Playmobil Sports Action Take along Soccer Set
(Playmobil $59.99 Score:)

There's no real building or assembling of this soccer field. The case opens to a big self-contained playing area with four players and two goalies. You will want to add more players. The goalies cannot kick but can block with a left to right motion. Pull back a leg and load the ball and the players kick the ball down the field. There are a lot of add-ons for this theme. Young soccer players will like the dramatic play of controlling a field of players. This is a play setting that is a lot younger than a foosball table that has a lot more action. The box shows boys, but there is a girls soccer team set as an add-on....of course.  5-8

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Natural History Museum RC Tarantula
(Wild Creations $28.99 Score:)

This sure looks like the real thing! A life size tarantula with velvety flocking and creepy legs that is sure to scare the family kitten, puppy or little sister. It's easy to operate with a two button RC control that moves the bug with high-speed precision. It can move in every direction and even spin on its eight furry, independently moving legs! It's a model of a large Goliath Bird Eating Tarantula that measures at its widest span an amazing 6 inches! 

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2010.

I'm a Little Tea Pot Musical Tea Set
(Schylling $22.99 Score:)

Pure novelty!  A 15 piece tin tea set that comes with a wind-up tea pot.  Wind it up and then pour--it plays "I'm a Little Tea Pot".  The set comes with the tea pot, four plates, four cups and saucers and a tray--just right for pretend tea parties.  No batteries are required to get the tea pot to play-it just winds up like a music box.  Very sweet.  Warning: this set does have small parts and should not be given to smaller children. 8 & up. If Olivia is a favorite, the company makes a pink and red set with a tea pot that plays the theme song from Olivia's TV show and features her face on the cups and pot.

The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2010. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Star Wars Imperial AT-AT
(Hasbro $119.99 Score:)

The ultimate Star Wars play setting.  Our testers were all clamoring to get this one out of the box.  It's over two feet tall, comes with electronic sounds, phrases and lights. The backend opens to make space for the Speeder Bike (included). Comes with one storm trooper that can repel off the top of the AT-AT to the bottom.  The sides also open as does the front end - so there are plenty of play opportunities for making things happen. It does have projectiles (against our policy) but they do aim downward so we are making an exception here.  Let's face it the whole All Terrain Armored Transport theme doesn't exactly fit in our "no aggressive or violent" toys-- but it's fantasy and hey, its Star Wars. While some of us thought it would be better if it actually walked like it does in the movie, others quickly (and quite loudly) expressed their view that this toy was "awesome" just as it is!  If you are looking for a big ticket present for the Star Wars fan in your life, look no further.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years, Tweens. Award Year: 2010. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Hexbug Nano Battle Bridge
(Innovation First $39.99 Score:)

These little NANO bugs that come in test tube inspired containers are either a HUGE hit with kids, tweens, teens and even adults that need a little bug to pull out of their office desk every now and then. At $7.99 each--they're affordable, come in lots of different colors.  New this season is the Hexbug Nano Battle Bridge ($39.99). When our testers built it, they commented that it looked more like a "parking garage for bugs that they could never really exit!"  Pure novelty--and a whole lot easier to tend to than hamsters.

The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Later School Years, Tweens, Teens, Adult. Award Year: 2009. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Let's Pretend Careers
(Small Miracles $29.99 Score:) Handsome enough to wear as real clothes, the newest items in the career line are an Astronaut (4 1⁄2), and an ER Worker (4 1⁄2) with green scrubs, stethoscope, and other tools. Forget the stereotypical Teacher (2) costume with black glasses and old-fashioned red smock with white lace. Still top rated, Chef (with coat, hat, and tools); in the fantasy line, a Pirate (outfit comes with a felt hat). Past winners include: Doctor, Pilot, Equestrian, Firefighter, Construction Worker, and Police. PLATINUM AWARDS ’02 & ’04. 3–8. (888) 281-1798.

Age: Preschool,Early School Years,Later School Years. Award Year: 2004.

Grande Mansion
(Playmobil $170 Score:) Part construction set/mostly pretend setting, Grande Mansion has two stories and a usable attic; this yellow house has an old world charm that will be a memorable gift. Younger kids will need help with assembly. This is a fun parent child project if you're so inclined!

Age: Early School Years,Later School Years. Award Year: 2006.

Roboraptor
(WowWee $100 Score:) As friendly as Robosapien was last year, Roboraptor is scary. A 32"-long white robotic dino, he acts like a predator! His sensors allow him to react to his environment which sometimes means he’ll hiss, snap, and generally creep you out. For our older toy testers this was cool. (Some little siblings may truly be freaked out by his aggressive nature). Easy to control, although “running” mode looks more like a fast walk. Also new for 2006, WowWee Alive Chimpanzee ($130) is a chimp head with “facetronics” that come alive with motion and sounds. Talk about creepy! Prototype was amazing, but it was not ready for testing. 10 & up. (800) 310-3033.

Age: Later School Years. Award Year: 2006.

My Picnic Basket
(Alex $20 Score:)

We liked the sturdiness of this 18-piece set that comes with blue enamelware including plates, cups, spoons, forks, and tablecloth. Great for real picnics or pretend tea parties.   All stored in a lovely wicker basket that closes- just like the real thing.  5 & up.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2007. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

D REX Interactive Dinosaur
(Mattel $149.99 Score:)

D REX is the most ferocious of the new dinos on the market. He walks, charges, chomps, roars and will respond to your voice and commands. He is covered with a reptile-ish skin to make him more life like than the recent crop of robotic dinos. When we first saw D REX at toy fair, it was clear this was the dino that you would scare your little sister with. He also promises to have a room guard mode. We look forward to testing him. For a slightly less scary dino, look at Fisher-Price's Spike and for the preschool set, Playkool's Kota My Tricertaops.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2008.