Reviews for 12 years and up
Zome is used in classes (grades 1 through college) accross the U.S. to help teach math, science, art and technology. A building and learning tool for grade 1 through college, it immediately engages kids — it’s fascinating and fun! But more importantly, it helps kids learn new concepts better, and find them more interesting. Zome is a collection of small connector balls and different length rods that can be used to construct incredibly complex structures. Young kids (6+) will love it because it’s possible to create basic structures such as buildings and bridges. Older kids (and their parents and teachers) will love it because it can be used to learn geometry, chemistry, and more. Zome is available as different kits from $20 to about $300 (giant kit with more than 2,000 pieces). The more expensive kits simply include more pieces. Start small and build up. You can even order bags of specific Zome pieces as the need arises. Highly recommended for kids that love to build with their minds as well as their hands. Winner of just about every toy award we can think of!
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Waterproof Case for 2nd Generation iPod Nano$8.50 at Amazon.com |
Remember making sure your kids and grandkids were dressed appropriately for all kinds of weather? Now you can still offer that same protection — for their iPods. Chances are their iPod is their prized possession, and many of you may have purchased it for them. We bet you’ve already vowed not to buy another if it gets damaged… so why not protect it with this waterproof iPod case. In addition to protection from water damage, it also protects the delicate equipment from falls, dust, dirt and sand. The belt clip helps manage headphone wires.
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Nintendo Wii is the ultimate gaming system according to our young experts (both boys and girls) in the field — even though it’s not nearly the most expensive. It’s different from the others because it uses a handheld device called the “Wii Remote” that you move around, sometimes a lot, meaning that kids are active and not just moving a few fingers or flicking a wrist. The Wii Remote motivates you to move your whole body! For example, one of the games that comes with the system is tennis (it also includes golf which is completely addictive for us older folks). To swing the tennis racket, you simply swing the cordless Wii Remote and the tennis racket on the screen swings along with you. It’s quite brilliant and unique among game systems. Perfect for the entire family, even young children who love to create avatars (if you don’t know what these are, we suggest that you ask your grandchild). So if you have a gamer in your life that is in need of some new challenges and exercise, this could be it.
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Do you have a young sports fan or two in your brood? Sports Illustrated Kids offers age-appropriate (8 and above) sports coverage that focuses on the admirable achievements of both professional, and some amateur athletes — so there’s no fear of kids reading any unsavory stories of athletes gone-astray. Instead, the magazine focuses on the thrill of the sports themselves, often highlighting the human aspect of each story. There’s also lots of fun stuff in each issue, including collectible cards, comics and a trivia challenge. And, of course, it’s always a plus to promote reading — all-in-all, we say that’s a home run gift!
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Which year was your granddaughter born? The year of the Horse? The Dog? She’ll have fun learning about her Chinese zodiac symbol, while also enjoying the fashionable statement this Chinese zodiac black fitted tee shirt makes. The shirt comes in both adult sizes for teens and youth sizes for younger children. The printing of her first name along the side is optional. The tee is made from 100% pre-shrunk cotton and has a fashionable fitted silhouette shape (sizes run small). The back of the shirt features the appropriate Chinese zodiac animal for the year she was born. This gift comes artfully packaged inside a Chinese take out box personalized with a description of your granddaughter’s zodiak sign (chopsticks not included). Simply click on the “Click Here” button to view full images of the shirt, then view and choose the correct sign and size information. Fantastic birthday gift — or a hit anytime!
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We find that kids (and grown-ups) of all ages are fascinated by gears. And some gear set toys are more imaginative than others. Oliblock gears are a new magnetic gears toy designed by artist Dan Oakley, creator of Oliblocks. The set includes 11 moveable parts that can be built 3D or onto a magnetic wall (such as a refrigerator.). They stimulate the mind as well as the eye. Just look at them — we can’t stop. They’re a work of mechanical art!
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Originating from Africa, Mancala is believed to be the world’s oldest game — yet it is still wildly popular among adults and children alike. Kids as young as 6 can begin playing this counting and strategy game, and as they get older, there are many options to keep it challenging. This nice looking, yet inexpensive set features a solid wood folding board that fits into a metal sleeve (great for travel), and 48 colorful flattened gemstone playing pieces. Fun for the entire family!
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Pyramat Sound Seat for Video Games$129.99 at Amazon.com |
This Pyramat Sound Seat video gaming rocker has dual 8W speakers and an exclusive ARX subwoofer (this should all mean something to your grandson) that will “rumble through” his body (yikes!). It’s the perfect seat for video gaming and is compatible with PS2, Xbox, GameCube, Nintendo DS and PSP. He can also plug in his iPod or MP3 player, TV, VCR or DVD player. For movies, it delivers multiplex vibes in unbelievable comfort. There’s a headphone jack, too, if noise bothers anyone. And it comes with all needed connectors. Ok, sounds awful to you, but this gift will immediately get your grandson to shout, “you rock!” — also known as an extremely enthusiastic, “thank you!”
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Swarovski Crystal Mini Heart & Butterfly Pendant$35.00 at Amazon.com |
Swarovski must have had tween and teen girls in mind when they designed this crystal mini heart & butterfly crystal pendant. With its brown cotton cord (vs. dainty chain), it’s just the right mix of “girlish meets gruff”. Size: 36″ (Adjustable); Weight: 3 oz; Color: Red
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TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator$99.99 at Amazon.com |
OK — this one is a must for any high school or middle school kid if they don’t already have one — plenty do! Trust us. It’s cool to carry around a calculator these days — and it’s even better to excel in (or at very least pass) algebra, geometry and calculus! Kids are not only allowed to have calculators with them in class, they’re required to have them when taking the SAT’s. In addition to doing all the things that calculators do (read, every bell and whistle you can think of) The Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator displays graphs and tables on a split screen, allowing you to trace the graph and scroll through table values simultaneously. Don’t ask us how to use it, but you can bet that if you buy it for your grandchild, it will a) be appreciated; b) be mastered; and c) at least raise your grandchild’s confidence in Math; and d) most likely raise grades. And… a + b + c + d = an outstanding gift!
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