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The Hindu
31-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
‘Open Day 2025' on SJCE campus in Mysuru draws students, parents
The 'Open Day 2025', organised by JSS Science and Technology University (JSS STU) and Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE), was inaugurated here on Saturday, drawing students and parents. The event was formally declared open at the SJCE Statue Circle by C.G. Betsurmath, executive secretary of JSS Mahavidyapeetha, Mysuru, who was the chief guest for the occasion. A.N. Santosh Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, JSS STU, C. Nataraju, principal (in charge), P. Nanjundaswamy, Controller of Examinations, and B.S. Harish, deputy registrar were present. Event conveners K.M. Anil Kumar and M.N. Nagendra Prasad, along with university officers, heads of departments, faculty members, and students from Mysuru and surrounding regions, were also present. Dr. Betsurmath unveiled a Virtual Tour application, developed by university students. It is designed to guide visitors through the day's campus activities and exhibitions. The campus bustled with activity throughout the day as attendees explored live demonstrations, working models, and project displays, showcasing the institution's focus on technological innovation, research, and real-world applications. Competitions such as model exhibitions, poster presentations, and prototype displays highlighted the creativity and problem-solving skills of participating students. Students from various engineering colleges in Mysuru, Bengaluru, and nearby regions took part in project presentation contests. Departmental showcases were evaluated by a panel of judges. The event also featured cultural performances by the students while interactive stalls set up by student clubs engaged visitors with games and creative activities. A major highlight was the aerial show conducted by the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the KSCA Grounds. With a footfall exceeding 8,000 attendees, 'Open Day 2025' served as an engaging platform for students to showcase their talents and for visitors to experience the academic environment of JSS STU and SJCE.
The Hindu
29-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
JSS STU to host Open Day on May 31, Jayciana cultural fest on June 1, 2
JSS Science and Technology University (JSS STU), in association with its prestigious constituent college Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE), on Thursday said that it will be organising Open Day 2025 on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the SJCE campus here. C.G. Betsurmath, executive secretary, JSS Mahavidyapeetha, will inaugurate the event in the presence of A.N. Santosh Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, JSS STU, the registrar, principal, faculty, staff, and students. A ceremonial flag off will be held at 10 a.m. at the SJCE Statue Circle. Open Day 2025 aims to offer a comprehensive view of the university's academic environment, the JSS STU said. The highlights of the event include live interaction with faculty and students from various departments, guided campus tours and facility demonstrations, project exhibitions showcasing innovations and research, thematic competitions in poster presentations, product demos, and prototype showcases, special focus on sustainability in environment, health, and energy, and career guidance, and admission counselling for prospective students, a press release stated here. Designed for aspiring students and their families, the event serves as a gateway to experience the academic and cultural vibrancy of JSS STU, which carries a legacy of over six decades through SJCE, the release stated. 'Jayciana 2025' Following this, the annual cultural festival 'Jayciana 2025' will take place on June 1 and 2, celebrating student talent, creativity, and cultural diversity. The cultural extravaganza will be inaugurated on June 1 at 6 p.m. by Seema Latkar, Police Commissioner of Mysuru. She will be joined by B. Suresh, Director of the Technical Education Division, JSS Mahavidyapeetha, and A.N. Santosh Kumar, Vice-Chancellor of JSS STU. The first day will feature performances by student artists from across the city, culminating in a musical performance by Kannada musician Raghu Dixit. The second day will be another musical high with a live performance by the popular vocal duo Sukriti and Prakriti Kakkar, accompanied by their band. At a press conference here on Thursday, the JSS STU officials shared the details of the open day and the Jayciana. They described Jayciana as 'a vibrant fusion of tradition, creativity, and youthful energy, building bridges across campuses, disciplines, and generations.' For further details, please visit the official website
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'Can Destroy Karachi Port...': Indian Navy's STARK Ultimatum To Pakistan Over New 'Misadventure'
Vice Admiral A.N. Pramod issued a stern warning to Pakistan during a press conference. He stated that any hostile action from Pakistan would be met with a decisive Indian response. He also emphasised that Pakistan is well aware of the consequences of provoking India again. Read More
Buzz Feed
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Parents Have Spoken: 56 Gifts For Kids That Get A Stamp Of Approval
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page. Shopping · Stocking stuffers, toys, games, and other genius gift ideas that are guaranteed to make kids *and* parents shout, "Thank you, I LOVE it" 1. A celestial projector shaped like a lil' astronaut to really complete the vibe of their bedroom. It has eight different nebula-style effects they can (optionally) combine with a twinkling green star effect for an out-of-this-world experience that'll completely transform their space. Promising review: "5-year-old loves this. The remote on this is awesome! Let's you really customize what you/your kiddo wants. The timer feature is also great. We've had this for 2 years, and it's still going strong. Love that it has a detachable head so you can adjust where it projects." — A.N. Promising review: "Purchased this for an 8-year-old who loves space and the stars. As an adult, I would almost purchase this for myself. It projects a galaxy on the ceiling of whatever room you are in. It looks great on 10-foot ceilings, but also looks amazing in our room with 30-foot ceilings. The projections are bright but easily allow a child to sleep under it. This gets used every night. The only problem we have had is that the little USB wall wart stopped working, but we were able to use a spare USB wall wart/charger in its place." — KC Get it from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in four colors). 2. An interactive Fingerlings baby monkey with sensors that respond to touch, a unique personality, and over 70(!) different sounds and reactions that'll warm their little heart. As soon as they put the Fingerling on their hand, its heart will start to beat, and it'll say "hello" — how cute is that?! Not ready for a pet yet? They'll adore this little guy. Promising review:"Adorable and affordable. My kiddos love these little things. The packaging is easy to open, and the fingerling works right out of the box. When turned on, he/she will make the cutest little sounds and noises that keep the kids smiling and occupied while this busy mom catches up on all the things." — C. Guttierez Get it from Amazon for $15.44 (available in three colors). 3. A classic marble run set so kids can work on developing their problem-solving skills while having a HECK of a lot of fun watching the colorful marbles zip and zoom through tracks and obstacles. Promising review:" My 5- and 3-year-olds (and me) have spent hours building towers and watching marbles clatter down these chutes, steps, gears and spirals, HOURS! And they're not bored yet! It's also educational learning the physics of slopes by experience. Plus, it comes with enough marbles that losing a few doesn't matter." — Joyce Parker Get it from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in four styles). 