Children’s Holiday Gift Guide - Inventive Games and Fan Favorites For Hours of Learning Fun

With the gift giving season right around the corner, inventive ideas that will stimulate a child’s imagination and highlight any learning concerns, outside of the technology realm, are worthy of the exhaustive search to find the new and unusual.

Blue Orange Games a unique board game, craft and educational toy company, located in San Francisco, offers a comprehensive, in-depth and far-reaching catalogue of inventive games that make learning fun.

Blue Orange Games are consistently named in the top ten by GeekBuzz, an independent board game listing services.

The Board Game Geek GeekBuzz measured the popularity of new games during the recent August convention based on on-going voting and Blue Orange games remained in the top 10 on the first day. One week after the opening, Scarabya was # 1, Blue Lagoon # 2 and Age of Giants # 3. This was strong proof that the new releases were very well received by the players.


Trendy Gear For Tots Review - Gifts To Keep Your Child Organized, Comfortable, Creative and Safe


A collection of interesting, unusual education games are available at from Blue Orange that will make learning fun!

Scarabya  - Ages 8 +

Scarabya is a tile-laying puzzle game designed by Bruno Cathala and Ludovic Maublanc, that includes unique gameplay and intricate components. By positioning pentomino tiles on individual boards, players create excavation zones of 1 to 4 squares that contain scarabs. The scarabs are then worth the size of the zone they are in. 

Blue Lagoon - Ages 8 +

Blue Lagoon, designed by Reiner Knizia, requires smart placement and anticipation to win. The area control and set collection game is won through the accumulation of points by collecting resources and settling on the islands. 

Kingdomino Expansion Age of Giants – Ages 8 +

Age of Giants was an expected hit following the fame of Kingdomino, Spiels des Jahres winner in 2017. The expansion, to be played with Kingdomino or Queendomino, adds new challenges, brings a new level of player interaction, and includes a domino dispenser tower. It also allows for a fifth player to join. 

Diggin' Dino Bones – Ages 4 +

Diggin' Dino Bones introduces paleontology and the study of T-Rex and all his pre-historic companions with a new twist. Diggin' Dino Bones puts the child with a team of excavators charged with excavating dinosaur bones and suddenly, with a little imagination, the child has gone from observer to participant. 

Word Q • Ages 8+ • $12.99

Choose a puzzle from the Word Q book and setup the letter tiles that are shown in the puzzle. Then, rearrange the letters in a grid-like configuration so they form words in every row and column.

Forty puzzles in different difficulty levels from Beginner to Word Q-Pro offer a variety of challenges.And the companion game Verbal Volley – Ages 8+ Awarded as A Brain Toy.

Play Nine • Ages 8+

Whether you own a set of clubs or just like pitch-and-putt, this golf-themed card game requires players to aim for the lowest score. Draw, flip and discard card values range from -5 (hole-in-one) to 12 (out of bounds). Ideal for 2 to 6 players.

Linkt™ Craft Kits Athena Necklace Kit • Ages 8+ 

One of nine titles under the Linkt brand, these gorgeous jewelry kits are works of art, created by small hands!

Winner of multiple awards including ASTRA Best Toys For Kids 2017 (Bubble Loops® by Linkt® Craft Kits), Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award (Hoops & Loops by Linkt® Craft Kits), Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award(Spinning Halos@ by Linkt® Craft Kits), Parent Approved by Today's Parent Canada (Spinning Halos@ by Linkt® Craft Kits) and Top 5 Innovations of 2017- Association for Creative Industries (formerly Craft & Hobby Association).


Spring Travel Gift Guide - Enjoy, Relax, Rewind


Camp Antics • Ages 8+

The children’s board game of summer camp adventures, mischief, and activities. Players travel around the board and experience camp life; one circuit of the board is equivalent to one day of camp. The player with the most points at the end of camp is the winner.

The set-up is versatile, allowing anywhere from 1-4 players, and 1-7 days of camp. There are also three different levels of play, allowing the game to grow with your child. Throughout the game play, children will be learning new things and developing their existing skills and abilities including: strategic thinking, social interactions, weighing risk against rewards, basic math, reading, vocabulary, what life is like at a summer camp, and new outdoor activities not yet experienced. 

CampAntics™ also teaches basic moral values. This is accomplished through the rules, Mischief cards, Announcement cards, and design of the game board. Examples of moral lessons: bullying is wrong, listen to those in charge, and boys don’t belong in the girls’ cabins.  

SuperCool Slime and The Original Super Cool Slime Lab

The hottest give giving idea that will have kids squealing in delight is the newest Super Cool Slime.

Original Super Cool Slime® by parent company Kangaroo Manufacturing has expanded its collection with the hottest trends in the toy world – unicorns, emojis and (ahem) poop.

Emoji Poop Slime and Glow In The Dark Slime, $4.95 each, make terrific stocking stuffers, dreidel game or classroom Secret Santa gifts. Likewise, Unicorn Poop Slime appeals to the daintiest kids on your list.Jurassic World Slime in Indoraptor black or T. Rex Cryptogenic green guarantee a dino-good time of hands-on fun.

Each themed glop comes in an appealing container that resembles a chemistry beaker. Tilt it, pour it and let the squishing begin. Surprise each recipient on your list with a little science lesson. Tell them to enjoy their non-Newtonian fluid! Then watch them “Google” the chemistry lesson. Kids already familiar with the slow drip of ketchup or honey will recognize the same properties in gooey slime. 

If there’s a budding scientist in the house, consider The Original Super Cool Slime Lab. The boxed kit boasts 18 pieces, including measuring cups, mixing sticks and a slime activator that results in a jar of glitter slime, glow in the dark and multi-color slime. Now that’s super cool!

Look for these kid-pleasing presents online and at craft, party and specialty stores including TJ Max, Marshalls, HomeGoods, AC Moore, Party City, Learning Express and Hobby Lobby shops nationwide.

Make this Christmas a holiday to remember. For more information follow this link

 

Images and product descriptions courtesy of Blue Orange Children Games; Art Direction and content in part by Janet Walker

Haute Tease