Hello and welcome to our regular Monday roundup of the best of what's new in the shops for families. Take a look here for our previous gift ideas for all ages.
Boggle Flash
My name is Joanne and I am addicted to Boggle Flash.
Boggle is one of those classic games you'll know from your childhood - the original version consists of a cube which you shake to mix up the letters, then you have to try to create words from them.
This new electronic version has five cubes - each of them shows a random letter, and you swap them around to make as many words as you can in 90 seconds. So far so simple. But there is something about the combination of tactile game and mental challenge that is just really, really addictive. We kept wanting to have another go. I was playing this long after the children had gone to bed.
Good for travel, since all you need is a flat surface, and great for promoting spelling and vocabulary. But not the wrong sort of vocabulary, because there are no points for anything even vaguely sweary.
Suitable for age 8 and over, Boggle Flash is out now in all major toy stores, RRP £24.99. Currently on offer at Argos for £14.99
New vitamin range for children
Are your children coming down with winter coughs and colds? My house is like a permanent sick bay these days. A new range of supplements for children has just launched to help keep illness at bay.
The FitVits range of Multivitamin Gummi Bears and Omega 3 Sharks come in various fruity flavours, priced at £1.89 for a week's supply, and from £6.99 for a month's worth. Available in chemists and selected supermarkets.
Hasbro Games Night Vol 3
This is the third in the series bringing together popular Hasbro board games and turning them into electronic party games. This is a good value choice, since on one disc you get Game of Life, Cluedo, Mousetrap, Twister and Yahtzee. Mr Potato Head (last seen in Toy Story 3) is master of ceremonies
We did find some of the Americanisms in this a little offputting - in Game of Life we had to pay for college in dollars. But I guess our kids will have to get used to paying for college soon enough, so maybe this is a good feature to include. Twister bears little resemblance to the original, but over all we enjoyed this title and found it to be a good mash-up of old favourites. Fun to be had for all ages from around 5 and over.
Hasbro Family Games Night Vol 3 is out now for the Wii, XBOX and Playstation, RRP £24.99, currently at Asda for £17.91 with free delivery
Traditional games
If you think a Wii is something you need to cross your legs to avoid, then this range will be right up your street.
Online shop Winter's Moon is offering a range of traditional jigsaws and games, with the emphasis on old-fashioned charm. I love the vintage wooden shop game ( RRP £24) and this decidedly retro 1970's number puzzle (pictured here, RRP £10). No batteries required, what a relief.
Family film fun