4. Or a Gravity Maze marble run designed to challenge kiddos to think ahead to figure out how to build paths so the marble can drop down to the final cube. Puzzling and satisfying! The game includes 60 challenges, ranging from beginner to expert, so they can work their way up to the harder ones. Amazon, Promising review:"Such a great toy for kids 5-12. Keep them off their devices and give a try at this maze. My son shared it with his teacher who wants to put them in their school STEM lab. It is really a great toy that can keep you occupied and having fun!" — Lindsey A Promising review: "My daughter loves it. Her older sister loves it even more. Even my parents are intrigued by it. Sometimes, I take it with us when we go out to eat, and we take turns trying to solve it at the table while waiting for food. All sorts of people come up to us and ask us about the game because they've never seen anything like it. Young or old, everyone wants a chance with this thing!" — Keith Get it from Amazon for $27.99. 5. A creepy-but-cool remote-controlled gecko — and, yes it ACTUALLY climbs up walls and across floors! It can be controlled from up to 25 feet away, so definitely be prepared for a prank or two coming your way. Did I mention its eyes also glow? I'm scared, but also impressed. The lizard is rechargable and powered with the included USB cable, though two AAA batteries are needed for the remote (not included). Promising review:"My son asked and asked for this remote control lizard! And he absolutely loves it. I wouldn't recommend this product if you had only carpet. It crawls well on wood/tile and crawls up and across the walls using a vacuum." — Amanda Get it from Amazon for $24.97. 6. The Shark Tank-famous Comfy Jr., a wearable sweatshirt-blanket hybrid for the kiddo you know who is always running cold. Microfiber fleece on the outside, thick fleece fluff on the inside, a truly gigantic pocket (for snacks!!), an oversized hood, and a slouchier-than-slouchy more can they ask for?! Amazon Should you get a matching adult-size one for yourself?? Not no! Promising review:"My 5-year-old son was extremely spoiled this past Christmas. Received a ride-on tractor, lots of toys, and electronic stuff. The Comfy is one gift I got him that he did not request, but he absolutely cannot live without it now. He puts it on as soon as he wakes up, and thanks to the sleeves, he is able to eat his breakfast while still staying warm and snuggly in the comfy. It really helps with the transition from the nice warm bed to getting up in the cold months! I also love how big it is. The sleeves are very long and the body is also wide. The sleeves have cuffs on them, so they aren't getting in the way of his eating or other activities, and there's plenty of room to grow. This was a great purchase and we will be getting more!" —. [Amazon Customer] Get it from Amazon for $42.99 (available in one size and six colors, plus fun prints like constellations, Disney Princesses, Frozen, and more; reviewers suggest getting the adult size for kids over 12). If the kid on your list lives somewhere warmer, you can also get the Comfy Dream Jr., which is just as comfortable but doesn't have the thick fleece lining. 7. For The Love Of Books, a reading journal for the growing bookworm on your list — not only is this beautiful, with a colorful cover with gold foil design, but it has tons packed inside. We're talking a daily reading log, book bucket list, space to keep track of library loans, a favorite quotes section, and of course, the main star: space for 52 book reviews so they can keep track of their faves. Amazon The book review includes the format (adiobook, ebook, or physical book), title, author, date, page length, number of stars out of 5, whether they read by themselves or with someone, fiction/nonfiction, whether they liked the ending yes/no, favorite character, plus room to dig a little deeper, like sharing favorite quotes, favorite scenes, and what they'd like to ask the author. Promising review: "I ordered one for my 7 year old and one for my 10 year old. They both love it! It's colorful and simple but thorough. Great product for a great price!" — Kindle Customer Get it from Amazon for $9.47. Btw, they also make a reading journal designed for teens, plus one for adults if you want to pick one up for yourself at the same time! 8. And a Bookroo baby and preschool or kid and tween book subscription so their TBR list is always packed with great reads. Just pick the right option for their age range or reading level, and they'll get a box of curated books, each individually wrapped, to make the experience even more fun. They'll be telling you all about their favorite character in no time! Cratejoy There are two age range options for the baby and preschool subscription: —The Board Book Box (ages 0–3) comes with three board books —T he Picture Book Box (ages 3-6) comes with two hardcover picture books. —There's also an option for a Sibling Box (ages 0-6) that allows you to alternate receiving a box of Board Books and a box of Picture Books on alternate months. There are two age range options for the kid and tween subscription: — The Junior Chapter Book Box (ages 7–10) comes with two junior chapter books, with lighter text and often illustrations — The Middle Grade Chapter Book Box (ages 9–12) comes with two hardcover chapter books —There's also an option for a Sibling Box (ages 7-10) that allows you to alternate receiving a box of Junior Chapter Books and a box of Middle Grade Chapter Books on alternate months. Promising review: "My aunt got a Bookroo subscription for my daughter last year as a gift. I never knew how much I would love it myself! The package is beautiful and when we both see it, we get so excited. The books are individually wrapped which leads to the excitement and the gift of the book and the gift of reading itself. My aunt has extended our subscription and now I am buying subscriptions for nieces and nephews. It's a great gift for kids and has made my daughter love reading as much as I do." —Elizabeth Get the Bookroo Book Club subscriptions at Cratejoy for $21.95+/month: baby and preschool here and kid and tween here (1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month subscriptions). 9. A Snap Circuits kit, a no-tools-needed set for giving engineers-to-be hands-on insight into electrical circuits. It includes over 30 electronic parts that snap together in a variety of designs for a total of over 100 functional projects! The kit comes with over 32 electrical components including snap wires, slide switches, an alarm circuit, a music integrated circuit, and a speaker. (Each piece is numbered and color-coded to make identifying them easy.) Plus, a plastic grid and a project manual with 101 different electronic projects. Recommended for ages 8+. Adult supervision advised. Promising review:" Can I give this 6 stars? My 6-year-old son didn't ask me ONCE today for his tablet, video game or to play on my phone. He ignored a new movie on TV (one he had been BEGGING to see) because he was playing with this toy. He spent a couple hours working with his dad, a couple experimenting by himself and another few HOURS working through the projects with his aunt. I LOVE THIS TOY!" — SnappinMom Get a set from Amazon for $29.99. 10. A four-pack of rainbow twirling sticks, aka mesmerizing fidget toys that kids and adults alike will want to play with for hours — you might want to get a couple of packs so everyone can get in on the fun. Just spin to watch the stick transform into different shapes! Promising review: "My daughter got four of these from Santa. It was the one gift she was mesmerized by the most. We had endless fun twirling these tinsel fairy wands about in different ways!!!! They're so fun and pretty!" — Jessica B Promising review: "I bought these for kiddos 5, 10, and 13, and they were a hit. Spent so much time twirling and being mesmerized by them. If one is a little too [aggressive] with it, the ribbons will tangle, but with some patience, it has so far always been able to get back to its original shape (don't pull on the ribbons, though — that would likely break it. But all in all, sturdier than I thought as it survived an energetic 5-year-old. I have had lots of fun playing with it myself. Glad it came in a four pack, cause I got to keep one!" — akat Get the pack of four from Amazon for $16.95. 