Dad Blogs - Useful Parenting Tips for Dads » Gifts for kids

Buddy Talk

Paul Banas — Sat, 16 May 2009 01:13:12 +0000

My nine year-old daughter has written a review of the new Buddy Talk, a new conversation starter toy from www.aroundthetablegames.com . ... Pepsi , a book that asks people to make choices between two things to get them to talk about what kind of person they are.

... Around the Table Games has other variations on this theme for families and kids needing new topics to talk from. Her (very short) review: Buddy Talk is fun to play by yourself or with your friends.

ZipBin mini bin/play surface

Paul Banas — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 01:47:58 +0000

My son (not pictured here) loves his ZipBin Mini Speedway from Neat Oh . ... These very affordable toys are a good find for little kids who collect lots of little items like dolls, cars, or farm animals. ... And, the Zip Bin comes with 2 cars (or other item) so the child feels like he's getting a toy, and not just a storage bin.

11 Birthdays – a good book for 8+ girls

Paul Banas — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 04:13:06 +0000

It is the story of a girl named Amanda who always has her birthday with a boy named Leo. ... I think this book is for ages nine and up. I think that Wendy Mass is a great writer and I think she should write other books too!

Excite Books – a Netflix for books?

Paul Banas — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 00:49:36 +0000

Excite Books (ExciteBooks.com) is a subscription book service that sends books monthly to your child, along with a few extra toys and goodies to keep him or her interested. ... George created Excite Books to "add excitement and energy into a child's reading activities by allowing the child to be an active participant in all phases of learning and development through responsibility, motivation, and giving back to the community." ... This looks like a fun gift from faraway grandparents that want to foster the joy of reading in a small child, but can't be there to help buy books on a regular basis.

Holiday gifts for star gazing dads

Paul Banas — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:58:10 +0000

Nothing beats lying on the grass on a warm August evening staring up in the sky and conveying the majesty and mystery of the heavens to a small child. ... Celestron Skyscout - $199 (50% cheaper than in 2007) - The Skyscout uses GPS to ID and 8000 starts and planets and then will even tell you about via audio or text. ... Orion Star Target Planisphere " target="_blank">Orion Star Target Planishere - $11.00 - This stargazing the old fashioned way, with a map of the heavens you hold up in the night sky.

Cloud B Constellation Nightlight

Paul Banas — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:43:01 +0000

I like it because it turns their entire room into a planetarium, with choices of blue or green stars (and a moon). Stargazing has always been a special time for me with the kids and, while they can't always figure out what I'm pointing at, they like the time lying on the grass staring up at the sky with daddy and talking about 'stuff.' While the Cloud B Sea Turtle, and it's other endangered animal constellation brothers, can't replace that experience, it reminds of good times we've had and to come.

Buy this today – Lego Advent calendar

Paul Banas — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:38:53 +0000

LEGO City Advent Calendar 2008 - If you wait very much longer this cool advent calendar will be sold out for Christmas. This calendar has absolutely nothing to do with the holiday, but kids love to open up the little parts every day at breakfast, counting down the days 'till they have more stuff to open. Make sure to get a little plastic box as well to hold all the little tiny parts.

Dakota Horse amazing riding horse

Paul Banas — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 21:09:04 +0000

This rocking horse actually moves forward as the child (up to 130 lbs.) rocks. It works like popular inchworm. This is one cool pony for $350.

Books for kids to celebrate father’s day

Paul Banas — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:41:17 +0000

My daughter has two or three books that feature dads and daughters and it makes me feel very special that she reserves a special place on her shelf for them. While we have not read any of the titles listed in this article, I'm going to check them out before next Sunday.... Another dad lives away and a fourth works late but has a great lullaby in a wide-ranging selection of children's books for Father's Day.

Another Nerf football, but made for little hands to throw farther

Paul Banas — Fri, 02 May 2008 23:50:39 +0000

The spin is that it's a football, so the arrow tip is blunted and the Nerf, or course, is soft; not soft enough to save mom's crystal vase, but safe enough not to snag a passing cat.... We demo'd the Vortex Ultra Light so I can't vouch for how the whistle works on the Howler version, and if it makes too much noise to use in the house.