How Do I Come Up with the Holiday Guide for Grandparents?
I go to toys shows throughout the year and see thousands of toys – yes literally thousands. I take over a thousand pictures plus notes when I see something that I think I might like to recommend. In the Fall I go through all of this and make a list of potential items to be on my lists. There are the toys that I know will be advertised heavily which will put them on your grandchildren’s holiday gift lists. Then there are the toys that have caught my eye that I think the kids will enjoy and some that you will enjoy playing with the grandkids. That is why I make multiple lists. Here are my three Holiday Gift Guide articles:
Gifts
That Grandparents Will Love to Give Plus a Giveaway
Books
and Books with Plush Holiday Gift Ideas
(Coming Soon)
This article features toys that
probably won’t be on your grandchildren’s lists but that you should consider
giving anyway. Most are in the affordable range and are not bank breakers. My Hot Toys article focused on toys that your grandkids may ask for. This is a list of toys that YOU and your grandchild will like too. Most of all, many you can enjoy together.
Final notes:
- There are lots of holiday toy guides this time of year but mine is unique. This is a guide from a grandmother’s perspective. It is my HONEST opinion - not just corporate PR.
- Most of these pictures are mine - not stock photos. Some are less than perfect with other stuff in the background. But they portray the real deal.
- If I say "Ages X and up, up, up" I am referring to generations - meaning two or more generations up will enjoy playing with this item.
- First up is a classic toy for toddlers and it is the giveaway for the gifts Grandparents will Love to Give List. See the giveaway details at the end of the post.
Read to me Tot Tower Ages 2+
We all
remember our kids playing with these cardboard building blocks and they are
still fun. I particularly like this one
because in addition to large motor skills it teaches language skills. Rather than just a shape or color, each brightly
colored block features a question. The
Tot Tower is a winner of the Oppenhein Blue Chip Classic Award. By eeboo.
Peppa Pig Tea Time Role Play Ages 2+
This
set is very cute and will provide lots of play opportunity with the Peppa Pig
characters that young children love. It
has 11 pieces including teapot, cups, saucers, teaspoons and soft Teddy and Mr.
Dinosaur characters. Kids love the pouring sound the teapot makes. Five star
rating at Amazon. By Jazwares.
Camping Lodge Ages 4+
This
playmobil playset is very detailed and has lots of moving parts to play camping
with including an archery set and a zip line.
I love the zip line. The lodge is
fully equipped inside and outside. It even has an outside shower and campfire. This Playmobil playset will provide hours of
imaginative play. By Playmobil.
GeoSafari Solar Rover Ages 8+
This
is a pretty cool item for kids to learn about solar power. You cast shadows or let the sun shine on the
solar panels to get the rover moving and control its direction. This is a fun toy for learning STEM
concepts. Although recommended for 8 and
up, you can play with a younger child who is interested in science. By
Educational Insights.
Plush
and Dolls
Gund Winky Lamb Rattle Age Newborn+
This is a small gift item that you can’t go wrong
with. This cuddly lamb is also a soft
rattle. It is small and may be that
special item that an infant grabs onto and cherishes. At 4 1/2 inches, it is small enough
for the youngest baby. Super cute.
Highest quality that you expect from Gund.
Baby Papaya Bunny Age Newborn+
If you prefer bright colors, this bunny
is an excellent choice. The stitched features, soft velour, crinkly sound
and 7 ½ inches length make this an excellent choice for the youngest baby. By eeboo.
Snug up Dolls Ages
6 months+
These snug up dolls come in boy and
girl versions. They are soft bodied –
great for snuggling - and have safe
embroidered eyes and facial features.
The clothes are also sewn on and can’t be taken off. They are 11.5 inches tall and washable. This is an excellent first doll for a
baby to play with. By HABA.
Barbie
– You Can Be Anything line Ages 3+
Barbie
dolls continue to be the most popular dolls with little girls and Mattel
continues to innovate with this brand. My favorite Barbie is the “You Can Be Anything” line. The dolls are dressed in outfits representing various
careers – both traditional and non-traditional. Farmers, soccer players, pediatrician,
scientist, ballerina and more. There are also playsets corresponding with the
dolls. By Mattel.
Games
and Puzzles
I am all about playing games and putting together puzzles with grandchildren of all ages and so here are some of my favorites to play with every age… Start young and never stop playing.
I am all about playing games and putting together puzzles with grandchildren of all ages and so here are some of my favorites to play with every age… Start young and never stop playing.
Arranging Game Rainbow Caterpillar Ages 18 Months+
This cute caterpillar puzzle can be put
together with fewer pieces to start and then more are added as a toddler gets
more advanced. 13 pieces in total. HABA makes high quality toys for infants and
toddlers. It is a brand to look
for. By Haba.
