Now that Halloween is well and truely put to bed we have all suddenly switched our focus to the inevitable countdown to Christmas. Those of us (we wish it was us) who are organised and are on the christmas trail already will have no doubt noticed the comeback of some classic retro Toys. Last year we had etch A sketch and the big wheel low rider bikes but this year toy makers are going more cute and cuddly. The Cabbage Patch Dolls are returning alongside their old friends the furbies to take on the likes of Ben 10, The Moshi Monsters and Mickey’s Clubhouse.

However we are now in 2012 and a new technological age is upon us which means that these toys are coming into the market armed with their own Apps. This is a new concept in the toy world which combines the physical toy with an interactive digital element which toy makers hope will drive loyalty amongst kids and lead to repeat purchases. It is clear that the landscape is changing, recent research in the UK and the United States found 39 per cent of adults who own an iPad have downloaded an app for children aged six to 11. Parent’s are increasingly turning to the App store and searching for age specific Apps for children from as young as 3 upwards.

This is why many Christmas wish lists will include the new Leap Pad 2 from Leap Frog . It is a superb toy and is heralded as the first tablet for Kids and no dount will be snapped up by the truck load this Christmas. So what are your thoughts on the new vs the old in the Toy Wars this Christmas? We love the mix of retro and digital and think that one format will never completely eclipse the other. That is why our own Fun Packs are still so popular because there is still something special about seeing a child show their own creative streak at an early age by letting them loose with a crayon and paper.

So what are your thoughts on the new Christmas toy wish list and what will you be buying?