Tiny Bison

20 Questions Handheld Game

Ages 8 and up
Retail Price: $13.99
Requires 2 AAA batteries (included)

If you’ve never played Twenty Questions on the internet you should. This little toy is a portable version of that game. It is great fun at parties and fun on the road too. The basic concept is that you think of an object and it will ask you questions about the object which you will have to answer and at the end of the twenty questions it will try and guess what your object was. If it gets it right then it wins, if it guesses incorrectly then you win.

For under $15 this thing works surprisingly well. It won’t be right all of the time but you will be surprised at how many times it will be correct. The downside is that the sound is kind of annoying so you’ll want to turn it off. Overall, this is a great gift for just about anyone (not just kids) and it is a recommended buy.

Darth Tater

Ages 2 and up
Retail Price: $9.99

This is the star wars version of Mr. Potato Head. If your child is not into Star Wars then you are probably better off getting the normal version. Of course, most of the time this is purchased because the parent is into Star Wars because most 2 year olds aren’t. Regardless, this acts exactly like the original. It is equally as durable and the pieces fit in a similar fashion. The only real difference is that the pieces are different, there are less of them and the cost is lower than the normal version.

So, if you are a Star Wars fan and want to pass it on to your children, or you just want a funny item to put on your desk at work, then this item is for you. Otherwise, consider getting the original instead.

iDog

Ages 8 and up
Retail Price: $29.99
2 AA batteries required (not included)

The iDog is very popular right now, but we’re not quite sure why. It listens to your music and dances around. Well, that is if you consider shaking its head and blinking lights to be dancing around. This becames old pretty quickly, the “cool” factor doesn’t last quite as long as you hope. The technology is impressive for the price, but it just isn’t going to be long lasting fun. Unless you are looking for a little gimmick to start up conversation at a party we’ll have to recommend not buying this toy.

Musini – MagicSensor

Ages 3 and up
Retail Price: $39.99
4 C batteries required (not included)

This is a cool little device detects your movement and actions and reacts to them with music. Your child can move, dance, or stomp around the device and it will ‘sense’ it and respond accordingly. It is actually very fun (not that we would play with a child’s toy or anything).

Most children will be entertained by this toy and it will keep them active as well. We recommend this highly to anyone will small children (or a dog for that matter). You’ll find yourself having fun just watching your kids play with it. It is a little expensive, but if you can find it on sale buy it. You won’t regret it.

Sunshine Symphony

Ages 1-2
Retail Price: $34.99
3 AA batteries required (not included)

Babies love this toy. It is basically a little soft sun with four “rays” coming off of it. Each of the rays have a different object inside (a squeaky toy in one, chew toy on another, etc). And it plays classical music. That is essentially all there is to this toy. It is heavy, it can’t really be manipulated by a one year old, and it is expensive. But your child will probably love it if he/she manages to get one. If you can get it at a deep discount it will be fun for your child, but don’t buy it at full price and don’t expect a whole lot of educational value from it.