Next up in our Holiday Tech Gifts series: the coolest games and tech toys for preschoolers and kindergartners. We always love tech toys that build imagination, educate and inspire–just like any toy. And how great that technology is offering so many fun new options! Here, 10 of our very favorites for 2012.
[Also, don’t miss our AMAZING giveaway below!]
Nabi Tablet
A lot of tablets for kids were introduced this year and this Android tablet is easily the best of the bunch. With 8 GB of storage expandable up to 64, cloud storage, and WiFi and Bluetooth compatibility, it’s a fairly powerful little tablet disguised as a rugged, toddler-impervious tech toy. There are 500 curated kids apps to choose from right off the bat, with more to come. Plus streaming video that parents can feel good about. This is definitely the tablet that will grow with your kid and totally worth the price. ($199 at Nabi or at Target plus $2.99/mo for Spinlets+ Kid-Safe Streaming TV)
Crayola DigiTools for iPad
Griffin + Crayola let kids use the tablet as a canvas in really innovative, creative ways with styluses, stampers and animation. Even glasses so you can get the most out of the 3-D tool. ($19.99 each, or $39.99 for all three, the Griffin Store)
Brave for Nintendo DS
Hooray for every girl’s new favorite animated hero, now come to life in this game for DS. Early graders should find it the right amount challenging…and the right amount scary. ($24.99, Target)
Boogie Board LCD Writing Tablet
This completely fun tablet lets kids draw, write note, scribble or doodle with a stylus–or even a fingernail. Our kids haven’t grown bored of it yet, and on road trips, it sure beats melted crayons on the car upholstery. ($39.95 at Amazon)
Fisher Price Camera
Just like the one Mommy and Daddy had when we were kids. And we’re totally not getting it to borrow it. No, not at all. ($19.99, Fat Brain Toys
Oregon Scientific Fun Movie Cam
Mount it to a bike with the included hardware, or use it underwater up to 9 feet–kids about 5+ will have a blast  making heir own films anywhere they go. ($43 on sale, Fab.com; click for invitation link)
Replogle Deluxe Learning Globe
This interactive globe not only teaches kids tons of facts about cities, countries and continents when you touch it with the Intellipen, it’s got three educational games to keep things interesting. We really love that a USB connection lets you update more lessons and new content, should say, the former USSR split into even more countries some day. ($129.99, Magic Beans)
Inflatable Remote Control R2D2
Your kindergartener may have a new best friend. One who will spend a whole lot of time with your child, but not eat all of your Pirate’s Booty. That’s a good friend! ($49.99, Think Geek)
Tag US Map Jumbo Puzzle
Ever wonder how some preschoolers already know every state and capital? Here you go. The great thing about this map that it’s fun even when you go analog because the Tag pen is somewhere between the couch cushions. ($19.99, Leapfrog; required Tag pen not included)
Your old iPad 2
If you’d never in a million years hand your brand new iPad over to your kids, consider handing down your old first or second generation iPad. Load it up with age-appropriate apps and just be sure to include a serious case like the Otterbox case for iPad. (iPad 2 $399 or free if you already own it; cases $89, Otterbox)
For more cool holiday gift ideas for younger kids, don’t miss our 2012 Holiday Gift Guide on Cool Mom Picks.
Update: This contest is now closed. Â Congratulations to our winner, Betsy M!
EXTRA-EXTRA-COOL: WIN IT! We’ve got an amazing Tech Prize Package worth over $600 up for grabs for one lucky winner! WHOO!
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love the fisher price camera! reminds me of childhood!
My son loves to play with our iPad and would love the Crayola DigiTools.
The Tag US Map puzzle – fantastic if you already have a pen!
My kids love using our ipad. They would love the Crayola DigiTools!
I think the Crayola DigiTools would be used most in my house. Supa-cute!
R2d2 wins, but the nabi is nifty too
The remote controlled R2D2 would get the most use at our house. Hopefully my husband could be coaxed into sharing with our toddler!
