June 2011 Notable Toys — All

In this game, players race around the island, filling their treasure chest with gold coins. Encourages number recognition, counting and first adding skills.

Players become healthy-eating champions as they compete to eat the most nutritious food. Parents and caregivers can playfully reinforce healthy habits, such as exercise and good food choices. Adding and subtracting the points earned or lost throughout the game also helps children with their math skills.

In this Bingo-like game with letters and words, kids practice and learn letters and words as they pick up nuts and race around the 3-D monkey tree. Challenging and easy cards are included, so that parents can match the game to their child's ability. The design of the 3-D-tree and the peanut cards keep children interested as they learn.

Children learn numbers up to three by matching the sleeping and the awake animals. The 3-D sheep counter adds a lot of fun to the game, and your child's counting skills will improve playing this game.
Awards: The TOY Award UK

Kids must discover the hidden fairies and wave the sparkly magic wand to win the game. This counting game helps children start to comprehend numbers and easy additions up to 10.

In this scavenger hunt, kids learn about colors, shapes, letters and numbers. Players can be as young as 4, but it's also great for older children.

Hickory Dickory Dock    Learn about time as your help your mouse climb to the top of the clock. Every time you know the time for an activity displayed on the cards, your mouse can move up. A quick game that'll re-enforce your child's time-telling abilities!

In Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry, players create traffic chaos as they race to match the vehicles and their colors. This is a game for young kids similar in concept to Domino or Quirkle.

Inspired by modern architecture pioneers Le Corbusier and Gropius, Dylan House features a concrete and glass feel, but with the breezy openness of a beach-front home.  Floor-to-ceiling windows open to allow natural light into the house and play from many angles.  Dylan House is created in ¾” scale.  Furniture is sold separately. Doug Rollins, founder and ceo of Brinca Dada, told TDmonthly that this toy's "Modern design" sets it apart from similar products. Launch date: July 2011.

Tosy AFO (Aliens' Flying Object) is a boomerang flying-disc game that lights up when it's dark. uper bright LEDs automatically ignite when launched, creating a colorful rainbow through the night sky or in a darkened play space. A specially designed, hand-held launcher and thin, flexible blades allow the user to control the distance, height and flight characteristics. Pull the launch string and watch it fly; horizontally across the field to be caught by a play partner or vertically to an incredible height, then arcing back to return exactly from where it was launched. Indoors, compete to see how long the Tosy AFO can suspend from the ceiling or against the wall, seemingly defying the laws of gravity.

Based on the popular comic book, The Walking Dead Board Game gives fans the opportunity to play Rick, Shane, Andrea, and other "The Walking Dead" characters as they deal with zombies, collect supplies and pick up the pieces of their lives. For 1-6 players. Launch date: Summer 2011.

Thomas and his friends are preparing for the Railway Inspector’s visit to Knapford Station.  But when the coal trucks crash, covering Gordon in soot, can Thomas take charge and help straighten out the mess? This 48 minute DVD includes four episodes and a bonus trivia game.

Shaun and his barnyard buddies deal with a fiendish fox, attempt some clever catering, take to the links, run a farmer’s market, stage a daring rooster rescue and more in this 44 minute DVD. Episodes include Foxy Laddie, Whistleblower, Frantic Romantic, Who's the Caddy, Everything Must Go, In the Doghouse, and Cock-a-Doodle Shaun.

In this DVD, Baby Bop discovers that counting can lead to hidden treasures and that there’s a carnival of shapes and colors for all to enjoy. And BJ™ uses the alphabet to help Riff™ get ready for his music concert in the park. Launch date: July 12, 2011.

Fireman Sam and his friends in Pontypandy work together to save the day when Mike’s kitchen catches fire, Dilys gets stuck out at sea and Norman cries wolf. This 55 minute long DVD features six episodes.

With slapstick humor yet not a single line of dialogue, Timmy Time follows a day in the life of a preschooler where they learn lessons about friendship and trial and error. This 45 minute DVD features five episodes, including "Snapshot Timmy." Launch date: June 28, 2011.

