New & Notable Toys: Educational

LeapFrog® Leapster® Learning Game: Disney Pixar Toy Story 3 by LEAPFROG
As Andy prepares to depart for college, Buzz, Woody and the rest of the loyal toys are troubled about their uncertain future. This comical adventure lands the toys in a room full of untamed tots who can't wait to get their sticky little fingers on these "new" toys. It's pandemonium as they try to stay together to ensure that "no toy gets left behind." The game features expanded play for the Leapster2 system, so Leapster2 players can connect online for extra games, activities and rewards, and parents can get detailed learning progress reports through the online LeapFrog Learning Path. 7/26/2010 (Price: $24.99; Age: 4 to 7)

Steps4Kids to Write Modern Manuscript by Steps4Kids®, LLC
This 90-minute, award-winning instructional handwriting DVD uses video modeling to teach modern manuscript letters. It supports D'Nealian penmanship programs and has breaks that show how to draw using select letters and Look2Write breaks to develop reading and writing skills.
Awards: 2010 Creative Child Magazine Media of the Year; Dr. Toy Best Vacation Products 2010 7/16/2010 (Price: $24.99; Age: 4 to 8) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Civil War Poster by EUROGRAPHICS INC.
This 24" x 36" educational poster portrays leaders of the American Civil War and includes a timeline of battles and events. 7/14/2010 (Price: $18.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Splashimals by MILLIWIK LLC
Splashimals can be played anywhere there is water but it can also be played on dry ground too. For ages 2 to 5+, depending on the age, children can use the cards for animal recognition, for creating new animals by mixing the combinations, for a game of memory, and for practicing reading skills. 7/12/2010 (Price: $9.95; Age: 2 to 10) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Flower Feelings by EI KIDS
Flower Feelings are emotions brought to life as a garden of eight adorable plush characters, each with a distinctive facial expression identifiable by the feeling name embroidered on the back. Accompanying the toy is a full-color booklet describing the individual traits of each emotion, along with playful questions and answers designed to help children recognize feelings in their own life. A sing-along CD about the Flower Feelings is included in the package, along with lesson plans for home or classroom. "The colorful and engaging plush allow children a tangible way to embrace their feelings while the activities and song included in the kit provide many ways to create a positive setting in which children can express their emotions," Ei Kids President Daniel Nix told TDmonthly. ( Watch Video) 6/28/2010 (Price: $59.00; Age: 2 to 8) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Kids' Garden by BAREFOOT BOOKS
With 40 interactive activities and games, Kids’ Garden encourages children to engage with the outdoors and appreciate the green world around them. Each double-sided card has step-by-step instructions with colorful collage artwork.
Awards: 2010 Ippy Award Best Children's Interactive Category ( Watch Video) 6/25/2010 (Price: $19.99; Age: 6 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Design and Drill by EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS INC.
Kids can fire up this "power drill," grab some bolts and create a mosaic masterpiece. Designed to build coordination, the kit includes a power drill, screwdriver, wrench, three interchangeable drill bits, 20 bolts, an 11.5" pegboard and 20 idea cards. ( Watch Video) 6/16/2010 (Price: $39.95; Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Miracle Pounding by PLAN TOYS
Miracle Pounding is designed to add excitement to a traditional ball pounding activity. When children hit the ball with the wooden mallet the toy pushes out a different ball, ready to pounded again. ( Watch Video) 6/16/2010 (Price: $34.95; Age: 2 to 5) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Buzzlewords® The Spelling Bee Game - Level 5, Adult by THE SPELLING BEE GAME INC.
Designed to allow practice and improvement for spelling skills, this 2- to 6-player game comes with a colorful game board, a tri-colored die, six bee playing pieces, 300 Buzzleword cards and 50 Buzzlebee cards. The spelling words are taken from actual school lists, and the adult version is ideal for family game night or play with friends. The game includes spelling words at three levels of difficulty. ( Watch Video) 6/14/2010 (Price: $18.95; Age: 100 to Adult) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Multiplication Flash Cards by SCHOOL ZONE PUBLISHING CO
Kids can learn to multiply numbers 0 to 12 with these 55 pocket-sized flash cards. ( Watch Video) 6/7/2010 (Price: $2.99; Age: 8 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Division 0-12 Flash Cards by TREND ENTERPRISES INC.
Fun activities and helpful tips make learning division easier. Great for test prep and review. Cards are self-checking, colorful, durable, and feature rounded corners for quick sorting. 99 cards. 5/28/2010 (Price: $7.49; Age: 9 to 11) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Flannelboard Kit by ROYLCO INC
Foldable flannelboard sets are perfect for classroom and travel. They come with a set of felt cut-outs and are available in a variety of sizes.
— This product is a best seller at Neely's in South L.A. ( Watch Video) 5/28/2010 (Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Cross-Section Animal Cell Model by LEARNING RESOURCES INC.
Teaching the parts of an animal cell to your child is easy, thanks to this hands-on model! The soft foam cell splits in half to show the key parts of an animal cell, including the nucleus, nucleolus, vacuole, centrioles, cell membrane and more. One hemisphere is labeled with the parts of the cell; the other features only letters next to each cell part, making it a natural tool for your child to practice for his next test at home. A Reference Guide is included, providing activity ideas and facts about animal cells.
— This product is a best seller at Neely's in South L.A. ( Watch Video) 5/28/2010 (Price: $18.99; Age: 7 to 11) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Green Chalk Board by CRESTLINE MANUFACTURING CO
Chalk boards convey a classic look at home or school and have many modern applications. They are great classroom learning tools, and have many business and recreational uses as well.
— This product is a best seller at Neely's in South L.A. ( Watch Video) 5/28/2010 (Price: $7.79; Age: All Ages) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Spanish/English Multicultural Feelings Poster by ABC FEELINGS INC.
This full-color 22" x 28" poster depicts 26 different feelings in correlation to the alphabet. It contains both an English word and a Spanish word for each feeling. "This product teaches about feelings, but it also teaches both Spanish and English words," ABC Feelings Vice President Gene Abrams told TDmonthly. 5/27/2010 (Price: $9.95; Age: All Ages) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Dashboard Adventures by SMALL WORLD TOYS
This dashboard has a steering wheel with three horn sounds and an ignition key with a realistic revving sound. It also includes moving windshield wipers, turn signals, a car phone, sirens, a radio and an electronic roller gear shift. 5/24/2010 (Price: $34.99; Age: 2 to 5) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

