| On the market there are millions of toys now. So | | | | Playmobil with, **My Take Along Dollhouse** for |
| picking the Top Toy for 2005 would be quite | | | | around 30 dollars. This is a portable fold-up dollhouse |
| daunting. And I would say a disappointment as | | | | complete with cute little kittens, dolls, furniture plus |
| everybody has their own favorites. This year the | | | | many more accessories. |
| Toy Industry Association (TIA) Top Toy was | | | | Another toy that took my fancy was the **EZ2 |
| something that very few industry insiders actually | | | | Quikcochet Kit** for about 12 dollars. The old |
| picked. | | | | fashioned crochet kit, complete with hundreds of |
| Here it is: the **Vsmile TV Learning System**. This | | | | glass beads, metal crochet hook and crocheting spool |
| electronic toy ended up with Toy Of The Year and | | | | has returned along with 30 yards of metallic elastic |
| Best Educational Toy Awards for 2005. Just plug it | | | | string. This should keep the girls happy while they |
| into your TV and away you go. It seems to be a | | | | design and make a dozen or more beaded necklaces, |
| cross between a video game and educational game. | | | | bracelets, and ponytail holders. |
| And it should keep the kids happy for hours on end, | | | | These are the types of toys I like, something that |
| or that is what they say. | | | | has nothing to do with the TV. And can keep kids |
| I'm not really into anything that involves the TV, as I | | | | doing something for hours on end. At the end of it |
| try to keep kids away from the TV. I prefer games | | | | they can say "Look Daddy! Look what I just |
| where the kids are sitting around doing something as | | | | finished." Instead of you saying "Switch off the TV |
| opposed to watching the box. So to be honest, my | | | | Son, NOW" |
| kids or I have not tried it so I can't comment on it. | | | | Toy Wishes also seems to like toys that gets the |
| The Vsmile TV Learning System was mentioned in | | | | kids to do something instead of sitting in front of a |
| last year 2004 Family Fun's Toy List for the year, but | | | | screen. |
| not in the top ten. | | | | Their picks included **Black Belts Karate Home |
| I was hoping Playmobil's **Knights Empire Castle** a | | | | Studio** and **Dora's Talking Kitchen**. They didn't |
| bit expensive at 179 dollars, would have made it to | | | | even mention **VSmile TV Learning System**, but |
| the top. That is what I call a game. Hours of fun | | | | they did like the **V.SMILE Pocket**, which is a |
| scattered all over the living room floor. | | | | hand-held version of the **VSmile TV Learning |
| **Knights Empire Castle** popped a few awards | | | | System**. |
| throughout the year. It was the **Toy Wishes All | | | | Family Fun's top this year was, as mentioned, |
| Star** and **The Family Fun Toy Of The Year** | | | | Playmobil's **Knights Empire Castle**. |
| but it didn't rank on the TIA Top Ten. | | | | Another playmobil to come in was their **Grand |
| The TIA Top Toy For Boys was a similar pick with | | | | Mansion** along with Lego's **Wild Hunters** and of |
| **LEGO's Knights Kingdom**. Another good | | | | course **Roboraptor**. We had to have a robot toy |
| do-it-yourself game. It seems knights are making a | | | | and the **Roboraptor** is pretty good. |
| come back, even though there are no new programs | | | | These are just a small sample of what was hot in |
| on TV to do with **King Arthur and the Knights of | | | | 2005 in the US. The UK awards come out in the end |
| the Round Table**. | | | | of January, so we'll let you know what happened |
| For the girls the top was **Bella Dancerella(TM) | | | | across the Atlantic next time. |
| Home Ballet Studio** from Spin Master Ltd. A good | | | | Actually there was nothing predominately animal, |
| toy to keep the girls active and fit and hopefully | | | | dinosaur or bug except for **Roboraptor**, while |
| knock a few pounds off. Teaches ballerina dancing | | | | **Wild Hunters** is more to do with futuristic |
| steps but the dreaded TV is on in the background | | | | predators. |
| showing the **How To Dance** video. | | | | Until then, all the best and keep on playing and having |
| I preferred another toy from the Top Ten, again | | | | fun. |