With so many high-tech toys on the market this holiday season, let's not forget about low-tech alternatives.

Back in the day, fun for kids might be heading outside to pick blackberries. Not much has changed. Today, kids still love Blackberries–and Sidekicks, iPhones and iPods.

We’ve come a long, long way.

A New York Times article says kids these days aren’t satisfied with fake versions of Mommy and Daddy's toys—they want the real deal. Go to any toy store, and you’ll find working kid-versions of cell phones, digital cameras and mp3 players, some for kids as young as two. One of the most popular toys this holiday season is the Easy Link Internet Launch Pad from Fisher-Price that allows pre-schoolers to surf the Web "just like Mom and Dad." (Does that include obsessive email checking and carpal
tunnel syndrome?)

How about some low-tech alternatives to the super-wired world of toys? Take Legos, for example—full of endless building possibilities. (Check out what artist/sculptor Nathan Sawaya does with the legendary Legos on brickartist.com) Then, of course, there are the old stand-bys: Lincoln Logs, Play-Doh, ant farms, Tinkertoys, and everybody's favorite, Mr. Potato Head. Good clean fun, without a USB port.

Will you be buying hi-tech toys for your tots this holiday season, or will you stick to the classics?