$24.99; www.hasbrotoyshop.com; for ages 7 and up. Players simulate a baseball game by bouncing metal balls on a mini trampoline into target holes that represent bases, outs, strikes and home runs. Unit keeps score and builds excitement with lights and sound.

Family Fun Winner! 

$34.99; www.gamewright.com; for ages 8 and up. A fun twist on bocce, this game is played by throwing a multi-sided ball and having players throw their bean balls and hoops to land the closest to the target ball. During play, a wrist-mounted scorekeeper gives additional rules on “how” to throw (stand on one leg, roll it off your head, toss with eyes closed, yell and toss, etc.). The target ball awards bonus points for special circumstances, such as for the object farthest away. 

Flapdoodle, Imagination Games, $19.95; www.imaginationgames.com; ages 6 and up.

 

Most of the play is in the cards, simple path game board and cardboard character pieces. You never know what will be on the cards, but many of them can be ridiculously educational in ways you’d never expect, such as making rhymes, naming five things you can eat that are green, or saying a sentence that no one has probably ever said before. Others, though are just plain goofy, like guessing how many fillings another player has, giving three good reasons you think it’s okay to stay up past bedtime, or performing stunts like, “Find and wear four hats simultaneously.” Imagination and creativity help you answer questions, and luck plays a role in advancement, too. 

Backseat Drawing Junior, Out of the Box Publishing, $24.99; www.otb-games.com; ages 7 and up.

 

The right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. Or in this case, the artist doesn’t know what he or she is drawing! An artist listens to a verbal description, given one line or shape at a time, and draws her understanding of the provided direction on the wipe-off board while everyone, including the artist, has to guess what it is. Hoots and hollers explode as interpretations of words are put to the board. The practice of listening and following directions are unexpected benefits of the game. Playing this game forces people to verbalize something very visual, which is more challenging than it sounds!

“This is a perfect game for multigenerational play.”
– Judge
 

$79.99; www.jakks.com; for ages 8 and up. Become a super sleuth and find anybody or anything in the dark of night! The hands-free headset, worn like goggles, uses infrared night-vision technology and an LCD viewing screen to reveal details in total darkness up to 50 feet away.

Best Bang for the Buck Winner! 

$29.99; www.LEGO.com; for ages 8 and up. Sure to please the LEGO lover in your life, this set includes design plans for three different dwellings and doesn’t spare any detail. Comes with everything from mailbox, barbecue and roof gutters to a fireplace, satellite dish and skylights. 

 

For more LEGO building fun, check out:

The Shred Sled, Skyking Worldwide, $119.99; www.theshredsled.com; ages 8 and up.

 

Pushing skateboarding to the limit! If skateboarding and surfing collided into each other, this would be the result. The Shred Sled has four in-line casters (rather than the traditional two) for a smooth, quick ride. More responsive than traditional skateboards, the dual-unit platform gives good body position, responds more to slight movements, and constantly tests the adeptness of the rider. While immediate proficiency is challenging, once a child has mastered the feel and movement, it’s hard to tear him or her away. The mid-area has a slight accordion bend, allowing more movement and control to ride and turn.

“This is the coolest; it turns really easily! One of my kids is definitely getting one for Christmas – just so I can ride it!”
- Father of three
 

$29.99; www.spinmaster.com; for ages 8 and up. This remote-control car really has the “wow” factor – it can drive up a wall or upside-down on the ceiling! High-speed air flowing under the car creates the suction effect that allows the car to defy gravity. The remote can direct the car forward, backward or in circles, and it doubles as the car charger. Headlights indicate when the unit needs recharging. For optimal performance, the car requires a large, smooth surface with no obstacles. Truly amazing!

Polar Derby™, Gamewright, $14.99; www.gamewright.com; ages 8 and up.

 

Sweet and funny wooden bears on roller skates move around an icy game board, which makes a cool and simple game-scape for this light game of chance and risk. The polar bears are captured at the command of dice throws and decision-making adds bite. Keep rolling long as you collect a bear on each roll, but get gutsy and you’ll go bust. Variations to the rules make it simpler for younger players, removing the risk and/or simplifying the scoring. 

Mic-O-Mic Americas, $75; www.micamericas.com; for ages 8 and up. Use building blocks in different configurations and the reference guide to complete one of hundreds of puzzles that create a three-dimensional pyramid.

 

For more challenging puzzle fun, check out: