Weapons of mass fun

One of the first toys you probably had growing up was a Nerf football…well, some sort of Nerf ball. They were simple enough in the beginning but before too long you wanted footballs with fins and whistles and all sorts of stuff that would make you throw like John Elway. Nerf balls are great fun and all, but we all know where the real power of Nerf lies – weapons.

Guns to be specific. You’d be hard pressed to find a more fun-yet-safe weapon than a Nerf gun. Over the years the Nerf arsenal has changed quite a bit and currently they find themselves once again going up against some seemingly tough competition, but let’s be honest…nothing beats Nerf. While at the toy store recently I was amazed at the number of ways companies will come up with to allow kids to shoot each other safely.

The original Lazer Tag. Looks a lot more fun that it was...and no match for Nerf.

Lasers and spit balls

“Laser tag” has become a somewhat common term these days, but there was a time when the name Lazer Tag meant something cool and different. The original Lazer Tag guns and accessories looked very cool – and frankly, they still do – but for all their futuristic style, the fun to be had was kind of limited. Not only did Lazer Tag guns have some trouble in the daylight, you couldn’t see where you were shooting. There was no way to see your shot, so you had no clue how close you were to hitting your target. Even though your shots were always straight, without anything to go by you couldn’t have any fun dodging bullets either. Despite the awesome commercials, you quickly realized that your dives into the dirt were unnecessary and Lazer Tag quickly lost its magic. However, to this day you still can’t bounce a Nerf dart of a series of mirrors to hit your target.

Nerf won the war against laser tag (and has several times since) but now on the shelves next to all the Nerf equipment are new weapons of war, spit ball guns. I don’t know how else to describe these guns because the ammo they use are little bits of paper. You fill up guns like the Max Force long range rifle with tiny paper bullets and add water, then pull the trigger and out comes a first class spit ball, and one that can supposedly fly 100 feet…not bad for a spit wad. And if spit balls aren’t really your bag, next to that gun was the Xploderz Xstormer gun that appears to work similarly, but instead of paper wads it shoots dissolving pellets. All in all, both of these Nerf alternatives work the same way and try to pawn themselves off as more “dangerous” than Nerf but still safe enough that parents won’t care. However, even though parents might see all these guns as safe, the one thing any savvy parent will notice is the need to constantly purchase ammo, something you don’t have to deal with as often in a Nerf world.

A spit ball gun. What happened to a simple drinking straw and spit ball?

This isn’t to say you don’t lose Nerf darts and bullets, but if you’re not too careless your Nerf ammo will last a long, long time. A single pack of Nerf darts will last a lot longer than 100 spit ball bullets that can only be used once. I guess you could say this makes the spit ball guns more like real guns, but who wants a real gun? Even as a kid, a Nerf gun was awesome because half the fun of backyard battles was trying to pick up your used bullets without getting shot. Nerf gun dodge ball. Even today, all I want is a gun I can take to the office and use to shoot my co-workers without any harm and limited annoyance, but a spit ball cannon doesn’t quite meet that requirement.

Office warfare

I’ve always had Nerf guns at work along with many other toys and video games. Video games aren’t for everyone and can be a total time suck, but a Nerf gun is instant gratification with little harm and risk. I have yet to find anyone that doesn’t enjoy squeezing off a few rounds of foam darts, regardless if they’re aiming at a stationary target or a person in the cubicle across the way. A lot of people say shooting real guns is very therapeutic and even though I’ve never shot a real gun before, I can tell you that unloading your Nerf gun in the office can be just as rewarding. And if you have a workplace like mine, then the appeal of Nerf spreads quickly and before too long you’re on the verge of all out war.

Nerf war, the perfect stress reliever for the workplace.

I took my Nerf Maverick to work and within a couple of weeks everyone else had guns too. I guess they were tired of not being able to defend themselves. With half the department armed and ready for a showdown at any minute, it made the work day a lot more enjoyable. Nerf guns are also easier to hide from the boss, so if you need to stash them in a hurry, you can. Of course, you can’t have epic battles all day long, so we would set up other toys and action figures as stationary targets to practice our accuracy, but as anyone who has ever spent time with a Nerf gun knows, they are not known for their accuracy or consistency. Even the fancier guns that require batteries and have motorized shooting aren’t all that great. So the trade-off with Nerf seems to be safety in exchange for power and accuracy, a sacrifice I’m willing to make in the name of fun.

Another great thing about Nerf guns are their variety. My weapon of choice at work is the Maverick, which is pretty tame to say the least, but if you have the means and motivation you can get a Nerf gun that is almost as intimidating as the real thing. Guns like the Nerf Vulcan cannon come with a tripod and claims of being able to shoot three rounds per second. Imagine pulling that bad boy out at work! The range of options in Nerf world let you be anyone from James Bond to Rambo. It’s safe to say there’s a Nerf gun that fits your style and your budget (and your job title).

