November 2010 New Specialty Toys — All

This portable art set features a plain brown paper exterior that allows users to personalize all sides. The set includes 18 colored pencils, 16 fine-point markers, 18 crayons, 14 pastels, eight watercolor cakes, two paintbrushes, two drawing pencils, a sharpener and an eraser. It measures 14.5" x 10.5" x 2.25" and has a rope handle and closure. "This art set allows ANYONE to personalize their own set!" Xonex Art Director Emily Meluch told TDmonthly.

Monster Jam-opoly is the official licensed property trading game with a huge twist for Monster Jam® collectors and fans. Players build their own Monster Jam® fleet of monster trucks. Each monster truck title has fun facts about popular drivers and their monster trucks. Players buy toolboxes to upgrade their trucks, trade them in to build their dream garage and maximize their fleet’s value. This game is "a must have for motor sport collectors," Late for the Sky's Carla Miller told TDmonthly.

With Funshine creating a sunny day is a group effort. In this earth-friendly matching card game/puzzle, players each flip over a card that shows one piece of art taken from pictures on the board. Each player has one minute to match their piece to the correct picture on the board as they each add a piece to the sun shape. The game is printed on recycled paper with soy-based inks.

Christa is dressed to impress and sparkles everywhere she goes. She looks radiant in her green shoes with poofs on the toes, snowflake stockings, a shimmery off-the-shoulder red dress and a green scarf, topped off with a red bonnet.

Holiday Hannah is ready for any holiday party. Super fashionable, Hannah wears red pompoms in her highlighted golden hair, a cozy winter Santa sweater, a shiny gold light bulb-embroidered skirt, candy cane striped stockings and fuzzy white boots.

Girls can explore, play and help make the world a little better while looking just like their favorite Groovy Girl superhero! In Starletta fashion, the Starletta Dress Up comes with a matching cape and dress.

This set gives girls wings of their own that match Groovy Girl Becca Butterfly. The dress-up includes Becca's dainty pink and yellow dress and shimmery wings.

Girls can take Baby Stella or any of her friends with them wherever they go in the Cute Comfort Car Seat. Any of the Stella dolls will sit comfortably and safe on the go with this seat. The Cute Comfort Car Seat features pastel colored fabric and extensive detail. It can even be buckled into a car with the seat belt attachment loop.

Girls can keep their Lilydoll snuggly, warm and stylish all winter long with the Warmly Wooly Winter Wear outfit. The outfit comes with a super soft red knit hat and a yellow winter coat with white fleece trim on the neckline.

This game set includes a wooden cribbage board, a deck of cards, five wooden dice and instructions for 12 different games. Twelve games are featured, but numerous other games can be played with the set.

George the three-headed monster has a soft, yellow plush body, bright white teeth and red accents on each of his heads and tummy. This puppet is designed to make children smile, chasing away fears of "scary" monsters.

Ole the orangutan is designed to be as adorable as the real thing. Ole's beautiful, soft, reddish-orange coat of fur and cute tan paws and black eyes make Ole a realistic wildlife animal.

As it streaks across the Alaskan wilderness, the McKinley Explorer treats passengers to breathtaking views of the spectacular scenery and wildlife in special vista-dome cars. Bachmann’s version features models of the train's bi-level dome dining-lounge cars. This ready-to-run train set includes an EMD GP40 diesel locomotive with operating headlight, three full-dome passenger cars (the Knik, Kenai, and Kobuk), a 63" x 45" oval of snap-fit E-Z Track, a power pack/speed controller and an illustrated instruction manual. "Our set has the newest models of the passenger cars," Bachmann Trains Communications Manager Debra Schiff told TDmonthly.

The Troublesome Trucks are needed for a hauling job and Percy is there to see the work gets done without the trucks causing too much mischief. This large scale ready-to-run electric train set comes complete with Percy the Small Engine (with moving eyes), Troublesome Truck #1, Troublesome Truck #2, a 5'4" x 4'3" oval of track, a power pack/speed controller, an illustrated instruction manual and DVD-format video instructions.

Giselle's intricate details are designed to fascinate listeners during storytime. Pretty in pink, Giselle features multiple patterned fabrics and textures and will fit all hands.

