Lunchboxes and backpacks can be pretty boring-but they don’t have to be. Not many parents know that their children can carry their school necessities with pride, whether it’s with personalized photo on bags or snazzy lunchboxes or pocket bags. Take Fjallraven Bagpacks and pocket bags for instance which make for unique 15 year old boy gifts. They are durable and stylish. Plus, these lightweight backpacks come in different colors, and feature cushioned pockets and adjustable straps. Now, no one has to have drab accessories ever again. Especially when you can make your own custom-designed backpacks a reality using services from companies like Imprint – go now to see their website and what products you can create to your liking and specifications. Here are a few of our favorite ways to add in some style and fun to these otherwise yawn-inducing school necessities.
Bentology (Bentology)
Bentology has a number of colorful, easy-to-clean ways to pack your child’s lunch. Bento sets include a large plastic container and five smaller containers (three with lids) that fit perfectly inside. Bento Kits include all that, plus a stylin’ insulated bag (available in seven prints) and a set of utensils. You can also buy individual containers and lids, cool packs, rice molds, thermoses and more. If your child isn’t big on sandwiches or likes to keep food items from getting co-mingled, this one is perfect for you. All Bentology products are available for purchase at specialty retailers nationwide or directly from https://bentology.com
Think baseball bat meets tennis racket (with the high-tension strings running parallel to the bat), and you’ve got a rough idea of what this great new toy looks like. Twist the adjustable power knob and you can smack the ball incredible distances. Dial it back, and you’re ready to play in smaller venues. That clever adjustable feature and the bat’s lightweight levels the playing field (so to speak) and allows players of all ages and skill levels to play together. The Crush-It bats are similar to 
Kings Dominion is about two hours south of DC, and the rides (quality and quantity) are the best we’ve experienced. Anaconda is loaded with coils, loops, and drops. Drop Tower sent us free-falling 27 stories straight down, Flight of Fear catapulted us into near-total darkness, and Volcano shot us-like lava-150 feet straight up and through a series of spins and corkscrews. Dominator took us through five inversions on what’s billed as the longest floorless coaster in the world, and Intimidator 305 was absolutely amazing, with its 300-foot drop, blistering speeds, and whipping, high-speed turns. For between-ride downtime, we enjoyed Dinosaurs Alive!, a multi-acre forest filled with more than 30 life-sized, roaring, animatronic dinosaurs. 
This colorful playset includes two slides that feed into an octopus wave pool. The brightly colored octopus creates ripples in the pool just like the wave pool at your favorite theme park. Male, female, and child figures are included, along with several accessories. Just fill with water, and let the fun begin. For ages 4 and up. $59.99 at your favorite retailer or 
This kit is part chemistry experiment, part anatomy lesson, part art project, and all disgusting. It starts innocuously enough in the kitchen, where you cook up some gooey gelatin and pour it into a mold to create a slimy, life-sized model of a human brain. While you’re waiting for it to set, read the booklet and find out the basics of brain anatomy and function. And since your eyes use 65% of the brain’s pathways (a fact we learned from the booklet), there’s also a mold for a monster-sized eyeball (which, along with the brain, you can paint as revoltingly as you’d like). A fun, engaging, educational project to do with your kids. For ages 9 and up. 
This might bring to mind another toy craze from a few years ago, (Zhu Zhu Pets) and we admit there are some similarities. These little hamsters are small (though not so small that your kids can swallow them), soft, and furry. They buzz and scoot around any smooth, flat surface as well as in their own little “ecosystems.” There are several playset houses, such as the luxurious “Ultimate Hamster House,” which has a bed, a slide, and even a toilet that makes flushing sounds—a sure-fire hit for kids who love potty humor (and who doesn’t?). Put the hamsters on any of the hotspots, and they’ll say one of 16 phrases. You can expand your hamster’s ecosystem by adding hamsters and accessory packs (sold separately), which include styling studios, cars, and run extensions (think train tracks for hamsters). Ages 4 and up. Prices vary. Available exclusively at 
Kamigami are app-controlled robots you build and program. Start with putting together the robot’s body by folding a flat sheet of thin cardboard (hence the “-igami” in the name, as in origami). The robot’s insides snap together without tools. Kamigami look like giant Hexbugs and once they’re built, you control them with a free app. They play nicely with others and they’re practically indestructible. Race them, play laser tag, or just have them run around and smack into things. We especially loved that there’s zero intimidation factor: lots of other programmable robots can be overwhelming, but you don’t need to be a techie or a coding expert to get your Kamigami up and running. Ages 6+. $99. 
