Scholastic Experts Spot Top Trends and Products for Kids
NEW YORK, Nov. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Scholastic, the global
children's
publishing and media company, unveils the holiday edition of the
"Scholastic
Kids Trend Report," a guide to the most popular trends in holiday books,
games
and toys for kids up to 12 years old. Scholastic has its finger on the pulse
of what kids want, through its book publishing, school book clubs, book fairs
and website, Scholastic.com. By interacting with almost every parent, child
and teacher in the country, Scholastic found that both hi-tech and low-tech
toys are hot this year -- everything from downloadable video games to crafts
are among kids' favorites ... even knitting! Children's books written by
celebrity authors are a big trend this season, as well as kid's novels jumping
from the pages to the BIG screen.
"We hear from children, teachers and experts that
although hi-tech toys
continue to be the most popular with kids of all ages, retro is making a
comeback," said Sara Sinek, Scholastic Kid Trendspotter. "Kids are
discovering
toys and crafts from their parent's era and are adding them to their holiday
wish lists this year."
KIDS TRENDS FOR THE HOLIDAY
RETRO AND CLASSIC GAMES AND TOYS:
Retro toys, games and characters are being introduced to a
whole new
generation of kids, who are eagerly adding them to their holiday wish lists.
Parents are having loads of fun reliving their own childhoods through these
nostalgic products including:
* Slinky (1943)- Marine engineer Richard James
invented the Slinky in
1943 when he accidentally knocked a
metal spring off his desk. 60
years later, Slinky is still
traveling end-over-end, across floors,
down stairs and into children's
hearts. ($7.99)
* Original Nok Hockey (1948)- Remember Nok
Hockey? It's still as much
fun to play as when it was first
introduced in 1948. Includes 2 sticks
and two hardwood pucks. ($34.99)
* Wooden Pogo Stick (1918)- Parents can promote
good health, when kids
jump for joy on this retro wooden
pogo stick. Available in two sizes.
Ages 6+ ($27.99) Ages 8+ ($35.99)
* Colorforms (1951)- Two struggling art students
experimented with vinyl
shapes to inexpensively decorate
their walls, and Colorforms were
born. A time-tested favorite among
generations of kids past and kids
of the future. ($30.99)
All of the retro toys and games
listed above are available at
http://www.backtobasicstoys.com.
HI-TECH GAMES:
Kids are synonymous with computers! According to a recent
study by the NPD
Group, the international market research company, children ages 5-12 spend an
average of 4.2 hours a week playing videogames. New titles that are topping
wish lists this holiday season include:
* I Spy Spooky Mansion Deluxe-Kids can creep
through a rickety old house
in search of clues once again, in
this deluxe version of I SPY Spooky
Mansion CD-ROM, winner of the
prestigious CODIE, Oppenheim Toy
Portfolio Platinum Award and Milla
D'Or Awards. ($19.95)
* Dragon Tales Learn and Fly with Dragons-
Perfect for kids who are new
to math. Three different adventures
and levels of play will ensure
that any child progresses at a
comfortable pace, while having fun.
($19.95)
* Backyard Basketball- Children can shoot hoops
with kid versions of
their favorite NBA and WNBA stars!
Just like the pros, players will
run down the full 3D court to dunk
the ball and hear the cheers of
their teammates. ($19.95)
All of the software above is available for
purchase or download at
http://www.scholastic.com.
CRAFTS:
Crafting continues to be a BIG trend among people of all
ages. Crafts
promote creativity, free expression, offer fun projects and personalized
special handmade gift-making ideas for the holidays. Some great
"crafty"
products to check-out include:
* Knitting - Knitting is all the rage and
everyone can join in with the
easiest how-to-knit book ever! Comes
with instructions and tools to
get kids started on making hats,
purses, scarves and more! ($24.95).
* T-shirt Art- Young fashionistas will love
creating their own unique
creations to wear. Includes paint and
instructions on how to make over
265 designs. ($19.95).
* Design Your Own Soccer Ball- Young athletes
will have extra incentive
to practice skills when using a ball
they've designed themselves.
($18.95).
* Holiday Window Art - Kids can help make their
house look the best on
the block, when they decorate with
this complete window art kit.
($16.95).
All of the craft products listed above are available at http://www.klutz.com
or http://www.scholasticstore.com.
HOT BOOKS:
Celebrity authors continue to be all the rage in the
children's book
category, with Billy Joel, Madonna and Will Smith writing some of the hottest
titles for kids. Trends also show that many popular children's books are
making it to the BIG screen including fantasy novels by German author Cornelia
Funke and British writer PB Kerr. Top books this holiday season include:
* Goodnight My Angel by Billy Joel- First written
as a song by Grammy
winner Billy Joel, this is a bedtime
tale about a father putting this
daughter to sleep. The composition of
gentle lyrics with the lovely
illustrations captures the emotional
bond between a parent and a
child. ($16.95)
* Children of the Lamp by PB Kerr- After
discovering they are
descendants of a long line of dijinn,
12-year old twins John and
Phillippa Grant suddenly find
themselves capable of granting wishes,
making objects disappear, and
traveling to extraordinary places. This
New York Times best-seller has been
optioned by DreamWorks. ($16.95)
* Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke- Acclaimed
German author Cornelia Funke
hits home with yet another
best-selling fantasy book for young
readers. Dragon Rider is a
terrific tale of a young boy Ben and his
dragon Firedrake searching for the
rim of heaven. Readers can join
them on their adventure where they
must elude the evil dragon hunter.
($12.95)
* One Tree Hill- Kids love the hit FOX series,
One Tree Hill and now
they will love reading the
novelization that takes readers deeper into
the backstory and exposes secrets
viewers have yet to learn. ($6.99)
* Scooby Doo and The Werewolf- The millions of
kids tune in to watch
Scooby every week are being turned on
to reading with these great new
television tie-in books. ($12.99)
All of
the books above are available for purchase at
http://www.scholasticstore.com
or your local bookstore.
About Scholastic
Scholastic Corporation (Nasdaq: SCHL)
is the world's largest publisher and
distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology.
Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products
for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines,
technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film,
videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through
a
variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-
based book fairs, and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs;
retail stores, schools, libraries and television networks; and the Company's
Internet site, http://www.scholastic.com.
SOURCE Scholastic Corporation
Web Site: http://www.scholastic.com
http://www.scholasticstore.com
http://www.backtobasicstoys.com
http://www.klutz.com