- Part 2

Create Your Own Lego Army With Custom Military Legos

If your kids are mad about army toys but also love Lego, then building a Lego Army seems the next logical step to take.

Unfortunately Lego does not make this easy for you, preferring to keep children playing in fantasy scenarios than realistic types of war game.

There are a few readymade Lego army sets for sale online, such as the army vehicles you can find in the Lego Creator range and the Toy Story Army Lego Men on Patrol set for youngsters. Alternatively you can find Mega Bloks Probuilder military sets for older children and adults. (Please click HERE for more information on all of these options).

Luckily though, the world of custom army Legos is quite vast. Although quite hard to find, once you track it down, you will find a diverse range of Lego army soldiers, tanks, other vehicles and teeny Lego guns to use to stage great battles.

Whilst these custom military Legos are not endorsed by the Lego company, they are made using their bricks and will therefore work nicely with any existing brick collections.

Battles can take place in the past, future or present and Lego enthusiasts can build the most customized battle they desire. From military ambulances to army bomber planes to properly outfitted soldiers, thousands of custom items are sold to complete a Lego army.

Obviously you can build anything you like with Lego bricks, but kids often need a bit of a helping hand to kick start their imaginations. A collection of Lego army figures complete with weapons may inspire them to build some vehicles from scratch, or you could buy the instructions for custom builds to help them along or even custom sets complete with instructions and relevant bricks.

Where to start

Building a basic Lego military involves soldiers, guns and vehicles. By starting with these three basic facets, you will be well on your way to a great collection.

Lego Soldiers

Known as mini figures, or “mini figs,” Lego army men are available to replicate soldiers from the US, Germany and the UK. There are World War and modern day soldiers from the marines and other branches of the military. Some of the military mini figs available include U.S. sergeants, riflemen, mine sweepers, and medics.

Most are custom built and come in different colored uniforms, including grey, black, white, green and tan. They come with removable helmets, uniform detailing and sometimes one or more weapons.

They cost from around $6 singly or you can find them bundled as custom Lego army toys sets. For example, 3 minifigures and a base camp set including weapons will cost between $35-40. Full platoon units can be purchased for around $80, which includes six figures and two Jeeps.

Things to watch out for when purchasing include how the uniform is printed onto the minifig. Direct printing on both sides is the best as this will not scratch or rub off. Some minifigs though just come with decals (stickers) on one side. You could buy these decals yourself to add to your own plain minfigures. They cost around $6 for 15 decals.

Click or HERE for a great selection of Lego army men for sale

As well as weapons you can purchase individual helmets for your soldiers. These include modern combat helmets, brodie helmets, steel pots and German Stahlhelms. They often come in a variety of colors and cost $2 each.

Click for a great selection of Lego minifig helmets

Minifig stands have two studs and are designed to keep your Lego soldiers upright in battle. Whilst not a necessary accompaniment, they can be well worth the $1 price tag.

Lego Guns

Precisely detailed using computer aided design, Lego weapons are amazingly intricate, tiny, yet integral, battle accessories for your minifigures. As they are made from the identical plastic that Lego uses they blend perfectly.

Guns, swords, grenades and other weapons cost around $1 each, and can be customized to any war era. A high caliber sniper rifle can be purchased in eight different color choices for $1.50 each. Weapons can be bought in packs for about $10, which include an assortment of shotguns, handguns, U-clips and more. Choose from high caliber sniper rifles, assault carbines, grenade launchers and heaps more, to really rev up your army with these pieces of minifig weaponry.

Why not stock up your Lego army tank with some Lego grenades too. The iconic and highly detailed fragmentation grenade can be added to your arsenal to send your enemies fleeing.

Offering superb value for money, why not treat your soldiers to a weapons pack. These come in three colors, cobalt blue, silver, and black, and include such things as precision sniper rifles, tactical PDWs, assault carbines, combat SMGs and bipods.

The variety of Lego military gear available makes sure your army is ready for both close quarter combat and long range attacks.

Click HERE for a great selection of Lego army guns

Lego Tank Toys & Other Army Vehicles

Lego Tanks

Kits for building Lego army vehicles are available for both World Wars and the modern military. Tanks are hugely popular although a couple of fighter planes, jeeps and Humvees are also available.

Lego tanks include models such as the Sherman and Panzer. You can find instructions for building these custom tanks from your own collection of Lego pieces available to purchase online or buy complete kits that comprise the pieces and the instructions.

