March 2012 Notable Toys — Infant & Toddler

Soft and light, this adorable snuggly will delight the very young. It jingles softly when shaken and has lots of "handles" for tiny fingers to grasp. 9.5 inches tall. Machine washable.

This lovely mouse with big ears, delightful little brown nose and happy smile lives in a match box. The match box is decorated with whimsical illustration and made with sturdy card board. Comes with matching padded sleeping sack for the little mouse's sweet dreams. Her sweater and skirt is removable and even has a little hole for her tail. "The mouse in the box can help parents when they put their children into bed. when the mouse goes into sleep in the box, the kids go to sleep too," Malene Kleemann, marketing assistant at Maileg North America, Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2008.

A loveable monster with big puffy mitts has just flown in from Planet Tickle. His mission is to bring joy and laughter to Planet Earth. How? By tickling any child who happens to follow along in this book. Parents read aloud and do the tickling. The book comes with blue Tickle Monster mitts, with holes in the fingertips to make it easy for parents to instantly transform themselves into Tickle Monster and turn pages while tickling. Launch date: September 30, 2009.
— As of 12/06/2011 this product had 4.9 out of 5 stars from 81 reviews on Amazon.com.
— In a December 2011 survey, William Meredith, owner of Learning Express in Cary, N.C., said Tickle Monster was one of his best selling books. "It's a good infant item. You can buy it for a baby,” but it's also suitable for toddlers and preschoolers, he said. They sell about 10 copies every month.

It's a teether and toy in one. Twisty Figure 8 can be twisted and turned while baby's sore gums are soothed by the four different teething surfaces. Featuring an easy—to—grasp shape, this brightly colored teether also can be used as a rattle.
Awards: 2002 Parent's Choice Gold Award
— As of 11/30/2011 this product had 3.7 out of 5 stars from 30 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Easy for babies to grasp; easy to clean; lots of texture; can be chilled to ease teething pain; the part baby holds onto doesn't freeze, so their hands don't get too cold. Cons: Not dishwasher safe; too big for smaller babies; a little bulky for younger children.

This Colorful spinning rattle helps baby develop hand/eye coordination. It includes 3 textured links that slide and rattle and an oval shaped handle that has teethable textures.
— As of 11/22/2011 this product had 4.5 out of 5 stars from 31 reviews on Amazon.com.

Made of completely safe natural rubber and painted with vegetable—based paints, these teethers have a gentle, delicate squeak that won't hurt baby's ears. Molded and hand—painted in Morocco. 6".

Many creative building and stacking combinations — ideal for stacking experiments. Includes both round & angular blocks. 22 beechwood pieces and two boards. Made in Germany.