I have a little boy so naturally I am always scoping out the best and latest toys that boys will love! For those of you shopping for boys, here are some holiday gift ideas to keep in mind.

EA Sports Sweet Spot Basketball: Okay so all kids love to shoot hoops. It’s almost a given that most kids are going to want a basketball goal in the driveway when they get old enough. Lucas loves his outdoor toy basketball goal and is constantly throwing the ball around the house. Until they are old enough to get them that huge outdoor hoop, you can get them the next best thing–the Sweet Spot Basketball by EA Sports and Toy Island. It hangs over any door like most indoor hoops but this one interacts with you. Every time you make a basket or hit the “sweet spot”, the crowd roars.

It comes with the over the door board and small size soft plastic basketball (which is nice to protect the valuables in the house). This is a great new twist on a classic toy. Find it at Toys R Us and major toy retailers for about $15.99. Look for Sweet Spot Baseball and Football too.

Animal Planet Toys Exclusively Sold at Toys R Us: Everyone should check out the new line of toys from Animal Planet. They are the perfect combination of learning, entertainment, and fun. There is also something for every child–boys, girls, even the babies. Everything from wooden playsets and stuffed animals, to puzzles and playmats, to games and DVDs. All of the toys–just like Animal Planet–feature animals of all kinds. Pretty much the entire animal kingdom is represented–sea animals, polar animals, safari animals or even dinosaurs (Lucas’ favorite). Animal Planet sent us the Polar Bear Playset, which comes with an adult polar bear that has moving parts, a baby polar bear, a polar fisherman and an ice platform. We also received the Foam Playmat which has 9 square foam pieces, each with a different animal on it, and all the pieces fit together into one big square playmat. Lucas really enjoys getting down on the mat with his dinosaurs and polar bear set and playing. You can just see his imagination at work. Toys like these can be a parents best friend. To purchase, visit your local Toys R Us or online.

Fisher-Price Handy Manny’s Fix It Motorcycle: The hit educational cartoon from Disney–Handy Manny–has come to life with a line of new toys by Fisher Price featuring none other than Manny and his tool friends. I had the opportunity to check out Manny’s Fix-it Motorcycle and this is such a cool toy–one of my favorites actually! Kids will feel like true mechanics when they play with Handy Manny’s Fix It Motorcycle–this is a role play toy at its finest! Kids can help Manny repair his motorcycle and even turn it into a beefed-up chopper. There are over 15 different repairs and customizations that Manny, his motorcycle, and his tool friends Rusty the Wrench and Felipe the Phillips Head Screwdriver will lead kids through.

Lucas loves playing with Manny! He still needs some help with the more detailed things like attaching some of the parts with the screwdriver, but he handles it really well (the toy is meant for 3 years and up because there are some small parts). Get Handy Manny’s Fix It Motorcycle at Toys R Us and other major toy retailers across the country for about $29.99.

Wowee Alive Baby Animals: I have never considered keeping a toy of Lucas’ for myself until now. These Wowee Alive pets are incredible. They are some of the most adorable stuffed animals I have ever seen. I first saw these at the Time to Play Holiday Toys Showcase in New York in October and I couldn’t put it down. Their fur, eyes, and the way they react to you as you handle them make them so life like. Pet and rub their head and back and they each make their own life like sounds that are unique to each animal. Their eyes and mouths move in such a realistic way. Then if you leave them alone they will sleep, start to snore and then turn off. These stuffed animals are great for boys or girls (or moms). I have had the chance to play with the husky, the koala bear, and the leopard cub, and they are each cute in their own way. I actually received the Koala to review and purchased the Leopard in the video as a gift–hence the reason it is still in the box. Out of the two–my favorite is the Leopard. He is so cute and realistic!

There are many animals to choose from like the ones I mentioned above plus a lion cub, a baby seal, a panda bear, and so on. Your kids will love these stuffed toys and…so will you.

Knockers: Knockers is a fun outdoor game that is very easy to set up and has simple game rules. The object of the game is to use a flying disc to knock the target off your opponent’s pole. The game sets up really quickly and comes with a carry case making it perfect to take with you to the park, the game, or just the backyard. You can play with as little as 2 people or as many as you wish. Mike and I have played it a few times and I have won both times. We are both very competitive and like to pick on each other quite a lot, but he is quite embarrassed that I beat him. He probably won’t be too happy that I have posted that for the whole world to see LOL. This game does prove one thing–it doesn’t have to be fancy and complex to be fun. While the price tag of $39.99 is a bit steep for this game, it is worth it if you have a tailgater or big football fan to cross off your Christmas list.

Jeep RC Vehicle: Now for the older boys in the house (older son or husband…which ever) you should check out the brand new remote control Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Radio Control Vehicle by Maisto. This Jeep come with huge tires to use “off-road” with a front grill bar and fake fog lights. The remote is designed to look like the jeep dashboard and it utilizes Maisto’s Tri-Channel Transmitter–so 3 people can play side-by-side.

Guys just seem to love anything to do with cars. Mike is definitely going to keep this jeep nice and warmed up for Lucas until he gets old enough to use it on his own LOL. Actually, Mike’s exact words after taking the Jeep Rubicon RC for a “test drive” were “This little baby is MINE.” I think he likes it. I guess if they can’t have the real thing then a smaller version is better than nothing. MSRP $29.99 at AllThingsJeep.com.

The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun Video Game for the Wii: Take control of Zak Saturday and his family the Saturdays, scientific explorers dedicated to discovering and protecting secret artifacts and mysterious creatures known as Cryptids. Using Zak’s unique powers and The Claw to battle enemies and swing through exciting environments, kids will also find, collect and interact with more than 30 never-before-seen Cryptids and record the details of each find in your very own Cryptipedia. Kids solve fun puzzles to locate hidden Cryptids and discover new paths as they fight against the dastardly V.V. Argost’s evil plot to control the Cryptids and rule the world.

Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks for the Wii: BEN 10 ALIEN FORCE: Vilgax Attacks is the latest game in the multi-million unit selling videogame franchise based on Cartoon Network’s hit television series, BEN 10 ALIEN FORCE. Players will experience an action packed adventure in the vast ALIEN FORCE universe, as they take Ben and the Omnitrix into outer space and alien home planets for the first time ever in the series. In an original storyline developed exclusively for the game, Ben will use ten of his alien forms – Echo Echo, Goop, Brainstorm, Chromastone, Big Chill, Humungousaur, Spidermonkey, Swampfire, Jet Ray, and Cannonbolt – and their special powers to battle his greatest enemy, Vilgax and an extreme team of fearsome foes in an effort to thwart a grand scheme to conquer the universe one planet at a time. Players will also get to journey to never-before-seen planets in an upgradeable spacecraft while blasting through asteroid fields and enemy ships. Offering a solid blend of combat, puzzle-solving and platform gameplay. Buy it at Amazon.com for $36.99 and free shipping.

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