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Less under the tree?

Stephanie Glaser, of East Northport, N.Y., connects an Ipod to an iZ, by Zizzle, and watches it react to music. (The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press
Stephanie Glaser, of East Northport, N.Y., connects an Ipod to an iZ, by Zizzle, and watches it react to music. (The Spokesman-Review)

NEW YORK — Francie Todd’s two boys may not notice it, but there’ll be fewer toys under the tree this Christmas.

Amid higher gasoline prices and other effects of Hurricane Katrina, Todd plans to cut her toy spending in half.

“You look at the economic climate overall, and this is not a good time to run up the credit cards,” said Todd, of East Lansing, Mich., who will spend about $100 on toys for each child, down from $200 last year.

The human suffering from Katrina has also made Todd re-evaluate her budget for toys.

“We want to be more about the experience of giving, and less about the getting,” she said.

Those sentiments, likely to be shared by millions of parents this holiday season, are a depressing turn for the $20 billion toy industry. If parents buy only one or two fewer toys each, the collective frugality could give the industry its third straight year of falling holiday sales.

“It’s going to be extremely competitive to draw customers to their stores,” said Jim Silver, editor-in-chief of Toy Wishes, a trade publication.

But price competition from discounters is just part of the problem — the toy industry needs some big hits this holiday season to make children want more toys. After suffering overall sales declines of 3 percent in both 2003 and 2004, toy companies have already seen sales of traditional toys — dolls, games and action figures, for example — drop 5 percent from January through August, according to NPD Group Inc., a market research firm in Port Washington, N.Y.

Here are some of the toys expected to be top sellers for the 2005 holiday season, according to Toy Wishes, a trade publication. The list is based on the publication’s review of thousands of toys and interviews with parents, children and retailers. The list is in alphabetical order, with manufacturers’ suggested retail price included.

Black Belts Karate Home Studio (Spin Master Ltd., $24.99, age 3 and up): (Age 3 and up) This complete karate studio helps younger kids learn the basics of karate at their own pace as they watch a 30-minute video on VHS or DVD.

Dora’s Talking Kitchen (Mattel Inc.’s Fisher-Price, $79.99, age 2 and up): This make-believe kitchen set allows kids to play along with Dora in Spanish and English. The kitchen resembles the one the cartoon character has on her TV show and includes lights, sounds and encouraging phrases as well as more than 25 pieces of toy kitchen ware.

Fly Wheels Assortment (Jakks Pacific Inc., $4.99 to $39.99, age 8 and up): This assortment of wheels builds on the success of the original Fly Wheels, but the new version now has stunt ramps, deluxe sets and rapid fire launchers. There is also a high-tech, high performance radio-controlled version.

Furby (Hasbro Inc., $39.99, age 8 and up): The must-have toy from the 1998 holiday season is back and more animated with advanced technology that allows the pet to recognize voices and to react with emotions from surprise to dismay. It also responds to specific words a child says. It also has an off switch, something lacking in earlier versions.

I-Dog (Hasbro Inc., $29.99, age 8 and up): This animated electronic dog features the iPod styling and dances along to whatever song it hears. A child can also plug any music system to the I-Dog and the tunes will broadcast through a built-in speaker.

iZ (Zizzle, Inc., $39.99, age 5 and up): This character allows children to create their own music by manipulating some of iZ’s ears, antennae and other parts. Iz can be posed in all kinds of positions and has a speaker where a child can hook up to any music source like an Ipod.

Leapster L-Max Learning Game System (LeapFrog Enterprises Inc., $99.99, for pre-K through fourth grade): This game system, which plugs into a television, develops and reinforces skills in language, math, logic, writing and spelling, while also entertaining children.

Magnaworld Magnacity (RoseArt Industries,$49.99, age 6 and up): This building set features more than 100 pieces such as magnetic rods that snap together with steel balls for sturdy, fast and city building. A child can then customize the creation with stickers.

Pixel Chix (Mattel Inc., $29.99, age 7 and up): This handheld gadget in the shape of a house lets a child interact with an animated girlfriend. These virtual friends can play different games and change fashions.

Shell Shocker (Tyco R/C, a division of Mattel Inc., $79.99, age 8 and up): This radio-controlled vehicle goes beyond basic stunts; its large front wheel provides the Shell Shocker with more power and versatility when an obstacle gets in its way.

VCam Now (Hasbro Inc., $79.99, age 8 and up): This video camera allows children to record up to seven minutes of video or take as many as 480 still pictures. The 4X digital zoom and 1.3 megapixel resolution allows children to capture great images. The child can hook up the camera to a computer through a standard USB port and store, edit and share the image. It can also be plugged into a TV to watch videos.

V.Smile Pocket (VTech Holdings Ltd., system $89.99; games, $19.99, age 5 and up): The V.Smile Pocket is a portable handheld version of the V.Smile, a learning game system. Children can also connect the toy to a TV for onscreen play.