TinkerBell and the Lost Treasure is a DVD release for 10/27/2009.  With some great actors doing the voices – Kristen Chenoweth, Pamela Adlon, Lucy Liu, Anjelica Huston and more, and the Disney characters, this is a fun movie for kids.  The release scheduled so close to the holidays assures that the Tinker Bell toys will be on the wish list for Christmas!

Disney Fairies Tinker Bell Talking Cafe Play Set

This is a magical playset for the preschool set. The cafe says, “My name is Tinker Bell. I’m glad you could meet me here at the cafe.”  The faucet makes water sounds, the cash register beeps, burners make cooking sounds and the oven door opens. It comes with 16 accessories including a baking sheet, teapot with cups and sauces and food items. Lots of pretend play here! The Tinker Bell Cafe is for ages 3 and up and sells for $99.95.

Tinker Bell Dolls

There are several TinkerBell dolls available. The newest is a fluttering tinker bell doll that flutters her wings when you touch her. She is an 11″ doll dressed in a classic Tinker Bell fairy costume with wings.  There is also a gift pack set with 5 Disney fairy dolls – Tinker Bell, Silvermist, Rosetta, Fawn and Iridessa. These are smaller 6″ dolls all dressed in fall themed costumes with fairy wings.  From last year we have the WowWee FlyTech Tinker Bell which is a remote controlled Tinker Bell that flies! Shes designed for indoor use and girls can fly her around their room!

Pick up the TinkerBell DVD and toys now!

Find where to get the best deals on these High Energy Preschool Fitness Toys

It started with the Smart Cycle which has been around a couple of years now. Kids could ride a bike, play games and learn their numbers all at the same time.  The Smart Cycle has been extremely popular and won numerous awards. However, some Moms did report that the kids got bored with it (well that happens with many toys). For 2009, the Smart Cycle has been upgraded and enhanced. There are also many new preschool fitness toys – Smart Fit, Leapfrog Zippity, Vtech Ride and Learn Giraffe Bike, and the Fisher Price 3 in 1 Smart Sports game. Which to choose? Here’s some info on the products:

2009 Smart Cycle Extreme

The Smart Cycle is a video game operated by a kid-sized stationary bicycle that also teaches math and spelling skills and other skills for kids aged 3-6. New for 2009 is the Smart Cycle Extreme, which adds another element of fun, the rumble pack. The rumble pack gently shakes the bike when your child passes over a bumpy road. This rumble technology is utilized in 6 new games for 2009: Pixar Cars, Sponge Bob, Toy Story, Hot Wheels, Bob the Builder, and Planet Heros. The Smart Cycle Extreme will also backwardly integrate with Fisher Prices previously released titles. Which means that if you already own games for the Smart Cycle, they will run on the Smart Extreme, but without the rumble technology.

Disney Leapfrog Zippity

A high energy learning system with interactive mat and joystick that gets preschoolers dancing and jumping while they interact with their favorite Disney characters.  Leapfrog has branded itself exclusively with Disney and has all Disney titles including Cars, The Princess and the Frog and Disney Princess. The Zippity console default game features characters from Mickey Mouse Club, Little Einsteins, Winnie the Pooh, and Handy Manny.

Fisher Price Smart Fit

The Smart Fit Playground is an interactive activity pad and plug and play game that encourages kids to be active. The kids will walk, run and jump while learning letters, numbers, shapes, and colors.  Reviews by Mom’s of 3 year olds, say they love it!If your younger child wants to have their own fitness toy, the Vtech Bike is for kids as young as 18 months. It encourages learning through 5 modes of active play. It has an LCD display, adjustable bouncy seat and rides like a bicycle. The seat is adjustible for different heights. We think it’s nice to have an interactive toy that doesn’t also tie up the TV!

Vtech Ride and Learn Giraffe Bike

If your younger child wants to have their own fitness toy, the Vtech Bike is for kids as young as 18 months. It encourages learning through 5 modes of active play. It has an LCD display, adjustable bouncy seat and rides like a bicycle. The seat is adjustible for different heights. We think it’s nice to have an interactive toy that doesn’t also tie up the TV!

