Product Videos in the Construction Category

Amazing Wave of Light Animatronic ™ Dolphin by CAN YOU IMAGINE

The Amazing Wave of Light Animatronic Dolphin is a work of art that combines lights, sound and movement. The visual experience is hypnotic, creating a relaxing tranquil environment for any room in your home or office. You can choose from three modes: 1) Watch it move in a well-lit room with the Sound & Movement Mode; 2) Bring it into the bedroom shut the light off and watch the Movement, Sound and Light Mode take over - completely relaxing you; 3) Simply use it in the Movement Only Mode (with no sound or light) and be mesmerized by the slow graceful movement of the Dolphin. The Amazing Wave of Light Animatronic™ Dolphin has a built-in Sleep Timer Mode; with the push of a button it can be set to turn off in a 30 minutes to one hour. 10/28/2009 (Price: $29.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

FridgiGears™ Puzzle by CAN YOU IMAGINE

The Amazing Magnetic FridgiGears Deluxe Light Show Puzzle Gear Edition lets kids make creations light up & glow in the dark. Each gear is a puzzle that a child puts together to create a moving work of art. A rotating magnetic black light is included. The motorized picture frame gear powers all 20 gears with an easy "tap on/tap off" function. Included are over 103 black-light responsive magnetic fridgi puzzle pieces. 10/28/2009 (Price: $34.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Mini EduAnimals by EDUSHAPE LTD.

These soft flexible mini edulocks include 6 soft animals that attach to the blocks, too. This toy can enhance shape and color recognition plus help develop fine-motor skills. There are 28 pieces in a set. 10/20/2009 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Uberbird by UBERSTIX

Founded on the idea of a modular construction set that integrates with many other popular systems such as K'Nex and Lego, Uberstix is also intended for use with whatever recycled materials one might have lying around. Mixing Uberstix pieces such as the 60 contained in this set with found materials yields numerous possibilities. This model set is designed to yield a bird that can really flap its wings. The kit also includes a 40-page book of Uberstix basics. 8/26/2009 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

CitiBlocs 200-Piece Wooden Building Set by CITIBLOCS LLC

This 200-piece set is ideal for aspiring architects and engineers, as it allows individuals to build a whole city, or the highest tower. Citiblocs are made of woode in Vietnam and use a non-toxic, water-based stain. They come with a colorful building design guide. This product received a 2009 Mr. Dad Seal of Approval. Launch date: June 15, 2009. 8/19/2009 (Price: $50.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Cars by BAUFIX

Kids can build various models of wooden cars and vehicles using this kit. Included are wooden tools, such as wrenches and screwdrivers, to aid in the assembly. Also included are rubber tires. Baufix is distributec by Carrera of America in the U.S. 8/6/2009 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

MOOV Starter Kit by BINKLEY & HURST, LP

MOOV is a full-size construction toy designed so that children can construct MOOV by themselves without the use of any tools or help from their parents. The wooden parts, rings, shafts and frames are multifunctional. The spare parts in the wood are specially designed so it's easy to remove the rings from the shafts. MOOV has received the following awards: Toy of the Year, 2008, The Netherlands; Honorable mention, Reddot Design Award, 2008 (International Design Award); Toy of the Year, 2008, Germany; and Right Start Award, Toy Awards, 2008, United Kingdom. Launch date: June 2009. 7/17/2009 (Price: $199) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Marine Creatures Bloco™ Construction Set by BLOCO TOYS

Calming construction toy set with zany creatures that appeal to both boys and girls – Includes step-by-step instructions for building a hammerhead shark, white shark, octopus, piranha, deep sea fish and tropical fish – Instructions are child-friendly – Kids can also create hybrids by combining one or more creatures together, or invent their own marine creatures altogether - Nurtures fine motor and shape recognition skills while stretching the imagination – Big thumbs-up from parents for resistant high-density foam pieces that are also safe, easy to manipulate and washable – Pieces are attractively colored to stimulate play and can interlink, stack and rotate at any angle to create a virtually endless variation of creatures you can build –Manufactured in North America – 235 pieces – Ages 4-9 – $25-$30

Winner 2008 TopToy of the Year 7/3/2009 (Price: $30) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Lizards & Chameleons Bloco™ Construction Set by BLOCO TOYS

Calming construction toy set with six separate models both boys and girls can enjoy, i.e. Chameleon, Flying Dragon, Gecko, Frilled Lizard, Basilisk and Small Chameleon – Plus, like the animals themselves, the basic models can be transformed into hybrid variations by combining two or three creatures together, or into an entirely new breed of lizards and chameleons kids can invent on the fly – Innovative patent-pending pieces interlink, stack and rotate at any angle to create a virtually endless permutation of creatures – Pieces also high-density for resistance, safe and non violent, easy to manipulate, washable and attractively colored to stimulate play – Toy nurtures fine motor and shape recognition skills while stretching the imagination – Shapes are original and more organic than those found in conventional construction toys –Manufactured in North America – 192 pieces – Ages 5-10 – $20-$25

Winner 2008 Preferred Choice Award 7/3/2009 (Price: $25) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Horses and Unicorns Bloco™ Construction Set by BLOCO TOYS

The set of 418 pieces allows for the simultaneous creation of 3 models: a horse, a unicorn and a filly. Many accessories are included such as a saddle, blanket, mane and bridle to enhance the playing experience. The filly can be mounted on cradles to create a rocking horse. Instructions for 6 models are included. 6/9/2009 (Price: $35) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Birds of Prey Bloco™ Construction Set by BLOCO TOYS

Construction toy set for children 6 to 12 and bird lovers of all ages – Brand new 2008 release from award-winning manufacturer – Colors remarkably realistic – Finished work instantly doubles as spectacular decorative item – Includes six models, including some of the world’s most majestic and powerful birds, like the Bald Eagle, Great Horned Owl, large Vulture, and Philippine Eagle, with the owl and cute baby vulture rounding out the set – Instructions are child-friendly and also include illustrations for building smaller and less complicated birds – Lets you combine pieces from up to three models for creative sky’s-the-limit possibilities – The innovative patent-pending pieces interlink, stack and rotate at any angle to create virtually endless flockfuls of original flying creatures – In addition to stretching the imagination, toy also nurtures fine motor and shape recognition skills – Pieces made from high-density foam that is washable, resistant, safe, easy to manipulate and attractively colored to stimulate play –Manufactured in North America – 280 pieces – $30

By Creative Child Magazine award-winning toy manufacturer 6/9/2009 (Price: $30) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

BERG Toys MOOV by BINKLEY & HURST, LP

The MOOV by BERG is both a construction toy and a rideable vehicle for children, ages 5 to 12. Children can construct MOOV by themselves without the use of any tools or help from parents. The wooden parts, rings, shafts and frames are multi-functional. Once the model is complete, the fun continues. MOOV construction toys are available in three kits: Starter, Advanced, and Street. The Starter kit ($210.00) can create three wooden models, the Advanced ($300.00) seven models, and the Street ($376.00) up to 10 models. For each new construction, the old model must be taken apart. 5/27/2009 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

CitiBlocs by CITIBLOCS LLC

 5/20/2009 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Zoob 500 by INFINITOY

Who knows what 500 pieces of poseable, snap-together Zoob could stir in the imagination? Geometric structures, funky creatures, buildings and whimsical characters can be built and rebuilt easily with the simple ball-and-socket joints that connect Zoob pieces. The set comes packed in a sturdy, reusable storage case complete with four removable play pads that fit into the lid to act as foundations for the creations. 
— “Up until now, Zoob has been best,” Jeff Oslick, owner of The Enchanted Toy Store in Fullerton, Calif., told TDmonthly during an April 2009 survey about best-selling construction toys. 
— “I have a good run on Zoob year round,” said Amy Barrett, owner of Lasso the Moon Wonderful Toys in Helena, Mont., of her top selling construction items.
— Four of 49 retailers listed Zoob as a best-selling construction item in spring 2009. 5/11/2009 (Price: $90.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Deluxe EnviroBLOX™ by CADACO INC.

