We’re fairly certain you already have a few main items inked in on your wish list–after all, you’ve been bombarded with holiday commercials seemingly since July. If you’re like most kids, you’re thinking Nintendo DS or Sony PSP, possibly a motorized scooter, maybe a personal DVD player or the Bratz Toyko-A-Go-Go Dance ‘N’ Skate Club.
But you’re also saying show me the money, ranking cash and gift cards as much-desired presents, the Chicago market research firm KidzEyes reports. And girls, possibly recalling that old expression about good things coming in small packages, told the company they would prefer lots of little gifts. Boys, however, say they would rather see one whopping gift under the tree.
So to help you round out your holiday requests, here are KidNews’ picks for the coolest of the cool. These toys run the gamut from totally high tech, like Hasbro’s Lazer Tag Team Ops and WowWee’s Robosapien, to quaintly low tech, such as Peanuts figures to hang on your backpack or tree, plus they make a stop in-between with the hands-free Jump Dancer. Unless noted, all items are available at major toy stores and mass merchandisers.
Not just another rowdy robot
So you’re just dying for a companion and the ‘rents have once again said no to your yearly plea for a pet? At 14 inches tall, WowWee Ltd.’s Robosapien ($99) might be smaller than a springer spaniel–but when you throw him a ball, he not only fetches it, he throws it back too. The rambunctious robot responds to voice com-mands and remote control. And though he won’t hoark hairballs on your CD collection, he can replicate some pretty gross bodily noises. A remote-controlled robot not exactly the cuddly companion you were craving? How about a sweet baby bear that gives hugs, slurps at its bottle and plays peek-a-boo? Luv Cubs ($29.99) from Hasbro’s line of Fur Real Friends also change expressions and make cute noises.
You can play that again
Last year’s hottest personal video player, Hasbro’s VideoNow, just got a cool color update–inside and out. VideoNow Color ($75) features a bigger, sharper screen than last year’s and plays your favorite Nickelodeon shows and others in color–and it’s available in orange, sapphire and four other rocking hues. Plus the unit also plays VideoNow’s black-and-white disks. Looking for tunes that travel? Play It Now (Hasbro, $29.99) lets you record up to 30 minutes of your favorite music from a CD player, computer, digital music player or television. (Think of it as iPod light.) And while you’re listening, you can play one of its six arcade-style games.
Girls just want rooms that rock
Think of what a sweet retreat your room will be with cushy, candy-inspired pillows from Senario. Soft, brightly colored and immensely huggable, Sweet Thang pillows ($25-$30) are shaped like your favorite candy, including Tootsie Pops, Nestle Crunch bars and boxes of Junior Mints. Put some small-scale style in your lair with Wild Planet Toys’ Mini Room Mates, from the Girls Living in Style line ($19.99-$24.99). The tiny working boom box, light and fan plug into the included battery-operated power strip for go-any-where grooviness. Also cool is the Dazzlin’ Doorway, a hippie-inspired curtain with a customizable greeting that you hang at the entrance to your room. Match your greeting to your mood, or go with the pre-recorded crowd cheer.
Look ma, no hands
Jumping rope with pals is great fun–except for having to turn the rope. Now everybody jumps with the hands-free Jump Dancer (Kid-Riffic Toys, $39.95). The motorized unit turns the rope automatically, allowing up to three kids to jump at once. Dream of dancing in “The Nutcracker” but don’t know a plie from a pirouette? SpinMaster’s Bella Dancerella Home Ballet Studio ($29.99) includes a free-standing ballet barre, an instructional video and a step-by-step map. Tuck your tush into the enclosed tutu, set up the barre in front of the TV, pop in the tape and get acquainted with the basics of ballet.
A force to be reckoned with
Strike fear throughout the galaxy, or at least your house, with the Darth Vader Voice Changer (Hasbro, $29.99). Don the helmet, mask and chest plate of the legendary “Star Wars” villain, press a button and hear your voice converted to sound like the evil Lord Vader. Change modes to produce Darth Vader’s ominous breathing and hear him speak five popular phrases from the “Star Wars” films. If you’re really a “Star Wars” fan, you’ll want to add the Millennium Falcon spaceship (Hasbro, $59.99) to your wish list. Back for the first time since 1996, the Falcon has gotten some upgrades, including new taillights that change color based on flying mode.
Spy stuff the CIA would envy
Homeland security gets a boost from Wild Planet Toys’ Spy Gear line. Accomplish your mission with the Spy Robot Radio-Controlled Rover ($29.99-$39.99). Use the remote to steer the vehicle and operate it’s claw to pick up important evidence, like the homework you forgot to finish, and activate its recording device to capture every detail of your sister’s super-secret conversation. Turn a low-tech game of tag into a high-tech espionage experience with Spy Lazer Chase ($14.99-$19.99). Laser gloves send infrared beams at your opponent, who’s up to 75 feet away. Sound and lights let you know if you’ve been tagged and a LED readout indicates your remaining life force.