Click for a great selection of Lego army tanks

Tips For Improving Your Army Lego Sets

Make sure you opt for distinctive attire between armies. This can be done with decals, helmets and weapons.
Consider what era your war is set in and choose minifigs, helmets and weapons that are suitable.
Assemble your Lego soldiers into squads, such as groups of snipers, close combat army men and artillery units.
Identify some ranks within the squads, say one officer to every 5 infantryman.
Make use of some custom Lego military vehicles.
Build an army base with normal Lego for your army to defend.
You will probably need at least 20 Lego soldiers and a couple of vehicles to achieve a realistic battle scene.

The level of detail in army Legos is immense. It is recommended that you start slow with a few basic pieces to include a few soldiers, a vehicle and some weapons. Once you decide what you like to build best, customized kits with hundreds or thousands of pieces can be purchased.

Toy Army Men Buying Guide

Plastic toy army men are a must have element in any army toys collection. They encourage a variety of creative types of play, because they can be set up in so many different ways, depending upon the imagination.

Critics have accused army men toys of advocating violence and militarism, banning them from schools and daycares. However, it’s important to remember that these toys are just that: toys. They don’t pose a threat to anybody and are really just an inventive way for children to express themselves. Generations prior to ours have played with plastic army men toys and turned out just fine. Who are we to argue with that?

Although they are relatively cheap to buy, so are virtually disposable, you should still give some thought to which sets to buy. They range from small figures bought by the bucket load to 12″ GI Joe figures so here are some pointers to consider when browsing possible sets:

Quality v quantity

You will get a lot of fairly small and standard versions for not much money or one larger figure. Which will your child be happier with?

Size

How tall do you want your army men toys to be? 2″ tall is a fairly standard size. Anything much larger than that is going to be harder to find other than in action figure form.

Detailing

The molding on cheaper sets is pretty basic and you will not find much, if any, variety in the collection. Try and find sets where the detailing on the face and uniforms is at least varied to some extent.

Stances

Some cheaper collections contain soldiers all molded in the same pose. This does not make for a very realistic battle scene. Try and ensure whichever set you go for has a collection of army men in different poses.

Articulated

Most toy army men sets are not going to include articulated figures. You will need action figures to enjoy this level of detailing.

Kits

Will your child want to get straight down to the battle or will they enjoy building their army through one of the many kits available?

Character based

Most plastic army soldiers are not branded in any way. The exception to this rule are the Toy Story green army men toys or the GI Joe figures. Which route you choose will depend on whether your child is an army toys fan or a movie fan.

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Enemy figures

Battles are not battles without enemies. As such you will really need to ensure that your army men toys are distinguishable somehow into at least two separate armies. Most sets have figures in varying colors to allow for this play battle experience.

Vehicles

Vehicles are a key part to any army and so sets that include a few will allow for more realistic play. Sometimes it can be better to buy a separate army vehicles set in addition to a soldier figures set – just make sure the scales are the same on each one.

Which war?

Most children will probably not be interested in which war their toy soldiers represent, but if you are after figures from the Civil War or WWII or you are even after medieval army toys, make sure you choose a relevant set.

Who would have thought there was so much to think about with such a cheap toy, but nobody wants to waste money so a little planning never goes amiss. Please read our other article for our top picks on plastic army men toys.

Best Plastic Army Men Toys

Long before GI Joe, children played with plastic army men toys. Keeping them occupied for hours at a time, these simple plastic toys were able to transform according to the imagination. There are many varieties of plastic toy soldiers in circulation today. In some respects, they have evolved over the years, but in others they’ve also stayed much the same.

Please click for prices on the full range of plastic army men sets

Here are our top picks of some of those available to buy today.

Large Quantity Option

This collection of 1000 toy army men is reminiscent of plastic army soldiers from days gone by. The set includes a six inch wind up crawling soldier, along with 1,000 other two inch figurines, all in green and gray. Costing approximately 2 cents per soldier, you are certainly getting value for money when buying in this large a quantity. You could spray paint various selections of the 1,000 figures to make up different teams or just to make the collection more interesting. They will offer hours of enjoyment to any army toys fan and even if a few get lost or broken, they won’t be missed.

