Local kids test educational toys for the holidays

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (WTVD) -- Some local preschoolers have a tough assignment this week - they're joining children across the country to help pick the best educational toys for the holiday season.

Even at a young age, children learn about life by playing.

In the toy test at the Goddard School in Wake Forest this week, the toddlers enjoyed the V-Tech Sort & Discover Drum Box ad the Pop Pop Piano.

The children at Goddard School are helping to pick the best educational toys on the market.

"They're not ready to sit at a desk and do homework. They want to play," said Tom Carver with the Goddard School.

Carver believes in the power of play. He's excited his kids are a part of this national test.

"You're not seeing laptop computers here, you're seeing toys that are interactive and that children can have fun doing things together," Carver explained.

Teachers set out the various toys to see which were appealing to the children. The 4-year-olds gravitated toward the Beleduc Stacker Set, while other children at the school enjoyed the Play Monster Action Stacked Little Builder Set.

Teachers rate each toy on how well they inspire creativity, develop skills, and teach.

We went to the Goddard School of Wake Forest and sat in on some of the tests. Here are the toys we saw the kids loving-

1-year-olds:

VTECH SORT & DISCOVER DRUM

PLAY MONSTER MIRARI POP! POP! PIANO

3-year-olds

MAGNUTTO MAKE A MOOD

JOHN DEERE GEARATION BOARD

PLAY MONSTER ACTION STACKED LITTLE BUILDER SET

4-year-olds

HEDSTROM SENSORY STEPPERZ

BELEDUC USA, INC. HAPPY FARM

BELEDUC USA, INC. TORRETA

These are the favorites we saw among preschoolers in Wake Forest. Teachers will send their votes in and we'll know the results of the national test later in November.