Less expensive toys emerging at top of children's wish lists

PlayStation and Wii entertainment systems will still be placed under thousands of Christmas trees this season, but it's the less expensive toys that are coming out on top of children's wish lists.

Old favorites including Barbie and Transformers remain popular, but new additions from Bakugan and Zhu Zhu pets have also emerged as favorites, according to a National Retail Federation survey released Friday.

Retailers have said that the economy has changed how they buy toys.

"We're stocking lower-priced items more now than we did in the past," said Randy Horn, owner of Learning Express toy store in Glen Ellyn. The average ticket item is between $30 and $35, finds Rick Derr, owner of Learning Express in Lake Zurich and Barrington.

Many of this year's hot toys on the NRF list carry price tags under $35 and a few less than $20.

Parents are buying more toys without batteries than ever before, some store owners are finding.

"This is the first time I've seen this in 14 years," Derr said. Parents are going more for building toys, such as Legos or strategy items, including Bakugan Trap, which sells for between $6 and $12.

Experts warn that it may be tough to find some of the most-wanted items this year because retailers have scaled back their inventory so they will not end the season with extra merchandise.

"Since retailers place holiday orders long before the hot toys emerge, some new additions to the list this year are already hard to find," said Tracy Mullin, president of the National Retail Federation. "With companies offering great prices on toys this year, shoppers may want to act fast if they have one of these items on their shopping lists.

Both manufacturers and retailers have cut back on their inventories, Derr agreed. The one item that stores have already run out of is the Zhu Zhu Pets, fuzzy interactive hamsters that make noise and zip around their little houses.

The last item to see such popularity was Webkinz a few years ago. And these plush creatures with Internet connections are still hot as Ganz, the maker of the product, continues to add new varieties to the selection.

Other popular lower-priced picks include rubber bands shaped like animals. "Girls often wear these around their wrists. I'm selling them by the hundreds," Horn said Friday from his shop in Glen Ellyn.

Many of the popular gifts for girls remain similar to last year, with Barbie retaining her top spot for the sixth year in a row followed by dolls and Hannah Montana toys. Dora the Explorer joins the top 10 list for this year, as do Zhu Zhu Pets.

For boys, video games are on top of the list followed by Transformers. A new addition to the list includes Bakugan, a host of products including a board and video game featuring the characters of the Bakugan animated series.

2009 Top Toys

For Girls

1. Barbie

2. Dolls (generic)

3. Disney Hannah Montana

4. Video games

5. Disney Princess

6. Dora the Explorer

7. American Girl

8. Nintendo DS

9. Nintendo Wii

10. Zhu Zhu Pets

For Boys

1. Video Games

2. Transformers

3. Lego

4. Cars (generic)

5. Nintendo Wii

6. Trucks (generic)

7. Bakugan

8. Hot Wheels

9. Nintendo DS

10. Fisher-Price toys

Source: National Retail Federation

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