Top toys: See our best bets for the preschool set

Stumped on what to get your preschooler this holiday season? Well, look no further. Marking our biggest toy test ever, more than 8,000 kids road-tested hundreds of new toys for “Toy Test 2005.” In the second installment of our special series, contributor and consumer specialist Herb Weisbaum shares the skinny on which toys ranked highest for the preschool set. Here's more on the winning results he discussed on “Today”:

We tested 141 preschool toys this year. For us, preschool means toys appropriate for children ages 3 to 6. Toys designed for kids six and up were tested in the school-age category. For more top-rated preschool toys, plus a complete list of all the winners in every age group, check out the “Toy Test 2005” guide.

Fisher-price

Loving Family Twin Time Dollhouse (Fisher-Price, $60)
The Loving family just had twins! So it’s a good thing they have this big new four-story house. It has eight rooms and a patio — plenty of space for the babies, mom, dad, and the family kitty. The new house is colorful and very detailed. For instance, on the outside there are widow awnings and flower boxes filled with plants. Teachers tell us it is very well made. The Loving Family’s house comes with 10 pieces of furniture. Other furniture sets, such as the kitchen and nursery, are sold separately. They are quite detailed and in many cases interactive. For instance, the appliances in the kitchen have working doors. Open the oven door and a light comes on. “Turn on” the stove and hear a sizzling sound. The telephone rings and the timer ticks. With the nursery set, the crib has a mobile that lights up and plays music. And here’s something parents will like: This big house (25 inches long, 16 inches tall) folds up into half that size for convenient storage. (Manufacturer’s age: 3 and up)                    

Twist Trike (Radio Flyer, $60)

Radio Flyer

This bright red, yellow and purple tricycle is really two bikes in one — a standard tricycle and a low-riding chopper. Making the switch is simple for a parent to do — just pop the “twist n’ lock” quick release, twist the back half of the trike 180 degrees and you’re good to go. The other seat style was there all the time! This is a very clever design that greatly expands the play value of the toy. The seat is comfortable and the seat back is adjustable, so this trike will grow with your child. Teachers told us there were three basic reasons the Twist Trike was such a hit — it’s easy to ride, easy to steer and it goes fast. They also said it is well made and very stable. (Manufacturer’s age: 2 to 7 years; assembly required)

Battat

Island Kitchen (Battat, $99)
Most of the kitchen play sets on the market are made from plastic. Battat's two-tone blue Island Kitchen is made from wood, so it is very realistic-looking. As one teacher told me, “it’s like the kind of thing you’d bring home from IKEA.” It’s also the perfect size for little chefs who want to make some food for their dolls or their special friends. This kitchen has a pretend sink, oven, cook top range, refrigerator with ice machine, and a side table. There’s also an overhead rack built into the countertop for hanging the stainless steel cookware that comes with the kitchen. Teachers say the kids love playing with the pots, pans and utensils. The Island Kitchen comes unassembled and it will take a significant amount of time to put it all together. Center directors told me it took them an hour or more to complete this construction project.

Creative Designs Int.

Disney Princess: Cinderella Magical Talking Vanity (Creative Designs International, $70)
This pink and blue vanity is the perfect place for Cinderella to get ready for the royal ball. A built-in sound chip makes this play set interactive. Once you turn it on with the big key, the vanity tells your little princess which accessories to use. “When they did something, they got a reaction from the toy,” a teacher explained. “It was talking to them and made the imaginary play more special. It really took role-play to another level.” There’s one more bit of magic — Cinderella’s face appears behind the light-up mirror. This vanity set comes with a chair and has several compartments for storing beauty accessories. Test centers say it is well made. They like the fact that the removable pieces are large, which makes them harder to lose. (Batteries required; manufacturer’s age: 3 to 8; assembly required.)

Step2

Canyon Road Train & Track Table (Step2, $90)
This extra large activity table (it’s 4 feet long and 2 feet wide) is always ready to use because the multi-level track is molded into it. The table comes with a three-piece train set that has magnetic couplers, two cars, seven removable bridges and colorful landscape decals. The track can also handle vehicles from other playsets, such as Thomas and Friends, Brio, Matchbox and Hot Wheels. Teachers tell us the table is well made, very stable and the “perfect” height for kids to use, either standing up or kneeling down. The horizontal design makes it easier for younger ones to reach into the center of the table. The Canyon Road Train & Track Table has instant appeal for kids and parents. It’s fun and there’s basically nothing to clean up when playtime is over. (Manufacturer’s age: 3 and up; minimal assembly required.)

Educational Winner

VTech

Touch & Discover Alphabet Town (VTech, $20)
Once again VTech proves that learning can be fun! Alphabet Town has eight interactive activities: letters, spelling, vocabulary, counting, phonics, and telling time. Kids respond to the friendly electronic voice by pushing on the chunky light-up buttons. When they want to tell the time, they just turn the hands on the clock. Alphabet Town is also filled with songs. Just switch to the music mode and your child will hear a different song — a funky little tune — and see a little light show every time he or she pushes a different letter. Push the big musical note, and Alphabet Town plays “The Wheels on the Bus.” “This toy engaged the kids on a number of different levels,” one teacher told me. “There’s lots of light, lots of sounds, lots of interaction, and best of all, lots of open-ended play.” Alphabet Town has a built-in handle on top, to make it easier to carry around. (Requires 3 AA batteries; manufacturer's age: 3 & up)

Consumer expert and “Today” contributor Herb Weisbaum has been helping people across the country for more than 25 years. His award-winning reports have exposed everything from quack medications to bogus investments. Since 1990, his Toy Test has helped millions of parents and grandparents select the best toys for their kids. To learn more about Herb Weisbaum and his latest consumer reports, you can visit his Web site at: www.consumerman.com

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