December 2006 New Toys —Construction

X-Wing Fighter™ by LEGO

Kids can now build one of the most famous ships of the Star Wars saga. In the hands of the Rebel Alliance’s brave pilots, the X-wing starfighter helped to destroy two massive Death Stars. With S-foil wings that open to attack position, folding landing gear, a cargo hold and lots of authentic details, the starfighter can be customized as either Luke Skywalker’s Red Five or Wedge’s Red Three X-wing. The set includes Wedge Antilles, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca and R2-D2 minifigures. Launch date: Sept. 12, 2006.
— “I wish that LEGO didn’t run out … particularly the Star Wars LEGO. … Their warehouse was empty,” commented Lori Hershman, owner of Evan’s Toy Shoppe in Hamden, Conn., about the holidays 2006.
— “LEGOs were in short supply,” agreed Stan Giliberto, owner of Over the Rainbow in Glastonbury, Conn. “LEGO Star Destroyer was the one they really wanted.”
— Jordan Walden, store manager for Finnegan's Toys and Gifts in Portland, Ore., told TDmonthly in spring 2007, "We don't do a lot of licensed stuff," but "Star Wars LEGO is probably our best-seller" in the category. Finnegan's sells about 50 a month. 12/28/2006 (Price: $49.99)

AquaStruct - Ride Your Inner Wave™ by AquaStruct Inc.

The completely original AquaStruct™ spraying surfboard tub mat and spraying tube wave shower curtain make it possible for tweens to slip through a giant tube wave on Hawaii’s North Shore or to ride the impossible waves at Northern California’s Maverick. No matter the weather, the distance to the ocean, or the time of day or night, with AquaStruct™, you can always Ride Your Inner Wave.™ ( Watch Video) 12/18/2006 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Keva Planks - 100 by KEVA PLANKS

This versatile set includes 100 beautiful hardwood maple planks and a full color KEVA Guide Book. Children can play games of strategy, skill and balance with these perfectly cut, identical construction blocks that stack with surprising stability. Narrow towers can reach all the way to the ceiling. This incredible stability is achieved by cutting the planks with great precision.
— President Ken Scheel of Keva Planks pointed out that “the concept of using a construction set that only has one piece to choose from is very unique. … Each person can build with his or her own skill level and have lots of fun with it.” ( Watch Video) 12/14/2006 (Price: $34.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Trevor Truck & Speedie Joe by WOW TOYS

This chunky and exciting nine-piece construction set features a friction-powered truck with a grabber arm. It includes an extending crane arm with grabber jaws, a swivelling crane cab, a tipper bucket, two construction workers, five building blocks, and a friction motor with realistic engine sound. 12/14/2006 (Price: $44.99)

Flip 'n' Tip Fred by WOW TOYS

Recycling has never been so much fun as with this friction-powered recycling truck with tip and release action. Children can use Fred’s bucket to tip waste into the truck or sort the three recycling bins and flip them into the rear. There’s also a powerful friction motor with realistic engine sounds, an automatic waste crusher, a boy and girl recycling team, and a sturdy carry handle. 12/14/2006 (Price: $49.99)

Colored Building Blocks – 50 Pieces by BRIO CORPORATION

This new line of assorted building blocks features red, green, pink, black and white blocks for creative play. The small-scale blocks are perfect for young hands. 12/11/2006

IQ Preschool 50 Unit Blocks of Fun in Color by SMALL WORLD TOYS

These solid rubberwood blocks are cut into a variety of fun, architectural shapes, and finished to prevent splinters and slightly rounded at the corners to keep play safe. Each of the precisely engineered blocks — rectangles, columns, pillars, arches, triangles and more — is exactly related in size to the basic unit blocks, which helps develop problem-solving and perception skills while nurturing creativity. 12/11/2006 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Lego Racers X5 Igniter by LEGO

This customized radio control vehicle is easy to build, race and rebuild after a crash. Reconfigure 58 pieces, creating an off-road racer, monster truck, or whatever vehicle a kid can imagine. 12/8/2006

Kid K'Nex by K'NEX BRANDS

It’s easy for young hands to snap together these colorful chunky Kid K’nex pieces. Rockin’ Robots kit includes an idea guide, as well as a handy case, making storage and on-the-go fun a snap.
― “K'Nex … has very good deals for the specialty market,” Bill of Tutoring Toy told TDmonthly in spring 2007. 12/8/2006 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Build Your Own Lego Duplo Zoo by LEGO

