Watch this: Coolest Toys With a Tech Twist
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Toys & Tabletop Games
Snap Circuits are the perfect gift for curious kids. There are over 100 electronic projects possible with this STEM set, which is best for ages 8 and up. Build a flashlight, photo sensor, siren and more. The best part is, kids will learn about the fundamentals of electricity as they play.
Tech
All kids love slime. And this STEM kit from National Geographic comes with eight varieties of the substance. Magnetic putty, glow-in-the-dark putty, fluffy slime and color-changing slime are just some of what you can expect to find in this box. There's education to be found here too, as an enclosed learning guide explores the science behind all this goo.
Misc
This is an award-winning STEM toy and for good reason. Aside from being a lot of fun, it also requires a lot of critical thinking. Players can choose from 60 different challenges at various difficulty levels, from beginner to expert.
Misc
Kids who enjoy building will love this DIY kit. They can put together a real pinball machine that uses gumballs as the pinballs. Bonus: This kit isn't all fun and games -- it's a STEM project in disguise. Lessons in motion, gears, gravity, force and more are embedded in this cool gift.
Toys & Tabletop Games
Cowabunga! This Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizza Fire Delivery Van brings the Mutant Mayhem fun to life. The van has room for all four turtles and Master Splinter and it comes equipped with a fully functional pizza cannon. Eight pizzas can fit in this handy weapon, which will surely stop Super Fly and his minions in their tracks. And hey, after their battle is over, the gang can snag a pie for a well-earned snack.
Toys & Tabletop Games
This baby monkey, Mango, is super soft and also interactive. His hands can even grip and hold onto things, like his bottle. But that’s not all -- he has over 50 sounds and reactions as your child plays with him.
Toys & Tabletop Games
This is the mother of all dinosaur toys. At over 3 feet long, Super Colossal Giganotosaurus is an impressive play thing. He can gobble up action figures (and luckily, you can rescue them via his belly) and generally wreak havoc. Pro tip: He's best for ages 4 and up.
Toys & Tabletop Games
This unique experiment-based set is here to save the world. No, seriously: The Beast Lab poses the idea that the only way to protect humanity is with Beasts. Shark Beasts, to be specific. Thankfully, your child will get two in this set -- the Havoc Hammerhead and Mayhem Megashark. Adorned with over 80 lights and sounds, and a collection of important ingredients -- like Roar Rocks and Fossil Fragments -- your kid will mix these oddities together to create the ultimate Beast. Once that's done, it's world-saving time. Hey, no pressure.
Toys & Tabletop Games
This gift combines two of our favorite things: Monopoly and Harry Potter. It's ideal for family game night and fun for all ages. It features a Hogwarts-themed gameboard and golden tokens to travel around with, like The Knight Bus and Hogwarts Express.
Home
If your child is a foosball or air hockey fan, they'll love this game, which is a combo of both. (And you'll probably love it too.) Since it comes assembled, put it on any tabletop surface and you can start to play immediately. (When you'll stop playing is the question.)
Misc
If your kids like high-energy card games like Uno, they'll love this. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza is highly addictive and great for game nights. Up to 8 people can play at once and everyone takes turns flipping over a card, saying a word -- Taco, Goat and so on -- while flipping. If the spoken word matches whatever card is being flipped, everyone tries to slap their hand down. The last person to do so has to take the stack. Trust us, it's fun. CNET contributor Oliver Haslam says, "It might be the most fun I've had with a card game since forever, and it made our recent vacation very memorable."
It's like Magic: The Gathering, but with everything Disney. This trading card game is easy to learn for kids ages 8 and up. And kids who are a little younger can join in with help from an adult. CNET's James Bricknell ranked it as one of the top family games of the year, saying, " It's clearly been worked on for a long time, as it feels like a game that's existed forever. It's so well-polished."
Consoles
This is a pricey one, but it's worth putting on your child's toy list. You can give them hours of entertainment playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart, Zelda, Just Dance or whatever games they're into. The new OLED model has a sharper, larger screen than the original model. And the Switch is definitely a better console for younger kids than the more expensive Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. We also love that the Switch can be played on a TV or hand-held.
