Hot Toys For Christmas

Some eager Christmas shoppers might already have a head start on the rest of us.  If you are one of them, here's some help.   Toys R Us is releasing a list of some of the toys that will be in big demand this year.

The company researched trends at toy fairs in Germany and New York, and traveled to Hong Kong to meet with toy manufacturers.  And finally, the company tested the toys on kids.  The top theme this year is innovation.   Here are the top three picks from researchers:

My Keepon is a robot with textured skin which can listen to music and dance to a beat.  It also reacts to touch and is a very interactive toy.

Air Swimmers eXtreme is a YouTube discovery.  This is a battery operated fish-shaped metallic balloon that can float through the air via remote control.   This toy lets kids make believe their home is an indoor aquarium.

Dolls taken from big movies will also be hot.  You'll find Draculaura, Cleo De Nile, Ghoulia.  Movies like Twilight, Monster High and tv shows like True Blood are the inspiration for these toys.

Some of these  toys are already on the shelves, but others will be arriving over the next couple of weeks.  Retailers are expecting better toy sales this year than last.  But most will also admit that shoppers will be looking for bargains.  But the experts say hot toys will always sell, and somehow, families find the money in their budgets.