Archives of Notable Toys

The current Perplexus games are sphere-shaped, but Warp is, well, a warped sphere. "If one had to name it, it would be called a spherical octahedron, but around here we just call it weird, cool, different, warpy, or the hyper egg. The new shape is also a bit easier to hold, doesn't roll off a table, and maximizes player's visibility all in a fun new size," says Matt Nelson of Perplexus, LLC. Perplexus Warp features nine internal cups that act as "baskets" when you maneuver the marble to leap into them, and a new internal pivot that gives the illusion of a magnet sticking to the ball, defying gravity, as it travels across a bridge with no rails. Warp has six flagged check points, 50 challenging events, and is deemed a difficulty level of six.
Awards: 2014 TDmonthly Magazine Top Toy Award

All you need is sunshine, water and your creativity to make unique and beautiful sun art prints! Place natural objects like flowers, leaves, shells or even man-made objects on the sun-sensitive paper. Add the foam letters to spell out a message. Use the enclosed dry erase markers to write or draw designs on the acrylic panel. Set outside on a sunny or overcast day or even indoors in a sunny window. Sit back and watch as the sun turns the paper a beautiful blue! Everything needed to make 15 unique and beautiful sun art prints! Kit includes 15 sheets 8” x 10” SunArt paper; one 8” x 10” acrylic panel; three 8” x 10” sheets of decorative clip art; two dry erase markers and 78 foam letters. For ages 6+. Made in USA.

Take the ultimate safari adventure with this fully loaded 12 in 1 National Geographic Animals kit from Laser Pegs! Animal enthusiasts everywhere will love building models of their favorite wildlife friends like the Elephant, Giraffe, Lion, Rhino, and many more. Pump up your playtime by lighting up your creations to extend your safari well into the night!
— Teresa Derry, owner of Annie's Toy Chest in Cocoa, Fla., told TDmonthly in a November 2014 survey that Laser Pegs is one of their store's top-2 best-selling toy lines.

In common with all Goblins, Night Goblins are petty, if cowardly creatures. Where they differ, however, is that their Shamans prepare them for battle by brewing huge quantities of fungus beer, lending them sharper instincts and quicker reactions, if rendering them paranoid and twitchy at the same time. This multi-part plastic boxed set contains 20 multi-part plastic Night Goblins, which can be assembled with spears and shields, hand weapons and shields or bows. It includes options for a Champion, Standard Bearer, Musician and Netters.

The Doc is in, and it’s time to learn! This versatile matching game is a fun and rewarding way for preschoolers to learn numbers and shapes, the building blocks of math. With three ways to play, kids visually and verbally identify numbers, basic shapes, and images inspired by Doc and her stuffed-animal friends. Between two cards, there is always one match. Spot it and you win!
© Disney

Dolphin Rainbow Dreams 100 Piece Kids Jigsaw Puzzle #1033. Michael Searle has done it again with his luminous illustration of an ocean escapade. In this 100 PIECE KIDS JIGSAW PUZZLE you can follow the pod of dolphins through sparkling waves, and see what wonders lay at the other end of the rainbow. Swim amongst the tropical fish, and enjoy the magic of this dream-like scene. 100% MADE IN THE USA, this JIGSAW PUZZLE is created for KIDS AGES 6+. The finished size is 11" x 15", and if you'd like to see more of our children's puzzles be sure to check out our kids puzzle category.

Looking for a fun way to teach reading, writing and arithmetic? The Educational kit from Laser Pegs comes with 12 Letter Blocks, 12 Number Blocks, 12 Word Blocks and a 3D Lite Board with 39 FUN games to play! Each block contains an LED that illuminates when connected to the 3D Lite Board. Combine and stack the blocks any way you can to make different words, sentences and equations. 100% compatible with all other Laser Pegs® construction kits so you can build and learn at the same time.

