"andrew"...i don't know man, that names sounds too serious for you...anyways...i have a six year old and a four year old...so can relate...over the years, i'm finding these passing 'fad' toys are completely useless...of course that's with my kids...they get them, don't even know how to use them, and after a day or two, the interest is gone and they break them and take them apart...my six year old is extremely unchallenged-he needs something that is always three steps ahead of the game-the only thing we have found to keep him interested/challenged is video games (i can't believe i'm actually saying that, as i've always been against the overuse of these things, fearing they would fry their brains)...but i'm finding they do the opposite (the right game of course, is key)...they have alot of 'educational' brain games these days for all ages to keep these kids brains stimulated...this is the age too that they start to enjoy board games-obviously age related ones, and these too can be very stimulating...i recently bought the board game 'i spy' for my two, it was an award winning 'educational' game, and it gets their brains working (and the parents)...there's my little girl next to me again asking me about that damn spiderman of yours..."why does it keep doing the same thing over and over again?? is there a dora one?" (sigh)
...anyways, point is, i never found anything meaningful or enjoyable with just 'toys' that don't do much, but that's just me, and those are just my kids...get up off your butt buck and get to the toy isles and get those little kiddies some good games that are good for 'em...and pick ME up a bottle of scotch while you're at it...
Kat
