Last minute Christmas shopping

Christmas is coming soon.

One of the highlights of Christmas is getting a gift for the little ones. This is a wonderful opportunity to reward the young ones for good behaviour in 2015. On the contrary, if they did otherwise, they would probably fear that Santa will not be coming this year.

Yet as parents, it would take a hardened heart when it comes to pampering the little ones. Every parent was a child once. Like many, I loved the anticipation of gifts under the Christmas tree every Christmas Eve. The joy of unwrapping a present will probably the icing on the cake for many little kids come Christmas day. There are many different gifts one could get. Clothes, books, chocolates, you name them. The one thing that will almost 100% light up every kids face will be seeing their favourite toys unveiled before their very eyes. I know because I was a kid once.


Thus it will not be surprising to see parents searching high and low for the hottest toys or the best deal in department stores. The search for the best Christmas gift can be a daunting one. And if you are reading this without having prepared a gift, you would probably be stressed right now!
Drawing from past experiences, here is a list of toys that children would love and parents would approve for its significance and savings.

For the Adventurous Boys

Getting a gift for boys can be a tough decision. Being one myself and the father of two boys, it is not surprising to see gift request from boys changing every now and then.

Source : Hasbro Singapore

To be on the safe side, classics such as Transformers will be a fan favourite. Having grown up in the 80s and playing with them, as a Dad I would want the boys to share a little bit of my past. Thankfully they are still around till this day, endorsing their longevity in the world of toys. Great deals are aplenty as shops are offering discounts for certain models. Suitable for age 4 and up, this will make a great interactive gift for the kids. Choose between Autobot and Decepticon or get both for an Epic battle between Good and Evil.

Source : Hasbro Singapore

Some of the discounts we had found include Transformers Generations Leader Class going for a steep discounted $69.90 and Combiner Wars Legends where you can get 2 for $30.*

Source : Hasbro Singapore

If you are aiming for a hotshot toy for the child, the Nerf Blaster Sets will be a sure hit. A Nerf if perfect for Father and Child bonding. I would know since the family owns an array of Nerf blasters. It is the toy to get the child off static activities such as iPads and indulge in some real action. With both Father and son running up and down during a game of Nerf, it also promotes sportiness in the family. The Nerf blasters today also plays a part to promote creativity, The latest Nerf N-Strike Modulus ECS-10 Blaster has over 1000 possible combination in one blaster. That means a different toy every time.
Let your child come up with their own combination and you will be amaze.

Source : Hasbro Singapore

Another great way to bond with the child is to get the toy you always want as a child. Getting a toy you like before, would most likely mean you will play with it together with the child. As a Star Wars fan from the 1970s, the Light Saber has always been on the top of my list. When I saw the Star Wars Blade Builder Light Saber Set, I knew this will be perfect gift for me the kids. Not only can the boys can own their own Light Saber, they can build one themselves!
After watching 'The Force Awakens' with the boys, it will be hard to resist the Force!

Source : Hasbro Singapore

Not every toy needs to be associated with action figures. Another way to get toys for boys would be to get toys that align with their interest. Since my boys declared that they want to be chef when they grown up AND that their favourite food is Pizza, getting a Play-Doh Pizza Party Set seem to be a no brainer. There is even a great deal of buying a Pizza Party Set and any 1 Play Doh assorted set at $29,90.* Good deal in my books.

For the Angelic Girls

For a Dad with 2 boys, it would be hard to imagine the toys you can get for girls. Since I do have a younger sister, I know that Dolls and Play sets are firm favourites with young girls. It is the perfect make believe toy that creates hours of imagination and fun. Seeing how the wife dresses up at times, I suspect that she has been practising that when she was accessorizing the dolls when she was younger.

Source : Hasbro Singapore

These days choosing a doll or playset can be challenging given the wide variety available. For a start, the My Little Pony Equestria Grils Rainbow Rocks Sunset Shimmer time to Shine Doll ($19.90) and the My Little Pony Cutie Mark Magic Rarity Booktique ($39.90) should appeal to girls.

Source : Hasbro Singapore

Play-Doh works for girls too. Whip up the perfect Ice cream with this Playdoh Magic Swirl Ice Cream Set at a promotion price of $26.90*

Source : Hasbro Singapore

For the Tiny Tots

I remember when my boys were tiny tots, they love to crawl and subsequently run all over once they are mobile ( they still do!) . If you are in the market for toys for tots, aim for one that provides them with mobility on their own. Playskool Ride2Roll Scooter will be perfect as it grows with the kids by changing from a ride-on toy to a scooter when they are ready for it.

Source : Hasbro Singapore

Fun for family

Do you remember the times when you played games such as Monopoly , Risk or Mastermind?
As a child, I was staying with my cousins at Grandma's, these were the games of choice whenever we want to have fun. At the era when mobile devices was not even invented (Yes - there was a period when there were no mobile phones kids) , these are games that kept us occupied for hours to come.

Source : Hasbro Singapore

Games such as Monopoly helps us understood the concept of Money (the clever ones went on to use the knowledge of property investments to make big returns). It is never too early to start playing board games with kids, especially if Monopoly Junior Game is out for kids age 5 +.

Source : Hasbro Singapore

As for games like Mastermind, I loved how it tested my analytical abilities to cracking the code in the fastest times. Board games such as these guarantees hours of fun as a family. For an awesome package, purchase the Monopoly junior game and Mastermind at $39.9.*

Source : Hasbro Singapore

By the time you read this, it is not too late to head down to the store get the special gifts that will make your child happy. Just skip the gift wrapping stores as the queues for it would be twice as long as the check out queues.
If you need more gift ideas, check out the Hasbro Christmas Advent Calender for more great deals.

Have fun shopping and have a Merry Christmas ahead!
*Promotion valid at Toy 'R ' Us and major department store.

Disclosure 
 The Wacky Duo were provided selected toys for review for this post. All opinions are of our own.