Nov 21, 2008 8:22 am US/Eastern
Toy Test: Creative Toys
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
This time next week, what will you be doing? Many of us will be working off that turkey dinner and hitting the malls as we kickoff the holiday shopping season.
If you've got kids on your shopping list, our Jim Donovan knows which toys are hot and which are not.
In the last part of the annual 3-On Your Side Toy Test, he takes a look at the top toys for creative and imaginative kids.
Creativity comes naturally to the kids at Panda Care in Northeast Philly and Kindercare in Boothwyn and Lego's continue to be a familiar favorite.
"Year after year legos always keep the boy's attention. it occupies them for a while, it keeps them really occupied," said Elisha Burke, an instructor at Panda Care.
This year the police station, stegosaurus and dwarves mine set scored big.
"Every year it comes out with something new and the boys absolutely love it no matter," said April Kaufmann of KinderCare.
Lego sets vary in price. those we tested ranged from $45-$99.
With the Magic Light Brush kids can put a bright new twist on mess-free painting. The brush lights up when it's pointed or dipped in gel-like paint.
"You dip the brush into the clear paint, its clear there's no mess and when you paint it onto the paper the color appears as you do it, they were all amazed, like 'ohhh ahhh,'" Elisha Burke at Panda Care said.
The Color Wonder Magic Light Brush from Crayola sells for $25. Paint refills are priced at around $5.
An interactive voice guides your children through the universe with the Discovery Kids Solar System Projector.
"You can shine it on a wall it'll show you different planets it gives you different information about each planet, it has quizzes on there stuff like that, its good, good for school-aged kids who you know are learning about the solor system," said Melissa Ropars of Panda Care.
The database contains more than 1,000 facts and quiz questions. The Discovery Interactive Solar System Projector sells for $40.
Kids can let their imagination run wild with the Zinko Tek building system.
"You can make robots, you can make animals, there are so many things you can make with them, there are so many pieces," according to April Kaufmann of KinderCare.
There are 276 interlocking pieces to be exact. made of recyclable weatherproof foam.
Kaufmann says, "It's very durable it really is and it's safe it has collapsed about three time from the kids playing in there. You just put it right back together and if it falls it's like foam so it doesn't hurt them at all it great."
It's a big ticket item...but if you've got the storage space and the cash, these kids gave it a thumbs up.
The Zinko Tek Building System sells for $350.
Two other top toys for creative play are the Foam Creativity Kit from Educational Insights which retails for around $28 and Enviro-Blox from Cadaco which sells for $15. With these two craft toys kids can hours of fun and let their imagination run wild.
In addition to those top toys others deserved an honorable mention. They are the Puppet Theater and Creative Projects Table, both are made by Step2.
Related Links:
3 On Your Side's Toy Test 2008
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