Definitely quitting time.

Not your normal Nerf

Nerf guns are plenty of fun as-is for most people but that doesn’t mean you can’t make your Nerf weapons do more if you have the time, tools and creativity. You’ll find that the world of Nerf gun modding is pretty big and pretty fantastic. Some mods are purely cosmetic, often turning Nerf guns into favorite movie weapons. Other mods are designed to turn your previously safe Nerf into instruments of real power and destruction…of course, you probably don’t want to take your jacked up Nerf shotgun into the office, but this niche of Nerf is worth admiring.

Nerf will never die

If the last Nerf toy you had was a football, it might be time to give the name another look and see what it can offer. You might consider Nerf guns to be a little juvenile…and they are…but don’t underestimate Nerf’s ability to put some fun into your otherwise boring work day. Nerf has been giving kids of all ages safe fun for more than 40 years and if their current selection of weaponry is any clue, they don’t show any signs of changing that formula anytime soon. You just can’t stop Nerf!

Hopscotch

Okay, I can’t say for sure that this time honored game has been lost but I do know I haven’t seen many hopscotch courses on the sidewalks lately. Frankly, hopscotch never made much sense to me. You draw your squares and then you hop. Not very hard. When I played hopscotch with friends we tried to turn it into a real game. I grew up with a giant driveway so my friends and I had all the hopscotch real estate we could ask for and we took advantage of it.

Hopscotch. Boring until you add some real challenge.

Our hopscotch courses were more like obstacle courses than a few numbered squares. We applied the same rules but we drew more challenging outlines that included lava pits, giant spikes, wild animals and the always popular pendulum battle axe. Our landing zones were often far apart and small making the one-footed jump alone the challenge. If I remember correctly, we even had a point system setup for successful landings and certain zones, it was quite elaborate.

So maybe that’s what is missing from classic hopscotch – the game. Where’s the fun? Where’s the excitement…the drama…anyone can throw a rock and pick it up. Trying doing it from five yards away over a pit of snakes.

Tetherball

A popular recess game, tetherball was another game that never made sense to me. It was a ball on a rope hooked to a pole. I think I failed to see the “game” in it and none of my classmates really knew how to play tetherball so we always improvised, creating our own rules which meant no one really knew what the heck was going on. Unlike hopscotch, tetherball couldn’t be saved by creating new rules.

Tetherball might have made sense when a ball on a pole was high tech but by the time I was in elementary school, we had better ideas. The only thing tetherball was used for then was torture. My one clear memory of tetherball involved a kid in the grade ahead of me getting his hand wrapped up in the rope against the pole. This poor kid was just hanging from the pole crying for help with his arm getting squeezed by the rope. Ouch.

Red Rover, Red Rover

Kids running at each other...how bad can it be?

Speaking of pain, Red Rover is another summer game that doesn’t get the respect it deserves. Red Rover was invented on the school playground but made its way to the backyards of America with gusto. And much like tetherball, Red Rover was a simple game that made sense once upon a time but by the mid-80s was a guaranteed bruising. Red Rover was more or less banned from the schoolyard but my friends and I didn’t let that stop us as we took Red Rover to a new level at home. I admit, Red Rover was a brutal game, but that was the point. On one side, you had a line of kids all holding hands. On the other side you had a kid run full tilt at the line in attempts to break through their arms. What could go wrong?

There is, of course, a correct way to play the game but around my neighborhood Red Rover quickly turned into something not unlike a WWF main event. We all came up with ways to both break through the outstretched arms of our friendly opponents and also get around them. Some tried flips, others dives and some just relied on brute force and speed…none of which worked very well. I don’t recall any broken bones playing Red Rover, but there were plenty of bloody noses and scraped knees. Actually, maybe Red Rover is better lost to time, but then again, you have to build up your tolerance to pain somehow, right?

Roller Racer

With every summer comes new fads and the Roller Racer was no exception. I never had a Roller Racer but they were so cool! Part roller skate, part Sit-N-Spin, the Roller Racer was a toy that confused as much as it delighted. The first time I tried a Roller Racer I didn’t go anywhere. I just sat there trying to figure it out (probably swearing), eventually just using my feet to scoot along. Naturally, I thought the Roller Racer was a piece of crap, but once you figured it out, it couldn’t be beat. The Roller Racer was a near perfect balance of rewarding challenge, exercise, and speed. When you got good on the Roller Racer you felt awesome, like you just solved an ancient riddle, and if you could do tricks with a Roller Racer it was even more special. Of course, tricks on a Roller Racer basically meant being able to go backwards and do a 180 but hey, a trick is a trick.

The Roller Racer didn’t last long, probably due to its confusing method of motion, but I don’t see it being any different than the wiggle skateboards I see kids riding down my street on today. Their fun will pass just like the Roller Racer did. I might look for Roller Racer to make a comeback eventually, everything else does…and this time Roller Racer would most certainly be a “new and fun” way to exercise and burn off all that video game weight.

