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Friday, May 09, 2008
Children's toys have evolved over the centuries, but still remain the biggest part of the Holiday Season.
Selecting children's toys is the biggest part of Holiday preparations each year - but it can be the most fun and rewarding, too.
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Best Selling #1
IlluStory: Write and illustrate your own book!
IlluStory is a multi-award winning kit that lets you write and illustrate your very own professionally typeset, hardbound book! This kit includes markers and special book pages for creating an original story that is mailed to the publisher in the postpaid envelope provided. Each book features up to 12 pages with 20 typeset words, and includes a Title page, Dedication page and a special "About-the-Author" page. The author's name, book title and illustration are laminated onto the cover. You have your choice of six cover colors to choose from. Additional reproductions and rush service are optional. The IlluStory kit now offers an Internet production option that includes online drawing tools and allows for more words per page, a choice of font styles and colors, and faster delivery times at no extra cost. IlluStory has won many prestigious awards such as the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award; Dr. Toy Best Toy Award; Parents' Choice Classic Award and the Family Life's Best Learning Toy Award.
$19.99
Usually ships in 24 hours
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Best Selling #2
Radica 20 Questions
Plenty of hand held electronic games can be fun but it takes a special game to be both entertaining and deeply unsettling. This small spherical game of 20 Questions looks like it rolled right out of 1979 with a retro design, old arcade style sound effects, and a red light display for its various questions and guesses. Game play could not be simpler. Just think of something and then answer the ball's assorted queries by pressing buttons for yes, no, sometimes, or don't know. In our informal test, the ball accurately guessed our selection of giraffe, motorcycle, and sock but came up a little short on buttered toast. Two AA batteries are required and included. --Charlie Williams
$19.98
Usually ships in 3-4 business days
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Best Selling #3
LeapFrog Leapster Multimedia Learning System - Pink
Here is one handheld gaming system that both parents and kids will be able to agree upon. The Leapster Learning Game System takes the brain-building principles that Leapfrog laid out in its earlier electronic learning devices (which have an interactive book format) and applies them to a video-game format. Leapster draws kids in with familiar video game templates
$59.99
Usually ships in 24 hours
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Best Selling #4
Leapfrog Leapster Multimedia Game System: Green
Here is one handheld gaming system that both parents and kids will be able to agree upon. The Leapster Learning Game System takes the brain-building principles that Leapfrog laid out in its earlier electronic learning devices (which have an interactive book format) and applies them to a video-game format. Leapster draws kids in with familiar video game templates
$59.99
Usually ships in 24 hours
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Best Selling #5
Spinmaster Aquadoodle Draw N' Doodle Mat, Draw with me
The Aquadoodle isn't a pool or tub toy, but without water it's no fun at all. It's just a drawing mat after all, but kids will like the novelty of its disappearing colors. The 81 by 53-inch drawing mat is large enough for several kids to doodle on at a time, using the included magic marker pens that do not transfer color to other surfaces (to our knowledge
$39.99
Usually ships in 6-10 business days
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Best Selling #6
Vtech V.Smile TV Learning System
Turn on your TV, tune in to V.Smile, and drop in to a fun educational experience! V.Smile is a learning system masquerading as a video game, just for the preschool set. A video game platform combines with educational content to create a learning system that will make preschoolers and parents alike happy. The graphics and video game aspect are a bit old-fashioned, but that's probably appropriate for youngsters just entering the world of technology. In Alphabet Park Adventure, the one included "Smartridge" game (other educational game cartridges are available, of course, sold separately), players climb to higher and higher levels of play and avoid being taken out by monsters and jungle beasts (but don't worry, it's not violent). Think Donkey Kong meets the ABCs. V.Smile was designed specifically for children ages 3 to 7; it features non-violent, age-appropriate learning, entertaining graphics, and fun play based on popular characters such as Winnie-the-Pooh, Spider-Man, Mickey Mouse, Care Bears, Simba, Scooby-Doo, Ariel (The Little Mermaid), and more. V.Smile offers two modes of learning. The Learning Adventure is an exploratory journey in which learning concepts are discreetly integrated. The Learning Zone is a series of games designed to focus on specific school skills (vocabulary, numbers, animals, colors, directions, phonics, shapes, road safety, geography, even logic!) in a friendly, engaging way.