Fisher Price 3-in-1 Smart Sports

For the kids who love sports! It comes with golf club, teenis racquet and baseball bat which control the action with a wireless controller.  While playing games, your child learns numbers, letters, shapes, and motor skills. If your child has Wii envy, this might be the trick for them to have their own Wii like game!

Find where to get the best deals for the holidays on these Preschool Fitness Games and more!

Earlier this year it was announced that Dora the Explorer, one of the most popular TV characters for little girls, would receive a teenager makeover. There were concerns among parents that Dora might lose her wholesome look, that both children and parents had fallen in love with. But, when Mattel released Dora links a couple weeks ago those worries were quickly put to rest, and replaced with excitement. The Dora Links Doll and online world is an innovation in play for little girls. For the first time ever, young girls in the 3-10 year old range, have a doll that changes based on a computer game play. This unlocks a new world of imagination and interactivity for young girls. This is gonna be big!

Dora lives in a small beach community called Puerto Verde, with her four best friends Naiya, Emma, Kate and Alana the “Explorer Girls”. Your child will be able to explore the city and solve mysteries with Dora, just like the TV show. The game is filled with dress up, and interior design games, that little girls love. The truly amazing part is that when you have Dora plugged into the computer, and you choose her hairstyle, eye color, or jewelry colors the doll changes to match your selection. This change happens pretty instantaneously with the click of a mouse.  This level of interactivity will delight your little ones.

The Dora doll plugs into the computer with the included fuchsia usb cord, and when off the computer she runs off of 3 included AAA batteries. When the child is off the computer, the Dora doll interacts differently based on what level of the game your child is at. She will talk about the current mystery your child is working on, and alert your child if new mysteries have been uploaded to the Mattel site. I’ve heard some parents say their children will not leave the house without their Dora Links doll.

Another fun element to Dora links is that new levels can be unlocked if you choose to buy the Dora accessories. Like many other dolls, you can buy outfits and accessories to expand your collection, but when you buy Dora Links accessories, you are not only expanding traditional play but you are also expanding online play. For example you can unlock the school mysteries by buying the Mattel Puerto Verde School, and you also get a desk, chair, books, and pencil cup to go with your Dora doll when your child is playing offline.

Dora’s best friends the “Explorer Girls” each have a separate doll that can be purchased to even further expand the game. Mattel did a great job of creating the multicultural elements of the TV Series, by making Dora’s friends all different nationalities. When your child gets a new doll she can unlock that dolls room and decorate it. At about $20 a doll, it’s easy on the wallet to add new dimensions to your child’s Dora world.

Some speculators have started to mass purchase the dolls in advance, betting that there will be shortages when the holiday season arrives, and they will be able to resell them on eBay. Dora Links is already starting to top the lists for the most coveted toys of the 2009 holiday season, so it might be a good idea to make your purchases on the links collection early. It’s hard to anticipate which accessories and explorer girls may or may not sell out. Click below to find the complete set of Dora Links Products:

Dora Links Dolls, Playsets, and Friends

Did you like Where the Wild Things Are? Was it a little too old for your kids?  The book is geared to very young kids and the movie is fantastic but might appeal more to older kids and adults.  So let the kids see the movie but come home and read the book.  If your kids are like mine were at a young age, the ”Where the Wild Things Are” book will be read over and over.

If you’re looking for additional toys and activities, there is a great block puzzle with scenes from the book. The kids will also have fun with the plush toys and can hold them as you read. There are small and large plush dolls and puppets too. Of course, there are video games too for DS, Wii and all the major platforms.  Find the Where the Wild Things Are toys and books

Sometimes its hard to come up with inexpensive gifts for teens but social games can fit the bill.  I asked my daughter Lucy to describe and rate her top 5 favorite games for teens. She did a great job!

To find the best deals on any of these games, check out Best Toys and Games for Teens.

Toys are usually only for kids, but this group of games appeals to adults, and make great gifts for the hard to please teenager age group.

