10 Hot Holiday Toys for 2009

Christmas Gifts for Every Age Group

Rocky the Robot truck does more than tote around heavy loads. He stands up on two wheels, plays music, and dances while saying, "Shake what yo momma gave ya!" Think of it as a "Tickle Me Dump Truck" and rest assured that it's going to be a hot item this Christmas.

LeapFrog has reinvented the Tag Reading System by doubling its storage capacity from five to 10 books. The electronic book reader is a hit with preschoolers who are learning to read up to about age 8. The special books have up to 150 sounds encrypted in tiny dots of ink in the drawings. Kids pass a pen over the pages to hear the text or play games. The brand-new Tag Junior system reads board books with a clever reader that works like a rubber stamp in tiny hands.

Dora Links is a high-tech Dora the Explorer doll who comes with a USB cable so girls can plug her into their computers. They can select her skin tone and the length of her hair and the doll's appearance actually changes. Dora's a "tween" now and this doll explores her adventures with a multicultural posse of girlfrinds. It's a sweet doll with an extensive online world included.

The award-winning Mini Kick scooter from Kickboard USA is an absolute hit with my 4-year-old son, and this holiday brings a bright new color: aqua! It has three wheels and a deck that's wide enough for both feet to fit side by side. To steer the Rollerblade-like wheels, just lean left or right.

Brand new for this holiday is the Maxi Kickboard Scooter. It's just like the little one but a tad larger and it's got a sturdier deck for more weight capacity. It comes in purple and black.

We also love the adult-sized version with a metal deck. Even klutzy parents will find themselves screaming down the sidewalk aside their kids. We have all three versions and turned heads when we rode them down the middle of Park Avenue during a special event!

Mindflex is a unique, new game that uses the power of EEG waves to make small balls travel through an obstacle course. The player wears a headset and concentrates on the balls and somehow it actually works!

The fun factor is really high here. Even though you have to take turns, everyone wants a try and the varied game modes (beat the clock, chase the lights, etc) and the customizable course make it a different game each time.

Next Christmas...spoon bending! (Just kidding.)

Teach My Baby is an enormous kit of educational toys for babies 6 to 18 months old. You could even call it a curriculum, but it comes with one quick sheet of tips (no complicated user guides) so you can do it whenever you get a few minutes to play.

The kit includes clever stacking blocks with photos of babies’ faces on each side and a mirror on one side. “See the baby’s tongue? Where’s your tongue?” And the baby can see himself. Parents can sneak in a quick lesson while junior is building towers and crashing them to the floor.

Also inside are puppets, puzzles (some with just one piece! Cute!), flash cards and a board book. I’ve played with this over and over with my own baby and we both love it!

Kids love balls, and balls that pop, fly, skitter and roll around the house are simply the greatest. In my house, the Busy Ball Popper caused a toddler, a preschooler and an 80-pound dog to lose their marbles.

A simple fan propels the balls down a slide and through a twisting and turning tube while upbeat, happy music plays, but the real fun is in the unpredictable nature of the toy. Sometimes the balls sit at the top of the chute and sometimes they pop out in different directions, all over the room.

The music is too loud for me, but a piece of masking tape over the speaker solved that problem in two seconds. I recommended this toy to my best friend for her daughter’s first birthday. I know it’ll be a hit.

The Star Fountain floats in the tub and sprays water about 18 inches high like a tiny, round sprinkler. A blue light flashes while it bobs and spins around the tub. My kids were arguing over it (always a sign of a popular toy) and spraying each other in the face while laughing hysterically.

For about $10 this is an affordable bargain toy, too!

Crayon Town from Wild Planet breathes new life into a favorite toy, Crayola crayons. I love the zoo set, which comes with a large coloring page and lots of animals. Kids can use the crayons to color the mat, then the animals' heads and tails snap onto crayons to make 3-D toys. Snap the giraffe's body and head onto an orange crayon and it's VERY giraffe-like!

Harumika (haru-MEE-ka) is an unusual little toy that I didn't really understand until I played with it. Then I played with it much longer than was required. Anyone who's captivated by Project Runway will love this ingenious fashion design toy.

It's a little dress form that's about the size of a Barbie doll. It comes with some small squares of fabric, sparkly stickers, pieces of trim and a plastic stylus. Simply fold, gather, pleat or drape the fabric and wrap it around the dress form. A slot in the back is lined with rubbery grippers. Just push the fabric into the opening and it stays put without sewing, gluing or cutting. I was able to create a stunning off-the-shoulder number in a matter of moments. Such fun!