What are the Top 5 Toys for Boys for 2016? I can hardly believe that it’s that time of year again. Time to start thinking about the holidays and what our kids want, or what we want them to have. Well…as I began to look around and peruse the catalogs that come in my mail, I thought I’d better start taking notes…
Lucky for me, I love toys! All kinds of toys! I consider myself a pretty good judge of what’s cool and what’s not when it comes to toys. I’ve got two kids (a boy and a girl), so I feel like I see it all!
Below is a list of what I think are the Top 5 Toys for Boys for 2016.
This list will be changing a lot I’m sure – you know…as the catalogs come in the mail, and we visit our friends’ houses and see exciting new toys, our opinion will quickly change. But don’t worry…I promise to keep you up to date on What’s Hot & What’s Not!
Here is what’s hot in my humble opinion…
LEGO Dimensions
Lego Dimensions is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller’s Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Xbox One and Xbox 360.
According to Wikipedia, Lego Dimensions features the same style of gameplay as the previous Lego games of Traveller’s Tales, in which up to two players control Lego minifigures based on various represented franchises.
Characters are entered into the game by placing their respective minifigures onto a USB toy pad, with each character possessing unique abilities that can be used to solve puzzles or reach hidden areas. In addition to the minifigures, players can also build models of vehicles, such as the Batmobile, TARDIS, Mystery Machine, or DeLorean, and put them into the game for characters to drive.
Unlike series such as Skylanders and Disney Infinity, the minifigures, vehicles, and the USB toy pad are all made from real Lego pieces and can be freely built and customised. The Starter Pack includes the toy pad and the game’s main story campaign, which revolves around Batman, Gandalf, and Wyldstyle, while additional levels are made available by purchasing Level Packs and Story Packs. All minifigures and vehicles can be used in any available level.
And if you’re worried that you’ll invest in this product and then there will be something to replace it next year, don’t worry. I’m pretty sure LEGO Dimensions will be around for a while. According to the article titled Lego Dimensions Gets 16 New Brands Including Harry Potter, Story Expansions And Battle Arenas, they have lots of future plans for this product. Plans that will span the ages – from young to old! Can’t wait to see where they go with this…
If you need more information, or want to see all the available products, you can visit the LEGO Dimensions Website.
Nerf N-Strike Elite Terrascout Remote Control Drone Blaster
I read about this cool toy on the Geeky-Gadgets Website. They said Hasbro has announced a new addition to their range of Nerf N-Strike equipment with the unveiling of the awesome Nerf N-Strike Elite TerraScout RC Drone, which takes the form of an fantastic remote-controlled battle drone.
As well as being remote-controlled, the drone also provides the ability to take down your enemies in style, and allows you to record the action in high definition 720p video. The onboard camera can also stream live footage directly to the remote control allowing you to navigate easily even when you or the drone is out of sight.
The Elite TerraScout RC Drone can be armed with up to 18 foam darts at a time allowing you to have plenty of ammunition to take down any intruders or threats that might be around the home.
I am 100% certain that once my son sees this toy, it will be at the top of his Christmas list. If it’s not, he’s going to get it anyway! How cool does this sound? You can sneak attack your buddies (or your mom), and attack her with soft, foam bullets.
And on top of that, he will able to video me (I mean his buddies) running away screaming in 720p! Impressive, right? I think we might need 2 of these so I can defend myself!
Air Hogs Helix Sentinel Drone
Now I think Air Hogs really has something cool here! They describe the Helix Sentinel this way: Experience RC flight from the cockpit with the Helix Sentinel Drone from Air Hogs! Secure your smart device (sold separately) inside the included goggles and Live Stream HD video as you take control from the first person view of a pilot!
The easy-to-operate Sentinel Drone flies indoors and outdoors and utilizes height lock stabilization and obstacle avoidance for a smooth piloting experience. Take to the skies with your feet on the ground with the HD Live Streaming Air Hogs Helix Sentinel Drone!
Another one I think my son will definitely be adding to his wish list. If not, I might put it on mine. We have had many Air Hogs toys, and we have been very pleased with all of them. In fact, my son also has the Air Hogs Helix Ion, a small indoor drone that we have played with for many hours.
In fact, you can read all about it in my article titled The DJI Phantom and Other Drones…What’s All the Fuss About? In this house, we are fans of Air Hogs toys!
Sony Playstation PS4 Pro
With PlayStation 4 Pro our goal is to deliver innovation in the form of cutting-edge visuals and graphics while in the midst of the PS4’s lifecycle. PS4 Pro, which launches November 10, 2016, for a suggested retail price of $399.99 USD ($499.99 CAD), enhances PS4 games by supporting the latest in imaging technology through 4K resolution and High Dynamic Range (HDR), as well as smoother frame rates.
Games that already look extraordinary on PS4 will look richer and more detailed, thanks to the more powerful GPU and faster CPU at the heart of PS4 Pro.
With more pixels, 4K’s higher resolution delivers graphics that are sharper and have greater detail than ever imagined. HDR enables visuals to look much closer to the way your eyes see the real world.
