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Ages 4-5

Bamboo Builder Marble Run by Fat Brain Toy Co.

Bamboo Builder Marble Run by Fat Brain Toy Co.

$49.95

It took two grown adults more than an hour to assemble this marble run toy. Once it was finally put together, it was a little more wobbly than parents would have liked. The children enjoyed dropping marbles into the top and watching the various ways they rolled down inside the set. It's an attractive wood toy, but the difficult assembly was a big minus.

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Other toys for ages 4-5

Cubetto Playset Coding Toy by Primo Toys

Parents loved the simplicity of this coding game in which different colored pieces were placed into a board to control a robotic cube on a mat. The testers enjoyed the interactive learning game in which they could make the cube-shaped robot go forwar...

$225.00

My Little Veterinarian Kit by Little Medical School

This is designed to be pretend play in a box, with a vet coat, rubber gloves and toy accessories and a stuffed animal in a doctor's kit shaped cardboard box. One little girl enjoyed playing with it for a while, but her mother said the realistic glove...

$49.99

Junior Astronaut Helmet by AeroMax New World Toys

This helmet looked so cool that kids expected it to do more than just make a few noises and raise its shield when they put it on. It might make a good pretend-play toy for a child who is really into space and astronauts, but by itself, there wasn't m...

$39.95

Pharaoh's Pyramid by Playmobil

A winner in this group and a favorite of several children who played with this elaborate Playmobil Pharaoh's set. The boys were drawn to the small weapons included, and the parents appreciated the detailing and theme. It is a sturdy playset that also...

$52.99

Disney Frozen Elsa Play a Melody Gown

This is a musical variation of Disney's popular Elsa doll. Her gown plays a rendition of the ubitquious "Let it Go" song, as if we haven't heard it enough over the past few years. She hardly got a second look in this group. It seems like many kids ma...

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Unicorn Light Show Night Light by Playbrites

This unicorn is a large night light with interchangeable accessories that also changes colors. The toy testing room was bright and loud, so not the best setting to test a nightlight, and most children ignored it. Parents said they weren't interested ...

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Y-Glider deluxe Scooter by Y-Volution

The children who hopped on this scooter and rode it around the hallway had fun with it. A couple were too timid to try it. But it's a safe bet with its patented "learn, grow, pro" steering that can be adjusted to suit each child. The extra-wide deck,...

$59.99

Mutant Machines by Hotweels

Half-creature and half-vehicle, this Hotwheels toy slithered around the floor and delighted one of the boy testers in this group. It was chosen as a favorite toy to take home by one of the children, as well. The machines are bendable and connectable...

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Sweet Tears Baby Alive by Hasbro

Each year we test a new Baby Alive doll, and there are generally a few fans in every crowd. This one cries real tears, which put off one of the young testers who didn't like getting her hands wet while playing with a doll. The others didn't pay much ...

$42.95

Think and Learn Teach n' Tag Movi by Fisher-Price

The Movi is a little robot is designed to get preschoolers up and moving around by following the directions it calls out. None of the children paid attention to the robot or was interested in playing with it. It didn't engage them at all.

$50.00

Thomas and Friends Track Master Thomas & Percy's Railway Race Set by Fisher-Price

Thomas trains hold classic appeal with this age group, and this set was no exception. The train set has room for two trains, so more than one child can play at once with it. One parent said the entire trainset took up too much space for their home, s...

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Imperial Toy R2-D2 Star Wars Bubble Machine by Disney

When this bubble machine worked, kids had a blast catching the flurry of small bubbles projected from R2-D2. Unfortunately, it was glitchy and inconsistent. Parents said they definitely would not want the wet mess left behind by the toy inside their ...

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Bamboo Builder Marble Run by Fat Brain Toy Co.

It took two grown adults more than an hour to assemble this marble run toy. Once it was finally put together, it was a little more wobbly than parents would have liked. The children enjoyed dropping marbles into the top and watching the various ways ...

$49.95

Monster Treads John Deere by Tomy

Trucks are a classic, and a few children enjoyed scooting this one around the floor, which lights up its oversize wheels. But it wasn't anyone's favorite toy given all the competition in the room.

$24.99

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Meet our testers

Bryce Coachman, 2, Florissant

Scarlett Schroeder, 3, South St. Louis County

Otis Luke, 2, St. Louis

Camren Griffin, 5, St. Louis

Gabriella Cook, 5, Florissant

Hannah-Michael Hubbard, 4, Creve Coeur

Vincenzo Wilson, 5, Shiloh

Kylee Batty, 7, St. Louis

Levi Draper, 6, Florissant

Matthew Carlson, 6, Collinsville

Rylie Sparks, 7, Sullivan

Ali Geminn, 9, Edwardsville

Hayden Hewgley, 10, Fenton

Rylan Wilson, 10, St. Louis