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Holiday 2009 Tech Toys for Kids
Finding toys your children will continue to play with long after the holidays are over is always a challenge. We've put together our list of the tech toys we believe will continue to engage your kids with educational, athletic or creative fun.
In this Guide
Ages 0 - 2
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myPC Stage One Keyboard (Age 1+)
Using kid-safe software from KIDO’Z, this product lets toddlers understand how to use a computer keyboard as well as surf a child-friendly Internet. Once using the software, they won’t be able to exit to your computer desktop without help from an adult. Price: $60
Buy Now at OneStepAhead.com
Chicco Billy FunWheels (Age 2+)
A big, bright yellow truck (woohoo!), Billy FunWheels uses a motion-sensitive remote control to let toddlers tool it around the house. Has reverse-mode for extra action and makes realistic acceleration and warning noises. Price: $35
Buy Now at Amazon.com
Crayola Color Me a Song (Age 2+)
This unique toy by Crayola lets kids create music by . . . scribbling. Using one of eight Crayola easy-grip triangular crayons, toddlers can doodle whatever they want, then press an instrument button to have a trumpet, drum, piano or guitar play with the sounds of salsa, rock, swing or country. The quicker they draw, the faster the music plays. Price: $19
Buy Now at Amazon.com
Leapfrog Tag Junior (Ages 2-4)
Got a little bookworm on your hands? Give them Tag Junior and help them foster their love of literature. A younger version of the original Tag reading system, the toddler-sized book explorer is fat and fitted for little fingers. It uses a tiny infrared camera to read the special dot-printed pages of the heavier-board books in the Tag Junior Collection. There are 12 different books right now, retailing for $11 each. Price: $26
Buy Now at Amazon.com
Ages 3 - 5
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LeapFrog Zippity (Age 3+)
Co-developed by Disney and LeapFrog, the Zippity is educational, fun and interactive. It’s also a great way to keep your kids busy in the cold-weather months. Using motion, children interact with a foldable mat and giant-size joystick to play eight different games right out of the box. Price: $60, additional software: $25
Buy Now at Amazon.com
Playskool Kota & Pals Monty T-Rex Dino (Age 3+)
Not only does Monty Rex Dino stand about 15 inches tall, but it also walks and moves its head, tail and arms. Best of all, Monty Rex interacts with toddlers, responding to touch and even roaring back when spoken to. He dances to four included songs. Price: $60
Buy Now at Amazon.com
Fisher-Price 3-in-1 Smart Sports (Age 3–5)
Connect this plug-and-play gaming system directly to your TV and use the game controller with three different attachments—baseball bat, tennis racket and golf club—to launch kids into one of nine different learning games. Use the controller to customize your character and start playing games that teach numbers, letters, colors and matching. Price: $60
Buy Now at Amazon.com
Furreal Friends LULU My Cuddlin’ Kitty (Age 4+)
Part of Hasbro’s Furreal Friend’s line of lifelike furry animals, LULU My Cuddlin’ Kitty is a lifelike cat with white and orange fur. Just pet and rub her the right way and LULU will cuddle, meow, purr and even roll on her back—just like a real pet. Thankfully, no kitty litter required. Price: $40
Buy Now at Amazon.com
Marvel Super Hero Squad Mini I/R Controlled Racers (Age 4+)
Choose from four Marvel Minis (Spiderman, the Hulk, Wolverine and Iron Man) and make them go with the small, cell phone-size infrared remote control. Oh, and did we mention the working headlights? Price: $15
Buy Now at ToysRUs.com
Spin Master Glodoodle (Age 4+)
If you’re constantly on the go or just want to provide a mess-free drawing experience, the Glodoodle is a perfect gift for your budding artist. They’ll paint with light on an illuminated drawing board using the included stylus or even their finger. The board is also see-through for easy tracing and lights up in three different colors. The Magic-Erase button clears their work so they can start again...and again...and again. Price: $17
Buy Now at Target.com
Swinxs by Swinxs (Age 4+)
This family-friendly "portable entertainment pod" lets kids play up to 25 downloadable games—including music, quizzes and interactive books, as well as physical games like musical chairs, tag and relay races. The console talks and explains the games, recognizes players and can even referee. Can be used in single-mode or accommodate up to 10 players. Price: $150
Buy Now at Amazon.com
Oregon Scientific Barbie B-Smart Learning Laptop (Age 5+)
Pretty, pink and educational—three words parents of little girls will be happy to hear this holiday season. This Barbie-themed toy laptop includes 80 activities in math, spelling, logic and memory—70 in English and 10 in Spanish. Comes with headphones, a mouse and even a Barbie mousepad. Price: $60
