HERE’S WHAT WE’RE LOVING FOR YOU
BY JAMIE DAVIS SMITH
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
I t’s the most wonderful time of the year! That means it’s time to make your list and check it twice.

Erica Card, store director and toy buyer from Child’s Play Toys & Books (with locations in
Washington D.C., and McLean and Arlington, Va.) along with D.C. area parents, share some of
their favorite picks for the season. From the tried-and-true to the brand new, see what’s popular this
year. They have some great picks for hard-working parents, too!
For the Kids
G BUILDING
Building toys help children develop skills in key areas
including problem solving, creativity and mathematics. Card
recommends Magna-Tiles. They grow with kids and come in
fun themes like dinosaurs and construction sites. Gratitrax, an
interactive track system, and Zig & Go, an evolved marble run,
are other great choices.

F CLASSIC TOYS
Classic toys are popular every year. Card
says LEGO is always hot, and this year is
no exception. Not only does building with
LEGO help build science, technology,
engineering and math (STEM) skills and
encourage imaginative play, but there
is something for everyone at all price
points. Choose from huge Star Wars
-themed sets like The Justifier,
LEGO Art or Disney themes.

Hot Wheels is another popular
classic toy with a lot of
versatility. Choose from
single cars or big sets
designed for “crashing.”
Playmobil and Brio
Trains are also popular,
timeless options,
says Card.

F ACTIVE TOYS
10 Washington FAMILY DECEMBER 2022
When it’s cold outside, D.C.

area parents look for ways to
keep kids active indoors. Some
parents swear by Stairslide
to turn any staircase into a
slide. Kids get their exercise
in running up and down the
stairs while pretending they
are at the playground. A Little
Partners Pikler Triangle is
perfect for little ones. Card
recommends Stomp Rocket.

Jumping launches indoor-safe
foam rockets and kids run to
find them to relaunch. Stomp
Rocket comes in fun themes
like glow-in-the-dark and cars.




YOUR FAMILY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
For more product reviews, visit nappaawards.com
CREATIVITY E GAMES
Card recommends Magic Mountain, a cooperative
game where families work together to defeat a villain,
and Sleeping Queens, a card game in which players
need to wake royalty. Seven Wonders Duel is a great
civilization-building game. Catan is a classic that is
now a simplified dice game.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
Art projects with a message are always in! Kids Crafts’
Brave Like Rosa needlepoint encourages kids to create a
craft with a purpose. Introduce kids to a new art form with a
Faber-Castell Do Art Pottery Studio or Quick Knit Loom.

E ON TREND
F STEM
Stay Curious and
Keep Exploring is a
fantastic book of 50
science experiments
families can do at home.

Card says Thames &
Kosmos products are
very popular for STEM
-themed gifts. Little
engineers (who also
love candy) will enjoy
assembling a working Candy Vending Machine. Or, opt
for a full lab setup with an Ooze Lab.

Sometimes kids want the latest new
thing. This year the Zuru Smashers
Dino Island Skull comes packed
with more than 30 toys that are only
revealed after smashing. Star Wars is
always on trend, and this year small,
plush Galactic Pals are popular. This
is the winter of Black Panther and the
Fierce Collection of highly detailed
dolls are a great choice. Miniland
dolls come in a diverse range to
look like almost anyone, from skin
color to glasses to a child with Down
syndrome. They show that everyone
is beautiful.

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