The Nabi looks like a lot of fun!
Oregon Scientific Fun Movie Cam
My son will be turning 2 next month and he already loves to be behind the video camera while at home.
I love the Nabi Tablet!
I like the LCD board idea for the car, and I have never heard of the crayola digitool. But who wouldn’t love a tablet for their kids…at least to keep them off your own.
love those crayola digitools. so cool. my daughter would definitely be into that on my ipad.
Replogle Deluxe Learning Globe sounds great, and I know my daughter would love it!
Brave is huge in our house…
I love the boogie board. I’ve also seen one that sends your notes to Evernote. How cool would that be for Mom! (I mean for the kids!)
LOVE the Fisher Price camera! But my boys would love the R2D2 or the map. 🙂
Love the Boogie Board:) Looks so cool and the old-school fisher price camera too!
MY kids would love the nabi. I would love the nabi for the chores application it has
I love all the drawing tools for the tech gadgets – my kids’ll love ’em!
love the Nabi tablet
Would love to have the Nabi tablet fo my 1 1/2 year old son. He is always sneaking off with both my and his father’s cell phones – and it just kills our batteries! It would be great if he could finally have a kid-frindly device of his own that we don’t have to wrestle back out of his hands 🙂
In our household, R2D2 would win hands down!
Definitely the Crayola Digitools, although the Globe is a close second.
Love the Fisher Price Camera!
The crayola Digitools look so great!
My kids would love the Oregon Scientific fun movie cam.
I love the Remote Control R2D2!
My kids would love the Replogle Deluxe Learning Globe!
Definitely the Nabi Tablet!
My preschooler is a HUGE star wars fan (thanks to big brother) and would LOVE the R2D2 remote control. He would have so much fun with that. A lot of great cool ideas featured!
All are great – but really digging the learning globe!
Oooh fun! It’s hard to pick just one from this list. I guess I like the movie cam the best – I wish I had one when I was young.
My kids would LOVE the remote control R2D2!
I’d love the Nabi for Eli.
I love the inflatable R2D2 for my nephew who’s has been a star wars fan since birth 🙂
My star wars obsessed household would love the rc R2D2.
The globe and Brave game would be the biggest hits!
the movie camera!
I love the Nabi tablet!
Loving the Boogie Board LCD Writing Tablet….I’m dreaming of a table without pen and marker “scars”.
I love that R2D2 Robot. I think my 7-yr-old would love it too!
I think I want some of those Boogie Board things for my kids. They are big into drawing.
Definitely the Nabi Tablet for my daughter!!
I love the inflatable remote R2D2. Perfect for my Star Wars fan!
The Inflatable Remote Control R2D2. My 6-year-old nephew would love to fly this thing around. I would love to see his face light up on Christmas with this gift.
the nabi tablet would be perfect for my daughter
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
Love the Crayola DigiTools & the learning globe!!
My boys could really use the Replogle Deluxe Learning Globe!
LOVE the boogie board idea. It will feel techie but still encourage creativity. And no mess! Brilliant!
I can only imagine the fun that could be had with the movie cam.
Oh for me its definitely the R2D2 remote control! For the kids, the tablet for sure.
The Nabi Tablet for sure!
I am definitely looking into the nabi…I have been thinking about something like that for my kids and haven’t checked that one out yet.
That globe is pretty cool!
My kids would LOVE the Crayola DigiTools and the Globe!
The inflatable R2D2 is awesome – I think my hubby would like that as much as my almost 4-year-old. But the Nabi tablet actually looks pretty awesome, although I’d be interested to hear how it compares with, say, a regular Kindle Fire for kids.
My son would LOVE the Crayola DigiTools!
I like the boogie board for my 5-year old who is less than green, using many, many , many sheets of paper a day to draw rainbows and to trace her hand to make turkeys.
The Nabi tablet looks great!
The Nabi Tablet. We’ve been contemplating purchasing tablets as gifts for our older children.
The Nabi looks awesome!
