As you know, every single child looks forward every single year to get the hot Christmas toys of the season. They are so into Christmas that they start to build their Christmas list in the Summer time. As many parents do, we like to wait until the day after thanksgiving sales to go shopping, since this is the biggest day of the year to get those quality toys at the best price possible.

With that being said, you must do a little research on what are going to be the hot Christmas toys this year. Here is a list of 5 of the most sought after Christmas toys this year:

Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters

The number one seller this season! Fun and loving, interactive hamsters that will give you hours of fun.

Barbie Three Story Dreamhouse

A Glamorous house with Chandeliers, an elevator, and more

Rocky the Robot Truck

He talks, sings, dances and still functions and yet, it’s still your big old dump truck.

Imaginext Dragon World Fortress

This toy will transport your child to a fantasy realm of magic, knights, and dragons.

Elmo Live Encore

Elmo has been a favorite for year and years, and is still at the top of the list.

Remember that if you are looking to buy one of those really hot Christmas toys, it is a good idea to make the purchase sooner than later, since most of these toys will be out of stock as we start to approach the Christmas holidays.

Does your child have a full toy box but only play with a select few?  Toys that only do a small, limited number of things often get tossed aside.  They are fun for awhile but pretty soon they become too predictable.  That results in boredom and kids don't like to be bored.  So they find something else to play with and the boring toys end up in the bottom of the toy box.

The best toys are those that require imagination and can be used in a variety of ways.  Here are ten toys that are good for keeping your child's attention.

1. Blocks - Blocks are a staple for kids and they never seem to outgrow them.  They are one of the simplest types of toys around, yet their possibilities are limited only by the child's imagination.  Younger children can also use them for such learning activities as counting games and experimenting with basic addition and subtraction.  Blocks provide numerous learning opportunities and keep kids busy.

Plastic Canvas Pattern Baby Bunny Blocks    US $.99

BABY BLOCK TITLE ~& ~ELEPHANT~~CRICUT DIECUTS~~BOR/GIRL    US $.99

2. Dolls and Stuffed Animals - Children love to pretend that their dolls, action figures and stuffed animals are real people or animals.  This can provide them with hours of entertainment.  They may even play with two or more at a time, making different voices for each one.  That's not only fun for them, it's fun for you to watch too.

Crochet Reborn Baby Doll Clothes Dress Bonnet Newborn    US $21.99

Lilac Crochet Reborn Baby Doll Clothes Dress Newborn    US $16.99

DOUGLAS Gold Dragon Soft Plush Stuffed Toy Furry Animal    US $21.99

OWL stuffed fur FURRY ANIMAL REPLICA HALLOWEEN PROP 22b    US $10.99

3. Play-Doh - You probably played with Play-Doh when you were a kid.  Chances are that if you did, you have fond memories of it.  Similar to blocks, Play-Doh allows children to make anything they can imagine.  The factories and tool sets you can buy to go with it are nice but they are not a necessity.

NIB Play-doh Octopus Play set Age 3 and up    US $5.00

Fun Factory Pen - Play-Doh    US $.99

4. Wagons - A wagon can be used in numerous ways.  Kids can use it to transport their toys from one place to another  but that's only the beginning.  It can serve as a vehicle for their stuffed animals or dolls, a pull-along "tray" when they're playing restaurant or even as transportation for the child himself with you pulling it.

8" Solid Tire w/wheel for hand truck, wagon, go cart    US $6.00

Radio Flyer Wagon # 5 - NIB    US $16.99

5. Art Supplies - Budding Picassos can spend hours making new masterpieces.  Art is a great way to keep kids occupied because it fosters creativity and self-esteem.  And you get the added bonus of new refrigerator decorations.

15 X 19 X 2-3/4 CARRY ALL ART SUPPLY BAG ~ NEW!!    US $12.99

ARTIST BIN BOX WITH ART PAINT BRUSHES SUPPLIES    US $10.00

6. Musical Instruments - Most children love music.  The only thing better than listening to it is making it themselves.  If real musical instruments are not an option, there are toy drum sets, xylophones, kazoos and more that kids can play with.  They could even get other kids together and form a band.

5" wooden beatle bug Maracas Music Instrument kid Toy    US $3.00

Bee Design Instrument Wooden Craftsmanship Maracas Toy    US $5.80

7. Housekeeping or Gardening Tools - Kids love to imitate adults.  A kitchen set, toy vacuum cleaner or a set of gardening tools can help them do so more accurately.  You could enlist them to help you when you're doing housework or yard work.  They will stay occupied and feel a sense of accomplishment.

GARDENING APRON FISHER PRICE LOVING FAMILY DOLL HOUSE    US $1.79

fisher price beautiful garden bouncer    US $26.00

8. Sandboxes - A sandbox full of toys provides a wealth of opportunities.  Kids can learn a lot by playing in sand.  They can use sticks to make designs, add water and make sandcastles, or make trails with their toy cars.

Fisher Price Playhouse Climber Slide Castle Sandbox    US $199.99

Wooden Swing Set Slide Playhouse Sandbox w/ Wood Cover    US $280.00

9. Dress-Up Clothes - Playing dress-up lets kids put together outfits and pretend to be anyone or anything.  You don't have to buy a dress-up set.  Just get out all of the old clothes you can find and let their imaginations run free!

HUGE LOT Girls & Boys Dress Up Clothes Size 4-8    US $41.00

Vintage Photo Man w/ Boys & Girl in Dress Up Clothes    US $4.99

10. Balls - Balls not only keep a child busy, they also encourage physical activity.  There are numerous ways that children can play with them, so they never get boring.

