Top Toys of The Year

I-Feel Rocker
Chicco • chiccousa.com
Ages 0 and older up to 20 pounds
$149.99 (online at usababy.com for $119.99)
Hook your MP3 player to this cool rocking seat for Baby to let him enjoy music and relaxation. The wood bottom boasts sleek design and features a detachable rattle, lights and sounds and built-in rocking motion stoppers. Baby’s comfy in the padded seat when you gently rock him.

Elefun Busy Ball Popper
Playskool • hasbro.com
Ages 9 months and older; $34.99
Powered by air, balls pop out of the little elephants trunk which will mesmerize your little one! Ten songs accompany the excitement, so this is one stimulating toy that allows for reaching, grabbing, exploring and more.

Pistachio Dog Rattle
babyGUND • gund.com
Ages 0 and older; $20
Soft and easy to hold, this little doggy is a cute baby rattle and plush in one. No more worries of Baby hitting his head with the rattle and leaving a mark.
Turtle Tunes
Lamaze • tomy.com
Ages 0 – 24 months; $29.99
With the gentlest press of the turtle’s shell, even babies can create music of their own. There are eight ultra-sensitive touch spots with each making a different musical sound.

Laugh & Learn Smart Screen
Fisher-Price • fisher-price.com
Ages 6 months and older; $19.99
Mommy and Daddy are so preoccupied with THEIR screens! Now it’s MY turn, Baby thinks. This little laptop includes nine buttons that reward with sound effects, songs and music. Your little one can explore touching shapes, ABC’s, counting and more.

Peek-a-Boo Dolly
Gund • gund.com
Ages 6 months – 5 years; $39.99
Babies love playing peek-a-boo and so does this plush, pretty little doll. Powered by two AA batteries, she lifts her arms and asks, “Where did you go?” and “Peek-a-boo, I found you!” She has 10 different phrases, but an internal timer limits her from talking too long — nice for Mom and Dad.

It Makes a Village Block Set
Land of Nod • landofnod.com
Ages 1 and older; $199
It’s not your standard building block set. This one’s full of fun colors and unique shapes to keep little minds on stacking and stacking some more.They are durable and come on a wooden tray, too.

Lolly Giraffe
babyGUND • gund.com
Ages 0 and older; $30
This eight-inch Waggie Musical Keywind plush toy plays the gentle music “Hush Little Baby” for your little one to enjoy.

Rock & Stack Pull Toy
Skip Hop • skiphop.com
Ages 18 months and older; $20
Durable, chunky wooden pieces allow your little one to stack’em on top of the main block. It features re-positioning wheels so the toy either rocks or rolls.

TotSports Easy Score Basketball Set
MGA Entertainment/Little Tikes • littletikes.com
Ages 1-and-a-half – 5; $31.99
Set up’s a breeze and your toddler can hop right to basketball with this adjustable set that’ll grow with him. Perfect for little dribblers.

Talking Mechanic
Chicco • chiccousa.com
Ages 2 and older; $29.99 at Toys “R” Us
Your child will feel like he’s actually working on a car when life-like engine sounds go off with this talking car. Your little guy will enjoy pretending to be Dad fixing his own car to the sound of songs, phrases, questions and more.

Pop & Swap Gym
Infantino • infantino.com
Ages 0 and older; $49.99
This baby gym has a removable activity center so it can be an infant gym or used for sit and play, crib activity and tummy time. Double-sided, it features lights and music, three pop and play activity pods and three plush toys for Baby to play with and grab. As Baby grows, he’ll find new ways to enjoy this center.

Toss ‘n Dunk Elephant Hoop
Blue-Box/BKids • bkidsfun.com
Ages 1 and older; $24.99
This cute, colorful toy is sure to delight your tot. Pop the ball in the elephant’s hoop and see where it lands after moving through the monkey and lion.

Tots Art Start
ALEX Toys • alextoys.com
Ages 18 months and older; $16.99
An art set for toddlers? You bet. Easy grip triangle crayons and a colorful array of activities with stickers and papers will get your little one on the road to self expression.

Squeeze & Teethe Forest Friends
Infantino • infantino.com
Ages 3 months and older; $12.99 at toysrus.com
Babies love to chew and gnaw on things and these squeezable, teethable forest friends are just the thing! The treehouse is the perfect little place for storing them so you can take them with you wherever you go.

Master Moves Mickey
Fisher-Price • fisher-price.com
Ages 2 and older; $50
This cool mouse will have your little one dancing all over the living room. Master Moves Mickey performs more than 15 incredible dance moves including a handstand! He prefers fresh batteries to keep his speed up. He talks and plays funky music, too!

Spider-Man Stunt City Playset
Playskool • hasbrotoyshop.com
Ages 3 – 6; $54.99
Spider-Man climbs the wall and more in this playset including a mini Spider-Man figure, motorbike and storybook. When Spidey reaches the top of the wall, he flips right up to the rooftop! Sure to cause a squeal of delight from your little one. This playset also folds up for easy storage.