One Fish Fishbowl by MANHATTAN TOY
This fishbowl features five fish that each make a sound such as a rattle, crinkle, bell or squeak. 5/24/2010 (Price: $28.00; Age: 1 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Ring Flash Cards: Under the Sea by MUDPUPPY PRESS
The fronts of the 26 colorful cards from the Under the Sea set feature marine life illustrations from Janell Genovese. The backs of the cards include facts about the animals so kids can learn on the go.
— Laurie of Double Bugs liked that the flash cards encourage thinking and imagination. She said, “My boys have a blast with these and even made the animal noises to match.”
— Dee from Two of a kind, working on a full house found that within a week her son was remembering what he learned from the flash cards. She felt this would give him an advantage when he started preschool. 5/24/2010 (Price: $12.00; Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

NASA Imagery EarthBall Inflatable 16-inch Diameter Globe by PLANET EARTH GIFTS
This inflatable 16"-diameter "reality globe" is made with thousands of digital images of the world from space. Visually authentic, the EarthBall also features accurate glow-in-the-dark cities and atmospheric conditions as seen from space. The ball is easy to inflate and suspend from the North Pole in a classroom, office or a bedroom. "This inflatable globe is photo-realistic, offering a beautiful, fun and important global perspective," Sole Proprietor Didier Gincig told TDmonthly. 5/20/2010 (Price: $14.95; Age: All Ages) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Solar Power Plus by THAMES & KOSMOS
Solar Power Plus is a gigantic photovoltaic science lab that navigates the fundamentals of solar energy, the conversion of light into electricity, and circuits. This kit includes two of the special solar panels from the Solar Power kit that when connected generate up to 3 volts of electricity to power 22 different models. 265 building pieces are included. 5/20/2010 (Price: $79.99; Age: 8 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Pathquest by PATHWAYS FOR LEARNING PRODUCTS INC.
Developed by an occupational therapist, Pathquest aims to strengthen eye-hand coordination and visual perception through four different quests, with a total of 12 adventures. 5/17/2010 (Price: $6.99; Age: 5 to 8) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

