March 2010 Notable Toys — Outdoor Fun

This scooter has 120mm wheels and ABEC5 bearings for a smooth ride and high speed. It weighs 6.4 lbs. and can hold a rider up to 220 lbs. Measurements are 27” x 38” x 13” (unfolded) and 26” x 10” x 4” (folded).
—    “It's perfect for the age group with the bigger wheels and [the] construction is stellar, and it's responsive. It's a medium price point, retails for $80, so it's not something that sells all the time, but does well. This is the time that will start picking up,” Eric Masoncup, owner of Gepetto’s Toy Box in Oak Park, Ill., told TDmonthly in March 2010.
— In early summer 2010, Brooke Andrews, owner of Millers Toys in Mamoraneck, N.Y., cited sales of 18 Micro Scooters a month.

Straws and Connectors are colorful plastic straws and connector pieces that are simple to use for hours of imaginative play. Children can make play houses and forts, design buildings, or even engineer spacecrafts with this design and build set. The package contains 230 pieces and includes an idea guide.

Past videos: Toy Fair 2010

This telescope was designed with traveling in mind while offering great value. The Travel Scope is made of high quality materials to ensure stability and durability. The telescope comes pre-assembled with a full-size aluminum tripod and a custom backpack for easy traveling and storage. Featuring a compact and portable design with ample optical performance, the Travel Scope is great for terrestrial as well as casual astronomical observation. Launch date: 2010.

The Skyball is a distinctive play ball  filled with helium. The brightly colored ball can bounce up to 75 feet in the air, giving a whole new dimension to play for one or a group. Kids can add this astronomical bounce to existing games like handball, or invent whole new things to play.
— “Skyballs would be No. 1 if I had any right this minute, but I don't. They are the best seller. I sell as many as I have, 48 or more. Sixty. Can't keep enough in stock,” said Gage Brownell, manager of Belmont Toys in Belmont, Mass., during a March 2010 survey.
— Two of 37 retailers told TDmonthly in March 2010 that Skyballs are a top-selling outdoor toy.

The bright colors and complex design of the Nova kite from Jakks Pacific make it an engaging kite that is satisfying to watch and fly. Box kites are well known to be very stable in steady winds, making them great kites for beginners while offering enough visual interest and the opportunity for impressive acrobatics on a slackened line.
— Eight percent of 37 retailers said during a March 2010 survey that kites are their top-selling sports and outdoor item.

This root growing kit can be fun for the whole family. It allows growers to observe the process from planting to harvest. The kit includes a wooden stand, three plastic root toobers, a growing medium, and enough seeds for several plantings of radishes, carrots and green onions. Instructions are also included.
— These garden root viewers were listed as a top-10 best seller at My Club Tabby in Lake Charles, La., by owner Natalie Comeaux in spring 2010. They had been selling well for over a month in March.

Mesh walls allow for close-up viewing of butterflies and insects. A sliding plastic door makes catching and releasing easy while avoiding pinched fingers, and a carrying handle makes it portable.
— With warmer weather approaching, these backyard exploration critter cases were on the top-10 best-seller list at My Club Tabby in Lake Charles, La., in spring of 2010. Owner Natalie Comeaux reported in March that the kits had been selling well for more than a month.
— June Hargrove, co-owner of Black Forest Books & Toys in Charlotte, N.C., told TDmonthly that they sell 24-30 of Toysmith's Critter collection each month.

Young bird watchers can get in on the fun with this kit for building and painting a birdhouse. No hardware is required, and the kit includes everything needed to create and paint a 5.5” x 7” x 7” birdhouse.
— With the eagerly anticipated arrival of spring around the corner, birdhouse kids were popular items at My Club Tabby in Lake Charles, La., in March 2010. Owner Natalie Comeaux reported that they had been selling well for over a month.

This kit comes in various colors and includes a pair of jersey knit garden gloves, a trowel, a rake, a shovel and a metal watering can.
— Spring items were very popular in March 2010 at My Club Tabby in Lake Charles, La. Owner Natalie Comeaux reported that the kids watering can kit had been selling well for over a month.

The Bubbleizer lights up bubbles as they stream out and float in the air. The light show lights the bubbles and entertains you at the same time, making bubbles look great both in the light and in the dark. Requires a bottle of bubble solution and three AA batteries, all included. Launch date: 2010.

This Dr. Seuss by Trend Lab ABC print bucket hat is great for the beach or any sunny day. It's available in infant and toddler sizes. Trend Lab's Marchelle Lyons told TDmonthly the "Dr. Seuss ABC scatter print design makes it fun and playful for your little one!" Launch date: December 2009.

Kids can make mud pies with this Little Tikes outdoor kitchen set. They use the hand-crank mud mixer to get the right consistency. The real working sink uses the water reservoir that releases when the pump button is pushed. No batteries are needed. The outdoor fun table includes a sink strainer, a shaker and lid, a pie mold, a large mixing bowl, a mixing spoon, a measuring cup and a cutting board. Makin' Mudpies is "one-of-a-kind," Susan Hale, PR Director of MGA Entertainment, told TDmonthly. Awards: Parent's Choice Award 2010. Launch date: 2010.

This APS-core foam sled comes complete with adjustable lap belt/buckle, knee pads, and a contoured design with bold graphics.

