Grandma buys toys for Christmas 2009
Website design By BotEap.comToys have always been a love of mine. As a child I was thrilled with the mystery and surprise of receiving a new toy. Later, with my own children, I was able to revisit the world of toys. I even considered having a toy store.
Website design By BotEap.comOnce again, Christmas is almost upon us and many of us are combing the shops, scratching our heads, or searching online for toys to buy. I now have five wonderful grandchildren. They are between five months and six years old. I am excited to be looking for toys for them. In recent years I have done this search almost exclusively online. I find that there is a lot of information about the toys that are available and the prices are excellent.
Website design By BotEap.comFor the babies on my list I am considering:
Website design By BotEap.comHasbro Playskool Busy Ball Popper – This toy was in my granddaughter’s nursery and all the very young children loved it. They loved putting the balls on the spiral track and never seemed to get tired of the balls coming out the top. I’m not sure if any of them figured out why the balls were coming out, but it was a lot of laughter and fun.
Website design By BotEap.comLeapFrog Learn & Groove Music Table – One of the good things about this musical table is that the baby can play with it if it is flat on the ground. Then, as they begin to rise, baby can grab onto it and press the various activity buttons to hear sounds and music. I like this toy because it is suitable for children from 6 months to 3 years.
Website design By BotEap.comFisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo – Nothing likes the baby more than jumping. Once a baby is able to hold their head up well, this is a great toy to test out those legs without putting any weight on them. There are toys around him. Some of them will make sounds when the baby jumps. Others are great at catching or hitting. The seat rotates 360 degrees. It is very portable and can be easily stored.
Website design By BotEap.comFisher-Price Amazing Animals Sing and Go Choo-Choo – This is an adorable train. It is suitable for crawling babies. One of the wonderful things about this is that there are no tracks for the train to fall off of. The colors of the train and the animals are beautiful. By placing one of the animals in the engine, the baby will get a song. The train lights up, plays music and makes sounds.
Website design By BotEap.comFor the little kids on my list I’m looking at:
Website design By BotEap.com Fisher-Price Come on, baby, come on! bounce and spin zebra – This comes as a zebra or a pony. It’s great for little kids who can climb on and rock. It is low to the ground, so any spills will not harm the child. In addition to rocking, the child can turn on it. Helps with balance and the beginning of coordination. It is a fun toy.
Website design By BotEap.comLeapFrog Fridge Farm Magnetic Animal Playset – This magnetic game can be placed on any metal surface such as the fridge at the best height for the baby. The animals are large enough not to be a choking hazard. Initially, baby will delight in pressing the buttons to activate the sounds. As the baby grows and matures a bit, she will begin to match the body parts of the animals and match the animal to the sounds. Even if they don’t match, they get a silly name for the animal. It’s portable so kids can play with it on the floor out of the way while preparing dinner.
Website design By BotEap.comMelissa and Doug Deluxe Stand Easel – I think an easel is a necessary part of every child’s life. Once a child can stand and hold a crayon, an easel will allow for hours of entertainment and creativity. This particular easel is sturdy and allows for painting, chalk, crayons, and dry erase.
Website design By BotEap.comFisher-Price Musical Tea Set – This is a gorgeous set of play plates in beautiful pastel colors. What child doesn’t want to imitate the adults in their life and serve them food? Constructed of sturdy plastic, he’ll stand up to those times when tea falls out of little hands. The teapot is loved and plays “I am a small teapot”.
Website design By BotEap.comTonka’s Toughest Mighty Truck – Kids need trucks in their lives and no one does that better than Tonka. I’m sure we had this same truck when our kids were little. It is sturdy and stands up to a lot of abuse. We have always restricted these larger Tonka toys to outdoors, but they can be used indoors with supervision.
Website design By BotEap.comFor the four to five year olds on my list, I am considering:
Website design By BotEap.comLeapFrog Text and Learning – At this age children want to do everything that adults do in their lives. With everyone running around with Blackberries and I Phones, this gives this age group their own handheld device. It also allows them to start exploring words and start spelling.
Website design By BotEap.comLEGO Duplo 5380 Building Set – Like Tonka, Lego has survived and improved for decades. It remains a favorite among boys and girls. One of the benefits of buying Lego is that you can add it on a birthday or the next Christmas.
Website design By BotEap.comFisher-Price Kid-Tough Digital Camera – Again, just like mom and dad, children love to take their own pictures. They don’t care about composition, they just shoot. They are thrilled that their photos are uploaded to the computer with everyone else’s photos. These cameras are nearly indestructible and reasonably waterproof. A kindergarten teacher uses them in her classroom and the children love them.
Website design By BotEap.comBaby Alive learns to go to the bathroom – This doll has the most enormous and attractive blue eyes. She eats, pees and poops. She also talks and has lines like “oh oh I made a stinker” that make kids laugh out loud. It is possible to present it before the age of four when the children themselves are being trained. At a younger age, the child playing with it needs supervision. she is lovely
Website design By BotEap.combarbie and the three musketeers – After 50 years, Barbie is still a highly sought after item. The Barbie and the Three Musketeers series of dolls and accessories is this year’s version. The concept is based on the theory that girls can do anything they set their mind to, even becoming a musketeer! In addition to the dolls, there is a magic castle and a carriage. What fairy tale would be complete without them?
Website design By BotEap.comFor our six to eight year olds, my list includes;
Website design By BotEap.comtransformers – These action figures that are also three-dimensional puzzles delight the children who own them. Even young children who are new to comics or movies are entertained with their own adventures. The best sellers are Optimus Prime, Ultimate Bumblebee, Devastator and Megatron.
Website design By BotEap.comBakugan 7 in 1 Maxus Dragonoid – While adults scratch their heads in amazement, young children engage with these marble spheres. This is an extension of the Japanese game Bakugan in which the warriors face each other. I think what’s fascinating about these marble-like magnetic warriors is that young children who have no knowledge of strategy play can invent their own way of playing with them. I like this game because it will last as players get older and more interested in learning the game.
Website design By BotEap.commind flex game – Without a doubt, this is the number 1 selling game this year. Since its introduction earlier this year, it has intrigued gamers looking for more than just mind games. This game of the future has players using sensors and by their ability to focus they control the speed of the fans on the console. Many customers who have already purchased it report an increased ability to concentrate in their children. It is recommended from 8 years old.
Website design By BotEap.comnintendo ds lite – This video game system is ideal for quiet moments and travel. It seems like there are endless games that can be played on it. It has the ability to connect wirelessly so players can test their skills against others around the world. One of the most popular applications for this portable device is Mario Kart DS.
Website design By BotEap.comLeapFrog Tag Reading System – I see my grandchildren in this age group very interested in learning to read by themselves. This is another great product from LeapFrog to help them do this. This system has won many awards for the more than 17 learning activities it has.
Website design By BotEap.comHere are some of my picks that I think meet the criteria of durable, long-lasting, and fun.