Discovery Joebot is new this year and exclusive to the Disocvery Store. With advanced robot technology, Joebot can walk, talk, dance, and interact and is very funny.  He’s for ages 8 and up and lists for $99.95.  Shop early with a coupon.  Find Joebot here:  Discovery Toys.

The Discovery Macro Microscope is a quality kids microscope with micro and macro settings.  It can magnify from 40 to 400 times with clear images. Lenses are interchangeable with most standard research-quality microscopes.  It comes with all the accessories shown in the picture. The Discovery Macro Microscope lists for $79.95. Pick up the Discovery Microscope for a great gift.

The Discovery Ultimate Pottery Wheel has been around for a couple of years and is a popular arts and craft toy. It has 3 speeds and is great for all skill levels, however is recommended for ages 8 and up. It comes with clay and instructions and you may want to pick up some extra clay. The pottery wheel lists for $79.95. Take a look at the Discovery Pottery Wheel.

The Discovery Liluminated Ant Gel Habitat is a fascinating ant farm.  It is a complete, self sustaining habitat and does not require food or water. The ants are shipped directly to your home. You might want to open the box and order them before Christmas.  Just $29.95 and for ages 8 and up.

The last of the top 5 toys for the holidays is the Discovery Sky & Land Telescope.  This is a 70mm, refracting, short barrel telescope. It is designed to be easy to use for kids and adults and can be used for stargazing or observing nature.  This is a quality, hard working telescope and lists for $159.95. You will only find this telescope at the DiscoveryStore.

Find all these great toys and more at Discovery Top 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!

I was very impressed with every costume we received from Acting Out, excellent quality and very original products.  One perk too was being able to press the button on the music box to start the music but also to stop it if you didn’t want it to play through.  Another great quality about all these dresses was the adjustable sizing.  Not something you find in most play clothes.

The Knight/Pirate cape was so soft and well made.  I love the concept of the reversible cape.  Everyone likes to get two for the price of one.  It also had a great fit for just about any size.

Musical Hokey Pokey & Can Can skirt:  Definitely our favorite!  Again the two in one but all of my girls love the ruffles and the twirling.

Chicken Dance skirt:  My girls love to dress up and dance but it lasts much longer when this fun skirt is being worn!  The cute skirt and fun music makes everyone want to dance!

Musical Waltz dress:  With the pretty dress and wonderful music it makes any girl feel like a beautiful dancer! 

Swan Lake Ballerina skirt:  What girl doesn’t love sparkly pink?!?  The quality and soft satin lining makes this a skirt that will be put to use frequently.

We know this Mom and family will have hours of fun with these great products. If you would like to assist us with toy reviews, learn more here.

Find more information on where to Buy the Acting Out Musical Dress Up Skirts.

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Toy of the Year – Air Hogs Havoic Heli Laser Battle by Spin Master, Ltd.

Infant/Preschool Toy – Moon Sand Adventure Island by Spin Master, Ltd.

Girl Toy of the Year – Two Winners – Littlest Pet Shop Display and Play Round & Round Pet Town Playset by Hasbro and Troop Groovy Girls by Manhattan Toy.

 Boy Toy of the Year – Transformers Movie Deluxe Figures by Hasbro.

Game of the Year – Rubik’s Revolution by Techno Source.

Outdoor Toy of the Year – RipStik Caster Board by RipStik USA.

Educational Toy of the Year – Smart Cycle Physical Learning by Fisher-Price.

Activity Toy of the Year – LEGO City by LEGO Systems, Inc.

Electronic Entertainment Toy of the Year – Power Tour Electric Guitar by Tiger Electronics.

Most Innovative Toy of the Year – Smart Cycle Physical Learning by Fisher-Price.

Specialty Toy of the Year – Snap Circuits by Elenco.

Property of the Year – Hannah Montana by Disney Consumer Products.

Congrats to all the winners! To purchase any of these products, find links to major retailers at Top Toys for Kids 2008 Toy Industry Association Awards.

To follow up on how I did with my award winner guesses – not very good. My only correct guess was Hannah Montana as property of the year.

The 2008 Activity Toy of the Year nominees are Color A Messenger Bag by ALEX, Digital Arts & Crafts Studio by Fisher-Price, Fashion Design Studio by Creativity for Kids, LEGO City by LEGO Systems, Inc, and Rose Art Smart Easel by MEGA Brands Inc. My choice is LEGO City. Classic LEGO quality with realistic airport and other scenes.

The 2008 Electronic Toy of the Year nominess are American Idol Talent Challenge by KID Design, Inc., Easy Link Internet Launch Pad by Fisher-Price, Power Tour Electric Guitar by Tiger Electronics, Rescue Pets Myepets.com by MGA Entertainment, and U.B. Funkeys by Mattel, Inc. There are so many cool new electronics this year but it’s hard to find a stand out. I am going to go with the highly rated Easy Link Launch Pad by Fisher-Price.

The Innovative Toy of the Year nominees include Air Hogs Havoc Heli Laser Battle by Spin Master, Ltd., DynaCar by SeeToys, EyeClops Bionic Eye by JAKKS Pacific, FLY Fusion Pentop Computer by LeapFrog Enterprises, and Smart Cycle Physical Learning by Fisher-Price. This is also a hard category to call. The Smart Cycle is quite innovative but my vote is going with the EyeClops Bionic Eye.

The nominees for Specialty Toy of the Year include Bananagrams by Bananagrams, LLC, Fashion Design Studio by Creativity for Kids/Faber-Castell, Karito Kids World Collection by KidsGive, LLC.,  Rok Jr. – Rokenbok Toy Co., and Snap Circuits by Elenco. Once again my vote goes to Bananagrams because of all the great reviews by real kids and families.

