April 2007 New Toys —Preschool

Soft Speaking Alphabet Letters by WALLABLES

Learning the alphabet and how to spell has never been more fun. Now parents can educate and decorate with these colorful, talking letters. When the middle of the letter is pressed, a soft voice tells the name of the letter. This approach has been proven as a positive interactive learning experience. The letters glow softly for more than 20 minutes in the dark. Each peel-and-stick letter has Velcro backing and is made of soft, durable and safe foam measuring about 6” x 6” x 1”. This product “provides both visual and auditory stimulation which assists in a child's learning process,” Andrew Alexander of Wallables told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2007. ( Watch Video) 4/23/2007 (Price: $7.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Extreme Coaster by THE STEP2 COMPANY

This toy brings amusement part fun to the backyard. Extreme styling and colors and a smooth transition track simulates a real roller coaster hill. The car is easily pushed up the ramp on the integrated stairs so children can operate the coaster by themselves for endless hours of play. The easy-entry car with convenient hand grips offers a secure ride. Launch date: May 2007. 4/23/2007 (Price: $249.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Snoozie Nap Mat by DR. O'S OUTSTANDING EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTS

A comfy alternative to vinyl nap mats, the Snoozie combines a soft fabric mat, pillow and fleece blanket into one piece that rolls up and fastens closed with Velcro for easy storage and portability. It includes a shoulder strap and name tag. The colorful design features bright stars on a royal blue background, and the mat measures 21” wide and 52” long — perfect for use on a cot or on the floor. It can be machine washed and dried. Launch date: June 2007. 4/18/2007 (Price: $23.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Oval Animal Bag by BOON INC.

A fun and practical solution for storing stuffed animals and putting them to work, the Boon Animal Bag is an oversized, plush bag covered with large, zippered windows made of transparent, durable mesh. Children can fill the bag with stuffed animals of all sizes, and then use it as a soft seat. The bag is machine washable and earth-friendly because, unlike most beanbag chairs, it does not require foam fillers. It comes in pink and green. Launch date: December 2006. ( Watch Video) 4/13/2007 (Price: $60.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Magnetic Wooden Board Habitats With Animals by MELISSA & DOUG

Kids can put an animal in its habitat with the Magnetic Wooden Board Habitats With Animals. They just slide one of the three habitat scenes into the sturdy wooden frame and then sort the magnets to find the appropriate animals for each habitat. They’ll create a beautiful picture on the chosen background. The set includes three habitat scenes (farm, ocean, African plains), 26 magnetic wooden play pieces, a sturdy magnetic board and a plastic carrying case with an easy-zip back pocket. The board measures approximately 14" x 11.5" x 0.5".
— "For the little ones, it's magnetic animals by Melissa & Doug," said Trish Garlock, owner of Treasured Child in La Grange, Ky., about best-selling travel toys in her store. "We sell some [travel toys] every day,” she added.
— It's no surprise that Melissa & Doug made the travel toy best-seller list, as they produce a wide range of magnetic toys well suited to the category.
― “Some concrete examples of suppliers with whom I am very happy would include … Melissa & Doug,” Owner Drew Friedman of White Mountain Trading Company in Lutherville, Md., told TDmonthly. 4/12/2007 (Price: $17.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

iBaby™: Zoo Faces, A Book of Masks by INNOVATIVEKIDS

Featuring six engaging zoo animals, this easy-to-use mask book will entertain and amuse babies for hours. Baby can take a trip to the zoo as parents become the animals they are reading about. It is perfect for peek-a-boo. iBaby lets babies be babies. Launch date: April 2007. 3/29/2007 (Price: $5.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

iBaby™: Hello, Baby by INNOVATIVEKIDS

Where does baby live? What does baby eat? Four flaps on each page reveal the answers. This lift-the-flap board book encourages babies to look, point, and predict as they learn about the world around them through a mix of photography and illustration. iBaby lets babies be babies. Launch date: April 2007. 3/29/2007 (Price: $9.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

iBaby™ Float-Alongs™: Rub-a-Dub-Dub by INNOVATIVEKIDS

“Rub-a-dub-dub, three pigs in a tub!” Mama pig counts 12 tiny feet, six pink ears and three shiny faces in this adorable waterproof counting book. Three pink pigs store in this bath book’s mesh tube for lots of fun in the tub. iBaby lets babies be babies. "This adorable waterproof counting book lets babies learn and exercise motor skills as they play with three charming toy pigs that store in the book’s mesh tube," explained Jennifer Bittorf, marketing coordinator for innovativeKids. Launch date: April 2007. 3/29/2007 (Price: $12.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme Puzzle by KIDS TOUCH LEARNING