Over 130 EnviroBLOX bricks to design your own creations. Suggestions include an airplane, a windmill and more. 5/6/2009 (Price: $9.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Trango by SILLY WILLY TOYS INC.

Strategy meets opportunity with a little bit of luck in this game for two to four players. Players must try to complete different patterns using interlocking game pieces. A roll of the dice decides how many Trango tiles a player can add to the matrix on his turn. Participants use their tiles to score points by making certain shapes, or block their opponent from being able to make their shapes. "Trangos' unique triangle package has a simple yet elegant look that begs to be picked up," Jerrett Metzger, president of Silly Willy Toys Inc., told TDmonthly. "Because Trango feels like a cross between those famous 'snap-together building blocks' and the game where you try to get 'four in a row,' a simple demo will convince anyone that it is worth buying." Launch date: February 13, 2009. 3/31/2009 (Price: $19.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Überstix Monorail Starter Set by UBERSTIX

This 500-piece starter kit includes enough components for the construction of 12 lineal elevated feet of monorail track. It also comes with a powered engine and a car to ride the rail and weather 30-degree grades. 3/2/2009 (Price: $140.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Q-BA-MAZE BIG BOX by Q-BA-MAZE INC.

This set includes 100 pieces of various colors to make creative construction projects and marble runs. Launch date: July 1, 2009. 2/16/2009 (Price: $75) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Mini Voxal Basic Pack by VOXAL LLC

Kids and adults can use their abilities to solve this puzzle formed by three identical, flat pieces, and get a beautiful, decorative, 3-D star-like Voxal. The Positive(+) and Negative(-) Mini Voxals open up a universe of connecting possibilities. The Basic Pack comes with six pieces (two connecting Mini Voxals) in assorted colors that glow in the dark. Each Mini Voxal measures 2” x 2” x 2”. This product received a 2008 TDmonthly In the Lab Award. "By requiring solving and assembling skills and delivering fun and artistic results, the Mini Voxal stimulates both the left and right sides of the brain, making it a great toy for all ages," CEO Fabio Elias of Voxal told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 15, 2009. 1/23/2009 (Price: $2.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Sphinx with Mummy by PLAYMOBIL INC.

Open the Sphinx’s secret mummy hiding place with your amulet. Includes two figures, skeleton that glows in the dark, and many other accessories. Recommended for ages four and up. Choking Hazard. Small parts. Not for ages under 3 years.
— Playmobil products continue to be great sellers at Melody’s Choices, as reported by Owner Steve Melody in spring 2009. “Although this line is in the big box, if you support it well, you have something the [big] box does not … selection,” he told TDmonthly. 1/6/2009 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

CRAZY FORTS! Construction Toy by CRAZY FORTS INC.

Crazy Forts is a construction toy that uses 25 solid plastic balls and 44 reinforced sticks and allows children to create whatever their imagination allows. Then, they simply add their own bed sheets to complete their creation. A house, an igloo, an princess castle or pirate ship are all possible with Crazy Forts. "Crazy Forts has proven to sell itself. Our first test involved a small chain of nine stores. They sold out of 350 units in three and a half weeks," President Geoff Thomas of Crazy Forts told TDmonthly. 11/25/2008 (Price: $49.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Deluxe 68-Piece Block Set by BEKA INC.

From the company's traditional collection of wooden blocks made in the USA, this set features 68 blocks in 12 shapes: 10 units, 10 half units, 10 half pillars, eight pillars, six columns, 4 double pillars, four Roman arches, four half circles, four small triangles, four double flats, two roof boards and two double units.
— “They don’t require minimums,” said Peg Scholtes, owner of Capitol Kids in Madison, Wis., when naming BEKA as a preferred vendor in fall 2008. Two other retailers, out of 52, also listed the company as a favorite. 11/20/2008 (Price: $158.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

BRIK-A-BLOK™ by BRIK-A-BLOK TOYS INC.

The BRIK-A-BLOK™ toy system provides an easy means for any child to recreate the world that surrounds them, at their scale. Easy to assemble panels come together to give kids the power to build their own world. Creative freedom coupled with our toy system liberates kids to custom build the perfect fort, playhouse, or any other structure they care to imagine. (Product Image depicts two BRIK-A-BLOK-46 sets) 11/12/2008 (Price: $179.97) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

LaQ Art and Hobby Construction Kit: Basic HAMACRON by YOSHIRITSU CO. LTD.

This colorful construction kit comes in a plastic carrying case that snaps closed and has a handle on the top. It includes more than 650 pieces, including wheels and connectors to build moveable models. Projects include a water mill house, a merry-go-round, a car, a helicopter and a sports car. The pieces make a click sound when connected or pulled apart. 11/11/2008 (Price: $60.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Special 80 Building Blocks by BIM BOM TRADING INC.

For children 3 and up, Special Cross building blocks have more available shapes in comparison to Baby Cross allowing for more design possibilites. Special Cross 80 includes 12 blue squares, 12 red squares, 12 yellow squares, 12 green squares, 16 red circles, and 16 blue round pegs. 11/5/2008 (Price: $19.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

iPlay Build-a-Road by INTERNATIONAL PLAYTHINGS LLC

This set comes with two cars and colorful, click-lock track that children can use to build and rebuild their own roads for play.
— Three of 32 retailers predicted in October 2008 that this product will be a hot seller for the holiday season. "Got 12 in yesterday; sold through half," James Burdette, owner of LB Toys in Media, Pa., told TDmonthly.
—    “People keep asking for it,” said Terri Bracken, owner of Earth Explorer Toys in Zionsville, Ind., in November 2008. “We’ve gone through 36 and have 18 left.” 10/30/2008 (Price: $29.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

UBERARC™ 1200—Empire State Building by UBERSTIX

The ÜBERARC™ 1200 Empire State Building is part of the architectural series, designed for students, architects, engineers and anyone else who just loves to build. Using full-scale authentic blueprints, builders create a foundation and representation of the Empire State Building. Builders apply for a building permit online that will show the seismic and wind loads for their proposed ÜberArc Empire State Building location. They can even pinpoint the location on a map and create their own unique building name displayed to other ÜberArc builders. This architectural dream set will teach basic building techniques to create load-bearing walls, curves, arches and more. The completed UberArc Empire State Building is more than 4' tall. Launch date: August 2008. This set is a JCPenney exclusive until January 2009. 8/19/2008 (Price: $129.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

LaQ Free Style Pallet by YOSHIRITSU CO. LTD.

