ThinkFun Zingo - Top Christmas Toys 2008

ThinkFun Zingo
From ThinkFun

ThinkFun Zingo - Top Christmas Toys 2008

Customer Reviews

Great Intergenerational Bingo Game!!
My kids loved this bingo game, particularly my younger son. It is mostly a game of luck, but also reflexes, because the first person to call out that they have the picture on the chip on their card, gets to keep the chip.

We used to take this to a nursing home to play with the seniors. It is perfect for that situation (a 4 year old and a couple of seniors), because it is a simple, familiar game, and the graphics are simple and easy for everyone to identify.

And, for my son, half the fun of this game was setting it up (stacking the chips in the dispenser) and sliding the dispenser forward and back to reveal the chips.

Highly recommended for the preschool/early elementary set. My son is 6 now, and he still pulls this out sometimes, but he has a hard time convincing his 11 and 9 year old siblings to play.

An option for older children, which has the same type of dispenser (and the dispenser is what makes this game) is "Smart Mouth", which dispenses two letters and players have to shout out a word that begins with the first letter and ends with the second.

Product Description

Bingo with a Zing! This creative wonder is sure to entertain kids for hours. Players try to fill their Zingo! cards with matching tiles from the Zingo Zinger. The first player to fill his/her card wins! Rules can be adjusted to favor more or less competition among players, and to vary length of time that each game takes to play. Zingo teaches shape and pattern recognition, as well as observation, and short-term memory. Includes Zingo Zinger tile dispenser, 72 picture tiles and 8 Double-sided Zingo cards. For ages 4 and up.

Features

• Two levels of play
• Seventy-two picture tiles
• Eight double-sided Zingo cards
• Teaches image and vocabulary recognition, matching, memory, concentration, and social interaction
• For ages between 4 to 8 years

More : Xmas Toys for 2 to 4 Years

Fisher-Price Transportation System GeoAir High-Flyin' Airport

Fisher-Price Transportation System GeoAir High-Flyin' Airport
From Fisher-Price

Customer Reviews

GeoAir Airport is Great for Kids!
This is our first Geotrax/GeoAir Product we own.

My brother bought this toy for my son's 3rd birthday - we put it together easily, it wasn't difficult to assemble at all. When my son woke up and found it, he immediately figured out to push the "green" button on the remote to make it go, and the "red" button to make it stop. He loves playing with it, and the ease of use makes it very fun for him. Educationally he was using the concepts, up and down, twis around, colors, and fine motor skills to push the buttons.

The only downside is the airplane is "slightly" hard to push down on the tracks, but I think after a few days he'll get it.

All in all I think this is a fantastic toy and I highly recommend it. I think my son has some more "Geo" items in hs future!

Not much to it but my son loves it
My 4 yr old son saw this on a commercial and wanted it and to him it was no disappointment - he loves it. He plays with it constantly and I have to admit it is kind of cool and really added something special to his existing set. It just isnt made as durable as I would have liked and it doesnt actually hook up to his existing tract - you probably need the barn or the bridge for that. I wouldnt say that its worth [...] as it just doesnt seem like its made all that well, but if you ask my son he'd say its worth twice that. So you have to look at it through the eyes of the young.

Love Geotrax Airport
My 2 boys aged 2 and 4 love all of their Geotrax trains, planes and helicopters. This airport teaches a new task of attaching the airplane to the track and controlling the flying in all sorts of directions, including upside down. We love the realistic sounds and durability of the Geotrax system. Both boys learned quickly how to use it correctly including putting the tracks together and of course taking them apart. We like the airport better than the previous airport, that we also have, but miss having a helicopter. My boys also love the Geotrax movies,a little silly but a good teamwork message is taught in them.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Jumbo, Captain Jim, and the Fisher-Price GeoTrax Rail and Road System GeoAir High Flying Airport let any child explore the fast paced world of flight. As a stand-alone set or a complement to other GeoTrax systems, this airport set is sure to inspire tons of imaginary play. Designed for kids aged two-and-one-half years of age or older, this set snaps together securely. and the components are easy for little fingers to handle.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Colorful, durable set with a looping track The Bad: Only one figure and vehicle In a Nutshell:This airport set is sure to inspire imaginative adventures At a Glance Ages: 2.5 years and older Requires: 6 AAA batteries

Jumbo snaps securely to the track. View larger.

The remote control fits perfectly in little hands. View Larger.

High-Flying Fun
Getting ready for your child's first flight couldn't be easier. With slide-lock air track pieces that are simple to put together, assembly only takes a few minutes. Kids are sure to be impressed by the bright colors and the twisting track right away.

Before take-off you'll need to use a Philips head screwdriver to install six AAA batteries (not included) -- three in Jumbo the jet and three in the remote control. Then snap Jumbo onto the track and set him in motion. The remote control has two buttons, so kids can set Jumbo spinning forward or backward on the air track loop. Designed to be easy for kids to grasp with two hands, the controller is shaped like a real plane's controller for increased fun.

