Merry Christmas, everyone! With 85 degree weather in Southern California, it’s hard to believe Christmas time is already here! But having traveled back East last week, I know that many of you are already dealing with snow. If you’re not up to facing the snow…and the lines at the stores, I can tell you there are a lot of deals going on right now online. And some stores like Walmart.com and Amazon.com can still ship your purchase in time for Christmas if you order by today or Wednesday.
Last year we found a lot of fun gadgets for kids and we wanted to follow-up with some of our favorite picks for this year. Some you may have seen, some you may not, but any of these are sure to please your youngsters…
Zoo Tycoon
Zoo Tycoon is a sure hit for kids. Kids start from scratch in creating a new zoo, adding animals with an environment where they can thrive, buildings, scenery and more. The goal is to keep both the animals and the guests happy. Their zoos can be enhanced with restaurants, food stands, shops, even topiary art, benches, and of course, toys for the animals to play with! The happier the zoo, the more income that comes in, the more fun things your children can build. Zoo Tycoon is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB board.
Available on Xbox 360 for $49.96 and Xbox One for $59.99 from Amazon.com.
Digi-Pals
DigiPals is a fun way for kids to keep their small devices, cameras, or phones protected and clean. Each fun animal contains a zippered pouch to insert your device into, keeping the screen protected from falls and scratches. There is a second zippered pouch on the back to hold your child’s ID, money, headphones, or even lip balm. DigiPals are made with a really soft suede-like material and with four cute characters to choose from (Penguin, Monkey, Turtle, Owl), you’re sure to find one that your child will love.
Available through DigiPals directly for $14.99.
PlayMG
We just reviewed the PlayMG device, in fact, we’re giving one away on our site right now. Enter here until 12/31/13. The PlayMG is designed to give kids their own non-phone smartphone to play with so they will stop swiping yours! It comes with 10 pre-loaded full console type games, that require no WiFi to use – perfect for those waits in the doctor office. It is also has a full Android platform, so kids can download apps from Google Play. The PlayMG also comes with expandable memory. Just buy a larger micro SD card and you instantly have more memory, which you can’t do with the iPod Touch.
The PlayMG can be purchased directly from PlayMG website, To
Lenovo All in One Flex 20″ PC
The Lenovo All in One Flex PC is a must get PC! I’ve seen tablets, laptops, and PC’s with all sorts of bells and whistles, but this one takes the cake. It is a full PC with an i3 Intel Core, 500 GB storage, and 4 Mb RAM memory. Utilizing the Windows 8 environment, you can use it either as a normal PC desktop or as a tablet. But wait, there’s more…and this is the coolest part! You can fold up the built-in kickstand and lay the Flex flat on the table. This enable’s Lenovo’s proprietary Aura technology which allows multiple people at once to look and resize pictures, gather around to watch a video, or even play games…all at once! It’s really amazing technology and your family will love playing Air Hockey on it (up to 4 can play at once) even roulette can be played.
The Lenovo All-in-One Flex PC is at it’s best price right now for $740.22, a $200 savings, directly from Lenovo.com.
Samsung Galaxy 3 Kids Tablet
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids tablet is perfect for younger kids. It’s easy-to-use, durable with its removable bumper case, and expandable – once your child becomes older, you can turn off Kids mode and have a normal Android tablet. The Galaxy Tab 3 Kids tablet is a well-made tablet based on Samsung’s Galaxy technology. It includes a dual core processor, a 1024×600 display, a 3 MP front facing camera, a 1 MP rear facing camera, and a micro SD slot to expand memory, up to 32GB. But most importantly, it comes with a kid focused interface with lots of vivid color, endearing cartoon characters, and programming to keep your child entertained and learning.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids is not only for kids, but also useful for parents to control their kids’ usage. Parents can manage the apps which they’d like to put on Kids Mode through Parental Control function. Also, Time Manager limits the time kids can use this electronic device. Moreover, parents can enjoy normal tablet mode through Standard Mode, so parents don’t need to buy their own tablet!
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids Tablet is available through Amazon for $199.99 plus free shipping.