And for those of you who like to watch TV shows and movies through your gaming system using Netflix and other services, you will love this news…
We also know a lot of our fans watch movies, TV shows, and videos on their PS4, so we’re working with our partners who offer best-in-class streaming services to build new apps for PS4 Pro.
Netflix will launch a new app at the launch of PS4 Pro that supports 4K. YouTube is also developing a new 4K-compatible app for PS4 Pro.
Very cool, right? We currently have a WiiU Gaming Console, but I know that my son has been reading up on the Sony Playstation Gaming Consoles. I’m thinking this one might wind up under our Christmas tree. At least I sure hope it does…
Air Kicks Anti-Gravity Running Shoes
When reading up on these cool running shoes on the Geospaceplay Website, I got really excited. Almost as excited as I was when Santa left us a trampoline a few years ago….
Not only do AIR KICKS® Anti-Gravity Boots deliver a soft cushiony motion thats gentle on joints and bones, they also provide a sensational calorie-burning, coordination-building, leg-strengthening workout.
They feature high-traction non-marking treads that are safe to use on virtually any surface, indoors or out, and won’t mar floors! Popular for years, now we’ve made a great product even better with the release of the latest AIR KICKS design.
The new, improved wider boot design of AIR KICKS are more ergonomically shaped, so just three sizes (Small, Medium or Large) will fit virtually any foot, from 8-year olds to age 60 or more, male or female. That means it is easier to determine your size.
The new design retains the patented JUMPING JAX® technology, which utilizes heavy-duty, rubber T-Springs to capture and then transform downward energy into longer, low-impact strides that are gentle on the ankles, knees and back.
So…in my mind, this is something that everyone in the family would need to get, right? I can see us now happily hopping through the neighborhood in our AIR KICKS Anti-Gravity Boots! They say they are gentle on joints and bones, right?
Well, that’s perfect for this old lady. As long as I’d be able to stay up on them. Yep…I think I’m going to have to ask Santa for a pair of these in my size!
Other Toys to Consider…
Sphero SPRK+ Robotic Ball (Clear Edition)
The Sphero Website has great information on their robotic balls. The Sphero SPRK+ is Designed to inspire curiosity, creativity, and invention through connected play and coding, SPRK+ is far more than just a robot.
Powered by the Lightning Lab app, you can easily learn programming, complete hands-on activities, and share your creations with the community. Navigate a maze. Program a painting. Mimic the solar system. Swim across the water. Have a dance party… The only limit is your imagination.
SPRK+ and Lightning Lab allow you to collaborate with other users around the globe to innovate the world of education and empower anyone to program. Equipped with Bluetooth SMART and a strong scratch-resistant UV coating, SPRK+ takes hands-on learning up a notch.
Join the growing community of makers, students, instructors, and parents – all learning on the same social platform. SPRK+ will foster a love of robotics, coding, and STEAM principles… all through play. Learning is evolving. Get on the ball.
Now this is definitely something my son needs. Always asking about how to program things and “hack” various toys and computers, this is right up his alley. I’m sure this will be somewhere on this Wish List this year. If not, it will probably end up in his stocking anyway – his dad is an engineer!
New Nintendo 3DS XL
The New Nintendo 3DS XL system combines next-generation portable gaming with super-stable 3D technology and added control features. Take 3D photos, connect with friends, and enhance your gaming experiences with added amiibo support.
The New Nintendo 3DS XL system plays all Nintendo DS games. Nintendo DS games will not appear in 3D. AC Adapter sold separately. New Nintendo 3DS XL uses the same AC adapter as Nintendo DSi, Nintendo 3DS and 2DS. 3D Mode recommended for Ages 7+.
We are big Nintendo fans in this house. However, we do not have the New Nintendo 3DS XL yet… I have a feeling when my son reads about the 3D photos and some of the new games, he just might want one of these. Maybe he can sell some of his old ones first…
Cubelets Six
I read about these on the Modular Robotics Website. I learned that Cubelets Six is the perfect tool to explore robotics. Cubelets are a groundbreaking robot construction system designed for budding innovators ages four and up.
Cubelets were designed to teach the big lessons behind complex systems, design thinking, and emergence with tiny robots.
Cubelets Six comes complete with everything inventors young and old need to start building robots. The included Brick Adapters connect to your favorite brick-based construction systems bringing vivid motion and life to the toys you already own.
If you have a child interested in robotics, this is an excellent toy. Depending on the way you hook the different cubes together, your robot will do different things.
Each cube has a different job, so you take their job into consideration when placing them. That determines what your robot can do.
You can add extra cubes with various abilities to your set. There are very simple robots to be created, and some that are much more complicated. The instruction booklet describes each cube’s “power,” and different ways it can connect to work with other cubes.
So…time to make your list and check it twice! Hope all of this information helps you choose something for your kids. While you’re out shopping look for me – I’ll be the one in the ball cap with lots of shopping bags! And remember…shop ’til you drop…then crawl! Until next time…
