Gifts for kids

A game takes about 15 minutes, or play to 500 points for a longer evening. Three blank wild cards each take a house rule, such as everyone passing a card to the left, then wipe clean for new ones next time, and a Wild Swap Hands card shakes things up. The 112 cards carry colourblind-friendly symbols, for ages 7 and up. Merle Robbins, a barber in Reading, Ohio, made the first decks in 1971.

• 2–10 players, ages 7+
• About 15 minutes a game
• Colourblind-friendly symbols

What owners say: Owners call it hours of family fun and say the rules are simple enough for every age to pick up, so everyone from the youngest player up can join in. They’re happy with what it costs, too.

The pencils come pre-sharpened and are made for mixing and blending: try laying one colour lightly over another before reaching for a darker pencil. Sort them by colour family into a few cups or jars so the right shade is easy to find among a hundred, and keep a good handheld sharpener for even points. Crayola makes them from re-forested wood, in Brazil.

• 100 pre-sharpened colours
• For children and adults
• Leads made not to break

What owners say: Owners like the range of shades and say the pencils are tough, sharpening cleanly without the leads breaking every time. They find them very blendable, and say the set does just what they expected and is good value.

The magnets are sealed into the frames, and in sunlight the tiles throw rainbow shadows. A book of build ideas comes in the box, and working through one together makes a good first project for a three-year-old. There’s no storage bag, so a lidded bin or a fabric tote keeps all 110 pieces together between builds.

• 110 pieces with idea book
• For ages 3 and up
• Fits most other tile brands

What owners say: Owners rate the quality highly, some above their children’s building bricks, and find the magnets strong enough for ambitious builds; small hands manage them easily, and children of every age get pulled in.

There are 220 handcrafted, brightly painted beads and eight cords that cut to any length, for necklaces, bracelets or anklets. A strip of tape wrapped around a cut end makes a stiff tip that threads more easily, and Melissa & Doug suggests it for ages four to eight.

• 220 wooden beads
• Ages 4 to 8 (maker’s)
• Wooden sorting tray

What owners say: It’s a good kit for a four-year-old, parents find, and the quality of the wood, the colour options and the mix of beads all get praise.

Nylon bristles do the work, and the body is recycled plastic with no rubber coating and no animal hair. It’s light enough for a second one to live in a purse or carry-on. On very thick or heavily knotted hair, go in small sections and let the head give way rather than forcing a path; a wig or extensions get the same slow strokes, starting at the ends.

• Nylon bristles, sprung head
• All textures and lengths
• Recycled plastic body

What owners say: Tangles come loose without tugging, owners say, and it’s kind to the scalp; most call it fair value.

The 7-ply poplar blades carry 2 mm sponge under the rubber, and the maker rates them 90 out of 100 for control, 85 for spin and 80 for speed. The flared handles widen toward the end, so the paddle is less likely to slip in the hand.

• Set of 4 paddles
• 8 balls included
• Flared handles

What owners say: The look of the paddles wins praise, and owners find the set easy to take along and good for family play, though they’re split on how well it holds up.

A 10x25 pair weighing 272 g (9.6 oz), with BaK-4 prisms, fully multi-coated lenses, a bag, strap and lens cloth, and a three-year guarantee from Hontry. The barrels don’t fold very close together, so a young child may still see two circles instead of one; keep the strap around the neck on rocky paths.

• 10x magnification, 25 mm lenses
• Weighs 272 g (9.6 oz)
• Folds to palm size

What owners say: By owners’ accounts these are good, clear binoculars, compact, light and easy to carry, and practical.

Heads up: They’re water-repellent rather than waterproof, so put them back in their bag when the rain sets in.

Each disc comes with notes on what it shows, and a knob on top brings the picture into focus; it’s sharpest about 3 m (10 ft) away. It doubles as a colour night light with 15 sleep sounds and a Bluetooth speaker, turns at one of two slow speeds, and can be set to go off after an hour or two; otherwise it stops at four hours.

• 13 discs of space pictures
• 15 sleep sounds, Bluetooth speaker
• Focus knob sharpens the picture

What owners say: Owners are delighted with it on the whole, though reports differ on how well it works.

Amber, mixed and white settings with stepless dimming from 10 to 100% run from a low glow late at night to bright light for fine print. Clip it to the back cover of a paperback or the edge of an e-reader and bend the gooseneck so the head sits just over the top of the page. Four lights show the charge left, a full charge takes about two hours, and it folds small for trips.

• 12–90 hours per charge
• 3 light colours, stepless dimming
• Lights both pages evenly

What owners say: A very good book light in owners’ eyes, with several brightness levels and a charge that runs for ages. The range of light colours, the low weight and a clip that grips firmly all go down well, and its looks win fans.

Alan R. Moon’s game won the Spiel des Jahres in 2004, and this is a refreshed edition of the original map, with 225 plastic trains, for 2 to 5 players aged 8 and up. Keep tickets hidden and only draw more when you’re confident of finishing them, as an unfinished one counts against you; long routes score far more than short ones, so it often pays to save cards for a big claim.

• 2–5 players, ages 8+
• Plays in 30–60 minutes
• Map from Vancouver to Miami

What owners say: Families find it quick to learn and set up, with a pace that never drags and a fair balance of strategy and luck. The pieces feel well made, and it keeps coming back out as a game the whole family enjoys.