Rainbow Sound Blocks	Peek A Boo Ball	Brio Railway System	Abacus	Ladybird Ride-On
Dinosaur Stamp Set	Pintoy Wooden Workbench	Shape Sorting Cube	Melody Mix	Safari Chunky Puzzle

Best Wooden Toy Blocks

Pattern Blocks Walker

Alphabet & Number Blocks

Magnetic Building Blocks

50 Coloured Blocks

Coloured Building Blocks

Wooden toys for children are going to be good value for money as they are going to last. When your first child has grown out of them, they can be passed onto younger brothers and sisters and even onto their children and their children’s children. They are easy to repair if they do get broken and can be recycled if this is preferable to storing them for the longer term.

As wooden toys are made from sustainable sources, they are environmentally friendly. They are also biodegradable and self-sufficient as they do not normally need batteries.

Wooden toys are suitable for all ages of children. They are safe toys to give to babies, who are likely to chew on them, as they are finished with non-toxic substances and you can find various wooden baby toys including rattles, ring towers and other clutching toys. Development can be aided with wooden toys for toddlers. Toys such as building blocks, puzzles and push/pull toys are popular with this age group. Older children need not be left out either – expandable railway sets, construction kits and musical instruments are bestselling favourites.

The variety of childrens wooden toys available is quite immense. There are building blocks to aid imaginative and constructive play, musical instruments to develop a child’s sense of rhythm and melody, animal toys to learn about the world around us and shape sorters to build motor skills in babies. Wooden puzzle toys and educational games are wide ranging and help with hand to eye coordination and pre-school learning. You can then find a wide range of wooden toy cars, trains and other vehicles as well as craft kits. There are also more physical push and pull toys and ride on toys for a bit of outdoor fun.

Wooden toys have been found to be better for your child’s development than the more technologically biased toys which tend to suffocate creativity. As a wooden toy does not have a single purpose, the child’s mind can be stimulated to find new ways of playing with it which leads it being played with for longer time spans. They come up with different games every day and they are only limited by their own imagination. For younger children wooden toys are inviting and asking to be explored as opposed to toys with flashing lights and sounds which at times can create sensory overload.

There are a few popular manufacturers of wooden toys, including Plan Toys, Melissa and Doug Wooden Toys, Le Toy Van and I’m Toy. Plan Toys have by far the largest range focusing on wooden vehicles and dolls houses for the 3-4 year old range, which generally cost under £15. Their Car Transporter and Helicopter With Pilot are particular favourites with boys.

So if you can get over the idea that wooden toys are seemingly old fashioned you will find some great toys that your kids will enjoy and develop with. Your wallet will also appreciate the value for money of these long lasting and durable toys.

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There are quite a few new additions to the 10cm range including new characters such as Grandpa Max and Albedo as well a whole new line of Defender aliens.

Grandpa Max – comes with a collector’s card.

Gwen Tennyson – comes with a collector’s card and if you hold her up to the light, her eyes will glow.

Glow In The Dark Ben – this new version of the 15 year old Ben sees him sporting a cool jacket and playing on a skateboard, both of which glow in the dark, and comes with the usual collector’s card.

Soccer Ben – this is an alternative sporty version of Ben with him in his favourite football kit and comes with a football accessory and collector’s card.

Albedo – this new character comes with a skateboard and collectors card. Albedo is not human, but rather a Galvan. He used an Omnitrix to impersonate Ben in one of the Alien Force episodes and ended up being stuck in that form but with silver hair, red eyes and a red jacket.

Forever Knight – this enemy of Ben’s comes with a weapon and a collector’s card. It adds a villain to the collection to help your children with realistic role play.

The Defender range of 10cm aliens offer a new look on their standard counterparts. They all come with the mini figure that unlocks sounds on the Ben 10 Omnitrix from the Alien Force range and a collector’s card.

Echo Echo Defender also glows in the dark.

Brainstorm Defender

Spidermonkey Defender

Humungousaur Defender

Chromastone Defender

Ben 10 Lego

Finally after much anticipation, the new range of six Ben 10 Lego sets are available. Chromastone, Swampfire, Big Chill, Jetray, Spidermonkey and Humungousaur can all be made from Lego sets of between 14 and 24 bricks. Some pieces are glow in the dark and you can combine the sets to create a super alien if you own all six.

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Each magazine comes with a new Mega Gogo. Issue 1 which is on sale at a starter price of 99p in newsagents comes with Mosh. The price ongoing will be £3.99 in shops or you can get them online for around £4.50 delivered.

Each Mega Gogo can have its head swapped with others, contains a mystery mini Gogo inside and comes with a unique pod. The pods come in one of six random colours and you can build them into a huge Gogos Mega Metropolis, which becomes the Mega Gogos home. There are 80 Mega Gogos toys to collect being the same characters as in Gogo Crazy Bones series 1, each coming in 8 different colours.

The 18 page magazine accompanying each Mega Gogo is based around that character. Your children will have loads of fun reading the magazine and finding out all the information about their new toy as well as playing games and much more. The ‘Gogos Files’ section includes details about the new Gogos such as their powers and secrets. There is a comic strip featuring the new Gogo for that issue. The ‘Game Zone’ shows children how to play with their new Mega Gogos and pods and the ‘Battle’ section comes with a poster. Finally the ‘Puzzles & Trivia’ section will keep them busy for hours with fun Gogos titbits and activities.

This magazine and toy set is suitable for boys and girls aged 6-10 years old.

