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Yorkshire stage for 'dream dozen' Christmas toys
LAST time they were top of every little girl's Christmas list, Enya was at Number One in the charts, Margaret Thatcher was reaching the end of her final term in office and a little-known Australian soap called Home and Away had just screened its pilot episode.
But now Sylvanian Families are officially back in vogue, and the range's new caravan – complete with a seating area which converts to a double bed and coffee table, fold out bunks and 30 accessories – is among the 12 so-called Dream Toys set to fly out of shops in the coming weeks.
Other items fraught parents are set to be hunting down for Christmas stockings include Princess Peppa's Palace, which comes complete with a cauldron, thrones and guardsmen; the GX Racers Tightrope Terror, which involves making flywheel-powered mini racing cars zoom along a wire; the Kidizoom Multimedia Digital Camera, which enables toddlers to try their hand at photography, and the Go Go Pets Hamsters, which apparently offer children all the fun of a real pet without the responsibility.
Old favourite Monopoly has survived the collapse of the housing market and has also returned to the must-have list with the all-new Monopoly City, in which players acquire planning permission and bid for land to build on.
Instead of simply throwing up little houses or building hotels, players can now slap skyscrapers and arenas on their property – or else build a sewage works next to another player's glitzy hotel to scupper their chances.
The annual Dream Toys list is compiled by the Toy Retailers Association (TRA), using its experience and industry knowledge, and this year, for the first time in more than four decades, the event was launched outside London.
Families packed into Sheffield's Meadowhall shopping centre yesterday to see and try out the 12 shortlisted toys.
Claire Kidd, from Bolton-on-Dearne, was there with her five-year-old son Jake, who was keen to get his hands on the Ben 10 Alien Force Kevin's DX Action Cruiser – a green action car that can shoot powder-filled capsules.
Ms Kidd, 30, said: "We've had a lot of toys in the past which we thought looked really good, but unfortunately haven't been.
"Toys aren't cheap, so if you get the chance to look at them beforehand you can gauge whether children are actually going to play with them or not."
Meadowhall director Darren Pearce said hosting yesterday's event was a "real coup" for the shopping centre:
"It's absolutely brilliant, as it's the first time in 43 years the event has come out of London.
"This sort of thing should be launched in the regions rather than being so London-centric."
Mr Pearce added that the most popular toys were already flying off the shelves, more than eight weeks before the big day.
He said: "We're also seeing lots of people buying toys earlier than they usually would in the run-up to Christmas. People are being more cautious with their budget and planning more for Christmas as they've been going through difficult times."
Dream Toys list compiler the TRA has around 300 members, accounting for 75 per cent of toy retailers.
TRA chairman Gary Grant said: "This year the toy industry has turned the latest trends into up-to-the-minute concepts to provide today's kids with innovative and creative toys.
"This year's list also reveals a trend towards nostalgic characters and brands updated with a modern twist.
"Consumers are reverting back to heritage brands which will last longer than the Christmas season."
Top 12 toys for christmas
n Bakugan Battle Pack, Spin Master 19.99
n Battle Strikers starter set, Mega Brands 9.99
n Ben 10 Alien Force Kevins DX Action Cruiser, Bandai 29.99
n Bendaroos Mega Pack, Spin Master RRP 19.99
n Go Go Pets Hamsters, Character Options 9.99
n GX Racers Tightrope Terror, Flair 22.99
n Kidizoom Multimedia Digital Camera, V-Tech 49.99
n LEGO Games Minotaurus, Lego 17.99
n Monopoly City, Hasbro 24.99
n Princess Peppa's Palace, Character Options 39.99
n Sylvanian Families Caravan, Flair 44.99
n Transformers Movie 2 Voyagers Figures, Hasbro 22.99
Prices given are RRP.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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