Misc
Echo Dot Kids offers all the smarts of Amazon's Alexa smart assistant, but with parental controls and a cute design. Choose from a dragon or an owl -- kids can even customize Alexa's voice to make it a dragon or owl character. Kids can use it for playing music, setting an alarm, playing interactive games and more. Bonus: The white noise is great for kids who need some extra help sleeping.
Tech
If you’ve always wanted to know how to complete a Rubik's cube, but could never get the hang of it, now’s your chance, CNET’s James Bricknell says. The GoCube connects to your phone or tablet and takes you through the steps of solving a cube using "algorithms," so to speak. “It's the first time I've felt I had a handle on manipulating a puzzle cube without it being completely random,” he says. “Learning a new skill as a dad, especially one that can impress your kids, is always worthwhile -- and the app even lets you play battle games with your kids to make it more family-oriented.”
Misc
Playing with Hot Wheels has never been so cool. The Hot Wheels id Smart Track brings speed, stunts and a variety of mini games to the iconic race car brand. The track's booster can launch cars upwards of 900 mph (at scale), and thanks to the interactive gaming component, you can scan different cars, track speeds and race to your heart's content. Two exclusive Hot Wheels id cars come with it.
Misc
This is a great beginner building set for kids who are obsessed with construction vehicles. It's also a great add-on for kids who already have a Magna-Tiles set. It comes with two extendable cranes, a truck chassis, bricks, and pieces for building a road.
Gaming Accessories
Inspired by Nintendo's iconic video game characters, this toy brings Mario to life. He's got color sensors, LCD screens in his eyes and his mouth and belly are programmed with over 100 different reactions and movements. Mario must collect virtual coins as he travels through the buildable course. A Goomba figure, Bowser Jr., and seven actionable bricks also come with the set. A mobile app offers further connectivity, giving more ways to play.
Toys & Tabletop Games
It's a fact that kids love forts. And when they're glow-in-the-dark, it's's next-level. With this kit, children can spend countless hours building a variety of structures with the 130 pieces included with it. Caves, tunnels, rockets and houses -- the sky's the limit for what can be constructed. Every parent knows their little one will eventually seek out their own safe space, and a fort is the perfect place for them to get some me-time. Plus, this thing is pretty darn cool.
Toys & Tabletop Games
Lilo & Stitch fans will love piecing together this Lego Stitch. Once he’s put together, he can move -- his ears go up and down and his head can turn too. Some fun accessories also come with this kit, a buildable flower and ice cream cone for Stitch.
Toys & Tabletop Games
Sesame Street's Elmo never goes out of style. This 14-inch tall interactive doll encourages movement and singing and will get your little one up and dancing. Like the Just Play Elmo Plush, your kiddo can press Elmo's right hand to play a game of "Elmo Says" -- a fun, preschool-friendly riff on "Simon Says." He can also speak in Spanish, as well as in English, which is another bonus.
Misc
A great gift for pretend play that will keep little hands busy for hours. "My 2-year-old loves 'helping' me in the kitchen, and she likes it even better when I help her bake goodies with her own KiwiCo stand mixer and accessories," says CNET contributor Deena Shinn. "We pretend to crack eggs and pour in the sugar to whip up birthday cakes, much to her delight."
If you're not wanting to bring slime into your home, Playfoam Naturals offers a sensory-satisfying product that's fun to play with. This kit is great for preschool learning and allows your little one to exercise their fine motor skills while learning to squish this plant-based substance into letters and numbers.
Toys & Tabletop Games
If you're looking for a cool sensory toy, check out the Bumpas weighted plush doll. These wide-eyed stuffies come with weighted arms that can sit on your little one's shoulders, be a pillow buddy or act as a weighted blanket for extra comfort and emotional support. Sometimes, a simple Bumpas hug is all someone needs to feel better.
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Source: cnet.com