Can we start a Christmas recommendation thread?

[coinkc]

If there is something out there that you are considering as a gift but would like some first hand reviews, post here! Then anybody who has experience with that gift can respond and give their opinions.

I'll start:

Does anybody have one of those ATM banks form Toys R Us? (It is in their Big Book) I'd love to hear from someone who has actually seen one of these open...aka does it really work?

Also, the game Mall Madness?

 

[Brianne]

Also, the game Mall Madness?

We have it; my DD received it for Christmas last year. The kids seem to enjoy playing it, but it's so dang noisy, I make them play it far, far away, with the door closed. So, I don't know much about it other than they do seem to like it.

 

[Daisy Duck 5]

I loved mall madness as a teen. We played it lots and it is worth getting. Mostly for teenage or preteen girls.

 

[chell]

Right now I don't have anything to add but just wanted to say what a wonderful idea I thought this thread was.

 

[aprilgail2]

If there is something out there that you are considering as a gift but would like some first hand reviews, post here! Then anybody who has experience with that gift can respond and give their opinions.

I'll start:

Does anybody have one of those ATM banks form Toys R Us? (It is in their Big Book) I'd love to hear from someone who has actually seen one of these open...aka does it really work?

Also, the game Mall Madness?

My daughter wants those 2 things too...also pixel chix...anyone know anything about that one???

 

[MsMulan]

I also think this thread is an excellent idea. My DD (9) is really not into dolls and I am looking for alternatives to buying her a play station. I really do not like them and she spends way too much time in front of the TV and computer screen already.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[zalansky]

This is a great idea, I need to know which is better - the interactive TV learning toys by Fisher Price Interactv -or- the Vsmile by Vtech. We bought the Fisher Price but now I am debating whether the Vsmile looks like a better learning tool?

Thanks for starting this thread cionkc!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I"m going to post about the silly robots--this year it is the dinosaur one. Last year my grown child--aka hubby--wanted one of these things. After 3 exchanges we gave up and got our money back. Now he's pretty particular...but there was something wrong with every single one--the worst being the robot walking with a limp resulting in him walking in circles.

He asked for the dinosaur robot this year..I'm not even going to bother.

 

[Planogirl]

Those dinosaur robots are cute though.

I'm wondering about the Star Wars Trivial Pursuit on DVD and Tony Hawk's newest game for Playstation. There's a few other Playstation games I'll have to ask about on a later date.

 

[bengalbelle]

This is a great idea, I need to know which is better - the interactive TV learning toys by Fisher Price Interactv -or- the Vsmile by Vtech. We bought the Fisher Price but now I am debating whether the Vsmile looks like a better learning tool?

Thanks for starting this thread cionkc!

I don't have the Interactv to compare, but we LOVE our VSmile! The games are reasonably priced and are really fun and educational.

*******************************************************

I'm asking about the Fur Real Friends and the Imaginext T-Rex Mountain. I've gotten both for DS and from past experience the Imaginext toys don't stay together very well. I know he'd love this but I'm afraid it will fall apart when he plays with it.

 

[bengalbelle]

Well I went shopping today and have a few more things to add to the list:

Iz

Robosapien Junior

Anyone have them???

 

[klj27]

Does anybody have the magnetix buildings? I bought one set for my son, but I am not sure how many pieces they come in?

 

[aprilgail2]

This is a great idea, I need to know which is better - the interactive TV learning toys by Fisher Price Interactv -or- the Vsmile by Vtech. We bought the Fisher Price but now I am debating whether the Vsmile looks like a better learning tool?

Thanks for starting this thread cionkc!

I found the vsmile games to be geared towards the under 5 group....I bought my daughter leapster when she was 4 and she has plaeyed with it over and over for hte past 2 years...she gets new tapes for it all the time and it grows with her, she started wit hthe kindergarten tapes and is now on the second grade ones...they are all educational type games so it was well worth it. ..they now have a new one out that you can play on the TV or take with you, I highly recommend leapster! ....a quick story...one of the tapes they have a shape called a Trapezoid on it..during testing to get into kindergarten they had a bunch of shape on a piece of paper and told her to name the shapes, one was a trapezoid and they wanted to see if the kids said triangle. She points to it and says, thats a trapezoid...they were floored, they looked at me and I just said, it was on a leapster game she has...they said she was the only kid all day that knew what it was!

 

[EmilyAR1]

Does anybody have the magnetix buildings? I bought one set for my son, but I am not sure how many pieces they come in?

Love, love, love magnetix....but I don't know anything about the buildings. Our magnetix purchases this year were the ufo and the magnaman...both for Christmas.

I'm sorry I can't comment on any of the other questions. I really like this thread! I hope we can get some helpful input.

I'm also interested in hearing reviews on:
1)iZ
2)Line Chasers

 

[zalansky]

Thanks BengalBelle and aprilgail2....this helps ALOT!

 

[ash&abby'smom]

This is a great idea, I need to know which is better - the interactive TV learning toys by Fisher Price Interactv -or- the Vsmile by Vtech. We bought the Fisher Price but now I am debating whether the Vsmile looks like a better learning tool?

Thanks for starting this thread cionkc!

We have the Vsmile. My dd loves it. I have found games that are for ages over 5. In fact, she is getting the Cinderella game which is for 6-8 yrs. I think the Fischer Price games has to be aimed at the tv to work whereas the Vsmile is connected and doesnt. Someone may clarify that, but I think that was one of the reasons we decided against it.

 

[MinnieM3]

We have the big robosapien. DH got it for DS6 last year, but i told him he was too young and sure enough he never plays with it. I think dH really just wanted it. Too many buttons on the remote.

DS6 also thinks the IZ looks cool, but I think it looks annoying.

Anyone know anything about Oh geez, the name just went outta my head! It may be Fly Wheels.....it's a wheel/tire that you pull a thing through and supposedly it jumps over cars and such. Any reviews??

D-teens are getting IPod Nanos. Hope they are good.

Oh, DS6 also wants Scene It Junior. Do they have Scene It Disney??? How about Clue Jr.??

Thanks! Great thread!

 

[MsLeFever]

How about the Magic Kingdom board game??

 

[luvmyfam444]

This is a great idea, I need to know which is better - the interactive TV learning toys by Fisher Price Interactv -or- the Vsmile by Vtech. We bought the Fisher Price but now I am debating whether the Vsmile looks like a better learning tool?

Thanks for starting this thread cionkc!

Don't have either of these...but I'll tell you what we have. WE bought the LeapFrog a couple of years ago for dd. She LOVES it (still) she knows about have of her states just from goofing around on it (she knows more than me!) Last year bought dd#2 hers as well-she's really too young (she's 2) for it-but she was always begging for sisters--but she does sit down some & play with it. We have many books/cartridges /bag, etc for it.

Just about 1 month ago we upgraded to the Leapster Lmax---dd is 7 & she needed help w/math (our computer wasn't working @ the time) so we bought a Math programs---& of course she loves it & ds fights over it too BUt it definitely gets played. The Leapster Lmax can be plugged into the tv - though the graphics are better on the handheld.

NOw if you want a educational toy for learning ABC's I can reccomend the Phonics Firefly...I found this in an educatioal(teacher's store) AWESOME teachings ABC song (level1) names of letters (lev2) sounds of letters, then eventually you make your own 3 letter words. FUN FUN FUN! Just not sure where you can find it...I'll check it out (we've had ours about4 yrs--but have seen it recently for sale.)

Sorry - I didn't help with your original questions....

 

[JennaTX]

Any idea for college age kids? I have 4 nieces and nephews who are in college. I usually give money, but I would like to give something more personal this year. Any help is greatly appreciated!