Mancala is part of the company's newer line of classic nostalgic games. It's made of solid wood, is painted by hand, and features a clever system to store pieces securely. It also adds a decorative touch to any room.
— When asked about new best-selling games at Ouray Toys in Ouray, Colo., Assistant Manager Rene Leonardi said, "Mancala by Melissa & Doug."
— "They have a lot of the really good wood toys and games," said Allison Smith, owner of Storybook Nook in West Jordan, Utah, about Melissa & Doug.
— Three of 51 retailers specifically cited Melissa & Doug as a customer favorite for games.

The Cutting Food Box is a super-sized play-food set that comes with a child-safe knife. Kids prepare their own healthy meals, cut into them as they make a crunching sound, and then have fun trying to put them back together again. The set includes a cutting board and a wooden crate for easy storage.
— "I think Melissa & Doug certainly ramped up the trend toward wooden toys in designing things like the food-cutting box out of wood," said Nancy Streeter, owner of Eureka in Newburyport, Mass.
— Melissa & Doug dominated the wooden toys' category in an early 2007 survey, as the brand was cited more than 50 times by a collective 51 retailers.
— Two of 39 retailers told TDmonthly that Melissa & Doug cutting foods make popular playsets.
— As of 8.03.2010, this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 201 reviews on Amazon.com and was No. 20 in the top 100 best-selling toys and games. PROS: Entertaining and well-made. CONS: Paint can peel.

The Deluxe Magic Set is unlikely to disappear from the hearts and minds of budding magicians. Providing a comprehensive play experience, the Magic Set comes with 54 pieces in a wooden chest that doubles as a magic table with a secret compartment. It includes instructions to perform standard and new tricks alike. The set is 14" x 9.5" x 3.75" in dimension, but the social, presentation and motor skills it helps kids develop might be boundless.
— "We have tons of Melissa & Doug...they have some wooden magic sets that have done great. Anything magic sells," said Bill Rayment, co-owner of Toy Crossing in Harbor Beach, Mich.
— Idanna Smith, owner of Juggles in Wakefield, R.I., said she liked Melissa & Doug’s new magic kits at Toy Fair 2007.

 Melissa & Doug's Wooden Railway Set provides children with the complete train toy experience. Watch the trains roar by on a system kids help design themselves, complete with cranes, switches and T-junctions. The set comes with 138 pieces, bridges, dozens of curved and straight tracks, trestle bridges, workers, trees, a big Roundhouse, as well as roundtable. The set also comes with a lifetime warranty. 
— "There are train sets — a lot of companies make them — but Melissa & Doug hold up the best," was the enthusiastic endorsement given by Susan Pruett, owner of Kilmarnock Toy Store in Kilmarnock, VA.

When assembled, this 28-piece puzzle measures 10’ long. It is made of heavy-grade cardboard that is coated on both sides and is 20 percent thicker than the competition's material. The company’s colorful, detailed, value-priced floor puzzles are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and piece-counts, ranging from 24 to 100 pieces. The pieces of the Alphabet Train Floor Puzzle are self-correcting and the puzzle itself is an amazing 10’ long upon completion. Launch date: Re-launched January 2007 with revised graphics.
— “Our best seller is Melissa & Doug — their wooden floor puzzles are very popular,” said Melodie Ingwersen, owner of Creative Kids in Columbia, S.C.
— Research conducted by TDmonthly indicated that sales of Melissa & Doug Floor Puzzles were strongest in the Southeast, where retailers averaged more than 30 units sold a month.
— Over 57 percent of retailers told TDmonthly in early 2008 that Melissa & Doug puzzles were the best-selling puzzles in their stores.

It’s time to play “follow the leader” with the Pull-Along Zoo Animals, which contain nine interchangeable pieces as part of a string of unique and colorful animals. One day it’s the giraffe’s turn to be the head of the pack. Another it might be the elephant’s time to lead. Only the child’s imagination stands in the way of all the possibilities. It comes with a solidly built interlocking wheelbase as well as a handy pull-along string.
— “Melissa & Doug — anything they sell…[including] pull toys,” said Paula Hall, manager of Rabbit in the Moon in Louisville, Ky., about best-selling infant toys in her store in spring 2007.
— Two other retailers TDmonthly spoke with mentioned Melissa & Doug pull toys as popular in their stores.
— Retailers who cited Melissa & Doug pull toys as best sellers reported monthly sales of approximately 30 units.

