Top Gifts For Christmas » Games

ThinkFun Zingo

admin — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:19:58 +0000

4 years & up. Zingo is a simple Bingo-style game, with a fancy plastic tile dispenser that kids just LOVE! Everyone who knows Zingo loves it, kids and parents alike. To play, 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.

Connect 4 x 4

admin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:21:30 +0000

Connect 4 x 4 is similar to the classic original, but now you can play with up to four people, and the double-sided grid adds greater complexity and more chances to win. Designed for ages eight and up, Connect 4 x 4 may have doubled the challenge, the amount of players, and the grid--but the fun and scoring are still the same: four in a row and you win! Connect 4 x 4 Ages: 8+ Required: 4 players What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: The Good: Up to four people can play Connect 4 x 4; features new colors and helpful blockers. The Challenging: Younger children may need pointers on the double-sided grid when first playing. In a Nutshell: Fun remake of a favorite game with added challenge and complexity. Double-sided Grid, More Colors, New Pieces Connect 4 x 4 is the only checkers four-in-a-row, four-player game--making it perfect for family game nights. With the new double-sided grid, you can score on both the front and back side of the game. Game play is simple--pick a line, drop a checker in on each turn, and hope that your opponents don't foil your strategy before you get four checkers in a row! The game has also added "blockers," which can be used to block your opponents on both sides of the grid in one turn. However, make sure to save your blockers for when you really need them--you only get two and they are valuable! When you're finished playing Connect 4 x 4, a convenient locking top slide keeps the pieces on the grid so you never have to worry about lost checkers. Challenging Remake of a Timeless Favorite If you grew up playing Connect 4, you'll quickly realize that Connect 4 x 4 is like having both an old favorite and a new game all in one. You can still play the game with two players, but now also have the option of playing with four. The double-sided grid adds a welcome challenge and complexity for long-time Connect 4 players. A word of warning for younger players: the added complexity may be a bit challenging to understand at first, but once they do, they'll definitely be hooked. What's in the Box Double-sided grid, 68 checkers (17 of each color), and eight blockers (two of each color). View larger. View larger. The double-sided grid adds more opportunity to score, or be scored against!

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Standing Easel

admin — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:01:40 +0000

With the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Easel, children can create art with paint, chalk, pens, crayons, markers, and more, all at one convenient station. And when art time is over, parents and caregivers will appreciate the two-sided easel's easy-to-clean design. Designed for kids ages three and up, this easel will provide hours of creative activity that is both educational and enjoyable. Deluxe Floor-Standing Wooden Easel Ages: 3+ Requires: Adult assembly What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: Novelty factor: The Good: Two-sided easel lets children create art with a variety of different media. The Challenging: Art supplies and paper must be purchased separately. In a Nutshell: Easy-to-clean 2-sided art easel offers ample space for creative expression. Kids can create art with paint, chalk, pens, crayons, markers, and more, all at one convenient station. The integrated butcher paper roll makes it easy to pull the paper through either side of the easel. (Paper sold separately.)View larger. Designed for Maximum Creativity The Melissa & Doug Deluxe Easel features a bi-fold wood frame with two art stations, one on each side, which allows two children to work at one time. It's also designed to let children experiment with several different art media: on one side is a chalkboard, on the other is a dry erase board, and in between the two easel sides is a dowel for holding a butcher paper roll. (Paper must be purchased separately.) Pull the paper through to either side of the easel for your child to paint or draw. Once the painting is complete, the paper can be torn neatly against the top of the frame and set aside to dry, and a new length of paper can be pulled down for the next art creation. The easel includes sturdy clips that can hold oversized individual art papers onto the easel's surfaces. Art Made Easy Early childhood education experts say that working on easels offers a variety of valuable learning opportunities for the preschool-aged child. Painting or drawing with large strokes encourages motor development while giving the child the opportunity to experiment with color, shapes, and the varied textures created by different art media. Our preschool-aged toy tester enjoyed working on the easel, whether she was drawing with chalk or painting with poster paints. In fact, her creative output increased significantly with the easel. She especially enjoyed mixing paints to make different colors. Like many children her age, she likes standing while engaged in creative play, and the easel makes it much easier for her to draw and paint large pictures without having to reach awkwardly across a table surface or kneel on the floor. Cleanup, Simplified As everyone knows, art can be messy, so that's why parents and caregivers will appreciate the easel's easy-to-clean design. The trays and art boards are held in place with screws that have large plastic knobs for easy loosening and tightening. This allows the trays and board to be easily removed, and washed individually in the sink. (We strongly recommend using only washable paints with this toy.) The easel also folds flat for easy storage: just unscrew the crossbars and close the stand for easy storage against a wall or under a bed. The easel also includes two plastic storage trays: one tray is a long trough, perfect for holding pens or chalk; the other has four spaces for paint cups and additional sections for paint brushes and other supplies. Unfortunately, art supplies are not included with the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Easel. However, you can purchase the following accessories separately: the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Easel Companion Set, which is a collection of art supplies for the easel; and the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Easel Paper 3-Pack, which includes three large rolls of paper. About Melissa & Doug Started in the garage at Doug's parents' house in 1988, Melissa & Doug has grown to become one of the most popular toy makers in the world. Their toys have garnered dozens of parenting and "best toy" awards over the years, and have been featured widely in national print media and on television. One of the company's points of pride is that their toys are thoroughly tested for safety, and meet all US consumer product safety regulations. The toys are tested at the factory of origin during various phases of the production process to assure that every toy meets the company's stringent safety requirements every step along the way. In particular, the paints and coatings on Melissa & Doug toys are tested frequently to be sure they meet or exceed government recommendations limiting heavy metals and lead in children's items. Since day one, Melissa & Doug has been in compliance with every US consumer product safety regulation and will continue to stay compliant as the laws continue to evolve, assuring parents that their children can have a safe childhood while playing with Melissa & Doug toys. What's in the Box Two-sided art easel, instructions, and all necessary hardware for assembly.

