Fun Stuff for Kids From Mattel, LEGO, Playmobil, Hasbro, Warner Bros., Kidrobot, NECA, and More Dec 14, 2020 By Mark Redfern and Austin Trunick Photography by Mark Redfern and Wendy Lynch Redfern Holiday Gift Guide 2020
While 2020 has been a hard year for adults, it’s also been tough on the kids. Many have been stuck doing virtual learning since March, staring at their teacher and classmates on Zoom or Google Meet rather than interacting in person. Amazing teachers the world over are doing the best they can considering the circumstances, but few would argue that virtual learning is anything but a poor substitute for the in-person experience. In-person playdates were a no-go for a while and then had to be outdoors (which is harder as the weather turns colder) and sometimes with masks on. And kids are picking up on the anxiety their parents and other family members are feeling. In worst-case scenarios, some children have lost parents or loved ones to COVID-19. Just like some adults living now survived 9/11 or lived through the Kennedy assassination or various wars and recessions, this period of history will be one today’s kids reflect back on and tell their kids and grandkids about. While not all parents have the means to spoil their children this holiday season, if you do have the funds then go for it, our kids deserve it and earned it after this trying year. In part 5 of our 2020 Holiday Gift Guide we present some toy gifts for kids. You might be a parent or grandparent yourself or you may have nieces or nephews or younger siblings. Whatever the case, we hope you find something fun for the kid in your life. Also check out part 4 of our Holiday Gift Guide, which centered on collectibles, some of which might also be good for kids (and a handful, but not all, of the kid-friendly collectible entries are also reprinted below).