Clark's Top Toys
Clark Howard, WSB-TV consumer adviser
Read Part I
So, what are the top toys this Christmas season? Which ones will your kids actually play with? Which ones can you afford?
Thirty kids, 40 toys, and no rules. It's a Christmas morning free for all.
"Oh, I see a car," says one child. "Cool."
All of these toys cost less than $40. Some get instant attention. Others get left behind. But very quickly, the top toys emerge.
The Nerf ultra grip football has a tight grip on the No. 6 spot. It had our testers dancing, and you will to when you see it's $10 price tag.
At No. 5, we have a tie. From Kid Connection, the Wal-Mart private label, comes two winners for the boys: the Vehicle Adventure Kit police and fire, and its military counterpart. Each has a ton of pieces and is a ton of fun.
"I like it because it wouldn't be much money, and it has a lot of little toys with it," one boy says.
He's right, they're only 15 bucks!
At No. 3, comes another Kid Connection toy! It's the Electronic Cash Register.
"I like the money," says one girl.
I love the price! It's only 10 bucks.
"I'll be going out to get it tomorrow," said Chris Clauson.
And the runner up goes to the Kid Connection Animal World Playset.
"I like the animals," one girl said.
This toy has plenty of them.
"We've got an alligator, a gorilla," said one boy.
We've got a sure hit at $15.
And finally, the winner of the Clark Howard toy test: the Sock'em Boppers!
"I am the supreme master," one boy says.
These two inflatable arm pads were a hit -- literally! They are your winner, and also the cheapest toy at 9 bucks.
The top six toys were all less than $20 dollars, and five of them were no-name toys from Wal-Mart. We did have brand name toys in the test like Harry Potter, Winnie the Pooh, and Barbie, but as I hoped, the kids went for what looked like fun, and not just what names they recognized.
So parents, get these cheap toys and you'll hit a home run with your kids and your budget.
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