Think Hot Potato, but with math facts. This game comes with two pairs of 12-sided dice and the goal is to pass your pair to your opponent before he or she does the same to you. The way you get rid of your dice is by rolling them, multiplying the two up-facing numbers, and calling out your answer. The speed factor and the element of competition make Math Dice Chase a fun, engaging way for kids (and adults) to master their multiplication tables. There are, of course, plenty of other ways to use the dice. You might, for example, roll one and have three players roll a die of their own and be the first to multiply theirs by the one in the middle. Ages 8+. Retails for about $6.99. 
There’s something very strange going on at the old manor down the street. Your neighbor, a famous astronomer, has seemingly disappeared and you and your guests have decided to investigate. Being adventurers, you let yourselves into the astronomer’s house, but, gasp, you find yourselves locked in a room. And time is running out. The only way you’ll survive the night (why do these things always happen at night?) is to work together using logic and problem-solving skills to solve puzzles and unlock clues. It’s a delightful (but a little sinister) way to spend time with your family and/or friends. The kit includes scene cards, sealed envelopes containing secret items (no, we’re not going to tell you what they are), instructions, and more. It’s for 3-8 players, ages 10+, and retails for under $22. 
Imagine a two-sided flying saucer with six color-coded slots on each side. Every slot can accommodate three colored marbles, for a total of 36. But there are only 35. That allows you to push a marble from one side into the empty space on the other. Mixing everything up is plenty of fun, and involves lots of twisting and spinning and poking. But the real challenge is getting all the marbles back into their original positions. Back Spin is frustrating (in a good way) and requires logic, planning, time, and patience. But it’s also incredibly addictive and you won’t want to put it down. It’s for one player aged 8 and up (so it’s perfect for when you need a little “me” time) and retails for about $14.99. 
If you’re looking for a fun way to cool down after a long day out in the sun, Wet Head is perfect. Imagine a small tank mounted on what looks like a hardhat. The tank has eight pins sticking out of it. Then, fill the tank with water and put the hat on. One of those pins will dump the contents of the tank onto your head. Now, spin the spinner, which will tell you to pull one or two pins, skip a turn, or do something else. (There’s also a Wet Head Challenge app that brings in trivia questions and just ads to the fun factor.) If you follow the instructions and stay dry, pass the hat to the next player. Eventually, someone’s going to get soaked. You can play indoors or out, fully dressed, or clothing optional. Ages 4 and up. Retails for under $20. 
If solving a traditional 3×3 Rubik’s is a challenge, just looking at this 8×8 cube may make you run screaming from the room. But if you’re an intermediate or advanced cuber, you’ll love this puzzle (although even Jonathan was overwhelmed at first). As with smaller cubes (3×3, 4×4, etc.), it helps to know the algorithms, which tell you how to move the horizontal and vertical layers. This 7×7 cube has algorithms as well, but, as you might imagine, they’re a lot more complicated and require much more memorization. Jonathan felt that the cube’s pillow shape (rounded sides) made it a little harder to hold, and if you have small hands, you might find it tough to twist some of the inner layer. Nevertheless, it’s a solid challenge. For ages 8+. About $38. 
Even though it’s a sphere, this puzzle has six faces and the goal is to make each one a solid color. You do that in the usual way, by grabbing the ball with both hands and twisting in opposite directions. The interlocking gear-shaped pieces make this unique puzzle look nearly impossible. But according to Jonathan, it’s easier to solve—and a lot more fun—than a Rubik’s. So once you’ve got this one mastered, you’ll be able to show off to your friends. In the meantime, you’ll have a blast. Ages 6+. $34.95. 
