Toddlers: The Many Talents of Elmo

By Michele Blandino

Do you remember the "Tickle Me Elmo" craze of the mid-1990's? It seemed as though virtually overnight, this toy went from just another item on the toy stores' already burgeoning shelves to the hottest thing since the Cabbage Patch Doll craze of the 1980's, causing parents to camp out in lines during the wee hours of the morning in the hopes of snaring one of the coveted toys.

While it's unlikely that there will be another Elmo toy that reaches the same height of popularity, that hasn't prevented the good folks at Fisher-Price from coming up with a few more specialty Elmos, just in time for the holiday shopping season.

In case there are few toddlers on your shopping list, or if you just happen to like the red-haired little guy, here's the rundown:

E-L-M-O

You guessed it: this Elmo belts out his version of the 1970's Village People classic "YMCA". Amazingly enough, he also attempts to spell out the letters, but alas, his arms are a little too short to convincingly pull this off. A second squeeze of Elmo's hand will result in an invitation to "spell" along with him, which little ones should find amusing.

Hokey Pokey Elmo

If 1970's disco isn't your style, you may want to consider the Hokey Pokey Elmo. As the name implies, this version puts his right hand and right foot "in" before "shaking all about" - well, actually turning on a rotating platform placed beneath one foot. Another cute feature is that when the doll is tipped over, it will ask to be picked up.

Rock 'N Roll Elmo

This one is for those who prefer their music a little louder! Rock 'n Roll Elmo comes decked out in jeans, sneakers and a "pleather" jacket, toting his own electric guitar. He plays two songs, albeit a little loudly: the Jackson Five's "ABC" and Jerry Lee Lewis's classic "Shake, Rattle, and Roll".

Guess What? Elmo

For the non-dancers, there's Guess What? Elmo. Through the miracles of modern technology, this version "chats" about a different topic - mostly things that are presented in his television show - each day. There are seven different conversation topics and over 200 phrases in all. A special timing mechanism helps keep track of the topics so that a new one is presented each day.

Potty Elmo

It was just a matter of time before this one popped up. This version has Elmo dressed in a diaper, t-shirt and booties, accompanied by a book, a sippy cup, and of course, the requisite potty - which, by the way, makes real flushing noises. Elmo either has "success" or an "accident", and, not surprisingly, there is the appropriate song to go with each event. While this doll probably won't be much help in toilet training your child, it is somewhat entertaining.