V.Smile features non-violent, age-appropriate learning, entertaining graphics, and fun play based on popular characters.
| Easy as pie to set up, V.Smile is ready to go practically as soon as it comes out of the box. All it requires is a TV to plug into (unless your TV is older, in which case you can route it through a VCR), three C batteries, and/or an AC adapter (neither battery nor adapter is included--nor is the TV, for that matter!). The orange and purple console is fat and rounded, with a big Enter button and--lefties rejoice!--an easy-to-grip joystick that 's adjustable for left- or right-handed use. Four flashing buttons in different colors light up when selected during certain game activities. There are also help and exit buttons--self-explanatory, and a Learning Zone button--press to enter the Learning Zone play mode. A storage compartment allows players to store up to six Smartridges when not in use. A second joystick port can be used for two-player games (second joystick must be purchased separately, however). Kids are immediately drawn in to the lively action of Alphabet Park Adventure. While the targeted developmental benefits include language development (letter names and sounds, spelling, phonics), logical thinking (basic math skills, problem solving, science facts), and cognitive development (discovery and exploration, visualization and memory, motor skills), the fact remains that, at least with Alphabet Park, players can just mess around and play the game without really learning anything earth-shattering. Just by pushing the joystick and clicking the buttons, children can advance play, even if it's by accident. Still, they are certainly working on hand-eye coordination and developing their powers of concentration and focus. If some old-fashioned Reading, Writing, and
$49.99
In stock soon. Order now to get in line.
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Best Selling #7
20Q Challenge
While it's true that you probably haven't been spending your life silently pining for a chance to play 20 Questions against the detached head of R2D2, this toy, which more or less simulates that experience, provides that opportunity. The premise is pretty simple: think of something and then answer the machine's various questions using buttons marked "yes", "no", "sometimes", and "unknown". A floating display inside the domed top of the toy and an "undo" button provide some added appeal but it's really the same old game of 20 Questions you've been playing for years. While it would appear that the human would have an advantage in this contest and that a machine couldn't deduce the right answer with yes or no questions, we found ourselves losing the game an unsettling amount of the time. --Charlie Williams
$36.99
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Best Selling #8
Imaginext Dinosaurs - Razor The T-Rex
Dinosaurs are a common obsession among kids and this dinosaur toy takes children back to the Mesozoic Era for unlimited play in a prehistoric time. Razor, a replica of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, has razor-sharp teeth and, when kids pull the lever under his tail, he bites with them and emits a startling roar. In addition to a moving jaw, this T-Rex moves vertically at the neck, arms, legs, and tail. Per Fisher-Price's storyline for these beasts, kids can pretend that Razor is the head of the Predators, a group of dinosaurs destroying all the natural resources. Or kids can challenge their imagination by creating their own stories and scenes with this fierce warrior. Razor comes with a saddle on his back, a catapult, a scorpion, and dinosaur bones. Also included is a caveman figure, which, although not exactly accurate for the time period, extends play possibilities a bit. Three "AAA" batteries are included to power the sound effects. --Cristina Vaamonde
$29.99
Usually ships in 6-10 business days
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Best Selling #9
LeapFrog Interactive FLY Pentop Computer Bundle Pack
Pretty fly for an educational toy! The Fly Pentop Computer is the wave of the future--today. So
$178.95
This item is currently not available.
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Best Selling #10
Sesame Street Sing n' Giggle Tool Bench
Busy toddlers who need to "do it myself" can join the ranks of DIYers with this kid-size tool bench. With a hammer, circular saw, drill, wrench, gears, boards, screws, and screwdriver, the sturdy plastic bench has everything needed to build impressive (imaginary) projects. Elmo oversees the work, holding several of the tools himself, while Cookie Monster, Bert, and Ernie take charge of drilling and sawing. Push down on the saw or tighten some screws and hear the appropriate buzzing and "skreeking" sounds. Beware of the corny jokes ("Hey Ernie, I saw that! Get it? Heh heh heh heh.") and goofy songs ("I've been working on the tool bench"). There is no volume control, and the sound is very loud, but veteran parents know all about the magic of a little well-placed packing tape over speakers. Do-it-yourself parents who would prefer that their children not handle real power drills and circular saws will truly appreciate this tool bench
$49.99
This item is currently not available.
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What would Christmas be without childrens toys?
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