January 2009 Notable Toys — Puzzles & Skill

This blank puzzle gives kids freedom to draw their own picture, and then assemble and reassemble their very own design. It is available in 5" x 7" and 8" x 10" sizes with mailing envelopes.

This 60-piece puzzle completes to 14.5” x 10.33”.
— “They have a great range from little kids up to adults,” Cheryl Richmond, owner of Punkin Doodles in Havre, Mont., told TDmonthly of the Ravensburger line. Nearly 6 percent of 52 retailers named the company as a preferred vendor in late 2008.

Everything about The Wumbler Patch and its Wumbler characters seeds itself in social, global, environmental, and humanitarian fun and learning wrapped up in the WATERMELON. Its games, puzzles, and full line of plush all share the same theme.

One of the most challenging in the bunch, remove the eight pieces out of the stepped side of the frame and reassemble them in the rectangular frame on the opposite side. Expert (Level 4)

Four chair-shaped pieces of varying sizes combine to form one large, single chair that is the same shape. Hard (Level 3)
— “The thing that's important to me with the games I carry is I enjoy playing and promoting [them] to adults as well as the children. I feel that for adults they need to keep their brains active, and playing games like ThinkFun helps to do that,” Jacque Flagg, owner of Jacque’s Inc. in Bryan, Texas, told TDmonthly in fall 2008. Nearly 6 percent of 52 retailers named Thinkfun as a favorite supplier.

Take the four Ts out of the large frame and try to fit them into the smaller frame on the opposite side. Hard (Level 3)

Based on a nineteenth century puzzle, Wing It challenges puzzlers to remove the metal ring from between the two wings. Medium (Level 2)

This nine-piece packing puzzle challenges puzzlers to take the pieces out of the box, then pack them back flat – so the lid closes easily. Medium (Level 2)

Separate the four jigsaw puzzle pieces and put the puzzle back together again. Easy (Level 1)

Players arrange the four puzzle pieces to build a four-sided pyramid. Easy (Level 1)

A beautiful puzzle with architectural roots, Adams Cube combines six games in one. Each side of this translucent cube offers a new challenge, as players attempt to arrange the five puzzle pieces within a polygon frame. Some puzzles are more complex than others – solve one and move on to the next for lasting fun. Plus, the cube’s smart design allows game pieces and instruction booklet to be stored inside the cube.

S’MATCH is a classic memory game with a twist. Players are challenged to make matches according to specific attributes such as color, number or category. However, it's the S’Match Spinner that decides which way to match – and every player gets a spin. Pictures and words allow pre-readers and early readers to play together and enjoy hours of memory-building fun.

Crazy Machines 2 is packed with all-new features to help kids create their wackiest "Rube Goldberg-style" contraptions. A 3-D physics engine lets them craft even more complex gadgets and effects. Builders can kick the brain into high gear with mind-bending puzzles and tinker with wrecking balls, lightening rods, lasers, pulleys, springs, gears and more to create the chain reaction they need. Launch date: April 15, 2008.

Made with high-quality blue board that gives the puzzle edges a finished look, this 399-piece family jigsaw puzzle completes to 17.25" X 26.5". It is made in the USA with 100-percent recycled fibers, soy-based inks, water-based coating and recyclable bagging material. With the family puzzles, children work from the side of the puzzle with the large pieces while adults work from the side with the small pieces. They meet in the middle when the puzzle is complete. Launch date: January 20, 2009.

BuckleyBoo plush dolls come in two sizes: the original 17” with five buckles ($29.99)  and the 12” ($19.99) with three buckles — perfect for the toddler on the go. With an internal, motion-activated chime and a variety of pattered ribbons, each BuckleyBoo will provide hours of challenging and engaging playtime. Created by a child psychologist and grandma, Buckleyboo teaches essential developmental skills. Launch date: February 2009.

BuckleyBoo plush dolls come in two sizes: the original 17” with five buckles ($29.99) and the 12” with three buckles — perfect for the toddler on the go. With an internal, motion-activated chime and a variety of pattered ribbons, each BuckleyBoo provides hours of challenging and engaging playtime. Created by a child psychologist and grandma, Buckleyboo teaches essential developmental skills. Launch date: February 2009.

Kids can color these 24-piece, two-sided jigsaw puzzles with the five jumbo wipe-off crayons that are included in the sturdy sliding drawer box. Or, they can flip over the pieces over and assemble the pre-colored pieces to see the same scene. Launch date: August 2008.

The MagnaPlay™ Wooden Magnetic Alphabet Picture Puzzle contains self-checking tiles that give little fingers the ability to put puzzles together and keep them together. Launch date: November 15, 2008.

The Let’s Learn series of Puzzle Doubles! combines a puzzle with additional activities into a highly educational, interactive learning experience for your child. The Let’s Learn puzzles introduce numbers, letters, animals, transportation, foods, and colors & shapes in a bright and colorful way. After assembling the colorful “talk about” puzzle, turn the puzzle over for an entertaining learning activity! Color in the illustrations using the enclosed write- on/wipe-off crayons, and practice those hand writing skills by tracing and writing the letters and words as shown. Each 50 piece puzzle measures a giant 3’ X 2’! Recommended for ages three years and up.

The Create A Scene series combines a puzzle with additional activities to create a fun and interactive learning experience for children. After assembling the puzzle, children can create their own scenes and stories by placing the reusable static stickers on the surface of completed puzzle. Then turn the puzzle over for a big coloring activity. The bright illustrations encourage parent-child conversation. Each 50-piece puzzle measures a giant 3’ X 2’! Recommended for ages three years and up.

Play and do a puzzle at the same time with the Wild Animal Puzzle. Includes a figure, monkey, giraffe, zebra, lion, cloud, and a colorfully decorated puzzle board.  Recommended for ages 18 months and up. 

This brain-building strategy game plays off the original Blokus but plays with entirely new configurations in four construction plans: steps, pyramid, tower and corner (shown). The player who ends up with the most squares showing from above wins the game. Launch date: 2008.

Just about everyone loves the BUMPER CAR ride. It's the next thing to driving a real car and the only time you can legally bump into someone. MAGNETIC BUMPER CARS is a brainteaser puzzle that is almost as much fun as the real thing. The challenge is to position the nine bumper cars on the track so they don't bump into one another or the surrounding wall. Of course these miniature drivers have something else on their minds, as powerful hidden magnets in the cars and track walls cause all sorts of collisions as you maneuver your way through 12 brain-bumping challenges!

This game comes with a colorful spinner and corresponding shapes that fit into puzzle board with color-corresponding cut-outs. Launch date: 2009.
— “eeBoo is excellent,” Elizabeth Ryan, owner of Tales & Toys in Venice, Calif., told TDmonthly of this preferred vendor in late 2008. One other retailer, out of 52, also mentioned eeBoo as a favorite.