March 2012 Notable Toys — Arts & Crafts

Hot Duct Tape Fashion - 54 Feet of Tape. Tear, stick and wear. Kids can use these hot colors to make fun creations- belts, headbands, glasses, a purse and more.
— In a March 2012 survey, 2 out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that Alex was a best selling brand. "Alex has about 4 SKU’s that are selling as fast as they come in. They have only been here for a month but we have sold dozens of them," Joe Berardoni, owner of Pun's Toy Shop in Bryn Mawr, Pa., told TDmonthly. He specifically mentioned that the new "Duct Tape" line is doing well.

Create 3 pretty Princess collages. Peel, stick and reveal beautiful pictures perfect to hang and display. Young children create their designs by matching colors and textures in three simple steps. Launch date: March 2012.

Learn all about dinosaurs while creating 3 colorful collages. Peel, stick and reveal beautiful pictures perfect to hang and display. Young children create their designs by matching colors and textures in three simple steps. Launch date: March 2012.

Now kids can create a pretty plushy photo pillow. Use the stylus to punch purple fabric and make this fun and easy fabric-by-number craft. Add funky foam and sparkling jewels and choose the perfect photo to display.  This no mess craft teaches number and pattern recognition and creates a finished product to show off their fave photos. In the great craft traditions of Sticky Mosaics® and Rug Hooking, PlushCraft™ allows a rewarding craft experience for young crafters. Match fabric colors to numbers and decorate beautiful pillows, room decor, journals, and other soft & colorful items. Launch date: March 2012.

Stick sparkly stickers and snap snazzy shapes to create rings, shoelace clips, headbands and more. Based on the well-loved children’s books, this line captures it’s young heroine’s love of life and excitement for all things posh and fabulous. Launch date: March 2012.

This kit is sure to suit girls' Fancy. Follow a simple numbered legend and add sparkling jewels to create super stunning shades. Based on the well-loved children’s books, this line captures it’s young heroine’s love of life and excitement for all things posh and fabulous. Launch date: March 2012.
— In a May 2012 survey, Sandy Haynes, owner of Lollipop Toy Store in Dawsonville, Ga., told TDmonthly that Fancy Nancy is their best selling licensed brand.

This kit is sure to suit kids' Fancy! They can use their imagination to create crowns, bracelets, hair clips and more. Based on the well-loved children’s books, this line captures it’s young heroine’s love of life and excitement for all things posh and fabulous. Launch date: March 2012.

Create a stuffy plushy pillow. Use the stylus to punch pretty fabric and make this fun and easy fabric-by-number craft. Add funky foam pieces and sparking jewels to complete the fluttering friend. This no mess craft teaches number and pattern recognition and creates a finished product that is sure to brighten up any little girls’ room. Launch date: March 2012.

The Groovy Girls Sparkeltastic Jewelry Set lets kids create their own personalized jewelry, show off their creative side and get shimmerin'. Kit includes 3 plastic bracelets, 3 plastic pendants, 6 tubes of sparkly glitter, 3 colored cords, 8 different glamtastic gem styles in plastic spin wheel dispenser, felt work mat and an instruction sheet. Each pendant and bracelet has a sticky texture once the protective sheathe is pulled off making it easy to adhere glitter and jewels. Launch date: January 2012.

With this kit, kids can personalize their own skateboard. One of the only sports craft kits available on the market. With the DYO Real Skateboard Kit, children can decorate their own one-of-a-kind real skateboard. Personalizing their own skateboard will inspire a child's originality, and foster spirit and commitment. Launch date: 2012.

Great for backpacks and carry-ons, this fun and friendly, go-anywhere travel buddy puts an international twist on the message of friendship. Globe Clip keeps bracelet in place during knotting. Numbered slots keep threads organized for written and video instructions featured online. Slide-out drawer features 20 pre-cut Prism® threads in 10 different colors. Easy instructions included. Launch date: February 12, 2012.

Our Eco Green Acrylic Paints come in 54 vibrant colors and are "NO-VOC", or "LO-VOC" products that do not bring toxic fumes and chemicals into the studio, school room or play area. Launch date: January 2012.

The Eco Crayon is a completely natural crayon that is made with all natural ingredients, and does NOT contain any petroleum wax, oil or other toxic ingredient.  The Eco Crayons are currently available in two sizes, a 4-pack (MSRP $.79) and a 24-pack (MRSP $2.99). Launch date: January 2012.

Design “Full Throttle” cars with this portable light-box. This set includes light-box, 30 stickers, 25 car design sketch sheets, 20 films, 10 “Tree-Free” colored pencils, pencil sharpener, storage pouch and instructions. 3AA batteries required, batteries not included. Launch date: 2012.

For Young Fashion Designers! Choose a border from transparency pages. Then place the trace paper over any of the hairstyles, shirts, skirts, shoes and accessories. Use the colored pencils (included) to create unique fashion styles. The possibilities are endless.
Each spiral bound book includes 8 colored pencils in a re-sealable pouch, 16 pieces of trace paper with colorful borders and 10 pages of traceable clothes, shoes and accessories.

