Best high-tech toys of 2011

Your kids deserve the best this holiday season, and that means loading up on high-tech toys. Here, eight of our favorite gadgets specifically designed for the younger generation.

Christmas morning is right around the corner, and you know every kid in your life is counting down the seconds to moment when they can finally, mercifully rip open their colorfully wrapped packages of joy. So it’s important to make sure you get it right, or face the wrath of an unhappy child. So, what to get? Well, high-tech toys, of course! Check out some of the best high-tech toys of 2011.

iPod touch 8GB:$199

A recent study shows that Apple products are the most coveted products of the year for youngsters. But going all out for an iPad 2 – the gift kids say they want most – is probably a bad idea; if it breaks, you’re out $500 bucks, right off the bat. Instead, give the next best thing: an iPod touch. Not only can kids listen to all the Justin Bieber they can download, but they can play the thousands of games available from the App Store, take pictures and shoot HD video, video chat, and even make calls over Wi-Fi. It’s so sweet, you’ll want one, too – even if you already have an iPad.

Toshiba Satellite L735 laptop: $498

Kids are using computers and the Internet younger and younger these days, whether you like it or not. Problem is, most PCs aren’t built for the kind of wear and tear only a child can deliver. That’s where the Satellite L735 laptop from Toshiba comes in. Measuring 13.3 inches diagonally, this portable PC is built ultra-tough, and is even spill proof, meaning you can simply wipe the whole thing down when the inevitable accident happens. Plus, the kid in your life will get all the luxuries us adults enjoy, like built-in Wi-Fi and a webcam. Not only that, but it comes with built-in parental controls thanks to the pre-loaded KidZui Web browser that automatically makes sure your little rascal isn’t sticking their nose where he or she shouldn’t.

Air Swimmer remote control flying shark: $30

You know what’s awesome? A shark. Know what’s more awesome than that? A flying shark. Duh. The Air Swimmers remote control flying shark is the perfect gift for the young sea-lover in your life – or for terrorizing the cat. Measuring nearly five feet long, the Air Swimmer shark is filled with helium, and can be controlled from up to 40 feet away via an infrared remote control. What your little one does with it from there will simply be an exercise in imagination. If, however, the shark is a bit too scary, Air Swimmer also offers an inflatable Clownfish that looks just like Nemo, and has all the same remote-controlled awesomeness.

Sphero robot: $130

When it comes to sweet tech, nothing quite beats the robot. The downside is that robots are often either overly complicated, or underwhelming. Sphero is neither. On its surface, Sphero is exactly what it sounds like it is: a ball. With the help of an iOS or Android app, which is used to control Sphero, and some nifty internal robotics, however, Sphero becomes an endless source of fun. In addition to the ability to drive around wherever your giftee would like it to go, Sphero can also be used to capture photos and record video. The possibilities of fun and antics are nearly limitless.

Star Wars Force FX Lightsaber: $100

Star Wars remains one of the most popular franchises in history. And that means the aspiring Jedi in your life wants nothing more than a lightsaber. While that is, disappointingly, technically impossible (stupid physics…), you can give the next best thing: the Star Wars Force FX Lightsaber replica. Equipped with a glowing blade, authentic power-up and power-down sound effects, and a design blessed by LucasFilm, these lightsabers (which come in a variety of designs) are literally a dream come true for your favorite young Star Warrior.

Kid-Tough See Yourself Camera: $70

Handing over your digital camera to a 5-year-old is probably one of those things that, in retrospect, was a terrible decision. Instead, hand over the Kid-Tough See Yourself Camera from Fisher Price, a digital camera made especially for the clumsiness of youth. Featuring child-friendly controls, the See Yourself Camera includes a rotating lens, that allows kids to easily take pictures of the world around them, or themselves. Other features include 4x digital zoom, built-in special effects, and 256MB of on-board storage, as well as an SD card slot to expand the number of adorable snapshot your little tike can take.

Nintendo 3DS with Super Mario 3D Land: $200

If you’ve ever seen a kid with a Nintendo 3DS, then you know why this made this list. They become obsessed with it, and almost never put it down. In fact, the biggest problem with the Nintendo 3DS is getting them to turn the dang thing off at the dinner table. Add in the newly-released Super Mario 3D Land to the mix, and you’ll have yourself a babysitter for at least the next few months, possibly years. And since Nintendo sticks with youngster-friendly games, you don’t have to worry about your young ones becoming too exposed to the wide variety of more-adult games out there.

LeapPad tablet Super Bundle: $160

Made especially for kids ages four through nine, the LeapPad is the perfect toy for the post-PC world. LeapPad has more than 100 apps available, everything from games, like Disney Cars 2: Project Undercover and Spongebob Squarepants The Clam Prix, to software that can help kindergartners learn reading, maths, science and social studies. LeapPad includes a built-in camera for taking photos and shooting adorable vidos. It’s also built to withstand abuse, so it isn’t going to break the second it falls on the floor, or gets covered in grape juice.

What do you think of our list of the best high-tech toys of 2011? Did we miss something? Let us know in the comments below.