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Toy Story Army Men – Quality Option

The Toy Story movies have caused a resurgence in the popularity of little green plastic army men so this ‘Bucket O Soldiers’ will be a welcome gift for either Toy Story or army toys fans. Based on characters from the movie, the bucket contains 70 2 ½ inch green plastic army soldiers in a selection of 10 poses, along with two working parachuting soldiers and various weaponry for extra excitement. The figures have sturdy bases so stand well and are easy to manipulate with little hands. The build quality and detailing are very good – far superior to most collections. The bucket with carry handle is useful for carrying the toys about and for storage. This is a great army toy sold at a great price that will stimulate the imagination. Please click the link for a more detailed review of these green army men.

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Medieval Army Toys Figures

This Guardian Knights playset comes with 36 plastic medieval knights in two colors to create your own castle defense league. They are scaled 1/35 so approximately 2″ tall and are good quality with nice detailing. Perfect for a medieval battle as let’s face it, what young boys don’t like to play with knights and dragons. You’ll just need a replica castle to go with them.

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Fully Varied Assortment

This 202 piece set is full of American, British, German & Japanese WWII toy army soldiers. Each troop is designated by a different color and has different moldings for a distinct look. The figures come in over 40 poses which makes them very realistic for imaginary battles. They are 1/32 scale standing at just over 2″ tall. This set is ideal being plentiful, varied and colorful and the affordability is just the icing on the cake.

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An All Encompassing Playset

Offering great value for money this Civil War playset contains 72 pieces ranging from Union and Confederate soldiers, horses, fences, bridge, sandbag walls, buildings, wagons and cannons. The soldiers stand just over 2″ tall being scaled to 1/35.

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Plastic Army Men Board Game

Days of Wonder Memoir ’44 is a distinctive historical war game where legions of plastic army men face-off in various WWII battles on an oversized game board. You get to develop a battle plan and deploy your incredibly detailed army men figures. This very popular game of strategy is best suited to players aged 12+.

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6 Of The Best Army Tank Toys

If your child is into army toys then once you’ve bought them their fill of army men toys, they are going to need some tanks and other toy army vehicles to complete their play experience.

As such you will want to know what is on offer in the tank toys for kids range and what if anything is any good. Basically army tank toys can be categorized into three groups: basic toy tanks, remote control toy tanks, toy tank model kits and collectors pieces.

Below we cover each group and give you our ‘top picks’ for what is worth buying.

Basic Toy Tanks

Die Cast Toy Tanks – 3 Piece Set

This pack of three die cast army tanks makes the ideal play set for army mad children. Each tank is a different camouflage color and the main gun on each moves up and down. They are not a bad size at 4.5″ long by 2.25″ wide and being friction powered you just pull back and let go for great role play fun. They are well detailed making for a nice looking toy. They are also available as single tanks. Click the link to read our more detailed review of these toy army tanks.

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Military Vehicles Backpack Playset

This playset offers good value for money coming with 10 die cast metal and plastic army vehicles and accessories. The plastic backpack is great for storing or carrying the toys out on trips or to friends houses and the cardboard backing doubles up as a playmat and game. The vehicles may vary between packs, but you are likely to get a tank or two. The quality between the plastic and die cast toys can vary but some details like a moving track on the tank are a nice touch.

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RC Toy Tanks

Abrams Remote Control Toy Tank 1:24

For a more fun army toy tank, why not consider a remote control version for the ultimate in role play. This 1:24 scale model of an Abrams tank comes equipped with a motor air gun that fires up to 40 6mm Airsoft BBs in a fast continuous stream with a range of up to 25 meters.

The turret can spin 320 degrees and the gun can be raised to a 20 degree height. It is large at 41cm long and can move via the remote control forwards at two speed settings or backwards. Everything you need is included in the set such as the tank, the RC, a battery charger and rechargeable battery. It also includes a box of accessories and a box of BB pellets.

The tank’s detailing is very realistic as is its motion and the caterpillar tracks have a good grip meaning it runs well on uneven terrain such as your carpet, or even courses that you might want to create in your garden.

The only downsides are that you need to stay within 10-12′ of the tank for the RC to function properly and that the BB pellets can hurt if they hit you. There is a safety feature on the firing mechanism to stop accidents though.

This RC toy tank is quick to charge and get going – a 15 minute charge will set you up for about an hour’s play. It is lots of fun to play with, both driving and shooting, so it will be hard to just stand by and watch your kids get on with it!

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Toy Tank Model Kits

1:35 German Leopard Tank Kit

This 1:35 scale model is a plastic kit of one of the Leopard German toy tanks and offers assembly as well as fun play once built. It needs the separate purchase of glue and paints but does come with an action figure to enhance the playing experience. The tank is very detailed so will look real once built and is weapons ready with a gun barrel, machine gun carriage and towing rope.