11. Or The NeeDoh Nice Cube, a super-viral sensory fidget toy with juuuust the right amount of resistance for a super-satisfying squish. And it always goes back to its original shape! Promising review: "I bought four of these; one for myself and three for my kids. My oldest already had one and everyone else was fighting for it. They're stiff at first, but the more you use them, they get softer with the warmth of your hands. I've actually used it as a calming mechanism when arguing with my husband and it worked. It's easy to clean with a little soap and water, and then it feels brand new again. It's very durable, too. My 10-year-old will be watching a movie and smashing it up, and it's still in good condition. Definitely worth it." — Dixie Get it from Amazon for $6.99 (the color is either blue, pink, or purple and gets selected for you at random!). 12. A 174-piece 3-in-1 Lego kit (honestly it's hard to choose the best Lego kit these days!) so they can build three different poseable(!) dinos creatures — a T. Rex, a triceratops, or a pterodactyl they can play with, display, or disassemble and rebuilt into another delightful prehistoric powerhouse. Amazon There are other 3-in-1 kits — like a shark + crab/squid/anglerfish for $12.99, unicorn/seahorse/peacock for $9.25, dragon/phoenix/fish for $9.49! Btw, Lego has a cool gift-finder feature so you can brows by the age of the kid you're shopping for, their interests, and your budget! Promising review: "I got this set for my daughter and it's legitimately awesome. So far we've put together the T-Rex (amazing) and the Pterodactyl. It's great that you can build multiple things from one set, though the T-Rex uses almost all the pieces and the other two are a bit smaller, but still super fun. This would be a great birthday present, too. So happy with this purchase. Nice small box, has three sets of instructions and hours and hours of fun. Also, the toys are sturdy enough to play with after you build them." — FzzPoofy Get it from Amazon for $11.99. 13. My First Tumbler, a silicone 9-ounce tumbler for any tots who are wanting a Stanley of their can't wield one yet. These are super lightweight, have an easy-to-grip handle, are 100% dishwasher safe, aaaaand leak-resistant to minimize spills. Oh, and it's cute enough to quickly become their very own Emotional Support Water Bottle. Promising review: "My daughter always wants to take my Stanley cup and drink it, but it's so heavy and big for her. I saw this in a video and decided to try it out. The price is Amazing! The quality is great, it doesn't leak, and it is light enough for her to carry around. I washed it as soon as I got it and gave it to her; she carried it everywhere and loved it !!!! So worth the money, I need one in every color now. I will definitely be recommending this to all my toddler moms. The lilac color is gorgeous! The size is perfect for her little hands, the seal works great and functions perfectly as it looks!! Seriously, you won't regret this buy." — Katlyn Hamilton Get it from Amazon for $8.99 (available in four colors). 14. A set of K-beauty sheet masks designed specifically for kids, from the gentle, hydrating ingredients (centella asiatica, ceramides, and shea butter) to the smaller mask size that'll fit perfectly on their face to the adorable print that'll make them feel like the Main Character at a masquerade ball! If the kid in your life wants to try out some skincare or have a Spa Night with you, this is a great option. Amazon These are recommended for ages 4+. For kids with sensitive skin, you may want to patch test first. Promising review: "These masks for my 4- and 6-year-old perfectly! Very gentle on their skin and made them so happy. They don't feel left out anymore when the big girls have a mask on." — Amy Promising review: "Ordered a pack to have a spa day with my girls, and they were perfect!! It was a great fit! Cute design! No chemical smell. Definitely recommend!! Will be buying more for our GNI!!" — TheMother:) Get them from Amazon: a set of five for $16.99 or a set of 10 for $33.90. You can also get a gift set with five sheet masks, a bow-topped skincare headband, nail polish and kid-size nail stickers, toe separators, a brush, and a flower hair elastic for $32.99. 15. A Stairslide kit capable of transforming any (non-curved) staircase into a giant! slide! Oh, did your home just become the state fair?? Prepare for all the neighborhood kids to come over and take their turn — and then have a sudden hankering for a corndog... Amazon Each slide covers about three steps, depending on the height of the stairs. You can customize the slide speed by laying them out at different angles, making it great for ages 3–13. It can hold up to 155 pounds. Promising review: "Exactly as described! Well worth the price. Toddlers can use it with supervision and a soft landing on the stairway in our house. Easy to put on stairs, bed, or couch — my kids slide everywhere in the house! You can make it as big as you'd like. When put all together and steep it does go really fast, so be cautious. It's very strong and durable! It's easy to collapse and put away onto itself in a corner or out of sight. Takes five seconds to put back up. No damage has been done to furniture or stairs. It has tired the kids out and also made them laugh so hard! All three take turns over and over again. We love it." — Jess Get it from Amazon for $243.99+ (available in sets of four or eight). 16. A puzzle board so the burgeoning jigsaw genius in your life has a dedicated space to work on their masterpiece — without losing an entire surface until the puzzle is complete or banishing them to work on it in their room. This baby has four drawers built-in to store pieces while construction is on pause, and the whole thing is easy to move from place to place so the dining room table can actually be used It can fit up to 1500 piece puzzles. Promising review: "We ordered this for our 9-year-old daughter, who is really into large, 1,500-piece puzzles right now. She used to do them on her bedroom floor, as we weren't able to keep them on the kitchen table during the week. She loves this puzzle board now, because she can separate her pieces in the four drawers and move it from room to room to work on it. We often do these puzzles in the living room as a family in the evenings. It's nice to be able to pick up the whole thing and move out of the way when we have guests, or need to protect the puzzle from our two little dogs who are much too obliged to make a mess of our work sometimes. I would recommend this to any puzzle enthusiast, or any family that just wanted to keep their puzzles organized and move them around safely." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $69.99. You can also get a rotating one that comes with a cover for $99.99. 