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Tom Vacar's Great American Toy Test
'Fab 14'
See more
here.
Christmas
trees have sprouted up in all the major shopping areas,
signaling the final countdown to the holiday season. And
just in time -- from the toy testers at our bureau on the
North Pole -- has come the Great American Toy Test's 'Fab
14' for this year. In no particular order, here they are:
THE SMARTGLOBE by OREGON SCIENTIFIC -- AGES FIVE AND UP -- $130
Thirty activities provide interactive learning including country capitals, currency conversion and national anthems. With its wireless stylus and high quality sound, it can be customized for three age groups beginning at age five, right into college. Up to four people can play at the same time. To keep it current, connect it to your computer and update it on the internet.
V.SMILE POCKET by V-TECH -- AGES FIVE AND UP -- $90
Ths is a go anywhere portable high resolution video learning system, but can also be directly connected to your TV. Here's where video game mania meets learning skills. It plays all of the more than 20 V.SMILE Smartridges each containing exciting games that teach school skills ranging from spelling and math to science and music.
READ WITH ME DVD by FISHER-PRICE -- AGES THREE TO SEVEN -- $35
This is an animated interactive learning system complete with a wireless, child-friendly remote. This amazing toy teaches a love of reading through story comprehension and vocabulary. At significant moments in the story, children are encouraged to stay and play on the page where they can learn the meaning of new words. They can also respond to questions about the characters and key story elements.
LEAPSTER L-MAX by LEAPFROG -- AGES FOUR TO TEN -- $100
It’s portable but can also be plugged into your TV for dual screen learning action. Your child interacts with the handheld screenbut can also see the learning unfold on his or her TV screen. As they learn to write letters on their handheld screen, those letters then appear on the TV, starring in animated stories that teach math, reading, spelling, science, writing, art, music and logic.
PIXEL CHIX by MATTEL -- AGES SIX AND UP -- $30
This is a hand-held, high tech, interactive miniature electronic doll house that also contains an electronic "girl friend" who asks the child's advice about life decisions. What should she wear? Who should she go out with? What should she have for dinner? In return, the child gets feedback, fun, games and many other surprises. And, if you connect your Pixel Chix to another child's Pixel Chix, you've got amazing interactive fun.
LITTLE PEOPLE LEARNING ZOO by FISHER-PRICE -- AGES TWO TO FIVE -- $35
As kids play on the interactive zoo mat, they learn letters, animals, animal sounds and matching. The set contains more than two dozen figures; one for each letter of the alphabet. Kids also answer questions for a total learning experience on this very basic but high tech toy that several children can use at one time.
SHAKE & GO SPEEDWAY by FISHER-PRICE -- AGES 3 AND UP -- $40
Shake the cars to rev 'em up as the race goes on. This incredible playset actually counts laps and determines the winner. Infrared technology allows the track "announcer" to give a play by play of each race. This sturdy toy comes complete with track and two cars but other cars can be added.
BABY ANNABELLL by ZAPF CREATION -- AGES THREE AND UP -- $40
This is an incredibly lifelike infant. Like a real infant, Baby Annabell demands love, care and responsibility. She babbles, laughs, cries and sleeps; opening and closing her eyes in reaction to sounds around her, including you child's lullabies.
BELLA DANCERELLA POPSTAR by SPIN MASTER -- AGES THREE TO EIGHT -- $25
On the dance mat, kids learn all the moves needed to be a superstar as they sing and dance with Bella and her friends. That's done as they follow along on the television with the included forty-five minute DVD that’s loaded with special features. The studio includes a numbered step mat and real microphone headset.
DISNEY CD & GRAPHIC KARAOKE SYSTEM FROM DISNEY ELECTRONICS -- AGES SIX AND UP -- $40
Kids just loved this high quality sing along machine. With the included cables, you can put the lyrics up on your own TV screen. This system has echo effects and can handle one or two microphones. It can also play regular CD's for listening enjoyment.
TWISTER MOVES FROM MILTON BRADLEY -- AGES EIGHT AND UP -- $20
This
is a game where you compete by twisting, dancing and moving
to the music. Listen to the commands of the jammin' DJ's and
see if you can keep up. There are enough mats for up to four
dancers and a whopping hundred and forty-four dance sessions
provided on three included CD's.
NERF WEATHER BLITZ ALL CONDITIONS FOOTBALL FROM HASBRO -- SIX AND UP -- $10
This kid-sized, all conditions football is as tough as the conditions kids play in. In the lake or pool, even in the worst weather: rain, mud, ice or snow, the raised finger grooves and end surfaces make this ball easy to throw and easy to catch.
BIG SCREEN 20-Q FROM RADICA -- AGES EIGHT AND UP -- $20
This high tech version of Twenty Questions contains a logic chip that claims to read your mind. You think of something. The Big Screen Twenty-Q asks you questions. If it can't tell you what you're thinking of in no more than twenty questions, you win. Amazingly, it usually does tell you what you were thinking of.