Jarts

Otherwise know as lawn darts, Jarts is another game kids of today will never know because of the so-called “danger” involved. Out of the box, Jarts isn’t much different than horseshoes; Opposing teams stand 10 yards apart and attempt to toss aerodynamically enhanced spikes into a ring on the ground. Okay, so Jarts was little more than throwing tiny javelins, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t fun and couldn’t be enjoyed properly. I am happy to report that none of my friends got hurt playing Jarts despite us doing our usual thing by turning a simple backyard game into something a bit more epic.

Look at how happy they are! We used to have fun with Jarts, why can't we now?

My friends and I did away with the teams and turned Jarts into a solo competition, each of us getting points depending on how close we got to the rings. We usually had several rings in the yard, each with different point values depending on their distance away from us. I know that doesn’t sound too special but consider that the rings were in the next door neighbor’s backyard with a tiny obstacle in-between…and that obstacle was the garage (or the house). Yes, we blindly threw mini spears over the roof hoping to land near the point rings. Of course, none of us were stupid enough to stand in the landing zone, which is apparently more than I can say for some kids because thanks to them, Jarts got banned in pretty much all of North America by the 1990s.

Get out there and play!

You may have noticed a pattern here. Most of these classic summer games haven’t been seen in 20 years due to their lack of safety. However, I’d like to go on record by saying that I never got hurt playing any of these games, nor did my friends (except that tetherball kid, but he wasn’t really a friend). Games are only as dangerous as kids make them, and…well…my friends and I did our part to up the risk factors, and while that was most stupid of us, I look back at those years with much fondness. Kids today will probably never experience many of the summer games I enjoyed, but I like to think that children are still doing their best to “improve” on the games of summer.

Want some more summer activity suggestions? Try these out:

-Backyard Shenanigans: Simple Backyard Toys for Spring

-Drench With Power: A Super Soaker Retrospective

-Too Much Awesome Podcast: Episode 5

Is this exciting? As a picture, no, but as an activity, slightly more.

Not long ago I found myself at my Norwegian professor’s house for a barbeque with other Norwegian students (ja, jeg kan snakke norsk, er det bra?), and during said barbeque the weather was just nice enough to make full use of his backyard for some bocce ball. I had never played, but apparently I was very good. Afterward it got me thinking about some other backyard games I’d played in my childhood, and since summer is peaking right around the corner, why don’t we cover some of these activities? Alright, let’s go!

Step One: Get a Yard

So we can start with bocce ball since that’s the most recent game I played. The game is incredibly simple with two teams lined up, each with four large ceramic balls (minds out of the gutter, please). One person tosses a smaller white ball and the teams attempt to toss their bocce balls closer to the white ball than the other team. Very, very simple. I’ve found the best method is to throw with a high arc rather than a roll. Most backyards are likely to bounce your bocce everywhere, but a high lob will result in your ball thumping down into the grass, thus losing momentum and stopping basically wherever you threw it. It’s simple science! Plus, it’s also very cheap to get into.

In the same vein is the game of lawn darts, though I forget is these are still outlawed. Why would they be outlawed? Because you’re hurling small javelins around. Eventually some kid got injured and the game was banned. If you can’t come upon one of these elusive deadly versions, I’d suggest Tic Tac Throw, a version of lawn darts that uses bean bags instead. You toss them into a tic tac toe board and try to get a tic tac toe, obviously. Safer than darts but still fun.

Maybe this is why croquet doesn't conjure images of excitement in kids' minds.

While horseshoes are simple enough, you really need a sand pit to play them correctly, and if you don’t have that in your backyard, then I don’t see much of a point. Croquet is another sport that requires your yard to have some form of shape before attempting play, but it’s simple enough to find a patch of grass flat enough or at least devoid of bumps enough to allow decent play. Naturally though, kids will see large wooden mallets and use them for anything other than croquet. It’s just the way nature works. As soon as you explain how you can strike one ball through another and it’s all over, you’ve lost them to the dark side of physics.

Step Two: Get Some Friends

Probably the best game for kids to play in their backyard is tag. If you don’t have a backyard big enough for tag or your kid doesn’t have enough friends for tag, well they just have a miserable childhood, don’t they? There are dozens of variations of tag from the simple “You’re It” version we all know and love to the more hardcore “Freeze Tag,” the advanced “Band-Aid Tag,” or even the ultimate huge party game, “Ghostbusters Tag” where four kids are the Ghostbusters and go around tagging the other kids, Ghosts in this scenario, sending them to an area designated the Containment Unit. When there is one kid left, he can free everyone else by running up to the Containment Unit and pressing something everyone decided is the Release Button and becoming a hero to the group. Then again if you’d rather not infringe on copyrights, just go with a simple Flag Tag where everyone has two flags clipped to their side and everyone attempts to be the last person who still has a flag on their side. They’ll get hours of really good exercise just trying to grab a little rubber flag from their once-friends, now naturally their most-scorned adversaries.

