Today the National Toy Hall of Fame in Rochester, NY has just announced three new inductees, the Big Wheel, the Game Boy and...(drumroll please) the ball.

The ball? Sounds wacky, but sure! The ball is an all-time favorite. It's been around almost as long as there have been children to toss it, kick it or whack it with a stick, which was inducted last year. (Honest!)

At a special event today, the ball, the Big Wheel and the Game Boy were unveiled, and they take their places among other classics like Barbie, Slinky and Silly Putty.

Can you picture the ball watching the unveiling year after year, wondering when its time would come? The Susan Lucci of toys is sitting there thinking, "The stick? Seriously? The stick got in before the BALL?"

Now all is right with the world.

Photo © National Toy Hall of Fame

One of my family's favorite Christmas traditions is going to the city, be it New York, Chicago, San Francisco or any other major metropolis, to look at the stores' holiday displays. They really kick off the Christmas shopping season in style, with glitz and glamor and holiday fantasy, and window shopping is free!

American Girl doll lovers who are fortunate enough to be in New York tomorrow (Friday, November 6) should visit American Girl Place where, at 3:30 p.m. the curtains go up on the store's special Christmas windows. The address is 609 Fifth Avenue. The event is free open to the public and I understand that there will be treats.

The picture is of last year's beautiful Christmas window at American Girl Place.

What makes you feel like it's really Christmas time?

Photo © American Girl Place

In the days following Halloween, many retailers drastically cut prices on costumes. I took this opportunity to stock up our dress-up box for 50 per cent less than I would have had to spend last week. Here are a few suggestions for post-Halloween costume-buying strategies.

• Look for costumes that come complete with accessories like a hat, a shield or fairy wings. They can be mixed and matched for longer play value.
• Be prepared to rummage for the good stuff. Displays aren't in the best shape after the rush.
• Fit isn't really important in most costumes. Buy a size larger so they'll last longer.
• Keep the new toys hidden away until you really need them, like on a snow day.
• Get a couple of adult-sized costumes so you can join in the fun.
• Let friends and family know you're starting a box so they don't throw away that charming, flowered hat.
• Use the pictures on the package to decorate your box.
• Visit Halloween stores now. Some are already closed and moving on, but some have great deals.

Some children can plan ahead to next year's Halloween. Not mine. It was down to the wire when they decided what they'd be this year. In that case, costumes can also make fantastic Christmas gifts!

I love toys that use cutting-edge technology in fun and innovative ways, and this Christmas there are two really clever new games that are powered by EEG waves (and lots of batteries!)

Mindflex from Mattel and the Jedi Force Trainer from Uncle Milton both come with funky-looking headsets. Just put it on and make sure that the contact points are touching the skin, then you simply stare at a little ball until it levitates! A fan's motor accelerates and decelerates as you concentrate.

The big question is, "Do they work?" The answer is, "YES!"

Both games are easy to use, but one is more fun than the other. Read my review to find out which one will have your family playing mind games for hours.

Now, if I could just get all the clocks to change by staring at them. That would be a feat!

Photo © Uncle Milton

This year American Girl has released a darling set of costumes so the Bitty Baby and Bitty Twin dolls can get all "dolled up" for Halloween. The "Wings and Things" set includes a pair of reversible wings, a super-hero suit with a reversible cape, a black leotard, a reversible skirt and a green dragon suit with a matching hat. It also comes with a storybook about the Bitty Baby dolls.

I can picture so many cute costumes where girl and doll can dress up together. Can you picture a girl as a giant flower with her doll dressed as a tiny bee? Or a super hero with a tiny sidekick? How about a knight with a cute, little baby dragon? Darling.

I love Halloween costumes and props make them even more fun! What is your child wearing for Halloween this year?

Photo © American Girl

Most leggy blondes don't openly share their birthdates, but Barbie is an exception. Much like Oprah, Barbie is celebrating her 50th birthday in style for an entire year. She's walking the walk at charity events for Save the Children, walking the catwalk at Fashion Week and walking the red carpet at awards shows. She's even rubbing elbows with Playboy Bunnies, if only in the elevator, at the brand-new Barbie Suite at the Las Vegas Palms Casino Resort.

Celebrity designer Jonathan Adler designed the 2,300-square-foot suite, where up to 50 people can throw a house party "Barbie-Dream-House-style." It has the expected Jacuzzi tub and plasma TVs and it's drenched in pink, with corseted chairs and a mirror framed by 65 reproduction 1959 Barbies.

