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With each Christmas season, children find new and exciting toys to add onto their wish lists.

Many department stores such as Toys R Us, Target and Walmart now offer mailers and lists that show the hottest toys for the holidays.

Here are 12 of the toys that are ranking high on many children’s Christmas wish lists for 2013.

1. Big Hugs Elmo
$49 at Toys R US

Who can resist this adorable red Sesame Street friend? Not only does he hug back, but he comes with over 50 phrases and sounds to interact with. Young children always enjoy putting their stuffed animals and dolls down for naps, and Big Hugs Elmo will help them practice this loving task. When they lay him down, he gets sleepy and even sings a lullaby. Playskool lists the age range of this toy from 18 months – 4 years. 

2. Doc McStuffins Check-Up Center 
$65 at Walmart

Disney’s newcomer, Doc McStuffins, is capturing little hearts all over the world. In the television show, she is a pretend doctor that fixes all types of toys when they break. The Doc McStuffins Check-Up Center includes all the necessities for your child to become the doctor and give check-ups to his or her toys. The manufacturer’s suggested age for this play center is 3 and up.

3. Sophia The First Toys 
Prices vary $9-$45 at Disneystore.com

Little girls love princesses and Disney’s Sofia The First is no exception. There are several toys available that include the characters of this television show. One of the hottest toys is the Disney Talking Sofia and Animal Friends doll. She recites over 30 phrases and is a good choice for children 3+.

4. FurReal Friends Cuddles My Giggly Monkey Pet 
$65 on Amazon

The maker of this toy strives to make life-like animals become a child’s new favorite friend. This cute baby monkey giggles, blinks, talks and has similar movements to a real monkey. It is recommended for children ages 4 and older.

5. LeapFrog LeapPad Ultra 
Starting at $149 at Leapfrog.com

LeapFrog ranks high on the wish list this year with its new LeapPad Ultra. It targets children ages 4-9 and comes with a 7-inch high resolution screen, 8 GB of on-board memory, a built in camera and a video recorder.

6. Zoomer 
$79.99 at Target

This robot-pet might just become your child’s new best friend. He has 15 commands that you can teach him and his movements are similar to a real dog. Plus, this little guy charges with a USB cable, so no batteries are required. Zoomer can respond to English, Spanish and French and is a great gift for ages 5+.

7. Furby Boom
$64.99

For children 6 years of age and older, the new version of Furby is topping the charts this holiday season. It comes in exciting new color combinations such as pink with white polka dots, blue waves and black and white zig zag. They work interactively with the Furby Boom app where you can collect virtual eggs and hatch furblings.

8. Twistz Bandz Rainbow Loom 
$13 at Amazon

This is great gift for kids who enjoy doing hobbies and crafts. They can create colorful rubber bracelets using the Rainbow Loom, and it seems to be a top pick for girls in the 8-12 age range.

9. Hot Wheels Car Maker Playset
$34.99 at Toys R Us

Kids ages 8 and over will have a blast playing with this toy. It comes with sticks of wax and includes two car molds. The wax goes through the car maker and emerges as a fully functioning hot wheel to decorate and play with.

10. Crayola Marker Maker 
$15 at Walmart

If your child enjoys coloring and drawing, Crayola has the perfect toy that combines creativity with science. This kit includes everything you need to make up to 16 customized markers. Crayola recommends ages 8+ for this toy.

11. Nerf Rebelle Heartbreaker Bow
$19.99

If you have a child that wants to practice her skills with a bow and arrow, then this new Hasbro toy is right on target. Kids can practice their archery skills and the Nerf Darts can travel up to 75 feet. It is recommended for children 8 years and older.

12. LEGO Mindstorms EV3 31313
$349.99

Although this gift is on the expensive side, it delivers an amazing toy for kids 10 years of age and older. You can actually build your very own robot, program it and then command it using the included remote control.

Although receiving toys at Christmas will make your children smile, remember that love is the greatest give we can give one another.

But now faith, hope, and love remain — these three. The greatest of these is love.1 Corinthians 13

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