Christmas countdown for this year's top toys

VTech Kidizoom Smart Watch (£23.99)

WE are always being told that kids are so much smarter than us adults, well now they can be with the super Smart Watch VTech.

Smart watches a relatively new concept for adults, so imagine how envious your child’s friends will be when they see this or his or her wrist.

Aimed at children five years and over – probably up to the age of eight I would say – this chunky watch has a touch screen and chunky buttons on the side to engage its functions.

Capable of taking photos and videos as well as playing games and of course telling the time, the Smart Watch does not require batteries as its charges in the same way a phone or iPod does.

The Smartphone is easy to use, in fact, my two-year-old was able to navigate his way around the home screen, and is robust enough to put up with fat fingers and the odd drop.

My Friend Cayla Doll (£43.79)

DOLLS have come a long way over the years. You were doing well not so long back if they even managed to look vaguely human. And the invention of the crying doll, well even that seems a little archaic.

Cayla is billed as the first internet connected doll.

Once you have downloaded the free app and connected her via Bluetooth she can hold what passes for a fairly decent conversation.

While she’s not a substitute for proper human interaction, Cayla is a good way of enabling your child to learn about the wider world on her own. Ask her a question and she will search the web for answers. Obviously, this is potentially fraught with dangers and so multiple safeguards have been put in place to prevent Cayla from saying anything you wouldn’t want your child to hear.

Converting text to speech via special programme, Cayla has a decent grasp of pronunciation and sounds more human than robotic, which is something to be grateful for.

Aside from her talking abilities, Cayla is also capable of telling stories and playing games and is like any other doll, with an outfit and long blonde hair.

My only criticism is that the interaction is purely audible rather than visible – neither her limbs or mouth are automated - but that said she has so many other strings to her bow there is little chance of her being consigned to the back of the cupboard.

Nerf N Strike Elite Demolisher (£26.99)

THE latest in the Nerf range, the Elite Demolisher lives up to its name, coming as it does with a ten-dart clip and also two missiles.

Nerf claim the projectiles are capable of being fired fully 90 feet, but obviously by the time they have reached that distance they’ve lost any impact.

Get hit half that distance or less, and you are going to feel it, but, thanks to the soft nature of the darts, not for long.

The Demolisher is powered by four 1.5 volt batteries, which are needed to power up the firing mechanism.

It’s a fairly robust unit, with little if anything capable of snapping off while it’s being used in anger, though the clip and spare missile holder do detach when necessary.

A welcome addition to the Nerf range, the Demolisher hits the target.

Hasbro Transformers Stomp N Chomp Grimlock (£66.99)

WHILE Michael Bay has regrettably tried to move the Transformers franchise away from its childhood origins via the silver screen, the franchise has retained its popularity among youngsters when it comes to toys.

The latest creation, Grimlock, is a truly fearsome looking beast.

Skeletal in form, this battery-powered Dinobot transforms into 51cm tall robot. In dino form his eyes light up, he roars and his teeth make a scary metallic sound when you operate his jaws.

Carrying a huge sword in his tail and armed with missile launchers, he carries miniature Transformers on his back.

Converting him is a simple process, pulling back on the huge gun on his back lifts the whole body upwards revealing the robot beneath. Further sounds are emitted while transformed.

Body movements are limited, but there is no doubting Grimlock has real presence and is a fitting addition to the growing army of Transformers.

Zoomer Dino – Boomer (£59.99)

WHEN it comes to dinosaurs, though, Boomer is probably my favourite. A remote control Tyrannosaur that has an advanced self-balancing system, he will keep young and not so young entertained for hours.

Thanks to the wheels on his feet, he is capable of great speed and the sheer variety of movements and commands he is able to perform and respond to make him well worth the outlay.

Thanks to sensors in his snout, he can judge where is, react to hand movements and go off investigating on his own.

You can also make him angry by tugging his tale, at which point he snaps his jaws and his eyes glow red.

If he does fall onto his back or his front, he is able to right himself.

As with other festive offerings, he uses a USB cable to charge and offers around half-an-hour’s worth of play from an hour’s connection. He also requires three AAA batteries.

Sturdy enough to withstand bumps and knocks, this is one remote controlled dinosaur that makes fossils of all those that have gone before.

Spinmaster Sew Cool Sewing Studio (£29.99)

NEEDLEWORK is all the rage again these days, with even celebrities getting in on the act. Now children can create their own designs thanks to the revolutionary Sew Cool Sewing Studio which works without threads.

Complete with sewing machines and patterns, the sewing studio allows kids to create nine items, from purses to stuffed toys and pouches.

While the sewing machine does not use bobbins or a foot pedal, it does use a needle, however, little hands are protected from it by a guard.

Some patterns are easier than others, so little ones can practice before moving on to more adventurous projects. Once you have done everything that comes with the kit, there are other patterns available to download from the internet.

• All the toys featured in this article have been donated by Toys R Us to the Salvation Army Christmas Toy Appeal. The company is also collecting donations from shoppers at its Teesside Park store.