Kids Gift Guide: Oh, to be young again!

Shopping for kids is a great excuse to have some fun. Not only does it allow you to test out some cool new toys, but it can take you back to the days when exchanging gifts meant ripping open wrapping paper, not quietly slipping a gift card out of an envelope.

Whether you're buying for a bookworm or a busy bee, here are some ideas on how to share the gift of excitement this holiday:

Nesting and Sorting Barns and Animals
Ages 2 and up

Kids can create their own farm scene with this Melissa & Doug play set. Beyond imaginative play, they’ll work on sorting and number skills as the barns are labeled one to six and fit inside each other in descending order. The wooden animals are also numbered to match their respective barns. $24.99; at Homboms, 1500 First Ave., 212-717-5300 or melissaanddog.com

My First Desk
Ages 3 and up

Give kids their own personal space to work. This mini wooden desk by Alex is decked out in child-friendly primary colors. The chalkboard desktop includes a cup holder to hold crayons or other supplies. There’s also a rear-hanging canvas bag for bulkier items and an under-seat shelf for added storage. The chair can be assembled to accommodate either right- or left-handed children. $99.99; at Scholastic Store, 557 Broadway, 212-343-6166

Perfect Twist Ice Cream
Ages 3 and up

Serve up a sweet-looking play ice cream cone or sundae with this creative Play-Doh set. Use the new, fluffy Play-Doh Plus compound (three cans included) to twist ice cream “flavors” into a realistic-looking swirl, then top off your creation with sprinkles made of traditional Play-Doh (two cans included). $21.99; at Kmart, 770 Broadway, 212-673-1540

Animal Alphabet Parade Puzzle
Ages 5 and up

The innovative interlocking animals of this 26-piece wooden puzzle by Begin Again Toys resemble a Pangaea of the animal kingdom. One side features the capital letter representing each animal’s name, while the other displays the lowercase. The shapes are crafted with rubber-wood child-safe stains. $32.35; at barnesandnoble.com (same-day delivery available in Manhattan)

Zoomer
Ages 5 and up

Zoomer is an ideal pet for the child who wants a dog and the parent who doesn’t. This electronic puppy by SpinMaster will play dead, shake a paw, roll over and more, all on command (whether that be in English, Spanish or French). And while owners will have to endure some barking, they won’t have to clean up any messes. $79.97; at amazon.com

Flutterbye Fairies
Ages 5 and up

These flying dolls from SpinMaster appear to be magical. Launch the fairy by pressing a button on the charging base, and then once she is airborne guide her around with your hand below. Press the base again and she will slowly descend. There are four different fairies from which to choose, including pink Flower and purple Stardust versions. $49.79; at yoyo.com

Laser Maze
Ages 8 and up

This high-tech maze of lights and mirrors makes kids use their brain to solve specific challenges posed on 60 cards ranging from beginner to expert. Bounce and bend laser beams through the game grid by strategically placing 11 tokens in the correct spots. With lessons in logic, reasoning, geometry and physics, this single-player ThinkFun game will keep kids sharp. $29.99; at Kidding Around, 60 W. 15th St., 212-645-6337

3-D superhero light fixture
All ages

Light up your superhero fanatic’s day with this nightlight that looks like Iron Man is coming right through his or her wall. A crack sticker placed behind the mounted mask helps achieve the effect. The LED light is battery operated, so it can be placed anywhere in the room. Other Avengers characters and props are also available. $29.99; at Target, 517 E. 117th St., 212-835-0860

Rebelle Heartbreaker Bow
Ages 8 and up

Ready, aim, fire! Adventurous girls can live out their “Hunger Games” fantasies with this powerful bow by Nerf. It comes with five soft darts that can soar up to 75 feet into the air with a simple pull on the bowstring handle. $29.50; at Zittles, 969 Madison Ave., 212-737-2040 or hasbro.com

Marker Maker
Ages 8 and up

Young artists can craft their very own markers with this hands-on Crayola set. They can create original colors by filling up tubes with ink, dipping the marker core into the tubes and then clicking the pieces together with a special gadget. The kit comes with the components to make 16 markers, including labels to display their custom color names. $34.99; at Michaels, 808 Columbus Ave., 212-865-0813

Disney Infinity
Ages 10 and up

Step inside a virtual toy box where you can mix and mingle your favorite Disney and Pixar characters, vehicles, settings and extras to create your own animated world. In story-driven “play sets” you can explore iconic locations while setting off on quick missions with familiar Disney characters. Starter packs are available for Playstation, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS platforms. $65-$75; at J&R, 1 Park Row, 212-238-9000

Crazy Cart
Ages 9 and up

There are virtually no limits when it comes to driving the Crazy Cart by Razor. You can move forward, in reverse, sideways and even diagonally between two modes — go-kart and crazy cart — and the variable-speed foot pedal lets you speed up to 12 miles per hour. There’s a drift bar that helps control back-end drifts, and 360-degree steering allows you to make sharp turns in small spaces. $399.99; at toysrus.com

GoGo Pillow
All ages

Tech-savvy tots and teens can keep their iPads cozy and cushioned with this multifunction pillow. Most tablets slip securely into a variety of available slots so you can prop up electronics comfortably to watch a show or play a game. The cushion also transforms into a travel neck rest and a backpack and can be affixed to the rear of a car headrest for easy viewing on the go. $19.99; at Bed Bath & Beyond, 620 Sixth Ave., 212-255-3550

Smart Car Robotics
Ages 10 and up

This smart car from Thames & Kosmos makes traditional remote control cars seem so old-fashioned. Budding engineers will love constructing eight futuristic-looking vehicle models. The motorized wheels can then be controlled by a tablet or smartphone. The icing on the cake: Kids can create a virtual city of 3-D buildings on the screen through which they can steer their car. $130; at Mary Arnold Toys, 1010 Lexington Ave., 212-744-8510

WordARound
Ages 10 and up

This thoughtful card game will have kids’ heads spinning. The round playing cards display words in continuous, circular strings. The challenge is figuring out where the word begins before your opponent does. Collect 10 cards to win. The deck includes 100 cards with 300 words to decipher. $13.95; at Compleat Strategist, 11 E. 33rd St., 212-685-3880

“The Pocket Scavenger,” by Keri Smith
Ages high school and up

Get kids’ creativity flowing with this unique activity journal from Penguin Books. Each page features an item to find and asks for the details about how it was discovered. Next, kids can flip the book upside down and randomly choose one of nearly 200 ways to alter that object. It forces them to think outside the box. $15; at McNally Jackson, 52 Prince St., 212-274-1160