The kit allows anyone to create a variety of spheres. The unique shape and clever angles of the block pieces opens an infinite possibility for hours of creative fun for children and adults. Children will love the fun snapping noise when piecing the parts together. Various LaQ kits with moving parts are also available. Launch date: May 1, 2008. 5/19/2008 (Price: $70.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Quili for Tots by JOHN PERRY STUDIO

The feet, hands and heads of the figures contain larger, stronger magnets, than the original Quili, allowing young children to build up the figures with ease. Launch date: March 2008. 4/24/2008 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Robot Kit by ROBOTIS

The kit is designed for children, allowing them to easily create a variety of unique robots. Launch date: February 2008. 4/18/2008 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

PlayMais Fun Farm Dice Game by PLAYMAISUSA LLC

PlayMais is a colorful, corn-based, biodegradable construction product. Kids can cut, twist and shape the pieces, which are colored with natural food dyes. Simply wet one end of a piece to make it stick to other PlayMais. In this set, kids can actually sculpt their own playing pieces for a fun-farm dice board game.  The set includes one playing field, one die, game instructions and approximately 300 buildingunits to assmeble various models. Launch date: March 2008. 3/24/2008 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

TwigJig® Starter Kit by EPSILON INDUSTRIES INC.

Used to position toothpicks precisely for gluing into strong trusses, the TwigJig makes short work of otherwise tedious projects, allowing individuals to easily build complex designs. The Starter Kit contains one TwigTrimmer for cutting toothpicks to the right lengths, one Square TwigJig with a rubber core for making square trusses, one Triangle TwigJig with a rubber core for making triangular trusses, 16 TwigClips for holding trusses together before gluing, 200 rubber bands, one bottle of Elmer's glue, 800 toothpicks, and instructions for making trusses.  Plans for projects may be downloaded from the TwigJig website. “It is truly a brand new idea and a 100-percent unique product,” Chris Naramor of Epsilon Industries told TDmonthly. “[It’s] the only product that uses ‘jigs’ and lets you build structures out of something as simple as toothpicks.” Launch date: January 2008. 3/24/2008 (Price: $29.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

ZinkoTek Building System by ZINKOTEK

The open-ended, expandable and 100-percent recyclable building set is fun for both indoor and outdoor play. Younger children can sort, stack and connect parts, while older children can build forts, stores, stands and secret hideaways.

Past Videos:
Pomona 2008 3/17/2008 (Price: $350.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Inversé™ by FAMILY GAMES INC.

Players attempt to position all five of their playing pieces on the playing field, while blocking their opponents’ attempts to do the same. No same colored pieces may touch or stand on the same side or edge; at the same time, no two pieces of the same height can be positioned next to each other. The game is available in four languages. Launch date: 2008. 3/17/2008 (Price: $12.50) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Clics 175-Piece Bucket by TOYLINKS INC.

This bucket contains 175 colorful, plastic Clics pieces that allow children to construct various three-dimensional models. It comes with a design book to guide kids as they build.
— “The kids were challenged to use their imaginations … and they enjoyed learning how to build with a new toy (after years of Lego),” reported Heather Jones, a mother of three in TDmonthly's Preschool Roundtable, in early 2008. 3/14/2008 (Price: $24.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Bonz Band by CURIOUS TOYS

The instrument construction set consists of colorful, anatomically incorrect and interlocking construction pieces that children can use to assemble a variety of distinctive musical instruments. The set includes a CD of original music, a large metallic whistle, a canister with a top that converts into a tambourine and a bottom that converts into a drum, drumsticks, a washboard rattle, sand-filled shakers and four poseable eyes that turn the musical instruments into characters. The 42 construction pieces are all compatible with other Bonz sets. Launch date: February 2008. 3/12/2008 (Price: $26.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Junior Tradesman First House by Junior Tradesman

This 85-piece kit features real clay bricks that look and feel like the real thing, non-toxic mortar/brick mix, wooden planks, a roof, windows and doors. It typically takes about 30 minutes to build and requires 24 hours to dry. The bricks and mortar can be reused by rubbing the bricks together to shave the mortar off, turning them back into sand. 2/18/2008 (Price: $29.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Flibbix™ by MERILLIAN, LLC.

With Flibbix™, players build their own board game, make their own rules and then play. It's super easy and lets players rebuild and replay the game as much as they want. Players race to the finish, but things can get wacky along the way — even the game board and rules can change during play. “It's the first-ever build-a-board-game set: Players can easily build and play their own, custom board game with Flibbix. Because each game is different, it has great replay value and players can make a game that’s fun and perfect for them,” Jason Ivan of Merillian told TDmonthly. Launch date: April 2008. 1/17/2008 (Price: $39.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

iCoaster by MEGA BRANDS

The iCoaster combines sight, sound and speed with extreme magnetic force, high-tech design and ultra-cool physics. Each track features hidden magnets, causing the metal ball to move along the track performing stunts and passing through sensors to trigger a beat or song. Kids can build the suggested extreme coaster configurations and use the pre-included sounds, or use their imagination to build their own track and plug in their digital music players and use their own songs. This product is a winner of numerous awards, including a 2007 iParenting Media Award, Fall 2007 Parent’s Choice Award, 2007 National Parenting Center Seal of Approval Award and Parents Magazine Best Toys for the Holidays Award. “The iCoaster is the perfect toy to promote creativity, allowing kids to construct a visual and technological masterpiece,” Carine Sroujian of Mega Brands told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2007. 12/18/2007 (Price: $79.99)

LandSailer™ / ÜberDragster™ Scavenger Kit by UBERSTIX

These new construction/craft kits from ÜberStix take the company's commitment to recycling one step further. When kids open the construction kit, they will discover that it requires more than just building it. The ÜBERSTIX LANDSAILER™ and ÜBERDRAGSTER™ are both working models that require Push Ups® ice cream pops for wheels, coffee stir sticks, straws and more. The LandSailer requires very little wind to move it across the ground. Kids can set up their own unique race courses for their working models — even build a speed ramp. "This is the first build system that rewards kids for recycling," ÜberStix founder Dane Scarborough told TDmonthly. "In doing the Scavenger Kits, we're starting a new category of toys." 12/17/2007 (Price: $16.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Dado Squares™ by FAT BRAIN TOY CO.

The colorful, 3”-flat plastic squares can be arranged to construct almost any 3-D design. The squares can be put together by even very young children, and can help them develop advanced visual-spatial development and problem-solving skills. The 35 squares can be used to build a design up to three feet high. 10/26/2007 (Price: $22.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

I-Gami by PLASMART INC.