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1:48 Toy Sherman Tank Kit

This 1:48 scale model kit of a Sherman tank has a weighty lower hull made from coated die cast metal. The rest of the model is made of plastic and comes with three sets of markings. Once built it is durable and would be ideal to teach children a little about the armed forces.

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Collectors Tanks

Unimax Forces of Valor 1:32 Scale U.S. M4A3 Sherman D-Day Tank

Unimax are our favorite brand for Forces Of Valor tanks are available in 1:32 or 1:72 scale models. This 1:32 model of a US Sherman D-Day tank is an authentic replica made from die cast metal and plastic. It is very detailed with rolling tracks, turning turrets and opening hatches. It is dark green and comes with appropriate markings. It has sandbag protection on the front and comes with many accessories including four figures and various equipment. This type of battle tank was produced a lot in WWII so makes a great choice for army role play. This toy and in fact all of those in the Forces of Valor range are ideal for both collectors and older children.

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Armouron Action Set Body Armour

If you are looking for some kids army gear for a birthday or Christmas present, look no further than the new Armouron body armour toy from Bandai. These colorful, customisable suits of armour allow children to dress up as knights and fight any make believe baddies that get in their way. The basic Armouron starter sets contain the basic suit, helmet and shield but there are also three accessory sets that can be bought as extras. These allow the basic suits to be personalised with embellishments such as spikes, flames and wings. More accessories including new weapons are expected to be introduced shortly.

The starter set of armour comes as a flat pack and needs to be constructed which adds to the fun of the toy. The build is easy and the connections are made with Snapperon clips. These clips are also used to fix on the accessories and as they come in different colors can be used as personalisation in their own right. Once built the high density foam armour is light to wear and easy to take apart and rebuild.

Currently only available in the UK, Armouron action sets are expected to reach the US before Christmas.

Please click for prices on the full range of Armouron

To complement the new Armouron army costumes for kids, a range of Armouron books has been released. If you want to encourage your kids to pick up a book and read, these are a great choice. They can follow the adventures of futuristic knights and then dress up in their suits and act out the various story lines. The idea of the suits is that they bestow upon the wearer special skills and abilities – kids are sure to take this idea to heart and have hours of creative role play fun with their friends.

Armouron is aimed at children aged 4 and over, although the ideal height for a perfect fit is between 104-130cm. The accessory packs extend the excitement of the armour, by allowing for mixing and matching between add ons. They can be swapped out with friends costumes and help make the overall effect more fearsome.

Armouron Starter Sets

Kids can have lots of fun building these suits of armour by joining all of the pieces together. The enclosed Snapperons are easy to use and are included with the red or blue chest armour, helmet with visor and circular shield. Two sets are available – please click for more information and prices on the Red Starter Set or the Blue Starter Set

Armouron Accessory Set – Spikes

Extend the fun to be had with the Armouron costumes with the various accessory packs. They make the whole suit seem more knight-like with their five additional pieces. There are two pieces for the shoulders, one for the shield and two for the helmet. They are shaped as spikes, flames or wings, depending on the pack you buy. All pieces are easy to join to the main suit with the extra Snapperons that come with each set although you may need extras to fix all pieces. Packs of six gold or silver Snapperons can be purchased separately. Just make sure you have already bought the starter set of armour or the accessory pack will be no use to you.

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Armouron Accessory Set – Flames

The accessory set also comes in a Flames design.

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Armouron Accessory Sets – Wings

The accessory set also comes in a Wings design.

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Armouron Snapperons 6 Clips

Snapperon clips join the different bits of the armour together, whether these are the main pieces or the accessories. These packs of six clips that come in gold or silver can also be used to further personalise your Armouron body armour.

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Armouron Books

Armouron: The Armoured Ghost is one of the four books currently available in this new adventure series. This the start of the story when four young knights learn their craft and have to defeat the evil Armouronaut. For any boys into their adventure books, these will be a new series for them to become addicted to.

Please click for details of the full range

Toy Walkie Talkies: Why They’re Great

Walkie talkie toys are effectively two way radios that give your kids a communication gadget to play with without you having to buy them a mobile phone that is going to cost you in call charges as well as the initial cost.

If you buy wisely, such as a set with long distance capabilities you could even use these ‘toys’ as communication devices to keep in touch with your kids when they are out and about and save yourself a bit of money in the process.

