With much of the USA spending lots of time indoors right about now, what are the kids doing to entertain themselves? Here are a few of our current favorite toys to wile away the winter.

Some of my son’s favorite toys of all time are the Hero Mashers line from Hasbro. These toys have included Marvel heros like Spiderman, Jurrasic World dinosaurs, Transformers, and now include the Star Wars line of characters- well, the males, anyway. There have yet to be any females introduced to the Hero Mashers line, which leaves my little collector (and his mother) wondering where the women are.

These toys are amazingly fun and give children hours of play- they can act out favorite episodes, comics, and make up their own adventures. Not only are these heroes articulated, but fully interchangeable. You can swap heads, arms, weapons- you name it- to create your ultimate hero (or villain). Hero Mashers are easily in my son’s top 5 toys. The only thing that would make them better? Bring on Rey, Black Widow, and the other leading ladies of heroism. Women matter (without Rey, how does the Force awaken, anyway?)- and our kids want these toys! Prices vary, find out more at http://www.hasbro.com/en-us/brands/heromashers

While we are strong with the Force, have you and your children played the new Disney Infinity 3.0 yet? If you don’t own it, grab one for your console of choice- it’s a fun and interactive game. There have been new releases of characters for the game, most recently including Rey, Finn, and Kylo Ren among others. You and your kids can awaken the force, become a Rebel, or play levels with your favorite Disney characters. Where else can Boba Fett and Princess Jasmine hang out, after all?

Not sure what characters your kids have already or want most? It can be hard to keep track of. You can use the website to let the kids create lists, which make collecting easier- and will let Grandma know what character your kiddos want most for upcoming occasions. I don’t usually advocate “get me this stuff” list sites, but for things like this (when they are collecting) it really makes keeping track easier for everyone. Find out more at https://infinity.disney.com

Nintendo has recently crossed over the insanely popular game Minecraft from app to video game. Now available on the WiiU and on the eShop. This open game is somewhat like LEGO but as a video game experience. Kids are insanely addicted to this game, and now it is available in more arenas. You can use survivor mode or creator mode- according to the kid tester of the house, creator mode is “way more fun”. In this mode, you create what you’d like, including characters (who even fall in love and have babies), but the game adds things like sheep or trees sometimes. In survivor mode, you have to survive the game. Get food, have enough sleep, keep healthy, things of that nature. You can also have a pet (like a wolf) you can train to help and guard you. The video game and the app have a differences, but my son likes to play them both. He is hoping for a 3DS version soon. You can get it at http://www.nintendo.com for $29.99 .

DigiBirds from Spinmaster are adorable. They come in different varieties of birds, colors, and packages. You can get owls, penguins, chicks, and more. Available in singles, multiple packs, and sets that include birdcage, igloo, or other habitat, there are enough options that your child can have a whole chorus of tweeting friends. These pets also dance and bop around as they sing, and can sing by themselves or interact with each other. Your child can blow into the (included) whistle ring which can get the party started, or place two birds close together and they will sync up and sing together. There is an app for that, if you wondered- you can download the free Digibirds app for more songs and interactions. Prices start at about $10.99 at stores like Kmart- visit http://us.digibirds.com/ for more information.

If you are looking for a hero, look no further then Marvel Legends Infinite Series toys by Hasbro. And guess what? You can find female action figures right where they should be- sitting on shelves along side their male counterparts. Action figures like Wasp, Spidergirl, and more are ready and waiting to join your child in adventures with Ant Man, Spiderman, Iron Man, Venom, and more. These are cool for quite a few reasons- they really look like their characters (are more intricate looking then some toys), they have characters that are harder to find yet are play quality/ very articulated vs collector only (because kids want to play, not stare at the toys on shelves) and when you buy a toy, you get a bonus piece- an arm, a head, etc- that can be used to build a whole new toy once your collection is complete. I think this is a fun idea, and my son really enjoys it as well. We keep all the “extras” in a box so we don’t lose anything, and can’t wait until it is all ready to go. They are usually about $20 each at stores like Toys R Us.