For Young Fashion Designers! Choose a border from transparency pages. Then place the trace paper over any of the hairstyles, shirts, skirts, shoes and accessories. Use the colored pencils (included) to create unique fashion styles. The possibilities are endless. Each spiral bound book includes 8 colored pencils in a re-sealable pouch, 16 pieces of trace paper with colorful borders and 10 pages of traceable clothes, shoes and accessories.

Kids will spend hours of creative fun decorating their pets with their own bright colors and patterns with this Design a Pet Kit. The Design a Pet Kit from Toysmith 4M contains a sand filled lizard, fish and frog for kids to paint and decorate. Each pet has their own adoption certificate and habitat. Kit includes: 3 sand filled pets, water soluable paints, paintbrush, adoption certificates, and habitats.
— In a January 2012 survey about arts and crafts toys, Mary Porter Green, owner of The Curiosity Zone in Ashburn, Va., told TDmonthly that they sell a dozen of this toy each month. In fact, they sell so quickly that they "Can't keep them in stock!"

A complete Shrinky Dinks fun factory with oodles of supplies. Includes 10 sheets of pre-printed Shrink film, charm bracelets, beads, greeting cards, gift tags, jewelry cord, hair clips and key chains. Plus 8 color pencils, pencil sharpener and hole punch.
— In a January 2012 survey about arts and crafts toys, Grafton Stine, owner of Toys on the Square in Hummelstown, Pa., told TDmonthly that Shrinky Dinks Deluxe was a best selling item.

Kids can custom design this jewelry box with shimmering faux jewels and colorful foam tiles. Includes more than 750 sparkling tiles and jewel pieces. Launch date: 2011.
Awards: 2011 ASTRA Best Toys for Kids
— In a January 2012 survey about arts and crafts toys, ten of 13 retailers said Sticky Mosaics from the Orb Factory were among their top two best sellers in the category. Retailers reported selling anywhere from 10 to 150 each month.
— In a March 2012 survey, 2 out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that Sticky Mosaics from The Orb Factory were their best selling product. Elmer Caranza, manager of Doodlehopper 4 Kids in Springfield, Va., told TDmonthly that they sell about 2 dozen items from the Sticky Mosaics line each month, and that it's been a best seller for almost a year now.

Adapted from the CLEAR program, this colorfully illustrated book emphasizes the art production skills of cutting and folding paper, sculpting, weaving, printmaking, and more and introduces masterworks created by artists from different backgrounds and cultures. This encourages students to learn about art history and to develop aesthetic perception and the ability to evaluate and discriminate between different art forms. Each activity covers materials, the procedures step-by-step, and related vocabulary. 8-1/2 x 11 in. Over 300 color illus. Grades K-8. 112 pages, paperback.

eeBoo continues its arts and crafts offerings with our easy-to-handle, easy-to-use Felt Sheets. Each packet includes five 12x12" sheets in 5 corresponding colors and a great project idea. While not a traditional arts & craft "kit", each Felt packet comes with suggested craft ideas, suggested materials, and an example of a felt project made by eeBoo friend Aya Kakeda. "eeBoo's Felt Sheets offer children a wonderful introduction to the art of seing and design, as well as a creative alternative to the over-stimulating, indoor activities that so often take over our lives. Plus, our beautiful felt sheets are extremely easy to cut," Regina Gelin, sales & marketing associate at eeBoo, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2012.

eeBoo's Paper Novas are inspired by one of the universe's most impressive phenomena - Supernovas. Each comes with 200 strips of crepe paper in vibrant colors and a length of baker's string for hanging and suspension. All are aptly named after the brightest celestial bodies seen from Earth, such as Betelgeuse, Alpha Centauri, and Vega. "Papers Novas are assembled into bundles, then gently pulled apart until they puff up - one might say "explode" - into a big, colorful 10-inch diameter ball," Regina Gelin, sales & marketing associate at eeBoo, told TDmonthly. Launch date: January 2012.

Kids draw on the coloring pad as usual, but can select from 60 sound effect and add them anywhere on the Color Wonder coloring page.
— As of 12/13/2011 this product had 3.1 out of 5 stars from 46 reviews on Amazon.com.

Loopdedoo is a new spinning tool that makes fabulous twisted bracelets in just a few minutes. It's fast, easy and fun. Just wrap the threads around the Loopdedoo device, turn the knob, guide the thread and minutes later the bracelet is done. Kids can even make necklaces, anklets, belts and more. There's no pattern to follow so each accessory is completely different and unique. Kids can use as many threads and color combinations as they like, and can make them thick, thin or anywhere in between. Launch date: November 2011.
— In a January 2012 survey, Barbara Finblum, owner of Barston's Child's Play in Baltimore, Md., told TDmonthly that Loopdedoo is their best selling arts and crafts toy. "They came in in December and we sold 194 out of 5 stores - 163 out of 3 stores alone. We sold out and couldn't get them back," she said.
— As of 10/5/2012 this product had 4.5 out of 5 stars from 8 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Easy to use; promotes creativity; fun. Cons: One user couldn't figure out how to start.
— In a Fall 2012 survey, Dean Smith, owner of Jazams in Princeton, N.J., told TDmonthly that they sell 15 of this item each month, making it one of their top-2 sellers in the Hobby category.