17. A *weighted* plushie that hundreds of kid (and adult) reviewers swear by for a little bit of cuddling comfort. Think "weighted blanket" but smaller (and way cuter). These have often gone out of stock, but they're now available in more oh-so-cute animals than ever (penguins, cows, and dragons, oh my!), so you can find the perfect one for the kid on your list. Target When I saw the dino one in a TikTok (with the Linda Belcher "little babies" audio, obviously), I just had to order one. I opted for the cheetah (which is currently sold out) — it looks cute sitting out on my loveseat, and I simply can't stop snuggling up with it resting on my chest or lap, whether I'm relaxing watching TV or just getting work done between meetings. Promising review: "So soft! My son loves it! And the fact that it is weighted helps him sleep 10x better because it stays by his side!" —S Promising review: "My daughter loves this dinosaur! It is so soft and fluffy with just the right amount of weight to be comforting. She sleeps with it every night and often holds it during the day to help her relax." —Ccf Get it from Target for $20 (available in 16 animals, including pink dino, fox, bear, green dino, unicorn, chicken, dragon, penguin, and more) 18. A dino race track complete with 144 pieces of flexible track, *cars shaped like T. Rex heads that light up when pushed along the track* and realistic dino figures — every other race track set available suddenly looks so boring... Once they open it, every grownup in the room is going to want their turn to play, too. Amazon Promising review: "My son received this set as a gift for Christmas and he really loves it. I asked the gifter where they got it and I have since bought the same set two times as a gift to other toddlers my son's age. And each time it's a huge hit! Kids are just obsessed with this. Even myself had fun playing this with my son. I like how versatile the tracks are. Totally worth it!" — olive Get it from Amazon for $23.99 (also available in blue). 19. A "reverse" coloring book filled with abstract blobs of color that make a fantastic starting point to spark their creativity — are they flowers? are they cute cartoon creatures? can it become a landscape? The possibilities are endless. All they need to do is whip out a black pen and reveal their vision! Amazon You can add a six-pack of fine line pens to make it complete! Get top-rated ones from Amazon for $9.89. Promising review: "8-year-old loved it. She was skeptical when she opened it for Christmas, but as soon as she did one page.. she flew through the entire book!!" — Stream! Promising review: "Great for creative types. Unique. My 12-year-old daughter AND 66-year-old mother both loved it. They had so much fun. My mom ordered another for a friend!" — Lisa M.S. Get it from Amazon for $13.49; available in four versions. 20. Illustory, a book-making kit with everything they'll need to make their very own full-color, 20-page, professionally printed(!) book. It includes template pages for the cover, story, and illustrations, and there's even an "about the author" feature so they can be shown as the published author on the back cover! Amazon Give them the kit, and once they fill it out with their amaaaazing story and illustrations, just pop it into the prepaid envelope, and they'll get their printed book in a few weeks! Reviewers note times of anywhere from under 2 weeks to up to 8-10. Promising review: "My ten-year-old has made a few Illustory books over the last couple of years and is a big fan! We always make a few copies of the basic template page because he will throw out any page that isn't up to his standards. He is completely satisfied with the markers it comes with, but sometimes we need to bring in an additional black marker because he outlines the frame and has me go over all of his penciled letters in black marker. The effect is well worth it once the printed book arrives. It's a lovely touch to allow for a photo of the author with a bio, which we have had fun with!" — CarrieSmith616 Get it from Amazon for $29.95. 21. A pair of functional kids' binoculars for the birder-in-training — now they won't have to steal your (...more expensive) pair but can still get a good look at the nature around them! Not only do they work great (parents are even tempted to use them), but they're also rainproof and super sturdy when dropped or thrown around — just listen to this parent: "My destructive two-year-old still hasn't figured out how to break them, and that's saying something." Amazon The set also comes with a protective carrying case, a neck strap, a cleaning cloth, and a bird identification sticker book. Promising review: "Awesome binoculars for kids! My 3, 5, and 7-year-olds all use them and get to bird with mom and dad. I have even used them in a pinch, and they work great. We have had other brands of binoculars for them, and they do not fit as nicely in their hands or focus as well. These are lightweight and easy to use." — Mama of Wrens Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in two colors). 22. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, a speedy (and hilarious) card game that'll have everyone racing to beat each other to slap the cards while giggling all the way. It's recommended for players 8 and older. Here's how to play: Pass out all the cards to the players and keep all the stacks face down. Everyone takes a turn putting a card down in the middle, while saying "taco," "cat," "goat," "cheese," and "pizza," in that order. If the picture on your card matches the word that's said, everyone races against each other to slap their hand on the central pile of cards. Whoever is last must take the pile of cards and add them to their stack, and the person who runs out of cards first wins! Promising review:"When my daughter said she wanted this game, I looked at her like she had three heads because I had never heard of it before, so I blindly trusted the 10-year-old and ordered the game. This has seriously been the best money I've spent this year! We love this game and have suckered so many friends into playing with us. It is great for kids and adults. I have even found my husband playing it with some of his buddies! So all in all, just get the game, lose the screen time, and enjoy the fun and laughter with friends." — Tiffany Richardson Get it from Amazon for $9.84 (also available in a Spanish edition). 23. A ping-pong set that'll transform any table into their new favorite game, without the space *or* financial investment of a full ping-pong table. You better start getting those wrists nice and loose, because as soon as they unwrap this, it's game on! Amazon It comes with an expandable/retractable net (so it can fit the width of your table) with adjustable clamps, two paddles, two balls, and a mesh carrying bag so you can take it on the go. Promising review:"So much fun turning the dinner table into a ping pong table! Kids and I play for hours with this set; it never gets old. Absolutely worth every penny! I had an old set when I was a kid that required me to clamp down the posts on the table and stretch the net, but this is so much easier to use. No tools or screwing required. Everything is spring loaded for easy installation and removal." — Mike S. Get it from Amazon for $21.49+ (also available in white). 24. A classic Melissa & Doug ice cream station that'll be almost as delicious as the real deal — L.O.s will be so excited to stack scoops and toppings for the ultimate cone. Start crafting your order! The wooden ice cream counter comes with eight ice cream scoops, six toppings, two cones, cup, scooper, tongs, wooden spoon, reusable menu card, and six pretend dollar bills. Promising review:" Fun toy set for a creative toddler. My newly-turned-3 year old daughter instantly fell in love with this set! She loves seeing how high she can stack the ice cream cones and pretending to serve Mom & Dad her creations. She's been obsessed with climbing things around the house and we *desperately* needed a distraction to get her to stop, and this is working so far — she plays with this thing for HOURS!" — West Family Get it from Amazon for $43.27. 25. And a Melissa & Doug interactive wooden dashboard for backseat (or even carseat) drivers. This dash is packed with realistic features, including a steering wheel, ignition key, a horn that really beeps, hazard lights, etc. It's never too early to start practicing for their road test! Amazon Promising review:"This thing is awesome! My kids were playing with my husband's old gaming steering wheel and it ended up breaking apart a week ago. They were pretty upset because they love pretending to drive so I looked to find another one. There were cheaper options than this one but they were just the plain steering wheel, no buttons or gear shift so I decided to give this one a try. My boys loved it so much that I had to sit with them for hours having them take turns playing so they wouldn't fight over it. I didn't realize there was a little window that shows the car on the road but my 3-year-old LOVES it! He likes to set the timer on the gas gage and when it goes off he lets me know he's pulling into the gas station (there's a little gas station in the window part). Anyway, we loved it so much we bought another one the same afternoon so both boys can drive together." — Brittany Get it from Amazon for $36.49. 