
Home - Consumer Information - Toys and Games


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Dr. Toy
- Provided by the Institute for Childhood Resources, this comprehensive site has tips, articles, evaluations, company links, toy history, "100 best toys", web links.
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PIRG Toy Safety
- Focuses on toy safety and has a complete list dangerous toys, plus shopping tips for consumers.
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W.A.T.C.H. World Against Toys Causing Harm
- Non-profit organization that lists toy hazards and a "10 worst toys" list.
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Virginia Cooperative Extension: Tips on Toys
- Choosing safe toys, organized by age of the child.
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Epinions: Toys
- Comprehensive site with consumer reviews, tips, and advice on both toys and games. Search by type, character, price or brand name.
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All-Reviews: Toys
- Reviews of toys and games by consumers.
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Game and Toy Reviews
- What's a Kid 2 Do? and, What's a Teen 2 Do? provide computer children's software, toy, games, and sports reviews for consumers. Site focuses on products that are currently popular and in demand.
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MSN eShop: Toys, Games and Education
- A shopping site which also mixes in consumer information, including decision tips, product types available, and features to consider.
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The National Parenting Center
- Independent parent testers review, test, and give seals of approval to toys, games, books, software, educational products.
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Consumer Reports for Kids Online
- Zillions (Consumer Reports for Kids) includes advice, ratings of toys and other things kids buy, and fun features like Fad Alert. Accepts no advertising from companies.
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Rave Reviews
- Sesame Street Parents presents age-customized reviews of kids' toys, books, software, games.
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All Star Review
- Reviews of software, video, audio, and entertainment items by reviewers who are families or teachers.
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T.O.T.Y. Awards
- Toy of the Year Awards, voted upon by the general public and the toy industry. Data is available seasonally, generally around Christmas.
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Fun Play, Safe Play
- A guide from the American Toy Institute, Inc. Covers importance of play, age-by-age guide to buying toys, choosing toys for children with disabilities, safety tips.
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Top Selling Toys
- Month by month list, and archives of previous years, of top selling toys, compiled by the American Toy Institute.
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Classic Toys
- Classic toys that are still on the market, along with their first year of introduction and their current manufacturer. Compiled by the American Toy Institute.
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CPSC Toy Safety Publications
- Publications from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
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ReviewFinder: Toys
- Provides links to large numbers of other consumer review sources for products, and shopping links for purchase.
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What's a Kid 2 Do: Toys
- Reviews of popular children's toys with specifications and price range.
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How Stuff Works: How Magna Doodle Works
- Photographic tour of the Magna Doodle, shows how the liquid dispersion medium is used in a toy that allows children to draw and re-draw pictures and words without wasting paper or creating chalk dust.
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Edutaining Kids
- Reviews and guide to the best children's "edutainment" toys, videos, software, music, and video games.
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Toy Reviews and Recommendations
- A message board for consumers to post their reviews of toys.
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Toy Hazard Recalls
- Toy recalls from the Consumer Product Safety Commission back to 1975.
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HowStuffWorks: How Water Blasters Work
- Animated article shows inner workings of water pump guns capable of shooting 50 feet.
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Sci-Fi Toys
- IGN Sci-Fi focuses on science fiction toys, particularly action figures, with reviews and notices of what is new and on the market.
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How Stuff Works: Dancing Monster Novelty
- In-depth description with many inside-view photos of a popular seasonal motorized novelty item.
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Sport Fun
- Offers specifications and information on many sporting goods and toys geared towards young children and teens.
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Toy Safety Survey
- Annual survey and video demonstrations of unsafe toys. Tips for choosing safe toys.
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ConsumerGuide Best Buys: Toys
- Staff reviewers analyze products and recommend the best.
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The Toy Guy
- Toy reviews, game reviews, resources for parents and kids.
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Gaming Friends
- Online meeting place for online gamers.
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Canadian Toy Testing Council
- Non-profit, charitable organization that offers evaluations of toys tested by children in everyday settings, to assess design, function, durability and play value.
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Epinions: Dolls
- Consumer-generated reviews, buying tips and advice, ratings, price information, and searchable in a variety of ways from price to product type.
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VHOTN Doll Reviews
- Reviews of a number of different collectible dolls sent in by consumers.
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Jeannine's Barbie Webpage: Doll Reviews
- Reviews of collectible barbies.
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MSN eShop: Dolls
- A shopping site which also mixes in consumer information, including decision tips, product types available, and features to consider.
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The Scoop on Scooters
- Consumer Reports for Kids evaluates scooter and mini-scooter features for safety and function.
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eHow to Buy a Scooter
- How-to centers that give consumer information, shopping advice, as well as how to do things such as projects.
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Razor Scooters
- Distributor site with model features, FAQs, replacement parts, owner's manual, do-it-yourself repair information.
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As Scooter Sales Skyrocket, Injuries Soar
- Sept. 2000 notice from U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
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BikeReviews: Kids' Bikes
- Bike reviews, ratings, and stats.
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Epinions: Tall Handled Trikes
- Consumer-generated reviews, buying tips and advice, ratings, price information, and searchable in a variety of ways from price to product type.
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Use Your Head
- How a child should wear a bicycle helmet.
