At Last Announcing The Winner Of The Top Toy For 2005

Wouldn't you just love to know.Playmobil with **My Take Along Dollhouse** for
On the market there are millions of toys now, soaround 30 dollars. This is a portable fold-up dollhouse
picking the Top Toy for 2005 would be quitecomplete with cute little kittens, dolls, furniture plus
daunting, and I would say a disappointment asmany more accessories.
everybody has their own favorites. This year theAnother toy that took my fancy was the **EZ2
Toy Industry Association (TIA) Top Toy wasQuikcochet Kit** for about 12 dollars. The old
something that very few industry insiders actuallyfashioned crochet kit complete with hundreds of
picked.glass beads, metal crochet hook and crocheting spool
Here it is: the **Vsmile TV Learning System**. Thishas returned along with 30 yards of metallic elastic
electronic toy ended up with Toy Of The Year andstring. This should keep the girls happy while they
Best Educational Toy Awards for 2005. Just plug itdesign and make a dozen or more beaded necklaces,
into your TV and away you go. It seems to be abracelets, and ponytail holders.
cross between a video game and educational gameThese are the types of toys I like, something that
and it should keep the kids happy for hours on end,has nothing to do with the TV. And can keep kids
or that is what they say.doing things for hours on end. At the end of it they
I'm not really into anything that involves the TV, as Ican say "Look Daddy! Look what I just finished."
try to keep kids away from the TV. I prefer gamesInstead of you saying "Switch off the TV Son,
where the kids are sitting around doing something asNOW"
opposed to watching the box. So to be honest myToy Wishes also seems to like toys that gets the
kids or I have not tried it so I can't comment on it.kids to do something instead of sitting in front of a
The Vsmile TV Learning System was mentioned inscreen, and their picks included **Black Belts Karate
last year 2004 Family Fun's Toy List for the year, butHome Studio** and **Dora's Talking Kitchen**. They
not in the top ten.didn't even mention **VSmile TV Learning System**,
I was hoping Playmobil's **Knights Empire Castle** abut they did like the **V.SMILE Pocket**, which is a
bit expensive at 179 dollars, would have made it tohand-held version of the **VSmile TV Learning
the top. Knights Empire Castle popped a few awardsSystem**.
throughout the year. It was the Toy Wishes All StarFamily Fun's top this year was, as mentioned,
and the Family Fun Toy Of The Year, but it didn'tPlaymobil's **Knights Empire Castle**.
rank on the TIA Top Ten.Another playmobil to come in was their **Grand
The TIA Top Toy For Boys was a similar pick withMansion** along with Lego's **Wild Hunters** and of
**LEGO's Knights Kingdom**. Another goodcourse **Roboraptor**. We had to have a robot toy
do-it-yourself game. It seems knights are making aand the **Roboraptor** is pretty good.
come back, even though there are no new programsThese are just a small sample of what was hot in
on TV to do with **King Arthur and the Knights of2005 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 goodActually there was nothing predominately animal,
toy to keep the girls active and fit and hopefullydinosaur 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 backgroundpredators.
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, againfun.