August 2009 New Specialty Toys — Bath

These organic terry cloth bath mitts come with a matching baby mitt so kids can join in the bathtub fun. Designed to offer bath time fun for kids and adults, the mitts are made with 100-percent organic cotton and non-toxic low impact dyes, and produced under Fair Trade. Launch date: January 1, 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.

Loofah-Art products are made with 100-percent, all-natural loofah (a sustainable agricultural crop) and dyed with vegetable dyes, making them bio-degradable, eco-friendly, non-toxic and compostable. With natural fibers, they are designed to not scratch surfaces, and with whimsy designs, aim to encourage children to care for their skin. Launch date: July 2008.

This set has two different balls for baby to grasp, roll and hold. One is a ball-within-a-ball that chimes with every move. The sturdy plastic outer ball has generous cutouts to make gripping easy for little hands. Rattling and rolling inside it is a smaller inner ball with a bold polka dot pattern on one side and mirror on the other. A larger squishy plush ball rounds out the pair. It has bold, solid colored stripes in a velvety fabric interspersed with cheery polka-dot stripes in silky fabric. All are in high-contrast, bright colors to stimulate baby’s vision. The ball has an inner layer of crinkle fabric to make crunchy sounds when baby grabs it. It chimes when rolled, thrown or shaken. Launch date: July 2009.

BathKiddy is for both bath and pool time. Assorted small bath toys, bath stickers and even a magic washcloth are all packaged in a mesh bag that allows water to drain off the toys.  It packs easily in a suitcase and there is enough room in the mesh bag to pack shampoo and soap.