Reviews for 12 years and up
We played Numbers League for the first time at the 2008 Toy Fair and were impressed for many reasons. Associating math with superheroes is a genius idea, since boys (and some girls!) are fascinated by this genre. The heroes are all-new and unique to Numbers League — you won’t find Superman or Spiderman in this game, but you will find expertly illustrated characters, both male and female, who will capture your grandchildren’s imagination and get them excited to practice their math skills in a fun and creative way. Numbers League: Adventures in Addiplication is meant for 2-4 players ages 8 and up. Very simply put, the superheroes must defeat the villains by exactly matching their number using basic math. There are two levels of play. You can also purchase a Numbers League Infinity Level Expansion Kit, which raises the age level to 11 and up and the number of players to 6. It includes multiplication of simple decimals and multiplying by negative numbers. We’ve linked to Bent Castle Workshops, the independent manufacturer of this and other creative card games. You can purchase directly from their website, or search through their list of retailers for a local game store near you.
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You may have noticed that flip-flops have become the footwear of choice for many teenage girls and young women over the past few years — even in cooler months. These flip-flop socks are a great gift for your older granddaughter, allowing her to extend her flip-flop season, while ensuring her tootsies stay snug. The socks are made in Japan — the official home of this style of footwear, and come in neutral-colored patterns (green leaves or blue leaves), as well as cute frog or rabbit patterns. Of course, the cotton, nylon and polyester blend socks feature a separate section for your granddaughter’s big toe. They are 13″ long and should fit most teenage, college-age and mom-size feet. We should note that we’re not condoning flip-flop use in the snow, but we do understand the importance of fashion for teens. With these socks, your granddaughter will be a trend setter at school and beyond. And you’ll feel great about how practical they are!
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If you’re looking for a relaxing getaway vacation with your children and grandchildren and, please excuse the cliché, “fun for the whole family,” then you may want to consider a Disney Cruise. It’s not the first cruise we’d recommend to adults without children (although plenty of couples choose it as their honeymoon destination!). Since we’re talking about an intergenerational vacation, however, and since most kids are fascinated by all things Disney, chances are you won’t regret this choice. Of course, the cruise is another vehicle for disseminating the Disney message, and you’ll need to embrace that fact prior to embarking. More importantly, it’s a way of enjoying a first-class cruise and all that it offers for adults, plus plenty of top-notch activities (some Disney-related and some not) for your grandchildren. The nice thing about the Disney Cruise is that in addition to having lots of luxurious amenities for all ages, children are treated like “little adults” on board, each age group with their own space to play, or “hang out” — all day, and well into the evening, if they wish. Younger children are supervised and escorted by qualified counselors. Disney puts great effort into pleasing kids in every stage — from tots to teens. There are 2 ships (Disney Wonder and Disney Magic), and a variety of cruising options — as short as 3 and 4-night Bahamian Cruises, to 7-night Caribbean and Mexican Riviera Cruises, to a 15-night Panama Canal Cruise. Most of the cruises include a stop at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island, equipped with all things Disney… island style. And let’s not forget the food (now we’re talking!). All-family dining includes 3 differently-themed restaurants that you rotate through at dinnertime. Also included is an “adult only” restaurant for those who need a little break from the kids, or simply wish to indulge. Finally, as you’ve probably already guessed (or heard from others), the Disney Cruise is not an economy vacation — as with anything, you pay for quality, which this cruise line does provide. For more information, follow on our “Click Here” button (below) which takes you to Disney, then click on the “Travel” button at the top of the page, and then the “Disney Cruiselines” button on the left. Of course they make it easy to shop for other Disney toys and gifts while on their site.
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This art kit by Ooz and Oz is an outstanding gift, and a winner of 16 National Toy Awards. It re-introduces a 500-year-old art form called Anamorphoscopes — yup, that’s what it’s called! The kit inspires 5 to 14 year-olds (and grown-ups, too) to create art, and explore science and magic. Curved mirror decoders transform secret squiggles and swirls into astonishing reflections. The kit comes with 48 optical antics including: morphed pictures, “finding” games, a maze, and a “4-Dot Challenge.” It also comes with 2 child-safe mirror decoders, crayons, and instructions, all in a portable “desk”. Of course, this is perfect for children interested in art or magic, but most anyone, even you, won’t be able to stop making these fun and educational crafts!