DORA THE EXPLORER PLUG AND PLAY T-V GAME FROM JAKKS PACIFIC -- AGES FIVE AND UP -- $20
Simply plug it into your own TV and travel with Dora and friends into the natural world. There you use interactive decision making to help the environment; scoring points for protecting plants, animals, water, land and air, having fun and learning all the way.
THE SMARTGLOBE by OREGON SCIENTIFIC -- AGES FIVE AND UP -- $130
Thirty activities provide interactive learning including country capitals, currency conversion and national anthems. With its wireless stylus and high quality sound, it can be customized for three age groups beginning at age five, right into college. Up to four people can play at the same time. To keep it current, connect it to your computer and update it on the internet.
V.SMILE POCKET by V-TECH -- AGES FIVE AND UP -- $90
Ths is a go anywhere portable high resolution video learning system, but can also be directly connected to your TV. Here's where video game mania meets learning skills. It plays all of the more than 20 V.SMILE Smartridges each containing exciting games that teach school skills ranging from spelling and math to science and music.
READ WITH ME DVD by FISHER-PRICE -- AGES THREE TO SEVEN -- $35
This is an animated interactive learning system complete with a wireless, child-friendly remote. This amazing toy teaches a love of reading through story comprehension and vocabulary. At significant moments in the story, children are encouraged to stay and play on the page where they can learn the meaning of new words. They can also respond to questions about the characters and key story elements.
LEAPSTER L-MAX by LEAPFROG -- AGES FOUR TO TEN -- $100
It’s portable but can also be plugged into your TV for dual screen learning action. Your child interacts with the handheld screenbut can also see the learning unfold on his or her TV screen. As they learn to write letters on their handheld screen, those letters then appear on the TV, starring in animated stories that teach math, reading, spelling, science, writing, art, music and logic.
PIXEL CHIX by MATTEL -- AGES SIX AND UP -- $30
This is a hand-held, high tech, interactive miniature electronic doll house that also contains an electronic "girl friend" who asks the child's advice about life decisions. What should she wear? Who should she go out with? What should she have for dinner? In return, the child gets feedback, fun, games and many other surprises. And, if you connect your Pixel Chix to another child's Pixel Chix, you've got amazing interactive fun.
LITTLE PEOPLE LEARNING ZOO by FISHER-PRICE -- AGES TWO TO FIVE -- $35
As kids play on the interactive zoo mat, they learn letters, animals, animal sounds and matching. The set contains more than two dozen figures; one for each letter of the alphabet. Kids also answer questions for a total learning experience on this very basic but high tech toy that several children can use at one time.
SHAKE & GO SPEEDWAY by FISHER-PRICE -- AGES 3 AND UP -- $40
Shake the cars to rev 'em up as the race goes on. This incredible playset actually counts laps and determines the winner. Infrared technology allows the track "announcer" to give a play by play of each race. This sturdy toy comes complete with track and two cars but other cars can be added.
BABY ANNABELLL by ZAPF CREATION -- AGES THREE AND UP -- $40
This is an incredibly lifelike infant. Like a real infant, Baby Annabell demands love, care and responsibility. She babbles, laughs, cries and sleeps; opening and closing her eyes in reaction to sounds around her, including you child's lullabies.
BELLA DANCERELLA POPSTAR by SPIN MASTER -- AGES THREE TO EIGHT -- $25
On the dance mat, kids learn all the moves needed to be a superstar as they sing and dance with Bella and her friends. That's done as they follow along on the television with the included forty-five minute DVD that’s loaded with special features. The studio includes a numbered step mat and real microphone headset.
DISNEY CD & GRAPHIC KARAOKE SYSTEM FROM DISNEY ELECTRONICS -- AGES SIX AND UP -- $40
Kids just loved this high quality sing along machine. With the included cables, you can put the lyrics up on your own TV screen. This system has echo effects and can handle one or two microphones. It can also play regular CD's for listening enjoyment.
TWISTER MOVES FROM MILTON BRADLEY -- AGES EIGHT AND UP -- $20
This
is a game where you compete by twisting, dancing and moving
to the music. Listen to the commands of the jammin' DJ's and
see if you can keep up. There are enough mats for up to four
dancers and a whopping hundred and forty-four dance sessions
provided on three included CD's.
NERF WEATHER BLITZ ALL CONDITIONS FOOTBALL FROM HASBRO -- SIX AND UP -- $10
This kid-sized, all conditions football is as tough as the conditions kids play in. In the lake or pool, even in the worst weather: rain, mud, ice or snow, the raised finger grooves and end surfaces make this ball easy to throw and easy to catch.
BIG SCREEN 20-Q FROM RADICA -- AGES EIGHT AND UP -- $20
This high tech version of Twenty Questions contains a logic chip that claims to read your mind. You think of something. The Big Screen Twenty-Q asks you questions. If it can't tell you what you're thinking of in no more than twenty questions, you win. Amazingly, it usually does tell you what you were thinking of.
DORA THE EXPLORER PLUG AND PLAY T-V GAME FROM JAKKS PACIFIC -- AGES FIVE AND UP -- $20
Simply plug it into your own TV and travel with Dora and friends into the natural world. There you use interactive decision making to help the environment; scoring points for protecting plants, animals, water, land and air, having fun and learning all the way.