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HowStuffWorks: Bicycles
- Explains how things and technical processes work.
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eHow to Buy a Used Bike
- How-to centers that give consumer information, shopping advice, as well as how to do things such as projects.
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Consumers' Checkbook: How to Buy Bicycles
- Gives general considerations on how to select a product and which features are useful.
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eHow to Buy a Children's Bike
- How-to centers that give consumer information, shopping advice, as well as how to do things such as projects.
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MSN eShop: Cycling
- A shopping site which also mixes in consumer information, including decision tips, product types available, and features to consider.
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Consumersearch.com: Kids Bikes
- Identifies which products reviewers like and dislike, where they agree or disagree, and why.
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Popular Mechanics Bicycles
- Articles offering bicycle reviews and the latest cycling event news.
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ConsumerGuide Best Buys: Bicycles
- Staff reviewers analyze products and recommend the best.
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Pedal Power
- Bicycle buying guide, including a section on childen's bikes, from an Australian cycling organization.
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How to Buy a Bike
- Tips and advice on buying bikes from the National Bicycle Dealers Association.
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Epinions: Computer Games
- Consumer-generated reviews, buying tips and advice, ratings, and price information.
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MSN eShop: Computer and Video Games
- A shopping site which also mixes in consumer information, including decision tips, product types available, and features to consider.
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HowStuffWorks: Video Game Systems
- Explains how things and technical processes work.
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Alto Entertainment Shopping: Video Games
- Price comparison, product information, and consumer reviews.
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Ask An Owner
- Consumer reviews and contact information for owners of game consoles who are willing to answer questions.
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Consumer Search
- Reviews, expert opinions, analyses, and shopping links for video game consoles.
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Video Game Answer Man
- Offers help and advice in choosing computer and video games and equipment. Offers reviews of all systems.
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AllAboutGames.co.uk
- A multi-format gaming site with news, previews, reviews, charts, forums and related resources.
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I Love Video Games
- Allows the viewer to reference, rate and comment on games.
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FairPlay
- U.K campaign for cheaper videogames. Includes campaign aims and news, participation information, and industry views.
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What's a Kid 2 Do: Board Games
- Reviews of selected board games with description.
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Sesame Workshop: Games Grade-schoolers Play
- The hottest board games are surefire skill builders.
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Epinions: Stuffed Toys
- Consumer-generated reviews, buying tips and advice, ratings, price information, and searchable in a variety of ways from price to product type.
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eHow to Buy Push Toys
- How-to centers that give consumer information, shopping advice, as well as how to do things such as projects.
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MSN eShop: Plush toys
- A shopping site which also mixes in consumer information, including decision tips, product types available, and features to consider.
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Stuffed Animals and Soft Toys Guide
- Features information on selecting stuffed animal toys, including a section on large plush teddy bears and dogs.
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MSN eShop: Construction Toys
- A shopping site which also mixes in consumer information, including decision tips, product types available, and features to consider.
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Epinions: Construction Toys
- Consumer-generated reviews, buying tips and advice, ratings, price information, and searchable in a variety of ways from price to product type.
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Epinions: Infant Toys
- Consumer-generated reviews, buying tips and advice, ratings, price information, and searchable in a variety of ways from price to product type.
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eBuying Guides: Where to Buy Baby Toys
- Concentrates on where to buy and shop for products, but also has staff-produced buying guides for over 200 products. Some of the guides are links to other buying guide sites. Accepts no payments for listings.
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MSN eShop: Baby Toys
- A shopping site which also mixes in consumer information, including decision tips, product types available, and features to consider.
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Fun Play, Safe Play
- Covers importance of play, safety tips, and toy suggestions for birth to six months.
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Consumer Guide Best Buys: Infant Toys
- Staff reviewers analyze products and recommend the best.
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Epinions: Educational Toys
- Consumer-generated reviews, buying tips and advice, ratings, price information, and searchable in a variety of ways from price to product type.
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MSN eShop: Educational Toys
- A shopping site which also mixes in consumer information, including decision tips, product types available, and features to consider.
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Draddog's Sci Fi Universe: Toys
- Reviews of retail and independent action figures.
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Epinions: Action Figures and Sets
- Consumer-generated reviews, buying tips and advice, ratings, price information, and searchable in a variety of ways from price to product type.
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The Hit (and Miss) List
- New and classic figure reviews.
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Action Figure Times
- Reviews, rumors, news and photos.
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MSN eShop: Action figures
- A shopping site which also mixes in consumer information, including decision tips, product types available, and features to consider.
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About.com: Reviews of Action Figures
- Links to a wide range of reviews of action figures.
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Figures.com
- Features news and information on toys and action figures.
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Epinions: Science Toys
- Comprehensive site with consumer reviews, tips, and advice on both toys and games. Search by type, character, price or brand name.
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MSN eShop: Science and Nature Toys
- A shopping site which also mixes in consumer information, including decision tips, product types available, and features to consider.
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Epinions: Vehicles and Raceways Toys
- Comprehensive site with consumer reviews, tips, and advice on both toys and games. Search by type, character, price or brand name.
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MSN eShop: Toy Vehicles
- A shopping site which also mixes in consumer information, including decision tips, product types available, and features to consider.