August 2009 New Specialty Toys — All

Best friends can be celebrated with the "Best Friends Forever" Mini Brush, which is lighter and shorter than the original, making it ideal for smaller hands or on-the-go use. Launch date: April 2009.

The "Figure 8" brush features a girl gliding on the ice, with a little bunny friend in the background. Launch date: June 10, 2009.

Hair Noodles feature a spiral design in multiple colors that create many different looks. Launch date: July 2009.

The Safe Sizer, a colorful child’s plate with a distinctive safety feature, is designed to help parents reduce the risk of their young child choking on food. It incorporates a half-inch diameter raised ring that reminds parents and caregivers of the recommended maximum bite size for kids under 4 who are eating solid foods, and helps them measure it properly. Launch date: 2009.

This kit challenges kids in a fun and colorful format by teaching them to identify shapes and colors by completing tasks, to recognize shapes and colors of objects in their environment, and to develop grouping and classifying skills through game play. It's all packaged in a storage box. Launch date: 2009.

Children can make moving figures of a dozen world-changing individuals from thousands of years ago. Cut-and-color or pre-colored action figures really move as they play out the lives of Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, King David, Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi (builder of the Great Wall of China), Hannibal (and his elephant!) and others. Their stories are right in the book — or kids can make up their own stories about these historic figures. Launch date: April 15, 2009.

WhisperPhone® Reader’s Theater includes 10 scripts, 10 scene setters and 10 coordinating exercises written by literacy experts and teachers. The scripts feature two characters in a telephone conversation about “How Things Are Made.” Students practice reading with expression in pairs. Launch date: March 2009.

The Soft Caterpillar in the Taggies Colours from Mary Meyer collection features Taggies patented looped ribbon tags that babies can explore and rub. The caterpillar is soft and easy for little hands to grasp and hold. Launch date: February 2009.

Mary Meyer’s Fuzz that Wuzz collection is made from plastic bottles. The outer fabric and stuffing are high-quality polyester made from 100-percent recycled plastic bottles. There are six Mini Zzzzoo animals. Launch date: June 2009.

"Zoey and the Yok-Yok Man" is a musical journey with a positive message. Aimed at children 3 to 10, this entertaining story is designed to nurture children's imagination through upbeat and catchy songs. Launch date: April 30, 2009.

Pedoodles shoes are manufactured using environmentally friendly processes. Carefully selected quality remnant leather is used in construction of Pedoodles in order to reduce waste. Recycled materials are also used for the manufacturing of the soles, and the “green” packaging for Pedoodles is made from recycled materials. Designed to be developmentally correct for little feet, the shoes have PedFlex Soles that are lightweight and flexible to offer protection, durability and traction. Launch date: June 2008.

The Guardian Angel Bracelet is a secure lock bracelet that can be easily adjusted to fit children of all ages. The bracelet includes a space for parents or caregivers to write the cell phone number of the child’s caregiver. They can teach their children that if they get lost or separated from their group, they should find a mommy and ask her to call the number on the bracelet. Launch date: June 2009.

Intended for infants, the DreamSwaddle uses a double-wrap system and offers a double-ended zip-up pouch that gives easy access for diaper changing. "The DreamSwaddle is a unique new concept in swaddleing babies; it's every parent's dream — sleeping made easy," Brenda Anderson, president of Bluebird Sales & Distribution, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2009.

This 7/8"- square glass pendant comes with a 24" color-coordinated ball chain, a silver-plated bail, paper, acrylic sealer, a cello hanging bag, and a color-coordinated card with interpretive information on the back. Water resistant only. Launch date: August 2009.

This Silver Ion HEPA Air Filter is designed for homes with kids seeking to reduce airborne viruses that cause the flu. The HEPA air filter is coated with silver, an eco-friendly and non-toxic substance naturally occurring in nature that provides anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral protection. The Silver Ion HEPA filter is more affordable than other air sterilization methods and is designed to be extremely efficient when compared to ultraviolet technology alone. The Silver Ion HEPA filter reduces up to 50 percent of airborne viruses that cause the flu after 24 hours of use, and eliminates 99 percent of airborne allergens, 98 percent of bacteria, and up to 50 percent of the viruses that cause influenza. It's "perfect for a child's room or common high-traffic areas in the home," Akiko Tanaka, PR coordinator for Alen Corp., told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 15, 2009.

