Tech Gifts for Kids: The hot, the trendy, the now

By: Valerie Outmezguine

Gone are the days of simple gifts for kids – Popples, Pogo Balls, Rainbow Bright and Roller Racers. The youth of today know what they want, and it usually involves tech. Whether it’s because of a new trend or a product that their favourite celebrity is sporting at the moment, kids want the latest and greatest, and nothing seems to hit the spot as much as new technology.

But how do parents know which tech items are best suited for their children, and should age be a factor in determining what to buy?

With the holiday time crunch in mind, retailers like Staples have made it easy to choose the right tech for kids of all ages, helping parents purchase what’s cool and trendy.

For the wee ones who have caught on to (your) touch screen devices, the Vtech InnoTab 3 Learning Tablet is perfect for 3-9 year olds. It comes loaded with apps and a camera all to their own. For older kids the Google Nexus 7 is very cool. It has a 7 inch screen, 16GB and every core feature you need in a tablet.

If your teen has a passion for music, then headphones are the way to go. Beats by Dr. Dre produce high-definition sound, turning listening to music into an experience. The iRig Mix is a mobile mixer for iPhone, iPod touch or iPad, and is great for teens who want to experiment with DJing.

Many kids are into gaming and with PlayStation 4 and Xbox One hitting the shelves just before the holiday season, parents should be prepared. These two consoles are hot items this year. A couple of key games for either console are Call of Duty: Ghosts, and Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag.

And for those who just want to have fun, the go-to gift is the Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Camera. They come in a variety of colours and instantly print out photos, capturing fond moments with loved ones.

By Adam

November 25, 2013