The Mega Gogos are available as follows:
Issue 1 – Mosh  
Issue 2 – Angiru    
Issue 3 – Sato  
Issue 4 – Umu  
Issue 5 – Fist  
Issue 6 – Kolo
Issue 7 – Croc

If you want to buy Gogos Crazy Bones from the other four series, please check out our other articles on this popular boys toys craze.

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2. Gogos Crazy Bones – 10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know

• Addictive arts and crafts activity
• Twist, bend and mould into any number of shapes and creatures
• Make 3D accessories for action figures or vehicles
• Decorate walls, doors, windows and furniture

Have you heard of Bendaroos as seen on TV? I’m sure your children have been watching the many adverts – I know my son has. Anyway if you’ve missed all the hype, in short they are flexible building sticks that should keep your children quiet for a few hours if they are into arts and crafts.

Each Bendaroo is basically strong string covered with thin wax that makes it an ideal tool for creative activities. They are easy to use and can be moulded into different shapes by twisting and bending. The sticks stay as you put them until you are ready to make a different shape when you just remould them. They are durable so can be used time and time again. They stick to all types of surfaces, such as paper, walls and windows, but they do not need glue so there is no mess and no stains.

The Mega Pack of 400 sticks, which are divided between 12 rainbow colours, also includes some templates for modelling ideas, a cut and join tool and an instruction manual. They can be used for many different activities from building to drawing to decorating and can create all sorts of creatures and shapes. The options are endless but here are a few ideas: jewellery, accessories for action figures, race tracks and bridges for cars, furniture for dolls, signs and pictures for walls and doors, window art, liven up photo frames, vases and more.

Are They Any Good?

For around 5p per stick, you can buy a set of craft materials that are great for developing your child’s imagination and refining their motor skills. They will learn patience, planning skills and how to see a project through to its conclusion. They can use the Bendaroos toy on their own, with you or with friends. They can practice sharing and having competitions for who can make the best design. For children that love arts and crafts such as Play Dough, they are ideal and more so for you as there is no mess. Watch they do not get trodden into your carpets though.

They come with a cutting and joining tool but it is not really needed as a pair of scissors can easily cut them and the warmth from your hands can join them.

The wax covering does not dry or flake meaning they really are reusable over and over again. It can feel a little greasy but is not messy. They are easy to use and the enclosed instructions and templates make good starting points from which to grow in creativity. The only trouble comes when the artwork your child makes is so good that you do not want to reuse the Bendaroos. You then end up with an expensive masterpiece!

Are There Any Downsides?

They are a bit like a magnet for fluff and hairs so if you want to reuse them keep them off the floors and away from pets. They are also tricky to remove from carpets if they get trodden in. Bendaroos are smaller than they look on the box or on TV and if you buy a small pack you may run out of the colour you want before your creation is finished.

Some people have had trouble sticking the Benderoos together but most find they stick to anything and are easy to pull apart or off of a wall. No stains may be true but beware of the waxy residue that will collect if you leave them stuck to anything for days or weeks. Make sure you supervise where your children stick them – a hard, wipeable surface is best.

For what they are, they are probably overpriced but children seem to love them, so you have to look at it as a cost per hour of entertainment rather than a cost per piece of waxy string.

Where To Buy Bendaroos & The Packs Available

or

As well as the Mega Pack you can also buy:

Theme Packs for around £5 which include 80 sticks and associated templates.

• Beautiful Garden
• Fun With Food
• Creepy Crawlers

Activity Packs for around £10 which include 170 sticks and associated templates.

• Ocean Creatures
• Princess Fantasy
• Zoo Animals
• Tropical Island

Bumper Packs for around £20 which include 500 sticks (250 rainbow colours and 250 neon colours) and associated templates.

Other Packs

• Underwater Set Mermaid – 200 sticks
• Crawling Critters Pack – 100 sticks

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Highlights

• The speed of the Strikers is impressive
• Collisions create forceful impacts
• A cost effective way to buy this two player game
• A durable and fun to play game

What Are Battle Strikers?

Battle Strikers might look like an old fashioned battling tops toy but they offer so much more. There are a variety of Strikers to choose from – each one is individual with its own name and characteristics. They look different and come in various sizes and densities which affect how they react in battle. Their handling abilities are scored out of five points in three categories of attack, defence and control. The two Strikers included with the Tournament Set are called Mauler, which tops the charts in attack and Turbine, which is heavy so helps in defence.

Compare individual Battle Strikers prices.

How To Play Battle Strikers

To play you stick your Battle Striker to the bottom of the Launcher via the inbuilt magnets. You press the trigger to rev the Striker up to a super speed. When you are ready to launch the Striker into the battle arena to engage your opponent, you bang the top of the Launcher with your fist to release the magnets.

The fun does not stop there though as each player gets to command their Striker throughout the battle using their fingertip Controller. This is a glove type accessory for your finger that allows you to control the direction of the Striker while it is spinning. The glove uses magnets to achieve this control. This is a great move forward over traditional games where who wins the battle is left to chance. You now have more options open to you to plan attacks and win the battle. Practice makes perfect though. The Controller also allows you to re-power your Striker during battle.

Six AA batteries and needed to play this game so make sure you buy them at the same time as the game to avoid disappointment. This toy is ideal for children aged six and over.

Battle Strikers Battle Arena

The Tournament Set includes a hard, slick, sturdy, plastic area for two Strikers to battle on. This contains the battle and due to its limited size encourages more interaction and chaotic battles between tops. It also stores six Strikers when you are not playing with them.

