When we think of babies, we often think of infants who don’t really have the coordination to play with toys.  There are a several great toys to entertain your infant right up until she’s about a year or so old. Rattles are probably the number one toy to introduce to your baby.  She will be mesmerized by the sound a rattle makes.

Babies have an automatic reflex to grasp anything that comes into contact with their fingers or palm of their hands.  Soft toys, like rag dolls, and floppy stuffed animals are easy for them to grasp and hang onto. Be sure to purchase those that do not have any loose parts because these toys will find their way into her mouth and you do not want to create a choking hazard.

Little Superstar Sing-Along Stage

As well, those popular rattles should be constructed of one solid piece.  Tracking toys, such as crib mobiles are great for holding your baby’s interest.  Many of them are made with bright colors, but large black and white patterns present the highest possible contrast to the eye and thus are the most visible and attractive to babies.  So mix it up.   Use bright colored objects as well as high contrast objects.

As your infant gets older and is sitting up and reaching for things, you can introduce activity toys. Fisher Price makes quite a few of these activity toys.  Select from stackable toys, push and pull toys that make noises when rolled and learning centers such as the Little Superstar Sing-Along Stage.

Is your child a Transformers fan? Transformers have been very popular action figures at different times over the last 25 years. With the release of the last two movies it seems as if they are even more popular especially among boys 5 years old and up. So what are the top Transformers action figures?

Transformers are robotic beings from the planet Cybertron. Optimus Prime is the top robot (and action figure). He is the leader of the Autobots (the good guys for those that have not seen any of the programs or movies). What little boy doesn’t want to play that he is the hero or the leader of a group of heroes?

Megatron is the second top seller at this time (how can we have a hero if he has no one to defeat). He is the leader of the Decepticons which are trying to conquer the universe. The Autobots work with humans to help them save the Earth.

Devastator is the third most wanted and is aptly named for his brute strength and ability to destroy all that gets in his way. He is also an Autobot.

They are named Transformers because the robots turn into various vehicles according to their size. Some are cars, some are tanks and some are not even vehicles. These Transformers are just tiny little things such as a microwave (though you are not likely to find any action figures of those.) There are also Transformers that are made of many vehicles that work together as one.

Overall, these are great toys that challenge the imagination of anyone who picks one up, no matter their age.

It is inevitable that when great children’s movies hit the big screen that there will follow toys and action figures. One enduring movie favorite is Toy Story, the top Toy Story action figures are still hitting the shelves in the stores, landing in our shopping carts and finding their way into the hearts of our children.

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  Toy Story Action Figures

  Toy Story Interactive Buddies Talking Action Figures – 12 inch Buzz Lightyear & 16 inch Woody Set – “Buzz Lightyear and Woody are back from their owner Andy’s toy box, and just like in the movies, they banter and bicker just like real pals. With this Toys R Us exclusive, kids can choose between three different interactive modes to hear these buddies speak individually or with each other, using their actual voices from the movies. Between Buzz and Woody, the duo can say over 100 phrases, including lines from Toy Story and Toy Story 2, along with additional buddy interactions. “

• Toy Story Talking Sheriff Woody Action Figure– “ 16” tall. Pull his string for multiple voice payoffs, over 20 sayings! This action figure includes the cowboy hat. Woody makes the perfect companion to the Buzz Lightyear Talking Action Figure.”
• Toy Story Talking Buzz Lightyear Action Figure – “Press Buzz Lightyear’s oval chest buttons for voice and sound effects. Press his arm button for light and laser sound effects. Push his red round chest button for Pop-out Wings. This toy features over 30 sayings in original voice.”

Those are the three top Toy Story action figures according to many people. Don’t disappoint your child by overlooking these great deals. They will have hours of fun listening to them talk while recreating scenes from one of their favorite movies.

Your three year old is a very active toddler, he likes to run, jump, and climb everywhere. It’s very hard to keep him still now. He enjoys throwing or kicking balls and is probably beginning to try to catch. He has learned that drawings can look like people and he is trying to draw now instead of just scribble. He has learned the art of pretend and is often anyone and anything other than himself.

