Webkinz. Sold only by specialty retailers, Webkinz are small stuffed animals that offer kids a unique way to care for their virtual pets on the Webkinz website. From Ganz.
Middle school
Guitar Hero III. This video game lets players rock out with their favorite bands. Available for many different game platforms, the price varies from $50 to $100 depending on which game system you have. From Activision. Ages 13-plus.
Lego Mindstorms NXT. Using easy to navigate software, a 32-bit command center, light, touch and sound sensors, teens create an interactive robot. At $250, it’s expensive, but it’s the kind of activity that will captivate and maybe even inspire a budding inventor. From Lego. Ages 10-plus.
High School Musical 2 DVD Board Game. Fans of the Disney Channel megahit movie will love playing this DVD game. $29.99 from Mattel. Ages 13-plus.
High school
If you have a new driver in the family, Garmin’s Street- Pilot c330 GPS system just might be the gift. It offers the new-car technology of onboard navigation, but comes in a portable package that mounts on the windshield of any vehicle. It retails for around $200 at stores like Walmart.
The Apple iPod family offers several MP3 players, including the iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, and iPod Classic, ranging in price from about $79 to $250.
Parker Brothers’ I-List Music Party is a new group game that tests people’s knowledge of their MP3 play lists, making personal music players a social activity. It sells for $19.99.
Age 20-plus
Digital binoculars. Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate hi-tech binoculars. Not only will this handy device help spot the elusive whippoorwill, it will even take digital photos. The Meade CaptureView model sells for about $85 on Amazon.com.
Noise-canceling headphones. Pop them on, push a button and the loud roar of a jet engine is neutralized. Attaches to an iPod or MP3 player for a superior listening experience. The Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 Quiet- Point Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones sell for about $120 on Amazon.com.
LCD TV. What about a baseball-shaped TV for a sports fan? Or a giraffe- shaped one for an animal lover? HANNspree televisions are as functional as they are fun, with many unique designs to choose from. Small enough to fit comfortably in a dorm room, these LCD TVs start at about $80 and are available at www.hannspree.com.
Mark Abromaitis, Julia Boyle, Carrie Anne Deters, Michele Harris, Elizabeth Janney, Leah Taylor, and Michael Williams contributed to this guide.
What you need to know about toy safety
Since June, millions of toys have been recalled. The culprit: lead contamination.
Although some parents are adamant about boycotting Chinese-made toys, which comprise about 80% of the U.S. toy market, the truth remains that many more won’t.
Here are a few things to consider when buying a toy:
• More than 20 million toys made in China have been recalled due to potentially dangerous levels of lead and hazards caused by the small magnets in toys. To find out if a toy you have is on the recall list, check the manufacturer’s website or go to www.cpsc.gov.
• Ensure that children are supervised at all times while playing with toys. Toys should be appropriate for the child’s age.
• Make sure children don’t play with toys if they get broken; small magnets are often easily swallowed because they resemble candy.
• If a child complains of nagging stomach pains and headaches, take him or her directly to a doctor. The Poison Control Center can also be contacted at 800-222-1222.
Special toys for unique kids
Do you love a child with different or special needs? It’s becoming easier to find toys that the little boy or girl in your life will love.
Toys R Us and the National Lekotek Center offer a toy guide for differently-abled kids. This is a great resource that takes the guesswork out of choosing fun and beneficial toys for the special child in your life. The guide suggests toys for different ability levels, to promote social interaction, and that meet specific learning or development needs. Toys R Us offers the guide in their stores and online.
http://www.toysrus.com/graphics/coupon/TRUS_2007-Diff-Abled-Guide2.pdf
Other great sites:
Beyond Play offers special needs dolls, dramatic play toys, musical toys, games, and adapted play toys. You can order a free catalog too. www.beyondplay.com
ABC Play was started by a special needs educator and speech-language pathologist to build cooperative play.
www.abc-play.com
The Adaptive Child, a site started by a mother of an autistic child, has resources for children with special needs and toys too.
www.adaptivechild.com
Additional sites:
www.braillebookstore.com
www.downicreations.com
www.specialneedstoys.com