New Tech Toy Trend: Get Kids Moving!

I know I said a scan of the massive Toy Fair floor reveals lots of conventional toys amid the rising tide of tech toys. But I got a tour of this year's newest toys from Mattel and Fisher Price and it was hard to find a toy that didn't have some tech component to it.

Some big news: Barbie's lips move for the first time when she talks and sings as a Chat Diva, and she doubles as a remote control on a Fairytopia video game. There's also a roller skating Barbie that comes with a remote control to move her around. Tickle Me Elmo, that huge, huge 2006 seller, has two new laughing friends: Cookie Monster and Ernie.

But the most interesting trend to come out of this year's show is the push to get kids moving when playing video games and with other tech toys. What the Nintendo Wii is doing for older kids, toymakers like Mattel and Fisher Price are aiming to do for young gamers. The toy industry has taken note of America's childhood obesity problem and is introducing more video games that require kids to use more than the muscles in their thumbs. Here's a look at some of the standouts:

Fisher-Price Smart Cycle - It's a stationary bike for kids ages 3 to 6. Hook it up to the TV and kids can cycle their way down a road through lots of learning games, collecting letters and numbers along the road as they steer their vehicle as well as drive it. The trick is they have to keep pedaling to keep the games moving. In one game, The Big Race, the aim is to pedal as fast as you can, then learn how fast you went and if you won at the end. Kids can pull over and play some games while standing still for a break, however.

Using a joystick on the bike and buttons, kids can choose and customize the vehicle they are driving. There are also a few different $20 software choices, including Dora's Friendship Adventure, Diego's Animal Rescue, and SpongeBob's Ocean Adventure. The Smart Cycle will be available in the summer and will cost about $100.

Hot Wheels Racing Timer - Set it up on the driveway, and kids can race on foot, on bikes, or scooters to the finish line and have their times recorded and victory flags and applause sounds announce the winner. ($25, available now.) Mattel also makes the Hot Wheels Electronic Speed Meter which clips onto a belt or bike to track how fast kids are moving, and makes louder engine sounds the faster they go. ($20, available in July)

Radica Play TV MLB Baseball and Football - Sure, we know all about the Wii. But these plug-and-play games make use of actual footage of pro players so kids can pretend to be their favorite players up at bat or on the grid iron. In the baseball game, there's a bat to swing and a ball to hold in your hand while you make the throwing motion. (It's on a string but kids would have to give themselves lots of room so they don't maim each other. Forget flying Wii remotes; I'd be worried about baseballs shattering LCD screens everywhere.) But the price point is nice, $40, and the graphics look great.

This is a trend I'd like to see take off. What do you think about tech games that mix physical activity with video and fantasy play?