January 2009 Notable Toys — General Toys

The Lightning Lab simulates lightning and real storm sounds, and includes a 22-page booklet. "The fun and fact booklet not only guides you through using your Lightning Lab, but it's full of fun and interesting facts about the weather," Janice Hudy, sales and marketing assistant for POOF-Slinky, told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2008.

This set allows one to build and display all nine planets of the solar system. It includes a 64-page fun and fact booklet that shows how to conduct more than 20 fascinating experiments with the completed models. Launch date: November 2008.

Kids can project their own scientifically accurate views of the ever-changing night sky, and will learn to locate actual stars and constellations. Launch date: November 2008.

This beautiful 3-D mobile of the solar system is easy to balance and hang, and comes with glow-in-the-dark paint for spectacular night viewing. Launch date: November 2008.

Here's a safe and fun way to learn the basics of chemistry without blowing up the house. This kit uses common household substances to make fun things such as rock candy, super bubbles, molding clay, flip-flop slime and more. Launch date: November 2008.

Cryptography, the spy science of secret messages, is everywhere. Kids can learn the secrets to keeping secrets with this product, using codes, cyphers and hidden messages to communicate. "[It] comes with a step-by-step, easy-to-read manual that will guide you through fingerprinting," Janice Hudy, sales and marketing assistant for POOF-Slinky, told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2008.

Kids can study the basics of chemistry while creating five different types of ooey, gooey ooze: sewer slime, wiggly wonder, power putty, flip-flop slime and glooze. Launch date: November 2008.

This kit introduces the basics of electric circuitry. It can be used as a telegraph, or kids can change the circuit and use it as a bell or buzzer. The battery is not included. Launch date: November 2008.

No tools are needed to make this powerful electric motor that powers its own motorboat and teaches the basics of chemistry. The battery is not included. Launch date: November 2008.

Kids can build a working crystal radio that will pick up radio stations and allow them to experiment with radio waves while learning chemistry basics. No batteries or soldering are needed. Launch date: November 2008.

Kids can whip up and delight in two ooey, gooey slimes, while learning what polymers are and why they act the way they do. This kit contains safe, non-toxic ingredients and includes step-by-step instructions. Launch date: November 2008.

Kids can mix up and enjoy two more kinds of slime that wiggle, bounce and snap. This kit contains safe, non-toxic ingredients. It "comes with an easy-to-read, step-by-step instruction manual to guide you hrough your experiments," said Janice Hudy, sales and marketing assistant for POOF-Slinky, Inc. Launch date: November 2008.

Kids put their aiming skills to the test with this Shuffleboard-style tabletop game that's as fast as it is fun. The game includes dual-action bumpers for lightning-fast play. Launch date: November 2008.

This game balances fun with gravity. Players rotate the pivoting platforms to guide six steel balls and collect points, experiencing nerve-racking action as the balls begin to fall. "It's fully enclosed which makes for safe fun!" Janice Hudy, sales and marketing assistant for POOF-Slinky, told TDmonthly. "It comes with simple, easy-to-read game-playing instructions." Launch date: November 2008.

These 3.75", fully articulated historical action figure warriors are highly detailed and accessorized with accurately rendered uniforms, armor and weapons. The collections features "unique play and collectible value born of perenially compelling, historical themes and a high level of poseability," Len Gatdula, product development manager for Unimax Toys, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009.

The Okee Dokee line of 12" plush features whimsical friends with distinctive, wacky patterns and fun colors exclusive to each animal. Their mismatched eyes and crooked, yet cute, smiles are sure to bring the giggles. The collection includes Potomas the hippo, Mangos the monkey and Lillibelle the lamb. Launch date: 2009.

This cushion is made of plush materials with polyester stuffing. It is convenient, easy to clean and ideal for relaxation. "This is not only a utility in the room, but also a decoration," a company representative told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2008.

Kids can rock the house with this simple rocker solution that epitomizes “play potential." It can be used as a speeding motorcycle, a galloping horse or even a balance beam. The open-ended design allows kids to bring their imagination to life and create an experience all their own. Its large size allows for two kids to grab a hold and take off. It is constructed from durable molded ply as strong as the log that inspired it. It's a "new-school version of an old-school classic ... the teeter totter," General Manager Matt Genova of 10 Grain told TDmonthly. Launch date: December 2007.

This beautifully engineered globe is suspended in midair by an electronically controlled magnetic field. It must be plugged in to work. "This globe has a chip that continuously adjusts to atmospheric changes," Melissa Rains, in Premium Incentive Sales at Cram Herff Jones, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2008.

The rungs of this colorful ladder seem to all fall down when the top is tilted from side to side, but they remain attached, offering an intriguing visual time and time again.

Inspired by her beloved King Charles, college student Elizabeth Rives created this fun-filled kit for kids and their pets while she was working part-time at Scientific Explorer. Pamper your Dog will have pets woofing with delight over yummy, nutritious dog cupcakes. Children can give their canine friend a healthy scrub with homemade shampoo, brush those long teeth with special doggie toothpaste, and learn the secrets of a great massage for their furry friend, as well as design a unique "dog tag" for an ID. Insights into canine thinking will turn kids into real dog psychologists. The kit "helps teach social responsibility in a fun way," Scientific Explorer's Vice President Susan Rives told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2008.

Little Reader Blocks are 3” cubes constructed of sturdy corrugated cardboard. The blocks are imprinted with over 100 preK-2 sight words that combine learning with play. Words are color-coded by type (adjective, noun, verb, etc.) to make sentence forming fun and easy. The set includes 18 pieces: 3 yellow adjective blocks, 3 green noun blocks, 5 blue verb blocks, 5 red pronon blocks, and 2 white preposition blocks. Kids can roll blocks like dice to form sentences, look for familiar letters or words, stack blocks to make sentences, and much more. Guided play activities are included. Adult assembly required.

This set consists of 16 large red blocks (12” x 6” x 3”). ImagiBRICKS™ Giant Building Blocks are an enduring classic that offers endless play possibilities because they are versatile and safe. The blocks are printed with non-toxic inks and with their water-resistant coating are strong and durable for years of creative play.
— ImagiBRICKS are a best seller at Kazoo & Company in Denver, Owner Diana Nelson told TDmonthly at the beginning of 2009.

This 40pc Basic Set includes 8 large red blocks (12” x 6” x 3”), 6 medium yellow blocks (6” x 6” x 3”), and 24 small blue blocks (6” x 3” x 3). ImagiBRICKS™ Giant Building Blocks are an enduring classic that offers endless play possibilities because they are versatile and safe. The blocks are printed with non-toxic inks and with their water-resistant coating are strong and durable for years of creative play.