Christmas is right around the corner, and Christmas lists are popping up everywhere now. For children, the main thing they always seem to want is toys, but what is a good toy that’s fun, will keep their interest and won’t break the bank? There are so many games and toys out there competing for a child’s attention and have it in the beginning, but after a while just seem to collect dust.
With all this taken into consideration, toy shopping for children is not as easy as it looks.
I’ve come up with a list of fun, educational, suitable toys for boys and girls ages 5-11 under $50 and can be found in nearly every toy store there is.
#1: Is your child an adventurer, always exploring throughout your house? Does he or she love hide-and-seek? Does your child like to find missing things around the house? If most of these answers are yes, then the Kid-Quest Metal Detector is the perfect gift.
For $22 – price found at ebeanstalk.com – no item is safe from being found by your child. This real, working metal detector will find it all, with its attachments to extend the handle to search large areas. This toy will give your child the feeling of being a true explorer as he or she hunts for buried and hidden treasure.
Like a real detector used by grown-ups, your child will know they’ve hit the jackpot when the red light goes off and the detector starts to beep. A perfect idea to create fun with you and your child is to make a scavenger hunt and treasure map and look for the items together.
This toy is safe, and appropriate for all ages and weather. For those rainy, windy or snowy days, give your child a more productive activity than just sitting on the couch. It might even help you find the remote you’ve been looking for.
#2: Is your child really into sports? Do they enjoy spending time watching baseball? The MLB Pitching Machine is a great outdoor and safe alternative to taking trips to the batting cages to work on a swing.
Now you can get the experience right in your backyard. This toy has a height-adjustment tool and pitches a ball to your child every 10 seconds. With a red light to indicate when the ball is going to be pitched, six plastic brand-name balls, and needing only 4-D batteries, this is sure to occupy your child’s time. But watch out, because this high-performance machine can turn your junior baseball player into a real pro.
This toy is priced at $45.
#3: Science never seemed so cool with this fun toy. Priced at $15 and great for anyone having to do a 3-D science project, the Volcano Making Kit is a great toy for the older kids. The brand that creates this toy gets world-wide recognition for science and crafting products, and provides innovative, creative and constructive learning experiences to your budding scientist.
With a fast-drying plaster, volcano mold and painting tools, your child will have just as much fun making their volcano as they do watching it explode with household ingredients like vinegar and baking soda. This is a great, make-your-own toy coming with recyclable materials and only needs some household products to make it explode. Fun, creative, safe, good for the environment and under $20 – what could be better?
#4: Walkie-talkies are not only fun for the kids – they are fun for adults. Your child can become a spy overnight, and practice his or her undercover agent skills. This is a great gift not only for your child, but has benefits for you as well. Find out who’s been skipping out on chores and who ate the last of that chocolate cake in the fridge. This toy is also a great way to keep tabs on your child.
If you let your child play with his or her friends in the backyard and you don’t feel like going out there right away, you can always use your walkie-talkie to let them know when to come in for dinner time or to see what’s going on outside. Child experts on beanstalk.com love this toy because it’s fun and easy to use, and you can easily make your own fun with this toy.
#5: The fifth book in the popular series of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” can belong to your child for only $13.
This book, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth,” talks about the main character’s transition from being a kid to growing up, and all his issues with boy-girl parties, responsibilities and the awkward changes coming with getting older.
Reading is truly fundamental, and this gift can bring about great conversations between you and your child and effectively address the concerns children face growing up in their preteen years and the transitions they might not be ready for. Although the main character is a boy, this is a unisex gift with a unisex issue.