Ficklets interchangeable eyewear charm huggers are designed to provide an innovative and affordable way to update kids' eyewear and help them feel more comfortable in their glasses. "Ficklets are the first eyewear charm hugger in the marketplace specifically targeted for kids at an affordable price," Ros Guerrero, president of Ficklets, told TDmonthly. Launch date: April 2007.

Each kit comes with an undecorated leash and a set of permanent fabric markers for drawing patterns, designs and doodles. Kids can write their pet's name, their phone number, or anything else as they create a leash for special occasions, outings and walks. The leash measures 4' L x 5/8" W and is constructed of sturdy webbing and metal hardware. Launch date: August 2009.

Kids can use their imagination and creativity to design a one-of-a-kind collar for their dog. Each kit comes with an adjustable collar made with high-quality nylon webbing and ribbon and featuring a quick-release buckle and sturdy metal "D" ring, plus a set of permanent fabric markers for drawing patterns, designs and doodles. Children can write their pal's name, their phone number or anything else they can think of. Launch date: August 2009.

Kids can personalize a lovable fabric dog with this kit that includes a stuffed dog (measures 8" from paw to the top of his head and 12" from his snout to the tip of his tail) and a set of permanent fabric markers. Children can use their creativity to create a one-of-a-kind work of art and treasured keepsake, featuring messages, autographs and designs to commemorate a special event, sleepover or graduation. It could even be used as a "guest book" at a party. Launch date: September 2009.

What's more fun than a barrel of monkeys? How about a house full of 'em? Kids poke the dots and hear them pop as they learn to count down from 10 in the favorite childhood rhyme "Ten Little Monkeys." "Fun, tactile books help kids learn to count — without losing count! Raised buttons pop in on every page so kids can press them as they count," Rich Hill, director of marketing for innovativeKids, told TDmonthly. Launch date: August 5, 2009.

Pretty in shades of pink, this dazzling dress features a skirt of petals. "Our award-winning products have been proudly manufactured in the USA for over 15 years and use the finest fabrics and trims to create truly sophisticated dress-up apparel," Renee Stojek, art director for A Wish Come True, told TDmonthly. It received a 2009 Toy of the Year Award from Creative Child Magazine. Launch date: August 2009.

These natural colored piggy banks are handmade fair trade in a small artisan community called Quinea, in the province of Huamanga in Peru's central highland department of Ayacucho. Some designs are available in large, medium and small, and each bank has a cork stopper. Launch date: April 15, 2008.

The cotton outer body of this fair-trade, artisan-made animal is filled with acrylic and rice, so the pet may be used as a heating pad after placed in the microwave for a very short period of time. Velcro on the bottom of the animal enables washing of the cotton body and acrylic inside. The uncooked rice is separate, in a bag. Caution: When heating, please carefully check the temperature prior to giving it to a child. Launch date: May 20, 2007.

In the Colombian countryside, poverty and the displacement of peasants due to civil war has increased illegal wildlife poaching activities. One World Projects works with Fundación Ecologica Santa Fe in the 10,000-person community of Pintada, Colombia, to produce plush toys representing the monkey species that the organization hopes to reintroduce to the wild. Plush monkeys come in a variety of styles, including finger puppets and scarves, for kids of all ages. "Plush monkeys are all sustainably and fair-trade made and support two great causes. Located near the Pan American Highway, Pintada has become a rest stop for truck drivers, who have left behind a disproportionate number of children without fathers. Crafting these items also gives single moms a much-needed source of income, and gives their children hope for a better future," Sylva Dvorak, in marketing for One World Projects, told TDmonthly. Launch date: July 10, 2006.