Holiday gift guide: 5 picks for kids

It’s happening: Christmas commercials, holiday window displays and jingle-belled music are starting to creep up. Soon they will be inescapable. Whether you’re an in-the-know parent or a cluessless aunt or uncle, knowing what to buy kids can be tricky. And you know how kids are: They won’t act like they like something if they really don’t, so the pressure’s on. Here at Metro, we love playing with toys and had the opportunity to check out hundreds of the latest and greatest at the 2014 Time To Play Holiday Showcase. Here are five of the best:

1. Disney’s “Frozen” Sing & Swing Olaf

“Frozen” came out last November, but kids are still going crazy for it. One of the newest and cutest “Frozen” toys is this plush Olaf, which sings “In Summer” when you squeeze it. While he sings, his mouth and head bob along to the beat and his body swings in a little dance. If you’re gift-hunting for a child ages 3 to 6, this is sure to put a smile on his or her face. $24.99, Toys R Us

2. Zoomer Dino

Dinosaurs never stop being cool. This romote-controlled robotic toy is trainable and contains sensor-technology that allows it to really interact with people. Kids can teach the dino how to dance, chase, chomp and roar. And this toy has a personality all its own. The eyes change color based on its mood, and it can even even roar, burp and, yes, fart. $79.99, Toys R Us

Kiwi Crate is basically Birchbox for kids. Each month, a box containting a cool project to work on comes in the mail. Not only will the child you’re giving this to be excited about getting mail every month (remeber that feeling, before bills?), it’s basically 12 gifts in one. There are several different subscriptions to choose from, but our favorite is Doodle Crate. Aimed at kids ages 9 to 14, each kit contains a new hands-on craft with plenty of room for young makers to explore their create side. $12.95, doodle.kiwicrate.com

4. Kurio Phone

Let us guess, your kid wants a phone. The Kurio Phone is a great option because it’s a real smartphone, but there are plenty of features that keep you in charge. As the first Android phone built for kids, it has everything your child will want, like games, texting, music streaming and Web searching, but it also has helpful parental controls. Parents can set daily, weekly or monthly call limits, as well as limit the number of texts. There is also a geofencing, so you can see if your child leaves a preset area on a map. These are just some of the features. For a full run-down, head to kurioworld.com. $159.99, kurioworld.com

5. Kid Trax Sing-A-Long Soul

And we thought Power Wheels were cool! This battery-powered riding toy comes equipped with a colorful LED party mode light feature, a working FM radio and two microphones for the backseat karaoke feature. There’s also a blue street glow underneath the car, around the back speakers and above the headlights. With all of these party-mode features, we’re just glad the little drivers aren’t on the real road. $399.99, Toys R Us