This gigantic foam puzzle measures 36” x 36” and features buttons that children can press to hear each of four nursery rhymes: Humpty Dumpty, Jack and Jill, Mary Had a Little Lamb and Hickory Dickory Dock. The 60-piece puzzle includes 16 pop-outs for extra play value. It is super soft and can also serve as a playmat. 3/29/2007 (Price: $29.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Mandy and Pandy Say, "Ni Hao Ma?" by MANDY & PANDY BOOKS

Mandy & Pandy Say "Ni Hao Ma?" is a stimulating children's book that teaches kids Chinese in a fun and easy way. Mandy and Pandy teach their audience how to say the popular phrase "Ni Hao Ma?" = "How are you?" and then share stories about Mandy's personality with the things that she likes. This book features 18 beautifully illustrated pages and is the first in a series of 12 books. 3/20/2007 (Price: $12.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Sesame Street Hip Hip Hooray for School! Workbook by LEARNING HORIZONS

This 160-page full-color workbook features educational exercises that include letter sounds, building words, short and long vowels, numbers, counting, adding and subtracting, and tracing and writing. “This workbook is a great value for the consumer. … [It] includes special "Explore More" sections that offer activities that adults can complete at home with the child to reinforce the important educational concepts being taught. … And of course, it features the beloved Sesame Street Muppets, which also allows the retailer the opportunity to cross-promote the workbooks with other wonderful Sesame Street toys and products,” Director of Marketing Theresa Gamble of Learning Horizons told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 2007. 3/20/2007 (Price: $5.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

iggiBig Deluxe Building Blocks by TOP SHELF HOLDINGS LLC

This award-winning building block set includes 48 painted hardwood pieces, drawn from architectural styles from around the world. With Russian domes, Roman arches and Middle Eastern towers, children can build their own "global village." The blocks come packed in a sturdy storage crate.
— “This set is bigger, brighter and more vibrant, and includes a greater variety of styles than other building blocks and architectural blocks on the market. Since it includes many architectural styles all in one set, it stimulates a child's imagination while exposing them to different shapes and styles,” Owner Matthew Peake of Top Shelf Holdings told TDmonthly. “We also have gone more up-market in terms of material,” he added about the iggiBig line. “We use rubberwood whenever possible.” 3/19/2007 (Price: $59.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Almighty Heroes Noah Pre-School Figure by FAMILY VALUES LLC

The poseable figurine features Noah with his staff and animals. It includes accessories and a fully illustrated Almighty Heroes storybook. 3/14/2007 (Price: $12.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

WEDGiTS Junior Activity Tote by IMAGABILITY

Whether traveling to Grandma's house or spending the night at a friend's place, the 20-count WEDGiTS Junior Tote provides building ideas, word games and letter writing activities in one carry-along bundle. Kids love to show their friends and relatives the marvelous structures they can create, and children can learn to master their first letters and numbers with the dry-erase WEDGiTS Wipeoff Book. This included book and design card deck help kids learn and practice writing words, letters, numbers, mazes and matching activities for hours and hours of "learning-value" fun. Launch date: February 2007.
— Boing! JP’s Toy Shop in Jamaica Plain, Mass., has been selling Wedgits for years and keeps a demo set out in the store. “This is a fantastic building game and can be demonstrated so well,” Owner Elaine Hackney told TDmonthly in summer 2007. “Every time I go to a show I have them show me more. It looks so simple, yet the possibilities are fantastic.” 3/14/2007 (Price: $34.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Baby Millie by THE LITTLE LITTLE LITTLE TOY COMPANY

Introduce a little girl to her very own baby she can care for, play with and dress. Baby Millie laughs, cries, sucks her bottle and sleeps, just like a real baby. She comes dressed in a soft velour sleeper and hat. The set also includes a bottle, pacifier, pillow and comforter. 3/12/2007 (Price: $49.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Pirate Pip Theme Ring by THE LITTLE LITTLE LITTLE TOY COMPANY

Learning to swim and being comfortable in water is an essential part of growing up. Little ³’s swim line offers fun mermaid and pirate graphics to enhance five products each with Pirate Pip and Maisey Mermaid designs for children 3 years and up. The inflatable selection includes body boards, snorkel sets and armbands. The blue Pirate Pip Theme Ring backrest is the ship’s bridge. 3/12/2007 (Price: $14.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Dreamtime Parade by THE LITTLE LITTLE LITTLE TOY COMPANY