This has nothing to do with tag, but it was the first thing that popped up in Google for "tag," plus it has tigers.

This is just a short list of things to play with in a backyard, but give your kid the chance and they’ll think of something else to do. In the inevitable instance that it’s raining and you’d rather not have your kids all wet and muddy, declare that the floor is lava and let them spend the afternoon hopping from item to item in your living room. It’s really a choice between destroyed furniture or kids coated with mud. Tough call.

Kids, and some adults, can’t resist the chance to do some dangerous tricks on a patch of asphalt. As a matter of fact, give a twelve-year-old boy a 5×5 patch of concrete, and any wheel, and they will find a way to invent a new X-game.

I first saw a wave style skateboard in Walmart, and I spent five minutes trying to convince my roommate that it was a small oar for kayaking. When he told me that his little brother had one and that it was a new kind of skateboard, I lost it.

Small, Streamlined, and Champ-Building

Now that I’ve seen kids on these things, I think they are ingenious. Small, streamlined, and hard to use, these things make kids look impressive. Kids feel like champs knowing their parents could never get the hang of it.  This particular one has a bunch of bells and whistles, too, including flashing LED lights in the wheels (parents, remember how we only had sneakers that did that?) and a very trendy checkerboard pattern.

My stepsister did a lot of skateboarding, and she told me that a decent board, with brand-name wheels and all the right parts for tricks would cost over $200 where she used to buy gear.  Most waveboards today cost $75 or more. This little lightweight “Checkboard” by StreetWaveNow is only $35 on Amazon (granted, it isn’t endorsed by Tony Hawk or anybody, and it isn’t the name-brand Ripstik product).

It comes with a carrying case, tools, and a DVD that shows you how to ride it without falling and breaking your moneymaker.

Some parents might be concerned about safety issues, and yes, this combination of skateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding looks pretty treacherous. With such a low price, though, just snag a helmet and a tube of Neosporin to go with it.  It’s part of being a kid to fall down once in a while.

Now, if you’re an adult and want to try one of these puppies out, all I can say is good luck.

Are you ready for some scrapes and bruises?

Hey everyone out there: Spring’s coming up incredibly fast. Did you know this? Did you also know that along with spring comes good, or presumably better, weather? Well it does. That means that kids are once again going to want to be outside, so that means I need to give a rundown of more good outdoor toys beyond ride-on toys and Power Wheels. What sort of outdoor toys? Bikes and skates of course. Do you have one of either? Good, more chances for me to tell you about the bestselling toys as of right now.

Skates Belong To the Women

So let’s start with skates, shall we? I was awful on skates as a kid, either of the roller or the inline variety. As a result it was very important that I took the precaution to put a helmet on my stupid head, and in a surprise to no one, the top selling item related to skates is a helmet, specifically the Razor brand. The standard black is number one with the satin pink being a close second, meaning both boys and girls are getting outside and protecting their noggins. Good!

Good thing they make helmets look cool. Now put this on.

Now that we’ve got our helmets on, what do you suppose the most popular pair of skates is today, according to Amazon’s retail charts? That would be the Roller Derby Firestar Girl’s Roller. Yeah, that has the word “Roller” in the name twice. Deal with it boys. In fact, be prepared to deal with your shame for not having a single pair of skates in the top ten current bestselling items relating to skates. Items 3-7 are all girls’ skates, one pair of ice skates included. Then some knee pads. Then a Spiderman helmet/knee pad combo pack. Then carpet skates that I’m not going to mention because you’d have to be indoor to play with those. Boys, you don’t have a skate on the list until spot 11. You should be outside is what I’m thinking.

Seriously boys, learn how to ice skate and you'll always have friends.

Bikes Belong To Infants

Maybe the boys are leading the way in bikes instead? Once again the number one item is a helmet, so that’s a good start. Is it a boy’s helmet? Actually, it’s the Giro Me2 Infant Bike Helmet, particularly the one with a duck and a goose on it.  Okay, but that helmet looks sweet, not gonna lie.

Dang that goose looks happy. I'd like to be that happy with anything.

Anyway, after the typical bike accessories such as kneepads, bike locks, and a child seat, the first actual bike-like product is the Schwinn Roadster Trike. Okay, but the big kids have got stuff to see, right?

Not quite a bike but we're getting closer.

The next bike-like item is another tricycle, this time the Radio Flyer Classic Red Tricycle. At the very least we’re staying classic here since you just can’t beat Radio Flyer for one heck of a product. Even I had a Radio Flyer tricycle when I was a kid, or maybe my sister did. I don’t remember, but I know I rode one all the time. Not important.

Classic, but still not quite a bike, either.