WhisperPhone Element by HAREBRAIN INC.
This easy-to-use educational tool promotes accelerated learning, literacy and new language skills. The WhisperPhone Element is adjustable for fit and comfort, and comes with a lifetime guarantee. 5/17/2010 (Price: $4.99; Age: 4 to 9) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

See-N-Read® MemoryMark™ Reading Tool by See-N-Read® Reading Tools
See-N-Read® MemoryMark™ is a research-based, classroom tested reading tool that helps readers see, focus and remember text while filtering out distractions on the page. It reduces word- and line-skipping and pattern glare (words which appear to move on the page) which are common problems for struggling readers. The clear reading window (ReadBar™) is cut out to allow notation, highlighting and underlining without moving the tool, thus helping readers keep their place on the page. "The shaded area reduces distractions on the page without obscuring context while the clear area is cut out to allow underlining, highlighting and notation without moving the tool away from the text," Steven R. Smith, Marketing Manager of CadenaSmith Enterprises, told TDmonthly. 5/14/2010 (Price: $2.99; Age: 10 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Twisterz Word Builder by TWISTERZ TOYS, LLC
Word Builder challenges children to build new words by twisting the rings in order to create different letter combinations. With the help of their caregivers, children learn how to use consonants and vowels to build words between two and six letters long. The rings are easily removed and rearranged, creating a multitude of possibilities. 5/5/2010 (Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Friendlies Bug Lacing Cards by eeBoo corp.
The insect inventory in this charming set of lacing cards includes a pink butterfly, buzzing honeybee, spotted ladybug, darting dragonfly and a green grasshopper at rest. Little fingers will love lacing around each creature, making the pictures pop. Launch date: 2010. 5/4/2010 (Price: $15.95; Age: 5 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Math-o-matic Bilingual Math Game by SMART PLAY LLC
Math-o-matic is a fun puzzle card game that teaches numbers and math concepts. Children can learn numbers (from 1-20) and their spelling in English and Spanish. Kids can play the self-checking math game using numbers and symbols to learn number sequencing, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. 4/30/2010 (Price: $14.99; Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Money Savvy Kids@Home Kit by MONEY SAVVY GENERATION
The Money Savvy Kids @Home Kit is a starting point to teach a child how to get smart about money. Included is the award-winning Money Savvy Pig, Cow or Football bank, Parent Handbook, eight-chapter CD-ROM (100+ images) with four sing-along songs, Student Workbook, 22-page Coloring & Activity book, and a Money Poem poster. The lessons explore the history of money, where money comes from, the importance of earning money and the four basic money choices: Save, Spend, Donate and Invest. 4/29/2010 (Price: $39.99; Age: 6 to 11) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Early Years by FAMILY PASTIMES
Early Years are four cooperative card games for the younger ages. Each game is designed to nurture and encourage a blend of close observation, communication, imagination, and some academic, social and memory skills in a non-threatening, self-esteem-building atmosphere. The pack includes four sets of 35 cards each: a “domino” word game, an animal memory game, a number/math skills game, and a storytelling game. Jim Deacove, president of Family Pastimes, told TDmonthly Early Years is "a big bargain with lots of play value, and just plain fun to play! Special group game rules are included for accommodating as many as 36 players." 4/29/2010 (Price: $15.00; Age: 3 to 8) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Prostate Plush by I HEART GUTS
This 7.5" x 6.5" plush representation of the seminal vesicle gland could make a great gift for prostate cancer survivors. It is safe for all ages and packed inside a biodegradable plastic sleeve. It is designed in California and made in China. Wendy Bryan, Founder of I Heart Guts, told TDmonthly this item is a "designer educational plush." ( Watch Video) 4/28/2010 (Price: $16.00; Age: All Ages) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Zillio 2D Playground by ZILLIO
The Zillio 2D Playground is a more cost-conscious and compact version of Mega Zillio. Using the included dice, cards, tokens and instructions, kids can play more than 20 different games to build their multiplication, pattern recognition and problem-solving skills.
Photo:
— Hula Hooping Mom found Zillio to be “a fun way to keep kids interested in math and a fun way for you to ‘refresh’ your memory so that you can help with that homework.”
— Mike from Cool Baby Kid enjoyed playing with his nephews and appreciated the educational focus of Zillio. “Being an engineer, I know the value a solid math background can provide and feel that the Zillio Games can assist in preparing the educational foundation for possibly another future engineer in our family,” he said. ( Watch Video) 4/27/2010 (Price: $31.95; Age: 4 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