Kids seem to love walkie talkies toys. They are the perfect role play toy – your child can pretend to be GI Joe, James Bond or even a spy and will have the necessary equipment to communicate secretly with the rest of his team on their secret mission. They can dash around the house, garden or local woodland with them, talking to their friend in a different location. Espionage and war games are particularly popular and as a toy walkie talkie only needs batteries to get it going it is quick and easy to use.

Toy walkie talkies are so popular with kids that there are numerous models designed specifically with them in mind – Toy Story 3, Transformers and Power Rangers to name but a few. The trouble with the ‘kids’ versions is that hardly any of them get a decent write up. And they are not cheap either. You seem to be paying for the look rather than the function of these sets as they are expensive on batteries and the transmissions are barely audible. Other than the Lego Walkie Talkies that is, where as you would expect, you get a quality product.

Click here for more information or to buy

As such, you are well advised to steer clear of kids walkie talkies and stick with the best rated ‘normal’ versions. Your kids will have a much better play time with these and they are likely to be cheaper or at least no more expensive than the latest movie themed versions.

Being an army toys focused site, I was hoping to be able to tell you about some cool camo walkie talkies for kids, but despite there being at least two sets on the market that I have reviewed, they are not much good, so I won’t even waste your time. Your kids are going to have to go with an ‘army’ theme for their role play rather than the look of their walkie talkies.

Why parents love them

Walkie talkies are great for parents as well as kids and here’s why:

Your kids will use their imagination to come up with more and more scenarios for walkie talkie play.
They will get exercise from having to move about on their covert missions.
They will get fresh air as it is likely that they will play outside whilst exploring what their walkie talkies can do.
They will play socially as they need a friend to join in the fun.
They will improve their communication skills as they need to articlulate well what they want to put across to their friends.
They may enhance their mental skills by using secret codes during communications.
They encourage quiet and shy kids to talk.
You can keep track of your kids whether inside or out of the house without yelling.
You can use them after bedtime as a safety blanket so your youngsters know they can get hold of you easily when you’re downstairs
You can keep in touch with older children that may want to do a bit of their own thing while you’re all out shopping.
You can check in with your kids wherever they are without embarassing them.
There is no monthly service fee to pay as with cell phones.

You can get a set of kids walkie talkie toys for less than $30. Given the prices of toys these days, this is pretty reasonable for a toy that has all the benefits mentioned above and will get a lot of use.

Please check out our other article for our top 3 picks of walkie talkie toys.

Best Walkie Talkies For Kids That Actually Work

Walkie talkies toys are often a favorite staple of kids army gear these days. They can come up with endless missions or spy games with these sets of communication gadgets.

Parents should love them too. Read why below but basically they encourage many different traits in kids play, such as imagination, exercise and socialization, and are also great to offer a bit of independence to youngsters whilst still allowing you to keep tabs on them.

These toys come in a number of different guises, although those made specifically for kids typically tend to be of inferior quality. We will look below at 3 of the best walkie talkies for kids – a quality Lego offering made especially for kids, a bestselling standard version that would still be perfect for kids and a cool wristwatch style of walkie talkie that will ensure your kids do not drop or lose them.

LEGO Walkie Talkies **Child Friendly

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Products designed for kids are always going to be better for them than adult products as they will be in fun colors and will typically be smaller and so easier for them to manage. As such these Lego toy Walkie Talkies for kids top the charts – they are made for kids but also actually work! They are easy to use with just one button to press to talk and can cover a distance of up to 1 mile between sets. The reception and quality is very good. There is also a volume control so you can turn them down when they are playing indoors. The Lego look of the design is fun and colorful. They have a good battery life and are able to stand up to the odd dropping dished out by children. The only downside is that there is only one channel and the Lego brick stickers can peel off over time but overall they are a great choice.

Uniden Walkie Talkies **Great value

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This set of walkie talkies is a bestselling adult option but if you want something that works for a great price, you would be well advised to talk your child out of the movie or cartoon character version they want. These two way radios have 22 channels to choose from and work within a 12 mile range. They weigh slightly more than the Lego option but are still a compact size so perfect for kids. They offer much more potential in terms of getting value for money as they can be used at much greater distances, say at school, sporting events or the shopping mall. They can also be used in areas where cell phone signals are weak. The range on these walkie talkies varies according to your location, as with all such sets. The more built up an area is the less distance the signal will travel so in urban environments, expect 1-2 miles. They come with six batteries and the battery life of up to 20 hours is extended thanks to the automatic power save mode and you know when your battery needs charging due to the displayed meter. It is still a good idea to use rechargeable batteries though to keep your ongoing costs down. The sound quality is very good and being affordable and easy to use they are perfect for kids.