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Your older granddaughter will feel good about being bundled up in this fair trade patchwork wool scarf that is hand-made by women artisans in Nepal. Since each scarf is hand-crafted, every one is wonderfully unique! The program in which the artisans participate is called Sana Hastakala. Started by UNICEF, it helps underprivileged artisans with business and community development. Choose this scarf, or browse through World of Good’s beautiful selection, from wools, to rayons and silks. And don’t forget to check out all of the different products World of Good makes available via fair trade programs throughout the world.
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This chess set is great for kids just learning chess (5 or 6 and up), or for older grandchildren and anyone who already loves the game. The faces of the pieces are designed to get a chuckle, and young kids will love the way the rubber pieces feel in their hands. The entire set — plastic board with circles instead of squares, muppet-like faces, and modern colors — gives the game a fun makeover. A carrying case is included.
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iPod Touch (8 GB 2nd Generation)$220 at Amazon.com |
By now you probably know about the iPod revolution. Your grandkids (12 and older) long for this new iPod that incorporates Apple’s “touch” technology introduced earlier this year in their beloved iPhone. Of course, the iPod Touch plays and stores music and photos, as Apple’s other iPod models do, and also plays video (tv and movies), as is featured in the latest iPod Nano (see our review). But the iPod Touch also allows you to browse the internet comfortably and in style! The iPod Touch’s “multi-touch interface” allows you to control everything using your fingers on the touch-sensitive screen (there’s no physical keypad). And it is so intuitive that, for example, if you turn the device horizontally, the display will automatically switch to “wide-screen” mode. We could describe its features in much greater detail (Amazon’s product description and the Apple website can fill in the blanks). Just know that any grandchild who receives this gift will be one very thrilled person, because the Touch is truly magical and highly prized! We’re featuring the iPod Touch 8 GB second generation model.
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Strategy game aficionados agree that Settlers of Catan deserves all of the accolades and awards it’s received over the past decade. It’s a game that’s accessible, easy to learn, and thus, easy to recruit other players. In order to keep things interesting, the game board changes each time you play. We won’t go into the details of how this works, but just know that these variables add up to quite an intriguing game! Players build settlements, roads and villages, and become masters at the art of trading. Oh… and they also need to deal with a roaming thief! This is a game for older children — ages 12 and up.
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Star Wars Voice Activated R2-D2 $174.90 at Amazon.com |
This is certainly a crowd pleasing toy — for the grandchildren who’ve recently discovered the magnetism of the Star Wars films, to their parents (and grandparents!) who first fell in love with R2-D2, the little droid, and his hero pals back in ‘77. Similar to a real robot, this sophisticated 15″ voice activated mini R2-D2 droid robot toy will be like a companion to your grandchild. R2 responds to 40 voice commands such as “turn around,” and navigates rooms and hallways well. Ask him if he remembers Darth Vader and he’ll cower in fear. His sensor helps him follow behind you, or it can be set to detect motion. His lights, swiveling dome and happy and sad noises look and sound exactly like the real R2-D2. If he slips into his occasional “bad mood,” your grandchild will say a simple command of “R2, behave yourself,” and he will snap right out of it. And the little droid toy can replay sounds and dialogue from the Star Wars movies, answer yes or no questions, and dance as he did in the films. He does require some assembly, but comes with detailed instructions and a bonus poster.
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Calypso Steel Drum$90.00 at Amazon.com |
What a nice surprise to find this smaller inexpensive version of a pan steel drum! We love the sweet clangy sound of this drum and we think your grandchildren will love learning how to play it. Made in Trinidad, the 9-note diatonic drum is tuned to A=440 and its range is from middle C to high C (plus high D). Its size is 10″ in diameter with a 3″ skirt curled at the edge for safety). The drum comes packaged with a stand, mallets and songbook. Having your grandkids play this steel drum is just like a trip to the islands!
