Best Toys for Boys

Great Gifts for Boys of All Ages

This cool scooter only has two wheels, but the back wheel is a full two inches wide, so it's very easy to ride. The wide deck allows room for both feet and the handle is adjustable. The whole thing folds up really small, too. Radio Flyer has been making high-quality toys forever (starting with the original Little Red Wagon) and we're not disappointed by the new scooter!

This is a serious costume for serious dress-up fun. All Aeromax costumes are detailed and authentic and they'll last and last. The new firefighter costume comes with an adjustable helmet, overalls and a jacket, plus adjustable suspenders!

While fairy princess dresses are everywhere, it's sometimes challenging to find cool dress-up clothes that boys like, but this firefighter costume is so authentic that it's sure to please. And it even comes in adult sizes!

I've said it before and I'll say it again. My favorite toy from Toy Fair was Food Chain Friends. They're five plush monsters that look like bugs, or dinosaurs, or aliens or some hybrid of the three. Each is larger than the last and they eat each other. (And all this consumption makes for convenient storage.)

The gamma set is all new monsters with a great, new story line behind them. They're funky and funny, they're soft and squishy, and somehow they never fail to crack me up.

Billy Fun Wheels is a clever remote-controlled car for preschoolers. The controller is shaped like a steering wheel and the car turns when the kids "steer" it. It's very intuitive and my 4-year-old got the hang of it right away. He loves that the headlights really light up, and loves to play with it in the dark.

Two buttons control forward and reverse, and one in the middle of the wheel honks the horn. I found that it required a piece of masking tape over the speaker, but I do that to many noisy toys. It's a quick fix that makes Billy Fun Wheels fun for the kids and tolerable for the adults.

Playmobil releases a new world each year and this year is all about Egypt. While the enormous pyramid is beautiful, it'll set you back around a hundred bucks. For under $50 I suggest the Royal Ship of Egypt, which comes with three figures and all sorts of accessories. The ship floats and runs on wheels when it's on land, and it can even be upgraded with an underwater motor. Such a cool set!

The Terra Kids Camping Light is a cool, kid-powered lantern that can really take a beating. Turn the crank to illuminate the LEDs and it stays lit for hours. It comes with a compass and a carabiner, too! This comes from the German toy company, Haba, which is known for its high-quality wooden toys and games. Their whole Terra Kids line is cool, durable and functional.

Slingz is a new invention for kids who ride scooters or skateboards. Sometimes they simply can't ride because the terrain isn't suitable or riding is prohibited, but it's a pain to carry the board around. With Slingz, kids simply loop the straps over two wheels and carry the board like a backpack. Works with scooters, too! (And it comes in pink if there's a female rider on your list!)

The LEGO Star Wars collection has been around for more than a decade now, and this latest product is an update to the Tie Fighter launched in 1999. The new LEGO Star Wars Darth Vader Tie Fighter has real firing action and comes with a Darth Vader mini figure. It has 251 pieces and sells for under $30.

Crayon Town from Wild Planet extends the play value of Crayola crayons into a terrific, 3-D world. Snap on the head and tail of a lion and the crayon becomes its body. Crayons hold up palm trees and the sign for the zoo, too.

Themes include the zoo, the construction site, a ranch, an airport and a neighborhood. The sets come with two large coloring mats that really help set the scene and you can print more mats for free from the Wild Planet website. We love crayons for boys and girls but my boys really responded to the Crayon Town sets.

Disney's Lenticular Cars are my son's favorite toys. The heavy, metal cars are each modeled after the popular characters from the movie Cars and their eyes blink when you tilt them. They're slightly larger than most die-cast cars and they put up with constant play without complaint. They cost about $4 apiece, which makes them a nice stocking stuffer.