May 2010 New Specialty Toys — Play Sets

This sleek European-influenced styling uses gender-neutral colors to appeal to both boys and girls. “Stainless steel” appliances and accents add to the clean, modern look. A special frying pan and boiling pot with lid activate electronic frying and boiling water sounds in the stove’s cook top burner. Additional electronic sounds in the oven, microwave and phone add to realistic play. The set also includes a refrigerator, coffee maker, faucet and sink.

Teddy Bear Picnic is designed to provide everything kids need for picnicking fun in an easy-to-carry tote. It unfolds to a 41" x 44" Picnic Blanket and comes complete with a classic positionable Vermont Teddy Bear dressed in a coordinating dress and ready for countless picnicking adventures. Launch date: July 2010.

Good Buddy Notes newborn onesies are imprinted with "baby talk" text messages on the front. Shelley Dieterichs of Good Buddy Notes told TDmonthly, "These onesies are clever, trendy and humorous." Launch date: April 2010.

This portable play set has a handle at the top and a door that opens to store all the pieces inside. It contains 22 pieces, includes a couple of pirates, a skeleton, guns and other accessories, and even a cannon that really fires cannonballs.

With the ZipBin® Mini Space Playset, child can keep toys neatly stored together. When unzipped, there is a colorful planet and a space station ready for fantasy play. When play is done, capture all the toys inside. This mini play set includes one astronaut and space shuttle and also serves as a travel toy.

When unzipped, it becomes an activity center perfect for buildings and fire fighters with LEGO Bricks. When play is done, four quick zips and all the bricks are captured inside. The LEGO® CITY FIRE ZipBin® Large Toy Box Playmat features cut handles and fabulous artwork. It is designed to be sturdy, strong, stackable and portable. LEGO blocks are not included. LEGO, The LEGO logo, the Brick and Knob configuration are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2009 LEGO Group. "It is a large playmat that zips up into a sturdy, portable, toy box that has amazing artwork," Robin Leighty, Marketing and Sales Specialist, Neat-Oh! International, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2010.

Dress up these stylish young girls in a variety of outfits. Each tin consists of 2 characters printed on the tin, activity card to be used on the tin and 1 sheet of magnets.

Andy's friends are out of the toy box. Woody and Buzz are ready to round them up for another adventure! Each tin includes a colorful play scene printed on the inside of the tin, 1 additional colorful play scene (2 cards) and 3 sheets of magnets.

Kids can use the icing tube-shaped dry-erase markers to color four wooden cupcakes that come with a baking tray, cupcake sleeves and decorative wooden candles. The package measures 10.5" x 13.25" x 3.13".
— Play food sets and cutting food from Melissa & Doug were named as a best-selling wooden toy by seven of 38 retailers in February 2010. "The Melissa & Doug cupcake set did really well," Lesa Smith of Whiz Kid Toys in San Luis Obispo, Calif., told TDmonthly.
― Michael McCollum, owner of Learning Express in Hoover, Ala., told TDmonthly in spring 2010 that the Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set is his best-selling playset. “One of my employees absolutely loves it,” he said of what helps drive sales.
― “All year, [the best seller] is food sets from Melissa & Doug,” said Bill Rayment, owner of Toy Crossing in Harbor Beach, Mich., when asked about his top-selling playsets and activity kits during an April 2010 interview.
― Six of 43 retailers listed Melissa & Doug as their top supplier of playsets in April 2010.

This multi-paneled portable play space can be toted around as a book but opens up to reveal themed scenes that create a large, personal play area for children. Kids can fold out the panels all around them and play with toys and accessories inside the impromptu play area.The cardboard and paper is made from 100-percent recycled material, and the glossy, UV-cured outer layers are designed to prevent fading and offer a dry-erase surface. The Castle Edition has 15+ panels with a suggested retail price of $39.99 to $42.99. Launch date: May 2010.

Bowl at home with ten 9" pins and two 4" bowling balls.

10pc girl's wild west play set includes two 8" clicker guns, holsters, badge, and more. Comes in a 8"x13" blister card.

Encouraging kids to reuse, recycle and be creative, makedo kits include connectors that help fashion masterpieces out of cardboard and other objects. The Kit for One houses 69 pieces, including 30 pins, 30 clips, eight hinges, a construction tool and an inspiration poster. Watch makedo: Top-5 Video, Toy Fair 2010
— John MacDougall, owner of Golden Apple Learning Store in Pleasanton, Calif., thought the makedo line "clever" at Toy Fair 2010.
— Susan Stephenson, The Book Chook, called Makedo “beautifully thought out.” Although she found the cutting tool less effective than scissors, she loved the value and limitless possibilities of a set that uses what would otherwise be junk.
— Makedo was a Readers’ Choice Winner for TreeHugger’s Best of Green Awards.

Join Captain Owen on the open seas! Our rugged boat playset is great for the bathtub, beach, and pool. A complete playset. It includes an 2 boats - Explorer Boat and Rescue Boat, a Life Preserver, two Dolphins - Mother and Baby, an Adventure Guide - Captain Owen, an Adventure Hat (interchangeable with other characters), and a Backpack Accessory. 2010 TOTY Award Winner.