Spin
Driver
Sport
Fun
For
a toy designed to stay in one place, the Spin Driver sure put on some mileage during our testing. This
super fun toy delighted children who spun happily, never tiring of the
experience. Spin Driver assembles in a snap and in moments children understand the basics, which
are simply to hold onto the wheel and spin. The
unique design gives the child complete control over how fast or slow they spin. The Driver features plenty a great gizmos like working
headlights, automobile sound effects and a working horn.
Parents liked the fact that for all the expended energy their kids
happily stayed
in one place!
Recommended Age: 1
1/2
and Up
Retail Price: $39.99
Bob
the Builder Call & Learn Phone
Tiger
Electronics
Bob
the Builder is building a wonderfully loyal following of young children who find
his brand of enthusiasm infectious. This
soft plush toy, designed for young fans, gives them the power to interact with
Bob via a wireless "cell phone" keypad.
The vocal effects used inside this toy are first rate and the interactive
experience is designed to really give kids the feeling that they are
"on-site" helpers with Bob. Parents
appreciated the fact that even though this is a fun toy, it also enhanced their
children's listening skills. Bob is
a friendly pal who is fun to lug around whether working on a construction job or
just snuggling together with in bed.
Recommended Age: 3 and Up
Retail Price: $25.00
Bob
the Builder Learning Workshop
Tiger
Electronics
This
electronic tool bench features one of the most friendly and
supportive characters ever created for the preschool set. The workshop is a great
interactive active
learning tool. Bob the Builder
enlists children as his helpers using the tools and materials to help count, measure
and build projects. Bob is always
there to guide and support with encouragement and helpful advice. Counting, colors and listening skills are all a part of the
strength of this toy. This colorful
play set was a real favorite, particularly with those testers who were familiar
with Bob's TV show.
Recommended Age: 3 and Up
Retail Price: $24.99
Lincoln
Logs Sawmill Express
K'NEX
Industries, Inc.
When
you decide to purchase your child their first train set you want to make
sure that it is a toy that captures the enthusiasm you had when you first
discovered trains. The Sawmill
Express does that and then some. This
terrifically designed toy is loaded
with great play value. Our testers were impressed with the realistic design.
It's not only great to play with, but also highlights the job trains do such
as hauling freight, in this case, logs. Children
actively participate in the logging process and simultaneously create stories
with the characters that are included in the set. The track goes together easily and has a variety of layouts
to keep the experience fresh.
Recommended Age: 3 and Up
Retail Price: $69.99
Rock-A-Bye
CHOU CHOU
Zapf
Creation
This
adorable, cuddly doll was squeezed, kissed and hugged by so many of our testers
that what impressed us most, apart from her obvious appeal, is her durability!
Chou Chou's cute face was a child magnet, and her lifelike sounds which
include sucking, crying and laughing were the icing on the cake for our testers. Children were instantly drawn to this doll.
Her lifelike feel and weight, along with the option to purchase various
outfits made this doll a great choice for your little one to love.
Recommended Age: 3 and Up
Retail Price: $34.99
My
First Huffy
Huffy
Bicycle Company
Strong,
sturdy and set to bring smiles to the faces of ready-to-ride youngsters, My
First Huffy is a great trike for a growing family. The heavy gauge design of the frame allows this tricycle to
absorb plenty of bumps along the way. In
fact our testers told us they were amazed at how durable this fun-to-ride bike
was. The foam covered handles and
the full seat with a supportive backrest set this tricycle apart. Another added bonus
that impressed our testers was
the extended handle, which allows parents to walk behind to either push or slow
down their new riders.
Recommended Age: 3 to 5
Retail Price: $39.95
Yano
Original
San Francisco Toymakers
Yano
is an expressive little fellow unlike any other we've seen here.
His squat troll-like body and wrinkly face drew
many curious
glances. Yano is an
interactive story telling partner who uses his voice, eyes, smile and entire body to entrance your child with his
engaging storytelling skills.
The key here is that Yano needs your child's help to manipulate his
remote control as the story reaches critical plot points.
The input device gives your child the ability to change the path of the
story. Yano comes with one story
cartridge, new stories can be purchased for $14.99 a piece.
Recommended Age: 3 to 6
Retail Price: $59.99
Squashblox
Castle Set
Mongo
Toys, LLC
This
wonderfully constructed building set gives your children the freedom to create great forts
and castles without the use of your couch cushions. The set, which includes a variety of foam filled square and
triangle panels, has fold away Velcro edges that allow for just about any
construction design. This means that it can be put together just about any way your young architect
sees fit. There was considerable
concern regarding the high price tag, although upon hearing that the price
was being lowered shortly to under $100, parents revised their assessments.
There is something magical about building your own hideaway, perfect for
climbing and imaginary play.
Recommended Age: 3 to 7
Retail Price: $129.95
Harry
Potter Quidditch Broom Game
Tiger
Electronics
This
is a toy that ranks among the more ingenious toys that are hitting the shelves
with the Harry Potter brand. This
electronic version of the Nimbus Two Thousand, Harry's own flying broom, is the
real deal. The molded plastic broom
features a twistable handle and an LCD screen to enable the game play.
A hidden sensor can also detect the direction you are holding the broom
so that you can go forward or back. The
game? Why Quidditch of course, the
wildly popular sport that has swept the entire wizard world.
Any child that has been captivated by J.K. Rowling's brilliant book
series and the new movie will surely attest that Quidditch is the most fun
anyone can have with a broom. This
toy brings Quidditch to the Muggle world with great fun.
