November 2008 Notable Toys — All

Le Cafe is the perfect place to share a cup of coffee or tea. This 48' x 48" x 70" playhouse features an awning, roll-out patio and swinging front door with a roll-up window. The cover is made of high-quality polyester in bright, vibrant colors. Shock-corded poles make for easy set up and storage. It includes an apron. Launch date: January 4, 2008.

From the award-winning Belgium television producer and best-selling author An Vrombaut, "64 Zoo Lane" follows the adventures of little Lucy who lives next door to a zoo. Every night, she climbs out of her window, slides down the long neck of a giraffe and listens to the animals at the zoo tell her a story. The characters entertain as children explore social and emotional issues and learn about language and vocabulary. The charming animated series combines intelligent storytelling with a timeless picture-book quality and features a range of diverse characters from many parts of the world. Launch date: July 29, 2008.

This distraction device rolls into a room, stands itself upright, and explodes into pieces. Part of the Spy Gear line, it offers a stealthy surprise when a child rolls it into any space. Launch date: September 2008.

Googly Giggler is available in four different personalities. When one shakes him, he bounces, wiggles and sings a wacky tune. Launch date: June 2008.

Kids can turn the knob of this spinning toy and watch the Spinny go round and round. The simple design is available in a variety of colors and can provide hours of fun. Aside from toddler use, it also has application for adults in physical therapy rehab (grasp handle and turning action), stroke victims and alzheimer patients. Launch date: July 2008. Display Ideas: It should be featured with other Holgate toys. The clear acrylic toy box provides for maximum visibility for consumers and keeps toys well protected.

Champ, one of Animaland’s most popular stuff-your-own-plush, is dressed in a varsity jacket and offers an interactive experience that is excellent for school fundraisers. Animaland plush is stuffable on any standard stuffing machine or by hand. Animaland offers more than 150 styles of animals and over 100 outfits, making the interactive experience unique and personal for each customer. Launch date: February 2008.

Lizzi, Animaland's 20" VIP Plush Snow Leopard, is one of five beautifully crafted and detailed “stuff-your-own-plush” designs developed for use exclusively with Animaland stuffing machines. VIP tags contain the conservation status, average lifespan, habitat, size, diet and fun facts about the species in English, French, German and Danish, providing educational and international appeal. Launch date: May 2008. Display Ideas: nimaland’s Stuff-Your-Own Plush is best displayed as both stuffed/dressed toys as well as unstuffed plush and clothing separately. If facilities and space allow, it is most effective to display unstuffed plush where customers can feel the different furs and handle the different styles.

Made out of treated rubberwood and MDF, this product is painted with nontoxic, lead-free paints. Launch date: June 24, 2008.

MagNext is the revolutionary new magnetic construction system that sets a new standard for innovative and safe magnetic play. Designed in partnership with Intertek, one of the world’s leading independent safety labs, MagNext features no small magnetic parts that can be swallowed, and will make it possible to create bigger, stronger and faster builds. Convenient and sleekly designed, the MagNext Drawer Case is cool and easy to carry around. Kids can take advantage of the ingenious build-off plate and drawer compartments to build to their heart’s delight. Launch date: August 16, 2008.

The Light-up Safety Helmet Strobe from Sparx Line was designed to fit the curvature of a bicycle helmet to increase a bicyclist's visibility. Six ultra-bright LEDs automatically activate with movement and turn off when not riding. There's also an override on/off switch. The strobe permanently affixes to the exterior with peel-and-stick, water-resistant tape and is visible for up to half a mile. The included lithium batteries are easily replaced. Launch date: September 7, 2008.

Kids can create their own crazy robots with Muduppy's Robots Magnetic Action Figures. Pablo Bernasconi has illustrated four background scenes and three pages of anthropomorphic robot parts and accessories. The kit contains over 35 magnets, packaged in a hinged tin box that measures 7-7/8" x 6-3/10" x 1". The three sheets of magnets include the robot dolls, clothes and accessories. Two, two-sided cards provide background images. The magnets adhere to the tin for compact, portable fun. The product is printed with nontoxic inks. The company's line of magnetic figures received a 2007 iParenting Media Award. Launch date: June 2008. Display Ideas: Keep a variety and mix the stock. There should always be special setups and endcaps with a mix of formats and themes to get shoppers of one or two styles to consider something new.

