Categories: Holiday Guide

YBMW 2010 Holiday Gift Guide – Toys For Kids

  • Publisher:Spin Master
  • MSRP: $9.00-$20.00

Tron Legacy Figures

OK, If you are not new to this site than you know that ‘Tron Legacy’ is coming out in theaters this December and that it is going to be a move of epic epicness. The movie is a direct sequel of the 1983 Disney film and it is possibly the best 3D film to hit the big screen ever… ya, better than ‘Avatar.’ The point that I’m getting at is that the toys are going to be hard to get around X-Mas time, which happens to be just a week after the film comes out. Kids are not going to want these toys until they see the movies… You’d best grab some now because you won’t be able to grab them later.

What makes these figures cool? Well, first, they just look cool, black biker suits, helmets, light cycles… these are awesome toys. But, here’s what makes them different. Some figures light up, some figures talk… these figures light up, talk, and have animated faces because of Spin Master’s new facial projection technology. It’s like having the actual movie character in your hands. There’s never been action figures like this before… that’s just one more thing that makes them a great Holiday toy.

Get yours today at Toysrus

  • Publisher: Spin Master
  • MSRP: $5.00- $15.00

How To Train Your Dragon Figures

‘How to Train Your Dragon’ was probably the best movie that Dreamworks has put out to date. The DVD just recently came out and the toys for the film are flying off the shelves. There’s not really much to say about these figures. If your kids liked the movie then you had better get out there and get some of the figures. You won’t be sorry.

Here’s the good news about the toys. They are actually really cool. All the figures we got to check out were durable, really high quality and just plain fun.

Get yours today at Wal Mart

  • Publisher:Switch 2 Health
  • MSRP: $19.99

Switch 2 Health Fitness Watch

Hands down, this is one of the coolest gifts we got to test out this year. The Switch 2 Health watch is more than just a watch. It is a way to earn cool swag while shedding pounds!!! There’s a sensor in the watch that measures your activity and will credit you for 60 minutes of vigorous activity a day (Slip it in your sock if you are biking). After you’ve accrued an hour of sweatin to the oldies, just upload the code on the watch to the website and it banks 60 points for you.

Here’s where it gets awesome. You can trade your points for anything from MP3s and ringtones to gift certificates or even full console systems like PS3 and XBox 360. It’s great motivation to get moving for someone of any age. It is also a great tool for parents who have chubby kids with expensive tastes. Make them earn their own stuff with sweat. You’ll save on shopping and future medical bills!

Get yours today at: S2H.com

  • Publisher:Uncle Milton
  • MSRP: $14.99-$19.99

Remote Control Lightsaber Light
Night lights are for babies… Light Sabers are for young Jedi! There’s not really much to say about this other than it makes for an awesome room addition to a kid’s bedroom. I will say this though, this isn’t something you want to be swinging around like other light sabers. It is really meant to be on the wall at all times.

What makes it cool? Simple, it’s a freaking light saber… on your wall!. Your kid can operate it with a remote control next to their bed if they need a little bit of the force to help them sleep. They can also change the color so it can be the lightsaber of their favorite character. This thing is just super awesome!

On a side note, this has some great uses beyond the kid’s room. If you are looking for an affordable way to add some geek accent lighting to your game room, this is the way to go.

Get yours today at: Uncle Milton

  • Publisher: Perplexus
  • MSRP: $24.95~

Perplexus Puzzle Game

Wow, just wow, this is hand’s down one of the coolest puzzles that you will ever own. Perplexus is really simple in theory, but challenging and addictive in practice. We tested this one out on everyone from kids to people in their 60’s and they all had just as much fun.
Perplexus is a marble maze inside a sealed ball. You can pick different courses to get through the maze , but as you go, you’ll need to turn twist and flip the ball to get it where you need it to end up. In short, Perplexus is pure WIN!

