If holidays are coming sooner than you thought or you are in need of a birthday gift, one item that is sure to please boys, girls and “children of all ages “ (i.e. boyfriends and husbands) is a Radio Control car. Girls love a Radio Controlled Lightning McQueen or Barbie’s Pink Corvette Convertible, while boys enjoy any basic sports car, race car, off road vehicle or replica, generally easily found at Toys R Us or Radio Shack. Prices range from $10 to $100 depending on the age appropriateness of the toy. If you have a real Do-It-Yourself guy, someone who loves cars, electronic toys, etc you can try specific hobby shops in your area or online. Be sure you are sitting down before you read the higher end pricing (spoiler alert). You may not know that there are actual RC car competitions where people pay upwards of $400 for their toy, and then begin to pay more for upgrading and customizations. While you, I and most normal people would wonder what kind of RC cars costs $400, these types of cars go over 80 mph and there are ones that set world speed records of nearly 140 mph.

RC cars are a great idea for kids – no matter how old!

Let’s assume you are like me and one of the 99% that aren’t quite so interested in the most expensive toys available. RC cars provide great fun and learning. Even mid-range cars could be modified and adjusted, giving kids a safe way to learn science lessons about electricity, physics (speed, weight, time factors), aerodynamics, radio frequencies, etc. It gets them away from the TV and computer (very necessary!), and helps with reflex and coordination development in the “real world” more than any video game can. In the past, there were extra costs with nitro cars due to needing to buy new batteries every so often, but now many cars can be charged. If maintained and taken care of, these toys will last a long time and provide great educational fun for the whole family.