His imagination is running wild now and can be enhanced by adding costumes and specific toys that match that imagination. While you want him entertained and having fun during his play activities, you will also want him to learn some educational skills at the same time. It’s time to start looking for the top learning toys for three year olds.

Crayola Kid-O Qwikflip Activity Center

Imaginative play peaks at this age and toys that encourage dramatic play such as themed playsets, toy kitchen sets, construction sets, and puppets are favorites among the preschooler. Activities such as drawing are a great way to encourage your three year old to express himself, and the Crayola Kid-O Qwikflip Activity Center with its magnetic and dry erase surface is the perfect toy.

The above mentioned toys give your child the ability to practice things over and over which will help to refine his finger and hand control, as well as eye-hand coordination. Also educational toys which help progress reading skills such as ABC’s, counting, shape/object/color identification are a good choice for your toddler. Interactive flip books like “My First LeapPad“, that have a story on one side and activities on the other help to build these skills.

Do you remember the Original Star Wars hit movie from 1977? This movie has become a cult hit that has lasted over 30 years. Just like most hit movies, there were some great toys and action figures created to perpetuate the Star Wars phenomena. You may be expecting to see the top Star Wars toys from the series of movies made after the original. Not today.

These are time tested and much desired toys that can still be found through collectors, Amazon.com, ebay.com and various other outlets. While these are the original toys, you can still find similar toys branded with the Star Wars name, such as those made by Lego.

Millennium Falcon – The ultimate toy, the Millennium Falcon lasted through all three movies and is tops on the list of all-things Star Wars to have.

The AT-AT all-terrain armored transport was so popular that children wished they could join the Empire and attack the rebels in it.

Oh no!

The Ewok Village was a sought after toy with many moving parts, including an elevator, a rock swing, a ‘throne’ for C-3PO, a net to capture people, and a fire to hang Han over. (Many years later, this toy was reintroduced for the Kevin Costner film Robinhood: Prince of Thieves)

The X-wing fighter was and still is, a must have for every child building up their Star Wars collection. Most impressive is if you can get it with the orange-uniformed and helmeted Luke. Kids have, and will spend many hours racing this through the Death Star and blowing it up.

Top toys for a two year old? Two year old’s are so hard to buy for because you never know what toys they are going to play with and what ones that they will play with once then put them a side. When you do finally find the perfect toy you want to make sure that is is not going to break in two days. This is why it is important to find out what the top toys are.

Giant Building Blocks

Giant building blocks are one of the greatest things to get a 2 year old. It allows them to use their imagination and to build sculptures that they can play with. When they are done playing it is an easy clean up. Kids love to be able to create their own towers, forts, castles, etc. This is a great way to encourage your children to express themselves in a fun and safe manor. This is also a great thing for families to join together and play with.

Little Tikes double easel is a great way for your children to learn how to draw. It is easy to assemble and toddlers love to spend hours showing you just how great of artist they are. You can also help them learn how to count, their ABC’s, and even write in a fun setting. It doesn’t take us a lot of room. Toddlers will love how much fun they can have expressing themselves, so much that they will forget that they are learning in the process.

It’s hard to believe that some of the all time favorite toys of children to this day are these top wood toys.   Getting back to the basics is a theme that many parents would love to be able to hold to, and with these toys, you can’t get much more basic than wood. These ever popular wooden toys will take you back to yesteryear as you introduce them into your child’s play world.

The top of the list are plain old fashioned wood building blocks.  These come in various shapes and sizes and are made out of durable hardwood. The most common shapes are cylindrical, triangular, rectangular and square.  Your child will have hours of fun using his or her imagination building any number of creative structures.

LIncoln Logs

Another favorite since they were built in 1916 are Lincoln Logs. This toy consists of notched miniature logs so that small log buildings can be built. Be a little adventurous and try the Lincoln Logs set which has windows and doors to make the buildings appear more realistic. Newer sets also come with figures of humans and animals that match the scale of the buildings.