Get yours today at Perplexus.net

  • Publisher:Uncle Milton
  • MSRP: $29.95

Uncle Milton Star Wars Science Death Star Planetarium
This Deaths Star Planetarium is just plain ole awesome. It is one of those things that incorporates sci-fi, actual science and a cool piece of lighting for the room. When it is covered, it just looks like you’ve got a nice model of the Death Star, but when you pop off the top you have a whole new galaxy of fun.
No, seriously, a galaxy. Inside the lid is a lit planetarium that will project a star map of the Star Wars Universe on your walls and ceiling. It is very cool if you are a fan. Then, you pop on the second layer over the light and instead of the Star Wars Might Sky, you get a faithful recreation of the Earth night sky. We really dug this for any Star Wars kid that you’ve got on your gift list.
Get yours today at Uncle Milton

  • Publisher: Fisher-Price
  • MSRP: $59.95~

Laugh and Learn: Learn and Move Music Station

The first thing that makes this a great gift for little kids is that it has some longevity to it. The learn and move music station can actually be adjusted to fit your kid from the time they are 9 months old till they are 3 years old. With the speed that kids grow out of toys, that makes this pretty cool right there.
So what does it do? It’s like a keyboard/game station/ musical instrument that wirelessly hooks into the TV for your kid. It has multiple levels of difficulty depending on the age of the child and provides them with a fully immersive interactive experience.
Through the station, the child gets to choose where they go in the “world” on the screen. Then as they play, they are tricked into learning all kinds of stuff like numbers, letters, and greetings.
Stealth Learning is cool!

Get yours today at Retailers Everywhere

  • Publisher: Fisher-Price
  • MSRP: $99.95~

Imaginext® BIGFOOT The Monster:
I would have killed for a toy like Bigfoot when I was a kid. The best way I can describe him to you in a nutshell is that he’s your kid’s imaginary friend come to life. He talks, he plays games, he makes silly body function noises…he even throws tantrums… but then calms down.
Fisherprice really out did themselves with this toy. I mean Bigfoot is simple to use. he’s got an easy remote control that your kid can use to make him move around or even throw a ball.
You really can’t get much cooler than this for a kid in the 3-5 year old range. Heck, I kinda want one now.


Get yours today at Retailers Everywhere

  • Publisher: Fisher-Price
  • MSRP: $15.00

The Sing-a-ma-jigs!
This is one of the hottest toys of year and after playing with the the Sing-a-ma-jigs, it was easy to tell why. These are simple and cute musical stuffed animals that are addictive to play with. Each toy has multiple modes, a gibberish mode, a song mode and a regular music mode. in gibberish mode, it’s just like having a little friend who speaks like an alien, and in song mode he will actually sing its own song. Musical mode is the coolest though if you have more than one… and you should buy at least two.
You see, you make the Sing-a-ma-jigs make sound by squeezing their bellies. Each squeeze is a note in the song or sound. If you have two right next to each other, when they ar4e in standard music mode, they’ll actually harmonize. How cool is that?

Get yours today at Retailers Everywhere

  • Publisher: Fisher-Price
  • MSRP: $34.99

TRIOTM DC Super FriendsTM BatcaveTM
We loved the Trio Batcave for little kids who are not quite old enough for LEGOS, but are definitely old enough to love the caped crusader. If you are looking for a good gift to get a lot of miles out of, this one will do the trick. It comes with 110 pieces that let you build the Bat-Cave in three different modes. It also comes with pieces to build an customize your own Batmobile and a Batman figure to boot.
It has a lot ot the little things you find in the bat-cave like ladders and zip lines and stuff. It is hours of fun for kids who still have an imagination. Plus, with the reasonable price point, it makes for a great toy that you can actually afford to build on with other playsets and figures over time

Get yours today at Retailers Everywhere

  • Publisher: Fisher-Price
  • MSRP: $99.99

Fisher-Price GeoTrax Christmas In ToyTown RC Train Set

If you grew up with a Lionel Train around your tree but don’t want to put something that fragile out with the kids or cats around, this is going to be a must buy toy/ Xmas decoration for you this year. The Toy r Us Exclusive GeoTrax Christmas in Toy Town Train Set is sweet!

