Every year, families around the country struggle to find a great gift for Mom on Mother’s Day. GeekDad’s Brad Moon, Corrina Lawson, Z., Jenny Bristol, Jonathan Liu, and I (Rory Bristol) have some ideas for you to grab this year, and we hope your Mom has a great celebration!
Pandemic
Pandemic is a cooperative board game that has changed the way my family games. With nobody attacking each other and a “we all win or lose together” strategy, our family can play this game without fear of someone feeling “beaten.” This is a great game for moms with children who have a hard time losing. It’s also now available in App form on iOS! [RB]
Ifrogz Tadpole
At $19.99, this tiny Bluetooth speaker is the perfect size for your active mom. She can drop it in her purse and go! Buy it on Amazon. [RB]
Olde Book Messenger Bag
The favorite mother in your life will enjoy carrying around her laptop, papers, books, and anything else that needs to remain flat inside this classy, very-retro style bag. Complete with padded laptop section and zippered pocket, this bag makes it easy for bibliophiles to show off their passions. Buy it at ThinkGeek. [JB]
The World’s Great Wonders
Profiling dozens of the world’s masterpieces, both natural and man-made, The World’s Great Wonders will take you on a trip to countries all over the world, uncovering sights and sites that you may not have known about. In addition to the gorgeous photos included in the book, entries explain how the man-made structures were put together and how the natural phenomena work. Buy it at Amazon. [JB]
Cricut Explore
If a mom on your list is crafty (or just wants to be), the Cricut Explore Electronic Cutting Machine is the perfect gift. The Cricut allows precision cutting of more than 50 material types including cardstock, vinyl, fabric, and iron-ons, and it allows users to cut and write/score in a single step using the secondary accessory clamp. The web-based Cricut Design Space portal includes project ideas, a wide selection of free and paid images and fonts, and even supports the ability to upload your own designs. Setup is a snap, making it the perfect addition to any craft room. [Z.] (Review materials provided by: Cricut)
ION Audio Cassette Adapter Bluetooth Music Receiver
Is your beloved mother still tooling around in a late model Camry with a cassette player? Pimp mom’s ride on the cheap with this Bluetooth cassette adapter. Easily sync a smartphone/tablet for wireless music streaming on the go via the stereo’s speakers, and a built-in microphone even allows for hands-free calling. The adapter charges via USB, and easily offers 4-5 hours of playtime per charge, making it roadtrip ready. Admittedly, there’s a little reel noise on some cassette player models, but it offers an unbelievable value for those who want to enjoy their music but don’t have an auxiliary input. [Z.] (Review materials provided by: ION Audio)
For Comic Book Moms:
Take a trip to the Golden Age of comics with author Mike Madrid, whose three books tackle the various ways women’s roles in superhero comics have evolved (or, in some cases, devolved) since the 1940s.
The Supergirls: Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy and the History of Comic Book Heroines [CL]
Divas, Dames and Daredevils, takes a close look at the ordinary heroines of the Golden Age. [CL]
Vixens, Vamps and Vipers is all about the bad girls and says as much about our society as their evil-doing said about them. [CL]
Sound Rise Flower Freaq
Flowers may be a traditional Mother’s Day gift, but here’s something that that will appeal to the music loving mom–with a colorful nod to tradition. The limited edition Sound Rise Flower Freaq is a high tech speaker/alarm clock with Bluetooth wireless streaming, FM radio, UQ3 spatial sound enhancement, three EQ sound presets, USB charging, and dual alarms. The special edition version adds flowers to the equation with a bright floral speaker cover. Also available in attractive wood and taupe case. Buy Soundfreaq speaker alarm from Amazon or get the special edition Flower Freaq direct from Soundfreaq. [BM]
Toddy Gear
If your kids have been using your phone or tablet, chances are you’ll find a lot of fingerprints on the screen. Toddy Gear makes colorful microfiber cleaning cloths that you can keep handy for wiping away smudges. The Smart Cloth is a 5″x7″ rectangle, while the Pocket Toddy has a built-in pocket and a loop so you can fold it up and attach it to a keychain. The cloths are double-sided, with a plush back for cleaning and a silky side for polishing, and the fun patterns are a lot more fun than plain solid colors. Available from Amazon or directly from Toddy Gear. [JL]
