| Top Toys for Christmas 2008 | |
| 15 October 2008 | By: Flipflop |
Top Toys for Christmas 2008
The toys predicted to dominate children’s Christmas lists this year are set to ignite dreams of stage and screen fame, says the Toy Retailers Association (TRA) today. The TRA’s annual ‘Dream Toys’ list, the only official prediction of Christmas bestsellers, reveals a trend towards music, film and TV inspired toys to indulge fame fantasies from the next generation of rockstars and screen heroes. Plenty of old favourites also make a comeback this year, reflecting the nation’s love for nostalgic characters and brands. This year’s Dream Dozen, in alphabetical order:
Gary Grant, Chairman of the TRA, comments: "This year, the top 72 really reflects the innovation and expertise at work in the UK toy industry. From clever new twists on old favourites to ingenious use of new technologies, this selection strikes the balance between familiar brands and the new kids on the block. Music takes the Girls category by storm this year, with the Bratz™ Girls Really Rock Dolls (MGA Entertainment Ltd), High School Musical Sing Together Dolls and the film-inspired Camp Rock Gift Pack (both Mattel) making it onto the wish lists of aspiring rock stars. Another musical hit is sure to be Mattel’s Barbie Princess Liana Singing Doll, which sings songs from the Barbie and the Diamond Castle movie. Younger girls will love Zapf Creation®’s CHOU CHOU My First Tooth, while animal lovers will be delighted to unwrap Vivid Imaginations’ I Love Ponies Honey My Baby Pony, or FurReal Biscuit My Loving Pup (Hasbro), Sylvanian Families Old Hollow Oak Treehouse (Flair Leisure Products), or the hottest or fittest VIPs from Hasbro’s Littlest Pet Shop range on Christmas day 
Girls Top 12 Toys for Christmas
TV and film inspire the Boys category this year, with nearly all of the selection featuring characters from our screens. Rev up Christmas for little petrolheads with Mattel’s film-inspired Cars Walkin’ Talkin McQueen, or the Air Hogs® Zero Gravity™ Micro (Spinmaster) Radio Controlled Vehicle. Figurine lovers won’t be disappointed, with the Gormiti Island of Gorm Playset (Flair Leisure Products) and WWE RAW Arena Playset (Vivid Imaginations) both on the top 12 list. This year’s hit animation Wall.E has also made its mark, with Vivid Imaginations’ Wall.E Transforming Robot a newcomer to the list, while established favourites are represented with the Power Rangers Overdrive Tracker (Bandai), Transformers Animated Roll Out Command Optimus Prime, Indiana Jones Hat & Whip Set and the Clone Wars AT-TE Vehicle and Star Wars Clone Trooper Voice Changer(all Hasbro). Boys Top 12 Toys for Christmas
Younger children will be kept busy this Christmas with plenty of interactive toys in the Pre-School category. Budding engineers will have their pick of the Bob The Builder Interactive Construction Site (Born to Play), Take Along Thomas Morgan’s Mine Electronic Playset (RC2), or the Roary the Racing Car Silver Hatch Workshop Playset (Vivid Imaginations). Start work for the green generation with Playmobil’s Recycling Truck. Imaginative little ones can blast off with the Peppa Pig’s Spaceship (Character Options), go back in time with the Playskool Kota The Triceratops (Hasbro), laugh themselves silly with the Mr Tickle Stretch & Giggle or Elmo Live! (both Mattel), or get lost in a good story with the LEAPFROG Tag Reading System. The Teletubbies also make a comeback this year, with Tomy’s Dance With Me Teletubby set to be a huge hit, and keen photographers will be snapping away at the Christmas action with their KidiZoom Multimedia Digital Cameras (VTech). Pre-School Top 12 Toys for Christmas
The post-lunch Christmas Games session is likely to feature a blast from the past this year. Family favourites get a new twist, with top 12 appearances from a reinvented Cluedo ¸ Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition (both Hasbro), 20Q Hand Held, Scrabble 60th Anniversary Edition (both Mattel) and the Rubik’s Cube Game (Drumond Park). For something more energetic, families can battle it out on the Bop It Extreme 2 (Hasbro), the Kids Are All Right Electronic Game (Vivid Imaginations) or the brand new visual hide-and-seek game Pictureka! (Hasbro). When the adults tire, kids will have their own fun with the Disney Princess Magic Mirror Game (Jumbo), High School Musical 2 DVD Game (Mattel), Tomy’s hilarious new gallery-style shooting game Quack-Shot, or the In The Night Garden Play Path (Hasbro). Games Top 12 Toys for Christmas
The TechZone category, covering the most exciting tech-toys and gadgets for kids, is full of clever must-haves this year. Vivid Imaginations’ iTeddy is the perfect first media-player for kids, Bladestar (Character Options) is a revolutionary flying machine, and Meccano’s WiFi Spykee The Spy Robot works as a mobile CCTV camera. Gadget girls will love the Hannah Montana My Secret Pillow (Character Options), the IM-ME messaging device, and the My Meebas (both Mattel); little musicians will be desperate to unwrap the new Guitar RockStar (Tomy); and pet lovers will be checking under their tree for virtual pet Woogies (Mattel) or for Pleo (Vivid Imaginations), the baby Camarasaurus that develops emotionally when showed love and affection. TechZone Top 12 Toys for Christmas
The Creative top 12 will be keeping minds and hands busy well into the New Year with a range of imaginative play sets. This Christmas, kids can make their own chocolate coins with the Golden Coin Maker (John Adams), build creative structures with the Magnext 360° Case (Megabrands), and the Bindeez 3D Super Studio (Character Options), or create kooky aliens with the Martian Matter Alien Maker (Hasbro). Budding artists will love the Rainbow AquaDraw (Tomy), Crayola Creations Illumination Station (Vivid Imaginations) and the Etch A Sketch (Flair Leisure Products); and imaginations will be ignited with the Puzzle Extra Assorted (Jumbo) and the Moon Sand Adventure Island (Spinmaster). Film-inspired sets are also set to be popular, with the High School Musical puzzleball (Ravensburger) and LEGO Star Wars V19 Torrent (Lego) both likely to be on the wishlist for creative kids. Creative Top 12 Toys for Christmas
The TRA revealed its predictions for the official Top Toys for Christmas at the Dream Toys 2008 media preview. This was held at St Mary’s Church, Bryanston Square, Wyndham Place, Marylebone London on 15 October 2008. [Parenting Forum] | |