What will your children be playing with this year?

(All rights reserved - Nintendo)

2010's toys are set to be active, accessible, affordable and aspirational, says the US toy trade association.

With over 7,000 new products on display at the American International Toy Fair in New York (that closed on Wednesday), experts from the American Toy Industry Association have been predicting the trends that will shape our children's year.

They are:

Active - Whether in body or mind, this year's toys will exercise and challenge children to exert themselves. Even high tech products are getting active, such as the Nintendo Wii, helping to promote healthy lifestyle choices

Accessible - Play anywhere, any time. Compact editions of classics are popular, but new technology will make play available in both offline and online formats for on-the-go playing

Affordable - As the world emerges from recession, affordability and "extended play value" are critical for consumers.

Aspirational - Children are already using small toys to learn big concepts. Whether they're recycled, organic, charitable or community-based, new games will encourage children to think and play in positive ways.

"There's more than alliteration behind our selection of these four overarching themes," explains Reyne Rice, a toy trend specialist from the Toy Industry Association. ""Each of these topline ‘A' trends is supported by toys intended for multiple age groups and play patterns, from multiple manufacturers and entertainment studios, and across all categories of products."

http://www.toyassociation.org