PARENTS beware: 'tis almost the season to be jolly and your beloved offspring will soon draw up their wish-lists of presents they "must have" this Christmas.

The Toy Retailers Association (TRA) has just issued its predictions for the top ten toys this Christmas, calling for the "Battle of the Dolls" to commence.

The charmingly-named Bratz dolls are tipped to top the list again this year, closely followed by a flashback from the Eighties in the form of Cabbage Patch Kids.

For those parents feeling especially indulgent, trampolines measuring anything from eight to 14ft are likely to be popular, ranging from £149 to almost £300 in price.

Classic games such as Cluedo, Twister and Buckaroo are predicted to sell very well, continuing their universal popularity with toy-buyers every year.

Bridget Richardson, sales manager in the toy department at Fenwick Ltd in York's Coppergate Centre, said customers were already flocking to the store armed with their children's requests.

"It's only October, but some of the toys have been just flying off the shelves. We've got all the toys on that list, except trampolines. I think V-Smiles will sell particularly well this year - we've been selling them before we've even got them out of their boxes and on display."

V-Smiles, at £49.99, are computers for pre-schoolers, helping them learn to count and spell with Disney characters and Winnie the Pooh.

Also in the top ten are Leapster LeapFrogs, handheld gaming gadgets for four to eight-year-olds, with an emphasis on educational skills such as arithmetic and spelling.

LeapFrogs, and their mini Little Touch counterparts, have been selling very well already at The Early Learning Centre, in Market Street, York

"Parents like getting these for their kids because they combine learning with fun," said Emma Banks, assistant manager for the shop, whose top-selling toy year-round is Lego. She thought games which allowed children to use their imaginations, such as pretend kitchens and dressing-up clothes, were always a good bet at Christmas, though none of these appear on the TRA list.

Toys'R'Us, at Clifton Moor, York, is one of the few shops selling trampolines. Deputy manager Jane Baldwin said: "These have been popular all year. They're great fun and both kids and adults can use them to keep fit."

The top ten

THE Top ten predicted toys this Christmas, by the Toy Retailers Association (TRA), are:

Bratz (Flashback Party) - Vivid (RRP £19.99)

Cabbage Patch Kids - Vivid (RRP £19.99)

Classic Games (Buckaroo, Twister & Cluedo) - Hasbro (RRP £9.99 to £14.99)

Dora the Explorer (We Did It Dancing Dora) - Mattel (RRP £29.99)

Leapster - LeapFrog (RRP £64.99)

Power Rangers (12.5cm Tri-Battlized) - Bandai (RRP £6.99)

Robosapiens - Character Options (RRP £79.99)

Tamagotchi (Connexion) - Bandai (RRP £12.99)

Trampolines (8-14ft) - TP (RRP £149 to £299.95)

V-Smile - V-Tech (£49.99)

Updated: 10:18 Thursday, October 07, 2004