High-tech toys steal the show in Nuremberg

Even some of the most traditional playthings on display this year had an innovative edge, such as this electrical train set with an accompanying iPad app. As more young children get their hands on smartphones and tablets, toy manufacturers are capitalizing on the ubiquity of mobile devices. Remember when a toy was just a toy? Neither do we.

As youthful rabble-rousers, some of us would have appreciated the prospect of piloting a remote-controlled helicopter equipped with a video camera, such as the Spy Cam Nano from Silverlit. In retrospect, however, the neighborhood was probably better off without its dirty laundry being aired on YouTube.

It may sound off-putting, but the bright red, zipper-mouthed creature being held by the Her Majesty the Queen impersonator feeds on children's worst fears. The idea is that kids describe their bedtime angst on a piece of paper, crumple it up and stuff it into the mouth of the "Sorgenfresser," or "worry eater." The stuffed monster then relays that sensitive information to parents.

Forget what you know about girls' propensity for brushing dolls' hair and boys' desire to save the world with their action figures. Gender scientists have long maintained that these "natural inclinations" are merely a result of a skewed, patriarchal socialization. But that hasn't stopped toymakers from exploiting the pink-and-blue stereotypes.

If it's not blinking, responding to voice commands or generally stimulating a child's senses in a flashy manner, chances are it won't be a cornerstone feature of this year's toy fair. Technically complex playthings with all kinds of electronic functions are all the rage. In fact, so-called "hybrid products" - classic toys with electronic components - accounted for 30 percent of revenues in 2014.

The Danish toymaker LEGO was also spotted in Nuremberg, trumpeting its latest innovation - a digital LEGO piece that interacts with tablet computers that have LEGO's new app installed. When one of the special pieces is laid on a tablet screen, the app guides users through virtual worlds.

Aptly named super sand, this grainy product from the Dutch toymaker Goliath is nothing short of a miracle. Based on hours of empirical research (babysitting friends' children), this reporter can attest to the wonders of building castles with sand that doesn't stick to fingers or living room floors.