How to Buy Nerf Toys

Start your preschoolers off with a safe and mellow Nerf sports ball ($6). This is the good ol' Nerf you remember ' a bouncing, brightly colored foam ball that's safe to play with in the house. Or try the Nerf Basketball Ball and Hoop ($7) to encourage eye-hand coordination.

Graduate to "heavy" weapons that shoot balls, darts, and arrows when your kids reach the age of 6. These toys have gained popularity with certain adults as well.

Try the Nerf SuperMAXX 750, 1500, or 3000 models. These work like a Super Soaker gun, using air pressure to rapid-fire multiple darts. The Nerf Wild Fire Automatic Blaster ($30) allows for single-shot or multiple-shot firing - up to 20 darts at a time.

Shoot six darts or arrows with the Arrowstorm ($20). If you like that one, try the Sharpshooter II ($16), a double-barrel pistol that can alternate firing barrels. The Laser Fang ($15) pistol has a groovy laser sight on it.

Reconsider the original Nerf Bow and Arrow ($8) for children under age 10 - it's difficult to load. Try the Crossbow ($20) instead. A cocking mechanism makes this gun much easier to handle. The Crossbow shoots arrows or darts, as does the Defender T3 ($25). The Big Bad Bow has a silly name, but its range is better than the Bow and Arrow's.

Sling darts with the Secret Shot ($10), Sawtooth ($20), and RatchetBlast ($15). These semi-automatics hold and shoot multiple darts. The Warthog ($10) fires micro darts, and you can store spares in the handle.

Blast up to six balls at your opponent with a Nerf Pulsator Blaster ($20).

Fire three kinds of ammo - arrows, darts, and micro darts - with a Nerf Tripletorch ($10).

Grab some spare ammo. Airjet Power Mega or Micro Darts, Ballistic Balls, and Arrows ($4 per pack) make a good extra gift. Balls are the easiest to lose. Be sure the ammo is compatible with your weapon.

Can't play in the house? Try the Nerf Jr. Foam Blaster or Nerf ArenaBlast CD-ROM for Windows ($30 each). The Nerf Jr. Foam Blaster includes a PC Nerf Blaster, which plugs into your PC. Nerf ArenaBlast is a 3-D game that can be played alone or in Internet multiplayer environments.

Purchase these toys through the shopping list below or at any large toy store.