Dont Tip the Waiter
(Fundex $14.99 Score:) We wanted to love this new balancing game that has a wobbly waiter with a tray--where you're supposed to keep adding dishes until he tips over. Our testers found that he wasn't tippy enough--"it took way to long for him to go over". We hope they tweak the tip factor to make it just right! 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: 2008.

Jakks Pacific Ultimotion Swing Zone Sports Motion Controlled Video Game
(Jakks Pacific $74.99 Score:) There's really no other way to say this--but Ultimotion Swing Zone Sports is really a watered down but MUCH less expensive version of the wii. Comes with many of the same active sport games that you play with a sports adapted wireless controller. Cleverly, you plug the controller into either a golf club, bat, football, tennis racket, or bowling ball. Much like the wii, kids have to stand up and play (a good thing). The graphics aren't the same quality-but they're not bad either. With budgets tighter this year, the Ultimotion may fill the bill with kids who are not as brand aware. To their credit, the players are multi-cultural (one has an interesting mohawk).

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

Scrabble Slam Card Game
(Parker Brothers $6.99 Score:) This is a slam dunk winner with testers of mixed ages. Faster than Scrabble and paced for fun, this is a four letter game where players race to change the word by slamming a letter card on the current word to make a new word. The object is to be first to use all your cards. 2-4 players, 15 minutes a round(maybe) and fun for 8 & up.

Age: Early School Years,Later School Years. Award Year: 2009.