Would you like to know how far down the list I had to travel to find an actual bike? Not a trike, not an accessory for a bike, but an actual bike? Number 55. And it’s a training bike. The PV Glider “Mini-Glider” 12-Inch Balance Training Bike by Glide Bikes to be exact. Number 55 there, and it’s a training bike. Hey, good to have the kids trained properly at least.

Boys, I know you're out there. Are you just not buying bikes or something?

There’s still plenty of time for you boys to reclaim some glory, and while you’re at it, it looks like you’ll meet a lot of girls. And infants. So get outside and play!

Wait, I'm not just repeating articles, am I?

Everybody is going green these days. It’s rather trendy to say the least, so it’s no surprise that toys are following the trend and selling big when it comes to eco-friendly categories. If you’d very much like to give your kids something fun to play with that they’re guaranteed to enjoy plus is quite possibly better for the environment in the long run, then good news because here’s an article about the top selling eco-friendly toys right this second.

Still Going Green It Seems

Do you remember me talking about the company Green Toys a while ago? I’m not here to judge; it was after all quite some time since that article. The reason I’m bringing them up is because they’re selling one heck of a lot of their toys right now with the number one green toy of them all being the Green Toys Tea Set that I went on about in my article. Someone must have been listening to me when I wrote the positive review or something. Of course they aren’t just a one-trick pony since they also have a cookware and dining set, a dump truck, and a sand playset. You know, things every kid should already have. The best part of all that is that none of those toys are particularly expensive with only the full cookware and dining set being over $30.

Dang it, now I want to go play in the sand.

Green toys may have a lot in the bestseller category, but they aren’t alone. Another company called i Play is doing quite fine for themselves until Apple decides to sue them for using a lowercase I in their company name. Their top item is the Green Sprouts Stacking Cup Set, yet another incredibly simple toy that happens to be a toy every kid should own. Heck, I had a set of these when I was a kid, but I’m sure this set is a lot better for the environment.

My set had much manlier colors though, but otherwise they looked the same.

If you’d prefer something way more advanced, check out Elenco Electronics’ Frightened Grasshopper Solar Powered Bug. I swear to you I didn’t just invent that thing, and even better, this robo-bug is only $7. That’s a deal no matter who you are.

Alright, I'll allow a robo-grasshopper, but as soon as we get robo-hornets I say we've gone too far.

Sprig Toys have a handful of bestsellers when it comes to construction vehicle toys if you’d rather not buy everything from Green Toys. Let the girls have their tea sets, us boys got stuff to dig and construct and whatnot. Then after we’re done with that maybe some more tea.

Once more, all I want to do now is go play in the sand.

Rounding out the bestsellers is Plan Toys with a couple items. What’s their highest selling item right now? A solid wood drum. That’s it. Just a little drum with a little mallet. While I’m all for kids having a toy drum, I’m not everyone. Plan Toys also has a doll house nursery set for the less noisy children, though I’m somewhat surprised to find out that the toy drum is $21 and the doll house set is $18. I must be really out of touch with my green side.

Yup, that's one wooden drum there.

So there you have it folks, a multitude of great eco-friendly toys at affordable prices. Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s once more time for tea.

I don't care, I'd still ride in the Barbie version.

I was insanely jealous of anyone who had a Power Wheels as a kid. Sure, I was fairly content with my Hot Wheels, but how was I supposed to compete with those kids that could ride around in their toy and laugh at me? I couldn’t, that’s how. And why? Because Power Wheels were beyond awesome. Let’s talk about why.

Imitation at the Heart of the Fun

As kids, one of the activities we most enjoy is imitating adults. Inversely, as adults, our favorite activity is imitating children, though that’s somewhat frowned upon despite it’s truth. If you consider some staples of children’s toys, you’ll see that consistent high-sellers are kitchen sets, vacuums, life-like dolls, phones, and steering wheels. It all makes sense as kids just love doing anything that they see adults do. So when someone comes along and decides to create a Jeep Wrangler that kids can drive around, Ham Radio included, is it any wonder that kids go nuts for these things?

Dang it, look how happy this kid looks! I want to be this kid!

While I didn’t have a Power Wheels, I had friends that did. I’d hop in their Barbie Jeep and roll around talking to Barbie because, forget you, it was freaking sweet. I was DRIVING a VEHICLE. No one was going to say I wasn’t cool because my little imagination was way above whatever the real world was doing. So what could be cooler than all that? How about a Kawasaki Power Wheels? Check and mate. The product even has the word “Ninja” in its full title, so there will be no convincing a child otherwise on the wonderfulness of said product.

An Expense Worth Making

And sadly you probably will want to convince them otherwise as Power Wheels, while cool, are crazy expensive. We’re talking past $200 expensive. I wish I had one as a kid, but I never questioned why my parents didn’t plunk the money for one of these bad boys. It’s a big investment to make and the only place to really use a Power Wheels is outside, meaning that if you live in an apartment complex, these kids are probably going to be unable to ride it anyway.