The Tango Tiger Cuddlemat is a luxurious floor mat featuring the popular Tango Tiger plush fur and suede paw details. This patterned mat is super soft for little faces, tummies, hands and feet. It is designed to rest on carpet or hardwood floors, with a non-skid belly to secure it from moving.

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, a pioneer in the child-friendly hip-hop known as kid-hop, returns with old school funk on the 16-track Underground Playground. Agent 23 Skidoo honors hip-hop heritage, adds fresh beats and mixes in the magic of childhood.
—Myles McDonnell of You Know, For Kids praised Agent 23 Skidoo’s lyrics, which “convey positive messages on subjects like friendship (‘Secret Handshake’) and honesty (the Public Enemy–tinged ‘Speak the Truth’) without ever getting finger-waggy, or losing the loose sense of fun that’s the core of so much quality hip-hop.” The positive lyrics are paired with “top-notch, catchy and addictive” beats.
— Toni Morton of Toni’s Treehouse tells kid-hop doubters to “think again, because Skidoo can absolutely hold his own, even while throwing out verses designed for a younger audience.” Overall, “Skidoo is a strong rapper, his rhymes are solid, the music is catchy, the stories are great, he has a good sense of humor and we love to hear something other than rock or country for kids.”

Children can make mass accelerating launch balls and discover the science of elastic collisions with this kit. Users can even mix and mold a supercharged planet collision accelerator that fires a small "moon" into orbit. The kit includes four graduated-size molds and instructions and materials for over six activities.
— In August 2010, Jessica Wood, buyer for Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, Vt., told TDmonthly her store sells “Approximately six (Hyperlaunchers) per month. I just got them back in, but I sold out right away."

This kit lets children grow up to nine large crystals, including "golden citrine," "emerald green" and "aquamarine blue." It includes a bag of granite stones, LED display stands, goggles and detailed instructions.
— As of September 2010, this product had 3 out of 5 stars from 2 reviewers on Amazon.com. One reviewer described the kit as "amazing," but consumers complained the crystals took too long to grow.
— In summer 2010, four of 43 retailers told TDmonthly that rocks and crystals are best selling science and nature products.

This kit is designed to teach children scientific principles while recycling common trash to create toys. Projects include a hover device and a cyclone tube. Parts and instructions are included.
— In an August 2010 survey, 12 percent of 43 retailers named Toysmith science kits a top seller in the science and nature category.
— “The Eco Science Toys from Toysmith have done pretty well … the whole line.” Jeff Oslick of The Enchanted Toy Store in Fullerton, Calif., told TDmonthly in late summer 2010.

Snap Circuits allow children to create electronic projects including AM and FM radios, digital voice recorders, burglar alarms, doorbells and more. All pieces are mounted on plastic modules and snap together with ease. This Pro version contains over 75 parts and an illustrated manual for building over 500 experiments. The set uses four AA batteries.
— In late summer 2010, six of 43 retailers named Snap Circuits a science and nature best seller.
— In August 2010, Jim and Retha Davis, owners of Kid’s Center in Tucson, Ariz., told TDmonthly their store sells “about 100 (Snap Circuits) a month.”
— In a late Summer 2012 survey, four out of 12 retailers said that Elenco was one of their best selling Science & Nature toy brands.

With huggable soft plush bodies, luggable detachable straps, lovable personalities and stuffable zip open mouths, these multi-play toys are designed to be an adventure buddy, soft toy or pajama keeper. Marvin Mudcrab is a barber who loves tofu burgers and pedicures, and hates sad endings and skinny jeans.

DINGaRINGs' natural wooden teething ring, luxuriously soft body and gentle rattle are designed to make them ideal gifts for newborns and teething babies. Lulu Ladybug is a magician's assistant who loves lip gloss and line dancing, and hates thunder. This product is "the ultimate non-plastic baby toy," Kate Nicolson, director of O.B. Designs, told TDmonthly.

These cookie cutters are designed for kids and feature Halloween-themed shapes including a cat, leaf, pumpkin and ghost. They offer a soft grip and are oversized for easy use. Curious Chef cookie cutters are made from BPA-free food safe plastic and are dishwasher safe.