The last of the popular wood toys are “Tinkertoy Classic Construction Set” which has been around many homes since 1914. The set centers around a 2 inch round block with holes drilled around the perimeter, and one in the center.  There are then differing-length sticks and more round blocks with various holes drilled in them.  Your child can build just about anything his imagination desires.

So you’ve got a baby in the house now and you want to keep him entertained while he’s in his crib.  Before suggesting the top crib toys for babies, you should take a couple of things into consideration. The age of your baby and the safety of the toy that you will choose to place in your child’s crib.

Safety precautions should be a no brainer. Any toy that you place in the crib should be free of loose parts that could find their way into the mouth of a baby.  As your baby becomes mobile you also want to make sure that those toys that are hard are fastened tightly to the crib so as to avoid possible injury if it should fall over on the child.

Ocean Wonders Aquarium

With that said, for very young infants, those crib toys that play music and display moving colorful images will provide your young one with many moments of awe and wonder.  As their eyes become better focused and they begin to notice motion further away, these types of crib toys are some of the best. The Ocean Wonders Aquarium is one such toy that is suitable for a baby from birth.

For the baby that is a bit older, who gets bored easily, and is somewhat mobile in the crib, activity centers are great crib toys.  Not only will they provide entertainment, they are designed to educate in a visual way.  Your baby will learn up and down and side to side.  He will learn a little problem solving with those activities that require interaction to hear sounds. The Fisher-Price Activity Center is an excellent crib toy to keep your baby occupied.

There is no shortage of remote control toys in this new age of technology. The toys range from the micro cars to the Star Wars robot R2D2.  The top remote control toys for boys this season are just a couple of mouse clicks away, or a trip down to your local toy store.

RC Mercedes Speed Demon 4WD Racing Car

For that boy that is going through the dinosaur age, the Animal Planet Radio Control T Rex Dinosaur is going to give him some real imaginative action.  If he’s into the space age, don’t overlook the 48 inch tall Tekno Mega Mech R/C Robot. If he’s a race enthusiast, there are the ever popular remote control cars such as the RC Mercedes Speed Demon 4WD Racing Car.

Remote control toys provide hours of fun and entertainment for those creative minds.  But you may have to fight off dad for the controls.  There’s just something about remote control toys that bring out the kid in everyone.  The magic of making a toy do what you want it to do without physically touching it will spark interest in every  child who is fascinated with “how does it work?”

Even more magical are the helicopters and hover boats that are remote controlled.  And still to this day the small gas engine airplanes are still a hit with the guys, young and old.  It is advisable that these be supervised by an adult due to the use of gasoline.  Besides, dad will be more than happy to run that remote control for their boys.

It would seem that toy trains are not just for children.  There are many train hobby and enthusiasts still around.  Whether you set up a train around your Christmas tree every year, or have a massive train layout in a dedicated area of your home, train accessories are a must  have.

The more imaginative people will have a whole village set up with great country side scenery.  Accessories can be anything from power supplies to train cars, buildings, trees, and/or bushes.  But where do you get these items from and who carries the best quality?

Thomas Tank Engine

For years, Lionel Trains and Train sets have dominated the market.  And that has not changed. Though there are other name brands of trains, the accessories are not limited to just one brand name.  Other brands of trains and their accessories are;  Life-Like Trains, Marklin, and Thomas the Tank Engine.

One important component in the accessories would be track sets which come with separate pieces of straight and curved track to build an oval. Some include a special piece called a switch or turnout, to move trains on to another track.  There are many configurations, and additional track sets can be purchased to create any size train track you desire.

Once you have purchased your train and tracks sets, built your scenery, and populated your small town or towns, the imagination holds no bounds for expanding your railway and the communities it will pass through.  The top toy train accessories are any and all items that help the train enthusiast build his fantasy world.