hexbugs

Gift Guides

Lil Gift Guide: Great Gifts For 8-Year-Olds!

The third-grader on your list is sure to have hobbies of her own, but that doesn't mean she isn't open to learning something new.

The third-grader on your list is sure to have hobbies of her own, but that doesn't mean she isn't open to learning something new. From group games to individual activities, these gift ideas are sure to please when it comes time to opening presents!

Mom and dad spent plenty of afternoons playing Simon, and now their kiddo can get in on the fun — in a modern way, of course! Simon Flash ($20) is all of the fun of the original and more. Disney fans will fall in love with Disney Spotlight Digital Wireless Mic + Karaoke App ($100), a wireless microphone that interacts with the iPad to transform it into the ultimate karaoke machine — it even allows mama to video her tots singing away! Hexbugs are back and scarier than ever! The new Hexbug Larva ($15) will slither their way through your home. The newly updated Easy Bake Oven ($40) may not include a lightbulb for heating food anymore (it now uses a heating element), but it still turns out fun treats! A Razor eSpark Electric Scooter ($160) will get kids across the neighborhood and around town at speeds up to 10 miles an hour!

Shopping

5 Egg-cellent Easter Basket Treats That Leave Sweets Far Behind

Clockwise from top left: Lego Easter Basket ($9), Play-Doh-Filled Easter Bunny ($10), Dinosaur Train Hatchers Kit ($5), HEXBUG Nano Bunny ($5), Weebles Spring Basket ($15).
Chocolate and marshmallows are the hallmarks of Easter, but they don't have to dominate lil one's baskets. When tots wake on Sunday morning, surprise them with a few treats that carry on the holiday's egg theme without adding more sugar to their day. Check out five fun picks I've found below.

Clockwise from top left: Lego Easter Basket ($9), Play-Doh-Filled Easter Bunny ($10), Dinosaur Train Hatchers Kit ($5), HEXBUG Nano Bunny ($5), Weebles Spring Basket ($15).

Editor's Pick

Best of 2010: Our Favorite Toys of the Year

Break out the forklift because this year's toy haul of new toys was bigger than ever.
Best Toys of 2010

Break out the forklift because this year's toy haul of new toys was bigger than ever. We traipsed the floor of the Toy Fair, spent hours scanning the toy shelves of big stores and independent retailers, and had kids test toys. The task was difficult, but in the end five items rose to the top to become our favorites of the year. Check them out and our reasons for the selections.

Holiday

Lil Gift Guide: Best Gifts For 6-Year-Olds

You don't have to be a fan of the Magic Bus series to get in on the science action.
Get set for some independent crafting and play. Six-year-olds like to experiment and show off the results of their work so we've rounded up gift ideas that let the creative geniuses get to work!

You don't have to be a fan of the Magic Bus series to get in on the science action. This Magic School Bus — Going Green Experiment Kit ($20) is packed with projects to help tots become more eco-aware, including building a compost tube, making packing peanuts disappear, and decomposing food with fungus. The ZobMobile Racer ($20) allows kids to build their own car before racing it down the block. See if you have a lil Project Runway contestant on your hands with the Fashion Origami set ($12). The robotic Hexbugs ($11 each) can sense objects in their way and then change their direction. Whether used indoors or out, a Teepee ($300) is the perfect hideout for kids who need a break from their routine.