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Christmas is coming and with it the requests for must have toys.
The Toy Retailers Association has revealed its Dream Top Toys for Christmas this year. This is a prediction of what could be the most sought after items for this forthcoming festive season. Usually I get the opportunity to view the full selection of around 72 offerings put forward by different suppliers but not so this year. However I can reveal the Top 12 list that might feature on your shopping list.
Can you decipher the clues left by a killer and stop the reign of murder?
Developed by Grey Wizard Innovation, Deadly Puzzles: Toymaker pits you against a serial killer terrorising a quiet town by murdering women. You are cast in the role of a female detective assigned to solve the case and bring to justice a killer who enjoys setting puzzles in the form of clues. Allowing different people to play the game, this title supports the use of profiles to record the progress of those tackling the case.
Two rather different toys that will also intrigue, first a ball – a little smaller than a tennis ball – that can with very little effort bounce to a far greater height than it is dropped from. Second a rocket that takes off with only the effort of your foot. So while I must say it very quietly they are both toys to get the child thinking and therefore learning.
The box says for 5+ but I would think children far younger would puzzle as to why a ball dropped will bounce up to the same height, or why a ball bounced goes even higher and then exactly how high will it bounce when thrown onto the ground. Even on grass I easily got it bouncing well above my head, on concrete it bounces far higher.
Switching, due to circumstances, from a live to digital event, DreamToys 2020 announced its choice of toys that should captivate.
When walking along London's Regent Street you might be distracted by Hamleys new window display.
Collect and decorate the wheels of Ritzy Rollerz.
As I was taking my leave of the latest DreamToys 2019 event, following hearing about the release of the Top 12 Toys, as selected by a panel of retailers and industry experts, I was handed a copy of Ritzy Rollerz™. This gift was from the Tomy Series 2 Besties product line-up. The company feel that this product had been developed and was suitable for the 4 plus age group of children.
Its cuddly with a strange voice, gives birth and belongs to the Nestlings family.
Question - What do you say when you meet a visitor from outer space?
Answer - Hello Rizmo!
On my annual visit to DreamToys, I bumped into Rizmo. I should explain that Rizmo is a new arrival from the far reaches of the universe, looking to make new friends with Earth's young inhabitants. To achieve that aim, Rizmo has taken on the persona of a soft cuddly toy waiting to evolve through the attention it gets because of its love of music and ability to provide a series of game. After we had both apologised for the accidental collision, Rizmo set out telling his story.
It is that time of year again when I need to make the trip from my Sound London base to the area Sherlock Holmes called home.
Helping draw up a shopping list of toys is a top ten of offerings from Hamleys.
Robots are not just work horses but can provide fun and entertainment for the youngest members of the family.
With a title that gives a clear indication as to the product’s general appearance, the Boxer (no relation to a hit Paul Simon song) is an interactive box-shaped AI robotic toy. As one of the top twelve entries in the latest DreamToys listing, the Boxer has been developed by Spin Master Toys and is being aimed at the 6+ age group or anybody who is young at heart and enjoys technology.
Did you know that 59% of UK toys bought for Christmas were chosen by the giver rather than selected from a child’s wish list?
While December brings us Christmas, the month of November reveals the choice of the top twelve toys that are expected to be the most sought after by parents for their children. This list of toys is referred to as DreamToys and it has been put together by a representative panel of retailers and industry experts.
Christmas is coming and Hamleys has a range of toys waiting to be purchased.
When composing a list for Santa, you may like to consider the following items.
Every year, around this time, a panel of the leading retailers in the toy industry will get together and announce the hottest items that are expected to fly off the shelves in the lead up to the Christmas season.
It is time to clear the floor and make room for battle to commence as you take on both artificial Intelligent and human opponents in various contests.
R.E.V. is not a mistyped reference to the condition known as Rapid Eye Movement or a 1980’s American Rock Band. It does stand for Robotic Enhanced Vehicle. This is a remote controlled, battery driven vehicle developed by the well respected toy manufacturer WowWee. The company has released a battle pack which consists of two R.E.V. units. One unit is coloured black while the other is white so that they are easily distinguishable when competing against each other.
Police work often involves following a set routine and this next game certainly lives up to this theory.
Assuming their Christmas money is not already spent here are two more candidates. First the i-Hog a flying pig, who said there were no such things. Second for those a little older a vertical jigsaw from Ravensburger of the Eiffel Tower.
While ‘Flying Pigs’ on a Saturday night may not be rare for some members of the community they are hopefully not normal for the 10+ age group that this toy is aimed at. In fact during my tests even younger than that enjoyed flying it. From tail fin to the front of the double rotor is 25cm, the pig – complete with flying goggles – is 15cm from head to tail and 4.5cm wide. The overall height to the top of the rotors is 13cm and its weight is only 71 grams.
Its green, it flies and it goes to prove that a popular expression could be proved correct.
You have probably heard, or might even have uttered the words yourself, the expression that “And pigs can fly” in response to some outrageous claim spoken in your presence. I have, on more than one occasion, walked to a window to gaze out while stating that there were no pigs flying overhead as far as I could ascertain nor did I expect to see any in the immediate future.
They are cute, adorable and child friendly. I am referring to a series of toys in the form of pets that respond to their owner.
We have long been accused of being a nation of pet lovers. Or perhaps, in the case of my cat who allows me to satisfy his needs, pet dominated would be a better description. This close affinity with the domesticated animal kingdom can be seen with many of the toys we purchase for our children (well that’s the excuse we tell ourselves although some toys are bought for our own pleasure) that are in the form of animals.
This week I will tell you about two games. The first Khet 2.0 a laser game that requires batteries and believe it or not they are supplied, yes. The second is a game that has been around in one form or another for a while called Top Trumps.
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