Customising Battle Strikers

As well as battling with Battle Strikers, they offer additional fun in the form of customising Strikers and even making your own unique Striker. Strikers are modular in that they are each made of a large ring, a small ring, a ball bearing that is magnetic and a ball aligner. The parts can be taken apart and put back together easily. The differences between each Striker’s parts are what determine their ability in the attack, defence and control characteristics. The parts are also interchangeable between Strikers so you can mix and match different parts of different Strikers to come up with your own version – the best Battle Striker ever!

Review

The speed the Strikers can reach is impressive and when two of them collide, the impact has a lot of force. The Strikers are durable and the game is fun to play. Children love to compete and with this toy they can challenge their friends to battles. The Battle Striker Tournament Set is ideal for a two player game as it is all about the fun of battle. Playing singly with one Striker is not likely to offer much interest. Being able to dismantle and reassemble the Strikers to create a more powerful Striker encourages experimentation and children can also learn about magnets by seeing their effect in practice.

There are a few downsides or things to be aware of with these Battle Strikers toys but overall the game is very fun. The plastic the arena is made out of is a bit thin so will break if it gets trodden on. Because the Strikers spin so fast they can cause injury if not played with carefully. Be careful when launching them into play as occasionally they can jump out of the arena. Also do not touch them when they are spinning at full speed.
Some of the Strikers can be difficult to release from the Launcher so just give it a bigger bang or a flick of the wrist. When using the fingertip controller you have to get quite close to the Striker to make the magnets work. Just make sure that the Striker does not get stuck to the Controller.

Finally do not think you can just buy one Striker on its own. They cannot be revved up without the Launcher so you either need one of the Starter Packs or the Tournament Set to get you started. You can then buy single Strikers to increase your collection. These are fairly inexpensive so are ideal for children to buy from their pocket money.

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1. Battle Strikers – 10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know
2. Lego Minotaurus – The New Board Game Reviewed

The aim of the game is to capture three of your opponent’s gate cards. To capture the cards you must win the battle. The battle starts when two Bakugans pop open on the same gate card. Who wins is determined by adding together ‘G power’ points from the Bakugan toy and the gate card.

The show only started in 2007 but has since grown hugely in popularity to the point where there are now over 100 of these transforming spheres to buy and collect. In addition there are other Bakugan accessories, including launchers, play mats, and storage cases, and branded merchandise such as video games, puzzles and books. To give yourself a heads up when buying Bakugan toys, read on to check out our list of your top 5 choices.

Top 3 Bakugan Toys

#1 Bakugan Battle Pack
#2 Bakugan Battle Arena
#3 Bakugan Deka

#1 Bakugan Battle Pack

• Multi Bakugan starter pack with six action figures
• Collectible action game
• Cost effective way to buy

Tipped as a top 12 Christmas toy this year, the Bakugan Battle Pack is great for a two player battle as it contains 6 Bakugans, 6 metallic cards and 6 ability cards. You need to use strategy when you set the cards up before the battle. You then need to master your battle skills to ensure your Bakugan lands on the best card to score points. Learn the game and brawl away.

Our thoughts

There are many different Bakugan to choose from in a range of colours and creatures. They can be bought individually when you know which specific one you want or in various packs where the marble is chosen at random, such as the Starter Pack which includes three Bakugan or a Booster Pack which contains one. The Battle Pack is ideal as it contains six of everything you need for a good price. The Bakugan marbles themselves are durable when being thrown across the battle cards and are fun to collect and trade. Children will have hours of fun with the challenge of rolling them correctly to earn points and watching them suddenly transform into warrior mode. The game combines the skill of rolling your Bakugan with the strategy of placing the cards effectively but even without the game, these toys are fun as they can be played with just like normal action figures. The marbles are small enough for your child to carry around or out and about and cheap enough individually to buy extras from pocket money. They are also good to help with maths as you have to work out whether yours or your opponent’s Bakugan is stronger and how much more power is needed to win. The only downside of this pack is that you do not know which Bakugan you are getting as the allocations to each box are random.

#2 Bakugan Battle Arena

• Battle ground for 4 players to play Bakugan
• Large surface area with rubber walls to stop Bakugan rolling away
• Quick and easy to set up

The Bakugan Battle Arena provides the ultimate battleground for playing against three opponents. There is a large surface area where the metallic game cards are placed and little rubber walls around the edge to stop the Bakugan escaping once they have been rolled into play. The arena folds out and the bumpers snap into place on each side. The open corners are where the Bakugan are launched into the arena. This Bakugan accessory enhances game play but does not come with any marbles or cards which need to be bought separately first.

Our thoughts

The Battle Arena is easy to set up and this can be done in less than a minute. You only need to unfold the plastic arena and erect the walls using the side slots. The walls are very useful as they stop the Bakugan from rolling off and the included instructions lay down the rules for game play if you are new to this craze. The arena is not that sturdy but does provide a good battle field for your children to make more of the marbles. It also keeps them from rolling the Bakugan all over your floors. Bakugan is the sort of game that you can just whip out and play anywhere so the arena may seem superfluous, but it does add to the ambiance of the game play.

#3 Bakugan Deka

• Super size Bakugan
• 10cm warriors but still lightweight
• Rare so a good buy for any Bakugan collection

The Dekas are the big boys of the Bakugan world and as such are more fun to play with. They are no longer pocket sized like the original versions but are still great to battle, collect and trade. They do everything the smaller ones do and once opened the figures are about 10cm tall but still lightweight.

