Pricey electronics and high-technology seem to top the list of
hot items and toys children want for the upcoming holidays.

A group of children at the after school program at the Grace
Lutheran Church Community Life Center told The Era what they’d like
to see wrapped up and waiting for them as gifts this holiday
season.

Some of the gifts they yelled out excitedly when interviewed
Wednesday at the center included iPods, mp3 players, the Nintendo
Wii, Game Cube and DS game systems, Playstation 3 and Playstation
Portable game systems, the Xbox 360 game system and the Gameboy
Advance SP game system along with video games.

Justin Hillard, 13, said he wanted CDs, by artists including the
band Disturbed, and a cellular telephone. Kyle Robinson, 12, said
he wanted the video game “ATV Afro Fury 4” for Playstation 2 or
Xbox 360. Jacob Bradford, 7, wanted a Playstation 3. Shelby
Prescott, 11, wanted a computer and Xbox 360. Tori Robinson, 10,
said she wanted a laptop computer and cell phone.

The local Foster Brook Wal-Mart employees could not comment on
the hot toys they’re selling this holiday season when contacted
Thursday, as they were preparing for the Black Friday rush. Ron
Orris, store manager, did say, however, information about the hot
toys this year could be found at www.walmartfacts.com.

According to the Web site, Wal-Mart’s predicted the top 12 toys
for this year’s Christmas and holidays; ten of those toys involved
some electronic elements.

Among them were the Zoombox, a projector that can connect to DVD
players and video consoles; V.Flash Edutainment System, a children
gaming system built for learning from VTech; Baby Alive doll, a
realistic interactive doll from Hasbro; Power Wheels Ford Mustang,
a battery-operated car for children 3 years and older from
Fisher-Price; T.M.X. Elmo, the extreme 10th anniversary Tickle Me
Elmo from Fisher-Price;

Kid-Tough Digital Camera, a digital camera designed for little
children from Fisher-Price; ESPN Fast Action Football from
Fisher-Price, an interactive electronic football game table;
Littlest Pet Shop Virtual Pet (dog or cat), a small digital pet
from Hasbro; Hot Wheels Radar Gun, a radar gun to check the speed
of Hot Wheels racing vehicles from Mattel; and “Barbie in the 12
Dancing Princesses” Princess Genevieve Doll, a Barbie doll that
follows the child’s dance moves from Mattel.

Toy Wishes magazine’s “Hot Dozen” toy picks for 2006, according
to the magazine’s Web site, included eight items that were
electronic in nature. Like Wal-Mart’s list, the Web site also
listed the Barbie doll along with a horse and carriage from Mattel,
the Kid-Tough camera and T.M.X. Elmo.

The list also includes Butterscotch My Furreal Friends Pony, a
realistic, interactive with advanced animatronic technology pony
from Hasbro; Digi Makeover, a unit with a built-in camera and
touchpad for television where the child can take a picture and
experiment with different hair styles from Radica; Fly Wheels XPV,
a radio-control vehicle that can fly from Jakks Pacific; LEGO
Mindstorms NXT, a LEGO robotics toolset with a “brain” at the
center of the creation from LEGO; and Nintendo Wii, the new gaming
system from Nintendo.

Mixed in with all the newest in technology were some simple and
older games, toys and other items. Children at the after school
program also mentioned gifts they wanted such as clothes, the game
“Twister,” LEGOs, a football, magnetic toys and cap guns. Prescott
had also mentioned wanting the marble game of Mancala.

Wal-Mart’s top toy list also included some old-fashioned and
simple gifts. They listed “Monopoly: Here & Now Edition,”the
Monopoly board game with updated properties for today’s world from
Hasbro; and “Bratz Forever Diamondz: Vinessa,” a doll with a real
diamond pendant for girls to wear from MGA.

In addition to both the Monopoly game and the Bratz dolls, Toy
Wishes magazine included “Magtastik,” magnetic building blocks from
MEGA Brands; and “Speed Stacks Stackpack,” a cup-stacking game from
Play Along.

With all the electronics and up-to-date technology, parents may
find their bill for gifts to be on the high side when it comes to
toys this holiday season.

Topping the list for most expensive gifts is the Butterscotch
pony, priced at about $300, with the least expensive gift being the
Littlest Pet Shop Virtual Pet, priced at about $13.

Also priced high at about $250 are the Power Wheels Mustang,
LEGO Mindstorms NXT and the Nintendo Wii followed by the Zoombox at
about $248. The Fast Action Football costs about $199, and the
V.Flash Edutainment System costs about $100.

Under $100 are the Kid-Tough Digital Camera, the Digi Makeover
and the Fly Wheels XPV, all priced at about $60; the Baby Alive
Doll at about $50 in price; T.M.X. Elmo and the Speed Stacks
Stackpack, both costing $40; Monopoly and the Hot Wheels Radar Gun,
priced at about $30 each; and Bratz Forever Diamondz: Vinessa doll
costing about $20.

The Barbie doll is priced at about $17 to $25, and a separate
horse and carriage costs about $33.

Magtastik comes in different sets. The Magtastik Wonder Coaster
costs about $40. The Magtastik Deluxe Set is priced at about $30,
and the Starter Set is priced at about $20. Also, Magnimals are
priced at $6.