1. Blokus

 With 409 reviews on Amazon as of this writing, 403 of which are 4 and 5 star ratings, its no wonder that Blokus tops our list. Blokus has won many awards including the Mensa Select Award and the 2004 Teachers choice award, and is played in tournaments many countries around the world. Simply put, Blokus is the chess for today’s youth. It’s equally addicting to young and old alike. The rules are much simpler than chess so you can literally start enjoying the game in less than 5 minutes from opening the box. The goal is simple to get rid of all your pieces first, but the game is pure strategy with an emphasis on using your spatial intelligence. The original Blokus game is catered to playing with 3-4 players, but it can be modified to play with two players. It is this authors opinion that two player games are equally, if not more fun as group games. Pick this one up if you haven’t already.

The Settlers of Catan

2. Settlers of Catan

Take Monopoly go back a couple centuries, and add in extra variation, and ways to win, and you have Settlers of Catan. Settlers of Catan is considered one of the best board games of all time by many reviewers, due to its enjoyment by both hardcore gamers and non-gamers alike. It is a highly interactive group play game that relys on trading and building. One of the fun aspects of the game is it’s easy to derail the person winning by refusing to trade with them. It’s also amusing to see how each person is affected by their chosen strategy.  With five different types of resource cards and several different ways to score points, this is a game of endless variety, and constant action. This game is suited for the teen who enjoys playing complex games with their friends (the game can last 2 hours and it takes playing one game to understand the rules and strategies). This is the type of board game your teen will want to invite friends over and make and evening out of it.

3. Set

Staring blankly at this deck of cards at the game store scratching my head, it was hard to see why this game was so popular, until you play it. Set is a game of recognizing “sets” and calling them out. Your brain and your eyes will rapidly scan 12 cards in hopes of catching the next set before your opponents. I believe it is this adrenaline rush that makes this game so fun. After playing, you might feel like you have just drunk a double shot of espresso. The only drawbacks are that the same person might win over and over, and beginners cannot stand a chance against a seasoned set player. On the plus side, it’s a fast, portable, and addicting game (just like coffee!)

4. Carcassonne

Along with Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne is a European style game that was so popular it made its way to the states, but the similarities pretty much end there. Carcassonne is a tile game. There is no board in the beginning, but a board is slowly built throughout the game by the players laying the tiles and claiming the formations that are created. The players build cities, roads, monasteries and farms and lay their pawns on them to claim points, but must wait until the formation is complete to take back the pawn back. With a limited number, of pawns, players have to do some careful strategizing to win the game. This is a game to make an evening out of taking anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours. It is also suited nicely for 2 players, whereas Settlers of Catan is more of a group game. Warning: this game can be very addictive, and there are many expansion packs that you will be tempted to buy if you get hooked.

5. Bananagrams

Bananagrams combines portability, verbal skills, spatial skills, and speed all into one game. The object of the game is to be the first person to finish laying their tiles. After laying all the tiles in your hand, you call out bananas and each player has to draw a tile from the pot. During the game you can rearrange the tiles in front of you to accommodate the new tiles. Winner of multiple awards, and touted my many as extremely addicting, Bananagrams is a great game for teenagers to play with friends or alone (there is an equally fun solitaire way to play!).

Find theses great games and more gift ideas at Best Toys and Games for Teens.

Find the best online deals for the new Elmo Live Encore.

Elmo Live Encore is a re-make of the popular 2008 Elmo Live.  If you’ve seen Elmo, he has some incredible moves. He tells stories, makes jokes, sings songs, and plays games. Reviewers at Amazon gave him 4.5 stars last year (5 stars is the highest rating).  That’s a rather high rating.   It seems that both kids and adults tend to either love Elmo or hate it.   Elmo can be a little scary for a 1 year old and Elmo toys are most often purchased for the 2 to 4 year old set (and their parents).  Yes, Elmo Live can be great entertainment for the adults as well.

Elmo Live Encore is too new to have ratings out at Amazon but all indications are that the quality of the toy will be the same high quality of the original toy.  The new Elmo Live sings 3 songs from Sesame Street: Sunny Days, Somebody Come and Play, and Elmo’s World.  He also has new jokes, a new story and more interactive play. If you enjoyed the original Elmo Live, the new version will be a new toy.

We recommend picking up the new Elmo Live Encore early, inventory may be in short supply this year as merchants cut back because of the economy.

Find the newest GI Joe toys  now!