Scope out a target, and squeeze the trigger for a spread of mini marshmallow furry. The NEW futuristic Marshmallow Rapid Fire blasts multiple mini marshmallows up to 30 feet in one shot. Regulate the use of marshmallow ammo by varying the amount of pumps that create air pressure. The more pumps to the rear handle, the more marshmallows will exit the barrel. When pumped to full capacity, The Marshmallow Rapid Fire sprays out the entire magazine of 25 mini marshmallows with one squeeze of the trigger.

This full-view periscope allows stealth viewing over boulders, high brushes, backyard fences, and around corners. Three rugged, light-weight sections telescope for a reach over 4 feet high to let you see all those out-of-reach views. Flip the Mega View Periscope upside down and a full 16 inches is submersible for underwater viewing – on docks, poolside, lakes or beaches.

In this 2 player interactive RC hunting game, player 1 takes flight control with full function RC Duck while player 2 takes aim at the Duck with safe infrared blaster. The Duck Hunter Xtreme takes 7 minute flights off a single charge and requires 3 direct hits to bring the duck down. Requires 6 AAA batteries for the controller and 3 AA batteries for the blaster.

The MForcer pistol is the first ever rapid-fire marshmallow shooter, allowing you to shoot 15 consecutive marshmallows at unsuspecting targets. It packs all the punch of the company's flagship Marshmallow Shooter into quarter of the size. Load up to 15 mini-marshmallows into the chamber, give it a quick pump, and the MForcer is set for rapid fire attack. There’s no need to for any additional pumping after each shot.

The Rockboard Scooter uses propulsion technology, allowing it to be ridden without having to put a foot on the ground. It can be used as a kick scooter or a Rockboard. When in Rockboard Mode it requires no kicking, batteries, charging or gasoline. It can also be folded up for easy storage and transport. The Rockboard combines fun, fitness and functionality into one product. "While standing on the deck in Rockboard Mode the rider shifts their weight back and forth, and this powers the drive chain. Propulsion is achieved with each rock, wasting zero energy and allowing the rider to reach speeds of up to 10 mph," Zane Andrews, Account Manager, M.Y. Products, told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 18, 2009.
— Thanks to a product demo in the store, Learning Express of Newton, Mass., had sold at least 15 Rockboard Scooters in 2010 as of July, Owner Richard Gibson told TDmonthly.
— In a March 2012 survey, Grafton Stine, owner of Toys on the Square in Hummelstown, Pa., told TDmonthly that Rockboard Scooters were one of their best selling ride-on toys.

Where to buy:
SOUTH

This shoe-sized skate simplifies the skateboard concept for on-the-go ease. It features three 64mm urethane wheels, a Grip tec system, weighs 2.5 lbs, and holds riders up to 220 lbs. It can attach to backpacks (clip not included) and comes in red, blue and white.

Kids and parents can toss the ball to have fun with their pets. Launch date: January 25, 2010.

AQUA AUTO LAUNCHER™ MINI is a hand-held launch tube that can shoot four mini foam rockets at once powered entirely by air. The rockets are soft, safe foam and the entire set, including launch tube, is waterproof. In free POP display. "[The] quality waterproof design makes it durable, even if accidentally left out in the rain. Part of our always expanding line of PUMP ROCKETS™ with interchangeable styles plus with add-on components like Replacement Rockets available," Naomi Binkley, Marketing, Geospace International, told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 2010.

Best for heights up to 4’10" suitable for ages 5-8. Awarded both the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award 2004 and The National Parenting Center 2004 Seal of Approval, The Trikke T5 features durable steel construction, color options and encourage fitness disguised as fun for smaller children. 3 wheel contact and no foot pushing provide excellent stability.

T78cs is the base model for ages 13 and up and accommodates heights of 5’ to 6’3”. The steel T78cs Convertible carving vehicle comes with two rear polyurethane wheels that can be replaced with air tires. Designed to be a good starting vehicle for beginners.

Turbospoke is the re-imagining of a classic playtime activity that many parents will remember; putting a baseball card in the spokes of their bike. Turbospoke brings this simple idea right up-to-date and allows parents to share this wonderful childhood experience with their own children.Turbospoke - the Bicycle Exhaust System makes any bike look and sound like a motorbike!! It attaches to a child's bike in under 5 minutes and using durable plastic cards and a realistic megaphone exhaust pipe it makes awesome motorcycle sounds as you cycle. The sound is generated by the card vibrating in the spokes of the bicycle wheel and the exhaust pipe captures the sound and amplifies it. The harder you pedal, the better it sounds. It looks cool, sounds awesome and transforms kids bikes! Turbospoke is also very rare for a toy product as it has been seen more than 25million times on YouTube. Turbospoke is so much fun that it naturally encourages active outdoor play. It gets children out on their bikes again and exercising. It also brings the opportunity for parents and children to cycle together which is a wonderful thing.
Awards: 2015 TDmonthly Magazine Top Toy Award; 2012 - Tillywig Toy Award - 'Top Fun' Category, USA; 2012 - Toyology Outdoor Toy Awards - Winner, UK.
— As of 10/01/2012 this product had 3.5 out of 5 stars from 27 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: A fun accessory for bikes; sounds like a motorbike. Cons: Several users reported quality control issues.