Wrap up your gift list with the hottest trends in toys! From hip tech innovations to old favorites with a modern twist, you are sure to find something for each little one on your list. Check out these unique must-haves. You will be dazzled by the variety of choices of toys for 2008. Stock up on the latest games, but don't forget to get in on the fun and pick up a little something for yourself! *Some prices may be higher than than those in the article.

Toys that get kids moving. Get ready to sweat with this year's hottest games! No more couch potatoes. Manufacturers have developed a slew of games and toys that help kids get up and get active. Video games are merging traditional play with the latest technology, sneaking exercise into indoor fun. The front runners include: Hasbro's U-Dance, which allows kids to bust a move without the limits of a dance mat. Namco's Active Life: Outdoor Challenge, which engages players' whole bodies as they move through challenges that include rowing, white water rafting and obstacle courses, without leaving the living room. Of course, kids can keep on moving and learning with Kid-Riffic's Jump Smart Mini Trampouline, feel anti-gravity effects with Moon Shoes or beg to be bombarded by the unique Marshallow Shooter (by the Marshmallow Fun Company). Sitting around is a thing of the past. These toys are sure to make exercise "in" again!

Life-size toys. Looking for a good first pet for your little ones? Look no further. Kids will be "wowed" by Hasbro's FurReal My Lovin' Pup, Biscuit, which is an actual-size golden retriever pup that pants, responds to voice commands, and gives you his paw when he wants a treat. FurReal even has other friends that will win you over, including S'mores the pony and a newborn baby cub. Playskool's Kota the Triceratops is a gentle blast from the past, responding to both sound and touch. This toy, loaded with on-trend animatronics has an added bonus: your little one can ride her too! Little princesses can live out their dreams in Hasbro's girl-sized Dream Town Sweet Lilly Castle, where they can play dress-up with the all basics that they could need, including a frog prince! Of course we can't forget the #1 must-have toy of 2008 -- Elmo Live! Incredulous adults, prepare to be awed by Elmo's perfectly synchronized speech, as he tells jokes and stories, sings songs, stands and waves as he plays games with your child. Gone are the days of the pet rock and the invisible dog on-a-leash. Remarkable life-like toys will have kids asking the question, "Are they real?"

Educational toys. Every good parent knows the importance of learning. Parents want to promote brain development and health for their children. Well, thanks to the innovation of various companies, toys are not only educational, but fun as well! From reading to geography, contemporary toys engage children in learning, using the latest technology to make it a rich, fulfilling experience. Books that use stylus pens, motion active gaming systems, talking globes and even bilingual electronic flashcards (Leapfrog) will help build your child's skills and confidence. Some buzzed about favorites: Leapfrog TAG reading system, Vtech Motion Active Gaming System, Vtech Create-a-Story, Smartglobe (which teaches geography, map reading skills, cultural traditions, even world news!) and Fisher-Price Sesame Street: Lots to Learn Laptop. As a bonus, many of these have online learning paths or are TV compatible, enabling parents to view what their child is learning and receive recommendations.

Artistic toys. Let your kids take their imaginations to a whole new level. This year's original palette of artistic toys provides a great way to expand creative play and won't wash out your wallet. Kids will love the "magical" way that colors come to life with Crayola's Color Explosion Glow Board. This toy uses a light-up fiber-optic paint brush with a reusable surface. It's an absolute hit with mom, because Color wonder products are mess-free, leaving no marks on anything other than paper. Perhaps there is a gifted journalist in your home? Illustory is certainly worth a try. It has won numerous awards including the Parents' Choice Classic Award. It allows your child to be an author using a guided kit and the opportunity to get their book bound by a professional publisher. Other vibrant choices are: SpinMaster's Pix Os Super Studio beads that fuse together to make a work of art or Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker where girls can create their own trendy cakes with everything they'll need to make four batches.

