1. MOVIE MAGIC
Home theatres are all the rage.But who has room for a 75-inch TV? Small enough to fit in the palmof your hand, Kodak’s Pocket portable projector brings the big screen to any wall in the house. Simply connect it to your mobile device wirelessly and stream your favourite flicks. Or try it in the garden for a novel alfresco evening…
2. IN A SPIN
It’s the gadget setto top all Christmas lists this year. The i-Top is an electronic update of the classic tin spinning toy. Set to unleash competitive spirit around the dinner table, the device counts its revolutions to crown a winner, with tasks including the 99 challenge and compass mode. Made for kids, but likely to lure in Nan and Grandad too!
3. THREE OF THE BEST CODING TOYS
Know a tech-savvy tot with Silicon Valley in their sights? Then getone of these wrapped up and under the tree on the 25th. Fun, but educational too and guaranteed to keep little ones amused while you see tothe turkey.
1: Botley The Coding Robot
A friendly botthat can be programmedto manoeuvre an obstacle course and learn aword or two.
2. Sphero Bolt
Drive this robot on assault courses, controlledvia your smart device,and create gamesusing JavaScript.
3. LittleBits Electronic Music Inventor Kit
Build a synth guitar from electronic building blocks.
4. KIDS, ASSEMBLE!
Today’s kids need more than a makeshiftbed sheet-come-cape to feel like the superheroes they see on the big screen. The LittleBits Avengers Hero Inventor Kit lets tots and teens build their very own hi-tech hero gear, all thanks to electronic building blocks and a superhero training app, teaching them to create circuits and block codes along the way.
5. FEEL THE FORCE
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, kids had just a stick of chalk and a pavement to play with. Not any more. Sure to get Star Wars super-fans going, the Droid Inventor Kit by LittleBits lets teens and tots builda custom R2-D2 from scratch using electronic blocksand a useful app. Itcan even be moved withjust the wave of a hand. Shame it can’tbe programmed toclean the wholehouse…
6. THE RIGHT NOTE
BleepBleeps’ Benjamin Brushes are designed to get kids a little more excited about caring for their teeth. Stay with us. Thanks to an inbuilt, waterproof speaker at the base, kids can clean away to their favourite song(just download from the BleepBleeps app). Ta-da – that once torturoustwo minutes is nowover in a flash.
7. MINI TRAVELLER
The See-ya wheeled suitcase in Mint, Mustard (shown below), Pink and Rust, H40xW29xD16cm, £59,Olli Ella, is perfectfor a weekend away – it even has two elastic bands around the front so your child’s favourite softtoy can come along, too.
Wheeled suitcase, £59, olliella.com
8. BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS
Know a kid with places to be and people to see? Honey & Toast is here to ensure magnates-in-the-making can get on the move with all their essentials in tow, creating leather bags for little’uns. This one is particularly cute.
9. FIN TASTIC
Disney films don’t have to be the stuff of pure fantasy. Promising hours of fun in the pool, these recycled rubber Merfins are hooked on to feet to turn young ones into agile mermaids and mermen.
Not wanting to miss out, we deem them acceptable for adult use too.
We’ll be enquiring if they come in adult size…