26. A surprisingly soft tortilla blanket so they can wrap themself up like the couch burrito they were always meant to be. Sorry, but guac still costs extra. Amazon Promising review:"I got this blanket as a gift for 13-year-old's birthday. His aunt has a similar one, so I knew he would love it! It's sooooo unbelievably soft, and the perfect size to wrap yourself up in like a burrito. My son literally walks around the house all day with this blanket ever since I gave it to him, and now my younger son also wants one. The design really looks like a real tortilla shell and not cheap looking at all. 5 stars, hands down one of the best things I've bought from Amazon." — Coco Get it from Amazon for $15.99 (available in five sizes and 10 colors and styles, including pizza and waffle patterns). If you need wrapping inspo, one reviewer even gave the blanket to their nephew half-wrapped in foil so it looked like a giant burrito. HOW CUTE IS THAT?! 27. A three-in-one Bluey playset so the biggest fan of those down-under Blue Heelers can enjoy some imaginative play — this baby transforms from an airplane to a resort and a boat! And don't forget the figures: this set includes Bluey, Bingo, Chilli, Bandit, and the Captain. You can all play together and dream of being on your own tropical vacation instead of watching slush pile up outside. Promising review:"My daughter loves the Bluey figure toys, so we had to get this for her for Christmas. It's adorable, and with the plane turning into a resort, it's a great value. It was hard for me to find in stores but Amazon came through! The character figures are great and it looks like fun. I'm sure she will be excited to receive it!" — Ashley S. Get it from Amazon for $69.99. 29. A *magic* Crayola watercolor set — what makes it magic, you ask? Well the paints *only* work on the special paper that comes with it, so they can bring out their inner Jackson Pollock without getting paint all The kit comes with a paintbrush, 18 special pieces of paper, and six clear paints that change colors when they hit the paper. The brush lights up to indicate what color is currently on the brush. Promising review: "I saw this everywhere and wanted to get it for my kids. My kids love this magic light brush paint set. It's perfect for toddlers who want to paint but you don't want the whole mess. The only problem I found was the yellow after a few swipes wouldn't make yellow anymore no matter how much I rubbed the brush on the palette. It would be an orange-brown color. It wasn't a deal breaker for us. Overall, it's fun, and the kids love it." — Ashley Get it from Amazon for $24. Also available in a fun finger-painting version! 30. A pack of dinosaur egg bath bombs sure to make bathtime way more rawr -some. Just plop the egg in, and the exterior will fizz away for colorful bathwater fun — and reveal a hidden dino toy inside! With each bath, their collection of dinos will grow, so they'll have a veritable Jurassic Park to play with when tubtime is over. Promising review:"My two-year-old dreaded ending playtime for bath time until I introduced these bath bombs. He looks forward to taking a bath now! The dinosaurs are surprisingly durable and make a fun toy to enjoy for more than just a moment (so it feels less like accumulating garbage). The texture and smell of the bath bombs themselves were nice as well." — AllisonAbro Get a pack of nine from Amazon for $19.99. 31. Or a set of cloud-shaped bath bombs that leave a rainbow trail when they fizz up in the water, taking your next bathtime from Dorothy-in-sepia-toned-Kansas to full-blown Oz Technicolor! And btw, they're formulated with coconut oil for moisture and scented with plant-based fragrances (the pack includes blueberry, pineapple, peach, and passionfruit)! Promising review:"These are the best bath bombs I've ever found for kids!!!! The colors are so bright and fun! They last a long time in the bath and hardly change the color which makes me feel like it's more safe. The scent is very subtle as well, which is great! The kids have so much fun in the bath with these!" — Abbey Rose Promising review: "Got these for my daughter's birthday and then have gifted several since to her little friends. The bath bombs are lots of fun just with the colors, shapes, and scents, but the baking soda portion with the "rainbow" that shoots out is great. It fizzes out several colors in streams, so it shoots around the tub like a rainbow. It quickly dissolves into a more murky mess, but the initial part is a lot of fun. So far, no staining of the tub, no rashes or dyes on my sensitive-skinned child." — Kelsey C. Get a four-pack from Amazon for $9.99 (available in four-packs and two scents). 32. A Fisher-Price Rockin' Record Player so kids can inherit their parents' love of vinyls at an early age. But no need to worry about scratching any actual records — this comes with five disks (with two songs each) in different musical styles, including hip-hop, country, and pop — there's even a "mindfulness" record with a meditation. There's even a "record scratch" feature on the volume knob! Promising review:"Got this for my 3-year-old as a birthday gift. She loves my "grown up" record player and loves to ask me to "play songs" on it. I thought this would be a fun thing for her to play with so she can play her own songs, but I didn't expect her to have as much fun as she has with it! Each one of the records has two songs on it, one on each side, and each record is a different style. She loves the hip hop record the most and the pop rock comes in a close second. What's nice is that there's no needle on the arm of the turntable, so there's nothing to worry about her hurting herself with. It has cool features like when you stop a record mid song it "scratches" and the sound of a vinyl popping which I love! You do have to monitor it, though as we learned that unlike a real record player, if you don't move the arm off the record after a song ends it just keeps playing that song over and over and over and over and over and over and over." — John Jeziorski Get it from Amazon for $40.54. 33. A National Geographic geodes kit that'll amaze and astound any young scientist and keep them busy for hours as they smash the rocks to discover the gorgeous crystals hidden inside. Amazon This science kit includes four natural crystal-filled geodes, one pair of safety goggles, one display stand, and one learning guide. Promising review:" My daughter is 10 and this kept her busy for HOURS! She had so much fun and was excited every time she got a glimpse of what might be inside. A couple of them were pretty cool, while the rest were just white. She didn't care, she loves them all. She was so proud to gift them to her grandparents." — Michelle Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in three sizes). 34. A wireless karaoke microphone compatible with any smartphone or tablet via cable or Bluetooth so they can unleash their inner popstar — they'll be able to use it for up to *10 hours* on a single charge might want to impose a concert limit of your own. Just note that reviewers say it isn't super loud (which ideal for most karaoke tbh), so if you're looking for amplification, you'll need to get the real deal. Promising review: "We gave this to our kids (girls, 6 and 9) for Christmas and it was a HUGE hit. It wasn't something they asked for, and they didn't seem really into it at first, bu t it's the most used toy so far. It was really easy to connect to their phones; the controls are easy to figure out and use. I think it's just at the right volume — loud enough to be fun but not too loud to be annoying to people not partaking in the karaoke. My girls have already suggested it as a gift for a family friend because they think it's so much fun. We got the rose gold and it's really pretty. The case is nice and sturdy and the battery life is great. It feels nice in your hand — not too heavy, but definitely doesn't feel cheap." — Lauren Promising review:"I b ought this for my 7-year-old, and it was the best gift she got this year! Hours of fun. I used it for an adult Christmas party, and it was a huge hit. Hooks up to iTunes, and it's hours of fun." