Board games are top of the list among kids' toys, according to this year's Quebec rankings of more than 300 toys and games.
Options Consommateurs, Quebec's consumers' association, and Protegez-vous magazine Wednesday unveiled its listing of toys as ranked by 235 youngsters and their parents.
Families ranked toys from excellent to garbage, based on factors such as durability, creativity and cost, with positive rankings outnumbered poor scores two-to-one.
"Board games and hobby games are going up and that's a tendency that we see. People are more interested in doing something with their families and friends," said Genevieve Grenier from Options Consommateurs.
The pre-holiday toy guide, which hits newsstands Thursday, gave seals of excellence to four games:
- Bisous dodo
- Gobblet gobblers
- Bla bla bla
- Finca
One toy received top honours:
- Lego, the creator
Two toys received garbage prizes:
- G.I. Joe, Rise of the cobra: Night Raven
- Frankie the Fire Truck
"This one is a little truck that is supposed to transform into a robot but basically it doesn't hold up and keeps closing," said Grenier of Frankie.
Parents said they preferred toys which allowed for the family to spend time together.
"It's perfect for us because she wants us to play with her and share the game with her so we can enjoy it as much as her so that's a great thing too," said Isabelle Durand, while testing toys with her daughter, Emma.
In addition to ranking toys and games, the magazine contains a list of the 314 best French-language children's books of the year. No English books were examined.