Wrist Watch Walkie Talkies ** Cool

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For the best kids walkie talkies that are a bit more nifty although also a bit more expensive, take a look at these watch walkie talkies. They are state of the art fashionable wrist watch walkie talkies that any would be spy kid would be proud of. They are a functioning LCD display watch to keep your kids on time but also double up as multi channel walkie talkies with a 6km range, although this is reduced considerably in built up areas. They come with everything you need for a two person kit including two wired headsets. The wrist watches are lightweight and save you holding a walkie in your hand whilst communicating. Being strapped on, they will be hard for even your child to lose. The range and clarity of communication is very good so these cool little gadgets come highly recommended. They are perfect for spy games or for keeping in touch.

Toy Walkie Talkies: Why They’re Great

As such, you are well advised to steer clear of kids walkie talkies and stick with the best rated ‘normal’ versions – see our top 3 picks above. Your kids will have a much better play time with these and they are likely to be cheaper or at least no more expensive than the latest movie themed versions.

Why Parents Love Them

Walkie talkies are great for parents as well as kids and here’s why:

Your kids will use their imagination to come up with more and more scenarios for walkie talkie play.
They will get exercise from having to move about on their covert missions.
They will get fresh air as it is likely that they will play outside whilst exploring what their walkie talkies can do.
They will play socially as they need a friend to join in the fun.
They will improve their communication skills as they need to articlulate well what they want to put across to their friends.
They may enhance their mental skills by using secret codes during communications.
They encourage quiet and shy kids to talk.
You can keep track of your kids whether inside or out of the house without yelling.
You can use them after bedtime as a safety blanket so your youngsters know they can get hold of you easily when you’re downstairs
You can keep in touch with older children that may want to do a bit of their own thing while you’re all out shopping.
You can check in with your kids wherever they are without embarassing them.
There is no monthly service fee to pay as with cell phones.

Best GI Joe Vehicles

GI Joe must be THE action figure of choice for boys, so if your children are into GI Joe figures, then help complete their role play fun with some of the cool GI Joe vehicles on offer.

There are a wide range available to choose from including vintage versions, however, those most popular with kids today are those from the live action movie, The Rise Of Cobra.

There are two ranges as well as individual toy army vehicles to choose from. The Alpha range vehicles come with launchers, projectiles and surprise attack features as well as a 3.75″ figure. For example the Ghost Hawk comes with a firing missile launcher, rotating engines and interchangeable weapon accessories and the cockpit opens so the figure can ride inside.

The Bravo vehicles are larger and equipped with a hidden reveal weapons system. This means you just have to pop up the missile launcher and flip down the missile storage bays to be weapons ready. A 3.75″ figure comes again as standard.

You can also find the PIT Mobile Headquarters which is a great GI Joe playset. It has multiple levels and represents the fortress HQ of operations from the movie. To start with it operates as a heavily armored vehicle but then transforms into a high tech HQ where up to 84 of your child’s GI Joe figures can plan operations. It has various interesting features such as elevators, sounds and secret compartments. When in vehicle mode there are weapons at the sides and front and these convert to a gun platform when used as the HQ and it comes with a 3.75″ figure to start off any collection.

Below are our top picks for the three best GI Joe toy vehicles but click here for the full range of vehicles.

GI Joe Bravo Vehicle Steel Crusher H2 With Nitro Viper

The Steel Crusher is an armor plated enemy GI Joe vehicle that shows brute force strength when on its destructive missions. It is basically a Humvee that transforms into the intimidating attack vehicle. The Nitro Viper baddie figure is on the run and the GI Joe team has to stop him before he pops up the missile launcher and blasts them or anything else in his way. The figure sports an armored outfit and helmet. The vehicle’s front doors open so the figure can sit at the wheel and drive and there is an Iron Plow attachment he can use to increase the danger to the Joes.

The vehicle looks good and feels sturdy. Extremities such as the front ramming grill and side mirrors are either removable or are made of soft plastic so don’t break easily. The tires are real rubber, not plastic, so grip well on most home surfaces and stop the vehicle rolling over too much. There is an armored shield on the roof that can be slid down over the windshield as required. This then releases the passenger to stand up and fire from the hole in the roof. There are hidden panels on the passenger doors that pull off to reveal concealed rockets. There is room for two figures to sit inside the vehicle but there are also foot pegs around the vehicle for extra figures to ride along. Overall this vehicle is highly recommended.