Fantastic Gymnastics Dora
Mattel • shop.mattel.com
Ages 3 and older; $50
Dora performs four complete routines that include handstands, backbends, splits and more! She may not be as fast a the real thing, but your child will be amazed to see Dora doing these amazing routines on her own.

Walk & Stomp Arnie Argentinosaurus InterAction Figure
TOMY • tomy.com
Ages 3 and older; $49.88 at walmart.com
He roars, he moves and he rears up! This dino is more than 12 inches tall and is full of fun phrases for little dino lovers to hear. Control him with a remote control wristband!

<<< La•Dee•Da
SpinMaster • spinmaster.com • ladeeda.com
Ages 5 and older; $19.99
Fashionable and trendy, the LaDeeDa dolls are perfect for little fashionistas. Their funky colors and styles are fun and little girls can be adventurous with their creativity.

Baby Alive Baby Wanna Walk Doll >>>
Hasbro • hasbrotoyshop.com
Ages 3 and older; $56.99
She speaks more than 40 interactive sounds and walks all by herself (on a smooth, flat surface). Little mommies will love teaching her to walk and hearing all she has to say.

InnoTab 2 Learning App Tablet
Vtech • vtechkids.com
Ages 3 – 9; $79.99
It’s a tablet for kids! This tablet features a rotating camera for your child to take pictures or record videos and save them to the 2GB onboard memory (or expandable SD memory card that you can purchase additionally) and play back on the five-inch color touch screen. Kids can also enjoy interactive e-books, activities, tilt sensor learning games and more.

Flying Super Grover 2.0
Playskool/Hasbro • hasbro.com/playschool
Ages 2 – 5; $32.99
This preschool pal is back better than ever in his super hero alter ego. Press the belt button and Super Grover comes to life. Fly him through the air and watch his arms and head move as he delivers giggle inducing quips!

K’Nex Angry Birds Black Bird Vs. Small Minion Pig
K’Nex • knex.com
Ages 5 and older; $10.99
Angry Birds are taking over! This introductory set in the new K’Nex franchise will help get your child started. A buildable launcher fires Black Bird just like the game. Works with all the other Angry Birds sets.

Loving Family Dream Dollhouse
Fisher-Price •  fisher-price.com
Ages 3 and older; $89.99
The latest in the Loving Family dollhouses, this one comes with Mom, Dad, toddler and Baby plus accessories. The house boasts working sounds like a toilet flushing, a doorbell and more thanks to three AA batteries. Makes for hours of play.

Symphony in B.
B. Toys • justb-byou.com
Ages 3 – 13; $49.99
Encourage classical music in your home with this interactive toy where your child is the conductor. Choose from 13 instruments and 15 songs and symphonies to create your own musical composition with lights, too. The music plays nice and clear.

iTikes Canvas
MGA Entertainment • itikes.com
Ages 3 and older; $39.99
This classic magnetic canvas allows children to draw their own designs on the pad. Slide your iPad (and install the free app) into place and it becomes a canvas to paint with colors. Add a multitude of clip art or color on coloring pages. It even has sound effects and music that’s generated with the use of the stylus.

Our Generation Phoebe “From Hair to There”
Battat, Inc. • ogdolls.com
Ages 3 and older; $29.99
Little hair stylists can shorten and lengthen this 18-inch doll’s hair with the twist of a dial creating hours of fun. This doll has a full head of thick hair, too. It also comes with a style guide and lots of accessories.

ShellRaiser Street to Sewer Assault Vehicle
Playmates Toys • playmatestoys.com
Ages 4 and older; $34.99
The heroes in a half shell — aka, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles — are making a comeback, and this vehicle will equip Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo to defeat the evil Shredder and Kraang. A new line of action figures are sold separately. Turtle Power!

TinkerToy Transit Building Set
K’Nex/Playskool • knex.com
Ages 3 and older; $44.99
This terrific set introduces little ones to building with 150 durable, lightweight pieces. Everything’s here to create a train, garage, bridge and anything else you can dream up. The classic Tinkertoy branches out with 15 easy-to-assemble ideas.

Talking Tom
Talking Friends/Dragon-I • dragon-itoys.com
Ages 3 and older; $13.99
The popular Talking Tom smartphone app is now in plush form, and little ones will love this chatty catty. Press his left paw, say something and Tom will repeat it back in his funny, high-pitched voice. A push on his head, tummy and foot yields a variety of hysterical reactions.

Barbie Photo Fashion Doll
Mattel • shop.mattel.com
Ages 6 and older; $49.99
Customize her graphic T-shirt by taking pictures with the built-in digital camera (lens is on her back). You can take more than 200 photos and spruce them up with even more graphics, colors and more and see them appear on her torso as part of her shirt. Includes USB cord to connect to your computer so you can download all the photos you take.

Novi Stars >>>
MGA Entertainment • novistars.com
Ages 6 and older; $19.99
Truly unique, the Novi Stars dolls are alien-like figures with funky, cool styles and colors. Una Verse (pictured) has a see-through body with water and glitter within and comes with a pet and glow-in-the-dark stand. There are more Novi Stars to choose from and each are different in their own special way.