Recommended Age: 5 and Up
Retail Price: $34.99
ATM
Savings Bank
Summit
Products, Inc.
The
unique design of this child's savings bank caused many of our parent testers to
chuckle remembering the piggy banks of their youth. Today's generation of young saver's will love this ATM styled
bank that allows them to track their balances and watch their savings grow.
The whiz-bang sound effects give an added incentive for children to add
to their account. Parents believed
that when used in conjunction with chore charts and/or allowances, their child
demonstrated a heightened desire to earn and save.
This is a lesson that is worthwhile at any age, and the ATM Bank will
encourage their children to keep track of their money while simultaneously
teaching the value of money they earn.
Recommended Age: 6 and Up
Retail Price: $29.99
Oh
Scrud!
Martin
& Associates
Fast paced, frenetic word spelling fun is what Oh Scrud! is all about. Deal out each player a set of cards with letters and watch the fun as everyone scrambles to make as many words as possible. A hybrid cross between, Scrabble and Spit, the selling point for parents is that everyone is thinking about words and spelling here. The game has some variations so that readers of just about any age can play making this a really fun family activity. There are some game cards that allow for the more cutthroat players to make their mark. "Lose all your Vowels" can really hamper your ability to form words, but it’s all in good spelling fun! The big payoff is when the winner gets to yell "Oh Scrud!" Don't ask us what it means…we have no idea, but the players sure loved yelling it!
Recommended Age: 6 and Up
Retail Price: $7.50
Cranium
Cadoo
Cranium,
Inc.
Wildly
inventive, Cranium Cadoo is a complete package of fun in a box.
The creative design of this game exemplifies the ingenuity of its
creators. Everything included here
is truly original,
from the character illustrations on the board and the game cards down to the
game pieces. Game
play requires participants to read out loud and then sketch, act, sculpt or test
their own knowledge in order to succeed. Players
win either on their own wits or with the help of other players.
The instructions are clear and the fun is infectious.
The game set itself is another example of superbly executed design as
each and every element fits perfectly into its place making it easy to store and
to carry along with you.
Recommended Age: 7 and up
Retail Price: $19.95
Harry
Potter Book of Spells
Tiger
Electronics
As
the Harry Potter legacy jumps from the best sellers list to the silver screen,
the ranks of Potter fans will surely swell.
Interest in all things Potter will follow, as will all things Hogwarts,
Hermione, Diagon Alley etc. This
electronic encyclopedia is perfect for those who wish to dive headfirst into
Potter-mania. Inside this compactly
designed system is a searchable database of spells, characters, places and much
more. If it's in the books, rest
assured it's in this toy. However,
The Book of Spells is much more than just a Potter database.
Children
can store appointments, contact information and other notes making this a
personal PDA. The design of this
book/encyclopedia/PDA drew high marks from our testers.
Fans of the Harry Potter book series and newcomers alike found this to be a real
winner.
Recommended Age: 7 and Up
Retail Price: $24.99
ZOKI
Card Set
Playroom
Entertainnment
This
easy to learn game requires a level of strategy that really had our testers
engaged and anxious to play again and again.
At the heart of ZOKI is a unique set of four-sided cards. These cards are designed to be played within a variety of games
that are described in the detailed instruction booklet.
Each game is highlighted by its degree of difficulty allowing for a wide
variety of ages and abilities to play competitively.
The games are quick from setup to completion.
The packaging is a real standout as well.
The thin box features a compact design with molded plastic to hold each
piece, which allows for quick cleanup and minimizes the chance of losing parts.
Last but not least, all the games are included on a CD-ROM so you can
play against a computer opponent and hone your ZOKI skills.
Recommended Age: 7 to 12
Retail Price: $14.99
This
beautifully made porcelain tea set is perfect for little hosts who love to
pretend play. The set is sized just
right for little hands, yet the pieces are big enough to drink and eat from.
Parents and kids really loved the choice of colors and the service for
four is plenty for an intimate gathering of friends.
With proper care this set will last a long time as the pieces are sturdy
enough to withstand a good amount of play.
The older age recommendation of eight is due to the porcelain design,
although parents told us that with adult supervision, younger children could
enjoy Tea Time as well.
Recommended Age: 8 and up
Retail Price: $20.00
e.chat
Tiger
Electronics
An
instant messenger in the palm of your hand, e.chat was a huge hit with our tween
(young adolescent) testers. Using
the Internet to exchange messages is second nature for this age group, and now,
given this stylishly deigned device, they can beam 'Wazzup?" messages
without being tied to the computer. Lots
of fun in group settings for multiple messages, the text is large, bold and easy
to read. The only drawback that
kids told us about is the range, which we found to be limited to roughly 50 feet.
The e.chat is to our kids what walkie-talkies or paper cups and
string were to previous generations.
Recommended Age: 8 and Up
Retail Price: $29.99
E-Chargers
Intruder
Spin
Master Toys
The
super cool design and appeal of this remote controlled airplane was undeniable.
This lightweight plane is deceptive to look at considering the very cool
flying you can do with it. The
package comes complete with a flight training video to help you before you
head out to a large open field. We
had our share of learning bumps and bruises, but after a while, we started to
get the hang of the controls and couldn't get enough of the Intruder.
If you are considering this toy, make sure you have a park or some other
venue available with lots of wide open grounds with soft grass to cushion those
inevitable crash landings. But hey,
the crashes are half the fun, right?
For more information about The Seal of Approval or The National
Parenting Center
call: 1-800-753-6667
Hosted by VectraNet Communications
http://www.vectranet.com
Last Update: November 10, 2001
Tea
Time