Multi-award-winning I-Gami keeps hands busy and minds inspired with challenging kits, designs and original creations. Inspired by traditional Japanese origami, I-Gami encourages imagination and creative play through construction with distinctive plastic pieces that bend, fold and snap together — bringing the time-honored art of paper folding to a whole new level!
— I-Gami sets reintroduce traditional Japanese origami with plastic pieces that bend and fold to create colorful three-dimensional structures. These agile properties and the concept of tackling paper art with a new medium have earned I-Gami a 2007 TDmonthly Innovations award.
— Reviewers in TDmonthly's Grade-School Roundtable enjoyed the creative and educational experience of building with I-Gami. Roundtable mom Gail Richardson said, “I will certainly look for it on the shelves as I can think of several of [my children's] friends — both boys and girls — who would like to play with this fun building and creating set." 10/2/2007 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

80 pc. Foam Building Block Set by VENTURE PRODUCTS LLC

The building blocks are made of soft foam, but look like real wood. The pieces are durable, lightweight, quiet and water-resistant, making them playable anywhere, even in the pool or tub. The blocks promote creative, open-ended and imaginative play. 9/27/2007 (Price: $24.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

KAPLA Dual Colors with Artbook by KAPLA USA

The Dual Color Kapla 40-piece Building Set comes with a special Artbook Instruction Book for extra Kapla building pleasure. This set is also a great gift with extra play value for building beautiful Kapla constructions. Kapla is guaranteed SAFE, NON-TOXIC and GREEN. Kapla planks are distinctive in shape and conception for extra special building fun. 9/24/2007 (Price: $40.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Zoomorphs Globalmorphs by RIVER DOLPHIN TOYS

This set of interchangeable parts features the following eight animals plus extra pieces: black bear, dart frog, Madagascan moth, seal, swine, lobster, kangaroo and Komodo dragon. It comes with a 20-page educational booklet and a large playmat of the world. The pieces can be popped together to create all sorts of poseable animals. Launch date: October 2007.
— TDmonthly has been tracking Zoomorphs’ success from the beginning, and sales haven’t wavered yet. Kids have an unquenchable appetite for building new critters or, for the more fastidious, faithfully recreating the real things with these multicolored animal parts. The newest set adds an educational play mat and booklet. Altogether, Zoomorphs have earned a TDmonthly Top Seller 2007 award. 9/17/2007 (Price: $35.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

ASKEW! ™ by ORIGIN TOYS & GAMES

With this suspended construction game, players of all ages can relax, talk and have fun with friends. Participants intuitively consider laws of physics, which help reinforce principles of gravity and balance. This product won a Dr.Toy Spring 2007 Best Products Award, a Family Review Center Gold Award, NAPPA Honors, Inpex Toys & Games Gold and a Hasbro Game Excellence Award. Launch date: 2007. 7/19/2007 (Price: $25.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Invent A Tent by INVENT A TENT

The colorful Invent a Tent system is designed to help build children’s minds through creative play, allowing them to construct a unique play structure every time they pull it out. The kit includes set pole lengths and fabric dimensions and condenses easily into one storage bag. “Compared to similar products on the market, Invent A Tent builds a much sturdier play structure that is large enough for multiple children to play in at once. It also comes with an ample amount of fabric to cover the whole structure,” Cameron Scott of Invent A Tent told TDmonthly. Launch date: January 2007. 7/6/2007 (Price: $79.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Lonpos 84T Braintelligent Pyramid Game by MIC-O-MIC AMERICAS INC.

LONPOS 84T Ultimate Pyramid Game is designed for the more advanced players of LONPOS puzzle games. It has 17 pentominoes enabling more than 13,000,000 three-sided, 3D pyramids to be built, 432 of which are preset in the instruction book. The instructions are in several languages, making it a truly international version. It follows on the heels of the hugely successful, award-winning LONPOS 101 and LONPOS 303 Pyramid and Rectangle Games, as well as the LONPOS 4D Pyramid Game. “This game has 13,882,213 possible challenges, which will stretch people’s brains for generations,” President Tony Cross of Mic-O-Mic Americas told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2007. 7/6/2007 (Price: $75.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Dwellings 2 by LEARNING MATERIALS WORKSHOP

Dwellings 2 involves building with optical illusions, patterns and reflections. Four jewel-like transparent acrylic prisms are housed in a natural, hardwood tray with a series of dot-and-line patterns and reflective mylar squares. The opportunities for playing with optical illusions and constructing fanciful architectural and sculptural forms are endless. Imagine the possibilities. 6/4/2007 (Price: $19.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

60 Models Set by ENGINO

The award-winning Engino System is one of the most advanced and versatile construction systems available. The 60 Models Set features Engino's basic 18 multi-functional components and contains 221 parts (1363 connecting points). Engino’s parts have a patented ability to snap and lock simultaneously at multiple locations and in multiple directions. Such versatility allows for the construction of very complex models using very few parts, which makes the set ideal for intermediate to advanced users. This product has received a 10 Best Active Products award from Dr. Toy. Launch date: February 2007. 5/4/2007 (Price: $60.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

AEROBLOKS - Bubble 12pc Fun System (Canoe) by TINKER MINDS INC.

From the Bubble line, this new and improved colorful construction set includes 10 inflatable squares and two triangles, an air pump and a guide with instructions for easy to challenging structures. The difficulty level for building the canoe is intermediate. It requires initial familiarity with the highly durable Velcro®-based connectors that connect quickly and easily yet enable movements of simulated doors and windows. This set is perfect for making 25+ build-it-yourself dramatic play settings such as a puppet theater, train, plane or chairs and tables, and it deflates for easy storage. The product “shares the characteristics of construction toys, dramatic-play sets, and active play products in ways no competitive products come close,” Co-founder and President Dick Liou of Tinker Minds told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2007. 5/2/2007 (Price: $109.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Magneatos - Intermediate Glow in the Dark - 114 Pcs. by GUIDECRAFT INC.

How do you make multiple award-winning Magneatos even more fun? Make them glow in the dark. Guidecraft has added this extra element of surprise to both the jumbo and intermediate series. Kids will love the mystery of seeing their creations come to life with an exciting glow when they turn down the lights. Glow in the Dark Magneatos also come in 36- and 66-piece sets.
— “Magneatos continue to do very well. ... They just came out with a new glow-in-the-dark version,” said David Campbell, owner of Amazing Toys in Great Falls, Mont., in spring 2007.
— One other retailer TDmonthly spoke with agreed that Magneatos are best sellers for infants in their store.
— Six of 39 retailers that TDmonthly spoke with in spring 2007 about construction toys agreed that Magneatos are a best seller in their stores. They sell approximately 20 units per month, and sometimes double that amount as the holiday season approaches. 4/12/2007 (Price: $60.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

UberBots 621 by UBERSTIX

“Kids” can create radio-controlled, rumbling robots and pit up to six of them against each other at a time, thanks to six interchangeable RC frequencies. Working with sturdy, yet flexible interlocking Uberstix components, builders utilize physics, engineering and creative skills to design robots that can trounce their opponents. In the heat of battle, UberBots employ jabs and hooks and even speak preprogrammed Japanese phrases designed to conquer all foes. Knocking down an opponent three times is a win. Then the fighters retire to redesign their Bots and devise another unbeatable strategy for victory. The 621 kit includes two UberBots, 250 Uberstix pieces, two remote controls, two flags, 14 rechargeable Ni-Cad batteries, two chargers and building instructions.
— These Japanese-speaking robotic construction toys received a TDmonthly Top Toy 2007 award for many reasons: the scientific knowledge they invite in construction and redesign, their RC capability to fight multiple robots at one time, the creativity and inventiveness required when reprogramming the UberBots, and the signature, interlocking Überstix parts that make up their distinctive structure. Finally, Überstix are made from recycled plastic and can be combined with other building toys, setting their kits on a higher plane than other construction toys. 3/28/2007 (Price: $149.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Q-BA-MAZE 20-Pack Cool Colors (blue, green, clear) by Q-BA-MAZE INC.