Illumivor Mecha-Shark
Skyrocket Toys • illumivor.com
Ages 6 and older; $89.99
This radical radio-controlled shark lights up the night with ultra cool lights all over its body. As you control its moves over a smooth, flat surface, the bright white teeth chomp away and shows off its side-to-side fin action. Turn off the houselights and have some fun!

Mix & Makeup Lip Shimmer
ALEX Toys • alextoys.com
Ages 6 and older; $21.95
Create your own flavor and colors of glittery lip balm with professional ingredients. This set includes five ice-pop shaped containers with key chains, three bottles of color/flavor drops, lip shimmer base, glitter, 28 stickers, mixing cup, stir stick and instructions. If your little girl is into makeup, this will be a blast!

Micro Chargers Jump Track
Moose Enterprise • microchargers.com
Ages 6 and older; $29.99
Who would have thought that so much power and speed could come from something so small? These tiny racers are charged in the hand-held chargers and are released onto the track with the push of a button. They can reach incredible speeds and even jump gaps.

Cool Baker Cake Pop Maker
Spin Master/Umagine • umagineactivities.com
Ages 6 and older; $24.99
Cake pops are all the rage and kids will love making their own with this kit. These no-bake cake pops come with icing, sprinkles, sticks and all that you need to make them. Mix it up and put them in the fridge for 15 minutes, then you’re ready to decorate. That’s a lot easier than making them the standard way.

John Deere Monster Treads Radio-Control Tractor
ERTL/TOMY • tomy.com
Ages 6 and older; $99.99
If your child loves tractors, then this is the ultimate gift of all. It’s a giant compared to other radio-controlled cars and its big wheels allow for it to cover a lot of terrain. With a size of 24x15x14 inches you’ll be thinking big!

Orbeez RC Ladybug Scooper
Maya Group • orbeezone.com
Ages 6 and older; $34.99
These tiny colorful balls grow in water and become something that is unbelievably squishy and fun. The ladybug utilizes sounds and lights as it picks up all the Orbeez. Includes 2,000 Orbeez in 10 colors.

Air Hogs RC Battle Tracker
SpinMaster • airhogs.com
Ages 8 and older; $99
Battle between a missile-firing automated Robot (he speaks!) and the disc-shooting helicopter includes signal tracking technology, multiple ways to play and remote control capabilities. Defeat the robot before he shoots you down! Safe for indoor play, and expect plenty of fierce action!

MONSTER HIGH
ROBECCA STEAM, ROCHELLE GOYLE and VENUS MCFLYTRAP Doll Bundle
Mattel • shop.mattel.com
Ages 6 and older; $59.97
Monster High dolls are still all the rage with girls everywhere. Here’s a new set of the trendy dolls uniquely designed with intricate details in their skin and clothing. Each doll comes with a spooky pet, too. Hurry — these dolls fly off the shelves!

Marker Airbrush
Crayola • crayola.com
Ages 6 and older; $29.99
Fun, fun, fun for all kinds of airbrushing on T-shirts, sneakers, paper and windows. This set includes everything you need from stencils to markers.

4D History Over Time Puzzle – USA
4D Cityscape • 4dcityscape.com
Ages 8 and older; $39.99
The Cityscape 4D puzzles are a hit and now you can use it to explore American history with your kids as you build the U.S. from the bottom up. The award-winning line helps you study as you build with sturdy pieces.

JUMBO ZIP-IT
Bananagrams • bananagrams.com
Ages 7 and older; $44.95
This two-player game has 24 two-inch letter cubes so each player gets 12 cubes to build a word grid. Play is in rounds; winner of each round moves his zipper on the pouch — first to 10 zips wins.

Barbie Collector
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1
Edward and Bella Dolls
Mattel • barbiecollector.com
Ages 6 and older; $29.95 each
With the release of the final movie, Breaking Dawn Part 2, fans can commemorate the final chapter with these Barbie Collector dolls (each sold separately). Be on the lookout for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 Bella & Edward gift set (to be released Dec. 1) which includes Bella as a vampire.

Atomic Coaster
K’nex • knex.com
Ages 9 and older; $69.99
More than 37 feet of track lets your child build a coaster higher than four feet tall. K’nex stands alone with its coaster lines — this one includes two coaster cars and a motorized lift. Color coded instructions help make it easy.

Digital Light Designer
Crayola • crayola.com
Ages 6 and older; $49.99
Creativity has never been more fun than with this light canvas that allows kids to draw with spinning, colored lights. A variety of animation modes and effects add to the cool factor, and kids can save up to 50 images in the gallery.

SHIMMER GLITTER TATTOOS
Idea Village • shimmerbodyart.com
Ages 8 and older; $14.99
Girls can shimmer and shine with these unique body tattoos that are literally glued to the skin. Don’t worry, it will wash off, just not as fast as the rub-on temporary tattoos. The standard kit includes 12 stencils of varying designs, four glitters, one glue and two brushes. They are easy to apply and great for sleep-over parties.