Our thoughts

All children seem to love these supersized Bakugans. They are rarer so the children with them will have others looking over their shoulders. No instructions come with the Bakugan Deka so children that are new to Bakugan will need either the Starter Pack or Battle Pack so get them started. These large spheres are solidly built and more durable than their smaller counterparts. Also being bigger they are less likely to get lost. When playing the game with them though they are a bit more awkward to roll and getting them to land on the metallic cards is challenging!

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#4 Bakugan New Vestroia 7-in-1 Maxus Dragonoid

• Big and powerful new Bakugan toys
• 7 pieces combine to form a giant dragon robot
• Individual pieces can also be used to play the standard Bakugan game

The recently launched Maxus Dragonoid is one of the biggest and most powerful Bakugan toys yet and is featured in the new ‘New Vestroia’ cartoon sequel. It is made up of one Bakugan warrior and six trap pieces that are used to protect the Bakugan. Traps are not round and do not roll but do open on the metal cards. They are used to increase points scored during the game. The pieces in this set are unique and cannot be bought elsewhere and once transformed can be assembled into a giant dragon robot. When not in monster mode, the seven Bakugan can be played with as normal in the strategy game although they only come with one ability card and one metal gate card. The ability card is special so will offer extra help when coming up with a strategy to beat your opponent.

Our thoughts

To play the normal Bakugan game you will need more marbles and cards than are included in this set. As such it is not a beginners set but a great addition to an existing collection. The traps are useful to play with along with other figures in your collection. The price point is a bit on the high side but is worth it for a special gift. Supposedly there are more single Bakugans coming out shortly that will also connect to the beast which will enhance its playability. The box includes the seven figures separately so you need to follow the graphical instructions to assemble the Dragonoid. The process is quite complex and can take around 20 minutes. Once assembled the toy is interesting and unique although a bit unsteady on its feet if you do not stand it correctly and not as big as it looks in the picture. It is also quite delicate so not recommended for young or heavy handed children.

#5 Bakugan Official Handbook

• 112 pages of Bakugan fun
• Includes tips on how to play the game
• For children aged 9-12 years old

Any children that are into Bakugan have to get this 112 page paperback handbook. It is the ultimate read for any fan. Inside they will find everything they need and want to know about this hot game. It’s a guide to the best brawlers, the fiercest Bakugan, and the biggest brawls. It also includes tips on how to play the game. The reading age of this book is 9-12 years old.

If you found this article useful in any way, please consider linking to it or sharing it with others. Don’t miss any future tips on topics related to toys – subscribe to our RSS feed today and get loads more FREE.

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2. Christmas Toys For Boys
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We have one Ben 10 Ultimate Omnitrix to giveaway to one lucky winner on Son Time Now before Christmas! If you make a purchase of any of our recommended Christmas gifts for boys or other toys from one of our retail partners by clicking through a link on this site, you are eligible to enter. Please forward your e-mail receipt from the retailer to chloe [at] bestben10toys.co.uk by the end of Friday, December 4th 2009. One lucky winner will be picked at random and then notified. Good luck!

Please note this giveaway is only open to UK residents.

There is not usually private information detailed in the e-mailed receipts from retailers, however, please feel free to delete anything other than the date of transaction, order number, e-mail address used, amount of order and items ordered before forwarding onto us.

Your privacy is important to us. We are committed to protecting your privacy. We do not spam and will not share your information. Please read our privacy policy for full details.

And the winner is …

Thank you to everyone who entered. Unfortunately there can only be one winner and he is Brendan from Yorkshire. Congratulations – your Ultimate Omnitrix is on its way to you now. Enjoy!!  Happy Christmas.

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2. And the Winner of the Ben 10 Swampfire Giveaway Is . . .
3. How To Fix The Ben 10 Mini Figures To The Alien Force Ultimate Omnitrix Watch

#1 Nerf Raider Rapid Fire CS-35
#2 Star Wars Clone Wars Ultimate Blaster
#3 Battle Strikers Starter Set
#4 Transformers Deluxe
#5 Bakugan Battle Pack
#6 Transformers Voyager
#7 Screature
#8 GX Racers Tightrope Terror
#9 HM Armed Forces Tank
#10 Ben 10 Alien Force Kevin Levin’s Action Cruiser
#11 Gormiti The Lords Of Nature Return Guardian Creature
#12 Bladez Salvation 3D Helicopter with Flight Stick

#1 Nerf Raider Rapid Fire CS-35

• A rapid fire gun that is easy to pump and shoot
• It is not noisy and no batteries are needed
• Holds a large number of darts and can fire a good distance

The Nerf Raider CS 35 air powered blaster has a special drum magazine giving it the highest dart capacity yet. The drum magazine holds 35 darts and features a clear window to let you know when they’re getting low. A pump action handle lets you control your rate of fire and choose your blasting mode of either single or multi shot. It also has an adjustable stock for steady aiming and firing and a tactical rail for attaching compatible NStrike accessories. It is recommended for children aged 6 and over to use outdoors.

Our thoughts

The 35 round drum and associated rapid fire action is a real winner with children. The darts can reach a good distance when fired – at least 80ft, but do not hurt you if you manage to get hit by one. They are easy to load, although the process can take a few minutes, and the gun is very easy to pump and fire. Its other plus points are that it never seems to jam, it is not too bulky to store, is not noisy and does not need batteries so there are no ongoing costs associated with it. If you can get your children to stand still long enough it would be good for their coordination if they could learn to shoot at targets, perhaps empty cans. The only downside is finding all the darts once you’ve shot them! Nerf is well thought of as a robust, quality product and is likely to provide hours of fun for both children and adults.

