Holiday Gift Guide 2014 for Siblings
Cuddly Robots
Electronic gadgets tend to transcend age, as long as they can do new and interesting things. WowWee’s line of robots can dance to music, impossibly balance on a rolling cylinder or change personalities on command. Which means they also pass the test for holiday toys that maintain my kids' interest beyond Christmas weekend.
To buy: 1. ElectroKidz Gold, $15; 2. Tipster, $55; 3. Noomie by WowWee, $39
Engineering Toys Marketed to Girls
This trifecta of engineering toys, designed and marketed with girls in mind, are naturally fun for boys too, hitting all the marks for sibling play in my house. Parts of the different kits are interchangeable, and, because none follow a strict script, the level of complexity doesn’t exclude future engineers who are younger – or older – than the target ages. Bonus: sibling cooperation!
To buy: 1. Goldieblox, $19; 2. Build & Imagine StoryWalls, $39.99; 3. Deluxe Roominate, $39
Slackline Outdoor Equipment
Slacklines are sort of the perfect sibling toy: easy to set up and put away, they require participants to support each other and no one minds taking turns. Plus, they’re a great way to scratch that circus-dreams itch and the get — and keep — kids out of the house, when the holiday break doldrums set in. Slacklines can also be adjusted for varying skill levels.
To buy: Gibbon Classic Slackline, from $69
Safe, Sharp Child's Mini Knife
My kids love helping in the kitchen and safety is a concern. Yet much kid-cookware errs on the side of too much caution (read: dull knives). Not this Japanese Misono Child’s Mini Knife. The rounded tip keeps “no running with knives!” paranoia down. Meanwhile, the sharp blade won’t frustrate your budding dinner buddy. Let'em have at the Christmas ham!
To buy: Misono Child’s Mini Knife, $58.50
Electric Toothbrush and Travel Case
Toothbrushes for Christmas? Boooring! But only until my kids cut loose with a Sonicare toothbrush (they've envied mine for years!). The small heads and gum-tickling vibrations make getting teeth really clean really easy. Toothbrushes shut off automatically, increasing the time kids actually spend on their teeth. The travel case means they might even brush at a slumber party or during holiday visits to Grandma and Grandpa.
To buy: Philips Sonicare Flexcare with Travel Case, $69
Small, Powerful Night Light
My different-aged kids share a room, and lights-out time is fraught. Small but bright night-lights let my tween read while her little brother sleeps unbothered. His Bug Lit Nite Ize also means he'll go boldly down the hall to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
To buy: Bug Lit Nite Ize, $9.97
