Designed for ages 6 months and up, these are vegetables a child can actually listen to and cuddle. Made of velour and cotton/polyester, the carrot and tomato make rattling noises, while the lettuce leaf rustles.
— "I would say any of the Haba grocery items," said Candace Gooch, owner of At Once All Agog in Limerick, Maine, when predicting 2007 holiday sellers.
— "I haven't even thought about it yet — not sure what’s going to be hot — but every baby is new and needs the basics. Haba baby always does well," said Peg Scholtes, owner of Capitol Kids in Madison, Wis.
— Two of 54 retailers TDmonthly spoke to specifically cited Haba pretend food as something to watch for during the 2007 holiday season.

For 6 months and up, this toy features four silly sea creatures in a mesh-bottomed bowl. The Fill & Spill Fishbowl is a multi-textured toy that rattles, jingles, squeaks and crinkles in little hands. Made with soft materials, it is machine washable, self-storing and great for travel. It measures 8" x 12" x 6" inches boxed.
— "I haven't done my Christmas shopping yet, but these just came in yesterday and I'm pretty happy with them.  There's a Fill and Spill Picnic Basket, Jug and Fish Bowl. There's also a flower pot version and a candy jar," said David Campbell, owner of Amazing Toys in Great Falls, Mont.
— "They're little see-through items. They sell for $20. They look pretty good,” Campbell added.
— "Made with ultra-soft materials, this clever activity toy helps develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination and stimulates tactile senses in delightful ways," said Valerie Cavallaro of Melissa & Doug.

The Walker Wagon is designed to aid children in moving. The added seat allows brother and sister to come along for the ride, and there's sufficient room behind the seat to store utensils or other toys. Even the seat itself can double as storage for items baby likes to wheel around the house. The Walker Wagon is of sturdy construction and features rubber tires on wooden rims.
— “I'm selling like one a week. It's amazing. I'm sold out now,” said Jude Larene, owner of Izilla Toys in Seattle.
— “It’s a great seller and I just think it'll take off in the holidays,” Larene added in fall 2007.
— Four of 54 retailers told TDmonthly that Haba will be big in the baby category for Christmas 2007.

The 3.5" x 3.5" x 8.5 Rainbow Stacker is a classic toy that allows infants to develop cognitive and motor skills. It comes with seven rings, each a different color and size, as well as a ball and a wooden base. Kids can stack the rings in order from largest to smallest, and place the red ball on top to complete the task.
— When asked to predict a hot baby item for Christmas 2007, Shirley Reilly, owner of Let's Play in Hillsboro, Ore., said, "Probably the Melissa & Doug Wooden Stacking Rings ... because they sell for $5. Parents and grandparents like to buy it for kids."
— Seven of 54 retailers asked by TDmonthly said that Melissa & Doug baby toys will be big-ticket items for the 2007 holiday season.
— "The Rainbow Stacker is a true classic toy. It includes eight smooth, easy-grasp wooden pieces to stack on the solid wood, rocking base," said Valerie Cavallaro of Melissa & Doug.

Through simple vignettes in this chunky 24-page board book, and on each side of the five 6" x 5 1/2" x 5" soft blocks, children learn about joyful playing, friendship, caring for others, sharing, helping and other positive qualities that warm the heart. A soft carrying case is included. $100 minimum wholesale order. Launch date: September 1, 2007.

These latest Lilybugs bottle and sippy cup holders have more tactile features to stimulate older babies. In addition to new back designs, they also have crinkly ears and some have squeakers to keep babies and toddlers amused as they learn to feed themselves.

The interactive, educational bath toy encourages gross motor skills through water play while teaching the principles of action and reaction in a fun way. The colorful bandana hat is used as a scoop to pour water into the head of the Octobuddy. This action triggers visually exciting activity housed in clear, bubble-like chambers in Octobuddy’s four legs: spinning wheels, a whimsical character popping up and a fish feeding. The floating Octobuddy features “innovative design from two of the brightest toy designers out of Israel, assisted by the most critical focus group — their own children,” Jonathan Rimington of Boogaloo PR & Advertising told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2007.

Suitable for ages 6 months and up, this dance mat inspires kids to dance to 36 seconds of nursery rhymes in a hip-hop tempo. The songs are “Bingo,” “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and “Hush Little Baby.” The mat provides seven different spots for the toddlers to step, dance and create their own unique rendition. It provides hours of endless fun and physical activity. Launch date: July 2007.

Every child can be a DJ with his or her own Mix Master Chair. Four numbered light-up buttons deliver cool add-in sounds to the child’s choice of nursery rhyme. When a child sits in the chair and on a yellow note in the seat, all buttons come to life. Kids can create several renditions of each nursery rhyme by pressing three different buttons that light up and provide hours of fun. “Many children love music and dancing to hip-hop, so we have creatively combined great toys with the hip-hop versions of popular nursery rhymes,” said Mathew Knowles, president and CEO of Music World Entertainment, in an August 7, 2007 press release. Launch date: July 2007.

Turn baby's crib into a place to play, explore and discover! Baby learns cause and effect and develops hand-eye coordination by pressing buttons that reward with lights, music, swimming fish, ocean sounds and bubbles. Soft textured head and feet encourage tactile development. Classic melodies are perfect for soothing baby to sleep, and a convenient button activates a soft light so you can check in without waking your sleepyhead.

Little ones can let their imagination roam free on the savannah with this handmade and hand-painted zebra pull along. The zebra will follow with an uneven gait and sound a gentle bell when pulled along quickly.