Helping baby relax and get a good night’s sleep makes him feel restful and reassured. These calming friends are fun to observe with their soft pastel colors. Dreamtime Parade is a soft donkey that attaches to a crib and plays relaxing music and/or projects a light show to help baby drift off to sleep. It comes with a remote control so mom or dad can adjust the sound or image without disturbing baby.
— “All of our product selection [and] all of our direction on marketing is based on the fact that play is critical to the full development of a child — not just physically, but mentally, socially and emotionally,” President Peter Reynolds told TDmonthly. 3/12/2007 (Price: $49.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Fold Away Stove by THE LITTLE LITTLE LITTLE TOY COMPANY

Little chefs will get busy with these classic wood kitchen items.  The Foldaway Tabletop Cooker can go to the bedroom or outside for a bar-b-cue with its portable design. THIS PRODUCT HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE PRODUCT LIST 6-11-07.
 3/12/2007 (Price: $49.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Transform N' Play Activity Table by MAXIM ENTERPRISE INC.

Bringing new life to an old item, this activity table transforms into a drawing table or desk. The table easily converts, and the set includes a stool, two cups, a roll of paper, and a painter’s palette. The table is available in a natural wood finish, as well as in playful colors. “Our table allows parents and children to decide what type of medium they need at any particular time,” Kris Millington, vice president of marketing and development for Maxim Enterprise, told TDmonthly. “We’ve taken the need for multiple pieces of furniture in a family’s home out of the equation.” Launch date: June 1, 2007. 3/1/2007 (Price: $180.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Roller Coaster Theme Park by MAXIM ENTERPRISE INC.

This park takes a fun spin on the traditional train set with elements of an amusement park that include a motorized track, a merry-go-round that spins the horses and plays a song, and a musical Ferris wheel. It is compatible with other fine wooden railway sets. This set “has multiple accessories that come with the set rather than having to be purchased at a later date,” Kris Millington, vice president of marketing and development for Maxim Enterprise, told TDmonthly. Also, “it has a self-feeding motorized track that allows the coaster cars to be brought up the track to start their ride down.” Launch date: June 1, 2007. 3/1/2007 (Price: $200.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Sick Bear™ Bowl by SICK BEAR, INC.

The Sick Bear Bowl provides security and comfort to kids aged 6 months and up who have upset tummies. Children love having their own “just right” container when sickness strikes. Made of colorful melamine in pink, yellow or blue, the bowl has child-sized handles, doesn’t tip and is dishwasher safe. It’s great for little emergencies, including car sickness, colds or the flu. “My Sick Bear Bowl is the only bowl on the market designed for children with upset tummies!” Cindy Kroiss of Sick Bear told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2005. 3/1/2007 (Price: $14.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Kidizoom Camera by VTECH

This kid-friendly digital and movie camera hooks up to the computer or TV for photo and video playback. This multimedia device has 16MB of built-in memory, which is enough to store more than 120 photos or five minutes of digital video. It also features an editing tool with wacky effects, preschool games, two interchangeable face plates and headphones. Launch date: Fall 2007. 2/21/2007 (Price: $59.99)

Get The Gem™ by RUBBING HANDS

This is a hide-and-seek game that comes to life with your child’s imagination. With this adventure-building activity, your child creates a trail of arrows through your home past make-believe obstacles like rushing rivers, fallen logs, and boiling mud. The path they build leads the other players on a journey to get the Gem! “With the creation of our Get Out Of Their Way Play collection, we are offering high-quality products that both retailers and parents can feel really good about having in their stores and homes,” Chris Friden, founder and funmaker of Rubbing Hands, told TDmonthly. ( Watch Video) 2/2/2007 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Capture The Gag™ by RUBBING HANDS

In this game, two to eight children split into two teams, put on their colored wristbands, and unfurl their flags. Each team hides a Gag — a multifaceted creature that is magnetic and can also stick, grab and hook in hiding places — for the other team to find. The company’s Get-Out-Of-Their-Way Play “products allow kids to reinvent their play places and use their imagination,” Rubbing Hands Founder Chris Friden told TDmonthly. “There is no technology required and they are based on simple play that kids instinctively do on their own: hiding, finding, following and inventing, to name a few. These are fantastic gifts and party activities.” This product is a 2008 iParenting Media Award winner. ( Watch Video) 2/2/2007 (Price: $29.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Adventure Bounce House by BOUNCELAND

What an adventure. Kids enter through a tunnel into a bounce area, climb up and over a wall into another bounce area and exit out the other end. Who said exercise can’t be fun?

• Inflated size 15’ x9’ x9’.
• Powered by strong UL blower (included).
• Heavy-duty puncture proof materials with double to quadruple stitches.
• Large pillars all around for a strong bounce structure.
• Long fill tube (6.5’) so blower can be placed farther away from the bouncer.
• Easy set up and take down. Inflates in less than a minute.

 1/23/2007 (Price: $159.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]