November 2010 New Specialty Toys — All

Here is a fun way to learn the names of the states, the capitals, products and a smattering of history.  This two sides map is an "add-on" to be used with the electronic Tag reading system. You need the sensor stylus to explore, answer questions, and play games on the big 35" X 20" map. Along with the kinds of info and quizzes you would expect, they have also added distances and travel times between places, animals, cardinal directions and other map reading skills.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Platinum, 2010.

This is a talking pot that speaks when you put its lid on and off. Sometimes it says "on" or "off" or switches to "closed" or "open." Toss the toy veggies into the pot and use the big grey spoon and it adds stirring and mixing sounds along with little factoids about the foods.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Platinum, 2010.

A great combination of two favorite play modes for learning about cause and effect and making things happen. There's an easy to activate ball drop with two balls that roll down a chute and best of all, there is a set of colorful gears that twirl and play music. Tots can activate the gears by moving them directly or by pressing the red happy face button.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Platinum, 2010.

This blue-eyed beauty is a loveable 14" soft doll, dressed up in a white and pink dress with pink ribbon sash. She has hot pink Mary Jane shoes and a pink pocketbook. The Miss Corolle dolls have plenty of long hair for styling and sleepy eyes that open and close. She is hand washable.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Platinum, 2010.

All done up in sky blue velour, this first doll is soft and totally huggable. The entire body of the doll is done in velvety fabric except for the little hands and face that are done in soft vinyl. The features are painted on so there is nothing to pull off. This new doll, Sky wears a one-piece romper and a blue and white striped hat with a knottie on top. It is completely machine washable.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Platinum, 2010.

A smaller 9 ½ inch version of the original Miss Grenadine rag doll. She comes all dressed in a red, hot pink, and melon velour dress. Her arms and legs are easy to grab and her painted vinyl face is tucked in a non-removable hood. There is no hair to mouth or do-dads that will come off. Light weight and huggable, this is a perfect doll for the littlest pretender.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Platinum, 2010.

A fun remote-controlled car based on the movie.  Red and yellow with a big thick bumper in the front, this car is easy to steer.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.

Give these wooden painted maracas a shake. Painted in bug-like colors-red and black ladybug, yellow and black bumble bee, green and black grasshopper, these are smooth to the touch and have a good sound. Fun for keeping time with music or dancing time.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.

Rubbery letters cover with a soft flocking and done in bright primary colors make these an eye appealing way to know and name the alphabet. The magnet is totally encased in each letter so no fear about safety. These are a great way to give kids a feel for the shapes of the letters, building a sensory awareness that will help them remember and eventually write.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.

These balls come in many colors and interesting shapes. Some like the Crater ball has finger holds while the Bubble ball has bumps. You might also like the Fashion balls with swirling indents that make them easier to grasp. Or look for the ones with alphabet letters, geometric shapes, or numerals molded into their surfaces. They are the size of a softball and make a nice impulse toy that leads to active play.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.
— Dean Smith, owner of JaZams in Princeton, N.J., told TDmonthly in an April 2013 survey that they sell around 20 Rubbabu balls a month, making them a best-seller.

Yoga fans will relate to this baby mat immediately. It's made of a cushioned foam surface that is non-toxic  - 100%TPE  (no PVC, no Latex) and that rolls up in a bag for easy on-the-go activities.  Going to a mommy and me class? Just need a place to change the baby that doesn't feel creepy?   This mat is ideal for little ones and much like a yoga mat, very easy to take along. Comes in a variety of patterns.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.

This sleek looking clock is powered with a solar panel and features a small projector so you can watch time fly on your ceiling. It has a 2 minute crescendo alarm with and 8 minute snooze option. A sensor detects room brightness and turns off the projector to conserve energy.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.

An affordable collection of 18" multicultural dolls that budget minded shoppers will appreciate. These do not have soft bodies and their joints are a little weird, but mostly covered with jeans and such. They come packaged with extra sports clothing and a book/journal that gives the reader background on the doll as well as space to write about themselves. There are plenty of accessories sold separately and an online site where there are games.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.

Players get a card with building plan and images of 8 pieces they need to collect to build their racer. Players take turns tossing the die and moving around the playing board and collecting the pieces of the vehicles pictured on the playing board. Winner is the first to collect and assemble their racing car.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.

Players have to collect the plastic brick pieces to build their winning animal by going around the playing board and finding a chip that matches your building card. This is a game of chance but it does require dexterity, counting and matching skills. The building pieces are good size for preschoolers. The first player to collect all five blocks and builds their animal is the winner of that round.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.

A small pull down musical bear for the little (and big) sport in your life. Tug on the baseball and it plays Take Me Out to the Ball Game. This is a small musical that will fit on stroller or car seat for a lullaby on-the-go.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.

Here's a water table with a theme that is bound to appeal to kids who like playing pirates. One mom from toyportfolio.com said: "The fountain in the middle was a big hit! I also like that the pump automatically shuts off after a couple minutes--The button is very easy to operate on the pump. Both my 23 month old and 3 and half year old had no trouble with it! They loved all of the characters that came with it and enjoyed putting them in the boats and having them go down the slide. Clean-up was very easy! Just pop the plug out and empty."
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.

A soft fabric block with easy to grab handle, ribbon tabs for feeling, a teether for chewing, a mirror for viewing, and a pocket for a photo. Lots of sensory feedback in this classic kind of toy with a picture book connection. The graphics come out of the book by the same name.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.

A clutchable mini blanket with the head and arms of Nutbrown Hare in the middle. The blankie is satin on one side and has patches of velvety velour on the other side. Between the patches are small satin ribbon tabs with images of butterflies, feather, and mushroom on them.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.

A lovely set of stackers that are made from recycled milk jugs, contain no BPA, Phthaltes or pvc, and if you want to feel even better the product is made in the USA. This is a great toy to explore with your older baby or toddler.  While you can stack them in "order", you don't have to- a nice feature.  Each cup has two small holes for safety purposes - so that your child can not create a suction over his face.  Even with the holes this is a fun set to bring into the bathtub.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.

Based on art from the book, Gus & Button, this colorful floor puzzles will be 18" X 27" when it is complete. With 100 pieces this is not a snap to put together and kids will need strategies for fitting together the edges and main pictorial features. That said, once it is completed it will be satisfying and fun to explore.  Handsomely illustrated by Saxton Freymann.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.

Twenty two-piece puzzles of mother and baby animals that fit together side by side. This is a good toy for developing dexterity as well as language. Children often know the names of the adult animal, but learning the baby names for them is another level of knowing. There are color cues on the two pieces that help beginners get it together. These are sturdy puzzle pieces with charming art done by well known illustrator, Saxton Freymann.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.

A twelve piece puzzle board with bold realistic illustrations of familiar fruits and veggies. The name of the food is printed under the puzzle piece and the puzzle pieces have distinctive shapes. This is a good choice for developing dexterity and strategy for turning puzzle pieces to fit.It's also a terrific toy for developing language.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.

An alphabet puzzle with matching clues under each of the letter/picture pieces. The objects chosen are fairly familiar and good language expanders. The idea of making simple words from the letters takes the puzzle to another level that most threes are not really ready for. That said, it is still an attractive and inexpensive way to introduce the letter names and the illustrations to introduce the concept of the sounds the letters say.
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal, 2010.