Christmas Gifts For Kids In 2009

By: John Marshall

It is that time again this year where the popular Christmas Gifts For Kids are starting to emerge. Year 2009 is a particularly interesting year because there is an emphasis on value and bargains by toy manufacturers. Here, we will list some of the hot categories in 2009 and also the top products in each. This should help you get a jump start on your Christmas shopping and be able to check off the kids gifts on your list.

Fun Electronic Toys

The first category that should be a hit in 2009 is fun electronic toys. Fun electronics are essentially any game or toy electronics. This year there are a number of products in this category including the Rubik’s touchcube, Mindflex game, Bop It Everyone Game, and the Vtech® Kidizoom Digital Camera. All of these products should do really well this year and highlight the growth of this category.

Learning Game Systems

Our second strong category are Learning game systems. This is really a new category that focuses on toddlers and young kids. These game tend to either work in combination with the television or independently. Popular choices in 2009 include the Zippity Learning System, Fisher Price® Splatster, Fisher Price® MyToon TV, and the Leapfrog® Text and Learn. All of these toys are a big hit because many parents think highly of these learning toys and there is more of an emphasis now to give your kids the best push forward in education.

Creativity Toys

Our third hot category is creativity toys. These tend to be anything that focus on allowing the kids to be creative in design and making. These tend to be arts & craft like and there are a number available in 2009. Some of the more popular ones are Printies™ Ocean Adventure Design Studio, Printies™ Pet Design Studio, Printies™ Jungle Safari Design Studio, Candy Bead Studio, and the Candy Jewel Factory Oven.

Dolls & Action Figures

Our fourth key category is a classic one which is dolls & action figures. This year there are a lot of throwbacks with a number of Transformers, GI Joe and even a 50th anniversary Barbie doll. However, there are also some new entrants as well as Disney® is releasing the Just One Kiss Princess Tiana Doll which is going to be a best seller this fall. A really good year for this category as there are plenty of choices for boys and girls in 2009.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/family/article_3153.shtml

Unique Gifts For Dad: What A Son Can Give A Dad . . . Time

By: Mark Daniel

As I crossed the threshold, I hang my coat on the coat hook and look into the mirror like I have a million times before and remember back to the time when we bought this custom etched mirrored coat rack as one of the gifts for dad on Father’s Day when I was very young. We ordered it so carefully making sure it was perfect, and would say just the right sentiment; after all, unique personalized gifts are not returnable! But the moment we had waited for finally came and Dad opened it and he seemed so surprised and happy with his mirrored gift. He even placed it at the door of the home we had on the lake.

Little did I realize how important this piece would become over time. Every weekend we’d go there and fish, or swim, and had a great time. I recollect a dull moment, even though we didn’t have a television or computer there. Dad would play card games with us kids or tell us stories that were all from his memories. And then Sunday would come and we’d have to go back to the city. We would remove our caps and jackets from the hooks of that etched mirror and head to our weekday lives. Dreaming of our time together again the next weekend we’d spend at the cabin.

No matter what happens in life, no matter how rough the road has gotten, I could always go back to a time at the lake where dad in his infinite wisdom would tell a story or impart some wisdom that would make me see my bad situation in a better light. Funny how a simple piece of artwork can evoke such strong memories. I never would have dreamed that this gift for dad would span generations, and mean so much to so many.

Now, here I am 40 years later looking at the old man in the custom etched mirror. He has a remarkable resemblance to my dad! And then I flash back to the time spent with dear old dad at the cabin. The fun times that we had planning and all the time that was spent with each other was not the important thing instead it was the investment in each others lives. Time spent with dad wasn’t ever trivial. It was time spent learning, laughing, and enjoying the person he was. I can only hope that when my boys grow up they will look into this personalized, custom etched mirror that was once meant to be a gift for dad, and remember the times they spent with their dad with such splendor. This mirror that is a reflection of much simpler times. Is there any better gift than one that will build memories of Dad?

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/family/article_2931.shtml

The Good Old Days When We Built Our Own Ride On Cars

By: Rick Lasslett

Back in the good old days my friend Ronny and I used to build our own ride on cars from old bits of lumber that dad had lying around in the garage. We would scrounge the wheels and axles from the local dump along with anything else we thought would add flair, and then we would set to and build our “supercar”.

Dad banned us from using his good tools after we had built our first machine. It took him days to find the hammer and he never did manage to get the rust off the saw! So we had to use whatever came to hand as tools (mostly found at the dump). Needless to say our finished “ride on cars” were not pretty. Neither were they safe! But man they were fun.

About a mile from our house was small hill with no trees on it, just grass kept short by the occassional cow munching contentedly away. It had a long slope on one side that went for about 300 yards with a track worn down the middle by years of ride on cars being raced down the hill by just about every kid in town.

As soon as the newly built ride on cars were ready for testing, mom would pack us a lunch box and send us off with a “be home in time for dinner or you’ll be apologizing to your father!” Then we would be off, me pulling Ronny along then Ronny pulling me, until we got to ‘The Hill’. The first test run would be very cautious with feet dragging along the ground as brakes just to make sure that she held together and steered in a straight line. If we made it to the bottom it was thumbs up for the ‘Top Gun’ attempt.

Honestly, some days I laughed so much I could hardly catch my breath. To see Ronny’s back disappear down that track slightly swerving side to side then swerving more violently until he is in the rough and gullies, gets thrown out and ends up (usually) in a cow pat or two, is a memory that will be with me forever. How we didn’t get hurt is a mystery to me now. But things were different back then. Mom and Dad weren’t worried, they had patched up my scrapes and bruises before and there was never any real harm done. Except to the machine of course. They only had to roll once or twice and it was back to the garage for a complete rebuild.

These days the ride on cars are unrecognizable compared to the ones me and Ronny built. Highly colorful lightweight tough plastic bodies in practically every shape you could want. Pedals - electric motors - batteries - radios - lights - the list goes on.

But one thing is still the same. The fun that can be had!

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/family/article_3052.shtml