The 2007 List is out!
Our Top Ten Toy list for 2007 includes some of the best and most innovative toys of the year. The best toys were judged based on several criteria like enjoyment level, uniqueness, ease of use and toy safety. It’s also interesting to note that, once again, electronic toys seem to dominate the the market! There are only a few hot toys like the Barbie Princess Rosella doll which are non-electronic. All things considered, 2007 seems to have brought out some great toys. Have a look!
1. SmartCycle Physical Learning Arcade System
The top 10 toys of 2007 list would be incomplete without Fisher-Price’s SmartCycle . The Smart Cycle is a stationary bike meant for preschoolers which plugs directly into your TV’s A/V jack. The little ones pedal their way through various adventures on the TV screen. The included software, Learning Adventure, has three options: Driving, Learning Arcade Games and The Big Race. In the “Driving” mode, your child can pedal away to glory while picking up interesting tidbits of information along the way. The learning arcade games are educational and your kids can use the joystick to learn about letters, numbers, shapes etc. The “Big Race” option is the most exciting of them all - a fast paced race on the TV screen.
2. Transformers Movie Ultimate Bumblebee
Hasbro’s Transformers Movie Ultimate Bumblebee has a place of honor in our Top 10 Toys of 2007 list. This Hasbro product from the Transformers Movie portrays the Ultimate Bumblebee who transforms from a yellow 2008 Camaro car to the 14 inch Ultimate Bumblebee robot. The ingenuity of this product is that it combines two things that appeal to young boys: cars and action figures. This product comes complete with light and sound effects. With a touch of a button, it emits the transforming sound when being transformed from car to robot. In robot form, the Ultimate Bumblebee also features the Whip It Battle song by Devo. Furthermore, Bumblebee has a sound detection mechanism where it responds to noises. A great toy for ages 5+.
3. Puppy Grows & Knows Your Name
The Puppy Grows & Knows Your Name from Fisher-Price is one of the best toys of 2007! It is undoubtedly one of the most innovative and cutest toys I’ve come across in a long time. This Puppy is also a technological marvel and will keep kids busy for a long time to come. The icing on the cake is the affordable price of $49.99. So, did I whet your curiosity? Do you want to know what the puppy does? Well, as the name implies, this puppy actually does grow to a full sized dog in 4 days. It knows its own name, your child’s name and can sing 2 songs using your child’s name. Isn’t that amazing! The puppy can be personalized using the CD provided. You also get a measuring tape with a growth chart, a bone, brush, and a birth certificate.
4. Furreal Friends Squawkers McCaw Parrot
Hasbro’s Furreal Friends Squawkers McCaw Parrot is a toy which makes it’s presence felt! This toy takes technology and interactive play to the next level with features such as voice recognition, animatronics, and dance and sing features. The only word of caution is that it can repeat what you say, so watch those words coming out of your mouth! It comes with a remote control which has pre-programmed voice commands which can prompt the parrot to say something or dance if there’s music playing. Although, since this parrot loves to dance, it will do so to his own tunes too. This product sells for about $70. The Squawkers McCaw Parrot is for those of you who are looking for something different this holiday season.
5. Power Tour Electric Guitar
Hasbro’s Power Tour Guitar meant for ages 10 + has certainly earned it’s place in our Top 10 Toys of 2007 list. The Power Tour Electric Guitar is a great way for youngsters to learn how to play the guitar. It’s also great for parents, since it is relatively inexpensive and not so loud! Hasbro and Tiger Electronics have put in a lot of thought into designing this product, which I highly recommend. The beauty of the Power Tour Electric Guitar is that there are no strings attached (literally) which makes it much simpler to learn. The whole concept is touch activated. The guitar fret is color coded, and the flashing lights prompt the player where to place their fingers.
6. Eye-Clops Handheld Bionic Eye
Jakks Pacific’s Eye-Clops, the handheld bionic eye that plugs into your TV, makes it to our Top 10 Toys list of 2007 due to it’s extremely innovative nature. Not only is it designed to keep kids of all ages (including fully grown kids) occupied and excited for hours, it also serves to educate your children. Eye-Clops works by providing close up images of minute objects. It’s amazing to see something magnified by a factor of 200 on your TV screen! It even includes an observation dish and tube to view liquids, salt, bugs or anything that catches your fancy. Three built-in lights help to illuminate the objects under observation. The approximate price of this product is $40.
7. Smart Sticks - Hooked on Phonics Electronic Learning
Zizzle’s Smart Sticks edutainment line makes it to the Top 10 Toys of 2007 list because of it’s simplicity and educational value. The Smart Sticks are based on the Hooked on Phonics concept and teach little ones the colors, shapes, numbers, and letters. There are three models - numbers, colors and shapes, and letters. Fun sounds, music and engaging displays on the LCD screen are sure to keep your toddler obsessed with playing with each of these colorful models. I loved the close resemblance to a remote control - it works as an excellent substitute for the actual TV remote control which my toddler craves after! Meant for ages 2+, each Smart Sticks has a street price of about $14.99 .
8. Disney Flix Video Cam
Disney’s Flix Video Cam just had to be a part of the Top 10 Toys of 2007 list. This inexpensive video camera from Disney is not just a video camera. It comes bundled with Disney’s Magic Director software too, which can be used to create all kinds of special effects. Simply plug the camera directly into your computer and use this software to edit away to glory! The included story boards and audio cues are all that are needed to pave your way towards becoming a professional movie director. The High School Musical and Hannah Montana storyboards are included. The camera has a storage capacity of 128MB and an included SD card slot can increase the length of a video that is captured with the camera. It is priced at $99.
9. Barbie as the Island Princess - Princess Rosella Doll
Mattel’s Barbie Island Princess doll has made it to our top 10 toys of 2007 list simply due to it’s unique outfit and theme. This stunning doll dressed in a blue gown comes with a train of feathers. What’s more, these feathers spread out to look just like a peacock’s feathers. As a bonus, the doll comes with Sagi, her animal friend who looks like a cross between a raccoon and squirrel. An average retail price of $24.95 keeps this doll in the same price range as the other Barbie dolls. Barbie as Princess Rosella doll is one of the must haves of the season for your little girls aged 4 and up.
10. Rubik’s Revolution
As far as toys go - the Rubik’s Revolution is catchy, fun and engaging. On the flip side, the Rubik’s Revolution is almost nothing like the original Rubik’s cube. But who cares, right? The Rubik’s Revolution has certainly earned it’s spot on this list of the Top Toys of 2007. There are 6 games that you can play on the Rubik’s Revolution. They are Light Speed, Rapid Recharge, Pattern Panic, Cube Catcher, Code Cracker, and Multiplayer Madness. Put simply, the basic principle of the Rubik’s Revolution seems to be how fast you can click the buttons, and in what order. It’s pretty challenging, as well as stimulating. Try it out.