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in 15 colors). 35. A cute lil' train sets up dominoes (🤯) — all they'll need to do is load up the dominoes (which reviewers say is great for building patience and fine motor skills), press the button, and watch it go! It even makes train sounds as it goes. Amazon, Promising review: "Love, love, love! I got this for my 3-year-old for his birthday, and he's obsessed! It came with a whole bunch of dominos, two stacks for the dominos, the train of course, and batteries were included! You're able to adjust the front wheels to make it automatically go in a circle which I thought was cool, I assumed we would just have to keep moving it so that was a nice surprise! Overall, it's just a really neat toy that keeps my kid very entertained!" — Lea Bransky Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in two colors). 36. A corgi LCD drawing tablet for the kiddo in your life so they can draw, scribble, erase, and draw all over again — and it looks like the rainbow scratch paper we all loved as kids! Amazon Promising review: "Daughter's favorite toy. My daughter plays with this every. Single. Day. She got it for her 5th birthday and she is obsessed! I just love that I don't have scratch paper everywhere. We are a month in, and the screen is bright and easy to use- even the 8-year-old loves it. Great gift idea!" — Lisa Anne Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in six colors). 37. Silly Poopy's Hide & Seek game, in which kids (or young-at-heart adults) hide a rainbow-hued "poo" that says "yoo-hoo" and gives clues about its whereabouts. This is only time a kid should be excited about finding poo. John Mihaly / BuzzFeed Check out a TikTok of the Silly Poopy in action. Promising review:"Let me tell you that if you want hours of endless fun of hide and go seek without having to hide yourself, this is a must get! When it's hidden it makes various toot noises and says stuff so the kids know if they are close. And when they find it and press the button to do and sing the silly poopy dance ... even you will dance and sing along!!! Doesn't need batteries and come on, it's poop? Who doesn't think poop and toot noises are funny and if they don't they are lying to themselves. A must-have for fun with your kids without barely doing any work!!" — andrea kelli gorman Get it from Amazon for $12.99. 38. A miniature baking set perfect for aspiring kiddo bakers or youngsters who enjoy adooooooorably petite baked goods. Who needs an Easy Bake Oven? The set comes with a storage tin, rolling pin, tiny knife, pizza/dough cutter, mixing spoon, three small spoons, mixing bowl, pizza/pie pan, pie server, sheet pan, silicone cake and cupcake molds, two silicone finger mitts, and 48-page recipe book. Promising review:"My 8-year-old daughter purchased this for herself. She absolutely loves it, and so do I! With very minimal help from me, she can make her own treats. I love that she gets a little snack/treat, the kitchen isn't a big mess, and I don't have two dozen cookies lying around calling my name. She used to beg me to bake all the time and now I can let her because I know she's not filling up on sugar and she doesn't need me hovering in the kitchen to keep an eye on things. It's amazing!" — Sherrie801 Get it from Amazon for $19.99. 39. A Hello Kitty claw machine so they can practice their skills at home before taking a crack at the one at the local arcade that never seems to give out prizes. They'll have so much fun working the mini controls and trying to snag one of the eight Sanrio character figures that actually getting a toy out to play with will just be a bonus. Amazon Once they've won them all, the capsules can be refilled with other toys or treats. Promising review: "This item arrived super fast and in great condition. The crane game itself takes a little skill, but that's how they all are. The look on my child's face the moment we 'won' our first prize made it worth it right away. It's now going all day. :)" — David NJ Get it from Amazon for $44.99. 40. A 100-piece set of Picasso Tiles, because reviewers say they're not only comparable to Magnatiles (which are $80 more for the same size set) but also work with the Magnatiles they may already have, so you can expand their world of creative and educational play for much less. And of course just like Magnatiles, they'll keep the kids busy for hoooours. Amazon, Promising review:"I wish I had known about these sooner! PicassoTiles are *exactly* like Magna-tiles but way more affordable. We just received the 100 tile set today — an early birthday gift for our soon-to-be-four-year-old. We have two sets of Magna-tiles — one with the grommets (purchased new last year) and one without (purchased second hand [no idea how old they are]). The PicassoTiles are the same weight and size as the MagnaTiles and have the same exact magnets. They do not have metal grommets, but the old MagnaTiles are indestructible, so I know that these will be too. And PicassoTiles are much prettier in my opinion, because they are slightly more translucent and have brighter colors. They integrate into the collection seamlessly. I highly recommend this product. And if you are considering buying any kind of magnetic tile toy for your child, I recommend purchasing as big a set a you can for versatility of play. Our son has played with these all day and night off and on every single day since we bought them last year. After integrating the new PicassoTile set, he hugged his enormous structure and declared them his A wonderful toy!" — skater mom Get it from Amazon for $39.99. PicassoTiles also makes marble runs, race tracks, and themed sets! 41. A LeapFrog 100 Words Book that'll help kiddos pick up more than 100 common words (everything from animals to food to colors to opposites and more) in both English and Spanish. Reviewers say it actually holds kid's attention through the bright colors and interactive buttons and sounds. Find out why this parent calls it "one of our favorite toys for our son" on TikTok. Promising review: "Baby really loves this book! It's compact and easy to stash in your go bag. I love that it has multiple languages (English and Spanish) and multiple options (Saying the words, fun fact, sound effects) - it does a great job of keeping my baby entertained and delivers an educational experience. The price is right, too. Must have!" — Colleen Get it from Amazon for $12.97 (available in six different versions). 42. A durable metal Big Dig sandbox digger crane because excavating at the beach or in the backyard is Serious Business, and this guy is here to get! the! tiny! job! done! It has 360-degree rotation and easy-to-use two-handed controls, and it works on sand, dirt, *and* snow, so it can be used year-round too! Amazon For ages 3+ years (weight limit of 110 pounds). Promising review:"I don't write reviews often, but we have had this for two days, and my boys (3 and 5) woke up at 6:30 a.m., ate breakfast, got dressed, and hustled outside on a gloomy rainy mid-February morning in Seattle to play with this. They normally fight over whose turn it is, but instead, they have been taking turns and playing like civil humans for an hour already. Best toy ever, bought a second one already so they don't have to share because there's only so long siblings can go before someone throws down." — Rk Get it from Amazon for $47.99. 