Two of the most successful computer games here in the Parks household are not the shoot 'em up types usually thought to attract the attention of young minds:
The first game is the Roller Coaster Tycoon series by Atari. You can build your own coasters and run your own theme parks but, be careful, you need to manage your money and keep your customers happy. The first RCT game is the easiest and the most fun for younger ages while RCT III is very intricate with the added bonus of riding all of the rides!
The second are the I Spy computer games by Scholastic. These are as clever as the books but with animation. All of them have been a delight to play and the pictures are wonderful just as they are in the books.
Outdoors, the wheeled wonders that gets used the most, by far, are the Razor scooters. Our boys have bikes and other wheeled doohickeys (we don't allow skateboards yet) but the scooters are the go-to wheels-of-choice. Extra bonus: They fold up nicely to take on trips as well. As for the age for scooter eligibility, both of my boys have been riding since around age five with little difficulty.
Each year, outdoor sports equipment is constantly in need of replacement due to the kids' inability to keep them put away after use. Apparently, the Earth's gravity increases by a factor of ten when playtime ends - rendering the children helpless to pick up the toys. Footballs, baseballs, soccer balls, basketballs - they're all 
great as gifts. The most enjoyable ball we've ever owned is the Hasbro Nerf Vortex Mega Howler. It's pricey and doesn't last as long as most others, but this thing is great. The tail keeps the ball flying straight and long while the whistle sounds really neat when you hurl the thing. Loads of fun (except when you're older and the next day your arm feels like it's 
falling out of your shoulder socket). Something to consider as well (not as Christmas gift I don't think) are some really good orange cones for outside play. It sounds strange, but they have been used nonstop since I got four of them from Lowe's. They mark goal lines and baseball bases, obstacles for scooter runs, etc. They're a bit pricey but, unlike their cheap plastic counterparts, they're virtually indestructible.
So there you have it. Just a few recommendations in case you're stumped for gift ideas. Merry Christmas!