This 22", PVC-free, hand-painted "Soft Play" dragon has posable wings, feet and heads. It passes the highest EU standards for toy safety. Launch date: 2007. Display Ideas: Place it where kids and parents can easily play with it and experience the fun of posing its wings, neck and head.

An alternative to plush, Rubbabu toys are made from natural rubber foam and are covered in bright, colorful flocking. The Rubbabu balls have wonderful visual and tactile appeal and come in an assortment of shapes. They are great for rolling, catching, and bouncing. Display Ideas: Have the Rubbabu balls in a large plastic bin that allows children and parents to easily touch and feel how unique the line is. (Product was formerly dist. by PlaSmart)
Awards: Parent's Choice Award 2010

This wooden growth chart measures 6" x 49" and has a place for a picture at the top. It can be personalized with the child's name and is available in four colors. Launch date: October 31, 2008. Display Ideas: Hang it up on a wall where it can be seen, preferably with other personalized items.

Award winning singer/songwriter and author of the "Canta Conmigo" series, Juanita Ulloa sings her specialty, mariachi, in this original mariachi CD for kids. She joins forces with the youth mariachi band at Texas State University, where she currently serves on the music faculty, plus producer/performer John Lopez, director of the multicultural music department, and arranger/performer Juan Ortiz, director of mariachi "Campanas de America." Launch date: February 2009.

This two-player, strategic board game has only four rules and challenges players to out-think and out-move their opponent. Launch date: August 12, 2008.

All over the planet, Pixies are losing their homes due to pollution, deforestation and global warming. Kids can save a Pixie and learn about the environment and ways to help. Planet Pixies are earth-friendly soft toys made from natural and organic cotton fabrics. They educate children, encourage their imaginations, and provide knowledge to make eco-conscious decisions. The Planet Pixies website includes interactive games and information on how to help the environment. Launch date: October 2008.

The Fuzion Cobalt features a lightweight aluminum frame design for enhanced durability. With an all-new 360-degree front hanger rotation and compact design, the Fuzion Cobalt brings riding to a whole new level. It also has a floating axle design, cast polyurethane wheels and a telescoping handle. The weight limit is 175 lbs. Launch date: May 2008.

This counter-top teddy bear stuffing machine is perfect for portability and customer interaction. It comes with $1,200 of wholesale product and may be used as a stuffer for plush animals at existing stores, carnivals, fairs or home birthday parties. The stuffing machine can be used with an attendant handling the animal skin or the children can self-service without the need of an attendant for much greater interaction and involvement. Launch date: July 2008.

This premium, collectible, vinyl doll with glass eyes and wig hair is created from real baby photos of Lucille Ball and bears remarkable resemblance to her pouty lips, big blue eyes and curly red hair. Only 10,000 will be made, and each doll comes with a certificate of authenticity with the production number. Launch date: 2008. Display Ideas: The doll is packed inside a color-printed transparent PVC box, so just needs to be displayed in an eye-catching area.

Kids can score a touchdown with the first 100 high-frequency words for sight-word vocabulary. Each player will gain knowledge with high-frequency words as they punt, pass, or run the football-shaped pawn down the field and into the opponent's end zone. The game is for two to four players. Launch date: 2307.

These weather-resistant, injection-molded plastic (PVC) collegiate mascot figurines were designed with automobile antenna applications in mind, but also come with a stage-mounting device for those who would like to showcase the mascot on their desk, dashboard, window sill or anywhere else school spirit is needed. Antenna Friendz are designed to go at the base of an antenna and spin with the motion of the vehicle. Launch date: May 2008.

This soft rag doll wears an outfit that encourages daily wardrobe/dress-up skills. A belt buckle, lace-up boots, a big button removable vest with a zipper pocket, and an elastic hair band help make getting dressed for the day fun through practical play. Wendy has embroidered facial features. Launch date: September 15, 2007. Display Ideas: A large doll stand enables customers to look at all the outfit features.

This craft activity kit enables kids and adults to create handmade bag tags, key chains and more. The pack includes an Enchanted Kingdom poster, 32+ traceable images, oodles of Shrinky Dinks plastic, eight color ball chains, and a photo frame keepsake. Shrinky Dinks® is the amazing, shrinking plastic that you draw on, color in, cut out, and bake in the oven to create all kinds of crafty items such as jewelry, bag tags, charms, magnets and ornaments. Launch date: August 2008. Display Ideas: The product is designed to hang or sit on a shelf.