Boys can be tough to buy for—especially if you already have "every" action figure ever made! Don’t buy another video game, just because you can’t think of anything else! Consider one of these kid tested ideas for your next "boy" gift:

1. Storage for cars or action figures: Little boy toys like cars and action figures are great for prompting pretend play and role playing—but the small pieces get scattered everywhere. Your house will look better, and your son will be more likely to play with his cars if they are all in the same accessible place. Look for a storage set specifically designed for cars or action figures, or select and decorate a large tackle box.

2. Sports Equipment: This may seem obvious, but a sports set with equipment of the right size (scaled down for little guys, regulation sized for big kids), will keep your child motivated and moving. Consider a basketball hoop, soccer goal, or for the little ones, a t-ball set.

3. Skateboard, skates, or scooter: Depending on his age, one of these fun and functional transport devices is a great addition, and will be sure to encourage physical activity. If you buy one of these items, be sure to supply the proper safety equipment, and explain the rules for use as well.

4. Fishing gear: Supply your son with his own fishing rod and tackle box. Little kids will enjoy using a smaller sized rod featuring their favorite characters. Kid 8 and up can use a standard sized rod. Depending on where you live, you can go fishing, shrimping, or crabbing—the one on one quiet time you will have together is just as important as the catch of the day!

5. Tent or Tunnel: Offer a pop up tent or tunnel, and allow your son to use his imagination. A tent can become a fort, a spacecraft, or even a play house, all in a single day. Look for a tent or tunnel that folds compactly for easy storage.

6. Visit a zoo or museum: Have some one-on-one time with your child at a zoo or museum. If your son is interested in dinosaurs, check out an exhibit, attend a dino-talk, and have lunch at a local museum, and pick up a souvenir at the gift shop as a reminder of the day.

7. Take in a Sports Event: If you have a local major or minor league team, spend a day together at a sports event. If your child has an interest in a particular sport, attending a "real" match or game can be a very inspiring experience for him.

8. Pottery set: You can buy a kit that comes with everything you need to make your own pottery—this very messy activity appeals to boys with an interest in art, and helps foster creativity. Alternatively, provide art materials like paint, paper, and canvas to encourage creativity.

9. Building set: Choose a building set of some type—depending on your childs age, it can be robotic, including moving parts, or a classic "building" toy like plastic or wooden blocks. Either way, make sure you purchase a large set with lots of pieces, and make some space for your "builder" to work.

10. Remote control anything: Boys of all ages—including grown ups, love to play with remote control toys. From helicopters to cars, and airplanes to boats, you can find a fun remote control toy that your son will enjoy.

Denise M Sanger is the owner of http://www.NewCoolToysOnline.com which carries an extensive catalog of outdoor toys and also owns USA Pool & Toy, http://www.usapooltoy.com , which carries a unique line of wholesale toys and gifts. She may be reached at 877/950-7665.

Article Source: ArticleSpan

It’s one of the busiest times of the year with the holiday season almost upon us and most of us are racking our brains for gift ideas. Shopping can be quite a chore. There are many choices for gifts and it’s not easy to pick out just the right present for family members, friends, and co-workers. If you are totally stumped for the right gift idea for an adult, you can always fall back on cash or gift certificates. This doesn’t work as well for children, who prefer the fun of opening a present and discovering something wonderful inside a beautifully wrapped box.

Here are a few “can’t miss” suggestions for the children on your list this holiday season. There are gift ideas and ways to personalize each gift for the individual child. Hopefully this will help take some of the mystery out of shopping.

Toys and Games

Although toys and games seem like an obvious idea for kids’ gifts, you might want to stay away from the simpler ones and go with a present that has some educational value. You could also pick a game that can be played with other children in order to increase the child’s social skills. For older children, a nice board game like Scrabble would be a nice fit. Older kids love video games, but you should pick something appropriate and make sure that you know which system they own and what games they already have. For younger kids, there are educational toys that can help with vocabulary or spelling. For the youngest children, a toy that can help teach numbers or colors is suggested. These are gifts that you can feel good about giving. They are not only fun, but provide long-term benefits for increasing the child’s skills.

Stuffed Animals

Kids love plush animals. The right stuffed toy can be a particularly spectacular gift. Kids can collect them as well as play with them, or even take them to bed with them at night. Most of us have fond memories of a favorite stuffed animal from childhood that we slept with each night. Although not obvious at first, the right plush toys can also be educational for younger kids. A realistic plush version of an animal can help a child begin to learn the features of the animal and help them understand its adaptations for living in its particular environment. It will help kids identify the animal in a zoo or in the wild. They can have fun and increase their awareness of wildlife at the same time! Stuffed animals can also tie in to popular kids’ TV shows or movies, like Madagascar or The Lion King. You can give a child a stuffed lion, their very own “Simba.” Perhaps you know that the child wants a pet, but their parents aren’t prepared to get them one for whatever reason. You could get them a realistic stuffed dog or cat. Such a gift could help them to better understand the animal and let them practice taking care of one.

Arts, Crafts, and Books

Another perennial favorite, books and crafts are great for kids. Most children enjoy coloring books. There are different levels of challenge available and kids can really get creative. You might be both surprised and impressed with what they can come up with! They can go from watching cartoon characters to making their own! There are many fine books available for children, both highly imaginative and practical. Books can open up new worlds for children and help them learn about everything from dinosaurs to outer space. They can learn new things and increase their reading skills while still having fun.

Clothing

Children seem to grow quickly and outgrow their clothes before you know it. They’ve probably outgrown the clothes that they wore last year, so a coat, hat or gloves can be a useful gift. Although clothing is not the most popular gift, you can make it more fun by getting creative. Pick something in their favorite color with a cool logo from their favorite movie, TV show, or other favorite character.

Candy and Food

Although it isn’t as popular a choice as a plush toy, candy or cookies can also be successful gifts for children. Food makes a good secondary gift to accompany another gift. You could give them a stuffed bear holding a box of candy. Just check with their parents first to find out about any allergies or dietary restrictions they may have.
Hopefully, this has given you some ideas, and if you can combine something fun with something practical and informative, you will soon have a great gift!

Go ahead and use Iveta Volegna’s ideas for the easiest holiday shopping. To get a head start on your plush stuffed toys gifts visit KCPlush.com for a wide variety of plush toys including the plush lion from the article.

Article Source: ArticleSpan