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra opens this week on Friday. It previewed this week-end at Andrews Air Force Base and is being heavily marketed to middle America. The GI Joe toys originated in 1964 as military action figures. They were reborn in the 1980’s, my son had a couple of G.I. Joe dolls, yes dolls for boys.  The new movie features a modern version of the 1980’s characters and the updated toys are from Hasbro.

The popular G.I. Joe toys include the 15″ action figures and the vehicles. Action figures include G.I. Joe Ultimate Duke, G. I. Joe Snake Eyes, G. I. Joe Storm Shadow and Ninja Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes.  All come with realistic weapon accessories.

The G. I. Joe vehicle toys are rather cool too. There’s a G. I. Joe Cobra Gunship with Firefly Action Figure.  It is a Cobra gunship vehicle with opening doors, access panels and cockpit.  The G. I. Joe Night Raven with Air-Viper Action Figure is an aircraft with stealth technology. It has electronic lights and sounds, firing action, and missile launchers.  The G. I. Joe cobra A.T.V. with Scrap-Iron Action Figure is a  land vehicle which cruisers over mountains and deserts. It comes with laser-guided missiles.

All of the G.I. Joe toys – action figures and vehicles are designed for ages 4 and up or 5 and up. Most of the action figures are under $20 except for the Ultimate Duke Action Figure which is $69. The vehicles ranger from $13 to $99.

Also available is the new video game, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, released on August 4, 2009. It is available in Wii, PS3, Xbox 360, DS, PSP and PS2 verions. Pre-orders will receive a special unlock code with their purchase.

Take a look at the complete line of new G. I. Joe toys!

View the complete line of popular G-Force Toys and Action Figures.

G-Force opens this Friday. If you’ve been to the movies lately, you have probably seen the trailer. The guinea pigs are realistic and they are cute! The G-Force guinea pigs should make great action figures and plush toys for the kids.  As it is a Disney exclusive, you won’t find many of the G-Force toys at the big box stores.   However, you can pick up the G-Force toys online.

Find the complete selection of G-Force Toys and Action Figures.

G-Force is a family movie, rated PG, with some great actors, and being published in Disney Digital 3D! If you haven’t seen the trailer, you can see the official G-Force teaser on youtube.

Top toys for Kids is pleased to announce our first contest!

Win a free pair of back to school shoes for your child!  All you have to do is check out the custom shoes on the Vans website, pick the style and colors with your child, and then post back here about your experience.  We will select the winner on 7/27/2009. That’s plenty of time to receive your free shoes for back to school!

Vans is the original skate shoe manufacturer since 1966! Today there are three styles of custom shoes to choose from with hundreds of color patterns. A custom shoe can be purchased for $50, $60, or $70 based on the style you select. We think that’s a great value for a custom shoe! The kids will have fun selecting the style, patterns, and color and will look forward to wearing them for back to school!

Why is Vans giving away shoes? They want you to take a look at their site and consider ordering online for all your skate shoe and back to school shoe needs.

To get started now, just follow the banner to Van’s, create your shoes (you can save your creation for later purchase if you should win), and come back and post about it.

Contest rules:

1. Entries for this giveaway will be accepted until 8pm PDT on July 27, 2009.

2. You must be 18 years or older and live in the U.S. 50 states to win (you are encouraged to enter on behalf of your child).

3. Your entry consists of visiting the Vans site, designing a custom shoe with your child, and then posting a comment about your experience on this blog.  One entry per family.

4. The winner will be selected by Top Toys for Kids. All decisions are final.

5. The winner will be contacted via the email address that is used to register for this blog. If we do not hear back from you within 48 hours, another winner will be selected.

Good luck, someone is going to win a great pair of shoes!

Harry Potter mania has started! Most of the opening shows at midnight are sold out. But don’t worry, this movie is going to be around for a while. If you’re looking to beat the summer heat, a daytime show will do the trick.  And you’ll probably want to see it again with the IMAX 3D version is released on July 29.

The kids are sure to want Harry Potter toys and there are a few available now. The Harry Potter action figures are all on sale tomorrow  (July 15) to celebrate the opening of the movie. You can grab Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasley, and Professor Mad-Eye Moody.

Harry Potter costumes are in stock too and will be popular this year for Halloween. There could be shortages so buy early if you really want that robe!