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This holiday season's hot toys are unveiled

Photo by Fisher-Price

Toys R Us named Laugh & Learn Learning Farm one of its Fabulous 15 toys for 2009.

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By BETH GADDIS | TBO.com

Published: September 25, 2009

Your children may not be putting together their holiday wish-list yet, but toy companies and stores already have theirs.

Thursday, Toys R Us unveiled its top picks for gifts for the 2009 holiday shopping season. Interactive toys are one of the hottest trends, along with games, dolls and toys based on familiar characters.

Last weekend, hundreds of kids got a sneak peak at some of the toys on the list. Fisher-Price created a play area in Lowry Park Zoo's Wallaroo Station. There, kids could test drive motorized cars, motorcycles and a dune buggy, build with play sets and check out interactive games like Smart Fit Park and Splaster. Best of all, parents could see what kept their children's attention.

With many people out of work or struggling financially, Fisher-Price executives say they're focused on delivering quality.

"We work with Nickelodeon or Disney or Sesame Street," Brenda Andolina, director of brand marketing and public relations, said. "They know the purest essence of their brand, which becomes the blueprint for our toys."

It takes about 16 months for a toy to evolve from an idea to a product on a store shelf, Andolina said. Designers and engineers watch children playing with the toy in the Fisher-Price Play Laboratory, get feedback from moms in focus groups and on panels, and send home the toy with 30 families for a three-week period.

One of the big hits at the zoo was the Fisher-Price Smart Cycle Extreme, which hooks up to a television set and lets kids drive or play arcade games.

Based on their research, Fisher-Price predicts about 30 products will be hot-sellers this holiday season, including other toys that allow children to interact with TV like Splaster, My Toon TV, Smart Fit Park and 3-in-1 Smart Sports.

"In the past five years, you've probably seen more technology in our toys," Andolina said. "If it helps a play pattern, if it gives a child extra encouragement, extra reward, then we'll look at adding more technology."

Play sets, including Imaginext Dragon World Fortress are also expected to big sellers. Toys R Us predicts the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Learning Farm will be one of the hot toys for babies and toddlers.

"Play sets are a natural way to share and help with language skills," Andolina said.

And it's tough to go wrong with a toy based on a child's beloved cartoon character. Disney Princesses, Transformers, Elmo, The Wonder Pets, and Manny are all on the expected top-sellers list.

"Those characters are their friends," Andolina said. "They are so imaginative and the live in such a colorful world in their minds. It feels very natural to incorporate them (in their play)."

The prices are similar to past years, despite the recession. Fisher-Price has several toys on its hot toys list that retail for under $35, but the majority of must-haves will still cost $50 and up.

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