Kids can put an animal in its habitat with the Magnetic Wooden Board Habitats With Animals. They just slide one of the three habitat scenes into the sturdy wooden frame and then sort the magnets to find the appropriate animals for each habitat. They’ll create a beautiful picture on the chosen background. The set includes three habitat scenes (farm, ocean, African plains), 26 magnetic wooden play pieces, a sturdy magnetic board and a plastic carrying case with an easy-zip back pocket. The board measures approximately 14" x 11.5" x 0.5".
— "For the little ones, it's magnetic animals by Melissa & Doug," said Trish Garlock, owner of Treasured Child in La Grange, Ky., about best-selling travel toys in her store. "We sell some [travel toys] every day,” she added.
— It's no surprise that Melissa & Doug made the travel toy best-seller list, as they produce a wide range of magnetic toys well suited to the category.
― “Some concrete examples of suppliers with whom I am very happy would include … Melissa & Doug,” Owner Drew Friedman of White Mountain Trading Company in Lutherville, Md., told TDmonthly.

Kids can serve up a low-fat, high-protein meal to their teddy bears with this wooden play set.
— “Wood slicing food by Melissa & Doug,” Anna Barr, owner Anna’s Toy Depot in Austin, Texas, told TDmonthly, when asked about her store’s best selling wooden toy item.
— “We sell numerous sets of wooden food, like Melissa & Doug ones,” Emily Holmes, a buyer for Ambassador Toys in San Francisco, Calif., told TDmonthly.
— Over 11 percent of retailers told TDmonthly in early 2008 that wooden play-food sets were selling very well in their stores.

The full body Baby Puppet is a perfect pretend pal. The cute character is easily animated with a working mouth. It's fun to play with and sure to inspire the imagination of kids, adults and drama departments alike. All Melissa & Doug people puppets have removable clothing and include a hand-operating rod. The Baby is constructed with super-soft quality fleece, measures 4" x 8" x 18" and weighs 11.2 oz.
— "We sell quite a few puppets from Melissa & Doug," said Char Mcaulay, manager of Toy Town in Casper, Wyo., when she talked to TDmonthly about store sales in the spring of 2007.

The Fold & Go is a roomy portable dollhouse that features working doors, two flexible wooden play figures, 11 wooden furniture pieces and easy-access design, as well as a convenient carrying handle. It's an adorable "mobile home" that's solid, lightweight and built to last. The Fold & Go measures 11.5" x 16" x 10" and weighs 6 lbs.
— "We have a Melissa & Doug Fold & Go Dollhouse that does real well for us," said Joel Hardy, owner of Magpie Toys in Red Lodge, Mont., when asked about play house favorites in his store.
— Seventeen of 62 retailers TDmonthly spoke with in spring 2007 cited Melissa & Doug when asked about play house and furniture favorites with their customers.
— Lynn Robillard told TDmonthly in summer 2007 that Melissa & Doug wooden items are top sellers at her store, Toys in the Attic in Manchester, Vt., for many reasons: They are non-toxic and the company is diverse, including “arts and crafts, magnetic dolls and a huge array of everything imaginable.” 

Every little girl will feel like a princess with Melissa & Doug's Table and Chairs Set. The table and two chairs are elegantly carved with scalloped edges and adorable heart cut-outs, and are embellished with delicately painted flowers and foliage. The set is the perfect size for fancy tea parties, playing “house” or even finger painting, as the table measures 20" H x 24" L. The chairs are 13.5" x 26.25" x 14".
— "I would say our best-selling furniture is the table and chair set that we have from Melissa & Doug," said Char Mcaulay, manager of Toy Town in Casper, Wyo.
— Seven of 62 retailers TDmonthly spoke with in spring 2007 said Melissa & Doug furniture is a hot-selling commodity in their stores.
— "A handful a year" was a common answer about sales of Melissa & Doug furniture that TDmonthly received from specialty retailers.