It's sad, because what kid wouldn't want to roam the open fields in one of these?

However, don’t let me deter those of you with ample space and money, plus a kid or two. A common complaint from parents these days is the lack of outside exercise kids get. Some things make for great incentives to get kids outside, and Power Wheels count as such an incentive. Even though they’re riding around in these they’ll be getting exercise. Trust me, no kid can resist a full-fledged imagination adventure involving a high-speed chase that leads to him hopping out of the car and sprinting around in circles fighting bad guys with an invisible katana. If I had a Power Wheels right now I’d totally do that.

That’s pretty much all there is to say about the wonder of Power Wheels. Any of you have fortunate enough childhoods to have Power Wheels? What are your thoughts on the matter? I’d like to know, so you need to post a comment.

Oh yeah, forget those video games because things just got awesome.

I’ve been hung up on video games a lot lately, and I apologize for that. There’s just been an abundance of games getting released in such a short time frame. Plus, it sounds as if half the US has been snowed in for a while. To make up for all this sitting around in front of the TV, I think it’s time to take a look at the complete opposite here and talk about getting those kids outside and on something that moves. No, not a car, not even a bike, but one of these handy active outdoor toys. Grab your helmets and kneepads and let’s talk about some popular ride-on toys.

So first off, the products I’m about to bring up are entirely safe for your child, but there will no doubt be numerous scrapes and bruises caused by using said products. Don’t worry! This is actually a good thing! Why, when I was a child, I’d injure myself on a regular basis. You ask any parent and they’ll tell you they nearly destroyed themselves as a child with the amount of outside activity they participated in, but would they change it? Of course not. Like I said, remember the helmet and you should be fine.

Some Toys Never Go Out of Style

Some of you might remember the big Razor Scooter craze that set in a few years back. Did you know that Razor Scooters are still one of the highest selling ride-on toys at this moment? It makes sense, too, as the lightweight scooters are only around $50 and provide simple entertainment for the energetic kid. I had one a few years back and found it to be pretty snazzy, despite my lack of skillz. It is a great way to get exercise and encourages families to go to parks and wander around for a bit.

Expect your kid to build at least one ramp after getting a Razor Scooter.

You want to know another ride-on toy I’m happy is still selling well? Radio Flyers. Heck yes. Also known as a little red wagon, the Radio Flyer brand is just built to withstand the test of time. Every kid worth his snuff needs a Radio Flyer at some point for either transporting mischief or racing down steep inclines towards doom and more scrapes. And that’s the way we liked it! A no-hassle Radio Flyer can price just under $80 if you know where to look.

For the more advanced kids out there, the option of the magnificent pogo stick is readily available to increase the chance of phenomenal wipeouts. Pogo sticks can cost anywhere from $30 to $150, but as long as it pogos you’re in for fun/frustration. The only thing deadlier on a frustration level is a paddleball toy.

If you can figure this thing out, congrats, you've surpassed me as a true kid.

I don’t particularly care what you’re riding as long as it’s outside away from TV’s and such. Oh, and no cheating kids! The iPod counts as a TV if you have videos on it, so no using those either! Time for fresh air and scrapped knees. If I don’t see more scraped knees by the end of the week, I’m going to be disappointed in each and every one of you.

Grab your sled and get out the door already.

Winter is fast approaching, and if you’ve been paying attention you may have noticed that the temperature outside has dropped to something near “Why can’t I feel my feet?” levels. That can only mean one thing: Snow will be here soon. That also means that your kids (and hopefully yourself) will be outside playing in the snow rather than situated in front of a TV screen. I’m all for video games, but when there’s snow, dang it, there is playing to be done!

Now, with snow you get the inevitable snowball fight. It’s important for kids to be prepared to defend themselves at a moment’s notice from balls of compacted frozen water being hurled from any and all directions.

Luckily it isn’t difficult to create your own snowball, but might I suggest an alternative that could possibly be considered cheating? Try out the Snow Baller, a tool used for making perfect snowballs and then launching them greater distances than your puny arm can muster alone. Plus, no frozen hands, so when your opponents are losing fingers from frostbite, you’re still raining frosty death upon them from a safe distance.

Even better though: The Snowball Blaster! Make three snowballs at once and fire it with lethal accuracy. You won’t have any friends left once you’re done, but who needs friends when you have a snowball gun?

Who needs friends when you've got one of these?

If war isn’t something you find particularly engaging, why not sled down a hill or two? There are tons of options for how best to coast along the top of a snowy incline, with standard sleds, snow discs, or snow tubes. There’s an item for just about anyone’s monetary needs here, so pay attention. The classic wooden sleds with steel runners will run you between $70 and $90, but sometimes you can’t beat a classic.

