The top toys this year for kids. Photo / NZ Herald
The top toys this year for kids. Photo / NZ Herald
From the simple to the high-tech, parents will have plenty of choices to keep the kids happy over the holidays.
A simple toy harking back to less high-tech times - which was developed with the aid of internet-based support - is among the pick of items that kids could be bugging parents for this Christmas.
The owner of iQtoys.co.nz, Shane Loomb, said his favourite for toy of theseason was the Chalktrail, a device that attaches a large piece of chalk to the back of a bike, enabling the rider to draw patterns.
While it may cause cleaning headaches in many streets this summer, the toy made it to the shops because of the support of internet pledges.
"It was funded through Kickstarter," said Mr Loomb. "The inventor in Washington in the US made a prototype, and people saw it and really liked it."
Kickstarter enables entrepreneurs to market directly to small investors, who contribute money.
"The Chalktrail raised $40,000. It's very popular," he said.
More modern is the Leap Pad2, billed as an iPad for kids, which can connect to other computers and download apps.
Toyworld toy buyer Repeka Haurua said: "You can't avoid it ... kids just have no fear of technology. They just keep pressing till they learn what it does," she said.
