Great Holiday Family Gifts

by littleones.com, on November 25th, 2012

Family gifts are the perfect choice when searching for that special something to delight children of all ages. These bestselling children's games and toys span the gap from toddlers through pre-teens. The holidays are a wonderful time for sharing time with loved ones, and family gifts encourage cooperative play as well as having fun together. They are also handy for playdates, parties and more. Many of these products have received prestigious awards and high rankings in the areas of entertainment, educational value, versatility and quality. You'll find some old classics in addition to favorite new games. So let the good times roll!

Family Game Night Fun: Children love playing games! Whether on family night, a playdate or a rainy day, playing games is always a great choice. Luckily, board games and card games are relatively inexpensive and actually help to incorporate various ages, interests and skill levels of family members and visitors. Games also promote playing behaviors such as following the rules, taking turns, teamwork and most importantly, winning and losing graciously (a behavior that is still developing throughout much of childhood!) So check out these fun-filled top sellers.

Bananagrams Multiple-award winning, fast paced, educational word game for ages 7-adult. Addicting scrabble-like game that has requires no board and allows for numerous players.

Qwirkle Award winning wooden tiles game develops logic and strategy skills. This challenging family game has simple instructions that require players to match tile shapes and colors to earn points. Ages 8-adult.

Loopz Game Crazy new musical game of skill & action. Players must correctly repeat the sequence of lights and music by waving their hands through the semi-circular motion sensors. Features 7 different games including solo or group play. Way cool! Ages 5-teens.

Apples to Apples Party Box – The Game of Hilarious Comparisons Multiple award winning family & party game! Players pick cards that best describe the judge's card. Humorous comparisons of people, places and things. Includes over 1000 cards. Ages 12+. Also available Apples to Apples Junior – The Game of Crazy Comparisons!

Quiddler This short word card game is fast paced, easy to play and loads of fun. Each card is beautifully designed with letters of the alphabet. Gain points by arranging your entire hand into small words using 2 or more cards per word. Award winning family game for ages 8+.

.My First Games Set (Set of 4 Classics) Award winning board games!The ideal set of "first" games for non-readers! Set include the 4 following classics: Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders, Memory Game & Hi Ho Cherry-O! Young children practice matching, colors, counting skills and more while having fun. Ages 3-7.

Jenga Loads of thrills and excitement with this delicate stacking game. Remove wooden blocks one by one without letting the tower fall. Great family fun for everyone. Ages 6+.

Check out our complete recommended children's games lists:

Board Games For Younger Children (Toddler- Kindergarten)

Board Games & Card Games For Older Children (Ages 7- Adult)

Families With Younger Children: Toys that promote cooperative play are an excellent choice for families with young children. Building sets, puppet theaters, play tents & tunnels, as well as arts and crafts, encourage creative thinking skills and working together. These types of toys provide hours of playtime fun and can be used by children of all ages and abilities. They will be enjoyed for many years to come and can be passed down to the next generation.

.LEGO Duplo Ultimate Building Set – 71 Pieces Award winner! Colorful tub of building blocks for little fingers 18 months-5 years. Award winning toy provides hours of creative fun! LEGO also has a tremendous selection of building sets to delight children of all ages and interests. See Little Ones Special Feature: The Wonderful World of LEGOs. For additional suggestions see toy category: Building Sets & Creative Design Toys

LEGO Ultimate Building Set Great 405 piece starter kit includes sturdy storage tub, building plate, mini figure, windows, doors and wheels. Kit also contains instructions for 5 models plus ideas for 25 + models. See Little Ones Special Feature: The Wonderful World of LEGOs.

Transparent Marble Run Awesome 61 piece transparent marble run set including 16 marbles. Develops fine motor, and problem solving skills. Loads of excitement and creative play. Ages 4+.

Pacific Play Tents Playchute 10' ParachuteBright, rainbow colored 10 foot diameter play parachute promotes cooperative group play. Great for parties! Durable and machine washable with separate hand handles for easy control. Comes with convenient storage bag. Loads of active fun!

Pacific Play Tents See Me 6' Tunnel Pacific Play tents & tunnels are the leaders in playtime FUN!! Children absolutely LOVE this 6 foot play tunnel made from the finest quality 70 denier nylon and sturdy steel construction. Padded inner wires protect little knees plus the tunnel collapses flat for storage. Perfect for active toddlers! This tunnel connects with other Pacific Play Tents/Huts for additional adventures. Check out the entire line of Pacific Play products.

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Puppet Theater It's showtime! This quality wooden puppet theater is incredibly entertaining and boosts performer's self-esteem. Features sturdy construction, non-tip base, roomy backstage, velvet curtains, chalkboard, clock with movable hands and detailed designs. A childhood treasure for years and years of imaginative play. Ages 3+.

Play-Doh: Fun Factory Super Set Award winner! Winner of the Creativity Award, this Playdoh set includes over 35 cutters, design tools, an extruder machine, and 5 Playdoh colors. Hours upon hours of imaginative fun!

For additional toys choices, please see:

Recommended Children's Toys & Gifts

Active Family Fun: Keep children moving all year round with toys that encourage physical activity. They certainly will be "motivated to move" with these exciting products, sure to become instant favorites in your home. In addition to having fun, the secret benefits are that these types of toys promote gross motor (large muscle) development, coordination, concentration, cooperative team efforts and best of all, help children release all of that bottled up energy! Great choice for a variety of ages.

Cosmic Catch – Talking BallChallenging and incredibly fun game of catch! Talking ball calls the shots as players quickly pass the ball in a choice of 4 tricky games. Includes 1 durable electronic ball and 6 hand tags. Awesome party and family game, Ages 7-adult.

Nerf Cosmic Keep Away Electronic game of keep away is 3 different games in one. Talking ball gives commands as players try to keep the ball from being intercepted by their opponents. Loads of active fun for ages 7+.

Wild Planet Hyper Dash Get kids movin' with this outrageously fun, award winning game of speed and skill. Electronic tagger calls out the instructions. Race around to tag targets as fast as you can based on colors, numbers, tagging patterns, simple addition/subtraction problems and memory tasks. It's tricky! 4 different game modes allow for solo, pair or team play. Great for coordination.A big hit with kids and adults! Ages 7+

HOLIDAY DVDs: Start a holiday DVD collection with some of these favorites that kids will enjoy for years to come. DVD boxed sets are a little more expensive, but a great choice which includes numerous holiday specials.

The Original Christmas Classics (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer/Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town/Frosty the Snowman/Frosty Returns/Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol/Little Drummer Boy/Cricket on the Hearth)

A Charlie Brown Christmas [Blu-ray]

The Night Before Christmas Pop-up

The 12 Days of Christmas Anniversary Edition: A Pop-up Celebration

See additional holiday DVD suggestions at:

Little Ones Classic Holiday Books & DVDs

Little Ones "Twelve Weeks Before Christmas" Holiday Toy Series: This holiday series is designed to help parents and grandparents make smart choices by featuring outstanding/award winning "toys that teach," accompanied by reviews which highlight and explain the educational benefits and specific skills children receive from these types of toys.