SQUIGGLE® Shapes & Colors On-the-Go by RANDOMLINE INC.
Ideal for travel, this creative activity includes four colored pencils and gives kids the chance to not only identify shapes but to create objects, patterns and characters. As children work through the pad, the shapes and designs become more complex.
― Out of 39 retailers interviewed by TDmonthly in March 2010 about top items in travel, two said Squiggle On-the-Go is a best selling product in their stores. 4/9/2010 (Price: $6.95; Age: 4 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Shoulder Buddies - Peace by SHOULDER FUN USA LLC
Peace teaches about "Peaceful Smarts." Peace's acronym is W-O-R-L-D: Work together, Open your mind and heart, Remember we are all equal, Deliver this message of PEACE. Shoulder Buddies are unique to their Feather color, so no two are alike. They come with a collectible Shoulder Buddies Coin and a Backpack clip. Shoulder Buddies are not recommended for children under 4 years of age. Jeaneen Muller, Managing Partner of Shoulder Fun USA, told TDmonthly, "Shoulder Buddies can be worn on the shoulder, and are a collectible, educational accessory." Launch date: Dec. 2009. 4/2/2010 (Price: $5.99; Age: 4 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Teach & Play Tiles by MAPLE LANDMARK WOODCRAFT CO.
There are four different Teach & Play Tiles set for the beginning learner. Set 1 has shapes and colors, set 2 includes animals and vegetables, set 3 makes story telling fun with buildings and vehicles, and set 4 reinforces counting skills with numbers and fractions. Each set comes with 12 tiles, printed on both sides with non-toxic inks. The tiles measure 2.25" wide, 3.5" tall and a slight 1/8" thick. Sets come with a cloth storage pouch and suggestions for play. Each set can be used for rudimentary learning at first and then grow with the child in expanding activities. The tiles may be used for matching and sorting skills, comparing and contrasting, categorization, story telling and math practice. Launch date: Summer 2010. 3/19/2010 (Price: $12.50; Age: 2 to 5) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

WILD! Science: Secrets of Cosmetic Science by TREE TOYS CORP.
Creative fun and science mingle in this new kit from the WILD! Science series for girls. Kids can explore the science of beauty with a creative and adventurous edge while learning how cosmetics are created. All the tools required to make your own beauty products are included. Launch date: 2010. 3/19/2010 (Age: 10 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

How To Become an Entrepreneurial Kid, 4-book series by THE FIRST MOMS CLUB PRESS
The concept of this series is to promote financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills and attitudes for readers of many ages in a time when economic realities demand a new kind of savvy skill set. It's designed for both kids and adults. "The simplicity of the work book takes the fear factor out of starting a business," Dianne Linderman, CEO, The First Moms Club Press, told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 2010. 3/15/2010 (Price: $8.95; Age: 5 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

It's Only a Dollar... Until You Add To It! by PROSPERITY4KIDS INC.
This day-at-a-glance calendar with plenty of space for the reusable static cling chores, money and happy/sad pieces is designed to make allowance fun for kids and easy for parents. It includes a dry-erase pen and more than 60 chores to choose from. Launch date: April 2010. 3/15/2010 (Price: $15.99; Age: 5 to 14) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Memo by TERRA TOYS
This colorful version of Memo features some of the smartest animals from the animal kingdom, such as the elephant, chimpanzee, dolphin and parrot. Players try to match up as many of them as they can before their opponent. Terra Toys produces "environmentally friendly products that teach about conservation through an easy to understand medium, Saving Wild Animals," Sean Tyrrell, Category Manager, Terra Toys, told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2010. 3/10/2010 (Price: $9.99; Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Kidknows Outdoor Thermometer by DHS DESIGN LLC
This colorful outdoor thermometer has temperature-appropriate clothing pictures next to the numbers. It is designed to: empower kids to independently choose the right outfit to wear in various temperatures; teach kids to read numbers and to understand the concept of measuring the outdoor temperature as they continue using their thermometer; relieve parents of the struggle with children over appropriate clothing to wear for the day, making morning routines faster and easier; help teachers to teach kids reading and understanding of the outside temperature and seasonal changes; and help schools to get kids appropriately dressed for school recess. Launch date: May 30, 2009. 3/10/2010 (Price: $6.99; Age: 1 to 10) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

