November 2008 New Specialty Toys — School Supplies

Disguised as a clown, this set is composed of a pencil, a pencil sharpener, and an eraser.

These backpacks take the image of either a dog, frog, or pig on its design. With playfulness in mind, these colorful backpacks are water resistant and simplistic.

These non-toxic oil pastels come in ocean-themed packaging decorated with bright fish and other sea creatures.

This interactive cloth wall chart helps children learn about a subject that fascinates them — the human body. The hanging activity center comes with 16 soft, stuffed, self-sticking organs, and 15 embroidered labels, for hours of science fun. Children love to play with the beautifully detailed, self-checking pieces as they learn about the organs and where they are located in the body. It includes a giant cloth charge (38.5” x 19.5”) with grommets, 16 self-stick organs, 15 self-stick labels and an activity guide. Launch date: January 31, 2008.

The Fossils Collection includes nine different fossils in a handy storage tray, an informational guide, a four-color insert card of photographed fossils, and a die-cut sheet of circle labels for the fossils. Fossils included are brachiopod, bryozoa, crinoid stem, gastropod, colony coral, ammonite, shark's tooth, fossil fern and petrified wood. Launch date: January 31, 2008.

Marko the Pencil shows students how easy it can be to understand and remember science concepts. They can learn about the solar system, weather, water cycle, geology, properties of minerals, volcanoes, plate tectonics, weathering, topography, erosion, energy resources and energy conservation. The approximately 58-minute DVD is an excellent preparation tool for any earth science tests and meets National Science Education Standards. Launch date: October 2008.

Boogie Wipes are the first and only saline-enhanced wipes designed especially for kids’ runny noses. Developed by moms searching for a better way to wipe, Boogie Wipes combine pediatrician-recommended saline with a soft, sterile, moisturizing cloth strong enough to handle the tough job of baby boogies – better known as mucous. They are extra soft, hypoallergenic, alcohol-free and gentle enough for all ages. Boogie Wipes were named as a finalist for the 2008 Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) Innovation Awards. "Saline is the No. 1 way pediatricians recommend treating kids’ stuffy noses, but they hate the process of squirting it up their up their noses," Mindee Doney, director of marketing and product development at Little Busy Bodies, told TDmonthly. "Adding it to the wipe makes it easier to remove stuck-on mucous and the added moisturizers (Vitamin E and aloe) prevent chapping." Launch date: December 1, 2007.

This child-sized water bottle has a connected twist-on top and a “North Pole, Alaska” snowy pole design. It makes a great stocking stuffer when filled with treats or special goodies. Launch date: 2005.
— The custom water bottle is a best-selling item at Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska, according to Operations Manager Susan Miller.

This child-sized custom metal lunch box makes a great gift container. It includes a photo of Santa writing a letter on one side, and says “Santa Claus House” on the other. Launch date: 2005.
— It’s a best-selling item at Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska, according to Operations Manager Susan Miller.

This colorful DVD shows how to write all "contemporary cursive" upper and lowercase letters in cursive, tips to remember letter connections, reminders on correct pencil grips and posture, and colorful graphics to not only show how the letters are written but to introduce cursive sight words to help children learn to read cursive writing. The DVD has received the following awards: 2008 Toy Man Seal of Approval and Editor's Choice Award, Dr. Toy's 100 Best Children's Products 2008, 2008 Parents' Choice Approved Award, and 2008 Preferred Product Award from Creative Child Magazine. Launch date: Summer 2008.

This nationally acclaimed DVD, teaches children to write upper and lowercase manuscript letters on lined paper, teaches ways to remember the proper pencil grip, introduces the children to letter sounds and 100+ sight words to develop early reading skills, and even provides tips on how to avoid letter reversals! It includes fun drawing breaks using letters to keep kids interested.

Bright colored and educational, this space-themed lunchbox from Crocodile Creek features a full-color illustration of the solar system on the zippered front pouch. The planets are named in large print on the lunch box's edge. Measuring 10" W x 7.5" H x 3" D, it can be hand washed in warm water with mild soap.
— “The best-selling is probably lunch boxes,” said Gwen Bowden, manager of Doodlehopper For Kids in Springfield, Va., when asked about top-selling school supplies in July 2008.
— Of 68 retailers surveyed, 7 percent named lunch boxes as their best-selling school supply item.
— “The new pocket in the front of the lunch boxes gives kids a great place for their silverware or their snacks, and parents like them because they can be easily wiped clean, they are free from PVC and phthalates, and … they conform to all U.S. and European safety standards,” Crocodile Creek’s Northwest sales representative, Jeff Saad, told TDmonthly.

This 13.5” x 10” wooden case holds a colorful array of 113 pieces: 32 fine tip markers, 28 colored pencils, 24 oil pastels, 20 crayons, two drawing pencils, a ruler, an eraser, a pencil sharpener, a fold-out drawing board and two easel clips. It includes drawers to hold supplies, and opens to show a fold-up easel.
— When asked about top-selling educational products, Terry Watkins, employee of Interactive Toys, Crafts and More in Cle Elum, Wash., said, “Paints and watercolors, and we sell a lot of crayons.”
— “[Customers] like [art supplies] because they are educational and keep the child busy,” said Donna Stone, manager of The Perfect Present in Suwanee, Ga.
— Ten percent of retailers told TDmonthly in summer 2008 that art supplies are their top-selling educational and school-supply items.

Manufactured out of durable polyester, this brightly colored backpack is sized for a younger child. It features adjustable, padded straps, a smaller front zipper compartment, and a mesh pocket for a water bottle on one side along with printed dinosaur graphics.
— Teresa Ford, owner of Kids Ketch in Lewes, Del., told TDmonthly she sells an average of 10 per month of this product — her top-selling backpack.
— Ten percent of retailers said in July 2008 that backpacks top their sales of school supplies.
— “They’re made of great quality materials, where a lot of children’s backpacks are a little cheaper.  The big buzz right now is that they conform to all U.S. and European safety standards, as well,” said Jeff Saad, Crocodile Creek’s Northwest sales representative.

This workbook includes exercises on basic early-math skills, including writing numbers, sequencing, and matching words to numerals for numbers 0 through 10.  The write-in book is illustrated with fun images to interest the child and help them remember what they are learning.
— “We carry a bunch of their workbooks,” Sue Banducci, owner of Games Unlimited in Danville, Calif., told TDmonthly about School Zone.
— “Math in general gets requested a lot,” said Merrick Smith, owner of Piccolo Mondo in Portland, Ore., of her customers’ needs in school supplies.
— Ten percent of the 68 retailers surveyed said in July 2008 that, of their educational products and school supplies, workbooks are the strongest sellers.

Round and colorful, these puffy blowfish erasers are available in four assorted colors.

These hamster-themed erasers are available in six assorted colors. They can be taken apart and put back together like a puzzle.
—  As of 05/13/2011 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 10 reviews on Amazon.com. Cons: Not suitable for younger children because the small pieces constitute a choking hazard.
—  Belmont Toys in Belmont, Mass., sells from 800 to 1,000 Iwako erasers monthly, Manager Gage Brownell told TDmonthly in October 2008.

These erasers look like individual Japanese sushi, and are available in six different designs.
— "I don't know why it's such a craze, but I sell hundreds," Meredith Zellweger of Toy Jungle in Manhattan Beach, Calif., told TDmonthly in July 2008.
—  “They're selling hundreds a month,” seconded Deran Muckjian, owner of Catch a Falling Star in Lexington, Mass.
—  Nine percent of 64 retailers said in summer 2008 that Iwako erasers are creating a buzz in their stores.