For sure, buying gifts for the little ones can be stressful, especially when you’re always trying to outdo a previous gift while still throwing in element of surprise.

If the sheer number of tech toys or groovy gizmos available is making your mind whirl (and about to send you into panic mode), rest easy. SmartParents braved busy stores and shopping sites in search of the coolest tech-related toys and gadgets ― here’s our choice.

We have great gift ideas to suit every taste and price point, so make sure to scroll all the way to the end. And…you’re welcome!

Axis Drones Aerius

Price US$35/$51
From Amazon
What Hailed as the world’s smallest quadcopter, this tiny remote control aircraft will appeal to all drone enthusiasts, young and old, as well as aspiring pilots. While it doesn’t have GPS or automated flight capability, it’s perfect for little hands. Junior will have heaps of fun performing turns, twists, flips and rolls while flying it between narrow, hard-to-reach spaces. Available in black, blue, green, or orange, it comes with a full set of spares.
Parents say “It takes a while to get the hang of it, but once we did, my boys had so much fun. Impressive for that price point,” says dad-of-three David Lim.

Georgie ― Interactive Plush Electronic Puppy

Price US$93
From Amazon
What If the kiddos are pestering you for a pet, but you think they aren’t ready for one yet, look no further than this super-cute robotic Golden Retriever. He walks, barks and answers commands just like a real dog and is super soft to boot ― perfect for cuddles. Interactive and friendly, Georgie responds to 12 voice commands and is programmed with more than 100 random puppy actions. He high fives, sits down, plays tug-o-war and even falls asleep. Since he’s rechargeable, you save on batteries. This puppy comes with a rope toy, neck bandana, puppy training guide, plus a hang tag you can use as a collar and identification tag. The packaging doubles as a carrier.
Parents say “I bought this puppy for my son for his birthday, but I wished I kept him for myself! He is loads of fun, so lifelike and responsive. You have to speak clearly though,” notes Cassandra Simons, 38, mum to Janice 8 months and Alex 5.

Veho VMS-004 Discovery Deluxe USB Microscope

Price from US $51.84
From Amazon
What Got an inquisitive mind in the house? She’s going to love using this power-packed digital microscope to peer at everything. This neat piece of equipment has an inbuilt LED light and magnifies things up to 400 times to wow your mini-me with intricate details the naked eye simply can’t see. It connects via a USB and works with both the Mac and PC.
Parents say “It’s a great little toy to play with and provides hours of fun for kids,” notes dad-of-one Paul Saminathan.

VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch DX

Price $99.90
From Lamkins
What So much more than just a watch, this highly entertaining get is packed with fun games, a camera that takes pics and videos, plus a motion sensor. The sweat and splash-proof touch-screen smartwatch also has more than 50 3D digital and analog clock displays, an alarm, timer, stopwatch, voice recorder, calendar and calculator, so junior can work out simple math on the go!
Parents say “Both my daughter and nephew, aged 5, absolutely love this watch. They spend hours together taking photos and videos and recording our conversations!” says mum Elizabeth Tan.

Osmo Coding Game Kit for iPad

Price $114
From Apple Store Singapore
What This award-winning system fires up your child’s imagination by featuring tangible blocks in an interactive game to teach him the useful and very sought-after new skill ― coding! With the iPad as a base, the Coding, Masterpiece and Newton games in this kit offer activities that help your youngster understand programming, drawing and physics, as well as hone his problem-solving skills.
Parents say “I think I may have the next Steve Jobs in my house, my 6-year-old son absolutely loves this game and hardly ever puts it down,” says mum-of-one Reena Nair.

SelfieMic Selfie Stick Microphone

Price $75.90
From Qoo10
What Move over Taylor Swift, there’s a new diva in town! Bring out your sweetie’s inner pop star with this selfie stick cum karaoke microphone. Attach it to a smartphone, download the free StarMaker app and watch her sing, lip sync and perform to her favourite beats on her own or with “backup singers”. She can even add cool effects and filters to her recorded tracks and share them online with loved ones.
Parents say “It didn’t just keep my 9-year-old daughter entertained for hours, but also all of our guests at a recent party. Good fun and a great price. Highly recommended!” says mum Sharon Tan.

Sqord Activity Pod

Price US$39.95
From Amazon
What Not only does this fitness tracker count steps the way traditional ones do, it also allows kids to earn points for everyday activities and convert them into virtual rewards inside the cleverly designed smartphone app. The device tracks all kinds of on-land and off-land activities, so a race with the BFF to the canteen and weekend swims, even balloon fights, all translate into big points.
Parents say “I like that this device is all about play and fun and not about losing weight or getting fit. It encourages kids to adopt a healthy lifestyle and move more without shaming them about their weight,” says Paul.

ifrogz little rockerz

Price US$23.79
From Amazon
What Thanks to a built-in function, these headsets deliver crisp, clear sounds while protecting your peewee’s ears by not playing music over 85 decibels. Since these come in fun designs and colours, junior can listen to all of her favourite beats or play her favourite computer games in style.
Parents say “These headphones have been a life saver on every car trip! The sound is of good quality and the volume seems fine,” says dad-of-two Joseph Lim.

Amazon Fire Kids Edition Tablet

Price US$89.99
From Amazon
What Junior will no longer want your iPad or tablet once he claps eyes on this bad boy. It’s a full-fledged Fire tablet by the way with a seven-inch IPS monitor and front and rear cameras. Offers free and unlimited access to 10,000 kid-friendly books, movies, TV shows, educational apps, and games, plus 8 or 16GB of storage. Parental controls let you manage usage limits, content access and educational goals. Oh, did we mention that it comes with a two-year worry-free guarantee? “If they [the kids] break it, return it and we'll replace it for free. No questions asked,” Amazon promises.
Parents say “It’s lightweight and durable. My 3-year-old likes the learning apps and bubble pop games. Value for money,” enthuses mum Trisha Selvarajoo.

VTech Kidizoom Action Cam

Price $119.90
From Lamkins
What Strap this digital camera to your kiddo’s bike, skateboard helmet or bring it underwater during a swim and it will capture some of the most memorable thrills, spills and dives of his life. It features a 1.4-inch colour video camera LCD screen and takes videos, photos, stop-motion videos and time-lapse photos. Also included, fun photo effects, frames and filters your little one would love messing around with.
Parents say “It’s easy enough for my daughter to operate. She loves taking pictures all day long and it encourages her to go outdoors and be active,” says mum-of-two Karen Lee.

Interested to find other ways in which technology can play an integral role in yours and your little one’s life?

Check out SMARTgen Asia ― the coolest tech event for kids and parents in Singapore! Get set for lots of fun exploring and experiencing the latest technology! At the conference, hear from industry experts and learn handy strategies on how to future-proof your kids’ careers and help them get their dream jobs of the future!

Join us and prepare your child for a 21st century career. Get valuable advise from top industry players from Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, TripAdvisor, Uber and more...

We hope to see you at SmartGen 2018!

#SMARTgen #TheFutureisNOW #GetAGripOfOurFuture #SmartGen#TheFutureisNow
#OurChildren#Ourfuture

Main photo: iStock

Check out our other product reviews here.

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