A Guide to the Top 5 Remote Control Toys in 2013

Buying presents for children can be extremely difficult in recent times especially with games consoles such as the Xbox and the PlayStation on the top of every birthday and Christmas list. Coupled with the fact that many of the youth today are glued to their mobiles phones or browsing the internet mainly on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter it has almost become an impossible task.

However, there are other options available to parents if they want to purchase something a bit different for their child but still want to remain current. One of the options could be to look into the different types of remote control toys that are currently on the market.

Any discussion on remote control toys cannot be passed without mentioning remote control cars so this seems like the perfect place to start when advising on the best remote control toys to buy your child. The great thing about remote control cars is they seem to never get old, however, previously the great selling point of a remote control car would have been a self-righting mechanism or being able to drive regardless of the way up they are flipped. Nowadays as technology has evolved the quality of remote control cars has increased dramatically so some of the things to consider when purchasing a remote control car are:

• Would the recipient of the present prefer a certain type of car? If so there are numerous different outlets that sell remote control replicas of cars from a Lamborghini Murcielago to a Ford Focus so there is something out there for everyone.
• Check the radio range of the remote car. A 2.4 GHz radio can mean you are in control of a car up to 800 feet away.
• Some remote control cars now have Nitro engines to give them more power, whilst this makes them better gift for young teenagers they may be unsuitable for some children therefore it is worth checking before buying if you are unsure.

So we have covered remote control cars however there you can now also buy remote control helicopter and boats.  These are presents that are better suited to those who have previous experience with remote control vehicles as they can be difficult to handle.

Some of the things to consider when purchasing a remote control helicopter or boat:

• Handling difficulty
• Take into account the areas your child will most likely use when flying the helicopter. This may seem like common sense but you would be surprised at the damage that can be caused to ornaments whilst getting used to flying your remote control helicopter.
• Radio range this is more important to take in consideration than a remote control car for if you fly or drive the boat or helicopter out of the range of the radio then you could easily lose your boat in water or cause damage to you helicopter.

These could be a great present for those who are interested in playing practical jokes on other people or they could be used a great presents for younger children. As there is a range of different animals on the market you can base your selection on the person receiving the present.

• For those that are likely to use a remote control animal for comedic purposes then it would be best to get them a spider, tarantulas being the most popular choice, or insect based remote control toys which are sure to make people jump out of their seats.
• On the other hand if you are purchasing for a younger child then it may more appropriate to opt for an animal they are likely to have an affinity with such as a remote control cat or dog. This can be a good way to introduce your child to remote control toys and get them used to technological products at a young age.

The phrase ‘saving the best until last’ definitely applies here is it a car, is it a helicopter, is it a boat, no it’s a plane!  With the advancements in technology remote control planes have the ability to reach heights of up to 200 meters in the air and if you’re a novice flyer fear not as many rc planes will have a built in autopilot which assists your control.

In addition, the top of the range remote control planes have built into them a camera which you can use to take bird’s eye view pictures and videos of wherever you are.  With many remote control planes they will provide you with a video recording module so you can watch the video live feed as it is being shot.

These are just some of the best remote control toys out on the market at the moment which you can purchase as alternatives to games consoles. As with all sectors there are a range of different remote control toys therefore make sure you spend time thinking about the recipient of the present and choose a toys that would be most relevant to them.

Thanks for reading. I'd love to know what you think so make sure that you comment below. If you liked this piece then why not check out the rest of my work on Instructables? I would especially recommend "How To Make A Man Pad".

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