Durable, Colorful, and Easy-to-Expand
It's easy to see why the GeoTrax system is a big hit with both parents and kids. A durable, colorful set that promises to jump-start active imaginations, the High Flyin' Airport offers stations around the base of the tower to inspire adventures below the air track. Kids can fill up a gas tank, set stairs for passengers to board a plane, or keep an eye on the security gate. The Pilot Jim figure can sit inside the Jumbo plane, ride the moving elevator to the top of the control tower, or wait for a train ride home. And the plane itself can be pushed along or driven with the remote control, providing lots of options for creative play.

More : Xmas Toys for 2 to 4 Years

Hasbro Playskool Honeybee Hop - Top Christmas Toys 2008

Hasbro Playskool Honeybee Hop
From Hasbro

Hasbro Playskool Honeybee Hop - Top Christmas Toys 2008

Customer Reviews

Love it, it broke, gotta buy another
My girls love this. They are 7,5,& 4. We've had it 10 months. They must have pushed the button 1 too many times since it doesn't work anymore. It has 2 speeds and they always want the faster one so my 4yr old often pushes the button too much. Not sure if there was a warranty. It's so much fun we are buying another one.

Best toy EVER!
This toy is hilarious! My 3 year old AND 7 year old love it. All three of us laugh hysterically when we get this out. When I first put it together, I thought that it didn't look very durable and would break easily, but that has proven to not "bee" the case. It has endured hundreds of hops right on top of the plastic pole and the bee, and the toy just keeps right on going! Even funnier is the music that is being played, "The Flight of the Bumblebee." It is so infectious, don't be surprised if you find yourself hopping along with your kids! I agree with another reviewer, it is a great winter activity because it wears the kids out, quickly. Believe me, your kids will love this, I don't care what their interests are!!! This is the best toy I have ever bought for the entertainment value and the price. You will not be disappointed.

Fun, but broke easily
Must have lots of space, a hard floor and no baby or dogs in order to own this toy. Broke quickly for us.

Product Description

Kids will "bee" happy as they try to dodge the dizzy bee with a hop, skip or a jump. The motorized beehive spins the whimsical bee to the familiar song "Flight of the Bumblebee" and silly sounds, encouraging kids to get active as they play this creative game of keep-away. Kids can flee the bee - or chase after him. The 26" motorized arm spins at two different speeds to help kids develop coordination as they hop, skip and jump their way through this game of laugh-out-loud play. And while kids are focused on having fun, they'll also get to practice taking turns with their playmates. Includes beehive, two connector rods, honeybee and instructions. Requires 3 "C" batteries, not included.

More : Xmas Toys for 2 to 4 Years

Melissa and Doug Deluxe Standing Easel - Top Christmas Toys 2008

Melissa and Doug Deluxe Standing Easel
From Melissa and Doug

Melissa and Doug Deluxe Standing Easel - Top Christmas Toys 2008

Customer Reviews

Great educational tool
This is a great educational tool for children who are not writing well on paper yet. My three year old picked a piece of chalk and started writing her name and now even does well with paper.

Also great for older painters.

Works for my 5 year old
Art Easel? What Easel? Oh yeah... the one that has become such a constant fixture in my kitchen that it seems to be part of the decor.

I got this for my daughters 5th b-day. She loves it! Some people have said the chalkboard is crappy and that may be true, but she never uses that side. I loved that it was adjustable. It does take removing hardware to adjust, but we don't have to do it often.

I purchased the accessory kit (which I highly recommend) with the paints and extra paper. The paints are bright and thick, the color coded brushes are great and I supplemented the brushes with some smaller ones for finer detail. (the brushes it comes with paint thick lines). Clean up is very easy. Some paint spilled on the wood floor and everything cleans up wonderfully with simple water. The paper roll lasts a LONG time.

I'm happy with the investment.

Great product!
I purchased this product for my 5 yr old daughter and she loves it. She enjoys drawing, painting and writing and this was the perfect gift for her. It was pretty easy to put together. I advise you purchase the deluxe accessory kit along with it. My only grip would be that it is really inconvenient to store so we usually leave it up in our kitchen so that my daughter can play with it whenever she wants. Overall it is a great buy and well worth the price.

A Great Alternative to Professional Easels
Just like a professional easel, this work station is generously sized so that children can complete projects both big and small. Its durable wood construction ensures that it won't tip and it folds up easily for convenient storage. The easel also has a sturdy paint tray with cup holders for easy use and clean-up, and another tool tray that holds erasers, chalks, and clips. Four large, colorful clips are included with this easel. Paper rolls can be loaded effortlessly into the holder and a paper cutting edge at the top delivers clean cuts and leaves your artist's work whole. Parents may have to assist removing and loading the paper, as it can be difficult for kids to do on their own. (The paper rolls and paint cups are not included.) A standing easel is essential for any young artist. This large easel has a chalkboard, dry erase board, and paper roller to let the children express themselves with different mediums. It also has an adjustable height that grows with the creator and delivers years of use. The brightly colored tool containers are capacious enough to hold lots of different items and are simple for tiny fingers to utilize. This toy will unleash the little artist inside every child and could spark a lifelong interest in fine art.

What's in the Box
Easel, paint tray, chalk tray, 4 colorful clips, and paper roller.

This large easel has a chalkboard and dry erase board, letting children express themselves with different mediums.

More : Xmas Toys for 2 to 4 Years