Bursting With Toys

WHEN THE TIME COMES to decide what toys should make it onto holiday wish lists, KidsPost goes to the experts kids. This year more than 300 kids from Washington-area schools played with more than 70 toys. They were asked to rank them on a scale of 1 to 10. FurReal Friends Scamps: My Playful Pup (Hasbro, $49.99)
Rating: 10 Ages 6 and older. A furry, funny, huggable stuffed animal that responds to your voice and can learn as many as 20 tricks, including how to shake, beg, wave and count. (Bet your real dog cant do that.) Third-grade testers loved this cute toy, but one tester said that sometimes Scamps wouldnt listen to me.

Kids Also Liked.

Star Wars Ultimate Lightsaber (Hasbro, $34.99). Ages 7 and older. Be a Jedi Knight or a Sith as you build your own lightsaber. Kids warn that its tricky to put together. Rating: 8.7 Chat Now (Hasbro/Tiger Electronics, $74.99). Ages 10 and older. Not just walkietalkies. Stay in touch with family and friends up to two miles away. Also takes photographs. Rating: 8.7 Robo Pet (Wow Wee, $99.99). Ages 9 and older. From the makers of Robosapien and Roboraptor. This trainable robotic dog was a hit with kids, though the packaging and directions frustrated some testers. Rating: 8.6
Kidz Cam Digital Camera Kit (Sakar International, $29.99)
Rating: 10 Ages 8 and older. A digital camera designed for kids, with built-in software. Third-grade testers had fun taking pictures. Be warned: To see the pictures, you need a computer.
Spy Pen-X2 (Wild Planet, $9.99)
Rating: 10 Ages 7 and older. Just what every secret agent needs. With this spy gear you can write or record secret messages (up to six seconds). Third-graders liked the telescope feature and that they could read notes in the dark.
Teen Titans Sonic Boom LCD Video Game (Techno Source, $7.99)
Rating: 10 Ages 6 and older. This hand-held video game features your favorite Titans, including Raven and Cyborg, battling evil as quickly as your thumbs can make them move. The second-grade testers loved the action, but they didnt like that only one person can play at a time.
Cool Clicks (Dymo, $12.99)
Rating: 9.6 Ages 6 and older. Just what every organized kid wants, or what every parent who wants an organized kid wants! This label maker comes in cool colors and is easy to use. Its noisy, but second-grade testers loved labeling their things.
Spy Night Patrol Listener (Wild Planet, $14.99)
Rating: 9.5 Ages 8 and older. These goggles are equipped with blue lights that let you see in the dark and a microphone that will let you hear if enemies are approaching. Fourth-grade testers liked that the microphone picked up far-away noises.
Battle Crawlers Arena* (Wild Planet, $14.99)
Rating: 9.5 * Arena comes with two bugs Ages 7 and older. Create your own half-bug, half-machine creature, then battle a similar bug-machine your opponent has made. Second-grade testers liked creating bugs but got frustrated when the bugs fell off the arena platform.

Hand Art (Klutz, $9.95)

Rating: 9.5 Ages 6 and older. Everyone knows how to trace your hand and make a turkey, but how about a dragon? Or a frog? Or an alien? This book comes with googly eyes, glue and pompoms to help you make some amazing creatures. Second-grade testers loved how cute the creatures were.
Disney Princesses TV Games (Jakks Pacific, $19.99)
Rating: 9.5 Ages 7 and older. Plug the pink castle controller into the television and play in mini-adventures as Ariel, Belle, Cinderella or Snow White. What princess wouldnt love this toy? Second-grade testers liked the variety of games to play.
20Q Challenge (Radica, $29.99). Ages 10 and older. A bigger version of the hugely popular (and amazing) handheld 20Q game. Kids couldnt believe how often they lost a game of 20 Questions. Rating: 8.6 Mega Rigs Dino Adventure (Matchbox, $42.99). Ages 6 and older. Build your own vehicles to capture and contain a stomping, chomping, roaring dino. Testers loved building the vehicles and then having the dino destroy them. Rating: 8.5

VCam Now (Hasbro, $79.99)
Rating: 9.2 Ages 10 and older. This pocket-sized digital video camera lets kids take movies or still pictures. Sixth-grade testers said it took a while to learn how to download video.

GoGo TV (Manley, $59.99)

Rating: 9.1 Ages 8 and older. This game plugs into your TV and, because it has a video camera built in, puts you into the action. There are four games to play, including balloon juggling and penguin chase.
Girlfitti Smart Charms (Binney & Smith, $19.99)
Rating: 9.0 Ages 8 and older. Make your own light-up bracelet. The pattern for the lights depends on the charms you choose. One clever third-grader thought the bracelet would be cool for hide-and-seek.
Lazer Tripwire (Wild Planet, $19.99)
Rating: 9.0 Ages 8 and older. Younger siblings will never be able to sneak into your room again. This toy consists of pods that send out invisible beams of light. When an intruder crosses a beam, an alarm sounds. One fifth-grade tester said, I would use my own money to buy this because its so cool.

BY E. DIANE SIMMONS

Clockwise from lower left, Jasmine Gray, Yue Pang, Vincent Liu, Gaston Lopez and Djate Sterling play Akaba at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary in Waldorf.

iZ (Zizzle, $39.99)

Rating: 8.8 Ages 10 and older. Incredibly weird and incredibly cool. Plug iZ into an MP3 or CD player, and the critters eyes bounce and a horn pulses to the beat. Sixth-grade testers said it would be even better if it moved. (Check out iDog, at far right.)

Furby (Hasbro, $39.99)

Rating: 8.8 Ages 8 and older. Hes back! The furry, weird interactive toy that first hit toy stores in 1998 is bigger than before, with a more expressive face and an off switch! Third-grade testers loved that it listened to commands.
Maryland Third-graders in Karyn Scotts class at Renaissance Christian Academy in Suitland; fourth-graders in Pamela Weavers class at Gaywood Elementary in Seabrook; fifth-graders in E. Diane Simmonss class at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary in Waldorf. Virginia Second-graders in Deborah Boyles class at Little River Elementary in South Riding; second-graders at Chesterbrook Elementary in McLean; fourthgraders in Christine Loebes class at Cora Kelly Elementary in Alexandria; sixth-graders in Ralph Daviss class at White Oaks Elementary in Burke.
Akaba (Haba, $35.99). Ages 10 and older. A European board game that has players riding on flying carpets and collecting presents from bazaars. Kids loved playing but said they needed adult help with the directions. Rating: 8.4 iDog (Hasbro/Tiger Electronics, $24.99). Ages 8 and older. This sleek white dog dances, wiggles his ears and flashes lights when he hears music. Kids thought he was adorable when he danced, but wanted even more action. Rating: 8.3

GRAPHIC BY BILL WEBSTER THE WASHINGTON POST

Testing 1, 2, 3

KidsPost gives special thanks to the students and teachers who helped us with this years toy test:
District of Columbia Third-graders in Carolyn Wellss and Joyce Hills classes at LaSalle Elementary; fifth-graders in Timothy Leonards and Donald Huffs classes at Shepherd Elementary; sixth-graders who are teamtaught at Friendship Edison Jr. Academy, Blow Pierce Campus.