43. A sleep-training clock that's aaaaactually a gift for parents, but kiddos will love having a clock of their very own — especially with that cute smiley face! It uses colors and facial expressions to let kids know when it's still sleep time (aka please don't wake me up) and when it's ok to wake up and say good morning — the parent can even choose the colors for each. It also has a sound machine and optional alarm clock built in. Watch this parent share why this sleep trainer is one of their "best parenting hacks" in this TikTok. Promising review:"I got this for my 4-year-old son as a birthday gift. He loves that the clock goes to sleep, wakes up, occasionally blinks, and that he gets to pick his own night light color. He tells me how proud he is of himself every morning when he sleeps until the yellow light and plays quietly until his alarm clock turns green. Being in my third trimester of pregnancy, this tired mom is extremely pleased that my early riser is now letting me sleep until a set time every morning! I like how customizable the clock is and the white noise feature. The lock setting isn't childproof, so I keep it up high, set it up & let it do its thing. This works because I do not use the alarm clock feature as the alarm sound scares my son, and there's no other sound option for that setting (this doesn't bother me much as getting my son to wake up isn't the problem; it was keeping him in bed until a decent hour) problem solved! Overall, Worth every penny. And great customer service, thanks Little Hippo!" — nicole Get it from Amazon for $49.99 (available in three colors). 44. A Barbie Dreamhouse complete with 10 outdoor and indoor play areas, a working elevator, a PARTY ROOM WITH A DJ BOOTH (mind if I play "Dance the Night" on repeat?), a slide, puppy area, balcony, and a rooftop deck. Brb, booking a flight to BarbieLand asap. Amazon One reviewer notes this does ship in the original packaging, so if you live with the kid who's getting this, you'll have to keep them away from the porch when it gets delivered! Promising review:"My husband and I bought this Barbie House for our daughter's 7th birthday, and she absolutely loves it. She plays with it all of the time, and it keeps her entertained for hours. Out of all of her toys, she plays with this one the most. I had put it together for her with the help of my other daughter. Honestly, with regards to assembling it, it was not hard at all. I will say it does take time, but if you take your time and do it correctly, it's not hard at all. Well worth the money and time invested in this toy." — Hyatts4Jesus Get it from Amazon for $224.99. 45. A Crayola light board that'll take your growing artiste's masterpieces to the next level — their designs deserve to shine brightly, and I mean that literally. Plus, the board is reusable, so they can wipe away old drawings or tracings and start all over again (and again and again). Amazon, It includes an LED light board with a removable tracing panel and and six gel markers. They can just draw directly onto the light board — plus the removable back panel makes tracing images incredibly easy. Then, turn it on to light up the designs and showcase them — even in the dark. Promising review:" This light board is awesome!! My 6-year-old loves to draw and absolutely loves this board. The markers nestle into the back of the board for storage, which makes this mom happy, the board cleans easily with a damp paper towel or wipe. This is a great car activity for traveling. Love the added feature of the removable blackboard for tracing — so fun! Will make a great gift for any art lover!" — Danielle Campbell Get it from Amazon for $27.79. 46. A Tetris-esque wooden puzzle kids of all ages will enjoy — and honestly I wouldn't mind having a go at this myself. No screens needed! Amazon, Reviewers say this is a great toy for all ages — from 3 to 12. Promising review:"My kids are getting older and I needed some unique little items to keep them busy on a long trip. This seemed attractive, lightweight, and fine for teens and younger. As it turned out, the three of us had fun challenging each other with it. We played with it in front of Grandma, and then she wanted one to keep her mind sharp! There are different challenges you can do (like timing yourself to finish it) and I love the artsiness of the wood. At $10, definitely a good buy and nice little gift." — C-reader Promising review: "Honestly shocked at how much my 9-year-old likes this. This was a lifesaver over winter break. It's able to done multiple ways but my daughter likes to create little mural pictures with the tiles as well. She's creative but this got more use than I even anticipated. We love this little puzzle!" — Kayla M Get it from Amazon for $8.99. 47. A Dyson Ball toy vacuum that actually *has some suction* so that when the kid in your life is mimicking and wants to "help out" around the house, they're actually getting a little bit of vacuuming done. And it'll keep them busy for ages! Amazon, Promising review:"Our son is absolutely obsessed with our Dyson (the real one). Which is why we purchased this toy Dyson vacuum for his birthday. He's 2-years-old and he is really enjoying having his on 'working' vacuum cleaner!!! He seriously plays with it for hours during the day. Turning it on and off and pushing it through the house just like we use our real vacuum. I would buy this again! It was his favorite gift!." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in three colors). 48. A Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears! 150-Piece Building Set for a twist on building toys that interlock (just like actual gears) to keep them entertained for ages, both building and playing. Promising review:" I bought this for my son when he was 3. Two years later, I've come back to write my unbiased review so you have one to trust. At the time, I bought these on a whim and had no idea what I would unlock. For more than two full years now, these gears have been played with DAILY. Every. Single. Day. They have held up to crashed airplanes, tidal waves hitting sea creatures, and have been catapulted into castles. Very rarely have they been played with as shown on the product pictures, as my son uses them to build different things every day. Dusty Crophopper (plane), Lightning McQueen (race car), and so much more. Our only regret is sometimes we don't have enough pieces to build an entire fleet. These creations have an entire shelf for display in his bedroom to feature what he builds each day. This toy is durable, open ended, grows with the child, fits a variety of abilities and ages, and is only limited by imagination. I could not recommend this toy more!" — Traveler Get it from Amazon for $44.35. 49. A pack of parachute toys that (gasp of gasps) actually won't tangle when thrown from the top of a staircase over and over. Miracles happen once in a while! Amazon, Promising review:"Toddler nap time guaranteed. I have a toddler who goes non-stop. Like this is the type of child who you could sign up for t-ball, soccer, and swimming and they are still not tired. These little guys are wonderful because they have kept my kids occupied for several hours as they throw them off the balcony and then race down and around to collect them and then run back to toss them again. They have held up well despite being snagged on rough wood, being tugged on by toddlers, and being tossed into rough, dry weeds. I have had to do a few minor repairs, but they still catch the air, filling the parachute wide over for incredible and exciting descents. So much fun and I have loved tossing them over the railing as much or even more than my kids. A great product that has held up to substantial toddler use and abuse." — Taylor Get a pack of four from Amazon for $6.86. 50. A Melissa & Doug activity book designed to help build fine motor skills and includes a pair of child-safe scissors to help them use their destructive talents in productive ways! Amazon, Promising review:"Scissors skills are important both in and of themselves and because it strengthens the hand muscles to be used for learning to write. My 4-year-old LOVES this book. We received it this week and she has used it for a couple of hours each day. Many of the pages are cutting things out and putting them together (four-scoop ice cream cone, pizza with pepperonis, the components to build a house or a car, puzzles). We've used tape or glue to put the components together. This book is interesting enough to have caught the attention of my older children as well, although I make them let her do the cutting. :D Would make a great gift as it is so unique." — Mom of 7 Get it from Amazon for $6.86 (available in three colors). 