Build, Create and Animate! OGOBILD is a line of creative construction toys created to promote open-ended play and stimulate a child's imagination. This kit contains Animate It! Express software, which was developed with the Aardman Animations studio (the creators of Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run) and is the premier UK education stop-motion animation software. Teaches the basics of stop motion animation. Allows kids to make their own animated movies with Animate It! Express. Takes advantage of the OGOBILD System's Versatility. Share finished films with family, friends, and the world!
Awards: 2014 TDmonthly Magazine Top Toy Award

Build this Strandbeest kit yourself! It has a very interesting mechanism: blowing into the fan makes the animal start walking against the wind. The wind power is conveyed to the legs by 2 gears. The 28-page science guide gives you the history of the real Strandbeest that Theo Jansen started building in1990. The guide also includes easy-to-follow assembly instructions.

Giant-sized solar science fun! This 50 foot long balloon soars high in the sky powered by the sun. Demonstrates buoyancy, convection, thermodynamics and solar power. Teaches Bernoullis Principle and Pascals Principle. Great for science classes and the perfect start to a science project. Bright direct sunlight on a calm, cool day has the Solar Balloon soaring in just minutes. Includes one 50 foot long by 29" diameter Solar Balloon, 400 feet of string, complete instructions and science learning guide. Made in USA.

The brightest creepy crawlers you’ve ever seen exist in this incredible 12 in 1 Spider kit from Laser Pegs! Build your favorite insects like the Grasshopper, Scorpion, Praying Mantis, Ant, and many more.

In the darkest depths of the most sinister forests, even Giants and Cygors can fall prey to the colossal Arachnarok Spider. Towering over houses and settlements alike, this gargantuan creature can be goaded into battle by Forest Goblins who worship it as a living god. Bedecked with shanty towers, altars to the Spider-god or even crude catapults, the Arachnarok Spider will terrorise the Warhammer world. This 95-piece, all-plastic kit comes complete with all the options available to make your Arachnarok Spider truly unique, including a Flinger and a Catchweb Spidershrine. There are also eight Forest Goblin crew for the howdah, many tiny spiders to adorn the base and a Goblin Great Shaman if you choose to use the Arachnarok Spider as a monstrous mount.

What do you get when you combine the DNA from a skunk and a pig?  Answer: a Skoink! The Skoink is a super soft and incredibly fun combination of a skunk and pig! The Skoink is a true favorite of the kids who like to express their uniqueness! Genetipetz are mounted on header cards that make them easy to display and explain for retail customers. These toys feature unique registration codes and free access to the Genetipetz Clubhouse to connect offline and online play experiences.

What happens when you combine a Duck and a Flamingo? Answer: Quackalingo! The Quackalingo is a very vibrant mixture of a bright yellow duck and a chic flamingo! This toy is part of the new Genetipetz travel buddy collection. Perfect for trips to see grandma or just to curl up with a good book.  Includes free access to the online Genetipetz Clubhouse where members can play games, learn about basic genetic science and interact with all the Genetipetz characters!

What do you get when you combine the DNA from a leopard, a crab and an octopus? Answer: a Leopoctocrab!The Leopoctocrab is a very cool mixture of a funny crab, a spotted leopard and a clingy octopus! This toy features little suction cup feet to help it cling to smooth surfaces! Genetipetz are mounted on header cards that make them easy to display and explain for retail customers. These toys feature unique registration codes and free access to the Genetipetz Clubhouse to connect offline and online play experiences.

What do you get when you combine the DNA from a fox and a hawk? Answer: a Hawx! The Hawx is the wild combination of a clever fox and soaring hawk!  The Hawx is a fan favorite popular with both boys and girls, sure to “fly” off the shelves! Genetipetz are mounted on header cards that make them easy to display and explain for retail customers. These toys feature unique registration codes and free access to the Genetipetz Clubhouse to connect offline and online play experiences.

This colorful 654 piece puzzle will challenge puzzle lovers old and new with its swirling spiral design.
— In a July 2014 survey, one out of 14 retailers told TDmonthly that Colorful Krypt from Ravensburger was their store's best-selling puzzle.