Buy Now at Amazon.com
Ages 6+
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Mattel Dora Links (Age 5–8)
Dora Links is an interactive doll, designed to appeal to tween girls who are too old for Dora the Explorer. Connect her to a computer with a USB cable and your child can customize her looks on-screen by changing hair length, speech, eye color and jewelry color—the doll then actually transforms to match what's on the screen! . Kids can then go on the matching website and jump into Dora’s world of fashion, friendship, the environment and social action. Price: $15
Buy Now at Walmart.com
Disney In Scene Video Camera (Age 6+)
This video camera not only lets kids be the star of their own movies, it also lets them place themselves right into the scenes of their favorite Disney film—using the included blue screen, tripod and editing software. The video camera has a 2-inch color screen, up to 30 minutes of recording time and comes in Princess Petal Pink. Price: $80
Buy Now at Amazon.com
Disney Ultimate Buzz Lightyear (Age 6+)
Any Toy Story aficionado is going to go nuts over this 16-inch-tall Buzz Lightyear robot from Disney and Thinkway. Powered by seven motors, he walks, talks (over 100 phrases voiced by Tim Allen, himself), turns, blinks, salutes, fires lasers, answers his communicator and will even give kids a high five. Buzz has a 15-function wireless infrared control and comes with multiple smart sensors for sound, motion detection, and interactive games. Price: $200
Buy Now at DisneyStore.com
Hasbro I-Dog Soft Speaker (Age 6+)
The I-Dog Soft Speaker, a follow-up to the original I-DOG, can play music from built-in speakers and light up to your tunes with colorful LEDs in its face. But now, because it’s soft like a plush toy, kids can cuddle with it as well. Just plug an MP3 player into the USB slot, and you’re ready to dance! Price: $50
Buy Now at Amazon.com
Jakks TV Games Motion: Star Wars (Age 6+)
This plug-and-play controller goes right into the A/V jacks of any TV and uses motion control to command the Jedi and Republic ships in one of the multiple integrated Star Wars games. The controller uses reactive motion to control the action—so as your child jumps, wave and moves around, so does the action on-screen. The graphics are surprisingly detailed for a product at this price. Price: $30
Buy Now at ToysRUs.com
TechnoSource Printies Design Studio (Age 6+)
This techie craft kit called Printies Design Studio lets kids build their very own stuffed animals without any sewing, cutting or ironing. One kit yields six stuffed toys, and all you need is a computer and an inkjet printer to design, print, perforate and stuff. After you’re done, you can go online and upload your creations to the Printies Gallery, where you can show them off or let other Printies members use the designs for themselves. Price: $20
Buy Now at Amazon.com
Bossa Nova Robotics Prime-8 (Age 8+)
Billed as the fastest toy robot on the market, this crazy gorilla has three different personalities: Good Gorilla is your basic happy monkey, while Guard protects his owner by firing rubber-tipped safety rockets from his fingertips, and Gone Bananas transforms him into a floor beating, roaring, red-eyed dude. Kids can play up to five action games, program him to do 10 different actions or use the remote-control handset to order him around. Price: $100
Buy Now at Amazon.com
EA Sports Voice Command Quarterback (Age 8+)
This inflatable playing panel helps budding quarterbacks throw with accuracy and speed using sensors and voice-activated commands (like “hike!”). Comes with two footballs and a base you can fill with water or sand for extra stability. Multi-million dollar NFL contract not included. Price: $70
Buy Now at ToysRUs.com
Sakar SpongeBob Squarepants Underwater Camera (Age 8+)
Waterproof up to 50 feet, this SpongeBob Squarepants–branded digital camera holds up to 152 photos and comes with SpongeBob image- and video-editing software for the entire “Bikini Bottom” experience. Price: $30
Buy Now at ToysRUs.com
Spin Master Air Hogs Zero Gravity Laser (Age 8+)
This car is a fully functional RC car that will drive on almost any indoor surface—including up walls and on the ceiling. Your kids use the laser control to make the car zoom wherever they want to go—and probably a few places you don't. Warning, this is one the parents may have difficulty putting down, also! Price: $31
Buy Now at Amazon.com
Discussion 
Love having toys related to specific ages. As a grandmother, this type of information is invaluable. There is so much junk in toy stores that it makes my head spin!!
From Nerf on December 02, 2009 :: 1:46 pm
Nice post—I’ve been struggling to find toys for my 3-year-old this year (he loves trains but has most of the Thomas stuff already). I may go with the T-Rex dino…that looks fun.
Reply