November 2009 New Specialty Toys — Construction

This set includes 216 powerful rare earth magnets that can be molded, shaped and snapped together in an endless variety of configurations. Each Buckyball has two poles — one repels, one attracts. Not intended for children. Watch video
— ''Pun's has sold about four dozen in the last month alone,'' Joe Berardoni, Sr., owner of Pun's Toy Shop in Bryn Mawr, Pa., shared with TDmonthly in the fall of 2010.
—Jeanette Lauture, owner of Aunt Jean's Toys & Treats in Montclair, N.J., sold nine of 24 units in two days after opening a box for display, she told TDmonthly. Two of 39 retailers named Buckyballs as a best-selling travel toy in March 2010.
— Dean Smith, Co-owner of JaZams in Princeton, N.J., told TDmonthly in a Summer 2011 survey that he sells "probably 50" sets of Buckyballs each month.
— May 27, 2010 RECALL of 175,000 sets (prior to March 2010) with 13+ labeling violating a federal standard that powerful magnets not be sold to children under 14.

These 5.5" x 3.3" camouflage panels have patent-pending, collapsible magnetized hinges so that structures can be knocked down and built again and again. Deluxe and Super Size sets are included, with miniature soldiers.

This replica of the short, lightweight Delta-7B starfighter has four has four partially hidden laser canons. Parts snap together, and it does not require painting or gluing. Skill level for this project is 1.
— Mud Puddle Toys in Marblehead, Mass., sells about 20 to 25 Revell kits of cars, airplanes and Star Wars items each month. “We’ve carried them for a few years now. People know we carry it,” he told TDmonthly in October 2009.

25 piece wooden set of animal blocks made in Germany!

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.

The Amazing Wave of Light Animatronic Dolphin is a work of art that combines lights, sound and movement. The visual experience is hypnotic, creating a relaxing tranquil environment for any room in your home or office. You can choose from three modes: 1) Watch it move in a well-lit room with the Sound & Movement Mode; 2) Bring it into the bedroom shut the light off and watch the Movement, Sound and Light Mode take over - completely relaxing you; 3) Simply use it in the Movement Only Mode (with no sound or light) and be mesmerized by the slow graceful movement of the Dolphin. The Amazing Wave of Light Animatronic™ Dolphin has a built-in Sleep Timer Mode; with the push of a button it can be set to turn off in a 30 minutes to one hour. Cons: One user reported that the dolphin's nose got stuck and wouldn't go back down.

The Amazing Magnetic FridgiGears Deluxe Light Show Puzzle Gear Edition lets kids make creations light up & glow in the dark. Each gear is a puzzle that a child puts together to create a moving work of art. A rotating magnetic black light is included. The motorized picture frame gear powers all 20 gears with an easy "tap on/tap off" function. Included are over 103 black-light responsive magnetic fridgi puzzle pieces.

Using the pieces included in this kit, plus recycled water bottles provided by the user, kids can build a working sailboat that not only floats, but realistically uses the wind to sail. The design can be modified into several different kinds of boats. Plus, Uberstix are designed to be compatible with many other popular construction systems, allowing for virtually endless possibilities. This kit comes with with a three- to four-hour lab lesson planning sheet that teaches the basics of sailing and the function of keel and rudder.
― “Uberstix. We love that,” said Terri Bracken, owner of Earth Explorer Toys in Zionsville, Ind., when asked about her top-selling item for tween boys in October 2009. 
― “Uberstix is up and coming,” said Tom Levin, owner of Tom's Toys in Great Barrington, Mass., about his best sellers for tween-aged boys.
― Two out of 39 retailers said Uberstix are a best selling item for tween boys in fall 2009.

Modeled after the rebel-controlled, icy planet Hoth from the Star Wars movie series, the Echo Base set from Lego features a rebel fortification with two gunner figurines, a missile-firing defense turret, two Imperial snow troopers, and a Hans Solo character figurine complete with Tauntaun. Children can reenact their favorite scene from the movies or invent new adventures by combining this with other Lego Star Wars sets.
― “Lego star wars is still very popular,” said Scott Loveless, owner of Toys That Teach in Bothell, Wash., when asked about his best-selling items for tween boys in fall 2009.
― Nine out of 39 retailers that participated in an October 2009 survey said Legos are their top-selling item for boys in the tween age category.

These soft flexible mini edulocks include 6 soft animals that attach to the blocks, too. This toy can enhance shape and color recognition plus help develop fine-motor skills. There are 28 pieces in a set.

Explore and experiment combining the hexagons with the triangles and squares to create your own favorite XL Cruiser. There are hundreds of possible 3-D combinations using these three geometric shapes. Feel the magnetic force and have countless hours building and designing different XL Cruisers.
— Hardware Center Inc. in Paoli, Pa., reported sales of 60 Magformer sets per week in late fall 2009, according to Manager Mike DiAndrea.
― Three of 43 retailers who participated in an April 2010 TDmonthly survey listed Magformers as a top-selling construction toy.
— As of 08/06/2012 this product had 4.9 out of 5 stars from 15 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Helps develop spatial awareness and problem solving skills; encourages creativity; durable.

These supplemental kits allow for expanding LaQ kits. The kits come in single colors with a combination of all 7 types of LaQ parts.

Sankore Mosque is one of three ancient mud mosques composing the famous University of Timbuktu in West Africa. This 1/150 scale model measures 10" x 8.7" x 4" when assembled. Launch date: August 2007.

The painted wooden Torii Gateway, built in the traditional Shinto style, is a classic and beloved icon of Japanese architecture. This model is 1/100 scale and measures 9.4" x 5.1" x 6.7" when assembled. Launch date: July 15, 2003.

Description: This large-scale construction set is designed so that kids and parents can work together to design and build a structure on which children can climb, crawl, slide and play. Additional components or accessories like slides or wheels may be used to create larger, more complex creations. It’s designed for easy assembly and disassembly when building something new. Launch date: 1979.

With this large-scale modular construction kit, children and parents can collaborate to design and construct play structures on which children can actually climb, crawl, slide and play. Larger, more interesting and more complex designs can be created by adding more components or accessories such as slides or wheels. It’s designed for easy assembly and disassembly when building something new. The Junior kit is the second largest set in the line. "Our kits are the only product on the market where you can design your own play equipment on a computer and then actually build rugged play structures to actively play on," George Maday, owner of Phunzone, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 1979.

With this large-scale modular construction kit, parents and children can work together to design and build play structures on which children can actually climb, crawl, slide and play. Larger, more interesting and more complex designs can be created by adding more components or accessories such as slides or wheels. It’s designed to be easy to take apart so users can build something new and different as often as desired. This Basic kit includes wheels to make rolling vehicles. Launch date: 1979.

This is a large-scale modular construction kit on which children can climb, crawl, slide and play. Parents and children can work together to design and build play structures. Larger, more interesting and more complex designs can be created by adding more components or accessories such as slides or wheels. It’s designed to be easy to take apart so users can build something new and different as often as desired. "Our kits are the only product on the market where you can design your own play equipment on a computer and then actually build rugged play structures to actively play on," George Maday, owner of Phunzone, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 1979.

Founded on the idea of a modular construction set that integrates with many other popular systems such as K'Nex and Lego, Uberstix is also intended for use with whatever recycled materials one might have lying around. Mixing Uberstix pieces such as the 60 contained in this set with found materials yields numerous possibilities. This model set is designed to yield a bird that can really flap its wings. The kit also includes a 40-page book of Uberstix basics.

― During an April 2010 survey of best-selling construction toys, two of 43 retailers named Uberstix as their top line.