However, no one said you needed to be fancy. Do you have a shovel? Sit on the shovel part and away you go. Then again, if you’d rather not go too cheap but still want a real item with the purpose of sledding on snow, there’s always a handy snow disc, which range from $5 to $20 depending on size and brand stickers. Pretty much anything with a smooth surface can be converted into a makeshift sled, so the sky’s the limit (or should I say, the “ski’s” the limit? No, I shouldn’t).

See, pretty simple design to replicate.

All of this sledding is great, but what if you would rather be on a motorcycle? Okay, kids shouldn’t ride around on motorcycles, least of all when there is snow and ice everywhere, but low and behold, Wham-O, the company behind most of the items on this list, have also developed something called the Snow Hog, a thing that looks somewhat like a motorcycle sled. Honestly, if I were still a kid (which I am), I’d want to have one of these. The deluxe model will only run you between $50 or $60 depending on where you look.

Yeah, I'd really kinda like one of these.

But maybe racing down hills and attacking loved-ones with snow isn’t something you enjoy. Perhaps something more stationary, yet more elaborate than just constructing a snowman? There’s always the Snow Art Kit for the creative kids among us (which happens to be most kids out there). Even if you’d prefer to just make that snowman, the Snow Art Kit can assist with accessorizing so that your snowman is the most fabulous in the neighborhood.

Oh how darling. I mean manly. How manly and darling. Just go outside and play.

Always remember proper snow attire when playing in these winter wonderlands. Thick gloves, warm hats, galoshes, and most certainly long johns are important to suit up in, not to mention a good coat. However, parents, don’t bundle your kids so tight they can’t move a la The Christmas Story. They need that ease of flexibility if they’re expected to have any sort of a chance in a snowball fight or drifting around embankments.

In the case of Tonka, it wasn’t always plastic, though. The toy company that specialized in making miniature metal trucks was founded in 1946. Mound Metalcraft, as the company was originally named, was run by three partners, with the intent of selling gardening tools.

Tonka Started out with Gardening Tools

As a side project to their main business, the men began manufacturing metal toys. As it turned out, the toy sales skyrocketed and it soon became their primary business. They adopted the Dakota-Sioux word for “Great” as their company name and in 1955, Mound Metalcraft officially became Tonka Toys Incorporated.

The most recognizable and popular line of toys didn’t come until a decade later. The construction line featured various vehicles and construction equipment. The signature dump truck is what most people think of when they hear “Tonka truck.”

Click here for another vintage tonka trucks article from us. Over the past half century, these vintage toys have been keeping young kids entertained, even when the company made the switch from metal to plastic in the late ’80s. After all, a tough truck is still a tough truck, even if it’s been plasticized. Tonka also expanded early on to include girls in its market with a line of dolls and the original Pound Puppies.

Though the company was purchased by Hasbro in 1991, Tonka toys are still being made today, with a similar level of detail, much to the joy of many children. In fact, you can still find a good Tonka Truck for under $50. It’s a purchase that you only have to make once.

Blongo Ball, also referred to as Ladder Ball, consists of two plastic frames, each consisting of a vertical ladder with three rings.

The ‘blongo balls’ are actually pairs of balls that are attached to one another by a short length of rope.  By throwing these balls at the ladder, points are scored by successfully causing your thrown object to twine around an individual rung.

How to Play Blongo

Blongo Balls combines a number of aspects that make for a great outdoor game. It is simple to learn, and very accessible. It includes a large number of players, making it suitable for both smaller and larger events. As well, it is only mildly physically demanding, thus making for a casual and laid-back game, best played while relaxing on a summer day.

Extra blongo balls can be purchased in an accessory kit.

Since all the materials are light, Blongo Balls poses no safety risk for children, who might be put at risk by games with heavier or sharper implements such as lawn darts or croquet. The ladders are easily dismantled, making them easily transportable, but since the act of playing offers so little wear and tear, there is no threat of damaging your set. As well, it can be played both indoors and outdoors easily.

Being a very simple, but universal game, both children and adults may enjoy Blongo Balls. It would be equally useful in a phys. Ed classroom, or as part of a company’s bonding activity.  And while it is simple to learn, there is a certain knack to throwing the balls… meaning that with practice, players could begin to hone their skills over a period of time.

Due to its increasing popularity, Blongo Balls is a game that will continue to have a presence in years to come. The next time you are either looking for a lawn game to add to your collection, or are considering a new toy to enjoy on a vacation or trip, keep it in mind.

Then I grew up, had my own kids and am currently depriving them of the chance to cultivate fond pool memories.

Fortunately, now there are water tables like the Step 2 WaterWheel Play Table.  The star of this unit is the elevated “pool” which holds 4 gallons of water.  More than enough for my 5 year old to completely soak his little sister and give her diaper that lived-in look.

This outdoors toys is elevated to keep kids out of the dirt and mud, however, not too elevated that the little sister, aged 14 months, cannot participate.

Let’s take a look at the water wheel.  It’s an ingenious contraption composed of a large funnel mounted above a wheel which will spin when water is poured into the funnel.  This is very entertaining for children of all ages.  They have a burning desire to see how long they can keep water in the funnel and the wheel spinning.

