Gifts For Kids

Well, are they for kids, would be the first question. See, we just got this little mosquito helicopter model, with a remote control, and it is way too delicate to let our kids handle it. We’ve seen the same model over at some friends’ house and as soon as their 6 yo kid took hold of it, he smashed it into a wall and the thing’s gyro (I think that’s what it’s called, but I am no chopper expert!) broke down.

For now, I have to say, this one isn’t a good gift for young children. I think 12 and older would love this gadget, but anything younger and you risk an early crash! We ended up getting the kids a remote control 4WD tough truck with huge wheels, that they can bump into walls and scream in joy as the think rolls over and keeps on going.

That said, RC helicopters make a great gifts for dads My husband adores his little chopper and plays with it a lot. It’s indoors-only btw, as it can’t fly with any wind whatsoever. It also works best in cooler temperature - apparently, soaring up on hot air isn’t as easy.

Many years ago, when you played “Simon Says”, it was actually a human-to-human interactive game. The first electronic version was launched in 1978, and became an instant hit during the ’80s. Playing Simon is now associated with repeating sequences of musical notes and flashing colorful lights, more than anything else, isn’t it?

With so many new gadgets on the market, it’s amazing how Simon remains one of the most popular ones. There’s magic in the simplicity I guess. It’s a good thing that the Simon Trickster doesn’t really change things too drastically. When you look at it, it’s obvious right away that this one is another Simon game.

It does offer the classic game version, only with three more games added, including a very challenging game where you have to repeat sequences backwards. It’s a nice gadget, colorful and noisy that will make kids of all ages happy, and let’s face it, your average adult will want to grab it for a while too (some out of sheer nostalgia!) A great gift for kids, especially if you don’t have to stay around to hear them play

Check out the Simon Trickster on Amazon right here

My son got a real cool gift yesterday. “Cool!” is actually a quote in this case! It was a moving and roaring dinosaur which captured his heart right away. A big one, a predator with big scary teeth, and a long red tongue that moves inside its mouth - doesn’t get more cool than that, you gotta admit!

The kids are playing with it today, and in our particular case, my boys, aged 4 and 6.5 are addicted, while their 4.5 yo niece isn’t showing too much interest, past the very initial “wow”. So, if you’re looking for a gift for boys aged 4-8, this comes highly recommended by this mom - a moving dino!

Here are two options, both of them available by Amazon (just click the image to get to the product page).

The Fisher Price Motorized Roaring T-Rex Dinosaur

What I like about this model is that it’s scary enough without being too realistic. With very bright colors (it has a version in red as well), and a distinct shiny “plasticky” appearance, this one is just the perfect dino for younger kids. It looks like a toy, but it roars and moves its head and it does come with a remote control.

Discovery Exclusive Remote Control T-Rex Toy Dinosaur

My second recommendation is for slightly older kids. This one is a beautiful and very realistic T-Rex by Discovery. It looks so good, one of the reviewers on Amazon mentioned that this “toy” is used as a decorative item in their living room! It is a big bad dinosaur though, which not only roars and moves his head, but actually walks too. All operated by a remote control, shaped like a dinosaur bone too, this one is bound to be hit with kids of all ages… and their parents too!

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.

Being a mom, I’m also a girl, I guess! Is that why I’m so happy to be writing about dollhouses today? I adored playing with doll houses as a little girl, and I still enjoy them today too. As a matter of fact, my boys enjoy dollhouses too, and they can spend hours playing with the miniatures and creating additional items for the imaginary “little people”. They don’t play with dolls per se, but the concept of miniatures appeals to them to no end.

When it comes to popular dollhouses that will make great gifts for little girls, two brand names stick out in the huge variety of available miniature real estate - Mattel’s Barbie and Melissa & Doug’s creations.

Take the Mattel Barbie 3-Story Dream House Playset. This one is bound to appeal to almost any girl between the ages of three and twelve, if not older. Personally, I wouldn’t get it to any of my nieces. I am just not a big fan of too much pink and of gifts which my boys wouldn’t play with. And I suspect this is just the kind of toy to which they’re respond with “yikes, Mom, it’s for girls!”. That said, it is the best selling dollhouse on amazon.com and for a good reason. It is top quality and Barbie fans will absolutely love this one.

Still in pink, but more to my own taste is the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Folding Princess Castle. Another huge seller on Amazon, this one is a classic wooden dollhouse, so less of the Barbie plastic feel to it. It’s still pink, but this huge castle holds more appeal, I think. It’s large enough for several kids to play together, and it folds for easy storage too. My choice in the pink department:

As for the boys, well, I found a gorgeous “dollhouse” that they would absolutely love playing with. It’s the Plan Toys My First Dollhouse and guess what… no pink in sight! Simple and beautiful, it’s eco-friendly and made of recycled rubber wood. It’s sturdy and durable and instead of being overly decorated, it leaves room for a child to imagine and create his own vision. You can add the Plan Toys Doll Family to this house and a lovely country-style family it is, with nothing pink in it! They actually have more variations on this family, so look them up on Amazon. This is my choice of a dollhouse for both girls and boys -