What are the top holiday toys for the 2011 Christmas season? The Toy Insider has released its annual Hot 20 Holiday Toys list for the Christmas shopping season and the list includes Scene It? Harry Potter: The Complete Cinematic Journey, Let's Rock Elmo, Redakai Championship Tin and LeapPad.
The idea is to give parents a big head start if they want the special holiday gift for their child, so they aren't shut out at a later date.
Or nearly as bad, perhaps paying big bucks on eBay for the holiday toy that is now sold out.
"The list tries to take some of the stress out of shopping," said Laurie Schacht, co-publisher of the Toy Insider.
This year's HOT 20 toys are:
0-2 YEARS Elefun Busy Ball Popper – PlayskoolLet's Rock Elmo – HasbroLittle People Zoo Talkers Animal Sounds Zoo – Fisher-PricePocoyo Swiggletraks – Bandai
3-5 Years Chuggington Interactive Railway – Learning CurveLazer Stunt Chaser – Thinkway ToysMini Lalaloopsy Treehouse – MGA EntertainmentLeapPad – LeapFrogLite Sprites – WowWeePlasmaBike – PlaSmart
6-8 Years Angry Birds Plush – Commonwealth Toy & Novelty Co. Justin Bieber Rockin' Tour Bus and Concert Stage –The Bridge DirectNerf Vortex Proton Blaster – HasbroRadica Fijit Friends – MattelRedakai Championship Tin – Spin MasterSkylanders Spyro's Adventure – Activision
9+ Years Alien Conquest: Alien Mothership – Lego SystemsPaper Jamz Pro Series Microphone – WowWeeScene It? Harry Potter: The Complete Cinematic Journey – ScreenlifeuDraw Game Tablet – THQ
Earlier Toys R Us released a list of 15 toys and predicts the Let’s Rock! Elmo will be among the hot sellers this holiday shopping season.
The 15 toys on the Toys R Us list are:
» Air Hogs Hyper Actives by Spin Master, $49.99: Radio controlled miniature racing cars.
» Air Swimmers Extreme by Animal Planet, $49.99: Inflatable fish and shark balloons that are radio controlled and seem to swim through the air. Helium tank sold separately.
» Lalaloopsy Silly Hair dolls by MGA Entertainment, $34.99: Rag dolls with button eyes and bendable hair. They come with an accompanying pet with a bendable tail.
» LeapPad Explorer by Leapfrog, $99.99: A tablet-like device which children can use to read books, play educational games and take pictures.
» Monster High Fearleading 3-Pack by Mattel, $42.99: Three dolls which are offspring of famous monsters, dressed in "Fear Squad" cheerleading outfits.
» Moshi Monsters Moshling Mini-Figures 3-pack by Spin Master, $5.99: Tiny collectible monsters related to a hit online game.
» My Keepon by Wow! Stuff, $39.99: A bright yellow blob-like robot that dances to music.
» Nerf Vortex Vigilon by Hasbro, $24.99: A foam dart gun that launches foam discs up to 50 feet.
» Ninjago Lightning Dragon Battle by Lego Systems Inc., $79.99: A 645-piece construction set offered exclusively at Toys R Us with characters from Lego's popular Ninjago line.
» Poppin' Park Elefun Busy Ball Popper by Hasbro's Playskool, $29.99: A colorful elephant that can launch plastic balls and plays music.
» Power Wheels Dune Racer by Mattel's Fisher-Price: $279.99. A child-size dune buggy that can ride over grass, gravel and mud.
» Radica Fijit Friends by Mattel, $49.99: Robotic toys that dance and respond to squeezes and spoken words.
» Sesame Street Let's Rock! Elmo by Hasbro, $69.99: An Elmo doll that sings and comes with a drum, tambourine and microphone.
» "Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure," by Activision, $69.99: A video game that includes action figures that can be placed in a portal and then appear in the game.
» The Trash Pack Garbage Truck by Moose Toys, $19.99: A garbage truck that can hold 10 collectible Trashies, which are tiny collectible characters. It comes with two special edition Trashies and is a Toys R Us exclusive.