The Best Toys of 2006 – Pre-school

Backyardigans

Manufacturer: Fisher-Price
Ages: 18 months and up
Suggested Retail Price: $10 - $30

What it is
Since its debut on Nick Jr. in October 2004, The Backyardigans consistently ranks among the top five preschool TV shows. The Backyardigans follows the backyard adventures of five friends: Pablo, Uniqua, Tyrone, Austin and Tasha. Together, they take kids on musical adventures to places such as a lush jungle, an enchanted castle or the high seas. Each animated episode is a journey into the kind of fantasy play. Fisher-Price captures the magic, music and backyard adventures of the show with an adorable line of animatronic preschool toys.

The top item is Sing & Spin Pablo, a 13" animatronic plush friend that comes to life by singing and dancing. Additional Backyardigans toys include the Dream Adventure Assortment and Sing & Explore Assortment, which both feature singing plush character dolls. Pirate Tub Time allows kids to turn bath-time into backyard adventure time, and the Backyardigans Singers Assortment is a collection of articulated figures that sing and speak.

Why it's fun
The Backyardigans are all about make-believe, imaginary adventures accompanied by music and choreographed dance numbers. Fisher-Price's toys capture the fun of The Backyardigans by incorporating music and adventure themes into all of the items.

The production may seem simplistic to adult eyes, but it moves at an energy that allows kids to engage with the characters. The toys are a good choice for children who are engaged by the show.

Sing & Spin Pablo's two modes are designed to encourage kids to get up, active and doing the backyard boogie! When kids squeeze Pablo's right hand, he sings The Backyardigans theme song and performs his signature dance moves. When kids press his left hand Pablo encourages them to sing and dance along with interactive phrases and fun dance games.

All the other items come dressed in adventure-specific outfits such as Tyrone dressed as a Mountie from "Snow Fort" and Uniqua dressed as a Pirate from "Pirate Treasure."

Who's going to love it
Preschoolers who love watching the Backyardigans on TV will love playing along with these character toys, as singing and dancing is a familiar play-pattern for preschoolers. The kids most likely to be engaged by the toys are those who are fans of the show.

What to be aware of
In addition to the character toys, the Sing-Along Music Maker is a boom box that features 10 different Backyardigans songs from five different genres of music: Ska, Disco, Salsa, Zydeco and Rock. Each song is accompanied by a light show displayed at the center of the unit. For interactive play, a microphone is attached to the boom box that enables kids to sing along with their friends from The Backyardigans and hear their own voices amplified through the speakers.