July 2009 New Specialty Toys — All

This wooden dollhouse was designed by Eva Schildt. "With its beautiful packaging, Playsam makes an ideal gift; it is for the sophisticated customer with an understanding and appreciation for the unique and well made," Deepa Dadlani, president of VICI Enterprises (exclusive North American Distributor of Playsam), told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009.

Crafted from sustainably harvested, local hardwood maple, this train includes 6"-long cars, fat wheels and an easy to connect "knuckle hitch." Each car is sanded super smooth to the touch and has engraved detailing. No finishes or chemical coatings are used. As an added bonus, the train comes with a "pull stick" to make the whole train a pull toy. "The train is designed for the 3 years and under. There are very few products on the market that for that age group," Barbara Rainville, marketing manager for Maple Landmark Woodcraft, told TDmonthly. This product received a 2009 Preferred Choice Award, Classic Wooden Toys Category, from Creative Child Magazine. Launch date: January 23, 2009.
— Maple Landmark wooden trains are a big hit at Moon Rabbit Toys in Santa Fe, N.M., Owner Shana Hack told TDmonthly in June 2009.

Crafted from locally harvested hardwood maple, this set of 16, 1 3/4" blocks can spell more than 250 words, phrases and names. Each letter is engraved using a clean, simple font for ease of reading. The Simple ABC Blocks are sanded smooth to the touch but left unfinished for a truly eco-friendly toy. They are made in Vermont. Launch date: January 25, 2009.
Awards: 2009 Creative Child Magazine Toy of the Year Award, Classic Wooden Toys category.
— Any kind of stacking alphabet blocks, no matter the maker, do well for James Dello Stritto, manager of Magic Box, Ltd., in New Orleans.

This addictive puzzle is currently available on all major mobile phone cariers in the USA and on Iphone Worldwide. It is also available daily in the USA TODAY newspaper in a daily puzzle. Txtpert the card game works exactly the same way as all the other brands. Launch date: June 2009.

Kids can join EnviroGirl as she learns about saving the environment. "In Go Green With Me," parents and children will learn simple, eco-friendly tips that will help protect the planet. From recycling and solar power to worm composting and so much more, "Go Green With Me" is designed to make these important lessons fun to read and learn. The company's books are printed on 100-percent recycled paper with 100-percent post-consumer waste that is processed chlorine-free, using environmentally friendly inks/toner. This book received a 2009 Book of the Year award from Creative Child Magazine. Launch date: March 2009.

"ALLEY LOO: A Spooky Swamp Tale" is the children's picture book written by C. E. Walz. It was the winner of the "2008 DFP Award for Best Children Book" manuscript. "Written in a delightful rhyming style, ALLEY LOO takes children on a spooky tour of the swamps of the southeastern United States. It was illustrated in full-color by Pamela Wedel, who also did the artwork for 'GRIZZELDA GORILLA,' the EPPIE 2008 Best Children's Book," Terri Branson, publisher for Dragonfly Publishing, told TDmonthly. Launch date: April 2009.

This DVD includes six award-winning music videos, a 45-minute live concert, six karaoke videos, an in-depth, behind-the-scenes "Film 101" documentary, and a bonus 45-minute live audio concert CD. Launch date: September 29, 2009.
Awards: 2010 Parents' Choice Gold Award; 2009 Independent Music Awards Best DVD of the Year

Girls can make their own bracelets, hair ornaments and flower bouquets with fun snapping blocks in pretty pastel colors. The 260-piece Hobby Kit Flower comes with an instruction guide to make 12 interchangeable models from seven types of blocks. "LaQ is an innovative construction toy block with a patent for the cleverly angled block pieces which allow a child to create flat, two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and spherical objects from just seven types of blocks! The infinite possibilities of creating geometrical shapes through play is highly educational and enjoyable for children and adults," Mo Saeki, manager, overseas division, Yoshiritsu Co., told TDmonthly. Launch date: December 2009.

This playful pal does double duty as a bath toy organizer and bath time entertainer all in one. Multi-colored and sporting a big smile, Shanda! is designed to be a welcome friend to even the most fearsome at bath time. Shanda! has suction cups that allow her to easily adhere to the bathtub wall, a pouch that holds tons of toys (thus leaving the bathtub neat and organized during non-bathing hours) and a kid-friendly release that sends said toys tumbling into the water. Her Velcro paws can curl over a bath tub towel bar or shower rod. Shanda! can also hang in the nursery on baby's crib to store diapers or hang on high chair. This product received a 2009 Dr. Toy Best Vacation Award. Launch date: May 2009.

This classic pull toy is made of velour that rolls around on sturdy wooden wheels. Launch date: July 2006.

Featuring Lauren Fisher Cat, Penny Petite Bear, Willow Cottontail Rabbit and Nibbles Norwood Mouse, each Critter comes with removable clothing and can easily be placed in a sitting position. The plush Critters are approximately 8” tall. "The Calico Critters plush dolls are unique additions to a popular product line that formerly only featured miniature characters. This loveable, hugable, Calico Critter character provides children with a cuddly version of the characters they've already come to know," Vickie Cullen, account executive for International Playthings LLC, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009.