My Mass KIt by WEE BELIEVERS
This soft-sculpture, children’s mass kit is designed for play at home or church. This colorful, high-quality toy, when used in conjunction with the included companion booklet, is designed to be an ideal manipulative for instruction in the classroom or playroom. It includes 12 pieces and a booklet in a durable nylon carrying case that's created "to educate, entertain and enrich faith," Stephen Abdalla, President, Wee Believers, told TDmonthly. Launch date: January 5, 2010. 3/10/2010 (Price: $69.99; Age: 3 to 8) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Inchimals™ by FAT BRAIN TOY CO.
Inchimals is a set of 12 wooden blocks with animal images that measure from 1” in height (ladybug) to 12” high (giraffe).  They can be combined with the 100 write on/wipe off math puzzles for kids to practice counting, number values and recognition, fine motor skills, language and more. Launch date: Spring 2010. 2/26/2010 (Price: $29.95; Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

My Busy Day— Touch & Feel Building Blocks by W J FANTASY INC
Each of the 10 blocks in this set highlights a different part of a toddler's very busy day, from their morning routine, to play time, preschool, nap time, dinner, bath time and finally as they are lulled to sleep by a bedtime story. Included on one side of each block is a familiar object to touch and feel. Soft pajamas, a smooth mirror, a fuzzy teddy bear, and more. Largest block is 6" x 6" x 6". 2/17/2010 (Price: $19.95; Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

MobiGo by VTECH
The Touch Learning System comes with a side QWERTY keyboard. It is based on self-education mostly, with Mom and Dad interface that puts the kids in these roles as they go through specially designed educational applications. The screen lets them tap, flick, pat or drag and drop. According to the apps' requirements, children will be using the MobiGo through the QWERTY keyboard, just like their parents. These should also check online on the official website as VTech offers progress reports and reading certificates. 2/17/2010 (Price: $59.99; Age: 3 to 7)

EQUALS by LEARNING BY DESIGN
With the EQUALS game, kids can practice their basic math facts while they play a challenging game with their friends. Every child can be a winner. It does not matter if they are fast or slow with their facts, every child will have a chance to win. Kids can play addition, subtraction, multiplication or division. The game adjusts to fit each child. As they play EQUALS, kids will practice over 280 basic facts.
— "Great game for promoting logical thinking and spacial relations," Jennifer Shuman, owner of 1SmartNoodle, told TDmonthly at Toy Fair 2010. 2/17/2010 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Sid the Science Kid – Sid's Super Fab Lab Science Kit by HASBRO INC.
Sid the Science Kid, from PBS Kids and the Jim Henson Company, focuses on the inquisitive Sid as he explores the world and learns basic science concepts. The travel ready Super Fab Lab Science Kit to ask questions about the natural world, just like Sid. A real microscope, a scale, and sample specimens provide everything a child needs to start their own exploration. Launch date: Fall 2010. 2/15/2010 (Price: $29.99; Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

TimeBuddy™ by GOLEARN LLC
TimeBuddy is designed as a fun, interactive toy that teaches children the concept of time and time management. It connects children’s activities to specific times during the day, helping them develop routines and the understanding that activities are done during certain intervals. Fully customizable, TimeBuddy helps parents tackle the challenging task of managing their children's daily activities against their own. "There are no other products on the market that teach the skill of time management. This unique approach at teaching children schedules and routines will help them become successful adults in a busy society driven by time," Amanda Vasil, Account Executive, AKHIA, told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 2010. ( Watch Video) 2/11/2010 (Price: $34.99; Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

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