Top 5 Alternative Boy Toys For Christmas

By: Robert Bryan
As is to be expected, the most popular toys for boys this Christmas (that's real boys - not grown-up boys) are almost all likely to be inspired by television or film characters. This list is an alternative because in my experience the toys of this type are usually soon discarded never to be played with again.

1. PicooZ Radio Controlled Helicopter. The PicooZ Helicopter is suitable for the over 7s to practice their flying skills. Although initially they may find it difficult to fly, they will soon master the technique and have great fun. The helicopter is very light but can be flown outdoors if there is little or no wind. Indoors it needs a good sized room to show its potential. Its great value for money and recommended.

2. Bop It Extreme 2 From Hasbro. The Bop It Extreme 2 is a brilliant product for the 8+ age group but which will keep the whole family entertained for hours. It looks a bit like a steering wheel with coloured knobs and buttons. The idea of the game is very simple but is actually very addictive. The aim is to test your reflexes by following instructions for as long as you can without pausing as the music and instructions get faster. Can be played on your own or as a group.

3. LEGO Mindstorms NXT The LEGO Mindstorms NXT is an excellent advanced Lego building kit. For anyone 11+ who is looking for an introduction to building robots you can create, build and program robots which can walk, talk, hear, touch and see! You can also amazingly use the Bluetooth on your mobile phone to send commands to your robot.

4. Tomy Pop Up Pirate Pop Up Pirate is a classic, fun simple game for all the family from age 4+. Players take it in turns to push a sword into a slot in a barrel. Each sword entering the barrel could trigger the pirate to pop up at any time, so there is a lot of suspense to the game.The loser is the first person to pop up the pirate. One of the big attractions of the game for parents is that no batteries are required!

5. EyeClops Multi-Zoom Bionic Eye TV Microscope The award-winning EyeClops Multi-Zoom Bionic Eye TV Microscope turns your television into a window onto a world you never see with the naked eye. The EyeClops is a hand held eye that allows you to view almost any object on any television screen at a choice of magnification of 100x, 200x or 400x its normal size. Common everyday items appear extraordinary. A perfect gift for that budding biologist in the family.

Fads and fashion can change quickly but you will not go far wrong by choosing a gift according to the boys age from this selection. The whole family will be able to join in and share the fun over Christmas and for many months after. Choosing and buying Christmas gifts or toys for boys need not be too stressful if you look and search online in plenty of time.