This season's Hottest Toy Guide will be published in November issue of Redbook magazine, hitting newsstands October 15. The Toy Insider gives a glimpse at nearly 100 expert-selected toy and gift recommendations by age category, including 0-2 years old, 3-5 years old, 6-8 years old and 9 and older.
Toys in each category are listed in alphabetical order.
0-2 Years
Dora Knows Your Name (Fisher-Price)
Peek ’n Play Discovery Dome (Playskool)
Sound Beginnings Groove ’n Go Band Wagon (Shelcore)
V.Smile Baby Infant Development System (VTech)
3-5 Years
Ariel Magical Talking Salon (Creative Designs International)
Let’s Dance Barbie: Barbie in the Twelve Dancing Princesses (Mattel)
Care Bears Tele-Friend Amigo Bear (Play Along)
Cars Fast Talkin’ Lightning McQueen Vehicle (Mattel)
My Little Pony Crystal Rainbow Castle Playset (Hasbro)
Transformers Cybertron Primus Deluxe Figure (Hasbro)
6-8 Years
Bratz Passion for Fashion Forever Diamondz Fashion Show on-the-Go Runway Playset (MGA Entertainment)
Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow Home Tree Playset (Playmates)
Pirates of the Caribbean 2, Black Pearl Ship (Mega Bloks)
Scene-It? Nickelodeon DVD Trivia Game (Screenlife Games)
Spy Video Car (Wild Planet)
9+ Years
Air Hogs Storm Launcher Radio Control Vehicle (Spin Master)
Blue Man Group Musical Instruments Keyboard Experience (Toy Quest)
Digi Make-Over Plug ’n Play TV Game (Radica)
Massively Mini Media portable media player (Tiger Electronics)
Mindstorms NXT (Lego Systems)
Now the Toys R Us Fabulous 15
In time for the 2006 holiday season:
— Blue Man Group Percussion Tubes from ToyQuest
— Designer’s World from Tiger Games
— Dora’s Talking Cash Register from Fisher-Price
— ESPN Fast Action Football from Fisher-Price
— Kid-Tough Digital Camera from Fisher-Price
— Laugh & Learn Baby Grand Piano from Fisher-Price
— Mindstorms NXT from Lego
— My Scene My Bling Bling Styling Head from Mattel
— Pink Nitro Notebook from VTech
— Power Rangers Deluxe Manticore Megazord from Bandai
— Speed Stacks StackPack from Play Along
— Sound City Railway from Imaginarium
— Tap Dancing Mumble from Thinkway
— T.M.X. Elmo from Fisher-Price
— Wii from Nintendo