500 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle. Second Place winner of the 2012 Springbok Image Contest. These twists of color will point you to lots of fun as you piece together their bright and winding rainbow hues. This puzzle is full of deepening hues of bright color and unexpected shadows making for a fun challenge.
— In a July 2014 survey, two out of 14 retailers told TDmonthly that Twist of Color was their best-selling puzzle.

Walt Disney and all the wonderful things that sprang from his amazing imagination remains everybody's all time favorite. Whether you are a new young fan or a member of the older generation remembering the characters from your childhood, our Disney collection always guarantees fun, joy and wonderful memories! Look for more fabulous puzzles from our World of Disney Collection.
— In a July 2014 survey, four out of 14 retailers told TDmonthly that Ravensburger was their best-selling puzzle brand.

Perfect for more advanced puzzlers, these awesome 100-piece puzzles come packaged in a cool towerlike box and include high-interest themes with detailed illustrations. Made entirely from recycled materials, these puzzles are great for bigger kids ready for a bigger challenge than standard floor puzzles. Ready! Set! Race! From monster trucks to souped-up race cars, this super fun puzzle is packed with wacky action. Kids can learn about the different kinds of crazy racing that really exists, like tractor pulling and monster truck racing, right on the box!
— In a July 2014 survey, one out of 14 retailers told TDmonthly that Crazy Car Race from Innovative Kids was their store's best-selling puzzle.

High performance toy jet plane that makes sound and lights up. Batteries not included.
— Crisi Chapman, owner of Dear Friends & Children in Duncan, Ok., told TDmonthly in a July 2014 survey that Master Toys Bump N Go vehicles are one of their store's top-2 best-selling electronic / battery operated toys.

Sonic All-Stars Racing Transformed is the latest racing game in the fan-favorite series starring Sonic the Hedgehog. Now the video game racing has escaped the game console for a new series of radio-controlled racers! The latest series features Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails in vehicles that also boast working lights! Burn rubber with Sonic! Each sold separately!
— In a July 2014 survey, one out of 14 retailers told TDmonthly that the R/C Sonic cars were their store's best-selling electronic / battery operated toy.

With a flick of your wrist the Toysmith Light Up Rail Twirler moves around the 10.5 rail. The magnetic spin action and the light-up feature makes this fun and a bit of a game of skill. Requires 2 AG-13 batteries (included).
— In a July 2014 survey, one out of 14 retailers told TDmonthly that the Toysmith Light Up Rail Twirler was their store's best-selling electronic / battery operated toy.

The classic electronic game of memory is back in a take anywhere carabiner format. Ever-increasing sequences of lights and sounds command your response. Keep the pattern and you just might beat Simon™! HASBRO and its logo and SIMON are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission. 2009 Hasbro.  All Rights Reserved. Requires 3 AG-13 button cell batteries, included. Measures 7.62” x 6.12” x 1.25” in pkg.  Ages 7 & up.
— Dean Smith, owner of JaZams in Princeton, N.J. told TDmonthly in a July 2014 survey that the Simon Electronic Carabiner was one of their store's top-2 best-selling electronic / battery operated toys.

Winner of a 2014 TDmonthly Top Toy Award, SET DICE is three games in one: SET CUBED, SCRAMBLE SET & CROSSWORD SET. SET CUBED is a strategy game with over 10 Best Game Awards! SCRAMBLE SET is fast-paced family fun, just like your favorite card game. CROSSWORD SET: create SETs up, down and across connecting all of your dice before your opponent.
 
Whichever way you decide to play, you will have fun with these custom over-sized dice. The more SETs you make, the higher your score. Roll, Connect, WIN!
 
Great for travel, free demo available with purchase of 11 games. 1 to 6 players. Ages 8 to adult.
Awards: 2014 TDmonthly Magazine Top Toy Award