Gifts for the kids

‘Tis the season to enjoy the look on a child’s face when they open the perfect Christmas present. Make their Christmas with this selection of toys for the greatest holiday memories

A WINTER’S TALE

A beautifully illustrated picture book from a bestselling author is exactly the gift every child deserves. A sweet story with a humourous side, the plot involves Worm deep below the earth, who dreams of having more space and up above, while Bird sits alone through sun and rain and wind. The stunning artwork raises the tale of loneliness and belonging into being a life-affirming fable for children and adults alike. ‘The Worm and the Bird’ by Coralie BickfordSmith, available at all good bookshops nationwide, €16.99

I’M BATMAN!

Everyone is a Batman fan. From his toolbelt to the cool car, who can resist daydreaming about the Dark Knight and his adventures? Now, the Batbot Xtreme is here to make those adventures come true. One of the most sought-after toys this Christmas, the Batbot robot is two-feet tall and has projectile launchers, extendable wings, a voice changer, a hidden Batcycle and a trigger on his back to send out a super fist punch. Kids aged three to eight will have fun helping the Batbot defend Gotham City from all his evil super villains. Batbot Xtreme, available at Smyths Toys, €109.99

THE COLOUR OF CHRISTMAS

The Big Box of Colours is the ultimate case for every budding artist. Filled with two drawing pencils, eight watercolour paint blocks and two paint brushes, 18 wax crayons and 16 felt tips in a huge range of colours, it is beautifully presented in a wooden box. The box is illustrated with a stunning white woodland design. You can even customise the box by colouring the design! Every item has its place so it is easy to keep the collection in good order, which is always useful when it comes to kids and paints. Suitable for age nine and over. Djeco Big Box of Colours, available at Avoca, €44.50

FAMILY FUN

If you have ever wished the family could spend time together playing board games, then BrainBox Cities is the one to choose. The game isn’t just fun but it also helps to improve observation and memory skills, as well as increase your knowledge about the most iconic cities in the world. To play the game, you study a card for 10 seconds and then answer a question based on the roll of a die. If the question is answered correctly, the card is kept, and the person with the most number of cards is the winner. It’s fabulous family fun! BrainBox Cities of the World, available at Arnotts, €14.50

AN UN-EGGS-PECTED TREAT

The Hatchimals were the hottest toy last year and now Hatchimals Surprise is here. Hatch two adorable twin Hatchimals from one egg! Hold and tap on the egg and the Hatchimals inside will make little sounds that tell you how they feel. The twin creatures will talk, dance, sing, tell jokes, play games, say ‘I love you’ and, they’ll even bicker! Every kid from five onwards will love their Hatchimal twins just like one of the family. Hatchimals Surprise, available at Hamleys, €87

STYLE ESSENTIALS

Perfect for carrying out all those girly essentials, this bag has a cute sausage dog design. An ideal fashion look for any little one. Kid’s Sausage Dog Bag, available at M&S, €16

I, ROBOT

It’s never too early to start coding! Build one of five multi-functional robots and control them with the easy-to-use coding blocks on your tablet. You can choose between building Vernie the Robot, who walks and talks, Frankie the interactive cat who plays and purrs, the M.T.R.4 rolling rover, the Guitar4000 musical instrument or the Autobuilder, an automated production line which really builds mini LEGO models. Boost the creativity of boys and girls between the ages of seven and 12 years old. LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox, available at Argos, €151.99

PARTY TIME

Draw the party together with the fun of the Draw Something Party game, the tablet version of the social Draw Something game, based on the app of the same name. To play, you draw on the screen with your finger or the stylus - no drawing experience required! Choose a word on the card to draw, and if a team member shouts out the answer, your team wins coins. But if your team is too slow, the other team can steal and earn the coins. The game includes a game drawing tablet, stylus, 180-card deck, card box and game guide. Whether you draw the Mona Lisa or a stick-figure man, you’re guaranteed to have loads of fun! Draw Something Party Game, available at Early Learning Centre stores, €15