Apples to Apples

 

Apples to Apples Party Box

My tween daughter received the game Apples to Apples for Christmas last year, and we've had so much fun playing it as a family since then. It's provided hours of entertainment that we otherwise might have spent in front of the TV or computer. I love that it's silly and fun and also provides opportunities to learn logic without her even knowing it.

I was hesitant about the game before we got it because it requires at least three players. It's better if it's even more, but three is the absolute minimum, and a lot of times, there aren't three people available to play it. However, we always bring it out when there's company, and sometimes we can even play on a weekend when both of us parents are around.

The premise of the game is simple enough: try to find the closest matched card in your hand (which are nouns) to the card on the table (which are adjectives). The problem is that the card on the table might read something like "Scary," and all you have in your hand is "Margaret Thatcher." 

I would say the biggest problem with this game for tweens is that they don't always know who the historic people are. There are descriptions on the card itself but sometimes that's not enough. However, because of that, we've also had an opportunity to teach her a little bit about history.

Apples To Apples Party Box - Expansion 1

You can buy several different versions of the game, but personally I think the original is the best. There are expansion decks, which we haven't broken out yet, but will be useful as time goes on. 

The bottom line is that this is a great gift for a tween girl (or boy). It's a lot of fun, will build logic skills, and teach a little bit about history. But really, it's mostly just a silly game that will bring you closer to your tween during those years in which you're really going to need it.

The Sodastream

Sodastream Starter Kit

My tween daughter has been asking for a Sodastream for well over a year now, and I'm getting ready to take the plunge. The least expensive starter kit is around $80 but some of the other kits can run up to $200. I've resisted for a long time because we don't drink sodas, but it turns out you can make all sorts of seltzers with the Sodastream also. In addition, you can make fizzy lemonade and iced tea. It turns out it's a wonderful product for your tween.

SodaMix Lemonade Flavor Syrup

One of the great things about the Sodastream is that it shows your tween how to get rid of plastic in her life. Instead of going through dozens of plastic seltzer bottles, you can reuse the same bottles over and over again with the Sodastream.

The Squishable

Squishable Arctic Fox 15 Inch

Finding good presents for a tween girl can often be difficult. She is still a little girl in many ways but in others, she's growing and becoming more mature. I've been trying very hard to help my tween walk the line between childhood and teen years, and one of the best products I've found is the Squishable.

This fantastic stuffed animal is all the rage with the tween girls (and, actually, boys) around here. There's something about how soft the fur is and the round shape that is just irresistible.

 

Squishable Hedgehog

There are also a wide variety of different animals - both real and imagined. For example, there is a Moose, a Dragon, and even a Unicorn. What I love about these animals is that they absolutely hearken back to your tween's childhood, but are a little more mature because of their size. It's a great toy for them to use as a pillow or to hug when they've had a bad day. My tween girl has definitely used hers for both of those purposes.

In addition to be soft and snuggly, the Squishable doesn't have any of those negative messages that a lot of tween products have. No worrying about body image or boy-crazy products here!

Squishable Peacock

They cost about $40, and are well-worth every penny. I even got one for my toddler boy, who loves his Dragon just as much as his much-older sister loves her Peacock.

They come in two sizes - the regular size of 15 inches across,, as well as the Minis, which are half the size at 7 inches across. The Minis tend to cost about $20, but I personally like the regular ones better for a tween. Regardless of which your tween girl prefers, this is an excellent gift with a positive message for any tween girl.