January Staff Picks

Mama K's Aromatic Play Clay is an all-natural play clay scented with organic essential oils and available in six scents, including soothing lavender, relaxing chamomile and tension-easing bergamot. "I'm confident there is no other product like Mama K's Aromatic Play Clay currently on the market," Mama Made It owner Kari Erickson-Valenzuela told TDmonthly. "It is high quality, 100-percent natural, gluten-free, beautifully colored using only natural ingredients and subtly scented for aromatherapy with the highest quality organic essential oils. It's lovely." Awards: 2009 Goddard Systems Best Green Toys Under $30.00. Launch date: 2009.

Shaped to look just like a Pug (with a bit of extra design detail), this purse is outfitted with a silk blend outer fabric with a floral pattern, a zippered pouch for keys, makeup and cell phone, and the signature silver leatherette paw bearing the company's bone cross logo. It comes in a gift box with a paw-shaped "breathing hole."
— "What's been a surprise to me is the Fuzzy Nation stuff. I honestly chided my wife for ordering them, and I can't keep them in stock," Jude Larene, co-owner of Izilla Toys in Seattle, told TDmonthly in late fall 2009. "Even the expensive $50 purses are just flying out."

Baffle! consists of a 5 x 5 grid of 25 squares on the game board, plus 25 game pieces in five shapes and colors. The player strategically places and removes pieces to accomplish the goal of each particular game. In Baffle! Classic, he must end up with a configuration in which each row, column and diagonal has a piece of each shape and a piece of each color.
— At the Play House Toy Store in Durham, N.C., this game is a best seller, Owner Donna Frederick told TDmonthly in late November 2009.

This package includes 20 elephant-shaped paper clips in assorted colors.

Flip-n-Stack Monkeys includes everything you need to create a perfect monkey tower: four super-magnetic monkeys, one launcher, and a target landing pad. Multiple stacking options allows for the monkeys to be stacked in different arrangements.

This see-through sphere houses a 3-D labyrinth game with 100 barriers, turns, twists and cliffhangers that serve as obstacles to getting a small steel ball to the end. Perplexus was invented by Michael McGinnis, a 3-D design teacher, in the 1970s.
— At Izilla Toys in Seattle, "Perplexus is selling really, really well for us. It is awesome. I just ordered more this morning, cause I sold out in both stores in four days. We're going through about 12 a week," Co-owner Jude Larene told TDmonthly in late fall 2009.
— This game is a top-10 best seller at Dancing Bear Toys in Asheville and Hendersonville, N.C., sisters and owners Sarah and Erika Evers told TDmonthly in early summer 2010. “I can't believe that ball went all the way through the maze!” Sarah said. “I spent the whole day focused on that!”
― Two of 40 retailers listed Perplexus as their top-selling puzzle during a June 2010 survey.

Each Pit-Stop racer includes a plastic chassis, racing decals, paint, paint brush, wheels and axles. Pit-Stop racers are designed to run on 1:64 Hot Wheels tracks. 6 different Pit-Stop Racers to choose from.

This eco-friendly Club soccer training ball is made of synthetic leather and a latex bladder with 32 hand-stitched panels. It is fully compliant with official international ball standards. Printed on the multiple panels are an assortment of colorful dots. "[It] is an eye-catching, fun ball, and labeled with RESPECT — for the game, for the sport, for the players, even for the hands who made the ball, as it is fair trade certified, meaning you can be assured that the adults who hand-stitch these quality balls are paid a certified living wage and ensured healthy working conditions," Monica Turley, administrative assistant for Fair Trade Sports, told TDmonthly. Launch date: December 2009.

Made of durable composite suede material with Fun Gripper™ patented Foam Matrix covering, these vibrantly colorful footballs come in 2 sizes (10" and 8.5") and in 3 assorted neon colors. $14.99-$15.99 each.

Designed with adjustable features for wear across this hips, this Hip&Go is equipped with a storage pocket on each side to carry a wallet, phone, keys, baby accessories and more. It is made of Nappa leather and features interior green lining with a velvety feel.

Fair Share Chore Cards eliminates dreaded arguments among who does what chores and takes the phrase "that’s not fair" out of the housework equation by leaving chore assignments to the luck of the draw. The chore cards have helpful directions printed on each card on how to accomplish each chore safely and efficiently. The only Ace in the deck serves as a "get out of a chore free" card, giving one a lucky break from a chore.

Cobra Cubes is a stimulating 3 dimensional puzzle that facilitates the development of logic and spatial vision. Reading and following the directions make the snake twist around the cubes. Cobra Cubes consists of 40 challenging puzzles in increasing difficulty. For 1 player, ages 6 and up.