GI Joe R.H.I.N.O. Vehicle

In all its glory, RHINO stands for ‘Rapid Heli-Intigrated Neutralizing Offensive’. This basically means you get a two in one vehicle that is combat ready with its hidden helicopter – it is effectively a ground/helicopter vehicle combination.

This blue-gray vehicle is awesome and full of features, the most exciting of which is the detachable helicopter. All you have to do to deploy it is push a button at the rear and a spring loaded platform effectively pops the helicopter part out of the middle of the vehicle. You then get to pull out the rotor blades and away it goes.

The two vehicles come with three missile pods that can be attached to either. The ground vehicle also features six opening hatches, plenty of room for more of your collection of figures (up to nine more in addition to the new Rampage figure that you get) and has multiple mount points for weapons. The only downsides are that only the single missile launcher actually fires and the tires are back to plastic rather than the rubber versions found on the Steel Crusher above. They still roll well though. Overall this vehicle is chunky, durable and fun. With a great design and so many features it is bound to please any GI Joe toys fan.

GI Joe Night Raven Vehicle With Air Viper

The Night Raven is the fearsome fighter jet aircraft from the movie. This role play copy offers hours of adventurous play with its raft of electronic lights and sounds. There is a handle you can lower to “fly” this jet vehicle and there is retractable landing gear to make flight time more realistic. The included Air Viper 3.75″ action figure fits neatly into the cockpit via the opening hatch. For combat there is a lock-and-load firing action with two rotary 6-missile launchers – two missiles are fired with each trigger pull but they can be refired quickly for a rapid fire action.

The sounds are realistic and varied to keep the effects interesting. You can also play them simultaneously. They include jet fly by and pilot communication sounds as well as firing blasts and bullet ricochets. On the downside it would have been nice if it was a bit bigger and came with wheels that roll. Overall this is an impressive and durable warbird. Just make sure you buy the 3 AA batteries for it before your GI Joe fan is left disappointed.

So if your army toys fans are into GI Joe, don’t miss out on these extra special vehicles.

Top Camouflage Baby Bedding & Army Bedding For Kids

If your child has conned you into some camouflage bedding then you will need to know the best sets out there to ensure you spend your money wisely.

As such here are our top picks of the kids camo bedding sets available as well as those for babies.

InStyle Boys Camo Bedding Set

This brown and green camouflage bed in a bag is made of a cotton and polyster mix, which can be washed, tumble dried and ironed as detailed in the directions. The traditional print covers the entire comforter and one of the pillowcases. The other pillowcase, bedskirt and sheets have a criss cross pattern.

This InStyle range also includes window drapes and a valance as well as a jet plane rug in the same design to complete the army themed bedroom look.

The comforter is not the heaviest and the sheets are not the softest but they are still very comfortable. Being lightweight it can be used all year round. Overall the whole set works nicely in any boy’s room. The design also matches the pink camo set so your son’s and daughter’s bedrooms can be happily matching. The quality is good, the color lasts after washing and for what you get the set is good value for money.

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InStyle Pink Camouflage Bedding Set

This is the matching set to the brown/green version above but just in pink so girls can have fun with it too. The bedding comes in a variety of pink shades but is brighter and prettier than other pink camo sets on the market.

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Boutique Baby 10 Piece Blue Camouflage Bedding Set For Cribs

Why not start your kids off at a young age with this great camouflage crib bedding set. This design is quite unusual for baby bedding, so will make a bold but cute statement in your nursery. It is a good value for money complete nursery set which includes 10 accessories being a crib quilt, bumper, sheet, skirt, diaper stacker, two window valances, toy bag, baby pillow and bib. It will fit all baby cribs and even toddler beds.

The bedding in this set is extremely soft and smooth, perfect for your little one. The design is attractive and very original. Also buying it as a complete set is very economical. Before you buy it though just note that the colors that look white/light cream in the picture are actually tan.

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JoJo Designs 9 Piece Pink Camo Bedding Set For Cribs

If you have or are expecting a baby girl and want to decorate their nursery with something just a little bit different, why not go for this nine piece pink and khaki camo baby bedding set. The nine pieces you get are a comforter, crib bumper, fitted sheet, skirt, two window valances, diaper stacker, toy bag and throw pillow. The modern but cute design is a bold camouflage print predominantly colored in pink, cream and khaki combined with wide pink borders. It is soft, non allergenic and machine washable being made of 100% cotton and you can buy other items in the range to match.

