The relationship between kids and toys is indeed a fickle one, and no one can predict with any kind of certainty what will be the "it" toy of tomorrow. But to help cut down the guesswork, we checked in with our Reactorz kids to find out what's topping their playlists and where they're going to get the goods.

But first, we took a look at the demographic parameters of play-and found that there really are none. In true Peter Pan style, our preteen panelists claimed they would never be too old for toys, and many cited their parents' penchant for computer games as proof that one doesn't outgrow the need for playtime. Their idea of what a toy is goes beyond the toy aisle in major department stores - a 'toy' is anything you play with and have fun with. But when they were asked how much toy time they rack up on average, the vast majority of kids said they spend less than two hours a day playing with toys.

So what kinds of products are kids making time for? Beyblades, vid games of all kinds, Diva Starz, Lego, spy binoculars and stuffed animals ranked as the most popular toys among our Reactorz panelists. In terms of the gender divide, boys listed vid games as their hands-down favorite plaything, with titles like Grand Theft Auto Vice City, Animal Crossing, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and various Mario Bros. games proving particularly sticky. Girls like vid games too, particularly the various Sims titles and Zelda, but they also spend time with classic board games such as Monopoly, Scrabble, Clue and Life, as well as Barbie, craft kits and Beanie Babies.

Toy preference does change as kids get older but some toys have years of built in play potential. Both boys and girls now collect toys they played with when they were younger: Barbies, Beanie Babies, action figures, Lego (once built it becomes a display item) and trading cards.

Toy play is definitely a social pastime, with our panelists overwhelmingly reporting that they prefer to play with friends and/or family members than by themselves. So kids will place a much higher value on toys that facilitate group play-i.e. console vid games (which are more likely to have multiplayer functionality than their computer game brethren), building sets like Lego and board games.

The popularity of dolls and action figures led us to ask the question - what is the difference? Some of the Reactorz kids thought the difference was based on what the toys were made of (ie plastic vs. fabric) or how you played with them (nurturing vs. violent) but most kids thought it was a simple case of gender differentiation. Dolls are for girls and action figures are for boys - no matter what they look like, what they're made of or whom they represent.

Another interesting finding is that kids appear to be tiring of toys based on TV and film properties. Many respondents said they just want their toys to be toys, without all the slapped-on tie-in elements. When we asked if there was a toy they'd like to see turned into a TV show, those who thought it was a good idea suggested Calvin and Hobbes, Diva Starz and Grand Champion Horses. A nd on the flipside, kids were into seeing new playthings based around The Simpsons and The Amanda Show. As far as film merch goes, kids seemed disinterested in toys based on most upcoming releases-with the exception of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (November 2003).

Toys 'R Us, Walmart and independent toy boutiques are kids' favorite places to shop for play items, with TRU and Wal-Mart lauded for their wide selections and good prices. Toys 'R Us isn't the store of choice when it comes to buying video games and all the necessary equipment, however. Walmart does a better job in this category, according to our panelists, followed closely by Best Buy and Future Shop. The Reactorz kids really enjoy retail environments in which toys are taken out of their packaging so they can be can be tested out by potential consumers. Dollar stores got a collective thumbs-down as kids' least favorite toy source because their stock tends to be cheap and break easily.

Finally if the kids could create any toy in the world they would create . . . a robot. This robot would clean their rooms and do their homework, play with them whenever they wanted and be more than a friend than a toy. Once again, it is more important that kids have someone to play with than all the latest gadgets and toys.

Insight: Kid Insight: Marketers, producers and toy manufacturers should all take note that the kids are feeling inundated with TV/film merch. A few hot franchises like Harry Potter can still get them excited, but they're more interested in toys that are fun in their own right. Classic toys that we all played with as kids have more staying power than the latest fads. But the toy is less important than having someone to play with.

For more information:

• Get all the details about the Beyblades spinning top phenomenon from Hasbro
• Lego has changed since we were kids. Check out the Star Wars, Harry Potter, Bionicles and NBA themed Lego building sets at Lego
• Looking for information about the Toy Industry in Canada: Canadian Toy Association
• Interested in what are the top selling toys? The American Toy Industry Association keeps track at Top Selling Toys
• And for more kids opinions see their votes for top toys on Yahooligans

To find out more about Reactorz contact us online at www.reactorzresearch.com. Or call 416-516-0705.

Reactorz is a youth-powered research engine. Our online community of kids ages 7 to 22 provide their opinion and insight into current events, issues, creative & product design, entertainment and communications strategies. Reactorz parent company Big Orbit gathers this information and empowers clients by connecting them with this target group through strategic consulting and creative development. For over a decade, Big Orbit has worked with corporate, government and non-profit organizations such as: Kraft Canada, Junior Achievement of Canada, Concerned Children's Advertisers and Key Porter Books. For a complete list of clients and case studies please visit BigOrbit.com or ReactorzResearch.com.