April 2012 New Specialty Toys — Construction

Kids can build an atomically cool coaster with dueling action, using over 850 K'NEX pieces to create a thrilling roller coaster building experience. 2 dueling cars twist, turn, and dive as they race through over 37 feet of track. The Atomic Coaster builds over 4 feet tall and includes a motorized chain lift. Color-coded, easy-to-follow building instructions are included. Go to the K'Nex website to download instructions for a 2nd coaster model. Launch date: September 2012.
Awards: 2012 Best in Play at Toy Fair - Parenting Magazine

This adventure kit comes included with all the necessary tools to explore the amazing building world of Construction Machines 3D. The kit contains a 3D book, 3D cards, magic costume card, software and Popar Reader. Kids will have an unforgettable experience as they magically turn into a construction worker and watch bulldozers push trees off the page, cranes lift huge pipes, and excavators dig foundations. "Popar® Toys use Augmented Reality (AR) technology to create an immersive reading experience that will allow the user to see incredible virtually “real” 3D objects and animations that will pop off the book or card," Scott Jochim, President of Popar Toys, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2011.
Awards: 2012 Best of the Toy Fair - The View; 2012 National Parenting Centers Seal of Approval.

Now youngsters can take pegging to a whole new level of excitement when playing with this versatile building set that combines popular Tall-Stacker Pegs with Mighty Monkey Pegs. Kids can stack colorful pegs and create different configurations for their monkeys to play. Use the included monkey figurines to swing from a vine, zoom down the slide or ride the elevator basket — with the Tall-Stacker Mighty Monkey Playset, the thrills are endless. "The Tall-Stacker Mighty Monkey Playset encourages free-form building and role-play, while fostering creativity and imagination," Mary Dolan, public relations coordinator for Patch Products, told TDmonthly. Launch date: July 2012.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval

With 10 classic Tegu blocks, a signature magnetic styling top, and 4 magnetic wooden wheels, Dart is a member of the Compact Line of Tegu Mobility. Deconstruct Dart and click the wheels on and off to create any number of mobile creations. Magnetic connections make racing and crashing as fun as building. Dart integrates seamlessly with the existing line of Tegu blocks.

These big shovels are perfect for large scale sand projects at the beach. Shovels are made in the USA. Includes 40 Big Shovels.

This fun sand mold features two towers connected by a castle wall. Castles are made in the USA. Includes 80 Double Castles and 80 Shovels.

One of five unique hexagon-based pieces make up a single block piece providing versatility, variety, and extended thought. The five hexagon-based pieces include: a single hexagon; 2, 3, and 4 hexagons - joined in linear arrangement; 3 hexagons joined in a non-linear arrangement. Includes 24 Congruently cool & colorful hexagonal building blocks; 5 unique hexagon-based pieces - a single hexagon; 2, 3, and 4 hexagons - joined in linear arrangement; 3 hexagons joined a non-linear arrangement; Full-color illustrated Building Guide with 20 engaging design challenges; facts of hexagons in nature & mechanics.
Awards: 2011 Parents' Choice Recommended Award

An innovative new magnetic, crescent shaped building block. A magnet rolls through each Arx piece, giving any builder the option of building in ways that defy common thought. When the magnetic force between two Arx pieces meets, kids’ll feel the slight click as the magnets adhere. 24 Versatile magnetic pieces. Building base included (optional for building). Launch date: August 2012.

Each bit has a simple, unique function (light, sound, sensors, etc), and modules snap to make larger circuits. With a growing number of available modules, littleBits aims to put the power of engineers in the hands of artists, makers and children. Contents: coin battery (rechargeable via micro usb cable) bargraph pressure sensor. Snap and play: magnets prevent kids from putting things the wrong way. Play with light, sound, sensing and buttons without wiring, soldering or programming. Kids can make their own interactive objects, or combine with other construction toys.

String-Along Shapes are first toys that encourage coordination, dexterity, imagination, and simple problem solving. This brightly colored set of 30 maple shapes includes two strings that turn blocks into a train, a caterpillar or a tower. The possibilities are endless and so is the fun. Shapes are approximately 1.25' wide each.

Return to yesteryear with this festive holiday scene. It's a winter wonderland in this snow-covered little town. A special-delivery evergreen, all ready for decorating, arrives at the tree-sellers stand by horse-drawn cart, while ice skaters frolic on the frozen pond with colorful lights and a curious owl perched overhead. Just look out for the freshly-shoveled snow piles one skater has already tumbled in head-first. At the bakery nearby, the friendly baker prepares delicious holiday treats in his oven and rings up sales at the cash register. Push the glowing LEGO Power Functions brick to fill the building with warm interior light. Includes 7 minifigures, snow owl, horse and lots of winter accessories.

