Yes, “Game of Thrones” is over and it’s still blisteringly hot out there in a lot of places, but the National Hockey League preseason gets underway this weekend, which means that winter can’t be far behind. This week, we feature several hockey- and winter-themed toys and games as well as a few other fun activities to keep you busy when those temperatures start to drop.
Ski Lodge (Playmobil 9280)
After check-in, begin your stay at the lodge by admiring the view from the terrace and enjoying a few alcohol-free drinks (at least until the kids go to bed). Then have dinner in the spacious dining room. In the morning, before you hit the slopes, have breakfast on the patio, then rent your skis at the equipment station. Just like a real ski lodge, there’s a ton of stuff to do—even if you’re not a skier—and this kit comes with everything you need to do it: five figures, skis, firewood, snowman, mittens, and a lot more. Ages 4+. Under $50. https://www.playmobil.us
One player lays out up to three piles of cards (which are both numbered and colored). Players then add cards to the stacks, but aren’t allowed to repeat a color or number that’s already in the stack. The more you add, the higher your potential points. But if you push your luck and get to a point where you can’t play a card, you start losing points. Scoring is a little complicated at first, but the game moves quickly and will keep everyone engaged. For 2-6 players, ages 8+. $12.99. 
It’s almost impossible to walk by an unfinished puzzle. Typically, people intend to stop for only a few seconds, but, 30 to 90 minutes later, find that they’ve lost themselves in the never-ending quest to find “just one more piece.” When choosing a puzzle to relax, imagery is key. Look for images that make you happy like puppies or feel at peace like 
After a 13-plus-year absence, the Incredibles are back (“Incredibles 2” hits theaters June 15), and they’re picking up right where they left off. But you don’t have to wait ‘til the movie comes out to spend some quality time with the Parr family. A crime wave has hit Metroville and Jack-Jack (the shape-shifting baby) is in trouble. Each player takes on the role of one of the Incredibles, complete with his or her powers. But the object here isn’t to defeat the other players. Instead, players work together (just like the Incredibles do in reel life) to thwart a bank robbery, save a cat from a tree, rescue someone from a burning building, or heroically stop some other dastardly evildoer. Aside from the cooperative nature of the game, we really liked the fact that, thanks to random dice rolls and game tiles, you’ll never play the same game twice. For 1-4 players ages 6+. Under $20. http://www.wonderforge.com/
Ah, El Dorado, the mythical, treasure-filled city in the jungles of South America. Players all start with identical cards in their deck, which they use to assemble an expedition team of experts, buy equipment, and plot out their journey. That sounds pretty easy, but since there are literally 100,000 ways to get from A to El Dorado, you’ll need to plan carefully. You win the game by finishing the quest—none of the items you acquire along the way count. It’s for 2-4 players, ages 10+, and will take about an hour to play. 
In this fun, fast-paced twist on the “spot-the-difference” game, players use logic and deductive reasoning to figure out which of five nearly identical images is the original. Since each of the non-original images has changed only one feature, when you find a feature that appears on only one image, you know it’s not the original, and you can eliminate it from contention. Pin Point! Is a great game for just about any age, although be warned: younger players tend to have sharper eyes and are therefore often a lot better at this kind of thing than adults. Comes with 72 challenge cards and six colored dice (for alternate game play) and takes only about 10 minutes to play. You can play Pin Point! cooperatively, competitively, or individually. 
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. 
Uncle Milton has been making ant farms for decades (in fact, they just celebrated their 60th ANT-iversary!). Over the years, ant-farming technology has changed and so have designs and materials. But what’s stayed remarkably consistent is how fascinating it is to watch these tiny animals dig tunnels, build bridges, and move mountains (little ones). The inhabitants of the original ant farms did their digging in sand. Their descendants can go old school with sand or dig in a nutrient-rich gel that eliminates the need for feeding and watering. Whichever way you go, you and your kids will have a wonderful—and very educational—time observing. And in case you’re worried, all the farms are break resistant and escape-proof. Under $20. For ages six and up. 
Remember Sea Monkeys—those tiny creatures that almost miraculously came to life when you dropped their dried out little bodies into water? Well, Triops are similar, in that you reanimate them the same way. But these bad boys could eat your Sea Monkeys for lunch—quite literally. Relatively speaking, they’re enormous—easily reaching 2-3 inches. What’s especially cool about Triops is that the ones you get in your kit are identical to the ones that lived millions of years ago. They thrived and reproduced in wet climates, but went into a state of suspended animation (called “diapause”) when droughts came. Now you can revive them, just like Dr. Frankenstein—just be sure to follow the directions carefully (especially the water you use). Triops look positively pre-historic and are eerily engaging to watch. For ages 8 and up. Prices vary. 
Want to get a closer look at your ants, Sea Monkeys, or Triops? Smart Scope is for you. Just collect your specimen—which could be pretty much anything from water to rocks, feathers to insects, and slip it into the housing. Now here’s where it gets fun: put your smartphone or tablet on top of the housing and it becomes a digital microscope—without using an app (yay!). You can simply observe or, better yet, you can use your device’s camera to capture amazing images. For ages 8 and up. About $45. 
Hydraulics and fluid dynamics are all the rage this year, and this kit makes what could be complicated concepts accessible and fun. It includes a base station, test tubes, valves, plungers, petri dishes, clips, beakers, and enough chemicals to conduct 40 experiments that fizz, change color, disappear, crystalize, and defy gravity (clear, detailed instructions are included too). A delightful way to combine doing and observing. For ages 8 and up (adult supervision definitely recommended). Under $40. 
After a long day of doing and observing science, you’re going to be thirsty. Why go out when you and your budding lab rat can whip up your own scientifically delicious fizzy sodas? This kit comes with citric acid, baking soda, some artificial flavoring, a couple of test tubes, and instructions for making lime, fruit punch, and cinnamon drinks. Ages 8 and up (adult supervision suggested). Around $16 at your favorite retailer.
