April 2011 Notable Toys — All

Ready, Set, Play!  It’s a party on the playground with everyone’s favorite purple pal Barney in the all-new, 3-disc gift set Barney PlayDate Pack.  Come along for some tee-rific fun as Barney and his friends build their own airplane for a tropical island adventure, put on a musical game show and visit Barney at home. The set includes these 3 DVDs: Let’s Pretend with Barney, Can You Sing That Song, Come On Over to Barney’s House. Total running time is 146 minutes. Launch date: April 5, 2011.

Episodes include: “The Big Chase”  “Bitzer From the Black Lagoon” “Zebra Ducks of the Serengeti”  “Bitzer’s Basic Training” “The Magpie”  “The Boat” and “Hide & Squeak.”  Bonus features include The Mini Making of Shaun Video and Timmy’s Tune #1.

Print Pizzazz Zazzy Legs hang from shelves, tables, closet doors, mirrors or anywhere a young girl wants to drape them. The 25inch long, soft plush animals exceed safety standards and are machine washable. Characters include Zazzy Legs Frog, Zazzy Legs Monkey, Zazzy Legs Dog and Zazzy Legs Cat.

There are nine new 7" Lil’ Cheeks. Like the 14" Cheery Cheeks, Lil' Cheeks are made of a blend of textured fabrics and a mix and match collection of patterns including stripes and flowers. The bold blend of colors is delightful and somewhat unexpected. These soft toys took their inspiration from the fashion runway with a sense of confidence and style. The details on these truly cheery animals are all embroidered including the eyes, mouth, nose, cheeks and freckles. These toys have soft, squeezable bodies and big paws. Launch date: February 2011.

Contemporary design, solid construction, quality workmanship, interactivity, and
100% sustainably harvested wood are features of Areaware's David Weeks Animal collection. The David Weeks Animal collection is comprised gorillas, bears, wild boars, rhinos, and elephants. Each is made from sustainably harvested beech wood and can hold as many poses as one’s imagination allows. They are heirloom quality but strong enough to sustain any mischief that comes their way. Prices start at $65.

Purse Switchables are purses that change in a snap. A little girl can change the style of her purse by snapping on a new cover. The purse handles and liners are 12inches x 8inches. The handles are easy to grasp. The covers are easy to snap on and off. There are 12 colorful covers to choose from with different textures, materials and designs.Daisy is green with quilted petals, Rasta is a shaggy pink and green striped, Cuppy is pink with a quilted cupcake, Rosy is a lavender satin with a row of colorful roses. The base purses, which are purse liners with handles, are $15 each and come in three color options: Aqua, Pink and Purple. The Purse Covers are $10. This is where the fun and creativity comes to play. There are 12 different 8inch x 8inch covers to choose from and collect.

Spanish for Kids is an award-winning Spanish immersion DVD series featuring the adorable Fritzi, an animated mouse who interacts with live-action adults and children to help teach Spanish.  In Las Estaciones (The Seasons), Fritzi wants to celebrate his birthday, which comes in the Fall.  With the help of his friend Maria, young viewers learn about the many joys associated with all four seasons, from sledding and snowball fights in winter (el invierno), to trick-or-treating in autumn (el otoño). 

Smokey and the Bandit II debuted in the United States on August 15, 1980. It was the sequel to the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit, which starred Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed, Jackie Gleason, Jackie Gleason and Dom DeLuise.  The story centers on Bo "Bandit" Darville (Burt Reynolds) a now washed-up has-been living in the past.  It has been years since Bandit and Cledus "Snowman" Snow (Jerry Reed) made their famous 28-hour run to Texas for a few cases of Coors.  It is not till Big Enos and Little Enos make them an offer on another cross-country run that Cledus seeks the help of Frog (Sally Field) to encourage the Bandit to sober up and regain his fitness.  The job involves transporting an elephant from Florida to Texas and once again, Sheriff Buford T. Justice played by Jackie Gleason is in hot pursuit to apprehend Bandit in the name of the law.  Frog abandons her second attempt at wedding Buford T. Justice's son Junior to help and buys Bandit a 1980 Turbo Trans Am powered by the Turbo 301; his iconic get-a-way car. Features full metal body and chassis, detailed graphics, custom license plates, opening doors, hood and trunk, fabric seat belts and is officially licensed by automotive manufacture and respective entertainment affiliation. Launch date: March 2011.

In motorsports there is a safety or “Pace Car” that is used to limit the speed of the competing cars on a racetrack for a caution period.  During this period competitors are not allowed to pass the Pace Car.  The officials at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway have been selecting a Pace Car and its driver for the Indy 500 each year the race has been held.  For the 1980 Indy 500 Race a distinctive 1980 Pontiac Turbo-Trans Am was the official Pace Car.  Powered by a turbocharged 4.9L V-8 engine, the Turbo-Trans Am needed only minor modifications to bring it up to Pace Car specs. The 1980 Trans Am was piloted by 1950 Indy 500 winner Johnnie Parsons, Sr. GreenLight recreates this machine on 1:18 scale with all details 100% accurate from the flaming chicken on the hood to the monster engine under the hood. Features full metal body and chassis, detailed graphics, custom license plates, opening doors, hood and trunk, fabric seat belts and is officially licensed by automotive manufacture and respective entertainment affiliation. Launch date: March 2011.