Designed by a former architect, Q-BA-MAZE (kyoo-ba-maze) is a construction system of interlocking cubes that form pathways for rolling balls. The system uses just three kinds of cubes and is easy to learn, but is also endlessly fascinating because the cubes attach in many different combinations and the action of the balls is so unpredictable. It is part art and part science, and even adults can enjoy it as an interactive desktop sculpture. “We believe in the value of design: product design that inspires creative play for children and adults; packaging design that uses resources efficiently, stands out on the shelf and demonstrates the product in the box; and web design that provides lasting value beyond the box with helpful videos, interactive tools and printer-friendly PDF instructions,” CEO Andrew Comfort told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 1, 2007.
— “We picked up a new toy called Q-Ba-Maze and those have been really, really popular,” Alicia Smith, owner of Juneau’s Imagination Station in Juneau, Alaska, told TDmonthly in May 2008. 3/22/2007 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Timberkits – T-Rex by MK AND COMPANY

These rubberwood kits allow children and adults to create “mechanical marvels in natural wood.” Each set includes two layers of components packed in covered plastic trays, a parts list, sand paper, glue and visual instructions. Paint and a battery kit may be added to customize a model. The company requires a minimum wholesale order of 12 pieces. Launch date: August 2006.  3/16/2007 (Price: $24.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Stack & Stick Grande Villa by STACK & STICK

This spacious 99-piece set comes with base included and is ideal for the creative builder looking for a challenge. The Grande Villa set allows children to build one- and two-story homes with details such as arched windows and double doors. It is perfect for building churches, larger-style homes and flats. This set will keep those who are ready to build big busy for hours with five block sizes, two detailed gable ends, 14 roof slats and one chimney block. A sturdy canvas bag is included to store all 90 parts. Builders can combine bases and build even more. 3/7/2007 (Price: $87.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Zoomorphs – Mountainmorphs by RIVER DOLPHIN TOYS

Thirty-five rugged plastic pieces snap together easily to form endless poseable creatures. In this set, children can make a grizzly bear, bluebird, bighorn sheep and mountain king snake, or morph them to make all sorts of fantasy creatures. Extra pieces are included and the heads have hinged jaws. All Zoomorphs sets are interchangeable.
— “I’m a little store, but Zoomorphs are a very big hit in the 4 to 8 age group. It’s a big birthday party hit and nice price,” summed up Patty Tepper-Rasmussen of Learning Tree in Oklahoma City, Okla. She sells about 15 to 20 units per month in her store.
— Three of 39 retailers agreed in spring 2007 that Zoomorphs are top-selling construction toys in their stores.
— Mark McFarland, co-owner of River Dolphin Toys, said, “The beauty of the building toy category is that if you have a system that kids like, and come out with fresh new products on a consistent basis, they will stay with you for many years.” 3/6/2007 (Price: $16.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Zoomorphs – Fossilmorphs by RIVER DOLPHIN TOYS

Thirty-five rugged plastic pieces snap together easily to form endless poseable creatures. In this set, children can make a Mammoth, Brontosaurus, Sea Scorpion and Ancient Amphibian, or morph them to make all sorts of fantasy creatures. Extra pieces are included so kids can create even more poseable creatures. The heads have hinged jaws. All Zoomorphs sets are interchangeable.
— “We’ve had them for about one and a half years,” Owner Elaine Hackney of Boing! JP’s Toy Shop in Jamaica Plain, Mass., told TDmonthly about best-selling Zoomorphs. “[It] captures the kids’ imagination and seems to give them a sense of personal creativity.” 3/1/2007 (Price: $16.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Brickadoo Villa by RS2PLAY

This building blocks set includes everything kids need to construct a complete section of Brickadoo City: building bricks, water-soluble cement, wooden building elements (doors and frames), a trowel, a mixing bin, a base plate and a foam card with press-out figures and materials. The white bricks and water-soluble cement are made of natural raw materials that don't contain any harmful substances. The bricks are paintable, and each box contains several sacks of cement, enough for four to five playing sessions. Launch date: May/June 2007. 3/1/2007

ZOOB Jr. by INFINITOY

ZOOB Jr. features soft pieces that bend, snap together snugly and move. Both sets (15- and 30-piece) feature larger pieces in three basic shapes that are simple to use. Softer, more flexible pieces make connections easier and the larger scale results in giant creations. “ZOOB Jr. brings its unique and dynamic building characteristics to a younger audience. Now toddlers and preschoolers can also enjoy and benefit from ZOOB’s Mind-Building Construction System,” Greg McVey of Infinitoy told TDmonthly. The 30-piece set has a suggested retail price of $24.99. Launch date: October 2007.
— Terry Myers of Kaleidoscope Toys in Round Rock, Texas, told TDmonthly ZOOB Jr. was one of the best toys at Toy Fair 2007. 2/28/2007 (Price: $14.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Planet Foam DreamBuilders Construction System by NOMACO INC.

This simple system gives kids creative license with foam tubes and plastic connectors, plus fabric panels that add a finishing touch to pretend play. Three themed sets — pirate ship, princess castle and clubhouse — will be offered as well as a kit for open-ended construction, all in a zippered storage bag. Launch date: September 2007.
— “We saw an opportunity for using foam as a building tool for kids, in that it’s a lightweight, soft and safe material,” Jeff Slater, director of retail and corporate marketing for Nomaco, told TDmonthly. And, “it’s both a building toy and a role-playing toy.” 2/28/2007

Uberfrog by UBERSTIX

The Überfrog is made of a combination of Uberstix and K’NEX materials. It features realistic movement and lots of personality. The project is rated an 8 on a difficulty scale of 1 to 10, and requires the following: 40 Quarks, eight CubStix, two LocHubs, two yellow K’NEX, five green K’NEX and two yellow K’NEX rods.
— "All the children were delighted with how the projects looked upon completion," reported Teresa Wilson, a TDmonthly Homeschooling Roundtable mom who evaluated the Uberfrog. "This toy is a winner." She awarded it five out of five stars. 2/27/2007 (Price: $9.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Stack & Stick Cozy Cabin by STACK & STICK

These solid hard maple wood blocks hold the ability to lock and stick into place. The patented design allows children to have success by pressing each block into place without the worry of the blocks falling apart. It increases creative play because the snug fit ensures greater stability. Each building set comes with a wooden base that makes travel from room to room easy. Country Barn, Grande Villa and Castle sets are also available. “The Peters’ Group supports all toy specialty stores and feels strongly that this product holds educational learning skills, long life value and natural wood construction,” Andrew Peters of Peters’ Group told TDmonthly. 2/23/2007 (Price: $80.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Cathedral Blocks by WESTWORK DESIGNS

Designed by architect Steven W. Hurd, these blocks are the first in a series of architecturally themed building blocks created for all ages. Each set is designed around a particular building type, but the unique pieces allow for creativity and imaginative construction. The blocks are carved from imported hardwood, and the set includes 145 pieces, 15 different shapes, a printed plan and instructions. Castle Blocks are also available. “The Cathedral shape offers a dramatic initial building project and the unique shapes allow for a different level of imaginative play than most sets of building blocks,” Hurd told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2006. 2/21/2007 (Price: $160.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

ShapeScapeS by ShapeScapeS

With more than 90 organic shapes in seven different colors, budding artists get to dreamscape and shapescape any which way they want. Thoroughly versatile and easy to pull apart and reassemble, ShapeScapeS allows one to create anew, again and again. The sculptures can be easily recognizable — a person or an animal, for example — or some distinctive, abstract construction. In any case, all ShapeScapeS sculptures can be proudly displayed on tables or walls, or even hung as mobiles. The product received a spring 2007 Parents' Choice Recommended award.
— The artistic shapes allow for open-ended, creative play and are ideal for the “gourmet kid,” Inventor Peter Mayor told TDmonthly. He added that ShapeScapeS has received positive response across the country. 2/19/2007 (Price: $33.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Panelo by IMAGINATION JUMPSTART