This could be a first guitar for kids and a travel guitar for players of all ages. It includes eight dot position inlays, 1/4 pin pickup, and a silkscreen logo. No assembly is required. Launch date: August 2009.

This dinosaur is almost a foot long, 6" tall, and designed to be in a realistic, frightening pose. Like other Papo dinosaur figures, the Spinosaurus's mouth opens and closes. Launch date: June 2007.

The articulated jaw of this Allosaurus really opens and closes. The hand-painted dinosaur is approximately 1:20 scale and measures about 10.5". It is made of durable synthetic material. Launch date: July 2008.

The goal of this patent-pending, fast-paced game is for players to swing their ring onto their hook. One to four competitors frantically try to out-duel one another while tuning out the screams to focus on the perfect release. "Hookum is the first collapsible, multi-player Bimini Ring game," Joe Parrish, chief creative officer of 5mississippi, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2009. Watch Hookum: Top-5 Video, Toy Fair 2010

Pilloroo Pillows have a hidden pouch for hiding away a toy or gift item. The pillow is stuffed so the item cannot be felt from the outside. This product is made in the USA and received a 2008 Moms Best Award. Launch date: November 2008.

My Pillow Pets are snuggly plush companions that are also a comfortable pillow for bedtime, television time or travel time. There are more than 20 styles, all made from soft, high-quality chenille and safety tested.The Original Pillow Pets come in both 11" and 18" sizes. "My Pillow Pets are the Original pillow pets. The overall design, special facial features, and highest quality chenille make them ideal for the specialty and gift market," Heidi Niehart, director of marketing for My Pillow Pets, told TDmonthly. This product has received the following awards: iParenting Media Excellent Product Award, Dr. Toy Best Vacation Toy, and Mr. Dad Seal of Approval. Launch date: 2003.

These four lightweight, easy to use rollers offer a way to get creative. Children can roll out borders for note paper, party decorations, designs on wrapping paper and anything else that their imagination will allow. Using the circular paint pads or washable tempera paint will yield the best results, along with a shallow pan for the paint and a lesson in holding the handles properly. Each roller is 8.5" long. The themes for this set include teddy bears, butterflies, gingerbread men and frogs. Each design is a different color. Launch date: June 2009.

From the "It's Our Planet" series, this DVD is designed for kids to learn about the animals, people and plants that call this region home. They can discover what a rainforest needs to survive, and how this beautiful natural resource is disappearing. In collaboration with rainforest conservation organizations, One Smart Cookie has compiled an educational and informative DVD that uses imagery and video. "The DVDs in the 'Let's Explore' series and in the 'It's Our Planet' series use a multi-level format to cover background knowledge, as well as appealing to a wide age group (pre-K through age 10). Multi-level learning (or differentiation of instruction) is a critical factor in our children's education. Being able to move at their own pace allows your child to feel a sense of pride as they complete a level and move onto the next. Each level in the 'Let's Explore' series expands on the teachings of the previous level, adding more facts, vocabulary and scientific knowledge," Keli M. DiRisio, CEO of One Smart Cookie Productions, told TDmonthly. It was named a 2009 Dr. Toy Vacation Product of the Year and was a 2009 Gold Award winner in the National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA). Launch date: May 2008.

The objective of this product is to allow children as well as adults the opportunity to clearly allow others to see how they are feeling. Each wrist band has a character and a mood in writing that shows emotional states. These wristbands are designed as a fun way for kids to learn about emotions, colors and how to connect with themselves and others through feelings. "Moody Bands are an ideal tool to be incorporated in any school curriculum. This product is perfect for children, but what sets Moody Bands apart is that adults of all ages love them as well," Naif J. Faris, president of Moody Bands, told TDmonthly. Moody Bands received a 2009 Dr. Toy Best Children's Vacation Product Award, a 2009 Toy Man Award of Excellence, a 2009 Toy Man E-Choice Award, and a 2009 Toy Man Seal of Approval. Launch date: September 9, 2008.

Each LovBun & Friends plush character features a poem on the hangtag: "Meet LovBun, the love bunny who comes from outer space! They live on hugs so remember to give them lots of hugs each day!" Launch date: August 15, 2009.

This album boasts a collection of food-themed songs from around the world. Launch date: July 28, 2009.

Created for the budding fashion designer, this activity comes with a dry-erase board and wipe-off markers to allow the young designer to come up with several combinations of wild and wacky outfits. On one wheel, the designer will spin to choose the type of bottom (i.e. pants, skirt, etc.) and top (i.e. sweater, tank-top, etc.). On the other wheel, the designer will spin to choose the footwear and an accessory. Then, the designer goes to work with the different colors to create an outfit on the pre-modeled body. "SQUIGGLE Style is not about only creating a hip and fashionable outfit; it’s about being creative and engaging children’s imagination," John Kiely, president of RandomLine, told TDmonthly. Launch date: July 15, 2009.

These are crystal clear display cases for diecast cars, dolls, sports items, figurines and more. The displays come with "cut out" background images on retail boxes. The sports items come with a grass image and a basketball court floor image on the retail box, and diecast car displays come with the classic car garage image, a modern (Nascar) garage image, and a "ROUTE 66" neon sign image on the retail box. Launch date: June 8, 2009.