Created by artist and infancy researcher Alexandra Tornek and media-producer husband Scott Tornek, this educational program is a collection of colorful, animated adventures with illustrated animals moving to the tunes of classic Spanish children’s songs, including “Pajarito (Little Birdie)” and “El Tren (The Train).” The 16-song DVD comes with a Lyrics and Translation guide that can be printed from any personal computer. Songs can also be played separately with a Jukebox feature. It is suitable for children 6 months to 3 years. “So Smart! is an independent creator and producer of top-rated young children’s media, and has won over 30 national parenting awards since its inception in 1997,” CEO Scott Tornek told TDmonthly. Launch date: August 1, 2007.

This personalized CD that sings their name in the music combines children’s favorite Christian songs like “Jesus Loves Me” and “He’s Got the Whole World,” with brand new songs for all to enjoy. It’s a fun CD that lets children know that God loves them and will always watch over them. A personalized label with your message makes it special.

Promote music appreciation and auditory development by introducing your little one to baby-friendly versions of classical masterpieces by Mozart, Vivaldi, Chopin and Rossini with the Baby Einstein Takealong Tunes. A large, easy to press button allows your baby to toggle through seven high quality and enjoyable classical melodies at home, or for on-the-go fun.
  — As of 8.24.10, this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 53 reviews on Target.com and was listed in the top 30 best-selling toys and games. PROS: Engaging and well-designed

Little ones will discover shapes everywhere they look with our playful introduction to five basic shapes. As babies develop, their understanding of the world and how its pieces ''fit'' together continues to progress. You'll enjoy sharing in the fresh sense of wonder that takes shape as your child greets each new discovery in ''Discovering Shapes.''

The multi-sensory stack and play features a funnel-shaped body, easy-to-grasp textured rings, a teething ring and sound and special effects that work to simultaneously stimulate a baby’s sense of hearing, vision and touch. A delightful little yellow chicken sits on top. Launch date: November 20, 2006.

Toddlers can get behind the wheel with this interactive toy. Lights and sounds will accompany the little driver as he explores the sights and sounds at carnivals. The brightly colored steering wheel comes with a matching picture panel displaying images of carnival animals, food, rides and more. Launch date: April 28, 2005.

Bath time has never been so enjoyable. The musical book features a pressure-sensitive melody module that is heat-sealed into the cover and plays music when a child presses the red circle. An adorable baby panda illustrates the classic bedtime song. The 5-1/2" square book contains the lyrics to the first verse to encourage word recognition and pre-reading skills. “Our waterproof bath books are musical!” The Straight Edge Inc. owner Amy Kallman Epstein told TDmonthly. “Music not only has been found to encourage cognitive skill development in young children, but it also is a wonderful distraction for a cranky toddler.” Launch date: July 2007.

Kids will sing, clap and dance along to the 37 tracks on this album. Susie Tallman and friends invite kids to sing along to the upbeat, rhythmic, harmonious, sometimes silly and always beautiful nursery rhymes. A jazz version of “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and a rap version of “Hickory Dickory Dock” are just two examples of the twists placed on each nursery rhyme. This record is a winner of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum and Gold Awards, Parents' Choice Approved Award and Child Magazine's Best Picks of 2002. Launch date: March 26, 2002.

Danny Boy, black Scotty, looks so real, he almost comes alive for kids. He's already assembled, straight from the factory, and was handcrafted in Poland.

The Baby Buzzer from IQ Baby is a unique baby toy with the amazing ability to calm a fussy baby. This musical, vibrating baby soother fits easily in a purse or pocket and has soft teethable ears. It features three buttons set to play sweet, soothing and classical lullabies by Bach, Beethoven and Mozart. Vibrating motion and eyes that light up add to the buzzer's considerable list of features. The Baby Buzzer requires 2 AAA batteries. Demo batteries are included.
— The Baby Buzzer was among the popular baby gift items in the store of Ginger Milligan, owner of Fantasy Island Toys in Fairhope, Ala.

Children can sing, dance and learn Spanish with this upbeat and exciting video that presents colors, numbers and animal vocabulary. The two-DVD combo featuring Volumes I and II has an MSRP of $30.99. “Using upbeat music, chants and movement as well as repetition and visual stimulation, Bilingual Fun introduces Spanish by teaching to the multiple intelligences of children,” Co-founder Jennifer Manriquez of The Bilingual Fun Company told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2005.

Kids can expand their language skills and learn useful, everyday vocabulary and phrases, learning along with the children of Bilingual Fun as they introduce greetings, body parts and food in this fun and interactive video. “Viewers enjoy Bilingual Fun videos because they can participate along with the real children in the programs, as they learn and practice their new language skills,” Co-founder Jennifer Manriquez of The Bilingual Fun Company told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2006.

The Little Squirts Bathtub Toy Set includes five colorful little farm animal squirts for bath-time fun. The set includes a pink bunny, a lime green and black-spotted cow, a yellow ducky, a light blue sheep and a blue horse with saddle. Each toy measures 2” x 2.5”. “The EiEiO collection, inspired by the favorite children's song "Old McDonald Had a Farm," also offers clothing sets, booties, bibs, socks, blankets, door pillows, spoon and fork sets and bath scrubbies and soaps, providing a fun way to entertain baby and teach about animals at bath time and throughout the day,” a representative of Mud Pie told TDmonthly. Launch date: July 2007.

This luggage trolley is lightweight and portable so it can be taken anywhere, from the airport to sleepovers. The dual-purpose bag transforms from a suitcase to a backpack with a simple snap on/off feature. The easy-to-manage bags, made of 100-percent polyester and with black interior lining, are washable and will keep their soft fabric. Some bags, such as this one, come with detachable dolls. Suitcase size is 14” x 11” x 4” and backpack size is 11” x 7” x 4”. Launch date: July 2007.