This revolutionary life-sized building toy consists of strong, adjustable connectors and several different-sized panels, allowing children to build any number of structures to play in or around. When play is finished, Panelos can be taken apart and stored in a compact area. 1/12/2007 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Konstruk-Tubes™ by LOCKMADE LLC

Konstruk-Tubes allows kids to safely build creations of all shapes and sizes. There are three sizes of tubes to choose from and ten types of easy-fit connectors. All pieces are dishwasher safe and helps kids improve many skills, including problem-solving, hand-eye coordination, color recognition and hand dexterity. This item is featured on Dr. Toy's Summer 2007 Best Products List. Launch date: February 2007. 1/9/2007 (Price: $29.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

DragonBonz by CURIOUS TOYS

DragonBonz joins a series of colorful, anatomically incorrect and interlocking construction pieces that enable children to assemble whimsical characters from their imaginations. It includes 55 construction pieces and is compatible with other Bonz sets. Specially designed hooks allow any DragonBonz character to “fly,” using lengths of monofilament included in the package. Featured pieces include a bright green and blue dragon head with moveable jaw, translucent orange tongues of fire, rattling snake tails, a teal chrome sword and six poseable eyes.
— "What makes it so innovative and distinctive is that it's not electronic but it's totally modern!" Susan Holden, head of Curious Toys, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 11, 2007. 1/8/2007 (Price: $34.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

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.™ 12/18/2006 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

LonPos 303 Pyramid & Rectangle Game by MIC-O-MIC AMERICAS INC.

This puzzle offers two strategic formats: 2-D, with 256 pre-set problems; and 3-D Pyramids, with 47 pre-set problems. Each pocket-sized box includes 303 puzzles for on-the-go fun, and it’s possible to set up more than 360,000 problems. President Tony Cross of Mic-O-Mic Americas told TDmonthly the game “helps develop brainpower, IQ, concentration, math skills, cognitive skills and interpersonal skills.” The product's awards include the following: Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award Gold Seal (2007), Parents' Choice Foundation Gold Award (2006), Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products and 10 Best Games (2006), Mr. Dad Gold Award (2006), iParenting Media Award Winner (2007), Creative Child Magazine Top Toy of the Year Award (Brainteaser Games category) (2006) and The Toy Man Seal of Approval, Award of Excellence and eChoice Award (2007). Launch date: October 15, 2006. 10/26/2006 (Price: $16.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

KAPLA Color Squares by KAPLA USA

This square wooden box holds planks in six distinctive Kapla colors, with 40 planks of each color. 10/20/2006 (Price: $30.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

The 1000 pack by KAPLA USA

1000 planks in natural wood. Includes a booklet of building techniques with 40 illustrations. 10/20/2006 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

The Barrel by KAPLA USA

This 200-plank set includes a booklet of building techniques with 40 illustrations, and was named one of Dr. Toy’s 100 Best Children’s Products for 2006. “The speed and quality of construction and even faster destruction” make Kapla planks better than the competition, inventor Tom van der Bruggen told TDmonthly. The planks are made of maritime pine from forests in France, he added. “I realized the resin would allow for good friction, and the wood also lends itself to leaving the planks in a natural state.” This product received a Spring 2007 Parents' Choice Award. Launch date: September 2006. 10/20/2006 (Price: $66.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Dado Cubes by FAT BRAIN TOY CO.

Dado will engage your imagination and help develop a keen eye for design, color, shape, size, space, balance, proportion and composition. Constructed horizontally, vertically or nested together, Dado invites unlimited visual spatial development and problem solving through design-centered play. Dado features ten cubes, scaled from 1” to 5”. This game is "self-expression revealed through a contemporary palette of play, " Kathy Lorkovic, at Fat Brain Toys, told TDmonthly. This product has won numerous awards, including a 2007 National Parenting Center Seal of Approval Award, a Spring 2007 Dr. Toy Best Product Award, a 2007 iParenting Media Excellent Products Award and a Creative Child Preferred Choice Award. Launch date: September 1, 2006.
— “Dado Cubes forms the foundation of a series of design-centered educational toys,” offered Mark Carson, developer and president of Fat Brain Toys. Dado is “that rare toy that combines intuitive fun with fine design. Equally rare is its ability to entertain young and old alike,” he added. “Beyond Dado, we have a number of products in development that have been inspired by true educational research.” 10/6/2006 (Price: $27.50) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Giant Interlocking EduBlocks by EDUSHAPE LTD.

These giant, interlocking, unique, soft blocks are ideal for small hands. The lightweight, incredibly durable and washable blocks are also colorful and nontoxic, and guarantee hours of safe and constructive play. The basic block dimensions are 4.5’’ X 4.5’’ X 3.5’’. 8/1/2006 (Price: $69.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Quadrilla Twist and Rail Set by HAPE INTERNATIONAL INC.

The possibilities are endless with the new Quadrilla Twist and Rail Set. Pictured is just one of the models that can be built with some or all of the 147 curved, straight and funnel pieces. The set includes 50 marbles. "Quadrilla is really an exceptional design. It offers endless possibilities for a child to design his own structure. The use of wood and bright water-based stains also enhance the play experience," said Maggie Qiu, general manager of HaPe International
— "HaPe Quadrilla is a marble raceway we set up as a demo and it became an instant seller," explained Bob Breneman, co-owner of G. Willikers Toy Shop in Portsmouth, N.H.
— “The Quadrilla marble run sells really well,” said Linda Hays, owner of Hopscotch Inc. in McMinnville, Ore., in spring 2007. “People buy about a dozen a month.”
— If you think $120 is too steep a price for your specialty store, you’ve underestimated the mesmerizing power of marbles cascading down a wooden track. Even after other 4th Q sellers have slowed down, Quadrilla keeps on rolling, earning it a TDmonthly Top Seller 2007 award.  7/14/2006 (Price: $119.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Makit Toy by SCHYLLING

Seventy wooden pieces to build great structures are included in this kit, which resembles a classic building toy.
— “Tinker Toys and those new Tinker Toys made of wood that bend by Schyilling” are the best-selling transformable toys at the 8-year-old Past Time Toys in Surf City, N.C., said Owner Dan Mewborn
— “Tinker Toys are the kind of thing that's nice to have because every once in a while someone wants a classic Tinker Toy,” Elaine Hackney, owner of J P Boing's Toy Shop in Jamaica Plain, Mass., told TDmonthly.
— They’re also a staple at Lark Toys in Kellogg, Minn., said Manager Mary Eversman. 7/14/2006 (Price: $17.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

ZOOBDude™ Rock Climber by INFINITOY

The ZOOBDude Rock Climber doesn’t just look cool … he really climbs. Just position his grappling hook, pull the cord, push the button and watch the ZOOBDude scale the wall. ZOOBDudes are pre-assembled adventure heroes that kids can snap apart (and rebuild, and snap apart, and rebuild), each with its own working accessory. Each ZOOBDude includes 19 ZOOB pieces (including two faceplates), diagrams showing how to connect ZOOB pieces, and instructions for rebuilding a ZOOBDude and building three additional creations. All ZOOBDude pieces work with every other Infinitoy ZOOB set.
— ZOOBDude’s are the best-selling interchangeable toy at Tinkerz Toy Shop in Alene, Idaho, said sales associate Crystal Mobbs.
— Three of 39 retailers cited ZOOBDudes among construction toy best sellers in spring 2007.
— "Zoob has only five pieces, which snap together 20 different ways," explained Jeff Pinsker, CEO of Infinitoy. "It's an unsual product because you can build many different things. If you want to build a car, an elephant or anything, you don't need special pieces ... and after you put the Zoob pieces together, they move." The ZOOBDudes are transformable, too: "They come preassembled, but every single piece still moves. ... You can build a couple of different models and use the [Rock Climber] grappling hook as a winch to pull them up."
 7/14/2006 (Price: $9.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

i-gami – Advanced Kit by PLASTIC PLAY INC.

