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Hot Toys For Cool Kids

The season's hottest toys Take a closer look at what kids really want. By Marie Loggia-KeePublished: December, 2008

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With tighter spending budgets this holiday season, we know that parents are looking to get their money’s worth when it comes to toy shopping. To help you as you make your list (and check it twice), we consulted toy manufacturers to find out what’s hot. Here are our picks for the top 20 toys this year. 1. Bakugan Battle Brawlers Age: 5 to 12 years Suggested retail: $6.99 and up (Because of the demand, prices vary.) It’s the epic tale of domination. Take small collectible items and pair them with a hit animated show, and it makes for one of the season’s hottest-selling and in-short-supply toys! These magnetic marbles pop open into warriors when they land on playing cards. 2. Wii Music Age: E (Everyone) Suggested retail: $49.99 The nation’s No. 1-selling Wii gaming console continues to be a hard-to-get item. Building on the popularity of Guitar Hero comes the game Wii Music. Up to four players can join together and jam. With more than 60 instruments, users can experience the thrill of playing the drums, saxophone, violin and even the banjo! Plus, with WiiConnect24, players can send their jam videos to friends with the system. 3. Barbie & the Diamond Castle Dolls & Palace Age: 3 years and up Suggested retail: $24.99 and $79.99 Building on the popularity of previous films such as “Fairytopia” and “Mermaidia,” Barbie returns with her best friend, Teresa, in “Barbie & the Diamond Castle.” The dolls sing songs from the movie, and when they hold hands, they sing a duet. The Castle features furnishings and a light show, and comes with Liana and her dog, Sparkles. 4. WowWee Alive Cubs Age: 3 years and up Suggested retail: $59 These snuggly, fuzzy cubs coo with baby animal sounds and move with animated facial expressions. A child will enjoy feeding a bottle to the baby while it purrs in her lap. Place the cub in a cushy spot, and it’ll start to snore and then go to sleep. 5. MatchBox Mega Rig Shuttle Mission Age: 4 years and up Suggested retail: $44.88 Boys will venture on an “out-of-this-world” journey with the MatchBox Mega Rig Shuttle Mission. The set starts as one big spaceship and can break down into 30 different combinations of space vehicles. Use the space arm to grab things, and take a spin on the ATV or take a ride with the UFO – complete with a space alien inside. 6. LEGO Creator Stegosaurus Age: 9 years and up Suggested retail: $44.99 With more than 700 bricks, this 3-models-in-1 building set includes directions on making the stegosaurus, along with a winged pterodactyl or a T-Rex. The prehistoric creature features flashing red eyes. 7. Cranium Cadoo Age: 7 years and up Suggested retail: $19.99 “Refreshed” this fall with 300 new cards and an updated super-secret red decoder board, Cranium Cadoo gets kids thinking with its mix of gaming gadgets. Players are challenged to act, crack codes and puzzles, sketch and sculpt. Cadoo picked up awards from the Toy Industry Association, Parents’ Choice Gold Award, and others. Available exclusively at Toys “R” Us. 8. Discovery Kids Touch Screen ATM Age: 8 years and up Suggested retail: $79.95 Teach children how to track their savings with a touch of reality. The Discovery Kids Touch Screen ATM reads paper money and coins. Users program in their own secret code, and access the savings with an ATM card. Kids can easily track their balances through the touch screen. Available at the Discovery Store. 9. LeapFrog Tag Reading System Age: 4 to 8 years Suggested retail: $49.99 Encourage the joy of reading with the LeapFrog Tag Reading System. Children hold a pen-like tool tipped with a small infrared camera. As the tip passes along the book, the device “reads” the words. Rather than listening to a story aloud without any direction, children know exactly what word is being recited. 10. Radio Flyer Turbo Turtle Age: 18 months to 3 years Suggested retail: $59.99 An adorable ride-on toy by Radio Flyer, the Turbo Turtle’s “action wheels” promise “ride, glide and spin” mobility. The toy can be used indoors and outdoors, and comes fully assembled. 11. EyeClops Night Vision Age: 8 and up Suggested retail: $79.99 The EyeClops Bionic Eye was on last year’s hot list. Now, Jakks Pacific has pushed the limits even further with Night Vision! Imagine wearing these high-tech goggles with a visibility radius of up to 50 feet. 12. Bill Nye Paper Recycling Factory Age: 8 to 11 years Suggested retail: $29.99 Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. There are songs about it. Schools teach the concepts. And, now kids can actually create recycled paper at home with Elmer’s Bill Nye Paper Recycling Factory. 13. “Camp Rock” Electronic Drum Set Age: 6 and above Suggested retail: $39 Time to rock out! Based on the hit Disney film, users can create their own tunes with the “Camp Rock” Electronic Drum Set. Features multiple sound effects and five different musical instrument sounds. 14. Elmer’s Bubble Gum Factory Age: 8 and above Suggested retail: $19.99 How cool would it be to make your own gum? The kit comes complete with all the ingredients needed. Flavors include watermelon and blueberry. 15. Critter Conga Age: 18 months and up Suggested retail: $30 An innovative musical ensemble packaged within a “drum,” this 12-piece set features giraffe maracas, a capuchin monkey rainstick, hornbill water whistle, tambourine and much more. 16. Sorry! Sliders Age: 6 years and up Suggested retail: $19.99  A Slider “pawn” sports a ball bearing in its base. Players can either maneuver their pawns in order to score points and earn the way toward “home,” or use their sliding skills in order to kick someone else off the playing field. That’s where the Sorry! comes in. 17. Disney Fairies and Tinker Bell Easy Flyer Age: 3 and up; 8 years and up Suggested retail: $12.50 and $39.99, respectively Hot on the heels of Tinker Bell’s first major motion picture comes a variety of Disney Fairies. Little girls will enjoy spending time with Tink and friends. Powered by a remote control, the Flyer takes Tink to new heights. Available exclusively at the Disney Store. 18. Rescue Pets Swim to Me Puppy Age: 3 and up Suggested retail: $29.99 If you have little ones, you’ve probably seen these commercials. The Rescue Pets Swim to Me Puppy walks on land and swims in the water. The adorable canine comes with a pair of goggles and an adoption certificate. 19. Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Gotta Go Doll Age: 3 years and up Suggested retail: $39.99 Most little girls enjoy playing “mommy.” The real Little Mommy Loving Baby Gotta Go doll comes with her own potty, towel and training pants. 20. Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker Age: 8 years and up Suggested retail: $29.99 Back in the day, the Easy-Bake Oven was a thrill. Now, following nationwide trends comes the Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker. Bakers first make their cupcakes in the microwave and then use the kit to swirl frosting and add decorations.  Click here for a fun variety of classic games you know and love.

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