Gifts for kids

A game takes about 15 minutes, or play to 500 points for a longer evening. Three blank wild cards each take a house rule, such as everyone passing a card to the left, then wipe clean for new ones next time, and a Wild Swap Hands card shakes things up. The 112 cards carry colourblind-friendly symbols, for ages 7 and up. Merle Robbins, a barber in Reading, Ohio, made the first decks in 1971.

• 2–10 players, ages 7+
• About 15 minutes a game
• Colourblind-friendly symbols

What owners say: Owners call it hours of family fun and say the rules are simple enough for every age to pick up, so everyone from the youngest player up can join in. They’re happy with what it costs, too.

The pencils come pre-sharpened and are made for mixing and blending: try laying one colour lightly over another before reaching for a darker pencil. Sort them by colour family into a few cups or jars so the right shade is easy to find among a hundred, and keep a good handheld sharpener for even points. Crayola makes them from re-forested wood, in Brazil.

• 100 pre-sharpened colours
• For children and adults
• Leads made not to break

What owners say: Owners like the range of shades and say the pencils are tough, sharpening cleanly without the leads breaking every time. They find them very blendable, and say the set does just what they expected and is good value.

The magnets are sealed into the frames, and in sunlight the tiles throw rainbow shadows. A book of build ideas comes in the box, and working through one together makes a good first project for a three-year-old. There’s no storage bag, so a lidded bin or a fabric tote keeps all 110 pieces together between builds.

• 110 pieces with idea book
• For ages 3 and up
• Fits most other tile brands

What owners say: Owners rate the quality highly, some above their children’s building bricks, and find the magnets strong enough for ambitious builds; small hands manage them easily, and children of every age get pulled in.

Nylon bristles do the work, and the body is recycled plastic with no rubber coating and no animal hair. It’s light enough for a second one to live in a purse or carry-on. On very thick or heavily knotted hair, go in small sections and let the head give way rather than forcing a path; a wig or extensions get the same slow strokes, starting at the ends.

• Nylon bristles, sprung head
• All textures and lengths
• Recycled plastic body

What owners say: Tangles come loose without tugging, owners say, and it’s kind to the scalp; most call it fair value.

Each disc comes with notes on what it shows, and a knob on top brings the picture into focus; it’s sharpest about 3 m (10 ft) away. It doubles as a colour night light with 15 sleep sounds and a Bluetooth speaker, turns at one of two slow speeds, and can be set to go off after an hour or two; otherwise it stops at four hours.

• 13 discs of space pictures
• 15 sleep sounds, Bluetooth speaker
• Focus knob sharpens the picture

What owners say: Owners are delighted with it on the whole, though reports differ on how well it works.

Amber, mixed and white settings with stepless dimming from 10 to 100% run from a low glow late at night to bright light for fine print. Clip it to the back cover of a paperback or the edge of an e-reader and bend the gooseneck so the head sits just over the top of the page. Four lights show the charge left, a full charge takes about two hours, and it folds small for trips.

• 12–90 hours per charge
• 3 light colours, stepless dimming
• Lights both pages evenly

What owners say: A very good book light in owners’ eyes, with several brightness levels and a charge that runs for ages. The range of light colours, the low weight and a clip that grips firmly all go down well, and its looks win fans.

Alan R. Moon’s game won the Spiel des Jahres in 2004, and this is a refreshed edition of the original map, with 225 plastic trains, for 2 to 5 players aged 8 and up. Keep tickets hidden and only draw more when you’re confident of finishing them, as an unfinished one counts against you; long routes score far more than short ones, so it often pays to save cards for a big claim.

• 2–5 players, ages 8+
• Plays in 30–60 minutes
• Map from Vancouver to Miami

What owners say: Families find it quick to learn and set up, with a pace that never drags and a fair balance of strategy and luck. The pieces feel well made, and it keeps coming back out as a game the whole family enjoys.

The fan sounds come loud or soft, and the lullabies and nature sounds run from waves to birdsong. Brown noise is the deeper, rounder one to try if white sounds too hissy. The light has 10 brightness levels, timers run one to four hours or all night, and it comes back on at the last sound and volume.

• 30 sounds, including fans, rain
• 12-colour light, 10 levels
• Brown, pink and white noise

What owners say: Owners say it helps babies fall asleep and works just as well for grown-ups, with lots of sounds to pick from and a size that packs into a suitcase. Sound quality is where opinions differ.

IP67 keeps out sand and water. Two of them make a stereo pair: connect one to the phone, then hold the Bluetooth button on both for two seconds, and they play left and right in a tent or a hotel room. A USB-C cable comes in the box but no wall plug, so a phone charger or a laptop does the job, and Anker covers it for 24 months.

• Waterproof, dustproof and floats
• Up to 20 hours playtime
• Palm-sized

What owners say: The battery is what owners rave about, some saying they never come close to running it down. It’s small enough to travel well and loud for its size, though durability divides them.