Next is the Toy Property of the Year nominees which include Hannah Montana by Disney Consumer Products, High School Musical by Disney Consumer Products, Pokemon by JAKKS Pacific, Star Wars by Lucas Film, and Transformers by Hasbro, Inc. To me the clear choice is Hannah Montana – she is so popular!

The actual winners will be announced tomorrow and we’ll see how we did. If you want to find out where to purchase these great products, check out Toy of the Year Awards.

The nominees for 2008 Outdoor Toy of the Year are the ESPN Better Batter Baseball by Fisher-Price, the RipStik Caster Board by RipStik USA, the Sidewalk Paint Sprayer by Crayola, the Super Splash Water Park by Little Tikes, and the Ultimate Family Wagon by Radio Flyer. Once again we have a fantastic list of toys to choose from!

I like the Little Tikes Super Splash Water Park. The inflatable water slides get bigger and better each year.  They are fun for both boys and girls and they appeal to a wide range of ages. It can be a fun way to invite the neighborhood kids over or the highlight of a birthday party.  The Little Tikes water slides get good marks for durability too.

If you like the Little Tikes water slide, just take a look at all of the fun new water slides for 2008!

Disclaimor: I am not a member of the Toy Industry Association and I do not have any inside information.  With 5 nominees in each category, I have a 20% chance of guessing the correct winner for a category. The actual winners will be announced by the Toy Association on Feb 16, 2008.

The Toy Industry Association has nominated Bananagrams by Bananagrams LLC, ClickStart My First Computer by LeapFrog Enterprises, EyeClops Bionic Eye by JAKKS Pacific, I Can Play Guitar by Fisher-Price, and Smart Cycle by Fisher-Price. These are all wonderful products but if you look one is different from all the rest – Bananagrams does not require batteries or power. 

Bananagrams gets my vote for Best Educational Toy of the Year. It gets a near perfect review from customers at Amazon! It is inexpensive and portable. It is recommended for ages 7 to 12 and appeals to the whole family. It is similar to Scrabble but with more flexible play.  Besides being educational it is fun!

Find Bananagrams and other great Toys of the Year.

Disclaimor: I am not a member of the Toy Industry Association and I do not have any inside information.  With 5 nominees in each category, I have a 20% chance of guessing the correct winner for a category. The actual winners will be announced by the Toy Association on Feb 16, 2008.

The Toy Association has nominated Hyper Dash game by Wild Planet Entertainment, Cranium WOW by Cranium, Flippin’ Frogs by Mattel, Rubik’s Revolution by Techno Source, and the Cat in the Hat, I Can Do That by I Can Do That Games.

Now these are all great games but we like the Wild Planet Hyper Dash for its great combination of physical activity with mental challenges.  It is recommended for ages 7 to 12. The reviews on Amazon are nearly all 5 star and the reviews show that not only the kids but whole families are enjoying playing together. The game can be played solo, in pairs or teams. It can be played indoors or out. And Hyper Dash can be found at a very reasonable price.

Find the Award Winning Games and Toys here.

Disclaimor: I am not a member of the Toy Industry Association and I do not have any inside information.  With 5 nominees in each category, I have a 20% chance of guessing the correct winner for a category.

The Toy Industry Association has nominated the Air Hogs Havoc Heli Laser Battle by Spin Master, Cars Mega Mack Playtown by Mattel, Nerf N-Strike Disk Shot by Hasbro, Pokemon Action Figures by JAKKS Pacific, and Transformers Movie Deluxe Figures by Hasbro.

The Air Hogs Heli Laser Battle is a new idea based on the earlier Air Hogs helicopters. This is a set of two that can do battle. It is also nominated in the Most Innovative category. This is for older kids or even grown ups. The Cars Mega Mack Playtown is cool but not that special as an individual toy, although the entire product line is great.  The Pokemon Action Figures are really a series of toys, not a specific toy and they are nominated in the Property of the Year category.  Likewise there are many toys in the Transformers line and they are also nominated in the Property of the Year. For me, the winner is the Nerf N Strike Disk Shot. This is an inexpensive, outdoor, all boy toy. What kid doesn’t like to shoot at targets?

Find where to purchase the Toys of the Year!

Disclaimor: I am not a member of the Toy Industry Association and I do not have any inside information.  With 5 nominees in each category, I have a 20% chance of guessing the correct winner for a category.

The nominees in this category are Barbie Girls by Mattel, Hannah Montana Singing Dolls, High School Musical 2 Two-Pack Gabriella & Troy Dolls, Littlest Pet Shop Display & Play Round & Round Pet Town Playset by Hasbro, and Troop Groovy Girls by Manhattan Toy.

Let’s see, the Troop Groovy Girls are really cute but kind of specialized and hard to find in stores. The dolls are all variations of a helpful girl scout theme. I think they should have been nominated in the Specialty Toy category. Of the remaining 4, only the Littlest Pet Shop is not in the doll category.  It was a big seller last year and definitely designed for the toddler/pre-school age.

I am going to go with the Barbie Girls because there is a little more to it than a doll that sings.  The Barbie Girls is first an MP3 player. The reviews say it is easy to use and download music and it’s a great price for the capacity. Second it comes with barbiegirls.com which provides hours of online interactive play either individually or with friends.

You can see from my choices for the first two categories, I am favoring the toys that bring hours of play time. 

Find where to purchase any of these award winning toys here.