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The
Top 20
20 Toys That Transform Children's
War Chests Into Toy Chests
For 2001 - 2002
Pretend/Rescue
Play
Handy
Work Puppets, Manhattan
Toys, $11 each
Recommended
Age: 3+
Description:
Child-sized
hand puppets in different skin tones representing a number of professions,
including a firefighter, police officer, doctor, astronaut, chef and artist.
Why
we chose it:
These
puppets offer an irresistible invitation to story-telling. When children pick
them up, they find themselves telling the puppet’s story, or their own: they
tell tales about rescuing people, exploring space, or concocting the ultimate
snack.
www.manhattantoy.com
Firefighter,
Police Officer, and Astronaut Costumes,
Small Miracles/Learning Curve, $30
Recommended
Age: 3+
Description:
Beautiful
children’s costumes, each containing a few tools of the trade.
Why
we chose it: These
costumes allow children to become heroes themselves, and act out their own
scenarios. Young children love dress-ups—and these are very well made.
Children can spend many happy hours pretending to be a firefighter… or just
walking on the moon.
www.learningcurve.com
Zoombinis
Mountain Rescue,
The
Learning Company, PC CD-ROM, $25
Recommended
Age: 8+
Description:
A computer game that enables children to “rescue” little creatures called
Zoombinis and lead them home.
Why
we chose it:
This is a beautifully-designed game that has three levels of skill, each more
difficult than the one before. Children will spend many hours with this game
before completing it—and then they sometimes want to rescue the Zoombinis all
over again! Unlike most computer and video games, this rescue attempt requires
problem-solving skills rather than violence—and the visuals and music are
delightful rather than dark. While the game requires logical thinking skills,
children become so engaged in the challenge of the game they don’t even
realize they are learning.
www.learningco.com
Roadside
Rescue Brainteaser Puzzle, Binary
Arts, $15
Recommended
Age: 8+
Description:
Players
must manipulate the rescue vehicle puzzle pieces in a strategic manner to reach
the “accident site.”
Why
we chose it: With
42 challenges to complete, this latest addition to the popular Rush Hour series
will give children and adults alike hours of brain-teasing fun. This puzzle can
occupy children during the long winter months and is also a great travel toy.
www.binaryarts.com
Games
Cranium
Cadoo for Kids, Cranium,
$20
Recommended
Age: 7+
Description:
A
board game that combines trivia, charades, drawing, sculpting, “secret decoder”
glasses and more.
Why
we chose it:
Everybody
is good at something—and this game makes that obvious. Children draw on a
variety of skills and talents to win. This game assures that everyone will have
their turn to shine as players act, sculpt, draw, answer trivia questions, crack
codes, find household objects and solve word puzzles—often with a lot of
laughter sprinkled in.
www.playcranium.com
Rainbowland, Cooperative
Games,
$30
Recommended
Age: 6+
Description:
A
cooperative board game for the whole family that has everyone collecting
raindrops and building rainbows.
Why
we chose it:
This
game relies on cooperation and teamwork rather than competition—and creates a
whole new set of family dynamics. Players collect sparkling, jewel-like
raindrops; and contend with mudslides, storms and a mischievous ogre. All
players win as they create a three-dimensional rainbow together—and sometimes
they even find a pot of gold at the rainbow's end.
www.hearthsong.com
Carrom
Board, Carrom
Company, $30
Recommended
Age: 6+
Description:
A
classic, two-sided solid pine board with corner nets and game pieces that allow
you to play over 100 games including Carrom, backgammon and checkers.
Why
we chose it:
This
beautiful, over-sized board (more than 2 feet x 2 feet) includes directions for
both popular and unusual games such as wild ring pool, ten pins and ring spin.
It will have grandparents nostalgic for yesteryear and youngsters eager to
tackle dozens of new games.
www.carrom.com
Domino
Race Starter Set,
HearthSong,
$30
Recommended
Age:
4+
Description:
A set of 250 colorful domino-shaped blocks that can be arranged in serpentine
patterns, up and down steps or over and under bridges, and then knocked down to
set off a chain reaction.
Why
we chose it:
This
is a classic toy that children can use in many ways and over many hours. It
takes some skill and patience to place the dominos so that the “domino effect”
works—but children are always delighted when they succeed in knocking down the
entire structure. To add to the challenge, this set includes flexible
stair-steps, a pillar, bridge and a bar chime that is activated when the last
domino falls.
www.hearthsong.com
Don't
Make Me Laugh, Jr.,
The
Lolo Fun Company, $22
Recommended
Age: 5+
Description:
A board game that relies on charades to get to the finish line.
Why
we chose it:
We
selected this game because everybody needs more laughter in their lives. Players
act out scenarios, play charades, and wear a red clown nose to make others laugh
as they try to be the first player to go from “The Little Chuckle” to “The
Big Guffaw.”
www.lolofun.com
Active Play
Fun
Gripper Bat and Ball,
Saturnian,
$18
Recommended
Age: 5+
Description: A
tie-dyed soft bat and ball.