My daughter would live the Tag US Map! Fun way to learn
I love the oregon scientific movie camera! Would be so fun to use on a bike! 🙂
My daughter’s been obsessed with globes lately – so that learning globe is perfect for her!
My 5yo is obsessed with geography right now (all thanks to the “Stack the States” iPhone app), so I know he’d love the Learning Globe.
My son would FLIP over the R2D2!
I would love the Nabi tablet for my kids!
Oh, the Fun Movie Cam looks AWESOME!!!
Tag US Map Jumbo Puzzle
Love educational toys.
My kids would LOVE the Nabi!
The nabi looks really perfect for younger kids and we might need that R2D2 for the house!
remote controlled R2D2!
My Star Wars loving boys would so enjoy the remote controlled R2D2. How genius that it’s inflatable (and therefore pack-up-able).
Nabi Tablet, I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of this one.
I love the Replogle Deluxe Learning Globe
Love the Nabi tablet my toddler would be over the moon.
My kids would love those Crayola DigiTools!
Have you looked at the Kurio tablet? It’s cheaper than the Nabi, and I think at least as good. I got my kids a Kurio tablet for after doing some research and they absolutely love it. The best things about it I found were being able to set up 8 different accounts with different parental controls, which is great because my kids vary a lot in age (5 & 11), and that it has front and rear-facing cameras. I think the children’s user-interface on the Kurio is really adorable, and the adult one is just like any other Android, which is good when I have to use it myself. Thoughts?
Love the Boogie Board Writing Tablet
Stylus Pencil made to look and feel like a #2 pencil even fitted with the proper grippers for ages 2-8- works on ALL TOUCH SCREENS (iPads, smartboards, Kindles, Hatch etc..)
http://www.smartyshortzshop.com
I’ve seen the Boogie Board at a toy store, looks cool.
Love the R2D2 robot! The kids are huge Star Wars fans!!!
I’d love to strap this on my kids and see what happens… Oregon Scientific Fun Movie Cam
Love R2D2, son would love that! Daughter (& parents) would love the globe!
sonos play 3! thanks
I think the Boogie Board LCD Writing Tablet
is cool!
Since my kiddos (or anyone in our family) do not have a tablet we’d love the Nabi
Oh man…I can’t decide between the globe and the drawing tools. Oh…and the Brave game…or Boogie Board.
I love the Oregon scientific fun camera – my three kids would have so mnfluxi Dinneruch fun with it especially my daredevil son!
The Boogie Board looks like something my daughters would love! I’d love the otter box 😉
love the drawing tablet
OMG~ I am getting the BEST Christmas ideas!!
My son LOVED his old leapfrog interactive globe, but outgrew it years ago! He would have a blast with the older version here!
My younger son would adore the crayola digi-set. Now if only Mommy could figure all this stuff out!! LOL!!
i remember loving my fisher price camera. love that they are making it again (still?)
My son would love the Oregon Scientific Movie Cam!
I most love the Nabi tablet – the fact that it has kid-friendly streaming video being the biggest selling point. I cannot even tell you the panic I’ve felt when I’ve caught my 8 year old browsing YouTube – EEEEEEK!!!!! megancrose@gmail.com
I follow on Twitter (@megancrose) and tweeted https://twitter.com/megancrose/status/276723466630230017
megancrose@gmail.com
The Boogie Board would save so much paper in my household!
I love the Learning Globe, I homeschool, it would come in handy!!
I LOVE the R2D2 remote control!!
The Nabi Tablet looks cool. A bit over our price range, so hopefully we’ll win!
I’ve been eyeing that TAG map for quite awhile! The Boogie Board also looks cool.
We have the Kurio 7 kid’s tablet. It’s a great kid’s tablet for our house. We have a 2 and 5 year old and this one grows w/your child too. You set up user profiles and has parental controls. Got it for $150. They sell it everywhere Walmart, Target online, Best Buy, ToysRUs. We are totally happy with it.
Love that oregon scientific movie cam….may have to be under out Christmas tree!