Guest Author - Marie Stroughter

Toys for Boys

This holiday season, try some kid-tested, parent approved ideas for fun!

K'Nex Roller Coaster:

Pros: Provides a great deal of entertainment
Cons: Very large; lots of pieces, however, we turned this "con" into a "pro" when we realized it provided some great Father/Son bonding time as they worked on it together.
My Age Recommendation: 8+ (8 & 9 year olds may need adult assistance)

Magnetix:

Pros: Can be used to make a variety of objects - your imagination is your only limit! Has add-ons to make other items, so the expansion potential is unlimited.
Cons: Magnets are very small and some small children have swallowed them. Follow age recommendation on package very closely.
My Age Recommendation: 6 and above

Lego Mindstorms NXT:

Pros: This is the next generation of Lego Mindstorms Invention Systems. The sensors are integrated, providing the opportunity for more sophisticated robotics programming (Dads love it, too!)
Cons: It is pricey, but well worth every penny. There are hundreds of very small pieces, so you will need to invest in some sort of system for organizing. We used a multi-drawer unit found at hardware stores (the kind with the bins for nails and bits, etc.)and found it worked very well.
My Age Recommendation: The box says 12 and up, but my son has been in a Lego Robotics class using the original Mindstorms 2.0 Invention kit successfully since he was 6. Younger children without the benefit of JFLL or other Lego Robotics experience will need close supervision.

Thomas The Tank Engine:

Pros: Boys and girls alike love Thomas! Thomas items come in a variety of price-points to fit almost any budget: Take-Alongs, Wooden, Tomy (plastic) and Ertl (die-cast). With the expansion packs, the ability to create virtually any scenario exists!
Cons: I will qualify this as a pleasant "con": Kids love it so much, they want every Thomas-related thing that comes along. Not for the "faint of wallet"!
My Age Recommendation: All ages! Preschoolers will enjoy the Thomas sets by Duplo (Lego), the Tomy sets and the "ride-on" Thomas. 4-8 year olds will enjoy the Take-Along, Tomy, Ertl & Die-cast sets. Children 6 and older will enjoy some of the electric train sets featuring Thomas and his friends.

Series of Unfortunate Events:

Pros: It's reading! Additionally, the books are witty, clever and entertaining.
Cons: The subject matter is quite drear (orphans whose parents were tragically killed as revealed in the first few pages of the book). The children find themselves in many perilous situations in each book (there are currently 13 in the series). However, the books are quite tongue-in-cheek and very humorous despite the grim topic.
My Age Recommendation: My son began reading them the summer he turned 8, but they are technically categorized for ages 9-12.

Leapster L-Max:

Pros: LeapFrog (LeapPad) is a well-known & respected name in children's educational technology. There are tons of cartridges for a variety of age ranges from preschool-10 years old. I hate investing in technology that my child can only use for a little while. The library grows as he does!
Cons: The cartridges are expensive and rarely on sale.
My Age Recommendation: 3-10 years old