I love reading reviews of things I’m considering buying when shopping online…especially on Amazon. When there are tons of reviews for an item, I usually give that some weight when making my decision. In lieu of posting reviews there, here are my reviews of this year’s best Christmas toys in our house, as well one thing that fell short of the “best” list this year.
Luke got this Talking US Map…it’s something he saw in a toy catalog and thought looked cool. And really, it is! It tells you the state name, state nickname, and state capital. It’s hilarious to listen to Bennett repeat the capitals (Koenix for Phoenix). DO NOT put Wyoming upside down in the Colorado space. You will need a knife to remove it.
NOT BEST: Bennett got this Darth Vader figurine, and his arms will not stay on. And, he is physically incapable of holding his own light saber. The boys got tons of these figurines for Christmas and they love them. However, the construction is just amazingly bad on this round of toys. Matt’s mom and dad still have his old Star Wars guys from 25 years ago and they are so much more durable…even the Stormtrooper with the foot that Matt burned with a lighter at some point.
*Lots and lots of new games. We got some classics like “Battleship,” “Lucky Ducks,” “Don’t Break the Ice,” “Hungry, Hungry Hippos,” and “Connect Four,” and the new version of “Guess Who.” We also got a newer game called “What’s in Ned’s Head?” that is a gross-out game for little boys, but since “gross-out” and “little boys” are practically synonymous, this was a hit in our house. Here’s my MAJOR complaint about most of these games, though: you have to be an engineer to fit them back in the box. Honestly, only “Guess Who,” “Battleship” and “Ned” go back in their original box without trouble. “Connect Four” and “Hungry, Hungry Hippos” have to be completely disassembled. “Don’t Break the Ice” and “Lucky Ducks” cannot be repackaged with all pieces inside…and I’m talking about me doing this. Don’t even think about a kid trying to make it happen. Dear Toy Companies: I will gladly pay an extra buck or two for a box big enough to hold the game. I feel ridiculous even typing that, as it should be a given.
*Leapster games. Can’t go wrong here. The boys have been playing with these a ton. Now, I’m wondering if another Leapster might be a good gift for Bennett’s birthday…they share it fine here at home, but it sure would be nice to have two for car rides, doctor’s office visits, etc.
*New Wii games. Sadly for the boys, now that Christmas break is over, they are back to their 20 minutes a day for the Wii. We were pretty lenient over break. The Active Life Outdoor Challenge is a fun one for all of us.
As an aside: did you know that you can recycle alkaline batteries? It’s so easy…I just save them in a little shoebox in the front closet, and when it’s full, take them to Batteries Plus. I wish I could tell you that I liked using rechargeable batteries, but the fact is, I don’t.
Filed under: dear so and so..., going green(er), parenting, saving money, things i don't love, things i love
I may have to add the Talking US Map to Norah’s birthday list. It would be perfect for school!!
I agree on the quality of the star wars stuff. however, the galactic heroes stuff is awesome! It’s for younger kids (3-5) I think but the quality is great. Andrew has a little of both and prefers the galactic heroes b/c they don’t fall apart.
I hate to tell ya, but I can get break the ice back in the box with all the pieces. Takes some work, but it can be done.
Love the US map, may have to think about that for the easter basket or next birthday gift.
Good to hear on the active life outdoor challenge….just saw that the other day at costco and wondered about it.
Thanks for the reviews!
I am in TOTAL agreement about the box thing . . . at least for Don’t Break the Ice. It took Kyle and I dozens of attempts over the course of a week to get it all back in the box. And I hid the game for now because I didn’t want to get it out and have to put it away again.
I’m still pondering “the Stormtrooper with the foot that Matt burned with a lighter at some point”!!! Is this another one of those incidents that I don’t even want to know about??
My pet peeve about boxed games is how flimsy the boxes are. I’d pay more for a box made of a really good, sturdy material that doesn’t fall apart at the corners. Come on, toy companies, you KNOW how kids shove these games back in the boxes!
Agreeing with you all the way! Plus, Hungry Hungry Hippos USED to have real marbles that actually had weight and would roll well! Did you know we keep all the cards & pieces in the electronic guess who game and pitched the box? It’s self-enclosed!! As it should be!
i’m telling you, the adults in our family (extended) have WAY too much fun with what’s in ned’s head. we try to find what the other person is looking for before they do so then you can take your time to find yours. and yes, it has come to a standstill when everyone has someone else’s part. we love it. have fun!
I must agree with you on the Hungry Hippos game. It is virtually impossible to assemble/dissemble it everytime I want to put it in the box. So, for now it is staying out of the box….
Thanks for all the reviews! I love hearing what other kids enjoy when wondering what is worthwhile toy-wise. Also, I totally appreciate the heads-up on battery recycling!
The HHH game was left out on display in our house. It made a lovely nightstand decoration. That is, until I started hearing it in the middle of the night. Some things are just too tempting for 6 year olds!
You should ask Karen about Moonsand. She has very strong opinions on it.