. Think about it, in nature, a frog’s skin isn’t very appealing to us humans. It’s…. well, slimy. Not the kind of feeling you want on a toy for kids, really. But what if you take that sweet froggy face and body, and turn them into a furry doll?

And when it comes to plush toys, Webkinz make the best gifts for kids, by far. By virtue of providing a long-term interactive experience, thanks to their online presence, this is a gift that’s suitable for older kids, not just babies or toddlers. Every age group can find something fun to do with a webkinz stuffed frog.

There’s quite a selection of them too. If you need gifts for several kids, a webkinz frog can be a wonderful theme, without repeating the exact same toy for every child. They cost around $10 each, so well priced too, I think. Here some of the models you can get - all frogs, all plush, all Webkinz:

The Webkinz Love Frog
This is actually the most popular webkinz frog on Amazon.com. Pink and romantic, it’s perfect for little princesses!

Webkinz Tie Dye Frog
This bright yellow and green amphibian is second only to the love frog. It actually looks as active as a kid, doesn’t it? And it has the online personality to match.

WEBKINZ - Bullfrog
This cumbersome looking frog is actually a favorite with young children, and is just as soft and plush as the other Webkinz, and just as fun to play with online.

In my post about unique stuffed animals toys I did mention one particular brand name - Webkinz. So, what’s so special about these stuffed animals toys? In a stroke of genius, the manufacturers, a company by the name of Ganz, came up with a way to bring them to life - online!

When you purchase a webkinz toy, it comes with its own unique 8 character code. That code lets you log into the Webkinz website and create a virtual “live” pet in the form of the toy that you bought. Once inside the virtual Webkinz world, you need to look after your virtual pet and buy stuff for it, using their own special KinzCash “money”. Getting that game money is a fun challenge in its own right, involving games and tasks presented to you on the site. Trust me, it can be very addictive! It gets even more complicated with various items available for you to purchase in real life, for which you are rewarded in the virtual world.

Did I say addictive already? That’s the main drawback of Webkinz. I highly suggest talking to the parents first, before gifting a child with a Webkinz toy. Granted, not everyone gets addicted, but most do, and parents need to be aware of that particular risk.

First and foremost, Webkinz are stuffed animals. It is possible to enjoy them just for that as well, without bringing their online character to life. These are high quality products, and come highly recommended by this fan of stuffed animals toys.

These are the most popular Webkinz at Amazon.com at the time of posting this. There is a huge selection though, and prices vary from one toy to another, so browse the main Webkinz page to see it all:

Webkinz by Amazon

Recently, a five year old girl managed to surprise me when I asked her what she would like to have for her birthday. Her reply was: “a laptop”! Her Mom - a good friend - explained later that both parents had laptops and Cloe would often watch them work on their respective sleek mobile computers all over the house. No wonder that she wanted one for herself!

With her birthday coming up, I told her Mom that I will get Cloe a laptop. You should have seen the look on her face She only calmed down after I assured her that Cloe’s lap-top will be a toy, suitable for her age, and not something she could actually surf the Internet with (yes, like many other kids her age, she CAN surf the net).

Apparently, Cloe isn’t the only child out there wanting her own fake lappie. With quite a huge selection available in the stores, it has become quite a popular toy for kids. And it’s more than just a piece of plastic too. These gadgets come equipped with built-in electronics that can supply hours of entertaining and even educational playtime.

The one I bought Cloe was this gorgeous Bratz Laptop. It is such a pretty girlie gadget, it made her mom jealous As you can see in the picture, the screen itself is rather small, but that didn’t stop the little girl and her friends from spending hours playing on it, so I’m told.

Is this an educational toy? I think it is. On top of the learning skills required for operating the games, I think that the very sense of “owning” their own computer is good for children at this day and age. I am sure Cloe will be spending countless hours on a real laptop someday, and hey, I was the one who introduced her to that wonderful world of typing!

Click here for the product page on Amazon where you can find a full review of the Bratz Laptop