Ticket to Ride

admin — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:49:17 +0000

Join your friends in a race to claim railway routes across North America! Ticket to Ride, an award-winning strategy game, challenges players ages eight and older to complete multiple train routes connecting major cities. As miniature trains begin to populate the board map of North America, secret city-to-city rail connections are completed or hopelessly blocked by merciless competitors. Providing an enticing mixture of strategy and luck for groups of two to five players, Ticket to Ride squeezes the journey of a lifetime into a mere hour or less. Ages: 8+ Requires: 2 to 5 players What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Educational factor: Novelty factor: The Good: Railway race game balances strategy and luck of the draw. The Bad: Streamlined North American version less complex than its European counterpart. In a Nutshell: Game play often results in surprise endings. Designed for two to five players, this highly-strategic board game will have players vying for train routes. View larger. Secret Rail Destinations Keep Everyone Guessing All the action takes place on a detailed, color-illustrated board map of North America. Newbies will want to dedicate 10 to 15 minutes to the well-organized instruction manual, then pass out miniature trains, train-car cards, and destination tickets to each player. Game play is straightforward and consists of only three possible moves per turn: drawing an additional train-car card, drawing a destination ticket, or building a train route. The train-car cards are color-coded to match specific railway routes, so the basic idea is to collect multiple cards of the same color and then claim a route to score points. Destination tickets present an added challenge by assigning secret routes such as "Seattle to Montreal" and awarding bonus points for completion of these routes. Because the tickets are kept secret, each player's plan for railway domination won't be revealed until the end! Ride the Rails in Less than an Hour Because Ticket to Ride only requires two players and can be played in less than an hour, opportunities abound for trying different strategies. While your success relies somewhat on the luck of the draw, part of the fun is trying different strategies like drawing extra destination tickets, discarding difficult tickets, or vying for the longest continuous route (worth 10 points). Surprise Winners and Reversals of Fortune Once the miniature trains are played out, each player's destination tickets are revealed. Because an incomplete route can result in a loss of as many as 22 points, last-minute reversals of fortune are commonplace, and victory is never guaranteed. While those who are already familiar with the more intricate European version of Ticket to Ride might be disappointed by this simpler version, beginners are sure to find it a wonderful introduction to the Days of Wonder board game series. Purchase of the game includes access to online game play, where additional maps and game variants await. What's in the Box One board map of North American train routes, 240 colored train cars (including additional replacement cars), 144 illustrated cards, five wooden scoring markers, one rules booklet, one Days of Wonder online access ticket. Hatch elaborate plans on how to secure railway domination! View larger. The game features real-life locations across the North American continent. View larger.

Bananagrams

admin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:30:19 +0000


Bananagrams is a fast and fun word game that requires no pencil, paper or board. All you need is a table. One hand can be played in as little as five minutes. It is a great for family fun as well as being educational. Bananagrams portability makes it perfect for travel. Just grab the pouch and go.

