Smart gifts: Try these toys that make the grade

Thousands of kids across the country tested hundreds of this year’s new toys to see which ones they like the best. For “Today Toy Test 2004,” contributor and consumer specialist Herb Weisbaum has the winning results, which he share' in a special six-part report on “Today.”

In the fifth part of the series, Herb looks at the educational category. Parents always love to find toys that are both fun and educational for their kids, and there are some really great options this year. Read more about the top winners in the educational category below, and be sure to check our complete list of winners.

PRESCHOOL
Write ’n Learn Smartboard (VTech, $30)
Once again, VTech proves that learning can be fun. This colorful writing board has an LCD screen with an animated pencil character acting as a tutor who teaches kids how to write letters and numbers. As the child writes in the Smart Writing area, it shows up on the LCD screen. And here’s the amazing part: If they write the number or letter correctly, the Smartboard recognizes what was written! There are eight different activities to choose from, including find the missing letter, find the hidden letter, and number counting. Kids can also touch animal shapes in the “Press ’n Learn” space at the bottom of the writing board to play musical notes or entire songs. The Smartboard comes with pre-printed “funny pages,” each with a letter of the alphabet. By pressing the star on the page, the Smartboard knows which one you’re using. It’s easy to see why this toy is a winner. Age 3 and up. (Requires three AA batteries.)

V.Smile TV Learning System (VTech;  $60, games are about $20 each)
Imagine plugging a video-game console into your TV and seeing educational games on the screen! That’s what you get with the bright-orange V.Smile platform. Pop in a game cartridge (called a Smartridge) and watch your kids light up with excitement because many of these games feature their favorite characters. These include the Care Bears, Simba from the Lion King, Scooby-Doo, Ariel from the Little Mermaid and Mickey Mouse. Teachers told us the kids loved playing these games. Remember: While they’re having fun, children will be learning colors, spelling, math and problem solving skills, in a kid-friendly, nonviolent video-game setting. Smartridges are age-rated for Early Learners (3 to 5), Junior Thinkers (4 to 6) and Master Minds (5 to 7). The V.Smile controller has been specially designed for preschoolers. It has four flashing buttons and one large “enter” button, plus a big joystick. Teachers told us it was “easy to use.” One more innovative feature: The joystick is adjustable for right or left-handed players. The V.Smile Learning System plugs directly into your TV. No other equipment is needed. Age 3 to 7.

GeoSafari Phonics Pad (Educational Insights, $149)
This interactive electronic teaching toy uses talking characters and touch-sensitive cards to teach children proper pronunciation of letters and letter sounds. We were impressed with the quality of the audio. The Phonics Pad also helps kids learn colors, shapes and numbers. LED lights along the sides of the pad help guide and motivate children. To change lessons (there are 128 in all), just slide one of the cards into the pad and push the start button. The GeoSafari Phonics Pad is more than a toy; it’s the home version of the award-winning phonics program developed by Education Insights for schools. The Phonics Pad is sure to provide hours of play and learning. Age 3 and up. (Requires four C batteries, AC adapter sold separately.)

SCHOOL AGE
Shrek Chess (USAOPOLY, $36)
It’s the classic game of chess with the Shrek twist. The 32 hand-painted playing pieces feature a dozen of the most popular Shrek characters from the "Shrek" and "Shrek 2" movies. Shrek’s team includes Princess Fiona, Donkey, Puss In Boots, Dragon and Three Little Pigs. The Shrek Villains team has King Harold, Queen Lillian, Lord Farquaad, Prince Charming, Fairy Godmother and Kneeling Knight. As you might expect, the chessboard is various shades of green! The set comes in a keepsake tin. Age 7 and up.

The Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes (Klutz, $17)
Klutz is known for its creative craft toys, but a book on how to make paper airplanes? Just give this book to a kid and you’ll see what a wonderful idea it is. The step-by-step guide teaches how to make 10 airplanes. The folks at Klutz says these are the best paper airplane designs they’ve ever seen, “easy-to-make, forgiving of mistakes, attractive, and flight-ready under all kinds of conditions.” The instructions are clear and the illustrations make it easy to understand what needs to be done. The book has 40 pages of full-color, flight-ready paper inside. Kids are attracted to the bright, bold patterns that include leopard and backyard camouflage. Teachers told us that making these airplanes taught kids how to follow directions and that they were “proud of their creations.” The teachers also told us that kids younger than 8 needed some help from an adult.

Cranium Balloon Lagoon (Cranium, $20)
This 3-dimensional board game brings home the fun of a day at the carnival. Spin the merry-go-round to see where to go. Ready? Push down on merry-go-round and the musical timer begins. At the Frog Pond you try to flip all the green frogs from their lily pad back into the pond before the music stops. At Tumble Tides there’s a tumbler to spin and spin and spin until you complete colorful picture puzzles of a mermaid, scuba diver, octopus, lobster or shark. At Letter Lake you use a magnetic hook to fish out letters in order to spell cake, corn, nose and other 4-letter words. At the Snack Hut you need to collect matching carnival treats, such as popcorn, lemonade, and cotton candy. Teachers told us the Balloon Lagoon was “lots of fun.” It was a toy the kids played with every day. Balloon lagoon is for two to four players. Age 5 and 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, www.consumerman.com

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