Gift Guide: Cool Games & Toys You Might Not Know About

So many cool new games and toys on the market. Here are 5 of my favorites:

1) Family Time Together Games by Hallmark.
So glad to see these in stores! I was able to see prototypes when I visited Hallmark Headquarters. The games were darling concepts and even better as real live products. My favorites: a cute container of sticks with Charades ideas, a MASH fortune telling game (remember playing this as a kid? M for mansion, A for apartment, S for Shack...), and Tucker the Tick-Tack-Toe puppy. You can find these games in Hallmark stores.



2) Booyah! by Olivia.
It's a new cardgame that puts adults and kids on the same playing field — because it's all about luck.

3) Swinxs.
This I haven't tried, but it looks awesome. Basically, it's a screen-free game console. Totally portable. That engages kids in physical, creative play with games like musical chairs, tag and relay, by using its voice, sounds and colors. Swinxs talks and explains games, recognizes players and even referees. I watched the video about Swinxs and now I totally want one.

4) Sedarahc ("suh-DARE-ic")
A new spin on a classic old stand-by, Sedarahc is charades with a twist — spelled backwards and played in reverse. Sedarahc is fast-paced, fun competition that’s an absolute riot with families and kids. Instead of the usual, where one person acts out words for the team to guess, Sedarahc is the reverse — so the team acts out words together for one person to guess. Get a $5 off coupon by clicking here.

5) Blurt Builds.
The Webster's Game of Word Racing includes 300 cards, which have 1800 clues at 2 playing levels. This special edition includes a Junior version for ages 7-9, as well as the regular version.


Other toy related links that might help you in your holiday shopping/giving/traveling:

1) Check out Kid Crave for lots of ideas over lots of categories.
2) Baby Plays will let you rent toys for your vacation — will have them waiting at your destination. So that you don't have to fill a suitcase with Legos and My Little Ponies.
3) Goody Blog, by Parents Magazine, featured 5 huge weeks of the best toys of 2009. You can find the links here.