It’s time to start the list. We’re not talking about homework assignments or your clarinet practice log. The list. The one that’s pure fun. The one that might lead to shrieks of delight a few weeks from now.
Yes, the holiday wish list. But how to choose? You’ve seen boxes on store shelves and ads on TV. Do you take a chance on the app/toy fishing pole? What about a building set that lights up? Or a crossbow like the one Katniss used in “The Hunger Games”?
KidsPost went straight to the target audience for these toys and more in our annual holiday toy test. Kids from 10 area schools took more than 75 toys, games and crafts out of their boxes to see if they were as much fun as they looked. The testers let us know which ones they would ask for or even buy with their own money. So, get pencil and paper and check out the next three pages of new toys, some of which might deserve a spot on your list.
— Christina Barron
NOTE: All toys are available online and in major stores unless otherwise noted.
Arts and Crafts
Cool Baker Cake Pop Maker
Tested by: Fifth-graders.
Spin Master. $24.99; refills that make four pops: $6.99. Age 6 and older.
Cake pops have been a huge baking trend this year. This toy lets kids make the sweet treats without baking. Water is the only additional ingredient necessary to make the pops, which go into the refrigerator for 15 minutes before decorating. Kids said the instructions were easy to follow, and they liked that this kit could be a family activity and one that could be used repeatedly. (The kit makes eight pops; refills are sold separately.) They noted that the pops don’t taste the same as cake baked in an oven.
DJ Rock Dock
Tested by: Fifth-graders.
SmartLab Toys. $19.99. Age 8 and older. Available online and at Doodlehopper 4 Kids in Falls Church and Springfield and Booktopia in Bethesda.
Build a dock for your iPod or MP3 player with this kit. Boys and girls said that learning about circuits was challenging but worth the effort. “You have to understand where each piece goes,” one tester said. They all agreed that they would use the dock long after they had put it together.
Digital Light Designer
Tested by: Third-graders.
Crayola. $49.99. Age 6 and older.
Drawing colorful pictures on this dome-shaped canvas requires no paint or markers. Touch the dome with the stylus, or pen, and the drawings appear out of light. Artists can use special effects, such as animation, and save their creations in a digital art gallery. The Light Designer also includes games. Our kid testers said they had never seen anything like it. “It’s like an iPad and a coloring book mixed together,” although they noted that it makes noise that can be annoying.
Mini Capsters Jewelry
Tested by: Fifth-graders.
Klutz. $21.99. Age 8 and older. Online and at Barstons Child’s Play in Arlington, Baltimore, Chevy Chase-D.C., McLean and Rockville.
If you love to make jewelry but are tired of friendship bracelets, this kit might be just what you’re looking for. Turn bottle caps into necklaces and earrings with stickers and jewels. Testers had mixed feelings on how tricky it was to attach the pieces, but they agreed that it was fun and creative. “I could make presents from the set,” one girl said.
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