Why
we chose it: The
“easy gripper” bat and ball are easy to hold for little hands with big
dreams of baseball fame. The oversize bat ensures more contact with the ball
when hitting those home runs.
www.sat1sport.com
Phenomenal
Foam Flyers,
Innovative
Kids, $20
Recommended
Age:
6+
Description:
A
zany book containing four different flying objects made of soft foam, along with
games to play and fun facts about flying objects.
Why
we chose it:
These soft foam flyers fly very well and can be tossed indoors or outdoors. It’s
a great way for children to play together, let off steam, and let their
imaginations soar. The book also includes answers to cool questions such as “Are
two wings really better than one?” and “How are flyers of foam like saucers
in space?”
www.innovativekids.com
Things to Make
Zome
System Adventure Kit, Zometool,
$35
Recommended
Age:
6+
Description:
A 21st-century construction kit that allows children to create
challenging structures such as “shadows from the 4th dimension”
or “squashed viruses.”
Why
we chose it:
Even
children who don’t normally like construction kits are challenged by the ideas
in the manual that accompanies the deceptively simple construction materials.
Children are also encouraged to dip their models in a soap solution (bubble
recipe provided) and make geometric bubbles.
www.zometool.com
Clay
Racers,
Alex,
$10
Recommended
Age:
7+
Description:
Design
and build custom clay cars (overlaid on plastic frames) that really roll.
Why
we chose it:
Children
design and sculpt their own cars, then race around the house. If there is a
crash, then kids can do “body work” on their moldable cars. Children face
endless possibilities as they change the color of the pinstripes, add a custom
interior, or design the car of the future.
www.alextoys.com
Tricky
Pix, Klutz,
$18
Recommended
Age: 9+
Description:
A
35mm camera with a book that gives children simple directions for making silly
pictures that depend on optical illusions.
Why
we chose it:
By
offering suggestions for genuine trick shots that children can easily pull off
with a little help from their friends or family, the book gently introduces
children to a new hobby: photography. Children can create their own optical
illusions after they've mastered all of the shots in the book.
www.klutz.com
Felted
Snake & Egg Kit, Harrisville
Designs, $15
Recommended
Age:
7+
Description:
Children
make brightly colored felt snakes and eggs from wool fleece.
Why
we chose it: A
great way for snake-lovers and non-snake-lovers alike to create googly-eyed
snakes with funny faces and matching eggs. Children love the hands-on experience
of getting the wool wet and gushy to make the felt.
www.harrisville.com
My
Own Band, Curiosity
Kits, $20
Recommended
Age:
3+ (with adult assistance)
Description:
Everything
children need to make six musical instruments, from a tambourine to a guitar,
out of boxes, bells, beads and dowels.
Why
we chose it: Children
experience the fun of creating and decorating their own instruments. Once the
art project is done, they have hours of fun playing along with recorded music,
making up their own songs, or creating their very own band with their friends.
www.curiositykits.com
Puzzles
Look-Alikes
General Store, Briarpatch,
$10
Recommended
Age:
7+
Description:
A 500-piece
puzzle depicting an old-fashioned general store.
Why
we chose it: Nothing
is quite what it seems in this miniature general store. As children put this
puzzle together, they will be intrigued to discover that every item is actually
a miniature made from other small objects. The chair sitting in the corner, for
example, is actually composed of melba toast, a hair comb and four chess pieces.
Children and adults are challenged to find 152 everyday objects in the puzzle.
www.briarpatch.com
Magnetic
Butterfly Puzzle, The
Orb Factory, $20
Recommended
Age:
4+
Description:
A circular
magnetic puzzle featuring 17 colorful and dramatic butterflies.
Why
we chose it:
Little
children enjoy the bright butterflies and the novelty of moving the magnets on
the puzzle board. Older children interested in insects and butterflies enjoy the
real-life butterfly photos on the puzzle pieces, as well as the accompanying
poster and fun facts about butterflies and moths.
www.orbfactory.com
Make Believe
Vet
Center Kit, Children’s
Development Inc., $25
Recommended
Age:
3+
Description:
A
sturdy kit that includes a puppy in a carrying crate, dog accessories, and a
variety of veterinary instruments.
Why
we chose it:
Children
love animals and this kit allows them to practice taking care of pets in a
pretend way. Boys and girls can explore the world of animal care and re-enact
Fido’s recent trip to the vet.
Hullabaloos,
Manhattan
Toys, $10 each
Recommended
Age: 3+
Description:
Inspired by the classic sock puppet, this colorful foursome is just plain
enchanting.
Why
we chose it:
These multi-colored creatures could be a dragon, a rare bird, or a mouse—their
true identity lies in the mind of the puppeteer. Lying on the table, each puppet
looks pretty nonchalant, but as soon as you put one on your hand it springs to
life. These creatures can fit adult as well as children’s hands—and we found
they had a lot to say!
www.manhattantoy.com
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