This year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held January 7-10 in Las Vegas, was a religious experience for anyone even remotely interested in upcoming technologies. With more than 1.8 million square feet of exhibition space, any and every company launching innovative consumer products showcased the best of their best is on the Las Vegas Convention Center’s sprawling trade show floor. Predominantly geared to the inner kid in every adult, there were also plenty of companies catering to a much younger audience… your grandchildren. Here’s a roundup of eight of the top child-focused technologies coming to stores, websites, or a SkyMall near you:

May the Force Be With Your Grandchild… Wherever They May Be. The Nikko R2-D2 Wireless Webcam and Lightsaber controller/IP phone is accessible anywhere in the world using Skype software and a laptop. The full-function mobility, 360-degree 2.0 zoom lens and built-in webcam enables recording and playback of videos and pictures at a resolution of 628 x 582 pixels. It even senses edges to avoid disastrous counter or staircase falls. The Lightsaber, loaded with a variety of movie sound effects, controls R2-D2 and also functions as a VoIP/USB phone. But when traveling, use a laptop to power, control, view, and record anything in range of the mobile R2-D2 webcam. Available at Hammacher.com for about $350 (though it's known to sell out due to popularity).

In April, Nikko will release a near-full-size R2-D2 Digital Audio & Video Projector. Designed by Texas Instruments, this new product will be complete with built-in CD/DVD player, 20-watt stereo speaker system, R2-D2 sound effects, full-function mobility (controlled by a Millennium Falcon remote control), an iPod docking station, a memory card, and USB slots. Projecting a resolution of 1024 x 768 x GA pixels, it also displays up to a 260-inch DLP picture. Likely a great gamer or film enthusiast collectors’ item, the R2-D2 Digital Audio & Video Projector will retail in the neighborhood of $2,800. Visit NikkoAmerica.com for more info.

Spies Like Us. RJ Technology Inc. unveiled the Watch Mobile Phone which has all the usual bells and whistles you would expect from a normal cell phone but in a watch. The phone/music player/spy cam/Internet-browser watch features voice dialing, 1GB storage, an MP3 player, a 1.3-mega-pixel camera and camcorder (MP4), an LCD touch-screen (which is all the rage this year), and is Bluetooth-compatible. Oh, and it also tells time. Better yet, the Watch Mobile Phone works with any SIM card and does not require a contract. Excpect to see it around April of '08, for a retail price of about $249. Visit RJTech.net for more info.

Come On, Feel the Noise! Gaming chairs were a big item this year, as well. CES showcased a number of companies competing for attention in the ever-growing gaming space, each with their own unique qualities. But it was the Repose E1100, which also won a CES Innovations Design & Engineering Award that really shook things up. The E1100 features the Repose Sub-Sonic Bone Rattler (it interactively shakes or vibrates with the game, or TV content), a wireless 2.1-speaker system, 5-volt USB charger for portable devices and it's compatible with a variety of music players and Xbox 360 Play & Charge Kit. It is also multi-player linkable for the social gamer and comes in five-color design options. Repose Chairs range in price from $200 to $700 depending on a variety of feature options. Check out the new E1100 at ReposeChair.com.

Cue the Music. Although Music Wizard’s Piano Wizard game, by all appearances, seems less sophisticated than many of the other products exhibiting at CES, it's probably one of coolest games for young kids. The game’s look and feel is akin to a simpler Guitar Hero, with the exception that you actually learn something, and at only $200 your grandchild can easily learn how to play the piano and even read music. The Piano Wizard comes with a color-coded training keyboard, is both Mac- and Windows-compatible and is loaded with a variety of background graphics (prehistoric landscape, seascape, a concert hall) and music. Once you’ve mastered the 200 pre-loaded songs, the Music Wizard’s WizardTunes MIDI library enables you to download additional songs to your computer. The Piano Wizard is available at FAO Schwarz and through MusicWizard.com.

I Know, iNo! What tech round up is complete without an iPod accessory? The options to dress up, play, travel with, or link your iPod to your other gadgetry were infinite at CES this year. But one interesting spin on this revolution is the iNo by Sababa Toys. It’s a music trivia game that can also function as a stand-alone iPod speaker system. Up to four players or teams can insert their iPods (not included) one at a time to shuffle their music library and guess an artist, album, song or other trivia questions. Each player clicks a color-coded wireless remote to be the first to guess the answer. There are four electronic scoreboards at the base of the system. The iNo™ comes in three colors (white, black, and pink), is designed for ages 8 to adult, and is available at Target.com for $60.

On the Catwalk. Is there a burgeoning fashionista in the family? Brother’s partnership with Project Runway has produced two exceptional limited-edition sewing-machine models for your little design star. The Innov-is comes in both 40- and 80-stitch models. Both models are lightweight and portable. The Innov-is 80 model is a revved-up version of the Innov-is 40 and offers 40 additional stitches, allows you to combine up to 35 stitches to create, repeat, and mirror favorite patterns and monogram designs with up to 55 alphanumeric characters for “personalized couture.” It also features an LCD window function display, LED-lit work area, built-in automatic needle threading system and free-motion stitching. These models do carry a heftier price tag than their competitors, about $650 for the 80 stitch model, but they come with lots of online and dealer support. Visit Brother.com for more info.

For more information about CES and presenting companies, please visit CESWeb.org.