Best Expansion of a Favorite Toy - Kung Zhu - Zhu Zhu Pets for Boys
Photo © Cepia
Rockstar hamsters will sport Mohawks and the Kung Zhu Ninjas are little pods or suits the Zhu Zhu hamsters fit into. They make them make new, ninja sounds. I think little boys are going to eat them up.
Best Eco-Friendly Toy - Clementine Natural Art Supplies
Photo © Clementine Art
Sure, most of our kids' art supplies are non-toxic, but Clementine Art says, "Non-toxic is just the beginning." All of the Clementine Art supplies are colored with plant and mineral pigments and are made without petroleum, animal products or artificial preservatives.
Best Specialty Toy Store Toy: UglyDolls
Photo © Pretty Ugly Inc.
Pretty Ugly Inc. has just released new UglyDolls for this holiday season including Flatwoodsey, Mij and a limited-edition IceBat doll. They're a hit at our house. We love their quirky good looks.
Best Disney Princess Toy - "Tangled" Rapunzel Dolls
Photo © PriceGrabber.com
Well, she's not really a Disney Princess...YET, but Disney's Rapunzel from the new movie, Tangled is a big hit for this Christmas. Many Tangled dolls, including a clever hair-braiding doll, will be on girls' lists this year.
Best New Toy For Teens - Rock-It Speaker
Photo © OrigAudio
It's not really, truly a toy, but it's so hard to find cool gifts for teens that I had to write about it. The Rock-It Speaker turns anything into a speaker...anything from a tissue box to a salad bowl! It's great for MP3 players, laptops and anything that has a headphone jack. I played with the Rock-It and I love it!
Best New Preschool Toy - Dance Star Mickey Toy
Photo © Fisher-Price
Dance Star Mickey is a fun, musical toy for toddlers and preschoolers. The variety of music and cute animated movements kept kids entertained and got them moving.
Best New Baby Toy - Haba Wooden Baby Rattles
Photo © Haba Toys
Haba always has beautiful, wooden baby toys and their new rattles for Christmas are great. They're adorable and fun for babies!
Best New Arts-and-Crafts Toy - Crayola Model Magic
Photo © Crayola
I really like Model Magic's consistency and the potential for really creative figures. Once they are assembled it's hard to separate the colors to put them back in the cans and the characters dry nicely, so this is better for a "one-and-done" use, like at a birthday party. They'd be a hit.