Best Building Toy

Dino Attack: T-1 Typhoon vs. T-Rex (Lego) Ages 8+, $69.99
According to our builders, ages 8 and 10, this is a great set. "It's a real boy's toy. It was a challenging set to build, and the reward was in the final product, which includes guns, guys, a T-Rex whose eyes light up and mouth moves and looks ferocious, a Pteranodon, working rotors that really spin, a rappel winch, and a working boom crane." Although our tester has put the T-1 Typhoon up for "display only," he has the T-Rex and Pteranodon engaged in countless attacks. And occasionally he pulls down the Typhoon for fun!

Best Toy (Girl)

Felicity Doll, Book & Accessories (American Girl) Ages 8+, $100 
With a new movie coming out on November 29, this will surely be one of the American Girl dolls that your granddaughter is clamoring for. The movie, "Felicity" is about Felicity Merriman, a 10-year-old growing up in Williamsburg, Virginia, just before the American Revolution. She longs for freedom and is a feisty girl who's interested in adventures. 

Felicity comes dressed in a pretty lavender dress with shift, stockings, and black shoes. She's 18" tall and has a soft body with poseable arms and legs. Our 9-year-old tester, who's quickly becoming a fan of the American Girl dolls, really loved Felicity and can't wait to see the movie. She just loved the Holiday Ball Gown ($28) of blue taffeta that comes with a pearl necklace that she was given to review as well. 

Best Toy (Boy)

Star Wars Saga Edition Mission Lightsaber Battle Game (Hasbro) Ages 8 and up, $49.99
This game has an interactive plug-and-play technology that uses an included lightsaber to interface with the TV. Kids carry out a 6-part fight against the Dark Side. Our 8-year-old tester told his dad, "This is just awesome! I love it! It's the coolest game ever!" His parents really liked the fact that it was a game that got him up and moving, that it wasn't a "sit on your butt and push buttons game." The father also reports, "My son really worked up a sweat as he got better at this game!" His son said, "It's challenging, as you have to master the moves, and as it becomes more difficult you find that you actually are improving." They rated it a 10 out of 10 for fun! Requires 4 AA batteries.

Best Craft Kit (Girls)

Fashion Angels Design Sketch Book (The Beadshop Online) Ages 8+, $14.99 
Our 8-year-old tester, a sewer, knitter, potter, and budding artist, is already creating fashion items for her dolls on her grandmother's sewing machine, so she just loved this kit. She had a blast creating designs for the Fashion Angels. The book contains a pad of Fashion Angel templates, markers, mini color pencils, a sharpener, and an eraser. When you're done designing, you can save all your drawings in the inside pocket. This is a great, creative gift!

Best Craft Kit (Boys & Girls)

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 Gadgets

Nintendo DS (Nintendo) $149.99 
The Nintendo Game Boy line of products have been extremely popular with young and not-so-young gamers for years.  The mother of our 8-year-old reviewer reported, "The Nintendo DS, when first announced, was big news...being the first dedicated handheld gaming device to feature two displays with one being a touch screen. Being a kid at heart, I was as eager to get my hands on it as my daughter was."  The DS has integrated WiFi wireless communications and a microphone that can be used in game play. It can play new DS games as well as Game Boy Advance games, but not the older Game Boy Color and earlier games. Our mother/daughter reviewer continues, "If you're a Game Boy fan or are shopping for someone who is, seriously consider upgrading to the DS. It has a rechargeable battery and backlighting that's actually really good, unlike the Game Boy Advance SP. Parents will no longer worry about their children's eyes, and older folks will be able to see the screen. The improved screen and backlighting have brought out higher levels of color and detail.  The touch screen is great and will lead to more innovative games, as might the integrated microphone. The only drawback is the unit's size and the design, which will be hard for very young players (6 and below) and those with small hands. Overall I highly recommend this product -- only now I have to figure out how to get it away from my daughter so I can play sometime!"

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, 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.

Best Educational Toy 

Turbo Twist Extreme (Leap Frog)  Ages 6-10, $34.99 
This great educational tool takes learning and makes it a game. It combines math, science, social studies, and spelling. Players use the directional pad, the twist dial, and the "slam" button to jump, duck, scroll, or select answers. There are five game modes to choose from. Our 8-year-old tester, a reluctant reader, used this to work on her spelling skills -- and enjoyed it, reported her mother. Includes 4 AA batteries.