So old school they’re cool
Toys with a little old-fashioned charm help keep the balance on Christmas morning, what with the dancing robots and the roving metal detectors. Playing Mantis has the “Ultimate Action Figure,” a 13-inch Christmas Time Charlie Brown ($24.99). Press his left hand and hear him lament “Everything I touch gets ruined” and nine other phrases. The Peanuts gang comes dressed for winter in Playing Mantis’ Mini Figures Collection ($19.99). Clip them on your backpack or hang them on your tree. Raggedy Ann has been around for nearly a century, but she just keeps getting fresher. Brass Key’s porcelain keepsake Raggedy Ann ($24.95) wears a trendy holiday sweater with faux fur collar and cuffs. The set includes a stand to display the doll.
It’s showtime
This is the year to appreciate unlikely action figures. Already showing up on col-lector Web sites is Hasbro’s The Incredible Mr. Incredible ($24.99). We love how pushing in his belt buckle gets him to open his mouth, expand his chest and shout phrases like, “I can break through walls, but I can’t find my socks in the morning.” The Hero-Changin’ Incredobile (Hasbro, $19.99) looks like an ordinary car, until a push on the hood turns it into a superhero vehicle with rear thrusters and projec-tile-launcher headlights. Disney’s “The Incredibles” Storybook Ornaments (Disneydirect.com, $32) will super-charge your tree. The character ornaments come in a bookstyle box for safe storage.
Building a better toy
Bored to tears with the usual building toys? Now’s the time to start dropping hints about K’NEX Big Air Ball Tower ($99). The ultimate construction set lets you build a 5-foot-tall ball tower that centers around a see-through motorized airlift tube. The kit contains more than 1,350 pieces and countless opportunities to build your own obstacle courses. Ready to build–but not on such a large scale? K’NEX Alive! Beast Building kits ($9.99-$29.99), based on mythological creatures, combine the K’NEX rod-and-connector system with a trigger handle to give your creatures movement and attack capabilities.
Tag, you’re it
Paintball takes to the great indoors with Tiger TV Games’ Mission: Paintball ($39.99). The video game uses infrared technology for eight levels of play, from beginner to professional, in environments that range from forests to fortresses. Not extreme enough? Tell the folks you want Hasbro’s Lazer Tag Team Ops ($59.99). The set comes with two tagging guns and head units. LCD screens on the guns provide a live-action readout of seven game stats, and tagger ID ranks the players. Play the 11 preprogrammed games or create your own. To talk strategy, add the Headset Communicators ($24.99), atttachable two-way radios.
Find buried treasure the easy way
Does treasure hunting with a metal detector sound like more work than fun? National Geographic’s remote-controlled X4 Metal Detector Rover ($34.99) includes built-in sound and light alerts to let you know when the vehicle has rolled over metal objects. The rover comes with “coins” for practice treasure hunts. No surface is too challenging for the corkscrew-like cylinders (think pontoons) that propel Mattel’s Terrain Twister ($64.99). The remote-controlled vehicle twists and turns, effortlessly covering water (it floats) grass, sand, your brother’s shoes, the dog’s paw and more.
That’s edu-tainment
Who says science is dull? Learn where fragrances come from and how to blend your own perfumes with Thames & Kosmos’ Perfume Science Experiment Kit ($54.95). The complete lab set includes eight perfume oils, atomizers and small bottles to hold your scent-sational creations. If a volcano that spews candy sounds like something Arthur would dream of, then National Geographic’s Candy Volcano ($14.99) is a dream come true. Mix the powder from the enclosed packets, then watch the “molten” candy erupt and become lava-rock gummies. If polished stones are more your thing than candy rocks, you’ll want Santa to bring you the EduScience Rock Tumbler (National Geographic, $24.99). The cool retro-futuristic yellow plastic tumbler will turn plain stones into things of beauty. Includes jewelry-making kit.
Silly photos in a snap
Now you won’t have to head to the mall with your pals for photo-booth snapshots. My Photo Booth (Girl Tech, $44.99) captures those special moments with instant photos using Polaroid’s Izone film. You never seem to have enough room in your room, right? That’s why we love products that do double duty, and the Disney Princess Jewelry Box ($39.99) gets bonus points because not only is it also a CD player, it is cleverly designed to hold CDs too. Are you a campfire kind of girl who’s missing her s’mores? With the Hershey’s S’mores Maker (Spin Master, $24.99), which uses a light bulb heating device inside its plastic “campfire,” you easily can whip up the classic chocolate, marshmallow and graham cracker treat.
