Dec. 18--"Elsa, Elsa, Elsa." We can hear Santa sighing -- but in his ho-ho-jovial way -- as he scans yet another letter with the "Frozen" star at the top of the list.
Savvy parents have already saved him the sourcing; many snapped up the My First Disney Princess Frozen Snow Glow Elsa Singing Doll ($49.99, amazon.com) and the Disney Frozen Sparkle Princess Elsa Doll ($24.66, amazon.com) before the first flakes fell. Those who didn't may find themselves paying a premium as supplies dwindle.
But "Frozen" is not the only hot (or cold) inspiration for kids' holiday wish lists. Here are 5 playful gifts under $50 for the tiniest tots up to tweens, most of which have no connection to screens whatsoever. (Note that toy prices fluctuate mysteriously; these were accurate at the time of typing. It pays to comparison-shop up to the moment you're ready to click to purchase.)
My First Disney Princess Frozen Snow Glow Elsa Singing Doll ($49.99, amazon.com) Experience the movie again (and again and again) as this doll repeats 15 sounds and phrases that the whole family probably is saying in their sleep by now. Touch her snowflake necklace and hear her talk to Olaf and friends; her dress illuminates at the sound of her voice. Raise her arm to light her snowflake necklace and cue the anthem "Let It Go." Olaf and three AAA batteries included. Ages 3-8.
Hot Wheels Street Hawk remote-controlled flying car ($49.99, toysrus.com) lands on both Toys R Us and Amazon's hot toys lists. Online reviewers say it earns its place there, with a combination of on-ground remote-controlled steering, plus the aerial performance of a plane that flies up to 200 feet in altitude. Ages 5 and up.
Thames Kosmos Crystal Growing set, ($39.99, toysrus.com): More than 1 million of these kits have sold, checking the STEM box and the FUN box. Kids attest to growing a rainbow of colorful geodes and crystals, which can be grown atop molded shapes like stars and dolphins. Kit includes three types of chemicals, dyes, plaster, clear chest with a locking lid and a 32-page full-color manual with experiments in crystal chemistry. (Note that many of them require jelly jars and distilled water.) Crystal growing time ranges from 24 hours to a week or more. Ages 10 and up.
The Nerf Rebelle Agent Bow Blaster ($24.99, amazon.com): Delayed gratification has finally arrived for fans of Katniss, Hawkeye and Merida. A major upgrade from last year's Heartbreaker model, the Agent Bow fires arrows instead of darts. The strings draw back to launch, rather than being ornamental. Arrows whistle as they travel up to 85 feet, landing decisively, but not so forcefully as to injure a little brother who finds himself, somehow, in the line of fire. Forgive Rebelle the gimmick of "secret messages" on arrows, decoded to reveal silliness such as "LOL" or "Run!" The electronic red dot sight is the only function that requires the two AAA batteries and isn't essential. You'll want more arrows: a refill pack is $6.99. Ages 8 and up.
LeapFrog LeapBand ($29.99, amazon.com): We were leery of this at first too. But while this is billed as an activity tracker, it's not about kicking off a lifetime of body-image anxiety at age 4. Animal avatars provide motivation to move -- even in the dead of winter -- with challenges such as "Pounce like a lion!" Kids earn points to unlock virtual pets and accessories as they complete physical challenges and games. Parent controls on LeapFrog Connect let you set play times, load up to 50 challenges and more. One tip and one caveat: Preload challenges and test-run it before your child opens the gift; setup takes some time. Also, this isn't the touch-screen that many kids know like the back of their hand. Ages 4-7.
