As long as we’ve got kids around, we’re going to have toys, lots and lots of toys. There are always new toys coming out and if you have a child you’ll know how hard it is to choose between the hundreds of toys available. Plus, when your four year old finds a holiday catalogue and starts saying “Mommy, can I have this? And this… and this…. And this…..and this…..” you realize he’s not going to be any help either!

Here are five top toys of 2006 and why they may be a great gift choice for your little one.

Top Toy: Fisher Price Elmo TMX – Average Price: $39.99

Can you believe this cute and cuddly Elmo has been around for 10 years already? In 1996 there was a buying craze and people were snapping up the original Tickle Me Elmo for outrageous prices, as long as they could get one for their kids. Well this year he’s flying off the shelves again with the TMX version. TMX stands for Tickle Me Extreme. This little guy is a big upgrade from the original with much more movement and lots of laughs of course. Elmo is going to be a hit with little kids and big kids alike.

Ages 18 month and up.

Top Toy: Fisher Price Kid Tough Digital Camera – Average Price: $59.99
This Kid Tough Digital camera comes in pink and blue. The newest generation of kids are the digital generation, and this camera is made just for little hands. It’s tough, and comes with a 1.3-inch color LCD preview screen, 8 MB memory and stores up to 60 pictures. It has all the features of a regular digital camera like an SD card slot, menu for navigating, and a USB cord. Any child over the age of three can have their very own digital camera and start getting creative when capturing memories that will last a lifetime!
Ages: 3 and up
Top Toy: Dora’s Talking Kitchen

Dora’s Talking Kitchen won the 2006 Girl Toy of The Year award and it is a great toy for little girls (and even boys!). Dora talks in Spanish and English while the kids are cooking and plays other realistic sound effects. Comes with 5 recipe adventures and 25 accessories. Your little one will have a blast pretending to cook up some great meals in Dora’s kitchen!

Ages: 2 and up

Top Toy: Wii From NintendoWii, pronounced ‘we’ from Nintendo is the newest gaming console. It is not yet released but is expected to be another toy that will be flying off the shelves come release time. It is scheduled for release in mid-November. The thing that makes this system unique is that it doesn’t have the typical game controller, it is more like a remote control that is sensitive to motion and uses everyday movements to control game play. It will be able to connect to the internet and offer a variety of different types of games, something for everyone.

Ages: 6 and up

Top Toy: Barbie My Scene Bling Bling Styling Head – Average Price: $29.99This is like the styling heads you can get in some high school hairstyling classes, but way cooler! Barbie My Scene Bling Bling Syling Head is ready to have her hair, jewelry, makeup and even a manicure. Whatever suits the child’s mood. Comes with a real 5mm gemstone ring and hair mascara that ‘streaks’ the Styling head, or the girl’s hair.

Age: 6 years and up

This certainly isn’t an exclusive list of toys for Christmas 2006, but it’s a starting point. As you go toy shopping, remember to think of the children you are buying gifts for and what types of things they enjoy. Try to find a toy that won’t get discarded too quickly, something that will keep the child’s interest long enough to be worth the hard earned money you paid for it.

Happy Shopping!