First, it is simple to put together, not only for you, but for little kids. The track just drops right into place with ease. The train is durable and the a lot of fun. The coal lights up and it plays music. Kids will flip over it. Also, the whole town track, which can be configured however you like, is filled with lights and sounds and the lights all sparkle when you drive the train past the town hall. How cool is that? Your kid can even make the train go with a simple kidcentric remote control. This is a toy you might get this year, but you’ll be using it for many holidays to come.

Get yours today at Toys r Us

  • Publisher: Hasbro
  • MSRP: $29.99

Weebles Musical Treehouse
Clearly, America has an obesity problem. When I was a kid, Weebles were like half the size as these guys… but I’m guessing that is probably because they don’t want anyone to swallow the toys.
I actually had the weeble Treehouse when I was a kid and this version, while totally different is still really cool. First thing.. this one makes music.. mine never did that. It comes with two Weebles so that you don’t have to go out and buy more just so your kid can play with it. It has this cool conveyor belt crank life that brings the Weebles up into the air and a fun slide to bring them back down. It says it’s for 18 months and up, but I’m having fun playing with it myself.

Get yours today at Hasbro.com

  • Publisher: Hasbro
  • MSRP: $39.99

Alphie The Robot

Alphie is a great educational robot for kids 3 and up. He’s friendly and helpful. I was really impressed with how easily it made learning about letters and shapes and things like that when we tried it out.
He is really simple to use and there are tons of double sided cards that he uses to ask all kinds of questions… don’t worry, you can buy more if you need to.
Also, I was really happy at Alphie’s portability. He’s got a handle on his head and he’s not very heavy at all. So your kid can carry him in the car or you can toss him in a backpack without much hassle.

Get yours today at Hasbro.com

  • Publisher: Hasbro
  • MSRP: $19.99

My little Pony Friendship is Magic set
Wow, if weeble’s are getting fatter, we know where they sucked it out of! My Little Pony is bigger than ever. I mean that figuratively because these guys are way skinnier than their predecessors. Because there’s small parts, you want to make this a toy for 4+.
This is great gift because there’s lots of play possibility. It isn’t just one pony. You get five figures and accessories. If you have a little girl who loves horses, then this is a great gift, plus it comes with a fun little story book to boot.
Get yours today at Hasbro.com

  • Publisher: Hasbro
  • MSRP: $29.99

Mega Fun Factory

Holy Jeez. When I was a kid, we had the Play Doh Fun Factory… it was nothing like this. This kicks that one’s butt. First, and this is minor, but handy. It has a storage space in it to keep some cans of Play Doh. That is great because it makes it easier to take with you.
While the old Fun factory was more about pushing the Doh through different shapes, this is more about using the conveyor belt and the stamps to get different designs. It’s a different experience, but it is a lot of fun.

Get yours today at Hasbro.com

  • Publisher: Hasbro
  • MSRP: $39.99

Tonka Chuck Stunt Park

I would have killed for a toy like this when I was a kid… seriously… They just needed to say the word and my sister would never have been found. That is how cool this thing is. When I was a kid, I would use books and rocks and all sorts of things to make obstacle courses for my cars. This set is that, but cooler. Chuck is already a super popular character with little kids, now they can make him an action star.
You kids can put the set together however they like. They can make Chuck go up ramps, do flips, shimmy across a ledge.. it’s cool. Also, Dropped the whole thing… a couple times, so I can tell you it is also very durable.