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Best Toy Guns For Kids

The shelves are stocked with all types of various weapons: shotguns, handguns, rifles, and submachine guns.

Have you entered the exhibit hall of the local NRA convention?

No. You’re strolling down the aisles of a toy store searching for the perfect birthday gift for your son.

Buying toy army guns for kids is completely natural for millions of American parents. Playing cops-and-robbers or other “shoot the bad guy” games is viewed as imaginative, innocent fun and serves as a rite of passage for little boys all over the world. It’s certainly part of the American representation of what it means to be a man: successful aggression is equated with heroics, making men appear tough.

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Most of American history, particularly stories about the Wild, Wild West, is rife with mythology about gunfights and gunslingers. Thanks to films and television, most of us grew up with larger-than-life visions of famous gun-toting lawmen like Wyatt Earp and thrilling villains like Billy the Kid. Today, enemies tend to take on the characteristics of a space alien rather than a cowboy, but the idea is basically the same. The weapon of destruction may be more sophisticated than the old six-shooter, but the rules really haven’t changed that much. The objective is always, “Bang! Bang! You’re dead!”

Most army toy guns for kids are fairly inexpensive, costing under $25. However, for the true aficionado, there are toy weapons on the market that can cost you up to $200. And, these kids army guns have not diminished in popularity over the years. Available in any toy store or online, toy guns and their much-coveted accessories, including grenades, knives and various types of kids army gear, are even more lifelike now than ever before.

Here are our top picks if you are looking for an affordable option:

12″ Toy Machine Gun

This “Dual Spear Ranger Toy Machine Gun,” is equipped with realistic firing sounds, flashing red and blue lights, a red laser and ammunition clip. And, the barrel of the gun even rotates back and forth to give the full effect of a “real” weapon. This 12” machine gun with electronic sounds and LED lights looks and sounds just like the real deal.

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26″ M16 Toy Machine Gun

The “M16 Lights & Sounds Machine Gun” is a realistic-looking replica of a real M16, complete with flashing lights and sounds. This 26” battery-operated toy army gun is BIG and will provide hours of entertainment for “war” games. This is a must-have for any army wanna-be.

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22″ Toy Sub Machine Gun

The “Army Force Battery Operated Sub Machine Gun Scatter Rifle With Rotating Bullets And Sounds” allows kids to pull the trigger and watch the bullets rotate around. Complete with flashing lights and machine gun sounds, the 22” Sub Machine Gun includes a pretend scope and bipod legs for a realistic adventure.

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If you have some cash to splash here is a more expensive option:

1/32 Anti Tank Army Toy Gun

This realistic 1/32 scale model will add real style to any collection.

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Don’t forget no army role play is complete with just a toy gun. Accessories such as grenades, helmets and vests will all be needed so check out this affordable combat set:

Army Combat Set

The “Ultimate Kids Toy Army Combat Set” is an all-in-one set that includes a 24” camouflage machine gun with lights, realistic vibration and firing sounds; two kid-sized military vests and helmets; one 8” pistol; two 4” grenades; one military flashlight; and one 4” military binocular.

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Gun Collection

For children that like choice, it can be best to buy a set with a collection of different guns. The “20+ Military Police Army Gun Set” is an all-inclusive set that features two 24” black M16 toy army machine guns; two grenades; two 10” toy knives; two replica kids walkie talkies; two sets of hand cuffs with keys; two fake watches; two 9” pistols with soft darts; and two badges.

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Toy Army Guns Safety

Toy weaponry has been around since the dawn of time. And, it’s a known fact that little boys can make a weapon out of anything they happen to have on hand, even a tree branch. However, with the many different varieties of toy weaponry today, most of it looking so much like the real thing, certain countries have even banned toy army guns because they’re so often used to commit crimes.

Toy army guns in and of themselves don’t necessarily encourage violence among growing, impressionable young children. However, many experts argue that allowing children to role-play with toy guns is a recipe for disaster. If you are going to allow toy guns in your home, here are a few safety tips:

Be sure that part or all of the gun is brightly colored so it’s not mistaken for a real gun.
Keep gun play inside the house. Caution your child not to bring toy guns to school or to play with them outdoors.
Teach your child not to pretend to shoot people in the real world. Guns, even toy ones, should never be pointed at people.
Take the time to talk to your child about gun safety. They’re never too young to learn that certain things could kill them and aren’t just for fun.