July 2009 New Specialty Toys — All

This book gives readers a close look at the the lives and work of honey bees, supported by rhyming verse and colorful illustrations. It is authored by Lori Mortensen and illustrated by Cris Arbo. A hardcover version is also available (MSRP $16.95).

This 32-page hardcover is an interactive book designed to help kids understand their own surroundings and get a glimpse of the world while learning basic mapping concepts. It is written and illustrated by Scot Ritchie. Launch date: 2009.

This hardcover explores the secret world of faeries, including visits to an enchanted forest and an underground workshop. The cover painting was done by Emily Fiegenschuh. Launch date: January 2009.

Monstrously fun shaped pillows made from super soft faux fur with felt appliquéd toes.  Choose from three styles, Yucky Yogi, Lonely Lloyd and Love Lucy in three color ways – lime green, red and lilac. This sad sack is part of a bedding and bath decor line created by the team-up of Alex with CHF. Launch date: July 15, 2009.

Alex has teamed up with CHF to create a Moody Monsters decor line for kids. Launch date: July 15, 2009.

Kids won't worry about the monsters under the bed when they're sleeping inside this Moody Monster slumber bag. Alex has teamed up with CHF to create a decor line featuring the grumpy beasts. The machine-washable, super-soft polyester sleeping bag also features an attached monster shaped pillow. Launch date: July 15, 2009.

Kids who don't like cleaning their rooms can just chuck their toys in this monster's willing mouth. Alex has teamed up with CHF to create a line of Moody Monsters bedding to keep kids on the friendly side of fierce beasts. Yucki Yogi Tall storage hangs from a loop for lots of stuff.  Made from machine washable polyester in two styles:  Silly Sally and Yucky Yogi. Launch date: July 15, 2009.

Inspired by the beauty of a full-size concert grand, Schoenhut® Piano Company offers this exquisite miniature 37-key replica. Complete with opening top to release the lovely chime-like tones, this smaller version is designed for a child with serious musical aspirations. Each piano in the series is custom built from solid maple and ½-inch multi-ply birch, stained in mahogany or painted in your choice of white or black, with the interior hand finished to match the selected exterior. The hinge is designed to raise and lower gradually, so as not to slam down on little fingers. Chromatically tuned, the sound is produced by little hammers striking precision-ground, German steel music rods.Schoenhut's patented Learning System, with its play-by-color teaching method, makes playing simple and fun. Available in Mahogany, Black or White.

“Meltdown” has 12 original, groovy songs for children by award-winning singer-songwriter Lanny Sherwin. The songs are created to be positive, funny and thought-provoking, and each comes backed by Lanny Sherwin's personal motto: “Don’t Drive Parents Crazy!” Launch date: July 12, 2009.

Awards: Winner of nine children's music awards; TDmonthly Top Toy 2009

This set comes with a hooded zipper jacket, sweats with tie string, and a loose long sleeve striped shirt. For dressing up 18" dolls.

This set comes with a tartan patterned skirt and a white tee for the top and is for dressing up 18" dolls.

This line of plush donkeys is stubbornly cute. Tomato comes in various sizes, but this one is 45 cm long.

These brightly colored, textured snaps with faces make a push, pull motor skill game for infants. Suitable for ages 6 months and up. Launch date: 2009.

Kids can find a place to park their cars by taking them up and down the ramp or using the the elevator provided to get a car serviced, washed or parked.  Wonderworld wooden toys are made of rubberwood, a replenishable resource, and utilize non-toxic color and lacquer. "Wonderworld uses only water-based paint for our wooden toys so to minimize: child exposure to chemicals ... CO2 emission ... and chemical waste release to the environment," Jason Cohen, president of Smart Gear, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2009.

Designed to meet the challenges of young children's fast-paced lives, and enhance the development of motor skills, coordination, balance and emotional and social skills, the GYMBOX opens into six squares forming a playground of various elements: ball pit, different-sized rollers, rockers, steps, climb and slide slope, tunnel, and balancing elements. The sections attach with Velcro and can easily be pulled apart. It is created to encourage classical soft play and provide a fun, active environment anytime of day. At the end of the day, the GYMBOX can be snapped closed and put away for another day. The modular cube is available in two sizes: 32" (80 cm) and 39" (100 cm).

This 5-7" plush doll represents the Influenza A virus H1N1 in an oblong pink shape covered with pink fur and adorned with big red eyes and a pig snout. It is part of a line of educational stuffed "animals" that look like mini microbes. The GIANTmicrobes series turns creepy crawly microscopic organisms into irresistible stuffed toys. Launch date: June 2009.
— Online Reviews: Minnesota Mamas’ Sarah found GiantMicrobes “a fun way to teach your kids about germs and how to stay healthy as well as why they are ill.” The Mom Buzz thought the plush can help kids develop healthy habits, like washing their hands, as well as alleviating fear of medical procedures.

Suitable for ages 18 months and up, this fire engine is made of the renewable resource rubberwood and comes with colorful shape pieces toddlers can push through the matching silhouettes on the sides. Launch date: 2009.
— "Smart Gear is doing some really smart stuff," Patti Tepper-Rasmussen, owner of Learning Tree Toys, Games & Books in Oklahoma City, told TDmonthly after the 2009 ASTRA show. She commented on the line's nice appearance and wooden construction.

This new line of 18 books includes a 50/50 mix of coloring and activities on premium quality papers, such as watercolor, vellum, and heavy duty drawing paper. Every book was distinctively designed in partnership with artists, without clip art. The square shape is user friendly with a plastic coil binding so that the books can lay flat for easy coloring. Furthermore, the perforated pages are printed on one side and can be easily removed for displaying. Each book has its own blend of enriching activities, creative projects, fun facts and even stickers. Launch date: October 2009.
— Elisabeth Dahl of Calico Cat Toy Shoppe in Bainbridge Island, Wash., who discovered this product at the ASTRA Marketplace 2009, told TDmonthly she appreciated the spiral binding and perforated sheets.

This light pink tiara features maribou feathers and artificial pink gemstones. One size fits all.

An L.A.-based mom designer created this supersoft plush elephant ... plus some more animal friends.

Wooden dolls with yarn hair are available in an assortment of ethnicities, ages and genders.

This 10" tall (25 cm) stuffed Meerkat is alert and super-soft.

Princess Catherine Castlehoff is regally dressed in purple and gold. This unique royal puppet features elegant hand detailing and materials carefully crafted for years of pretend play. She measures 17" x 7" x 8".

These fluffy feather boas with silver tinsel make a glamorous addition to any dress up outfit. Each boa measures 3 feet long; the perfect size for little ones. One size fits most. They come in pink, lilac and white.
— In an early fall 2010 TDmonthly survey, seven percent of 44 retailers cited Little Adventures costumes as a top-selling accessory item.