The Advanced Kit contains 600 plastic pieces. “I-Gami is based on a totally new concept from other construction toys. The secret is it’s a block that can be manipulated in thousands of ways by changing the angles and folds,” Gerry Pascoe of Plastic Play told TDmonthly. It was named one of the 100 Best Children’s Products of 2006 by Dr. Toy. 7/7/2006 (Price: $39.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Dream Set by PIXEL BLOCKS

This set contains 875 interlocking 3/8" pieces. These multicolored translucent pegs give a stained glass look to 2- and 3-D designs. It includes a deluxe playbook.
— "I think people like them because of the intricacy of putting the pieces together. It's very different. It's acrylic and you have to slide the pieces to keep them together," Patti Tepper–Rasmussen, owner of Learning Tree Toys, Games & Books Inc. in Oklahoma City, Okla., told TDmonthly.
— "Last-minute gifts tend to be Pixel Blocks....Every single piece is the same size. They're like same-size LEGOs. They also lock together sideways," Added Tristan Hewitt, manager at Dragon's Toy Box in Seattle, Wash.
— As described on Amazon.com, "Pixel Blocks can express any mood, from the vibrancy of children's toys to the subtle shading of a photograph. " 6/1/2006 (Price: $29.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

UberPult™ - Science Project Series™ by UBERSTIX

Kids can build a functional catapult and learn the physics that make launching objects through the air possible. The catapult itself only requires 90 of the kit’s 181 pieces, leaving plenty of extra pieces to upgrade and explore new design options. As part of the company's Science Project Series, this kit includes a Lab Sheet to test and record a series of suggested experiments."Our construction system is much more diverse than other products, offering integration with other construction sets (Lego, K'nex, Zoobs, Zomes) as well as with recycled materials (Popsicle sticks, McDonald's straws, egg cartons, water bottles). This offers limitless possibilities for children (and adults) to build structures taller than themselves. [Our products] are not available in the mass-market stores," COO Julie Bell of Uberstix told TDmonthly. The Uberpult received the 2007 Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Award in both Toys/Games and Educational Products categories. It also received The Toy Man Online 2007 Seal of Approval, Award of Excellence and eChoice Award. Launch date: September 2006.

 5/22/2006 (Price: $21.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

ZOOBMobile Cruiser R/C by INFINITOY

The Cruiser R/C comes in three parts so kids can snap it together, add pieces between the sections to create a dragster or a limousine, or build on the chassis after they snap the sections together. The set includes 55 ZOOB pieces, 4 extra wheels (for a total of 8), and instructions for all of the models in the Racer. 5/22/2006 (Price: $39.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Exo-Force by LEGO

Exo-Force is a whole line of men and machines that take building to the Exth degree. 4/21/2006

Vertical Vengeance Roller Coaster by K'NEX INDUSTRIES INC.

K'NEX builders and thrill seekers will feel the hair on the back of their necks and goose-bumps on their arms rise high with the newest addition to K'NEX Thrill Ride series - the K'NEX Vertical Vengeance Coaster. The giant coaster features K’NEX’s brand new micro parts for bigger-building fun and measures over 5 feet tall. The building set includes a vertical, motorized chain lift that carries two coaster cars all the way to the top. The cars then race down 33 feet of track through loops, turns and spirals. To make the ride more realistic, the kit comes with coaster sounds and screams. Step-by-step instructions are included, with each broken down to translate the 3D result into a 2D visual that is easy to understand. The set includes a part organizer for easy sorting and storage.The set will be available Fall 2006. Requires two AA batteries for motor and sound effects. 4/20/2006 (Price: $59.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Magformers by RAINBOW PRODUCTS

This magnetic construction set features 108 powerful magnets permanently encapsulated inside 18 jewel-toned square Magformers and 12 triangle Magformers. The magnets rotate to their attraction position upon contact, so Magformers always connect regardless of their polarity. Watch in amazement as Magformers "form" into three-dimensional structures. Magformers received an Oppenheim Gold Award as well as the 2007 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award. The product’s “magnetic connector concept allows the end user to create quick, magical 3-D models,” President Larry Hunt of Rainbow Products told TDmonthly. Launch date: April 2006.
— Magformers are a best seller at Piccolo Mondo Toys in Portland, Ore., Owner Michelle Smith told TDmonthly in Dec. 2008. “We have them on a play table,” she said. Magformers have been best sellers for at least a year at Pufferbellies in Staunton, Va., Co-owner Susan Blanton said in September 2009.
— Two of 51 specialty retailers named Magformers as an overall best seller when surveyed in early 2009. Two of 49 retailers surveyed by TDmonthly in spring 2009 listed Magformers as a top-selling construction toy in their stores.
— Mike DiAndrea, manager of Hardware Centre in Paoli, Pa., told TDmonthly during an April 2009 survey that he sells between 100 and 150 sets of Magformers per month. Magformers are also a best seller at Golden Apple Learning Store in Pleasanton, Calif., Owner John MacDougall told TDmonthly in August 2009. 4/14/2006 (Price: $34.98) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Uberbot by UBERSTIX

With the Überbots construction and RC kits, kids spend most of their time designing and building offenses and defenses and then testing their assumptions on the field of battle. If they are knocked down three times, they return to their lab and redesign to come back stronger. The more kids play, the more sophisticated their designs become. Dane Scarborough, inventor of Überbots and Überstix, told TDmonthly, “Build a boat and it floats or sails; build a UFO and it really flies; build a skyscraper and your ceiling may get in the way. More than one retailer told me that placing the order felt good because Überstix are designed to work with recycled items, including water bottles, Popsicle sticks, McDonald's straws, paperclips, etc. … This feature allows kids of all economic backgrounds to build big.” The kit builds two Überbots with 250 Überstix, two controllers and two flags. Each Überbot will operate on a different RC frequency, with up to six Überbots capable of battling simultaneously. The kit can also be purchased with rechargeable batteries. 3/20/2006 (Price: $149.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Mindstorms NXT by LEGO

For kids who have tired of swatting at gnats and mites, this new robotics construction set will give them something bigger to aim at. Kids can build a variety of critters, including a robotic bug. The bug will back off if it gets too close to an object or, if it feels threatened, it will reach out and “sting” the intruder.
This robotics toolset includes a “Quick Start” guide to build and program a robot in 30 minutes. Mindstorms uses “intelligent brick” and light, sound, motion and touch sensors. This product is blue-tooth wireless technology capable. LEGO Mindstorms NXT won first prize in the category “Technical Innovation” at the international Nürnberg toy fair in Münich. Launch date: 2006.
— "LEGO, if I can get them, but that's a whole other story," said David Campbell, owner of Amazing Toys in Great Falls, Mont., when discussing upcoming holiday 2007 hot sellers for young boys.
— "We're the best ones to sell it for LEGO,” Campbell added. “I can steer people toward Mindstorms in my store, and I can steer them away from Mindstorms [if they] shouldn't have it. Walmart.com doesn't talk to people."
— Seven of 54 retailers said that despite the availability of LEGO in the mass market, it will still sell in specialty stores during the holidays. 2/28/2006 (Price: $249.99)

Geomag Pastelles Panels by JONIC DISTRIBUTION NORTH AMERICA INC.

