Playskool Weebles Tree House (Hasbro) Ages 18 months - 4 years, $29.99 
We tested the Weebles in a classroom of children 18 months to 24 months. What a success! According to the teacher, they are sturdy and wonderful activities to promote hand/eye coordination. The music and motion are excellent attractions as well. Another tester, a 20-month-old in a family environment, loved it as well. Our 20-month-old tester especially liked putting the figures in the “water” wheel and turning the crank to get them spinning. His mother reported, "This activates fun sounds and music which kept him entertained for long stretches of time – a nice break for his parents who usually spend most of their time chasing after him as he runs around the house!" The Treehouse includes 3 Weeble figures that children can, among other things, send down a slide, place in a swing and rocking chair, and slide down a chute through a door. 

Best Educational Toy (infant/toddler)

Learn Around Play Ground (Leap Frog) Ages 6 months - 3 years, $59.99 
The parents of our 8-month-old tester were concerned this toy would require too much standing for him, but he loves it. There are so many facets to the play station and lots of activities to keep him busy. His current favorite feature is the turning frog. The ball drop will be lots of fun when his coordination is a bit more mature. His mother reports, "I like the learning of the ABCs and numbers while playing interactively." Other features include shapes and textures, colors and rhyming, sing-along, first words, cause and effect, opposites, etc. For crawlers there’s lots to do as well. There are tabs to bat and shapes to look at. "Even when our son is tired, he’ll sit in front of it and play with the lower toys," mom reports. She added, "The music is pleasing. There is a volume control (2 settings), and sound choices. If you flip the smart book page, the sound transforms from learning to music. There is great dance music for a little one. The songs are catchy and you’ll find yourself learning the words quickly." She also really liked that this is a toy that he can grow with. One word of caution: The Learn-Around Playground is not as heavy as she would like. Her son pushes it across the carpet by leaning on it. She recommends butting it up against a couch or a wall so it’s more secure. Includes 3 AA batteries.

Best Educational Toy (4-8)

V.Smile Pocket  (VTech) Ages 5-8, $89.99 
Our 7-year-old tester has been having a blast with the V.Smile Pocket ever since she received it to review. She loves that she can play the same games (sold separately) that she was playing on her V.Smile TV Learning System before, but now she can take it with her. She commented, "It's good because there are things in the game that are too hard for me now, which means that I'll be able to play with it for a long time. My younger sister can also play some of the easier games, so we can share it." The screen is large, the resolution is great, and the buttons are comfortable to press. We love the fact that it can be switched for right-handed or left-handed play. If your grandchildren already have a V.Smile system, they will love this. It can be played as a handheld or on a TV, and, if you have a TV in your car, you can plug it in and play educational games for hours on the road! It's educational and it's fun -- a great combination! Requires 4 AA batteries.

Best Building Toy

LEGO CITY: Police Station  (Lego) Ages 5+, $69.99 
Our testers needed assistance putting this together, but it became a perfect father-son project. After it was built it provided hours of entertainment, reported our tester. The set includes a helicopter, a van, and a motorcycle. It also includes 4 police officers (one with a light-up flashlight), a bad guy, and a dog. It's a great set that kids of all ages (including adults) seem to enjoy! 

Best Game

TV Mini Golf (Hasbro) Ages 6+, $49.99
I took this on vacation over the summer to test out with the kids. We weren't sure what the weather would be like and thought it would be a good rainy-day activity. Well, it was a good rainy-day, sunny-day, breezy-day, any-day activity. The kids couldn't get enough of it. They played it and played it. It was one of the few games that they played for hours and didn't need reminding about sharing or taking turns. They cheered each other on and were completely non-competitive. They were up and moving and having a blast, laughing and swinging. Even my 4-year-old got the hang of it. I have since given the set to my niece, who told me all her friends have played it and requested to play it again and again when they come to her house for play dates. It's a pricey toy, but really worth every penny. Works with TV or VCR with AV input or RF adapter; requires 4 AA batteries. 

Best Doll

Emma & Paul Drink and Bath Baby Dolls  - (Corolle) Ages 3+, $41.99 each   
Our reviewers enjoyed these baby dolls and loved their vanilla scent. The accessories really worked for feeding the baby water in the bottle and either sitting her on the potty or using the diaper. The diaper was a little too big for the baby's body, but our reviewers made it work. Our mom-tester liked the fact that "the Paul doll is anatomically correct."  She also commented, "It's really nice that there's a good doll out there for boys, because when they have a new sibling they want to help take care of their baby too!"  They make a great first doll or sibling gift!

Best Craft Kit

Lite Brite FX Flash Art (Hasbro) Ages 3-8, $19.99
We LOVE this craft project! My kids, who just love spin art, begged me to let them test this, and boy did they have fun. My husband also joined in the mix. The colors are great, the music is fun (and you can turn it off too!). There's a black light in the background that makes the neon colors really pop -- especially if you turn off the lights. The artwork is fun, and the kids were really thrilled with their finished products. Cleanup was easy; it doesn't make a mess when it's spinning. All in all, it's a really family-friendly (mom-friendly) craft project. Includes 4 C batteries. Make sure you also purchase the Lite Brite FX Flash Art: Paint the Picture Refill at $6.99; it's really worth it to have extra supplies. 

Best Electronic Gadget

Read with Me DVD System (Fisher Price) Ages 3-7, $39.99 
Our two testers, ages 2 and 5, both love this, according to their mother. "It has been the first thing my 5-year-old asks for when he wakes up. My 2-year-old loves it too! My son holds the controller and controls the action (which he loves), and she watches the story. Really nice animation and great titles -- all classic stories which we enjoy reading from actual books together. Words are highlighted as the story is told, which I think is great for beginning readers like my son. He liked the games too -- which are educational. It's a great activity for a 2- and 5-year-old to play together. I think this would make a really nice holiday gift for someone with multiple children." Includes 3 AA batteries. Comes with one CD-ROM book; additional books sold separately.


Best DVD 

Robots (Fox) Rated  PG,  $19.95
With the voices of Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry, Greg Kinnear, Mel Brooks, Amanda Bynes, Drew Carey, and Robin Williams, how can you go wrong? In this adorable story, a robot named Rodney heads for the big city to pursue his dreams. There are many colorful characters. Madame Gasket (Jim Broadbent) is hilarious, as is Fender (Williams). It's a light-hearted, beautifully animated movie, with good music that keeps kids entertained and involved. It's a movie that they'll watch again and again. 

Best Travel Toy 

Disney Personal DVD Player (Disney) $139.99 
This 3.5" personal DVD is a lifesaver. We took this on our trip to Puerto Rico, and boy, was it amazing. The kids were able to watch their own movie during the flight, and they actually stayed in their seats. We've taken it on car rides and to grandma's house, and even used it when the kids couldn't get to sleep. The resolution is amazing, and the picture size is fine for kids or adults. It has built-in speakers, but we liked using the headphones for private listening! The built-in rechargeable battery makes it easy to watch all your favorite movies or listen to CDs. Note: Headphones not included, but any pair around the house should work.