Disney Infinity
The Disney Infinity Starter Pack includes the Disney Infinity Game, a portal, and three loved Disney characters. By placing your character on the portal, the character is transformed into the game. Mr. Incredible will show up in the Incredibles game, Sulley will show up in the Monsters Inc. part of the game, and Captain Jack Sparrow appears in the Pirates of the Caribbean game. You can then buy additional characters to enhance your games. Although each character cannot appear in another movie set’s theme, your kids’ imaginations will run wild in the Disney Infinity Toybox, which is also included in the game. Here, your child can play with various Disney favorite characters and create their own world, complete with if, then statements. For example, your child can program things like, when a character stands here, they can be flung to another area of the screen. And similar to Mindcraft, your children can build their own worlds – they can even build their own Disneyland if they wanted to. The Toybox alone is worth getting just to introduce your child to creating and light programming. Disney Infinity is rated E10+ for cartoon violence by the ESRB .
Disney Infinity can be found at Amazon.com for $59.99 for the Xbox 360 version, $64.99 for the Wii version and Playstation 3 version.
Skylanders Swap Force
Skylanders Swap Force is the latest in the Skylanders’ game offerings. Swap Force is different because each character is held together by a magnet at its mid-section. You can easily swap the top of one character with the bottom of another character, creating a unique character with new powers. The Swap Force game is all new as well, with an exciting new adventure for the Swap Force characters to pursue. Skylanders is probably the most successful kids video game of all time. The concept of using a portal to transform collectible toy characters into the game was their idea, over 4 years ago and it’s still going strong. Rated E 10+ by the ESRB , it is best for kids 10 and older due to cartoon violence.
Skylanders Swap Force is available from Amazon for $70.50 for the Wii, $74.97 for Xbox 360, and $49.99 for the PlayStation 3.
Barbie Digital Makeover
Young girls are always interested in playing with make-up, but we, as Moms, would prefer they wait until they are much older. Mattel created the Barbie Digital Makeover to help young girls explore with makeup in a fun, interactive way…without using real makeup. Girls can experiment with different looks, selecting the perfect eye shadow and lipstick color to complement her own style. She can even add some glitter for some extra fab glam. Interestingly enough, Barbie Digital Makeover comes with the console and wand. The “mirror” is actually a holder to insert your iPad. Download the free app from the App StoreSM, insert your iPad into the vanity frame, and the mirror lights shine brightly for your young star. The makeup shows up on the iPad, and with their face tracking technology, it stays on even with different facial expressions. Your daughter can then use the erase feature to take off selective make-up or use the “wash face” icon to start with a clean slate.
The Barbie Digital Makeover is available through Amazon for $59.99.
Laser Pegs
Laser Pegs are fun Lego like clear building blocks with circuits inside each block. Once you are done building your design, or really, even while you are building, you can connect it to the power connector to see your creation light up before your eyes. The Laser Pegs each have a color to them, making it fun to put all the colors together as you build or scatter them. Kids delight in the color and creativity of the pegs. We reviewed Laser Pegs before and found they were a hit with kids because they are so colorful different from other building blocks. Laser Pegs has a large variety of kits to buy, including a small light table to build an unlimited amount of creations.
Laser Pegs can be found in many stores, including Costco at times. This mythology kit can be purchased directly from LaserPegs.com for $39.99.
Zoomer Robot Dog
Zoomer Robot Dog is a fun new robot toy that follows you everywhere…if you want him too. With fun rolling digital eyes and a wagging tail, Zoomer is sure to bring some adventure and fun to your household. Zoomer already knows a bunch of tricks children can learn to have him perform. He knows how to sit, shake, even play dead! Due to the multiple sensors he has, Zoomer really does act like a real dog, only he doesn’t pee on your floor, lick your food, or chew up your slippers. Using simple commands, you can ask Zoomer to speak, lay down, go to sleep, come to you, follow you, protect you, and more.
Zomer Robot Dog is available from Amazon.com for $79.99 from Target.com.
There are a lot of fun gadgets for kids out there available for Christmas, it’s hard narrowing it down to 10. Feel free to ask us any questions as you shop for the perfect tech gifts for your families. Do you know of another great tech toy? Leave a comment and let us know!
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This sounds like a dream come true. The thought of being able to use MY OWN phone is so exciting!