51. A flying orb that magically floats or boomerangs back and forth, depending on how it's thrown, all while flashing colorful lights. And it fully charges in just 20 minutes! Promising review:"Bought this for my daughter's 11th birthday in 2 weeks, but it came today and I am keeping it for myself (age 60) because it is so fun and seemingly indestructible. I ordered a new one for my daughter so it will be brand new for her." — Keith A Hurst Promising review: "My kids have had maybe a dozen of these floating ball/hover toys. Cheap ones from 5 Below. Baby Yoda ones. Sky dancers and other dolls that float around. I, personally, like this one the best. All the other ones break so easily. They hit the ground, the blades snap off and crack and that's the end of that. These are encased in a rubbery plastic cage, so it can smash off of whatever, and the blades won't break. Love it. Makes so much sense. They can actually play with this one and grab it without it hurting their fingers — the other toys you can just kind of put your hand under it and watch it hover, trying not to let it hit the ground, or you can just watch it zip around the house smashing into stuff before you have to go retrieve it. At least with this one, you can play by yourself, boomerang-ing it back to yourself. Or play catch with someone else. It's funny watching them try to catch it - it's harder than you'd think, as it constantly wants to be moving. Trying to catch a ball that is actively pushing away from your hand moving in to catch it. It's a little overpriced but this is the best one of these toys I've seen." — Albert Get it from Amazon for $25.60 (available in seven colors). 52. A Bingo game to help make learning sight words more fun (and less frustrating). It's played just like regular old Bingo, except instead of letters and numbers, you'll be calling out 46 different commonly-used words to help build word recognition and reading skills. Amazon The set comes with 36 playing cards, 264 playing chips, caller's mat and cards, and a storage box. You can also get Sight Words Level 2 or Bingo for lots of other skills — including Multiplication and Division, Rhyming, Colors and Shapes — on the company's Amazon store page. Promising review:" Our first-grader was feeling really discouraged with her sight words and I've been trying to think of ways to encourage her and get her excited to learn things she doesn't already know. She loved this game! We played with the whole family and her 3-year-old sister even enjoyed playing (we show her the cards and have her find the word that matches on her Bingo card). I think this is a great way to make learning/practicing sight words fun! I am very happy with this purchase and I can see how it would be great for teachers in the classroom as well!!" — Jennie Get it from Amazon for $12.99. 53. A pack of Crayola Globbles that'll relieve hours of boredom — kids love to toss these at the walls and ceiling to watch the colorful spheres stick and unstick. But fret not: reviewers say they actually don't leave residue behind! Amazon, Yes, they easily wash clean with soap and water without losing stickiness, so the fun can keep going even after they end up in one of your houseplant pots. Promising review:" I waited over two months to write my review! My 4-year-old daughter plays with these DAILY! YES they do attract dirt and hair. HOWEVER they are so easy to rinse off, it's not a big deal! We took these to a family gathering and ended up giving two away because they were SO loved! The two we gave away went to a 12-year-old and my 19-year-old brother. They discovered throwing them at the ceiling fan and watching them shoot across the room, which was pretty entertaining! None of them have busted or ripped and they are definitely NOT gentle with them! I will definitely be buying more!" — Kindle Customer Get a pack of six from Amazon for $10.04. 54. A bestselling Little Tikes trampoline to really get their jumping energy out, without them jumping on your bed instead. An hour or so on this, and you can all take a nap! Promising review: "I have a wild 3-year-old who has more energy in one day then I've had in my entire life. From sun up to sun down he is ON. Unfortunately, we don't have a yard and we can't always make it to the playground. We picked this up for him hoping that it would help him get some of that energy out on days that we're stuck inside. We've had it for 8 months and it has been a lifesaver! I was worried about it taking up too much space in the living room but it's not bad at all. It's wide enough for him to jump comfortably, but not big enough to be an eyesore or get in the way. When I catch him trying to climb on the couch or run around too wildly, I just give him a quick reminder to jump on his trampoline instead. It's a win for both of us since he has a safe place to let that energy out and I'm not scolding him because he's jumping on things he's not supposed to. He is about 40 lbs and 40 inches tall and he doesn't seem to be growing out of it anytime soon. It was easy to put together and has held up beautifully! It's never tipped over and we've never had any accidents with it. I am so thankful we picked this up for him because it helps keep all of us happy and sane." — Ana Get it from Amazon for $73.58. 55. A talking microscope with slides they can inspect for a Closer Look at nature's wonders. And g'day to learning, because it actually features Bindi Irwin's voice to expand their knowledge of animals and plants! Amazon The microscope talks in three languages in addition to English — you can choose between two options: Mandarin/Japanese/Korean or Spanish/French/German. Promising review:" This is by far one of the coolest products I've ever seen! My 4-year-old loves this talking microscope! Every day while her baby sister naps I spend some quality one-on-one time with her and this was the perfect product for our special time together! She didn't want to stop looking at all the different slides and I love how each slide has three images and the fact mode shares fun facts about the slide chosen! I love that she was learning new facts while looking at it up closely! She has been having so much fun using it and asks me daily to use her new microscope! This is such a great learning tool in a fun, different way for a 4-year-old and it is a big win in my book, especially because it can be used for many, many years! It also includes a quiz mode that we haven't used yet but it's nice that it has different modes for older kids. Highly recommend for all preschoolers and older kids!" — JC Mommy Get it from Amazon for $34.49. 56. A version of Clue that packs away into a VINTAGE-Y BOOK (with a fabric hard cover and everything) so they can store it right on their bookshelf ( ~library~ of course) and whip it out for a mysterious game night whenever the crime-solving mood strikes. Amazon It's for 3-6 players and ages 8+ — and if you don't know the rules to Clue already (as if!) it's a mystery game where players work to solve who killed the victim, where, and with what weapon, asking other players specific questions and using the process of elimination based on what cards everyone has. Promising review:"I gave this as a Christmas gift to my son. The pieces are so amazing! They have upgraded both the playing pieces and the weapons in this game. My son loved the way the game fits into a book-like container. He will be putting it on his bookshelf! He has been wanting this very one for a few years now and is in love with it! Everything about the game was very well made." — DRH Get it from Amazon for $43.95. This fabric-bound book-style board game is available in tons of other classics, including: Sorry, chess, Catch Phrase, Scattergories, Scrabble, Taboo, and more. You can also get the trio of Scrabble, Monopoly, and Clue for $112.99 or a set of *all 12* for $439.99. Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
