November 2008 Notable Toys — All

In this bean bag game of skill and accuracy, kids have the chance to choose their strategy — get three in a row to win or UPSET your opponent before they win. Launch date: 2009.

This weather system includes four functional weather instruments: wind vane, anemometer, thermometer and rain gauge. Launch date: November 2008.

This digital metal detector allows kids to hunt for lost or hidden treasures. It includes headphones with audio tone alert and volume control. Launch date: November 2008.

With the Bionic Ear, children can listen to faint and far-away sounds with a range up to 300'. It includes digital record and playback with headphones, plus background noise reduction that makes the hearing amazingly clear. This product helps kids "learn how the secret spies listen to sounds and conversations far away," Janice Hudy, sales and marketing assistant at POOF-Slinky told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2008.

Kids can create their own ancient Egyptian pyramid, scare friends with the built-in mummy sounds, and use the built-in hieroglyphic decoder to read and write their own hieroglyphics — all while learning about ancient Eygpt. Launch date: November 2008.

Kids can learn all about mummies while creating their own from the inside out. With this project, children wrap, paint and display their mummy in the provided carved stone resting place. Launch date: November 2008.

This educational game for one to four players lets individuals create their own scale-model hurricanes. It includes a board game and activities, plus a 29-page fun fact booklet. Launch date: November 27, 2008.

The Lightning Lab simulates lightning and real storm sounds, and includes a 22-page booklet. "The fun and fact booklet not only guides you through using your Lightning Lab, but it's full of fun and interesting facts about the weather," Janice Hudy, sales and marketing assistant for POOF-Slinky, told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2008.

This set allows one to build and display all nine planets of the solar system. It includes a 64-page fun and fact booklet that shows how to conduct more than 20 fascinating experiments with the completed models. Launch date: November 2008.

Kids can project their own scientifically accurate views of the ever-changing night sky, and will learn to locate actual stars and constellations. Launch date: November 2008.

This beautiful 3-D mobile of the solar system is easy to balance and hang, and comes with glow-in-the-dark paint for spectacular night viewing. Launch date: November 2008.

Here's a safe and fun way to learn the basics of chemistry without blowing up the house. This kit uses common household substances to make fun things such as rock candy, super bubbles, molding clay, flip-flop slime and more. Launch date: November 2008.

Cryptography, the spy science of secret messages, is everywhere. Kids can learn the secrets to keeping secrets with this product, using codes, cyphers and hidden messages to communicate. "[It] comes with a step-by-step, easy-to-read manual that will guide you through fingerprinting," Janice Hudy, sales and marketing assistant for POOF-Slinky, told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2008.

Kids can study the basics of chemistry while creating five different types of ooey, gooey ooze: sewer slime, wiggly wonder, power putty, flip-flop slime and glooze. Launch date: November 2008.

This kit introduces the basics of electric circuitry. It can be used as a telegraph, or kids can change the circuit and use it as a bell or buzzer. The battery is not included. Launch date: November 2008.

No tools are needed to make this powerful electric motor that powers its own motorboat and teaches the basics of chemistry. The battery is not included. Launch date: November 2008.

Kids can build a working crystal radio that will pick up radio stations and allow them to experiment with radio waves while learning chemistry basics. No batteries or soldering are needed. Launch date: November 2008.

Kids can whip up and delight in two ooey, gooey slimes, while learning what polymers are and why they act the way they do. This kit contains safe, non-toxic ingredients and includes step-by-step instructions. Launch date: November 2008.

Kids can mix up and enjoy two more kinds of slime that wiggle, bounce and snap. This kit contains safe, non-toxic ingredients. It "comes with an easy-to-read, step-by-step instruction manual to guide you hrough your experiments," said Janice Hudy, sales and marketing assistant for POOF-Slinky, Inc. Launch date: November 2008.

Kids put their aiming skills to the test with this Shuffleboard-style tabletop game that's as fast as it is fun. The game includes dual-action bumpers for lightning-fast play. Launch date: November 2008.

This game balances fun with gravity. Players rotate the pivoting platforms to guide six steel balls and collect points, experiencing nerve-racking action as the balls begin to fall. "It's fully enclosed which makes for safe fun!" Janice Hudy, sales and marketing assistant for POOF-Slinky, told TDmonthly. "It comes with simple, easy-to-read game-playing instructions." Launch date: November 2008.

Bob the Builder and his Can-Do Crew welcome two new members, Gripper and Grabber, as they hurry to finish a new sports stadium in time for the Sunflower Valley Games. Launch date: January 6, 2009.

These 3.75", fully articulated historical action figure warriors are highly detailed and accessorized with accurately rendered uniforms, armor and weapons. The collections features "unique play and collectible value born of perenially compelling, historical themes and a high level of poseability," Len Gatdula, product development manager for Unimax Toys, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009.

Tatutina's Nylon Totes are made of easy-care padded nylon with sturdy handles. There are four styles that coordinate with Tatutina's collections — Pastel Flowers, Jungle Animals, Dinosaur and Butterfly — and are great for playrooms, bedrooms and car rides.