Get yours today at Hasbro.com

  • Publisher: Hasbro
  • MSRP: $19.99

Play doh 3d Flash Art

Do you remember spin art? This is that on steroids. Basically, its a spinning canvas that you add colors to… at least that is the old spin art way. Flash art is a whole lot more. Not only do you add the paints, but there are bendy sticks to add to the design and even play doh, which ads an awesome 3-D effect to the piece as it spins.
What I really liked is that there’s lighting built into the spinner so that you get some really amazing effects I could see little kids enjoying this just as much as their parents… or their big siblings who are home from college. The only thing I’d warn you about is that you can run out of the paints and the canvases, so make sure that you pick up some extras if you can find them.

Get yours today at Hasbro.com

  • Publisher: Hasbro
  • MSRP: $29.99

Furry Frenzy Scoot and Scurry City

If you like the whole Zhu Zhu thing, but want something a little different, this is a great gift. First, you get a bunny.. and come on.. bunnies are way cuter than hamsters.
The playset she comes with is a fun little track with a covered part and a turnaround off to one side. She stops randomly so it has a more realistic feel… It would be weird if it just kept going like a toy train, right? You can even dress her up with a hat or sunglasses… because what bunny doesn’t need to look stylish?
It is mainly geared for the 4+ crowd and I’d definitely aim this more in the girl direction than the boy. It is a good amount of fun and makes for some really good make believe time .

Get yours today at Hasbro.com

  • Publisher: Playmobil
  • MSRP: $74.99

Playmobil Dragon’s Dungeon

Awesome fantasy and imagination play! That is the main thing that I can tell you about this set. If you have a little kid… 4+ that is into dragons and castles… this is the sweetest most epic toy to get him . It has a dragon, and a working crossbow (the flaming arrows are really soft for safety.) It has all kinds of little secret doors and lights in the tower. It’s just a lot of fun for kids who want to let their imaginations run completely wild.

Get yours today at Playmobil.com

  • Publisher:Uncle Milton
  • MSRP: $19.95

Uncle Milton Uncle Milton Star Wars Science Holographic Animation Lab

This one makes a cool extra gift to add to the party. It is Star Wars, but still kind of crafty so if they like Star Wars and the idea of making cartoons, this might be a good gift for them.
It works similar to the old Zeotrope toys that they used back in the early days of the moving picture. It comes with these discs that have the Star Wars Characters in multiple poses. When you spin them on the base it creates the illusion of animation.
The discs also have a blank side so you can actually make your own animations.

Get yours today at Uncle Milton

  • Publisher: Underground Toys
  • MSRP: $26.99

Doctor Who Talking Tardis Cookie Jar

I’ll admit, I never liked Doctor Who when I was a kid, but now that I’ve had the chance to really get into the last three doctors, I’m a complete geek for the show and I’m not alone. Doctor Who is one of the hottests names out there in Sci fi and if there’s one thing we geeks like, it’s cookies! All the more reason for me to include Underground Toys’ Talking Tardis Cookie Jar in this year’s guide. This thing is AWESOME! open up the lid and you’ll be treated to that famous Tardis Whirring noise that we all now know is the emrgency break. It sounds perfect and you get it each time you reach for a cookie. This is just about the perfect gift you could get for the whovian in your life.

Get yours today at Retailers Everywhere

  • Publisher: Underground Toys
  • MSRP: $4.00-39.00

Star Wars Talking Plush

If the force is cuteness than these little guys have a midichlorian count that is off the charts!Undgroudn toys has put together an awesome assortment of Star Wars Characters that are not only adorable as hell, but they are cuddly too. What’s more, they even talk! They’ve got R2D2, Chewbacca, Yoda, and Darth Vader. This is a great gift for the female Star Wars Geek in your life, or any kid who loves the series. Hell, you can even snag one of the 4 inch ones for yourself and stuff it in your stocking. There’s really not much else to say about these things. They are cute, they are not too expensive and they are just down right awesome. No matter what you are looking for, they have a size for you, either 4″, 9″ or even 15″.

Get yours today at Retailers Everywhere

Hoob