The Toys Store

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Fun game for the whole family The Bad: Buzzers take awhile to get used to In a Nutshell: Interactive, stimulating game At a Glance Ages: 6 and older Requires: 3 AA batteries

Accessories let you customize the lightsaber's hilt. View larger.

Colored plastic "crystals" control the blade color. View Larger.

May the Force Be With You
Whether your child is a fan of the new Clone Wars animated film or the original trilogy, this light saber, with its light up blade and electronic sounds, is sure to be a hit. Its sturdy plastic components in gray, black, and gold, three colored crystals, and telescoping blade can be combined in over 1000 different ways to create a customized battle weapon. And since part of the fun is in thinking up ways to combine the pieces into a customized weapon, there's no time-consuming adult setup.

You'll need a Philips head screwdriver to insert three AA batteries (not included), and you may want to help young users put the color crystals in the first time around, so they know how to change them later on.

Imaginative Play that Spans Distant Galaxies
One of this light saber's top features is the way it emits different sounds along with a different color light inside the clear plastic blade depending on what Ilum crystal or crystals are inserted in the handle. Choose the classic Jedi green, blue, Sith red, or combine crystals to achieve an effect like the violet light saber Mace Windu uses. Star Wars fans will immediately recognize the powerful humming noise that indicates a light saber ready for combat. And the variety of clashing sounds that the unit makes when the blade comes in contact with any sturdy obstruction is sure to thrill.

While too much rough play can take a toll on any toy, the construction behind this light saber seems sturdy and well thought out. Adults and kids with larger hands may find the hilt sits more comfortably in their grasp without the custom handles over it.

Overall, we had loads of fun creating a custom look, practicing crafty moves, and fighting off imaginary enemies with this light saber. Since the colored blade effect is achieved by projecting light into the clear plastic blade, playing with this light saber in a dark or dimly lit room provides extra drama and an increased dose of fun.

Because this toy calls forth an epic battle between good and evil, we imagine that having a playmate with a second light saber would increase the fun exponentially.

Ideal for ages 3 to 6 years, this toy lets your child explore and cultivate their creative streak. The digital camera has fat bumper handles perfect for small hands, big buttons for manageability, a dual viewfinder and a 1.8-inch color LCD screen for easy subject alignment, and two interchangeable face plates so kids can make it their own. It’s also made ultra-tough to handle the guaranteed mishaps that come with the territory. But enough about its attractive looks and kid-friendly features.

A dual viewfinder, large LCD screen, and chunky buttons make this ideal for young ones.

The Kidizoom is able to capture up to 120 still photos or up to 5 minutes of video thanks to its 16MB internal memory. If that’s not enough space for your little shutterbug, the camera also provides an SD card slot. Once pictures are snapped (or motion is filmed), you can plug the device into a PC or the family TV with the included cable. From there kids can crop their photos, give images crazy effects, add wacky frames, or watch their video footage.

If you’re on the go and there’s not much picture-taking interest, the Kidizoom may still be your child’s preferred toy. It has three fun built-in games geared toward preschoolers and comes with a set of headphones that plug into its side. Say "Cheese!" (Four AA batteries are required but not included.)

VTech Kidizoom features:

• .3 megapixels with 1.8" color screen
• Double viewer or LCD screen for easy photo taking
• Connector cables for TV or PC hook-up
• Photo editing capabilities
• SD card slot for extra memory
• Three preschool games
• Changeable faceplates
• 16MB internal memory

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Talking, moving Elmo doll provides interactive fun for kids of many ages The Bad: Speaking voice is sometimes difficult to understand In a Nutshell: Elmo Live! has more movements and actions than ever, making for even more realistic, interactive play for children of many ages. At a Glance Ages: 18 months and up Requires: 6 AA batteries, Phillips screwdriver

Elmo's always appreciates a hug. View Larger.

Interactive gestures bring Elmo to life. View larger.

Moving, Talking, Dancing Elmo!
Elmo Live! features the furry, bright-red exterior and the big eyes characteristic of the popular Sesame Street character. He features complex actions that give him a life-like quality: His mouth and head move while he talks, sings, and tells stories; he gestures with his arms, and he moves his legs. He even crosses his legs when he sits on the included stool.

We found him very easy to play with -- just press his buttons to get him going. Press Elmo's foot and he will sit down on his stool to tell you a story. He even gestures to act out parts of his stories! Squeeze his nose, and he'll make a variety of silly sounds; he'll even ask you if you "have his nose" and ask you to give it back to him. Squeeze his hand, and he'll dance. Elmo even blows kisses, asks for hugs, and says he loves you. He tells jokes, acts ticklish, and more.

When he's laid on his back, or if your child doesn't play with him for a while, Elmo will go into a battery-save mode. He'll yawn, say he's tired, and shut down. Just press one of his buttons to get him going again.

Interactive Fun for Kids of Many Ages
We particularly enjoyed that, unlike some other "talking" toys, Elmo Live! doesn't just spout programmed phrases. Instead, he asks for interaction, and he responds as if your child is responding to him. For example, when he will ask for a hug and then say "thank you" as if he's received one, or he'll say he's ticklish and then will "respond" as if your child is tickling him. This makes an almost magical experience for your child, as if her toy is really coming to life.

The wide variety of things that Elmo Live! can do makes him a great toy to grow with your child. Younger children can engage in cause-and-effect play by simply pressing Elmo's buttons to see what he does. Our two-year-old tester was especially delighted with the silly sounds Elmo makes when his nose is squeezed. Understandably, her attention meandered during the somewhat lengthy stories. However, an older child will have the attention span and comprehension skills to appreciate them, as well as the silly jokes that Elmo tells.

Tips on Playing with Elmo! Live
Elmo makes lots of fun movements and gestures -- the only slight drawback is that his movements generate a somewhat loud, mechanical sound that sometimes interferes with being able to understand what Elmo is saying. He also has to be on a hard, flat surface -- otherwise he has a tendency to fall over. This in itself has a fun effect, however. When he falls over, Elmo asks you to help him back up again, and when he's put back upright, he'll say "thank you." Also, since his nose has to be squeezed with a bit of force to activate him, our two-year-old tester sometimes needed assistance with it.

Elmo Live! comes with 6 AA batteries. A Phillips screwdriver is required to replace them.

A Great Alternative to Professional Easels
Just like a professional easel, this work station is generously sized so that children can complete projects both big and small. Its durable wood construction ensures that it won't tip and it folds up easily for convenient storage. The easel also has a sturdy paint tray with cup holders for easy use and clean-up, and another tool tray that holds erasers, chalks, and clips. Four large, colorful clips are included with this easel. Paper rolls can be loaded effortlessly into the holder and a paper cutting edge at the top delivers clean cuts and leaves your artist's work whole. Parents may have to assist removing and loading the paper, as it can be difficult for kids to do on their own. (The paper rolls and paint cups are not included.) A standing easel is essential for any young artist. This large easel has a chalkboard, dry erase board, and paper roller to let the children express themselves with different mediums. It also has an adjustable height that grows with the creator and delivers years of use. The brightly colored tool containers are capacious enough to hold lots of different items and are simple for tiny fingers to utilize. This toy will unleash the little artist inside every child and could spark a lifelong interest in fine art.