I had the pleasure of being able to interview eBay Gadget and Toy Director and HiTechMommy's Cat Schwartz and get her ideas for gift giving for little ones. There is some good information and just have fun with it.
What do you think are good toys for children ages 6 months to 5 years old this year?
Below, please find eBay Toy and Gadget Director Catherine Schwartz’s top-ten toy picks for children six months to five years of age:
Jakks Pacific Eye Clops Bionic Eye – $49.99
Magnetix ICoaster – $84.99
Khet: The Laser Game – $44.95
The Game Of LIFE Twists and Turns Edition – $34.99
WowWee Dragon Fly – $49.99
SBI Maverick & Master Pogo Sticks – starting at $29.95
Find It Deluxe Edition – $32.50
Baby Einstein Rocket DVD – $17.99
Wii Play - $49.99
GarageBand Jam Pack - $99.00
Out of all the things you’ve purchased since having your son, what can’t you and/or he live without?
I've been thinking a lot about this one and when I came to my conclusion I cracked myself up! Out of all the gadgets and toys I have, the one thing Baby Jack and I both love is this silly bug light I bought on an impulse buy from Ikea. The light cost me $20.00, but has paid for itself time and time again in the amount it has comforted my son. It is always giving off a nice, warm green glow that has been a constant in Jack's room since I sleep-trained him. You can unplug the bug and place it anywhere. Now that he's a little older he uses the bug when he builds forts or hides from me in the closet.
Your readers can purchase one for themselves by clicking here:
eBay-IKEA Light-(Edited for formatting)
What is the absolute worst thing/toy you have bought that you’ve later regretted buying?
Of course it's a very loud toy. I bought this mock keyboard type toy when Jack was a little baby because I though it'd be cute for him to "make music." Well, the thing is WAY too loud and has no volume controls on it. Not only does it make piano sounds, but duck, cat, dog, and goat sounds as well. He loves this toy and I hate it, but I know it makes him happy so I endure "Marry Had A Little Lamb" in a barking dog tone day after day.
With Christmas fast approaching, what advice would you give to a single parent who wants their child to have a great Christmas but doesn’t have much extra money?
Look on eBay for all the hottest toys this season. Even better than saving money is the fact that it saves time. If you purchase items using Buy It Now on the site, you can be done you’re shopping easily and quickly and spend more time with the kids!
You can also use eBay to find toys that were popular before the holiday frenzy began. Looking for older models of hot toys also means you’ll be able to score some great deals.
With all of the recalls in the news, safety is a big concern. How do I know if what I buy for my kids is really safe for them to play with?
Always look at the consumer reports site for the latest recall info and also check out http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html, the CPSC site.
We travel a lot with our kids and my son brings his Leapster and my daughter doesn’t like to watch TV. What do you suggest to families with younger kids traveling this holiday season to help entertain them?
Disney makes some great gadgets for travel. They have the MixMax Multimedia player that lets kids watch videos on pre-loaded SD cards! I love this concept because you don't need to download a thing, just pop in the card. Disney also makes a really cool dual screen DVD player that easily connects onto any seat's headrest. Meaning that while you’re on the road, your kids will no longer have to share a screen.
We have a Nintendo Wii and our son turns 5 in a few months. We don’t own any age appropriate games for him to play but he does play educational computer and Leapster games. What do you suggest for him to play that’s just a fun, non-thinking game?
Check out the Petz games! So much fun. You take care of virtual pets and watch them thrive in the world you've created for them. They have dogs, cats, horses, and a whole new “Wild Animal” series coming out.
Our son watches TV occasionally and every time a commercial comes on he always says, “I want that”. We won’t give him everything he wants. What do you do as part of your holiday celebrations to help minimize the materialistic aspect of the Christmas season with your son?
I simply don't get him everything he wants. But, it’s a little easier for me since Baby Jack is only 18 months old and can't talk!
Do you have anything else you’d like to add or share with the readers on my site?
Moms, you are wonderful and you're doing a great job. Keep it up!