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#2 Star Wars Clone Wars Ultimate Blaster

• Three guns can be built from the pieces in this kit
• Movie sounds that change with different configurations
• Measures over 2 feet long in one mode

The Star Wars Blaster is a three in one gun. You choose either the barrels for the pistol, short rifle or long rifle and snap them together with the other pieces, such as the magazine, butt stock, folding stock, central chamber and scope. The blaster features lights and sounds to encourage exciting role-play.

Our thoughts

This blaster is a good size for both children and adults. It is in a similar vein to the build-your-own Lightsaber kits that have been popular lately. It makes great sounds taken from the movie, which can be altered by changing where the magazine is connected and by changing the barrel combinations. You also get sound effects when snapping the pieces together. The long rifle is huge, measuring over 2 feet in length once assembled, so if you are not into Star Wars Miniatures, this is the toy for you. It maybe slightly too big for younger children though. The most exciting piece is the central chamber which gives off a blue pulsing light that runs up and down the barrel when fired. The only let down is the fact that the scope is not even an attempt at being real. Once assembled the blaster looks, sounds and feels hefty and amazing – great for imaginative Star Wars play.

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#3 Battle Strikers Starter Set

• A launch, control and battle experience
• Customise your own Battle Striker
• Starter Set includes everything you need to get going

Battle Strikers are the latest innovation in battling spinning tops. The are powered up to excessive speeds via a Turbo Launcher with no rip cords in sight. They are then released into battle and are controlled during play with a fingertip Controller which uses magnetic technology. There are many Strikers to choose from and collect and they can also be taken apart and reassembled with parts from others to make super Strikers. The Starter sets contain the basic necessities you need to play – a Battle Striker, a Controller and a Turbo Launcher. There are two sets to choose from – one red and one blue.

Our thoughts

Battle Strikers are likely to be the next boys toys craze as they are the first battling tops which are actually controlled by the players during play. They also follow a favourite playing pattern of boys, being collecting, customising and competing. Everything is well made and will take some heavy playing very well. Please check out our ’10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know’ article to find out more about them.

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#4 Transformers Deluxe

• Well made and realistic to the movie characters
• Satisfying transformation with 15 + movements required
• Excellent articulation in robot mode

For around £13 you can recreate exciting movie scenes with a Transformers 2 Deluxe Figure that converts with a few twists and turns into a cool vehicle and comes with a missile accessory.

Our thoughts

These 19cm figures are realistic to the well loved movie characters, well made and come with an impressive amount of detail. The transformation is perfect for Transformers fans – it is complex and involved, so not too easy but not too fiddly either. There are 15 or more movements to move the figure from vehicle to robot, so you will be satisfied when it is done, but may need to help younger children. If you think you may find the transformation too difficult, try the Fast Action Battlers which were specifically designed to have a quicker and easier transformation. They are less accurately detailed though. The robot modes are excellent, with at least 14 points of articulation making the figures able to achieve a range of poses. These Deluxe Transformers will offer hours of fun for children.

There are a few downsides to these toys. Firstly the instructions to help you transform the toy are very poor, secondly the prices fluctuate quite a lot and lastly you may find that some vehicle modes are less interesting than others.

or compare prices for each character.

#5 Bakugan Battle Pack

• Magnetic marbles that pop open to reveal fierce warriors inside
• A game of skill and strategy
• This is a cost effective multi pack

Bakugan is an anime series about creatures of the same name and the battle brawlers who control them. The creatures are hidden inside magnetic marbles, which pop open when thrown onto the metallic cards to reveal the fierce warriors inside. The aim of the game is to win points awarded on the cards by getting your Bakugan to land on the card. You have to place the cards effectively as each one affects the battle differently. The Bakugan Battle Pack is great for a two player battle as it contains 6 Bakugans, 6 metallic cards and 6 ability cards.

Our thoughts

There are many different Bakugan to choose from in a range of colours and creatures. They are durable when being thrown across the battle cards and are fun to collect and trade. Children will have hours of fun with the challenge of rolling them correctly to earn points and watching them suddenly transform into warrior mode. The game combines skill of rolling your Bakugan with strategy of placing the cards effectively. The marbles are small enough for your child to carry around or out and about and cheap enough individually to buy extras from pocket money. They are also good to help with maths as you have to work out whether yours or your opponent’s Bakugan is stronger and how much more power is needed to win. The only downside of this pack is that you do not know which Bakugan you are getting as the allocations to each box are random.

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#6 Transformers Voyager

• Large scale replica of the movie characters
• Features Mech Alive technology so you can see internal gearing
• Also includes a vehicle attack mode

For around £23 you can buy a large scale (28cm) replica of a movie character being the Transfomers 2 Voyager Figure. They include realistic styling and detailed conversion from vehicle to robot mode. They feature Mech Alive technology meaning their internal gears are shown when certain parts of the toy are moved and they are armed with missiles ready for battle.

Our thoughts

This class of Transformers 2 toy is priced mid way between the Deluxe and the Leader classes. The vehicle mode is nicely detailed and the robot mode is well articulated and moves cleanly. Well built joints and cleverly designed feet, enable many poses to be achieved. The representation to the movie characters is good. Transforming between modes is a little tricky and slightly awkward to start off with but practice makes perfect. Once in robot mode, with a few more twists, you can get a vehicle attack mode where the weapons are used. Do not think this is triple transforming toy though as the attack mode is more of a small extra. For value for money, the Deluxe class may be a better bet.

or compare prices for each character.