Children can have a swimmingly good time without getting wet with this Stuffed Sea Turtle. This gentle guy is cuddly, realistic and big, at nearly 2.5' long and 2' wide. It weighs 2.9 lbs. and will reel kids in at playtime — hook, line and sinker.
— "We sell a lot of plush from Melissa & Doug. The big and more realistic animals do well," said Natalie Reese, manager of Angel’s Toy Barn in Greensburg, Pa.
— Six of 62 retailers told TDmonthly that Melissa & Doug is a hot-selling brand in the plush and puppets category.
— Retailers cited sales for the Melissa & Doug large plush at a few per month, with rapid increases to as much as a few per day during the holiday season.

The Learn-to-Play Piano holds the keys to playing a colorful tune. This brightly painted upright features 25 keys and two full octaves to give kids a wide range of notes to play. It also comes with an illustrated songbook and teaching key chart to help kids identify notes on the scale. The Learn-to-Play Piano measures 15.75" x 11.5" x 9.5".
— "Our small children’s piano by Melissa & Doug is big," said Susan Castor, owner of Pentwater Toy Box in Pentwater, Mich.
—    Four of 45 retailers told TDmonthly in summer 2007 that Melissa & Doug items are continuing hot sellers.
—  The four retailers are located in northern states.

Who says paper can't be functional and fun? The Drawing Pad from Melissa & Doug contains 50 9" x 12" sheets of premium heavy weight bond paper. It's great for use with pencils, markers, paints, crayons or anything else with which kids want to leave their mark.
— “The 9” x 12” plain white paper by Melissa & Doug” is the best-selling school supply item at LittleBits Toys in Wellesley, Mass., Owner and Manager Billy Thelander told TDmonthly in summer 2007.
— Thelander said he sells about 36 of the Melissa & Doug Drawing Pads on a monthly basis.
— Five of 45 retailers cited Melissa & Doug as a popular brand in school items.

Containing washable, non-toxic, and child-friendly ink, the Rainbow Stamp Pad from Melissa & Doug will help kids stamp in style. It features six bright colors and is sure to be a valuable and stylish addition to a kid's arsenal of creative supplies. The pad measures 6.5" x 5".
— "Melissa and Doug art supplies — the price is very good. I can imagine parents saying, okay, we’ll get a few packs of...the big Rainbow stamp pad for $5.00 — for younger children. They will be big," said Sue Cooke, owner of Mother Goose in Litchfield, Conn.

These playful animal illustrations will keep children and adults smiling, win or lose. The set of three boxed games includes Old Maid, Go Fish, and Animal Rummy. The game measures 10.5" x 5" x .75" in dimension.
— "Classic card games by Mellissa & Doug — a group of three: Go Fish, Animal Rummy, and Old Maid," said Wayne Kneeland, owner of Toy Shop in Bristol, RI, when discussing top-sellers in his store with TDmonthly.

With this wooden puzzle, kids can hear the names of 26 letters and objects that begin with the letters.
— Puzzles by Melissa & Doug, especially the company’s sound puzzles, are best sellers at Red Wagon Toy Co. in Woodstock, Vt., Owner Kim Smith told TDmonthly in summer 2007.
— Puzzles and other products by Melissa & Doug are also best sellers at Clever Kids in Rochester, Minn. “The prices are great and the product is of high quality,” Owner Michelle Beyer told TDmonthly in late 2007.

Young ladies can create a charming keepsake box with this incredibly colorful craft kit. The Do It Yourself Jewelry Box comes with fun decorative accessories, such as ribbons, stickers, glitter glue, and more. It features a plush velvet interior, ring holder, storage drawer and vanity mirror. This jewelry box is sure to be a treasure during the most precious years of a young girl's journey. The box measures 6.5” x 5.5” x 4.5”.
— Do It Yourself Craft items from Melissa and Doug were among the best-selling items for young girls in the store of Michael Lanz, owner of Kiddy Corner in Ellington, CT.

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.