Bananagrams Set with Banana Leaf Score Pad!

admin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 02:53:40 +0000


Deluxe kit includes the complete original Bananagrams Game with a 40 page Banana Leaf score pad! Track your scores of your favorite word games! Track the players with the most creative words each game.

Scene It? Twilight Deluxe Edition

admin — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:27:56 +0000

Quench your thirst for trivia with Twilight Scene It? Deluxe Edition. Recommended for ages 13 and older, this DVD/trivia game features hundreds of questions about all of your favorite moments from the Twilight movie. More than just a trivia game, Scene It? also challenges you to use observation, memory, wordplay, and problem-solving to decode special DVD puzzles. Designed for two or more players, this trivia game is ideal for both serious and casual fans of Twilight. Scene It? DeluxeTwilight Edition Ages: 13+ Players: 2 or more Requires: DVD player TV Remote control What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Novelty factor: The Good: Unique DVD puzzles and trivia appeals to Twilight fans of all levels. The Challenging: Limited target audience, might turn off non-fans. In a Nutshell: An interactive DVD/board game, made especially for Twilight fans. The ultimate Twilight trivia experience, this DVD/board game is packed with Twilight-themed trivia, puzzles, and mini-games. View larger. A Dazzling Twilight Experience From the game pieces to the trivia cards, every aspect of Twilight Scene It? has been infused with the spirit of Twilight. The game begins with players choosing one of four collectible tokens to represent their team. Sculpted out of metal, these tokens have been modeled after some of Twilight's most iconic items: Charlie's house, a baseball, Bella's truck, and Edward's piano. Teams advance around the board by answering two types of questions: traditional trivia cards and DVD-based puzzles. The trivia cards, which resemble what you might find in Trivial Pursuit, provide questions in a wide range of difficulty. Some of the tougher questions are challenging enough to stump even the most devoted Twilight fans. Players can also strategically use special "Fate Cards" to throw their opponents off course. The main attraction, however, is the interactive DVD. Hosted by Dr. Carlisle Cullen (played by Peter Facinelli), it is filled with hundreds of video clips, sound bites, and images from the movie. When players draw a DVD challenge card, they must solve a video puzzle. These puzzles range from memory games to message decryptions, and will put your knowledge of Twilight to the test. Fun for Every Level of Twilight Fan The DVD has been designed with the fans in mind. Everything about it has been adapted from the film, right down to the gothic font used for the menus. You'll see cameos by your favorite characters and relive classic moments from the film. Also included are several mini-games, so you can get a quick Twilight fix even when you're not playing the board game. With hundreds of questions, Twilight Scene It? has something for every type of Twilight fan. The difficulty is varied enough to keep everyone engaged -- from Twilight die-hards to casual fans. Also, some of the video puzzles are completely self-contained, so even non-fans can participate in the game. What's in the Box DVD, game board, 4 collectible metal tokens, 100 trivia cards, 30 Fate cards, 1 six-sided numbered die, 1 eight-sided category die, 4 category reference cards, and instruction sheet. View larger. View larger. View larger.

Ouija Board: Glow-in-the-Dark

admin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:51:46 +0000

It has always been mysterious. It has always been mystifying. And now...it glows in the dark! Just ask it a question and wait to see what answer the Mystifying Oracle will reveal to you. You and a partner sit on opposite sides of the board, with your fingers placed lightly on the message indicator. One of you will ask a question. Now concentrate very hard on the matter at hand - and wait for the indicator to move and begin to reveal the answer through its message window. Will it tell you Yes or No' Will it give you a number or spell out an answer' For centuries, players have brought their questions to the Ouija board. What you do with the information it reveals is between you - and the Mystifying Oracle! Game includes: Ouija board and plastic message indicator. For 2 players.

Candyland

admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:55:41 +0000

This is the classic "child's first game", and preschoolers will love it. Children draw colored cards, and move their plastic gingerbread playing tokens to the next square of the same color. Passing the peppermint forest and the ice cream sea on the way, the first one to reach the candy castle wins. No need to read to play this game.2 to 4 players can play this game. This board game includes a game board, four plastic playing pieces, 64 cards, "Legend of the Lost Candy Castle", and instructions in English and Spanish.

Scrabble Crossword Game

admin — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:09:12 +0000


The classic crossword game played by millions around the world! Use your seven letters to build crosswords and use bonus spaces to add to your score! Genuine wooden letter tiles and racks. CHOCKING HAZARD - CONTAINS SMALL PARTS - NOT FOR CHILDREN UNDER 3