Seasonal shopping suggestions: Toys for tots to teens

Do you have a wide range of ages to shop for this holiday season? Consider the following suggestions spanning the spectrum of grandkid ages and stages—all sampled and savored by my grandsons and me.

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5 screen-free gift ideas (toys!) for grandkids

Looking for unique toys that boast no screens?

Check out these goodies reviewed and recommended by my grandsons: a smart MP3 player and a smart top, plus a slap-happy penguin, a “green” doctor’s kit, and an art projector for ages 5 to 105.

Fun stuff!

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Baby shower gift ideas: 4 for grandmas to give

This time of year, gift ideas naturally lean toward what to give (and get) for the holidays.

Despite the season, though, there are still babies being born, still showers being thrown. Which means many grandmothers and others seek goodies for giving newborns and new moms.

Here are four of my recent favorite baby shower gifts, perfect for grandmas to give whether they prefer passing along presents of a practical sort or something sweet and sentimental.

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From Doggie Doo to Rummikub: Games galore from Pressman Toy and Goliath Games

The gifting season is upon us, and games never fail to fit the bill. Game gurus Pressman Toy and Goliath Games recently sent me more than a few of their faves for all ages to play and peruse with my local game boy (and grandson), James.

Some of the selections were silly, some challenging, all downright dandy for gift giving to grands.

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Retro '90s games your '80s and '90s kids will get a kick out of

Long, long ago, in what now seems an alternate universe, I had three daughters living at home, three daughters attending elementary school. Computers in the classroom were new, our home computer even newer. Games on both were DOS-based. And they. were. awesome. Especially in the pixel-dazzled eyes of my daughters.

At school, my girls and their friends clamored for computer time. Oregon Trail time, in particular. They so enjoyed attempting to survive the oft-deadly challenges of the trail west at school that we purchased the game — on 3.5-inch disk... or perhaps it was a 5.25-inch floppy — to play at home.

My girls (and my husband) spent hours at the screen hunting, scavenging, escaping bears, and crossing rivers as they traversed the seemingly never-ending Oregon Trail. Sometimes successfully, sometimes...

Continue reading the review in Grandma's Back Room...