This fascinating brain teaser looks a little like a Rubik’s, but aside from the way you manipulate it, the Moleube actually has more in common with Sudoku. The spheres come in nine colors, and the goal is to twist and turn until there are no duplicate colors on any of the six faces of the cube. Jonathan didn’t have a chance to try this one, but for mere mortals, solving it is a lot harder than it sounds. Ages 9+. About $20. 
This pyramid-shaped puzzle has been around as long as Rubik’s Cube (more than 40 years) and operates on the same basic twisting and turning principles. It has four triangular faces, each with 9 pieces, which makes it easier—and quicker—to solve. It a good option for littler kids and beginning cubers, but it’s still plenty of fun for advanced players. The world’s record for solving it is 1.36 seconds, which is exactly 1 hour, 6 minutes, and 19 seconds less than it took us. Ages 6+. About $19. 
Aside from its geometric shape and the high entertainment value, Cube has very little in common with the other puzzles here. First, designed by artist Mark Boulding, it’s visually stunning. Second, it consists of eight pieces—four black and four white—and is made to be taken apart. Third, as Jonathan discovered, unlike the twisting puzzles, there’s really only one way to solve (reassemble) Cube, which makes it less of a challenge for determined cubers. But who says you have to limit yourself to cubes? What we found especially fun is that you can assemble the pieces into all sorts of other shapes and structures. If you have more than one Cube, you can combine the pieces and build even bigger things. Ages 6+. Under $20. 
These video-game themed toys have hit the trifecta: they’re cute, fun to play with, and encourage your child (and you) to act out scenes from his or her most beloved games. You’ll find just about any Nintendo character you can imagine—old ones, new ones, and even the most obscure ones—including Kirby, Mario, the coin box (really!), Koopa Troopa, Cat Toad, and regular Toad. Some make those well-known Nintendo game sounds like the coin bling and the Koopa Troopa “hit” sound. Prices vary, but most are under $10, and they’re available at any toy store.
Pokémon fans and collectors will love the new collectable Pokémon toys, which are being released to mark Pokémon’s 20th anniversary. Every month through December 2016, Nintendo will release one retailer-exclusive, Mythical Pokémon. These extremely rare plush figures will be 8-inches tall and made with a very special crushed velvet material. There will also be 2-inch pearlescent-finished figures that come with their own pearlescent-finished Poké Balls. The company will also release a number of limited-edition Pikachu products throughout the year, but you’ll have to move quickly because when they’re gone, that’s it! Visit 
These plush toys may not have the same instant recognition and cachet as Nintendo’s, but they’re just as sweet and snuggly, and they’re made by Aurora World (which has created some of our very favorite stuffies). The new 17-piece Precious Baby line is perfect for even the smallest cuddle monsters, and includes a blanket puppet, wind up musical toys, plush rattles, toys that recite prayers (in either English or Spanish), and a number of traditional plush toys. Prices typically range from $12-24. Visit Aurora’s website, 
If your kids loved Zootopia (is there anyone who didn’t?), you can’t go wrong with these figures. There are plush toys, character sets, and more. There are even vehicles, like Nick’s convertible and Judy’s Police Cruiser, which has a little jail cell in the back. Characters some in sets of two, three, and more. Prices vary. Available at your favorite retailer or 
With summer here, you’ll probably want to be outdoors as much as possible. For some parents, getting the kids away from screens can be a challenge, but you’ll be able to remedy that situation by making going outside an event for the whole family. Grown-ups and big kids usually have bikes, but what about your little one—you know, the one with the short legs and less coordination? Well, a Big Wheels trike might be just the ticket—and it’ll be a fun blast from the past for mom and dad as well. With the new Marvel’s The Avengers Big Wheel, your kids can ride with their favorite superheroes. These Big Wheels are easy to assemble (even for non-techies) and they’re sturdy, so when your helmet-wearing Captain America wannabe decides to take on a tree, the Big Wheels will survive to ride another day. These new Big Wheels have a “Grow With Me” seat that can be positioned up to three times. Retails for about $60 at stores such as Amazon and Walmart.