#7 Screature

• Sensitive dinosaur who reacts to touch or movement
• Can be friendly, attack or spit water
• Great for dinosaur mad children

This feisty predator is very sensitive – touch his nose and he will rise up, puff out his frills and spit water at you, if he senses movement he will know it is time to attack and will rise up in an aggressive stance. If his neck frills are standing out, watch out as he is ready to attack. He can be tamed though by patting him on his back, when he will pant or purr with appreciation.

Our thoughts

What a great little creature for any dinosaur lover. Children will love putting their hands in front of his mouth to make him snap and spray water all over them. It may not be ideal for really young children though as they may be frightened by it, although probably drawn to it at the same time. After the initial fun, he will likely be brought out with regularity to spit water at your child’s other toys such as action figures and other dinosaurs. It may also be used to scare the life out of unsuspecting visitors! The water container used for the spray attack is quite small but easy to fill. The spray itself is very fine so will not make too much mess but does reach about 10 feet in range. It is about 30cm tall, well made, reasonably tough and easy to activate, but does not walk or jump about. Make sure you turn it to its full ON position on the foot though when you get it out of the box or you are stuck with it in demo mode which is not fully operational.

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#8 GX Racers Tightrope Terror

• Watch the car cross a tightrope
• Use the designed set or make up your own
• The car is fun on its own

These GX Racers perform high-flying gravity defying stunts. Using the power of the gyroscope and ripcord, even on four wheels they can achieve extreme speeds to run across a tightrope, high above the ground and jump 10ft into the air. There are two ways to play with this set – you can either use the set as shown in the instructions or connect any two points in your room and join up the track. The set includes the GX Racer car, a track set, a rip cord and line walking stunt gyro.

Our thoughts

This is one of those toys with mixed opinions. On the upsides the car on its own is great and lots of fun. After that if you can get the car to cross the track completely you will have loads of fun and be amazed watching it fly through the air. More often than not though the car falls off right at the end. If you struggle then try the following tips. Make sure you have a good selection of heavy books to hand as you will need them to anchor down the two towers shown in the picture. Then start off with a short piece of rope, make sure it is aligned well in the grooves on the towers, pull it really tight and secure the ends. If you then pull on the ripcord hard enough you should be lucky. On the downsides the towers and bases are made of cheap, flimsy plastic and once you have snapped them together you may not want to take them apart to store for fear of them breaking.

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#9 HM Armed Forces Tank

• The new Action Man range
• Large scale toy tank
• Two 25cm action figures, sold separately, fit inside

The HM Armed Forces toys launched in 2009 have taken over where Action Man left off. The new range is hugely popular and includes action figures, vehicles and role play toys inspired by the modern British military. This large scale, 48cm long Army Fast Pursuit Battle Tank has detailed desert camouflage and is ready for action with its real firing missile and rotating turret. The turret opens and you can fit two infantrymen inside the driving hatches. 25cm action figures are available to buy separately. There is room for storage of weapons and accessories in the equipment boxes. It is fully armoured and handles rough terrain well with its tank treads giving super traction.

Our thoughts

Your children will love this toy, but you’re bank balance will not. It is a great replica and likely to get played with a lot although it is quite expensive. In the hands of a rough child, you may also find a few lids and hatches coming off. For more information on the whole HM Armed Forces toy range, please check out our ’10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know’ article.

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#10 Ben 10 Alien Force Kevin Levin’s Action Cruiser

• Kevin’s cool green car
• Transforms to battle mode
• Shoots out alien pods

This set includes a 10cm Ben 10 Kevin 11 figure and Kevin’s signature vehicle, a cool green car which is packed full of fun features. It has a lab to make planetary powder capsules which can be shot out when it transforms to battle mode.

Our thoughts

Your children will love this toy to take part in their alien adventures, but you as parents probably will not. It is not as durable as you are used to with the Ben 10 action figures and Omnitrix watches. It has various transforming parts and this is where the trouble starts. Doors and engine covers and other parts fall off quite often and it is quite complicated for younger fans to put back together. More disappointment comes when trying to launch the alien pods from the car as they tend to roll, rather than shoot.

If you want something that transforms, stick with the Transfomers 2 Deluxe figures (see #4) or if you want something Ben 10 related, check out our Top Rated favourites.

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#11 Gormiti The Lords Of Nature Return Guardian Creature

• Figure and creature set
• Fully poseable
• Four sets to choose from

These Gormiti sets contain a guardian creature and a 12cm tribal Lord figure. The creatures protect the Lords during battle. Each character has its own personality based on the magical powers and strength they possess from one of the elements of Earth, Forest, Air and Volcano. Both figures and creatures are fully poseable and the creatures have an attacking feature. There are four of these creatures and figure sets to choose from: Lucas with Troncalion, Magmion with Drakkon, Toby with Tentaclion and Nick with Roscalion.

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#12 Bladez Salvation 3D Helicopter with Flight Stick

• Joystick control of a flying helicopter
• Vibration control
• 8-9 minute flying time with an 8 metre range

This helicopter is the next step forward in indoor remote control flying. You have full control of the helicopter by using the Flight Stick which is like a joystick. There is vibration control so the higher you fly, the greater the vibration. The Flight Stick is powered by batteries or using the USB port on your computer. The Helicopter is charged by your computer or the Flight Stick. The Helicopter has an 8 metre range to fly from the Flight Stick, can fly for 8-9 minutes on each charge and features a self-righting system. The blades fold up when the Helicopter crashes so as to avoid any damage. There is a tri-band switch so if you happen to have three such Helicopters they can all fly together.