Toys with online extras. These are some of the cleverest toys out there! Following the uber-success of Webkinz, many toy companies have developed toys that can be registered online, unlocking a new world of play. They effortlessly blend online and offline fun, using breakthrough technology while still preserving social and imaginative play. These brilliant toys grant children access to exclusive online games, activities and some downloadable songs. If opening the internet gate equals worry for you as a parent, rest assured that toy manufacturers are on guard. Many have come out with products that contain online safeguards that monitor kids' web activity. Various toys with online extras include chat rooms where only special vocabulary can be used or have areas on their sites where kids can select from a pre-set list of responses. Other virtual winners: Clickables, where girls can become engrossed in the realm of Disney fairies, or enjoy the updated version of plush Webkinz. Boys will be thrilled in a world of vehicle play and online racing with Mattel's Hot Wheels Turbo Driver. Bella Sara Trading Cards, Gigapals, and Ty's Beanie Babies are also web winners.

Construction/Sets. Building things has always appealed to kids. Harnessing their ideas to create something beautiful out of random pieces appears "magical". It has been a timeless pastime for kids and with the many novelty choices, kids will never get bored! Magnext and Lego Mindstorms are among the stand outs. They are sturdy, and provide a variety of play experiences for kids and allowing creativity flow. Magnext are an especially positive choice, since the system exceeds all industry safety standards, contains no small magnetic parts, and the magnets are molded into the pieces.

Plug-play toys. From little ones to teens, the phenomenon keeps growing. These amazingly popular toys appeal to a wide range of players. Many of these toys plug right into your TV for instant game and playing action. Set a stage for learning for your baby with Smart Bounce and Spin Pony, an interactive pony with sound effects, music and animations that responds to your child's movements as she plays. Grab your blaster and join the Star Wars Clone Wars, or rock out with Guitar Hero or Rockband 2, and enjoy the hottest party games this year!

Riding toys. Remember the day your training wheels came off? Or when the kid down the street got the fancy brakes and horn put on their bike? Well, today's fashionable youth have moved on to much cooler wheels. Kids will rule the sidewalk with these kid-sized riding toys, chock full of the latest technology! Whether it's motorized, pedal, or an animated rocking horse, little tikes are guaranteed to have fun this season. The variety of these toys is huge! And not only will they have fun, but kids will learn balance and coordination too. From Little Tykes Junior Quad to Radio Flyer Classic Rock and Bounce Pony, these toys will grow with your little rider as they hit the road in style.

Role play. With the newest tech toys, pretending to be a superhero has gone from fine to fantastic! They are some of the most exciting toys of the year. Companies have managed to take sophisticated technology and pack it into authentically styled playthings. The hottest characters come to life with a little imagination and a lot of chip-driven toys for the tech savvy families of the day. Toys like Star Wars Clone Trooper Helmet, with a voice amplifier and Jakk's Pacific Eyeclops Night Vision Goggles which use infrared technology, are consistent best-sellers among kids and adults. Now kids can become a night spy, a member of the Clone Troopers or even Indiana Jones with the Sound FX whip, in their own backyard!

Action figures/Collectibles: Don't you wish you had kept all your Star Wars action figures from back in the day? Who knew that one day your kids would be obsessed with the Star Wars line too (or that they would be so valuable)! LEGO and Hasbro have been steadily rolling the Star Wars action figures and building sets, inspiring hours of open-ended and imaginative play for kids. They are rich in character detail and amuse kids and collectors alike. They offer a variety of sets, but Star Wars Millenium Falcon (LEGO) should go to the hard core collector or be saved for a truly special occasion since it retails at $499.99! However, one of the hottest things on the market right now is the Bakugan Battle Brawlers collectible game. The main attractions are Bakugan Battle Brawler spheres that transform into warriors when rolled across metal cards. The characters have different powers and make for an exceptional collecting and playing experience. Bakugan is originally based on a TV show on the Cartoon Network, and the whole line of toys includes cards, figures, a game arena and accessories. There are different sets at a range of prices but some start as low as $2.99!

It is important to note, that while many toys offer plenty of bells and whistles, toys and play are keys elements to your child's development. Remember to choose toys that are safe and age appropriate. Developmental psychologists recommend toys that help your child build their imagination and that promote problem solving and discovery. Don't underestimate the power of old-fashioned toys like wooden building blocks, clay, crayons or balls. They are usually hidden in the back shelf, but they are always a healthy option for your child and they won't break the bank!

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