November 2009 New Specialty Toys — All

In 164 BCE, Judah Maccabee led his Maccabean army to liberate the land of Israel and reclaim the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. But the Maccabees did not have enough oil to light the menorahs to rededicate the Temple. Now players must lead a band of Maccabees and acquire enough oil to light the new eight-stemmed menorah called a Chanukiah. But beware, there are still remnants of the Seleucid Empire’s army roaming the lands trying to thwart these efforts. This board game is made in the USA and turns the basic game of dreidel into an adventure. The entire game is in English and Hebrew, so it serves as a tool for learning Hebrew. Launch date: September 2009.

This product was a 2009 ASTRA Best Toys for Kids Winner — the only costume to win this award in 2009 in the Pretend/Fantasy Play category. The green Dragon side is made with shimmering scales and a yellow dragon tail. The silver Knight side emulates a glittering armor and is embellished with a red and black emblem. The Reversible Dragon/Knight Hood (sold separately) completes the look of this fiery dragon and a feisty knight. "This is a truly unique and high-quality design and it's sold for the specialty market only," Veesha Knight, sales and marketing manager for Creative Education of Canada, Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2009.
Awards: 2010 Children's Choice Award by the Canadian Toy Testing Council.
— Donna Frederick, owner of The Play House Toy Store in Durham, N.C., told TDmonthly in a December 2011 survey that "We ran out of capes this year," and that she will definitely order capes from the Great Pretenders line by Creative Education again for Halloween next year.

The stinky bum clutch is a new design from Momma Couture. It is part of Momma Couture's everyday collection, which uses smooth nylon and faux leather for the exterior while maintaining the insulation within the bags for its function. The clutch specifically is fully insulated and allows for one diaper, wipes and non-kid essentials. The bag also includes the Momma Couture tushy pad and is ideal for quick trips out with your little ones. The bags are CPSIA compliant. Launch date: August 4, 2009.

The Discover Electronics Kit is designed to help users learn the basics of electronics and make their own projects. It contains the most common electronics components as well as a prototyping breadboard. Easy, full-color diagrams teach how to bring ideas to life, helping teenagers become smarter about the world around them. It offers a basic understanding of how things work and that knowledge is a great motivator in figuring out how to solve problems. Not overly simplified, it uses real parts and encourages creativity — not just following directions. "The kit takes you beyond the concept of turning on a light and guides you through the 'how' and the 'why' of electronics so you can get creative yourself," Victoria George, founder of Victoria George Public Relations, told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2009.

Ophélie hides in her chubby belly a large, cuddly egg in which her four chicks, all with different colors and featuring different sounds, are snuggled up warmly. Each chick gets into the egg through an opening of the corresponding color. Mother Ophélie is a hand puppet and the little chicks are finger puppets. A game encouraging mother-child role playing, recognition, matching colors, and awakening of the senses, Ophélie offers baby various discoveries. "Ophélie and her chicks is a toy that evolves in a way that accompanies the baby throughout his or her passage into early infancy. As the child grows, new play elements are revealed, making new activities possible," Alicia Célérier, assistant sales manager export for Lilliputiens, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009. Watch Ophélie and Her Chicks: Top-5 Video, Toy Fair 2010

This accessory attaches to sand and water tables and art easels, allowing a large amount of storage. It "can almost double storage capacity," according to a company representative. Launch date: October 5, 2009.

"Ptown," what natives call Provincetown, Mass., is made with the blue of the ocean, the green of the waves, the opalescence of the sand, and the copper fire of the late summer sun. Creamy solid 14k gold and solid .925 sterling silver set the Swarovski crystal ablaze in the handmade piece, designed to be as splendid as that point on the outermost point of Massachusetts' peninsula. The piece is handmade in New England. "morse code jewelry® is bracelets and necklaces with the components laid out in the dot-and-dash pattern of Morse code to 'spell' words," Annie Fields, founder of morse code jewelry®, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 9, 2009.

The Particle Zoo is a collection of more than 36 plush versions of subatomic particles from the worlds of physics and astronomy. Often compared to Giant Microbes, these handmade soft toys represent the familiar neutron and proton as well as lesser-known particles like the charm quark and muon. A favorite of physics students can make unique birthday and graduation gifts, especially for physics students. The particles are handmade in the USA. "There are no other companies making plush subatomic particles, so they are a unique concept. Because they are weighted according to their relative masses, they can serve as a teaching aid or novelty gift," Julie Peasley, owner and seamstress for The Particle Zoo, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2008.

MY WEEK is designed to show little ones how days are organized in a way that is colorful, playful and personalized to a child's life. It may be used to introduce the days of the week, seasons, weather, routines and special events. Colours and symbols allow even pre-readers to differentiate each day. MY WEEK includes a magnetic calendar, 58 developmentally appropriate activity magnets, a dry erase marker and a reusable storage bag. "In a nutshell, it helps children to develop a better understanding of the abstract concept of time in an engaging, fun manner! We have found no other products in the market that address this need," Nathalie and Jennifer, owners of 2fish kids, told TDmonthly. Launch date: December 2009.