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So there you are – a few hot boys toys for Christmas that you should consider. If you have started planning what Christmas toys to buy for your boys, hopefully the information above should have given you some idea of the best toys out there. If on the other hand you have the excitement of a newborn to buy for this holiday season, check out these unusual ideas over at Unique Gift Newborn Babies.

While you’re in the festive mood, why not give a thought to your Christmas decorations. I know my son would love to cover the front of our house with animated outdoor Christmas lights. You could let your children’s creative side run wild by getting them to help choose and design your display this year.

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Related posts:

1. Bop It – New Version – A Hot Toy For Christmas 2009

Top 3 Transformers 2 Toys

#1 Transformers Deluxe Class
#2 Transformers Voyager Class
#3 Transformers Human Alliance Bumblebee & Sam

#1 Transformers Deluxe Class

• Well made and realistic to the movie characters
• Satisfying transformation with 15 + movements required
• Excellent articulation in robot mode

For around £13 you can recreate exciting movie scenes with a Transformers 2 Deluxe Figure that converts with a few twists and turns into a cool vehicle and comes with a missile accessory.

Our thoughts

These 19cm figures are realistic to the well loved movie characters, well made and come with an impressive amount of detail. The transformation is perfect for Transformers fans – it is complex and involved, so not too easy but not too fiddly either. There are 15 or more movements to move the figure from vehicle to robot, so you will be satisfied when it is done, but may need to help younger children. If you think you may find the transformation too difficult, try the Fast Action Battlers which were specifically designed to have a quicker and easier transformation. They are less accurately detailed though. The robot modes are excellent, with at least 14 points of articulation making the figures able to achieve a range of poses. These Deluxe Transformers will offer hours of fun for children.

There a couple of downsides to these toys – being Transformers toys in general rather than this Deluxe class especially. These are (1) the very poor instructions for transformation and (2) the fluctuating prices. Within the Deluxe class of toys, you may find that some vehicle modes are less interesting than others.

or compare prices for each character.

#2 Transformers Voyager Class

• Large scale replica of the movie characters
• Features Mech Alive technology so you can see internal gearing
• Also includes a vehicle attack mode

For around £23 you can buy a large scale (28cm) replica of a movie character being the Transformers 2 Voyager Figure. They include realistic styling and detailed conversion from vehicle to robot mode. They feature Mech Alive technology meaning their internal gears are shown when certain parts of the toy are moved and they are armed with missiles ready for battle.

Our thoughts

This class of Transformers 2 toy is priced mid way between the Deluxe and the Leader classes. The vehicle mode is nicely detailed and the robot mode is well articulated and moves cleanly. Well built joints and cleverly designed feet, enable many poses to be achieved. The representation to the movie characters is good. Transforming between modes is a little tricky and slightly awkward to start off with but practice makes perfect. Once in robot mode, with a few more twists, you can get a vehicle attack mode where the weapons are used. Do not think this is triple transforming toy though as the attack mode is more of a small extra. For value for money, the Deluxe class may be a better bet.

or compare prices for each character.

#3 Transformers Human Alliance Bumblebee & Sam

• Large with huge amounts of detail
• Includes a Sam action figure to create hours of fun
• Exceptional articulation

For around £30 you get a Sam action figure and a Bumblebee robot-to-vehicle transformer. In robot mode, Bumblebee has a flip-out cannon and in the Camaro vehicle mode you can fit two human ally figures inside (although additional figures are sold separately).

Our thoughts

Bumblebee is a popular choice in the Transformers Revenge Of The Fallen toy range as he is so adorable. This representation is large at 33cm and very accurately detailed – the cannon is great and he even comes with a battle mask. This bigger, more detailed version even includes an interior to the car, including seats and a steering wheel, back bumpers that become knee caps and a chest that has two rotating sections. The articulation is also out of this world with over 30 movable joints. It is very well made but it is quite tricky to transform. This does mean, however, that both vehicle mode and robot mode are of a good standard. Once you get the hang of it, it does become much easier but it may be better suited to slightly older children. The inclusion of a 6cm Sam action figure is a great bonus as it makes Bumblebee more interactive and fun to play with. Sam is cool in his own right and there a few standing or sitting areas where he can ride on Bumblebee and some guns for him to use. The price may seem high but you do get what you pay for.

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#4 Transformers Leader Class

• Large scale, but not heavy, action figures
• Features Mech Alive technology so you can see internal gearing
• Electronic speech and lighting up eyes and chest

Costing around £45, the Transformers Optimus Prime, Megatron and Jetfire Leader class figures are 30cm, large scale action figures with realistic styling and detail. They are made using ‘Mech Alive’ technology which means their moving armour panels and internal gears are shown when certain parts of the toy are moved. They also feature electronic speech, lighting up eyes and chest and snap–out swords. As with most other Transformer toys, the robot form transforms into a vehicle form.

Our thoughts

Children will love them, especially the popular Transformers 2 Optimus Prime toy, as they are large scale (but not heavy), have great film sounds, are sturdy, colourful and well made. The figures’ joints are of the ‘pop off’ variety to avoid breakages so are easily reattached. They are accurate to the movie characters and are well articulated so you can stand them in many positions. As with all action figures, they encourage imaginative play.