New Dora the Explorer Stuffed Small Play Ball for Kids    US $.99

Super Mario Bros. Stuffed Small Play Ball for Kids New    US $.99

First time parents know how hard it is to pick out an age appropriate toy for a child. Even those who have several children often find it difficult. There is much more to choosing the right toy for your child's age than meets the eye. Here are a few tips to help you decide which toy best suits your little one.

* The age on the box is not always a good indicator of how appropriate a toy is for your child. That doesn't mean that you should ignore it completely, because it usually represents the ages that the toy has been deemed safe for. But a toy that is safe for a certain age group is not necessarily appropriate for it's educational level.

* A toy that is good for one child may not be the best choice for another child of the same age. Children learn at different rates, and while many toys are made for the average child of a certain age range, your child could be ahead or behind. Rather than relying solely on numbers, take cues from what your child is comfortable with.

* Babies need toys that are safe and stimulating. Bright, contrasting colors, unusual textures and interesting sounds are good things to look for. Toys that make noise or light up in response to the baby's actions provide an opportunity to learn about cause and effect.

* Toddler toys should allow the child to develop his motor skills or learn about shapes, colors, animals and other basic things. Those that incorporate both motor skills and intellectual development are even better. Social skills are also beginning to develop at this stage, and items that your toddler can share with other children are a good way to encourage this. But it's important to remember that young toddlers often prefer to play alongside other children rather than with them.

* Preschoolers are ready to learn about letters and numbers. There are all kinds of toys that can help with this, from alphabet blocks to talking books. Finding something that your child enjoys playing with that teaches these things will be a great asset to him.

* Some toys are good for a wide range of ages. Building blocks and simple wooden puzzles with large pieces, for example, can grow with a child. He could learn different things from them as a baby, toddler and preschooler. Some electronic toys are designed to teach children different things at different ages as well.

Finding the right toy for your child's age is not as difficult as it sounds. The trick is to be less concerned about numbers and more concerned about your child's developmental level. As long as a toy is safe for your child, if he is having fun and learning from it, that is always a good thing.

For children, playing is both fun and educational. They may not realize it but when kids play they are learning a variety of skills. These skills are important in school, but they are also necessary for day-to-day activities.

Playing individually has unique benefits for children. But playing in groups adds the chance to develop important social skills. Children need ample opportunity to play both individually and with others to round out their development.

Playing Individually

Babies and young toddlers often will not play alone for long periods of time. But they have not developed the social skills to play happily with other children for very long, either. Parents and older siblings often end up being the entertainers. While this is good for your child, it is also important to allow him to learn how to entertain himself.

Encouraging your child to play alone not only allows you to do things that you need to do, it also gives him the opportunity to learn certain things. Independence is obviously important. But the less obvious benefits of learning self-confidence and creativity are also crucial to your child's development. When he jabbers to himself, he is practicing early language skills in a way that he may not when others are close by.

Older children also need to play alone at times. Playing alone allows them to be creative without criticism from others. It also allows them to get in touch with their emotions and think about themselves and the world around them. These thoughts may lead them to ask questions and curiosity is a good thing.

Playing With Others

Young toddlers often express little interest in playing with other children their age. They will often sit close to them but play independently. Still, having other toddlers to play with is good for early social development.

When toddlers do play together, conflict often arises. This is not cause for alarm. It is simply due to the fact that the children are just beginning to learn how to manage frustrations and work out problems.

As your child gets older, he will learn to share and cooperate with other children. Eventually he will develop teamwork skills. This can be encouraged by providing toys such as puzzles or blocks that children can play with together.

Team sports are another great way to encourage the development of social skills. Whether your child joins a team or just plays with friends, sports require children to get along and work as a team. But if your child is not ready for sports yet, don't push it. Wait a while and try again.

Children can learn a lot from playing both individually and with others. Enabling your child to do both is important. Doing so will allow him to develop all of the skills he needs to succeed.

In order for children to learn, they need to stretch their minds. That means that they need to be challenged. Reviewing things they already know helps them remember them but in order to go forward they must learn to grasp new concepts. Challenge also keeps a child interested.

While challenge is a very good thing it is important not to go overboard with it. Doing so will just cause the child to become frustrated. He might give up on the task at hand and even develop distaste for the entire subject.

So how do you know how much challenge is too much? Sometimes it is difficult. It is important to keep activities attainable while still making sure that the child is in fact learning new things. Here are some ways to do that.

1. Electronic educational toys often allow parents and children to choose a skill level. Make sure that your child is working on a level that is appropriate for him. If you're not sure, watch while your child goes through the levels starting with the lowest. Determine the highest level he has mastered and have him work on the next one.

2. Most computer learning games automatically go to the next level when a child has mastered the previous one. If there is an option to save the game at each level, try to make sure that he does so. Then, instead of going back through things he already knows each time he plays, he can start out on a level that is a challenge for him.

3. An older child's schoolwork might be a good indicator of what he has mastered and what he needs to work on. If there is an area he has trouble in you could expand on it at home. If he appears to have mastered everything you may want to talk to his teacher about giving him more advanced work to do at school or at home.

4. If your child has educational toys that he doesn't play with try to determine why. He will probably just tell you that he doesn't like them, but it could be that they are either above or below his individual level. If you can get him to try them while you supervise, it could provide some valuable insight and help you make better selections in the future.

Working on a level that is comfortable for your child yet provides a challenge is crucial to his educational success. Too little challenge will cause your child to become bored and too much could cause frustration and low self-esteem. Always remember what is good for one child might be very different from what is good for another child of the same age. Taking cues from your child will help you decide what level is the best for him.