Grandparents Magazine's Top Picks for the 2006 Holiday Season.

Grandparents can be sure of choosing the coolest toys and games for their grandchildren this holiday season, with a little help from Grandparents Magazine's 5th Annual Holiday Gift Guide. The online guide is available free to grandparents, parents, teachers, and others at http://www.GrandparentsMagazine.net/giftideas.htm

Each year, Grandparents Magazine sends a large selection of the year's new toy offerings to its nationwide force of kid toy-testers, who try out the products and report their findings. Only the best make the list.

This year's Top Picks include some familiar brand names from past years, including Playskool, Lego, Fisher-Price, and Playmobil. Other highlights include toys like Little People and hot properties such as Barbie and the RC N.S.E.C.T. from Tyco, as well as innovative new offerings like the Zoundz from Zizzle.

In addition to Top Picks lists for both younger and older kids, the guide covers this year's best choices in dolls, board games, building toys, puzzles, crafts, and more. Special breakouts list the best bargains (under $10) and splurges (over $50). Other sections look at Electronic Gadgets, Pretend Play, and Educational.

Following are the two Top Picks lists; for detailed reviews from the testers, go online to Grandparents Magazine at http://www.GrandparentsMagazine.net/giftideas.htm

Grandparents Magazine 2006 Top Gift Picks

For children ages 8 and up:
http://www.grandparentsmagazine.net/2006GiftGuide/TopPicks/8up.htm

- Best Building Toy (tie): Vertical Vengeance Roller Coaster (K'nex), Ages 10+, $59.99, and EXO-FORCE: Sentai Fortress (Lego), Ages 8-14, $99.99
- Best Toy (Girl): Digi Makeover (Radica), Ages 8+, $59.99
- Best Toy (Boy): RC N.S.E.C.T (Tyco), Ages 8+, $99.99
- Best Craft Kit (Girls): Decoupage Diva Jewelry Keeper (Creativity For Kids), Ages 7-97, $15.99
- Best Craft Kit (Boys): Creepy Crawlers Bug Maker (Jakks Pacific), Ages 8+, $24.99
- Best Game: Monopoly Here & Now (Hasbro), Ages 8+, $29.99
- Best Electronic Gadget: Zoundz (Zizzle), Ages 5+, $49.99
- Best Travel Toy: 20Q Music (Radica), Ages 8+, $14.99
- Best Educational Toy: Sudoku The Ultimate Puzzle Game (Briarpatch), Ages 7+, $19.95
- Best Movie: High School Musical (Buena Vista/Disney), Rated PG, $26.99


For children ages 8 and under:
http://www.grandparentsmagazine.net/2006GiftGuide/TopPicks/8under.htm
- Best Infant Toy: Peek 'N Play Discovery Dome (Playskool), Ages 3 months+, $39.99
- Best Toddler Toy: Little People Time-To-Learn Preschool (Fisher-Price), Ages 2-5, $33.00
- Best Educational Toy (infant/toddler): Little Leaps Grow-With-Me Learning System (LeapFrog), Ages: Baby mode, 9 months+, Toddler mode, 24 months+, $39.99
- Best Educational Toy (4-8): V.Smile Jammin' Gym Class (VTech), Ages 4+, $29.99, and V.Smile Art Studio (VTech), Ages 5+, $29.99
- Best Building Toy (tie): Skull Pirate Ship (Playmobil), Ages 4+, $29.99, and City Airport (Lego), Ages 5+, $79.99
- Best Game: Gobblet Jr. (Blue Orange Toys), Ages 5+, $19.99
- Best Doll: Barbie and The Twelve Dancing Princesses (Mattel), Ages 3+; dolls, $24.99 each; horse and carriage, $32.99
- Best Craft Kit (girl/boy): Stained Glass Window Art (Creativity For Kids), Ages 7-97, $15.99, and FOAMstruction (As Seen On TV), Ages 4+, $19.95
- Best Electronic Gadget: Treasure Hunter (Wild Planet), Ages 4-10, $24.95
- Best DVD: Cars (Disney/Pixar), Rated G, $29.99
- Best Travel Toy: 8 Track Raceway Magnetic Travel Game (eeBoo), Ages 5+, $12.95

Links to purchase all items can be found on the Grandparents Magazine Web site. Because some products are still undergoing testing, Grandparents Magazine will continue to update the gift guide as new information comes in.

About the Gift Guide
The gift-testing process begins in February, at the American International Toy Fair in New York City, where manufacturers show off their newest offerings for the holiday season. Grandparents Magazine looks over the selection and then contacts suppliers, asking them to submit their best to be kid-tested. Hundreds of entries come in each year. Children test the toys at their homes, at their grandparents' homes, at day-care centers, in kindergartens, or in public school settings. Parents, grandparents, and teachers send the results to Grandparents Magazine, which posts the best in this annual Gift Guide.

About Grandparents Magazine
Determined to give grandparents an online resource to find fun, free things to do with their grandchildren, Katrina Hayday Wester launched Grandparents Magazine, the only online magazine for grandparents. As founder and CEO, Ms. Wester operates the entire site on her own. The online magazine offers articles, song lyrics, links to children's activities, sweepstakes, and more. Members receive a monthly newsletter with articles, recipes, craft ideas, and other features. The best part is that membership is free! Visit http://www.grandparentsmagazine.net and join in on the fun for grandparents, grandchildren, and anyone who loves them.