Currently it’s Elmo who’s a favorite with the kids, so much so that a number of interactive toys have proved to be very popular over the holiday season. We believe that Lily will be a hit because of what she represents. She will be a poverty-stricken Muppet, and it is hoped that this will teach kids that we are not all privileged to live in fancy homes and have all the latest gadgets.

Now it will be ironic to have gadgets and toys based on such a character, but that’s how the business works. Parents find it hard to discuss with their children that there are those who cannot afford to eat, and this is where things could come good for not only Sesame Street as a brand, but also for the homeless in America.

I believe that there should be a range of Lily toys and gadgets, much like Tickle Me Elmo and Hokey Pokey Elmo, as well as Elmo’s Learning Fun Laptop. The reason I say this is because children will think that they are helping Lily out, and then the toy makers should give a percentage of sales to charities who helps those less fortune than you or I.

To celebrate the event, Barbie makers Mattel are running a reality show on the internet called “Genuine Ken: The Search for the Great American Boyfriend.” It will be split up into various episodes, and the whole idea of it is to find a geniune guy in real life who displays all the characteristics that we’ve seen from the Ken doll over the years.

News about this is quickly spreading on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, as you can find out more detailed information on the show over at the Facebook page here, as reported from the NYTimes.

So the Ken doll turns 50 this week – does this mean anything to you or not? How many of you still buy Barbie doll products today for collecting purposes? It’s safe to assume that they are going to become very valuable in the years to come, so don’t be afraid of telling us that you still buy them!

One of the most recent toy recalls were on a range of Fisher Price products, which totaled more than 10 million toys. These ranged from trikes to high chairs, all with a range of different faults. One of the most worrying was where a valve was said to come off an inflatable ball; this led to incidents of children choking.

Kristen Ryan from About.com has compiled a complete 2010 toy product recall list, with the Spider-Man and Iron Man Flashlights being the first on her list. These were recalled due to the bulb getting too hot, which could result in a child getting burned.

One that I was not happy to read about was the Munchkin Bathtub Subs recall. It was found that the valve on the bottom of the inflatable could cause lacerations; there were reports of 19 injuries to children’s genital area.

For the complete list visit About.com.

The most extensive list has to be from the TIA, just looking at the toy recalls from January to October was shocking, and that’s without taking November into consideration. The site tells you how many units were recalled, why and what solution they found to solve the issue. Let us hope that no more are recalled before Christmas – would not want to take a gift back that you have already bought for a child.

Who would have thought that Monopoly would still be going well today? However, the game has stayed relevant by all the different versions, which you can see listed here. A few that spring to mind are Star Wars, SpongeBob SquarePants, NFL and many more.

I have fond memories of playing the game, I have tried some of the new ones, such as with the electronic banker and the Google Maps and Street View version, but nothing compares to touching that toy money and throwing it at your opponents.

I cannot put a number on the amount of ties I have played Monopoly, but I can tell you that my record of winning is low. I am certain that you have some amazing memories of this great board game, so please share them with us. Which piece do you prefer to play with?

The product that made this list was the Kinect Sensor with Kinect Adventures Game, but will cost you $149.99. You have to agree, that’s a huge sum of money, and some of you might need to buy the games console as well?

Also on that list is the PlayStation Move Bundle for Sony PS3 Move. The price is less, just $99.99. Some would say that the Move has the edge, whereas there are those who would disagree and say that Kinect is the better device. We will leave that down to sales over the Christmas season, which one has the edge?

I can also see that Pillow Pets will be popular this year, Panda, Penguin, Monkey, Dolphin, Unicorn, Buzzy Bee, Ms. Lady Bug and Snuggly Puppy are all there and all cost just $19.99 each. We have to warn you that these items will sell out fast, so you had best get yours now to avoid disappointment.

These are just a few of the gifts that appear on the Toys R Us 2010 Hot Holiday Toy List, view the full list by visiting their website.

Parents can breath a sigh of relief, as only one has been made. The doll went for a staggering $302,500, although expectations had been higher. What made this doll so expensive was her jewelry, a chocker that contained a one-carat square-cut pink diamond.

According to BBC News, the previous record was set back in 2006 when the Barbie doll went for $17,091 – why would anyone want to own a doll worth that much?

However, let us not take away the fact that all the money earned from the sale of the doll will be given to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. This is something very close to my heart, as this horrible disease has affected me as well as many of our readers in one way or another.

As we reported earlier today, the Buckyball 25th anniversary is being celebrated with a cool interactive logo from Google, and this is creating some buzz for any products related to the Buckyball.

One such product is called “Buckyballs” that are a magnetic desk toy that can be pretty addictive, you can see a video below this post that shows Buckyballs in action. The set contains 216 powerful rare earth magnets, which can be snapped together, torn apart, molded, and shaped in different ways.

Two magnetic poles come with each Bucky Ball, one will repel and the other attracts. If you love a toy with endless possibilities, then you will love Buckyballs. You can find out more on getbuckyballs.com.

Have you used Buckyballs?

As reported from StarTribune, the two boys, aged 9 and 10 respectively died after they chewed on the soft plastic darts, which then fell into their throats and in turn, cut off their breathing supply.

The toy dart gun sets are available at Family Dollar Stores nationwide and were imported by Henry Gordy International. However, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission ( CPSC ), Henry Gordy refused to recall the dart and was not available for comment on the deaths. A published number connected to Henry Gordy International has since been disconnected.

Family Dollar are now recalling the products with the help of an agency. The agency has told parents who own the ‘Auto Fire’ dart set to take it away from their children immediately. Customers will be issued with a refund for the product.

What are your thoughts on this particular recall? Does the blame rest with the parents or Henry Gordy International?

The vote passed 3-2 and is thought to be the first of its kind, we wonder if other counties or states will follow. This action has been taken to try and reign in fast food restaurants that try to promote their unhealthy food by offering children an incentive.

SFGate reports that those who do not abide by the law will run the risk of a of a $1,000 fine for violations. As you would imagine the California Restaurant Association opposed the ban and have just 90 days to come up with an alternative solution. The fine that we mentioned above will be for each meal they sell with a toy.

We know that these kid’s meals are very poplar with the kids and the free toy is certainly an incentive for our children to keep on about buying them one of these meals. Are you happy with this ban?