This hefty tub of LEGO DUPLO bricks, elements and figures is perfect for inspiring little hands and big imaginations to build a whole zoo full of familiar animals, from elephants to penguins, lions to giraffes. 12/8/2006

RC Forklift With Bonus Warehouse by ROKENBOK

The RC Forklift is incredibly functional and life-like. Kids can use it in their Rack’em & Stack’em Warehouse to stack, load and sort beams, barrels and balls. The warehouse includes six pellet racks and ROK bins, two barrel skids, eight barrels and two beam racks. It requires a start set and three AA batteries (not included).
— "Rokenbok finally took off. I’ve been carrying it for six years and this is the first year I remember selling a lot. It's a good construction toy," was the insight given by Karen Williams-Fox, owner of Woodbury Mountain Toys in Montpelier, Vt.
— "Rokenbok is a perennial favorite," added Kathie Dockstader, buyer for Top Ten Toys Inc. in Seattle.
— Rokenbok is the “one thing that sells every year,” Teresa Newman, buyer and manager at Toy World in Wayanta, Minn., told TDmonthly about the holidays. 12/7/2006 (Price: $59.99)

Airport by LEGO

Children can build the complete travel experience on a micro-scale with the LEGO Factory Airport. Kids can learn how to create the communications tower, passenger terminal, landing strip and jet plane, plus their very own airport 5-star hotel. With a variety of great LEGO elements, this set makes a wonderful introduction to the world of micro-building or a great addition to any LEGO collection. It received the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award for 2007. 12/7/2006 (Price: $79.99)

All About Trains Motorized Starter Set by FISHER-PRICE INC.

This 20-piece set includes 13 pieces of track, a motorized engine and trail car, a yield sign, a crossing sign, a gantry with a crate, a coal loader, and a crossing gate. It also comes with a live-action DVD. This product received the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award for 2007. 12/7/2006 (Price: $24.95)

Airport Action by LEGO

At the DUPLO Airport, the ground crew uses the forklift and truck to load the plane’s cargo and passenger luggage, while the pilot prepares for takeoff. Children can put the orange cones in position to guide the plane down the runway, and then radio the control tower for clearance. The 105-piece set includes a plane, a control tower, a forklift, a truck, a pilot, a passenger, two crew figures, and lots of tools and equipment. This product received the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award for 2007. 12/7/2006 (Price: $79.99)

Kiddy Connects by EDUSHAPE LTD.

This set contains 36 ball-shaped connectors that fit together in patterns or random shapes. Determining how to fit the arms together will help toddlers with dexterity and problem solving, and they may also work on color words and counting skills. 12/7/2006 (Price: $12.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Wee Wedgits by IMAGABILITY

These soft-play vinyl stacking blocks form a colorful pyramid. 11/22/2006 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Mythical Creatures by LEGO

Imaginations take flight with this amazing kit of parts to create flying dragons, mythical beasts and ancient monsters. New FX brick lights up eyes and “breathes fire” to create authentic dragon traits. Step-by-step building instructions for eight models come in one kit, with photo inspiration for more. “Every LEGO Creator set is a virtual creativity toolbox,” said Michael McNally, senior brand manager for LEGO Systems Inc.  Launch date: August 2006. 11/17/2006 (Price: $29.99)

Mini EduBlocks - 26 pc set by EDUSHAPE LTD.

These soft, pliable peg-top blocks come in four shapes and colors. This product received the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award for 2007. “Our EduBlocks stand alone in the industry with their soft, flexible and child-safe construction,” Judith Culberson, national sales manager for Edushape, told TDmonthly. 11/10/2006 (Price: $34.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

DUPLO Zoo by LEGO

This hefty tub of LEGO DUPLO bricks, elements and figures is perfect for inspiring little hands and big imaginations to build a whole zoo full of familiar animals – elephants to penguins, lions to giraffes. The handy storage container is stackable and makes clean-up easy and fun. The set includes 128 pieces. “Specially designed for a preschooler’s small hands, DUPLO bricks encourage hands-on, minds-on exploration and storytelling while fostering hand-eye coordination, problem solving, patterns, motor skills and more,” Karen Lynch at Flashpoint PR told TDmonthly. Launch date: August 1, 2006. 11/10/2006 (Price: $24.99)

