Duracell Asks Kids To Rank This Year's Toy Hits

Each year, battery manufacturer Duracell coordinates a rigorous product testing regimen with experts formidable enough to make a CEO tremble. They're children. The testing program: the Duracell Ultra Kids' Choice Toy Survey. Duracell conducts the survey to make holiday toy shopping easier for consumers, says Ann Davin, manager, public relations. This year -- the survey's 12th -- more than 500 children, ages 4 through 11, met at YMCA centers in 22 U.S. cities to "play test" 29 of the year's best new toys and games, then chose their 10 favorites. Both battery-operated and nonbattery-operated toys were tested. The play testing was done over a period of seven business days starting Sept. 16, after which the children ranked each toy based on their play experience. Afterward, all toys were donated to the local YMCA sites. The results will be announced nationwide Oct. 20, and will be available through Jan. 10. To access results call 800-BEST-TOYS. Results also will be at http://www.duracell.com/ToySurvey.