Thankfully, to keep the cups in you kitchen cupboards where they belong and out of the backyard Step 2 has included a cup and two sailboats.  The two sailboats are a great idea for the family, like mine, which requires that siblings do what they do worst… share.

And when one gets their greedy grubby hands on both boats, daddy and the other can keep the wheel spinning!

This is “my first tricycle” done right: a newer version of the Rock, Roll & Ride Trike with a bit of an update with the caretaker in mind.  This is good news for me.

The trike is said to be just right for a wide age range of 18 months to 5 years because of the item’s versatility.  It can start as an indoor toy with a the handle set underneath as the base for a rocking toy.  The kids get the thrill of “riding” a bike with the safety of indoor play.  As the young ones want to toddle outside to explore this trike will go with them.

The base for the rocking toy converts into a handle so that the young ones may be pushed around without pain in adult backs.  The update for the Rock & Roll Trike is an increase in handle length by four inches, making it even easier on the grown-ups.  The push-bar is a wonderful invention and worth it’s weight in gold as far as this parent is concerned.

The wheels on this toy are the plastic kind that offer very little traction if all you have is gravel or grass on which to drive.  Our experience has found that the best bit of “road” for these wheels is a patch of concrete or a nice long sidewalk.  I have read of other parents wrapping rubber bands around the wheels to increase traction on grass and such.

Find the new Rock, Roll and Ride Trike here.

As the toddler gets control of his own wheels and moves in to the “I can do it myself” stage it is nice to know that the handle can be removed to create a “big kid trike.”  This one toy has moved from toddler to big kid toy without costing a dime extra.  Assuming the wheels last that long it could fit the kid for years to come.

The Zigo Leader is a true transformer: it can be ridden as a carrier bicycle, or the front carrier section can be used independently as a sleek jogging stroller.  Not only that, but the “ChildPod” can be attached to the back of a bicycle as a trailer.  How innovative – that’s three carriers in one.

As the Expo continues, we’ll publish our favorite product highlights.

Thanks to Playthings for the tip!

A West Virginia mother is seeking a recall of a popular walkie-talkie after her 3-year-old’s toy apparently intercepted a profanity-laced conversation between truckers about drugs and strip clubs.

Deborah Pancaro, 34, said she contacted Fisher-Price after she heard a conversation in which a man said “10-4″ and other things that led her to believe the device was relaying a CB radio conversation.

Radios as toys are not a new idea, but it is interesting to notice that the complain essentially stems from the fact that the toy in question here is working too well.

The walkie-talkie is supposed to have a range of about 20 feet, but Pancaro said she heard one of the voices say he was driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, about 275 miles north of Huntington.

Good thing for parents to keep in mind! The product is the Dora the Explorer Walkie-Talkie by Fisher-Price, and it is sold exclusively at Wal-Mart. There’s been no talk about a recall yet.

The Fisher-Price Smart Cycle is one of the most promising of these new toys. It’s essentially a stationary bike for young children, which hooks up to a television like other game consoles. Children must continue to pedal and steer to keep the game going. Several games are already available and more will surely be developed.

Mattel has latched on to this trend as well, releasing the Hot Wheels Electronic Speed Meter, which can clip on to a belt or bicycle, and measures speed. It also makes engine noises that get louder the faster you’re moving. The Hot Wheels Racing Timer records multiple timers and announces the winner with victory flags and applause.

Radica has also jumped on the kids’ fitness bandwagon with their baseball and football games. Unlike the Wii, however, these games use actual footage of the athletes, so that kids can pretend to be their favorite players. These games are also cheaper than the Wii, but with comparable graphics.

Of course, don’t forget about the classics—there’s still nothing wrong with a baseball glove.

Click here for more info on this year’s popular toys.

Sandboxes are safe, too, creating great areas for rambunctiousness.  There is no better place to practice headstands and other tumbling tricks except for indoor mats.

The best reason for considering a sandbox for your child is that it encourages outdoor fun.  Playing outdoors opens childen up to the greater ecology.  Many a bird-watcher and outdoorsmen got their fascination with nature from hours in sandbox, watching the animals in the backyard.  Precisely because more and more experts are encouraging outdoor play for childhood development, the sandbox is more attractive than ever before.

Of course, parents know that this is not true in the slightest!  Children love to help out and they enjoy having responsibilities if they are meaningful ones.  In traditional societies all around the world, children at the age of six are already adding substantive contributions to village life – and they still have plenty of time to horse around.  Being responsible does not mean that childhood is over.

Gardening with your children is one way to bring this fact home to the civilized world.  Toy gardening tools are perfectly sized for children’s hands and they are strong enough to do the real work of digging, hoeing and spading.  Gardening with kids is a wonderful way to get to spend time with your little ones in a constructive setting, and a natural one at that.