After the success of GEOMAG Panels, awarded as the Best Toy of the Year 2005, and the success of Geomag Pastelles, the creativity fashion-made, the new PASTELLES PANELS, a fantastic fusion of fashion soft colour rods and panels, for really creative constructions. GEOMAG Pastelles Panels are sold in 46 and 84 piece-sets. 1/9/2006 (Price: $14.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Marbotz by XOBOTZ TOYS

The Marbotz kit comes with everything you need to make your own robot out of marbles. The plastic pieces are joined together with the marbles so kids can use their imagination to construct their own models. Marbotz are easy to put together and have won the 2005 Creative Toy Award from Creative Child Magazine. 1/4/2006 (Price: $19.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Goobi Beginner Pack: Rainbow by CREATIVE ZONE

An infinite number of shapes and structures can be easily built with the 3 basic Goobi components: the Bar, the Ball and the Tripod. Goobi structures shape children's imaginations, induce their creativity and develop their sense of proportion. Parents love them because it teaches the children important lessons about problem solving, math and physics. The beginner pack comes 35 bars, 18 balls and 8 tripods for a total of 61 rainbow colored pieces. Marcia Pembroke, manager of Toadstool LLC in Hockessin, Del., said these sell well in her store, and two other retailers mentioned these as big sellers. See demo video from the WTHRA show 12/9/2005 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

NOTBLOKS by FUNCLUB TOYZ

Notbloks are sturdy plastic panels that connect together with easy-to-use fasteners to create a wide variety of play objects. Edges are rounded for safety. Kids can make a firehouse, maze, star fighter, sailboat, rocket ship, performing stage, castle, sorcerer’s tower, nuclear sub, store, or whatever their imagination directs. The pieces can easily be taken apart and stored in the handy plastic carrying case. These are just the thing for kids who like to build on the move. THIS PRODUCT IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE 5-1-07. 11/9/2005 (Price: $129.99)

Nightmorphs by RIVER DOLPHIN TOYS

Sixty rugged plastic pieces snap together easily to form endless combinations of poseable creatures. In this set, kids can make a cat, fruit bat, lantern fish, desert lizard, snake and firefly or morph them to make all sorts of fantasy creatures. The heads have hinged jaws, and select pieces, such as the cat’s eyes, glow in the dark. All Morphs sets are interchangeable. The Morphs are also available in jungle, sea, pet, runners, fliers and dinos sets.
— “This is a great one,” said Doris Jelliff, bookkeeper for Dinosaur Hill in New York City. “It was a big hit when they first came out and now they’ve come out with new glow-in-the-dark ones.”
— “This is one of the hot sellers,” said Ricki Block of Ariel’s Child in New Windsor, N.Y. “All of the sets are going to be popular.”
— “We started with 60 stores in 2004, but the word got around so now we’re in 700,” said River Dolphin partner Mark McFarland. “The demand has been high; we’ve gotten slammed with orders. We got in 25,000 units today and they are almost entirely sold.” READ MOM REVIEW 10/27/2005 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Pirate Ship Park by K'NEX INDUSTRIES INC.

This K'NEX® product comes with all the parts necessary to build a real, working pirate ship ride. The pendulum-like ride will stand more than two-feet tall and is comprised of rods and connectors and runs on a battery-powered motor. Once erected, the ship will swing back and forth before eventually flying around for a 360-degree spin. 9/23/2005 (Price: $49.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Poly M Basic by POLY-M EDUCATIONAL TOYS

This German take on building blocks should provide young children with an outlet for their constructive imaginations, as the set offers 15 different types of blocks and 62 pieces overall. Kids can erect skyscrapers or use the wheels to build a fire truck; the possibilites are endless. The set comes with a plastic storage box. 9/14/2005 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Thomas & Friends Load and Carry Train Set by LEGO

Thomas can be loaded up at the cargo tower, then sent on his way to Tidmouth Station. The set includes a cargo tower with a slide so kids can open it to drop cargo. It also features a full track that measures 23" by 35", train signal and station. It recently won a 2006 Oppenheim Toy Award, comes with more than seven feet of track and 16 curved track pieces and is compatible with the complete LEGO and DUPLO systems. 9/7/2005 (Price: $29.99)

Take and Make Vehicle by MANHATTAN TOY

Is it a plane? A car? It´s both. This plush construction toy vehicle is equipped with working wheels and can be turned from a race car into an airplane and back again with the removable, easy-to-do attach wings, racing flames, pilot/driver, propeller/front grill and everything else. Perfect for the active preschooler with an active imagination. After play, the pieces pop into a drawstring bag for easy storage. THIS PRODUCT IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE 9/7/2005 (Price: $19.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

LEGO 50th Anniversary System of Play Limited Edition by LEGO

LEGO´s been doing what it does so well for 50 years: creating interlocking pieces that kids can use to build anything their imaginations can dream up. This LEGO-brick-shaped bin holds 500 classic pieces that includes special limited edition gold bricks. 9/1/2005 (Price: $9.99)

The Helicopter by MIC-O-MIC AMERICAS INC.

Measuring 7" in length, this soft structured Helicopter is one of Mic-O-Mic´s beginner models. Easy to assemble, yet durable and sturdy, this brightly colored toy is fun to construct and even more fun to play with once assembled. 7/6/2005 (Price: $20.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

LONPOS 101 Pyramid and Rectangle Game by MIC-O-MIC AMERICAS INC.

With a possible 363,566 problems in one pocket-sized box, this is an ideal travel game that develops brainpower, IQ, concentration, math and cognitive skills, and interpersonal skills. The patented Lonpos 101 Pyramid and Rectangle Game from Taiwan already has won 13 awards for Mic-O-Mic Americas Inc. and it has been rated by Able Play. Tony Cross, president of Mic-o-Mic Americas Inc., explained that his company consulted with three toy gurus to develop unique North American packaging and a clear instruction manual that have helped the game garner accolades from the media, retailers and buyers.
— Cross was “extremely pleased” with the orders he received from specialty retailers for this product when it made its Toy Fair debut in 2006.
— TDmonthly ’s homeschooled kids played with this toy an average of 16.6 times per family between February and July 2006. “It’s still very popular with all children and all adults,” said mom Lynn Costine.
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— Cross told TDmonthly that everyone from kids with learning disorders to professional architects get hooked trying to solve this puzzle. 6/28/2005 (Price: $12.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Kapla Blocks by KAPLA USA

In the process of rebuilding a castle in France, Tom van der Bruggen discovered a single, iconic building block shape that can be used to create a surprisingly wide range of structures. The blocks are based on the elementary progression of odd numbers: one, three and five. Kapla blocks help develop eye-hand coordination, a sense of balance, concentration and creative spirit. The 20 red and 20 orange planks are made from Marine Pine in France and are accompanied by an illustrated book that shows sample constructions. 6/3/2005 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]