Hoot Owl Hoot Ages
4+
Hoot
Owl Hoot is not new but it has won numerous awards and is still a best seller. This
is a cooperative game in which players work together to win the game rather
than against each other. Players try to get all the owls to the nest
before the sun rises and then everyone wins. By Peaceable Kingdom.
Sneaker
Puzzle - American Style Ages 8 and
Up, Up, Up
There
are 108 numbered plastic pieces that must be put together in order. It is fun to put together and fun to keep as
a pencil holder. The ages on the box says 8 - 99 and that is about right.
Once the puzzle is put together there is a plastic insert which allows the
puzzle to be useful as a holder. Gets an intergenerational A+ for working
with a child under 8. Grandchild tested at our place. By Ravensburger.
Miss
Bernard is a Wild Card (Weird School) Game Ages 6+
This game is based on the popular Weird School books and it
features well known characters in the books. It is fun and
educational. Each player has his/her own sentence
game board. In turn you draw from the deck of cards and try to complete
sentences on your individual game board. In addition to laughs galore, the game
develops math, reading and strategic thinking skills. It is a perfect
grandparent/grandchild game to play with elementary school age children.
You will be the cool grandparent who knows about the Weird School books if you
get this game. By All Things Equal.
Uno
Emoji Ages 7 and
Up, Up, Up
This is a classic
card game where luck and strategy meet to create surprise winners. Kids
who love emojis – I personally know some – will love this version. Priced
under $10 it is a perfect stocking stuffer, travel game or grandchild visiting
game to have on hand. By Mattel.
I apologize for the poor picture. The Uno Emoji game was part of a bigger display when I took this picture.
And to all a Good Night Family Jigsaw Puzzle
Ages 6 and Up, Up, Up
You
may have an extended visit with the grandkids over Christmas vacation and a
holiday themed family puzzle can be just the thing to hit the spot. This family puzzle features
pieces in three different sizes designed with large pieces on the outside for
the young ones, and small pieces on the inside for more experienced
puzzlers. We completed one of these family puzzles with our grandson
when he was younger and it was a lot of fun to work on together. By
Springbok.
For Older Children and Ages Up, Up, Up
Once
kids reach about eight years old they are much harder to shop for. Their lists have more things like video games
and stuff you never heard of. Here are a
few other options. And these may be
great intergenerational fun.
Remote-Control
Machines: Construction Vehicles Ages 6 and Up, Up, Up
You can build 8
different models of construction vehicles that are controlled with a
remote-control unit with this set. There is a step by step guide for
building the machines and the process has been simplified so that younger
children can build them with some help. The set comes with a 64 page
manual to guide you through the building process and it also provides a
STEM learning opportunity with information about how they work and physics concepts
of force, torque and simple machine principles. This is an excellent
grandparent/grandchild project to work on together. By Thames and Kosmos.
LEGO Women of NASA Ages 8 and Up, Up, Up
This LEGO set just came on the market on November 1st and it instantly became the number 1 best selling toy. Grandmothers especially love it. They are lighting up my facebook page declaring their purchase - even for pretty young grandchildren. We grew up with the excitement around space exploration but the first we knew that women had anything to do with it was in 1983 when Sally Ride was the first female astronaut to go into space. Last year, with the Hidden Figures movie we learned about the key role of black women. Turns out lots of women have always been involved with the space program. This set is in the
LEGO IDEAS line of building sets suggested by LEGO fans. It
features minifigures of 4 pioneering women of NASA— astronomer
Nancy Grace Roman, computer scientist Margaret Hamilton,
astronaut, physicist and entrepreneur Sally Ride and astronaut, physician and
engineer Mae Jemison—and 3 builds illustrating their areas of expertise. Interested in encouraging girls to pursue STEM careers? This is a must have. Bonus - very reasonably priced!
Art with Edge Pop Art
Crayola’s
Art with Edge line is aimed at Tweens and Teens but should also be popular with adults
as the coloring craze continues. It is a line of wacky, wild coloring pages.
This new set called “Pop Art” features 18 dark colored pages that “pop” in
bright colors when colored with Pop Art colored markers. I thought these
made beautiful finished products and should be a nice gift for the “difficult
to buy for” age group. By Crayola.
Giveaway Information
One lucky winner will receive a Read to Me Tot Tower by eeboo.
It is easy to enter and there are two ways. Both ways count as an entry so you get two entries if you do both. I need to be able to contact you if you win. If you enter - email me with your email address at marion@grandmachronicles.com. I will not use your email address for anything except to notify you if you win. Grandmother’s Honor.
Two ways to win:
Leave a comment here on the blog
and/or
Like The Grandma Chronicles facebook page - click here. and/or
You can have two entries by doing both. Deadline to enter: November 25, 2017 at midnight. This item can be sent to US addresses only.
You can find all of these items at Amazon. Click on the links below to go to Amazon.
You can find all of these items at Amazon. Click on the links below to go to Amazon.