The Quadrabyke is a children's cycle that can be used with four, three, or two wheels, thanks to its unique axle system.  As a child's cycling skills grow, parents can alter the bicycle, until they are riding a two-wheeler. A
Awards: Toy Man 5 Star Rating; Toy Man Top 50 Product of 2010; Product Design Awars- Nottingham Creative Awards.

11"x19"(28,48cm) this unique, ultra soft black and brown spotted eagle ray is realistic and playful.

The Baby Einstein Around the World Play Gym introduces baby to animals, sights and sounds from 5 different regions of the world. The large, 34" mat features crisp, real-life imagery and animals from Africa, Asia, Australia, South America and the Polar Regions to offer a whole world for baby to discover. The mat also has sewn-in loops for attaching extra toys. Additional toys baby can play with include a panda rattle toy, a soft parrot with crinkle, a large baby-safe mirror, a spinning globe rattle ball, animal discovery cards and an igloo-shaped teether.
— As of 05/18/2011 this product had 3.9 out of 5 stars from 59 customer reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Great pictures on the mat; "wonderful songs;" the toys that hook on to the mat can be moved around; easy to store. Cons: One reviewer said their baby rolled the mat over itself like a taco; the fabric stuck to one child's mouth and nose while she was crying.

Suddy is a very busy girl with a lot going on. She’s got no time for slow pokes and doesn’t want to wait around for laggards. If you want to keep up with her, you’ll have to live life in the fast lane. That means waking up in the morning and going to bed having lived your life to the fullest! But what does that mean? It means she loves you and also candy. Uglydoll Suddy is approx. 12" tall.
— Dean Smith, Co-owner of JaZams in Princeton, N.J. told TDmonthly in a Summer 2011 survey that as far as action figures go, "We don't sell a lot of those." Plush Uglydolls are as close as they come, and JaZams sells 15-18 each month.
— Powell Phillips, owner of Phillip's Toy Mart in Nashville, Tenn., and Kim Emigh, manager of e-commerce at Growing Tree Toys in State College, Pa., both told TDmonthly in an October 2011 survey that Ugly Dolls were their best-selling tween item, though they both said that tweens are not a big presence in their store.

The Laugh & Learn Learning Puppy from Fisher-Price invites baby to learn through singing and playing; encourages baby to express love and friendship, enhancing a sense of security;
introduces baby to the alphabet, colors and counting; and helps baby understand the connections between words and actions. The puppy teaches parts of the body, ABCs/123s, colors, and features ten sing-along songs.
— As of 05/12/2011 this product had 4.1 out of 5 stars based on 526 reviews on Amazon.com. Cons: Too sensitive- slight motion can cause it to switch modes too easily; voice is annoying for parents; parents complained that it turned on by itself at night.

Beginning T-ball set includes an easy-to-use oversize bat, 2 oversize baseballs and Tee. Adjustable height “T” adapts to a child’s developing skills. Special “hang-on-the-wall” design for easy small-space storage. Helps improve batting skills, motor skills and coordination.
— As of 05/12/2011 this product was #1 in the Toy Sports category on Amazon.com and had 4.5 out of 5 stars from 50 reviews. Cons: One reviewer said that though the minimum age is listed at 2 years, her two year old had trouble with it; the base isn't very heavy so on the grass it's not very steady; the height only adjusts by about an inch.

It is too hot to sleep indoors, and Ricky wants to sleep outside, in a tent. His parents ask if he is brave enough, and Ricky says "I'm not afraid at all!" But is he really brave enough? This hardcover book follows Ricky on his adventure sleeping outside for the first time. He busies himself with fun activities, but when his flashlight batteries die, he begins to second guess himself. This reassuring story has a silly ending that emphasizes the bond between parent and child, and encourages children to face their fears.

Nina has bad manners. She is rude and talks back to her mother. But one day when she is outside, she discovers the Thankyouplease circus inside a knot on a tree trunk, and everything changes. Using this whimsical story, the author clearly emphasizes the importance of good manners. This hardcover book features detailed, painted illustrations that bring to life the contrast between Nina's humble forest home and the fantastic circus she attends.