Magnetix MagnaCase by MEGA BRANDS

This 200-piece easy-to-carry magnetic building case features a base with a silver platform and four metal poles with adjusting bars of metallic colors. Children can design planets, stars and other shapes, then hook them, spin them or hang them. Parts include curves, flexors, twisters, lateral rods, bars, lights, extenders and a chain. The MagnaCase is compatible with all Magnetix Building Sets. It was named one of the 100 Best Children’s Products of 2006 by Dr. Toy and received a Spring 2007 Best Products iParenting Media Award. “For the first time, [Magnetix] features a MagnaBase for base and aerial building. The MagnaCase is a creative factory,” Stephanie Santini of MEGA Brands Inc. told TDmonthly. Launch date: January 2006. 11/9/2006 (Price: $49.99)

Quadro - My First Quadro Kit by PHUNZONE

This large-scale modular construction toy includes colorful, precision-engineered thermoplastic components. Kids can build and rebuild designs and then climb, slide and play indoors and outdoors. The kit helps children with social interaction and motor skills, and was named one of the 100 Best Children’s Products of 2006 by Dr. Toy. “Quadro is the ‘only’ modular large-scale construction toy that you can build multiple designs and then actually play on them. Other products are designed to be constructed and then admired, but they do not have the strength and durability to take the weight of kids playing on them,” George Maday of Phunzone told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2006. 11/9/2006 (Price: $119.90) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Deluxe/Tub Set by RIVER DOLPHIN TOYS

Children can easily snap together 100 rugged plastic pieces to form these poseable creatures: Blue Crab, Dimorphodon, Horse, Sea Lion, Conure Parrot, Hadrosaur, African Elephant, Swallowtail Butterfly, Bull Trout, and Platypus. Or, they can morph and interchange pieces to make various fantasy creatures. Extra pieces and an educational booklet are included with the reusable tub. “Zoomorphs has used PVC in almost every piece. It has a much softer and warmer (emotionally) feel than typical hard plastic. We are also the only animal-only building toy ever created,” president Mark McFarland of River Dolphin Toys told TDmonthly. Zoomorphs has spread through the specialty toy market based almost solely on word of mouth. From around 50 stores back in 2005, Zoomorphs can now be found in almost 1,100 gift and toy stores. The Deluxe tub sets "are opening up a whole new market for us — the educational market," said McFarland. Retailers are again expecting the new Zoomorph set to be as successful as the smaller sets were last Christmas. Launch date: October 2006. 10/30/2006 (Price: $50.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Gears! Gears! Gears! Illuma·Bot by LEARNING RESOURCES INC.

Children can create Illuma-Bot any way they want. This 105-piece set includes unique pieces for innovative building, including a remote-controlled infrared motor with a 25-foot range, a chrome robot head with flashing lights, dome lights, detachable claws, a large light gear and more. Color-coded instructions for building four motorized models are included, or children can design their own creatures. The set is compatible with any authentic Gears! Gears! Gears! building set. It was named one of the Top 100 Best Children’s Products of 2006 by Dr. Toy. Launch date: January 2006. 10/26/2006 (Price: $54.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Motion Power by LEGO

This construction set can be used to make a variety of structures that work with a battery-powered motor box. The helicopter propeller spins and features firing action, the spider crawls, and the bumper car moves forward and backward. The set includes step-by-step building instructions for three models, along with other construction ideas. This product comes with 607 pieces and requires 6 AA batteries (not included). It was named one of the Top 100 Best Children’s Products of 2006 by Dr. Toy. Launch date: August 2006. 10/25/2006 (Price: $49.99)

Magneblocks by Geometix International LLC

Touted as the premier manipulative for spatial visualization and learning, this building block playset can be used to teach art, architecture, design, geometry and problem solving. It was voted a top-ten educational toy by NBC’s Today Show and is a winner of the Oppenheim Gold Award. Based on fundamental shapes of nature, these blocks work with existing magnetic "stick and ball" systems, yet have longer, more diversified play value. The line includes Pyra Puzzle, My First MagneBlocks, MagneBlocks Early Years, Buildex, and Gigantex. “Each of the nine unique block shapes have color-coded magnetic polarity, which can provide a challenge for solving specific shapes, or it can be used for purely abstract, creative construction, resulting in an addictive play quality for all ages,” Warren Scott Fentress, president of Geometix International, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2005 (original); January 2007 (new block shapes and new packaging). 10/25/2006 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]