Barbie is one of those girls I'd love to hate, but I just can't. While we all know her measurements are unrealistic, her shoes always fall off, and absolutely nothing about her (including her boyfriend) ever ages, she still captivates millions of girls. Who can blame them? She's got more than good looks. She's got the clothes, the cars, the houses and even the man, but she's more than a material girl. Over the years she's been a career girl with stints as an astronaut, a veterinarian and a McDonald's employee.

Barbie has taken her share of guff from the critics, who pounced like hungry cougars (but who said 'cougar?') when she complained, "Math is hard!" But she's bounced back and, according to "her people" at Mattel, she's just getting started. She's not even afraid of technology. At Toy Fair we saw a prototype of a digital printer that adorns girls' fingernails with Barbie flair.

You've gotta give the girl credit. The times, they are a-changin', but Barbie never misses a beat.

Photo © Palms Casino Resort

I learned a new word today: lenticular.

It describes those images that change when you tilt them. Remember those? The best stickers had a horse that ran or a person that smiled at you. They were the epitome of cool technology when I was a kid and their appeal still hasn't lost its luster.

Disney has a new line of lenticular die-cast cars featuring the Cars movie characters. Their eyes open and close and my 4-year-old son is carrying them everywhere, talking to them in his car seat, and even sleeping with them at night. He calls them his "eye cars" and they are his favorites among his dozens of die-cast cars.

You might think a winking, oversized Tow Mater might seem a little sketchy, but I have to admit it. He's kinda cute.

If you are looking to save some money as you do your toy shopping this holiday season, a good place to start is with the toy manufacturers themselves. Not only can you buy toys directly, they often offer discounts and coupons on what you are looking for -- through an online purchase or at a retail location.

Playskool has a Play Savings Program that offers over $75 in discounts on some of their more popular toys, including the Sit N' Spin and Mr. Potato Head. Fisher-Price has a Special Offers page with discounts for toys as well as giveaways and special purchases.

Know of any more savings programs? Post them in the comments section below!

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Zhu Zhu Pets (compare prices) are one of the hottest toys this holiday season, thanks to a perfect storm of reasons. They are cute, interactive and they have lots of accessories. They are also supposed to be inexpensive -- most major retailers have them priced at $9.99, with accessories in the $12 - $30 range, depending upon the complexity of the item.

Good luck trying to find them at that price.

With most mainstream retailers sold out, many parents are turning to the Internet to try to find this hot product. A quick search of the Amazon.com marketplace and Ebay has these furry friends priced in some cases at more than triple their original price.

It's a frustrating conundrum. You want your kids to be happy and have that special toy waiting for them under the tree, but at the same time, who wants to pay a higher price?

There are some steps you can take to try and get your hands on a Zhu Zhu Pet or whatever the hot item of the year happens to be:

• Call stores often -- every day if you have to. Find out when their delivery schedule is and if they are planning on getting in whatever it is you are looking for. On the day of delivery, show up early, prepared to buy.
• Many online retailers have an e-mail notification program to let you know when items are back in stock.
• Enlist help from out-of-town relatives. That Wii game might be a hot seller where you live, but not in your sister's sleepy neck of the woods. Ask grandparents and cousins and others to keep an eye out on what you are looking for.
• Visit the manufacturer's web site directly. Last year I had the hardest time finding a specific Fur Real Friend for my daughter. And then I visited the Hasbro site and they had plenty of them. Often folks don't think to go right to the source.
• Take advantage of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Post what you are looking for as a status update. Maybe someone has or saw what you need.

What are your toy-buying strategies?

Image: PriceGrabber

We were watching television last night when a commercial for the new Mattel Mindflex Game (compare prices) came on. Part game, part science fiction, part "what is that?," Mindflex allows you to use your mind to levitate a foam ball.

To be honest, I have not seen the game in person yet, but it looks pretty cool.  There is a headset that you strap on and console that features a different types of hoops, hurdles and funnels that you can arrange however you like.

Once the headset is in place, the object is to alternate between concentrating and relaxing your mind and making the ball move through the obstacles. There is a fan that keeps the ball up in the air, but the movement is up to the player.

Before I buy this game, I think I'd like to see it in action. It sounds great, but does it work? Is it difficult to learn? Will children be frustrated by it? As technology grows and changes, it's fun to see what types of different toys manufacturers come up with -- we've come a long way since Pong!

Have you played Mindflex?

Image: PriceGrabber/Mattel