Designed for children ages 3 to 8, Pipperoos' creative drama kits include dress-up materials and an illustrated storybook. The Sea Play Sea Turtle Kit features a Terry the Turtle costume and Pipperoos' first book, The Key in the Sea. While listening to the story, children can pantomime, act out the story independently, or explore the theme with related activities listed in the book. "Pipperoos' creative drama products encourage active participation in reading, storytelling, and learning," Jennifer Hastings, co-founder of Pipperoos, told TDmonthly. Launch date: August 18, 2009.

Players compete by placing cards to line up three in a row of the shape that matches their secret Goal. The first player to score five Goals wins. But beware ... placing a card can help opponents as easily as it can help you. Triplica includes two multi-player games and an addictive solitaire version. "Triplica is a challenging and competitive game based on the very simple idea of making three in a row," Jeanine Calkin, president of Fun Q Games, told TDmonthly. Launch date: December 2009.

This 6" square bag challenges its owner to find each of the fun objects in the bead-filled bag through the front window. The bag includes a snap tag that lists the different products, and kids can also form their own games and try to "find something blue," for example. Other colors/themes are available.
— Christine Lee of Treehouse Toys in Canton, Ohio, told TDmonthly in late October 2009 that she expects the Peek-A-Boo Bags to do really well for the holiday season, since there's nothing like them for toddlers.

The Risas y Sonrisas Songs to Learn Spanish CD includes 39 original and entertaining songs designed to teach students Spanish vocabulary and phrases. A booklet with colorful song lyrics is included. These songs can also be rehearsed using the illustrations and lyrics found in the Risas y Sonrisas program from the Student Book and the interactive CD-ROM.

This set comes with 150 bright, interlocking pieces that are flexible and can form a farmhouse, a rooster and a 3-D baby chicken, as well as various other imaginative designs.

Available in various “flavors” of ice cream, this 7” cone has a button that, when pressed, pops out the soft, spongy ice cream ball that’s connected to the cone by a string.

Available in blue, pink and yellow, baby paper is a soft fabric that makes a paper sound when babies touch it. Baby Paper is machine washable.

With a future-retro design, and connectable, interchangeable parts, this sleek toy vehicle can fit in the palm of a hand. Automoblox Minis received a TDmonthly Top Toy Award 2007.
— Automoblox has been a best-selling line, according to retailers surveyed by TDmonthly, since 2007.
— "That little three-piece Automoblox set sold extremely well. I've sold about 40 of them in two months," Janet Gregory, owner of Over the Rainbow in Anchorage, Alaska, told TDmonthly leading up to Christmas 2009. Two of 44 specialty retailers named Automoblox as an overall best seller in late 2009.
— In a February 2012 survey about wooden toys, two out of 14 retailers said that Automoblox were their bestseller in the category. Pam Byrd, manager and buyer at The Little Cottage Toy Shop in Franklin, Tenn., told TDmonthly that "Automoblox is still strong."

Where to Buy: Blue Turtle Toys; Camelot Kids; The Satin Button

Available in a variety of shimmering shades, this 65mm glitter ball is fun to bounce and features colorful effects on the interior.

This pair of elephants is outfitted in baby clothing. Sweet Ellie loves to be around her family, and Evan has tons of energy and loves to play outside.

Designed with a realistic appearance, this soft, plush panda measures 8.5” H.

This see-through tube features a collection of small river animals, all of which are phthalate free and sized from 1.5” to 3” H. It includes a beaver, bald eagle, snapping turtle, salamander, frog, snake, river otter, alligator, mallard and cottonmouth snake.

This zebra is part of Schleich’s extensive collection of wild animal figurines. Launch date: January 2009.

Darth Vader pilots this vehicle that first appeared in Episode IV: A New Hope. The original LEGO model debuted a decade ago, and this mold incorporates a new style, coloration and firing action. Includes Darth Vader and 250 other pieces.
— Two of 44 specialty retailers named LEGO when asked about overall best sellers leading up to Christmas 2009.
— Star Wars Legos are top sellers at the Toy Shop of Concord in Concord, Mass., Owner David Hesel told TDmonthly in late 2009.

Every time a player passes Go, he builds and watches a city come to life. Players choose what to build and compete as they collect rent like traditional Monopoly.  It features 80 3-D buildings and includes a game board, six movers, 22 District cards, 25 Chance cards, six Reminder cards, one Rent Dodge card, two dice, one money pack, one trading unit and instructions. It requires 2 AAA batteries (not included) and is for two to six players.