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 Flower Power Jewelry Kit offers a delightful variety of shapes, colors and patterns to create necklaces and bracelets that are sure to please. The kit includes more than 150 wooden beads and five laces with beautiful wooden flowers to accent a piece. Children can even make their own bracelet or necklace and take it home as a party favor.
— " Beads — I'm selling Melissa & Doug," said Frances Finfrock, owner of Aunt Franny's Toys in Richland, Wash., when asked to predict a hot-selling item for girls for Christmas 2007.
— Four of 54 retailers who spoke to TDmonthly in fall 2007 said Melissa & Doug jewelry and arts and crafts items will be popular holiday picks for girls ages 8 to 12.
— "The Flower Power Jewelry Kit is a wooden bead set featuring a customized organizer, stunning varieties of beads and stringing cords — everything needed to make beautiful jewelry, decorative items and gifts," said Valerie Cavallaro of Melissa & Doug.

This treasure chest features ornate brass handles, a locking skull latch, a pirate bandana, an eye patch, gold dubloon coins and a secret compartment for stashing away the most valuable loot. It has pretend-play value and allows little pirates to learn about adventure on the high seas. The chest measures 6.5" x 9.5" x 7.5".
— Melissa and Doug's Pirate’s Treasure Chest was cited by Linda Hays, owner of Hopscotch Inc. in McMinnville, Ore., when discussing popular items for young boys.
— Five of 54 retailers told TDmonthly Melissa & Doug items would be popular during the 2007 Christmas season.
— "Kids can store all kinds of treasures in this sturdy wooden pirate chest," said Valerie Cavallaro of Melissa & Doug.

Ideal for a first manipulative, this 35-piece set features two-sided pattern boards that have cut-out spaces for secure shape placement. It measures 11" x 11" x 3". Launch date: January 2004.
— “Melissa and Doug — the puzzles and blocks are the best sellers. We sell something Melissa & Doug everyday,” Annie Polard, a buyer for Gretchen’s in Atlanta, Ga., told TDmonthly.
— For Alison Cox, owner of Animal Quackers in Raleigh, N.C., and Sheena Brittman, manager of Weiner Dog Toys in Marco Island, Fla., customers come into the store asking for Melissa & Doug products “by brand name.”
— Over 19 percent of retailers surveyed told TDmonthly that Melissa & Doug wooden blocks are the best-selling item in their store.

This two-sided board allows kids to release their artistic expressions either on a chalkboard or dry-erase surface. It comes with colored chalk, a dry-erase marker, and 36 magnetic letters and numbers. The board measures 16” x 12” x 0.75”.
— As of fall 2007, new art supplies by Melissa & Doug rank as a top seller at Brain Station and Tree Town Toys in Ann Arbor, Mich., said Owners Hans and Tricia Masing.
— “Melissa & Doug has some cute new travel games they just came out [with], and we are selling one or more a day,” Andre Truso, a longtime salesperson at The World of Mirth in Richmond, Va., told TDmonthly in March 2008.
— “New travel games by Melissa & Doug…We just got them in, but they are selling pretty fast,” Mary Fortier, a longtime salesperson at The Toy Palace in Jackson, Miss., told TDmonthly in March 2008.

Each set comes with a special keepsake and plenty of materials to decorate and personalize the mirror. Kids can decorate their mirrors with hearts, jewels, glitter glue, ribbons and more. The entire set is organized neatly in a handy wooden case.
— LB Toys Owner Jamie Burdette in Media, Pa., told TDmonthly that Melissa & Doug’s decorate-your-own kits are so popular that her store sells “40 to 60 per month.”  Sallie Kashiwa, owner of Timbuk Toys in Denver said in July 2008 that her store sells 15 to 20 units per month of the Princess Mirror.
— Lyn Copeland, owner of Copelin’s Toy Zone in Norman, Okla., said that when it comes to Melissa & Doug items, her store sells “over 100 per month.”
— More than 13 percent of retailers told TDmonthly that Melissa & Doug’s arts-and-crafts products are their best arts-and-crafts sellers. In addition to this item, bead and magnetic dress-up sets by Melissa & Doug were also named as popular gifts for girls in a summer 2008 survey of 66 retailers.