The main downside of the Movie Leader figures is the transformation process. Transformers fans rate the transformation as anywhere from “a little tricky to transform” to “completely impossible”. It is definitely thought to be one of the hardest and most challenging Transformers figures yet. As such younger fans will need a lot of help with this process and may get very frustrated. If they are happy to play with it in robot or vehicle mode then your life will be easier. The age of 5 years and up is definitely inappropriate if you are planning on this toy keeping a 5 year old quiet on their own. The Transformers Movie Leader Megatron is supposedly a bit easier to transform but for younger fans, stick with the smaller ranges or perhaps try the #2 hot toy this Christmas – the Bumblebee Helmet.

or compare prices for each character.

#5 Transformers Scout Figures

• Small and portable but still transform
• Very detailed and realistic to the movie characters
• Some articulation

For around £8 you can buy these 14cm Transformers 2 Scout Figures that convert from realistic movie vehicles to awesome robots. They are highly detailed and articulated.

Our thoughts

Scout figures are perfect Transfomers for their size. They have everything they need but are not overloaded with excesses. The detailing is very good considering this class of Transformer toy is quite small. The transformation to robot mode can be a bit fiddly at first as parts pop off quite easily but overall is simple and fun. The articulation is not remarkable but good enough for its size and there is plenty to play with. As for downsides, in robot form this toy is pretty fragile and it doesn’t stand up very well.

or compare prices for each character.

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Related posts:

1. Transformers Movie Leader Optimus Prime Review
2. Transformers 2 Toys – Details Of The New Range
3. Bumblebee Helmet Review – A Transformers 2 Toy

#1 Gogo’s Crazy Bones Series 4 – Power

The most recent range of these strange little packets you can buy is Gogos Crazy Bones series 4, called Power. Each pack contains two, not the usual three bones, but also two trading cards, rather than the stickers found in the packets from the older series. One of the Gogos in each packet will be of the brand new metallic variety. There are 90 characters and trading cards to collect in all.

Children seem to get so much fun out of these indestructible, little characters. They play many different games with them, collect them, compare them and swap them, so it makes sense to update their collection with the latest range. At least this new trend is quite inexpensive, being a real pocket money item.

You can buy the new series in four different ways, depending on how new your child is to Gogos and how many you want to buy.

The Starter Pack is our best pick for new players – you get two sealed packets of bones, a Collector Album to store all trading cards and a game guide and checklist, that teaches you about the new trading card game and introduces the new Power characters. This pack offers great value for money and includes everything your child needs to get them going in this crazy world.

or The Toy Shop.

You can also buy:

Single packs

or Amazon.com or The Toy Shop.

A set of 10 sealed packs

or Amazon.com

A set of 30 sealed packs

or Amazon.com

These larger packs are especially great for birthday loot bags. You just buy the whole box and hand out the individual packs to the party goers.

#2 Advance Special Edition Metal Go Go Crazy Bones Tin

This special edition metal Gogos tin is ideal for storing all of your Crazy Bones. It comes with 10 brand new ‘Advance Special Edition’ Gogo’s Crazy Bones characters which cannot be found anywhere else. Your child can never really have enough Crazy Bones so storage is essential. This hard wearing tin keeps all the precious toys together and your child can take them everywhere.

or Amazon.com or The Toy Shop or Play.com.

New – Gogos Crazy Bones Gold Series Tin

You can now also buy a limited edition tin from the Gogo Crazy Bones Gold series. It contains 10 highly sought after Gold Gogos. These shiny little characters are extremely rare – probably the rarest of the whole range. They will be a real asset to your child’s collection. The tin is a great place for your children to store their collection of Gogos, not just these amazing gold versions.

#3 Gogos Sticker Album

There is a Gogos sticker book to accompany all series – a red one for series 1, a yellow one for series 2 (Gogos Crazy Bones Evolution) and a green one for series 3 (Explorer). These 32 page albums are packed full of comic strips, activities and information about the Gogos games and characters from each series. It details the characters’ special skills and their favourite games. It is also ideal to store all of the stickers that are collected with the bones to save them ending up all over clothes or furniture. For younger fans it is a great tool to help with reading and writing. Overall it enhances the whole Gogos experience and is an essential companion for any Crazy Bones fan.

Series 1 – Buy from Amazon.com.

Series 2 –

Series 3 – or The Toy Shop.

#4 Gogo’s Crazy Bones Official Handbook

There is a Gogos Handbook to accompany each series. The book for the Power series (number 4) will be released in November but is available for pre-order now. Until then, you can still buy the others but beware they are each based on their own collection of bones, so for example if your children are into Gogos Crazy Bones series 3, get the series 3 book.

The Handbook is the ultimate read for any fan of Gogo’s Crazy Bones. It contains amazing facts and top statistics on all of the characters from the relevant series. There are also many different games to play, things to do and even a chance to design your own Gogo. It is priced quite cheaply for a book that your children will actually read or use for reading practice.

or The Toy Shop.

#5 Go Go Crazy Bones Bag

This little Gogos bag is great for your child to use to carry their bones in wherever they go. Each bag comes with one pack of three bones and three stickers and will carry about 30 bones of your child’s collection. The colours of the bags may vary as will the series the bones come from. A plastic bag would do the same job, but this has the ‘cool’ factor. The only downside is that the fabric could have been a bit more durable.

or Amazon.com.

If you want to know more about Gogos Crazy Bones, please check out our ’10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know’ article. Here you will learn the differences between the series and the different games that your child can play with these innovative little characters.

Related posts:

1. Gogos Crazy Bones – 10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know
2. Gogos Crazy Bones Mega Metropolis – What Is It All About?