Crafts & Fun

Page 3: Stocking stuffers under $20
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Scavenger Hunt for Kids (8+, Pazow!, $12) Nothing to do? This clever deck of cards is an instant boredom buster. From the simple (find someone in the phone book whose first name is John), to the challenging (find ten different things to stack on top of each other), to stuff that is just plain time consuming (count all the light switches in your house), these ready-made suggestions will keep kids busy and entertained.

Tricky Fingers (5+, Kod Kod International Games, $15) It is a simple design: an enclosed see-through acrylic box containing 16 plastic, marble-sized balls (four each of four colours), which rest on a five-by-five holed grid. Poke your fingers through the holes to dislodge and move the coloured balls into mosaic patterns matching 14 guide cards - or create your own patterns. Includes two puzzle boxes and 14 mosaic pattern cards.

GeoTrax Rail & Road System: Load 'em Up Gravel Co. (2+, Fisher-Price, $15) Clever magnets make it easy to load and unload the little pickup truck. This is our favourite in an assortment of affordable ($8Ð20) smaller GeoTrax play sets.

Magna Wheels (3+, Mattel, $15) Mix and match truck parts to suit different imaginary scenarios. With magnetic couplings and snap together parts, these well designed rescue and adventure sets enhance any truck-lover's toy box. Flashing lights and siren sounds add to the appeal.

Nature Kaleidoscope Kit (7+, Gemini Precision Products Ltd., $19) Start by assembling your own kaleidoscope. Then place a selection of tiny objects in the end chamber, and gaze through your newly created scope. The kit provides dried flowers, stone chips, and glass marbles, but you're encouraged to experiment with other objects - coloured paper clips, fancy buttons, even candy pieces - from around the house.

2003 Top Toy Guide
Babies	Toddlers	Preschoolers	School Agers	Preteens
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Where to find them Use our Pick-a-Present Tool to create a shopping list tailored to the kids on your list! Late-breaking toys

Originally published in Today's Parent, December 2003