This year’s Christmas rush is on, so be snappy in searching out the best toys and games for your kids. There’s endless items and franchises out there that children are clambering to get hold of, but there’s a world of other items out there that children won’t have thought of, but will love. Plus, some of the items on the market will be much more suitable than violent games or toys, meaning that children will be treated to a little education and a few life lessons in with their fun. This, especially in this day and age, should be of paramount importance to parents.
There are some superb tech and creative toys on the market that children will enjoy for a long time to come, and here are a few suggestions for the sort of thing you might want to check out. These would make great additional gifts at Christmas time, and a few would make an ideal main present.
Two portable devices must certainly be mentioned. The first would be the Nintendo DS Lite, the sleek, smaller version of the regular Nintendo DS. With some fascinating and fun games on offer, it is a great idea for kids this year, and with dropping prices it also makes economic sense too. The other would be the wonderful new version of Apple’s iPod Nano, now with a load more great features such as the Skew and Shuffle function updates which have made the device even more fun to use (the same goes for adults).
Laptops are the perfect idea for a main Christmas gift, with some fantastic models on offer, including some great pink computers to make the girls feel at home. Custom made gaming chairs are perfect for the gamer who has everything, and will help with their posture while playing their favourite games. Also on the digital front is the fantastic Playstation 3. The definitive games console is back with the best version ever. The essential console for those who love their entertainment. The world’s best all-in-one entertainment machine.
Other great tech toy ideas include Radio controlled helicopters, Spykee the Spy Robot (essentially a kids version of the great Rovio), the transforming Wall-E and more. For those kids who are obsessed with their phones, why not think about a Mobile phone sock to protect their beloved gadget? High School musical fans have the High School Musical Dance Mat, which allows kids to learn their favourite songs and dance routines.
Creative toys could be anything from the hugely popular Gourmet Cupcake maker, which allows kids to make delicious cakes to share, to the Martian Matter maker, a great set that allows kids to create over 90 different alien monsters. One of the most creative around is the Puzzle extra Assorted, which lets kids create their very own puzzles with which to challenge friends and family. How cool is that? For those within a taste for unique adventure there’s the superb Moon Sand Adventure Island, which features ‘magic’ sand that can be moulded into various animal shapes and re-used over again.
It’s always good to see the classic games come back onto the market, with Etch a Sketch popular once more and new LEGO toys and kits for children to build and enjoy. LEGO has a hit this year with the new Star Wars V19 Torrent vehicle. Lovers of the High School Musical trilogy aren’t being left out, as there’s a great High School Musical 96pc puzzle ball available to keep them amused.
Another lovely creative toy would be the delightful Golden Coin Maker, allowing children to make and share their own chocolate coins- perfect for Christmas time! To keep the kids occupied while they wait for the big day to arrive, how about giving them paper, pencils and rulers and have them design their own creative toys! Help fire their imaginations, and you will help them have a great time long after Christmas is over. There’s so much more to toys than just licensed action figures, and Christmas is the perfect time to discover the fun that is to be had.
Andrew writes for the pop culture/memorabilia site starstore.com and its geek culture blogs, as well as being a renowned music journalist and SF author. For more great Christmas ideas and tips on the best toys and gifts, visit The Best Toys for Christmas
Tags: Christmas, christmas toys, creative toys, tech toys