This clever version of tick-tack-toe never ends in a tie. There are three O pieces, which also are numbered 1, 3 and 5, and three X pieces, numbered 2, 4 and 6. If your first game of tick-tack-toe ends in a tie, then play continues based on the numbers 1 through 6 that are on the pieces. Number 1 (an O) moves first to another open spot on the board. Then Number 2 takes a turn (an X) , then Number 3, and so on, until a player gets three X's or O's in a row. It takes real thought and makes tick-tack-toe fun again.

StoryPlay Cards are an illustrated set of 88 cards plus two wild cards. They are for 1 or more players. Kids can use them for storytelling: Deal 5-7 cards per person and then have each person tell a story using the cards in their hands. There are people, places, objects, elements and treasures (among others). These cards can also be used for playing a wide variety of card games. They also can be used as a simple way for kids to talk about their day: Lay out some or all of the cards. The child picks the one that says something about their day or how they are feeling and shares it with others.

Friendship Linkz are colorful friendship bracelets hand-made in Peru using Fair Trade practices.  Each one comes with a silk-screened clay bead at the end. On one side of the bead "lives" a totem animal; on the other side "lives" a special word that relates to each animal. Friendship Linkz can connect kids to things that matter most in life: their friends, favorite animals, and words to live by.

Whether serving lemonade in the yard on a hot summer day or selling cookies at a local fair, this easy-to-assemble, mobile solid wood stand will help kids learn about business. Kids can use the included Design Idea Book and decorating accessories to give their stand a unique, personal touch. Extra inventory or other items can be stored on the sturdy shelf underneath. When finished, simply fold the stand up and slide it into a closet, store it in the garage, or put it in the trunk of your car. Easy to assemble, store and move; made of solid wood.

The newest addition to the Shrinky Dinks line. This 6 sheet pack of Shrinky Dinks Sunshine Yellow allows you to brighten up your Shrinky Dinks projects without using a bright marker or paint. This sunny yellow can be used as a background with our other plastics or can be used to accent anything...or use it alone to make your own bright shining piece. Use Sunshine Yellow with Permanent Marker, Paint Pens or Alcohol based rubber stamping inks. Creative fun for more "BRIGHT" ideas.

Join National Yo-Yo Champion Hank Freeman, National Yo-Yo Master Rafael Matsunaga, and National Yo-Yo Champions Jack Ringca, Takeshi Kamisato, Brandon Jackson, and Drew Tetz as they teach the ways of the Yo-Yo Ninja in Duncan’s new "How To Be A Yo-Yo Ninja" instructional DVD. Follow the Duncan Crew as they teach the five styles of competition yo-yo play. Tricks from basic to extreme can now be easily learned as they are taught step-by-step in a clear and easy to follow manner.

The Zazoo Photo Clock is a multi-media photo alarm clock that visually shows children when they should stay in bed or when it is time to get up and start the day. The photo clock comes pre-programmed with two sets of awake and asleep images.  The photo clock can be personalized by parents so that the awake and asleep images feature digital photos of their own children. Can also be used by older children, offering rotating photo frame, alarm clock, video, MP3 and calendar features. The photo frame supports SD, MMC, xD and MS cards and also features a built-in speaker, headphone jack, and USB port.

Capture photos and video with this 500x digital power microscope. Five specimen samples Included: rock, fabric, color wheel, feather, and circuit board. Software works with PCs. For Mac users the MicroViewer works with Photo Booth.

This easy to use microscope hooks up to a computer to show magnified images. Five specimen samples Included: rock, fabric, color wheel, feather, circuit board. Included software works with PCs. Takes Photos (up to 3200 x 2400) and Video (up to 1600 x 1200). For Mac users works easily with Photo Booth.

This telescope comes as a kit so users can learn how a telescope works as they build
this easy-to-assemble, portable refractor telescope. It features a 1.57-inch (40mm) glass objective lens and a 20mm high-quality Kellner eyepiece, which provides a magnification of 25x, delivering clear views to budding astronomists. Includes three telescope jackets so users can decorate their 'scope.

This telescope comes as a kit so users can learn how a telescope works as they build
this easy-to-assemble, portable refractor telescope. Equipped with a precision ground and coated glass objective lens, the scope delivers clear views to budding astronomists.Features 50mm F/10 Refractor Kit, 20mm Eyepiece (can be swapped with any standard size eyepiece), premium double objective lenses made from custom-ground optical glass, and three lens configurations.

This 10", soft plush lamb plays the Christian song "Jesus Loves Me." Comes in Blue or Pink.

Blessings Lamb Blankee is a 12” soft white lamb, featuring a satin-lined white robe that flows down from the lamb’s upper torso and is embossed with a cross. A bow around the neck features scripted-font text that reads “Jesus Loves Me.” The lamb can be customized with a 12” gender-specific bib (MSRP $14). The girl’s bib is distinguished by frilled edges whereas the boy’s bib features a smooth edge.

This 8" plush, chocolate colored meadow mouse holds a cross in one hand. "We like to think of the MiFe Mouse as a reminder that big messages such as 'my faith' can be carried out by the smallest of creatures," Michael Kessler, Aurora’s SVP of sales and marketing, told TDmonthly. Also comes in a "Lord is my Shepherd" Mouse, cradling a lamb.

This product features colorful metal bars with matching color plastic resonator tubes that share the same color template as the Boomwhackers tuned percussion tubes. Line bells up to play solo, or separate them for use with small groups. The set is flexible enough to be used in classrooms as an educational tool, or at home for the sheer fun of making music. Standard contents include a carrying case, eight bells (C-c Diatonic Range), and eight mallets.