What Toys Will Little Ones Love This Holiday Season?

- As toys grow more expensive and complex, many parents dread holiday shopping. But our experts say it's possible to find toys that not only delight children, but are also good for their development.

"Our preschools focus on learning through play, so we encourage the use of toys that are interactive, engaging and appropriate for the developmental stages of young children," says Sue Adair, Senior Manager of Quality Assurance at Goddard Systems, Inc. "This year, we've picked some excellent toys that would make ideal gifts, and they are all less than $40."

"In a marketplace full of expensive, flashy toys, it can be difficult and even stressful for parents to find fun toys that also encourage children to be active, use their imaginations and learn through play," says Adair. "That's what the Goddard Top Toys List is all about: reassuring families that they can find toys their kids will love, they can feel good about and the family can afford."

For 2008, Goddard Schools' Top Toys are:

-- Pengoloo (Blue Orange Games) This colorful, wooden board game features penguin figures on a South Pole expedition. Players roll the dice to find matching hidden eggs.

-- DADO Squares (Fat Brain Toy Company) These colorful and durable interlocking three-inch squares can be used to construct what your child can imagine. DADO Squares have already won seven toy awards this year.

-- Rainforest Puzzle Play (ImagiPLAY) This puzzle is beautifully crafted in chemical free, eco-friendly rubber wood. Parents will be happy to know that ImagiPLAY is committed to Fair Trade and Sustainable production.

-- PlanetPals Floor Puzzle (Ceaco) This 24-piece floor puzzle has big, chunky pieces that teach eye-hand coordination and pattern matching especially for younger children. It's two sided and delivers an earth-friendly message.

-- Animal Scramble (Wild Planet) Similar to Hyper Dash, this game gets children moving, playing with animal figures in several games, such as hide-and-seek or tag-type contests.

-- Step to It (Gameright) An award-winning game, Step to It challenges children to hop, skip and jump around the house using a specific number of steps to reach a specific goal.

-- Mr. Potato Head - Taters of the Lost Ark (Hasbro) The image of Mr. Potato Head wearing that hat and carrying that whip (and the theme song in your head) may be enough to persuade you to buy this amusing and creative toy.

-- Honeybee Hop (Playskool/Hasbro) Children will scramble to chase, dodge or jump over the dizzy bee as it spins to a kooky version of "Flight of the Bumblebee" tune. Provides a giggle-packed workout for preschoolers.