LEGO Ninjago Zane DX (2171). Kids spin their way to victory and become a Spinjitzu master. Zane is now a dragon ninja and has reached a level of Spinjitzu ability that allows him to ride the awe-inspiring Ice Dragon. Wearing the white dragon suit and armed with the Shurikens of Ice, no skeleton is a match for him. Use the four battle cards included in the set to influence the battle.
— As of 3/30/2012 this product had 4.3 out of 5 stars from 3 reviews on ToysRUs.com.

Take to the stars in the classic X-wing starfighter. Featuring wings that fold into attack mode, proton torpedoes, retractable landing gear and opening cockpit, this most iconic vehicle of the Star Wars universe returns to turn the tide in the battle against the evil Empire. Includes 4 minifigures: Luke Skywalker, Jek Porkins, R2-D2 and R5-D8.
— As of 3/30/2012 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 6 reviews on Amazon.com.
— In a May 2012 survey, two out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that LEGO Star Wars was their best selling licensed product.
— In a May 2013 survey, two out of 10 retailers told TDmonthly that LEGO Star Wars was their best-selling construction toy line.

Another stone building set from Anker Blocks, made of natural ingredients, these shapes of stones will allow kids to create endless forms. It contains 20 sample cards to fire kids' imaginations. With 36 stone building bricks made from the original Anker stone material kids can construct creative buildings and let their imagination run riot. There are countless possibilities to build mosaics, aesthetically appealing puzzles and edifices using the stones of the New Stone Age. Made in Germany of chalk, quartz sand, pigments and linseed oil.

The possibilities are endless with the 147-piece Quadrilla Twist and Rail Set. A combination of straight and curved rails and even funnels plus color-coordinated blocks offers a new level of fascination to a build and play toy. Launch date: January 2012.
Awards: 2006 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award; 2007 TDmonthly Top Seller Award; 2007 Creative Child Preferred Choice Award.

This 500 piece model of the Titanic celebrates the 100th anniversary of the doomed ship's voyage.

The Sevi workbench is what every little carpenter dreams about. Each detail is carefully designed by the toy designers from Sevi, a company with a tradition of making great children’s products since 1831. The bench has a nice big work surface (about 18 by 19 inches). There is also a vice and a place to put your tools when finished. The tool bench is designed as a companion product to Sevi’s full range of construction toys. There are five different sets in the construction series (sold separately). In addition to the workbench, the set comes with 20 pieces including nuts, screws, and a set of five tools: mallet, wrench, screw driver, saw, and a square. The size of the pieces are ideal for little fingers just learning to manipulate and develop dexterity. The Sevi workbench is recommended for children ages 3+.

These construction sets offer exciting insights into the world of technics and also foster the technical skills of all amateur craftsmen. Thanks to the pre-cut wooden pieces budding craftsmen have immediate construction pleasure without having to do any sawing. Thanks to the easy to read instructions assembling the pieces is very simply. The construction sets bring physics within easy reach and are real fun to assemble, and then to observe and test the results.

Solid beechwood blocks still made in Germany. Perfect for little architects with the 6 building block clamps, 6 wheel clamps, 3 building block clutches, 11 building blocks. 26 pieces.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval

A little buggy with a driver and six different building blocks each with its own surprise, acoustic or visual, for playing, building, assigning, discovering.

Build a five-foot-tall marble track out of paper and tape. Eleven different patterns are printed onto 45 sheets of card stock and cut into strips. The kit comes with five marbles and a detailed instruction manual with over 90 color photographs showing kids how to make each piece and how to connect the pieces together. Made in USA; marbles made in China. "This is the only commercially available marble track kit made out of paper," Andrew Gatt, owner of Paper Roller Coaster Company, told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2011.

Little builders with big ideas can work right at this professional-looking station. Shelves and storage keep all the tools and supplies in the 38 piece set within easy reach. Includes an "adjustable height counter that grows with a child," Robin Lehnert, Marketing Manager for Hape North America, told TDmonthly. Launch date: January 2012.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval

New fun and colorful GEOMAG set lets kids build and put into motion. Build a spinning top, and put it into motion. Set makes two spinning tops. All components are manufactured to stringent European and American safety standards. GEOMAG E-Motion Power Spin 24 pc Includes: 8 magnetic rods; 8 Non-magnetic steel spheres; 2 performance tips; 1 triangle panel; 1 pentagon panel; 2 graphic discs; 1 triangle pro panel; 1 pentagon pro panel.

Constructed of hardwood & comes with over 38 pieces; skills developed will include the matching of gears, construction building and hours of multiple tasking. Container has handle.