Where has the year gone? It seems like we just finished ushering in 2016. But here were are, already getting ready for the winter Holidays. To help you through the often-daunting task of gift buying (and giving), here’s our first Gift Guide.
Dinosaur Skull Dig (Discovery Kids)
If you have a budding archaeologist around the house, he, she, or you will have great time excavating this scale model of a T-Rex skull. The skull itself is encased in plaster, and you’ll use the included tools (a wooden mallet, paint brush, and chisel) to gently liberate it. Besides learning about how archaeologists work (including how they clean up), you’ll also learn plenty about dinosaurs from the large poster. The kit also comes with a display stand. It’s for ages 12 and up and is available for $19.99 exclusively at Michael’s. Discovery Kids also makes two other science-based kits (Rock & Gem Dig Kit and Crystal Growing Kit). https://www.michaels.com
If you have a home security system, you’re probably set up to monitor doors, windows, and motion in various parts of your property. But what about your garage, which, for a lot of us, is the main way into or out of the house? Overlooked that one, didn’t you. Considering that most burglaries happen during the day, when no one’s home, a crook could break in through your garage and you’d be none the wiser ‘til you got home. A good first step to take would be to check that your door doesn’t have any weak spots or cracks in it that could make it easier to get into. Should you find it perhaps does need a repair, you could call someone like one of 
Skylanders Imaginators
This is a light-hearted game for as many people as you can squeeze together in one room. The object is simple: one player picks a card and reads it out loud. Topics include things like, “commands you teach your dog,” “milestones for teenagers,” “parts of the human body,” “things you put on your head,” and 396 more. The rest of the players have 15 seconds to write down two answers. When time’s up, players take turns reading their answers. If one of your words matches with another player’s, you both score a “ditto.” If both match, “double ditto.” Comes with 400 cards and a 15-second timer. For 4-10 players (or more), ages 10+. Under $20. 
Who would have thought that there’d be so many ways to decorate nails? With this kit, attach a double sided sticker to the nail, roll some foil onto the exposed side of the sticker, and you’re ready to hit the town with nails a-shimmering. No nail polish needed, which his good news for people who have trouble with the smell (although you can add topcoat to protect your manicure). Comes with 30 foil strips, a storage pouch, and instructions. For ages 8+. Under $22. 
This newest entry in the beloved Paper Mario series takes Mario to the formerly colorful Prism Island, where someone is draining the land of all its paint and color. As the hero we all know and love, Paper Mario comes along to save the day with his paint hammer, which splashes color on colorless portions of land, flowers, characters, houses, and even water. This game plays like other games in the series, where combat is turn based, but it also includes cards that describe what moves can be used next. This game is a blast to play for RPG fans or Mario fans in general. And if you’re new to Paper Mario, this is a perfect place to start, giving you an interactive role-playing experience that will help you paint-smash some dull areas of your own life. Only on the Nintendo Wii U. Retails for $59.99. 
Noosa yoghurt has been a favorite since we first tried it. Yes, it’s a little pricey, but well worth the splurge now and then. It’s made in small batches on a family farm from all natural whole milk, fresh fruit purees, and honey, and you won’t find this kind of quality in many other brands. If gluten is an issue for anyone in your family, Noosa is gluten-free. It’s also probiotic. Noosa comes in cases of four small containers (that are easy to pack in a lunchbox) as well as larger containers. Their new “sweet heat” line includes flavors like Raspberry Habanero, Pineapple Jalapeno, Mango Sweet Chili, and Blackberry Serrano. If the heat’s not for you, no problem; Noosa has plenty of traditional flavors. Prices vary. 
Sydney Paige makes backpacks that are so snazzy that you might be tempted to go back to school just so you can show off. They come in a variety of sizes, so there’s definitely something for toddlers, adults, and everyone in between. The quality and materials are good, the patterns are attractive (and blissfully free of licensed images from movies and TV shows), they’re roomy, and have plenty of pockets. There’s also a nice social consciousness factor here: For every backpack sold, the company donates an exact matching bag to a child in need-they even fill the pack with school supplies. Sydney Paige also makes lunchboxes, pencil cases, and a few other stylish accessories. And there’s even a series of illustrated children’s books that feature the adventures of Sydney Paige herself. $40-$90. Available at many online retailers and 
We love how ThinkFun takes a well-known concept—in this case, a see-saw balancing game—and adds a new twist to make something unique and engaging. You start by turning over one of the 40 challenge cards, each of which shows a different pattern of red beans arranged on one side of the see-saw. Lay out your red beans to match the card and then try to arrange your other beans so the two sides balance. Besides having fun, you’re learning some basic algebra skills (balancing equations) as well as physics (for example, two beans in the first row of one side of the see-saw are balanced by one bean in the second row). The cards range from really easy to really, really hard, and always include the solution. For single players, but it’s an especially fun parent-child activity. Ages 5 and up. Under $18.