June 2011 Notable Toys — General Toys

White two story house with red roof. Fully painted and decorated with strawberry motif. Side opens up for easy access. Doors, windows and shutters open and close. Includes deluxe starter furniture set. Furniture includes sofa, coffee table, lamp, dining table with chairs, oven/stove, buffet, bunkbeds, end table with lamp, toilet, toys and more. People are not included. 13 ¾ x 24 ¾ x 17 ¼.
— Joe Berardoni, owner of Pun's Toys in Bryn Mawr, Pa., told TDmonthly in a Summer 2011 survey that he sells one of these high-ticket items each month.

Cute and cuddly, these 6.5 inch soft-bodied dolls have vinyl heads, arms and legs. Assorted outfits. Come in a case of 24.
— In a Summer 2011 survey Paula Bolte, owner of Imaginations Toy & Furniture Co. in Blacksburg, Va., told TDmonthly that she sold about 24 Mini Babies each month.
— In a Fall 2013 survey, Kim Emigh, manager of e-commerce at Growing Tree Toys in State College, Pa., told TDmonthly that Mini-Babies from Toysmith were one of their best-selling novelty toys.

This soft and safe ring toss pops open for portable fun. Kids can take it and play anywhere, outdoors or indoors. Play solo or with the whole family. To collapse, hold the mat at the corners and twist. Comes with six rings, PopOut target with posts and storage bag. It's "A classic game that POPS open for big fun!" Jenny Stern, VP& Founder of Diggin Active Inc, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2011.
Awards: 2011 Oppenheim GOLD Award

CirKis is a fun, award-winning game in which players take turns placing pieces and compete for control of point-scoring zones. Played on a beveled, circular board, the game challenges players to use their spatial reasoning to strategically place their pieces. The game is governed by a single, simple rule: each piece must touch -- or "kiss" -- the piece placed before it. As the game progresses, players have to devise strategies to corner their opponents and achieve victory. Designed for ages eight and up; game time is 15 minutes.
— As of 06/14/2011 this product had 3 out of 5 stars from 22 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Scoring track is on the board; easy but requires strategy; visually striking. Cons: Some said it was boring; several said it was too complicated.

Trevor is one of the newest additions to the Douglas collection. He is a Bernese Mountain Dog with realistic markings of his breed. He is very soft, 16" long with a generous, solid body, and nearly the size of a live puppy.
— Lisa LeStrange, owner of Lucky Duck Toys in Wayne, Pa., said her best-selling plush was from Douglas Cuddle Toy; specifically, "All the dogs, because they carry many different breeds and people can come in and ask for a particular one, like a Bernese Mountain Dog"  she told TDmonthly when surveyed in late Spring 2011.

Made of soft huggable plush fabric, Goober has a loveable face and silky chocolate-brown fur accented with cream-colored fur on his belly and muzzle. Measures 11" tall. Surface washable.
— In late Spring 2011, 30% of retailers surveyed by TDmonthly said that plush and puppets from Gund were best-sellers in the category. Mike DiAndrea, manager of Ace Hardware & Toy Center in Paoli, Pa., said he sells about 6 Goober Bears each month.
— As of 6/10/2011 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 20 reviews on Amazon.com.

This kitchen set comes with 18 pieces for kids to bake, decorate and display their royal treats. The set works with all Magic Rise toys and is designed to easily fit the Disney Princess Magic Rise Oven (sold separately). The burners light up when the heart gem is pressed.

Dado Bricks are interlocking cardboard bricks, measuring 12 inches long x 6 inches deep x 3 inches high. Kids can use these stacking bricks to create kid-scale structures...walls, castles, forts, secret hide-outs, or even attractive room decor. Unlike other simple cardboard blocks on the market, the Dado Cardboard Bricks contain a protruding pair of square nubs along with a matching set of recessed square indentations. The result is a cardboard brick that when stacked, will not easily tumble and can retain a rigid structure. "The ONLY interlocking cardboard block on the market," Erik Quam, Director of Product Development at Fat Brain Toy, told TDmonthly.

The multi-functional Play With Me Gym provides an ideal stage for growth as it keeps little minds fully occupied and alert. Built in concert with Bkids proprietary and innovative Loop ‘n Link system, the overhead bars are a perfect place to attach the collect ‘n connect plush animals from the Bebee and Friends collection. The soft, cushy frame provides a safe place for babies to rest making the Play With Me Gym an ideal nap time companion. Launch date: February 2011.

Kids can design a structure, then throw the big blue veil over top. The heavy duty straws are strong enough to support the veil, yet flexible enough to bend and curve. Set includes illustrated guide. "This set allows children to build a structure large enough to actually crawl into. The included fabric veil adds dimension to the structure," Sandra Smith, sales assistant at Roylco Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: January 2011.

Inspired by kids’ submissions to Infinitoy’s online gallery, Z.A.C. the ZOOB Alien Creature gives kids all the tools they need to build their own aliens. Using specially-colored ZOOB pieces (including glow-in-the-dark pieces), and light-up eyes, kids can build aliens, a rocket, a UFO, a radio telescope, and lots more. This set includes 200 ZOOB pieces, 12 glow-in-the-dark pieces, 2 light-up eyes with batteries, and complete instructions. Launch date: September 2011.

ZOOB is a building set with a difference—the pieces move after kids put them together. So kids can play with their creations, instead of just looking at them. ZOOB JR. provides ZOOB’s award-winning creative play with softer pieces designed for young children. ZOOB JR. pieces are made with a special memory material that flexes and goes back to its original shape, so they bend, move, and snap together snugly. And just like ZOOB, ZOOB JR.'s open-ended versatility lets kids build anything they want to build as it sparks young imaginations. The ZOOB JR. Scooter includes 18 ZOOB JR. pieces, 4 wheels, and instructions for 17 creations, such as a scooter, a mini go-cart, a skateboarder, and a spinning robot (but kids can make up lots more). The instructions require no reading, and are printed on sturdy cards. Launch date: September 2011.

This is the next generation Bozagga Ball. Striped, 12-lobed high-bouncing balls. Kids can challenge their friends to see who can bounce these colorful balls the highest. Launch date: May 2011.

In this game, players have to hunt for and describe where Leo the Lion may be hiding. Cards show the real location in the lower left corner, and the "last place I saw Leo" is in the thought or speech bubble above each animal's head. Players race to follow the route and find Leo's real location. For example, the frog last saw Leo asleep in his bed. Players scan the circle of card tiles to find the bed in the lower left corner of the tile and discover that the bed is in the Bear's room. But Leo is not there. The bear last saw Leo at the lighthouse. And so it goes.
Awards: Spring 2011 Parents Choice Recommended Award 

The 3-IN-1 Compass Tool is conveniently attached to a self-winding retractable carabiner clip, so it's always within reach yet quickly out of the way. Push-button releases spring-loaded compass lid. Flip-out magnifying glass stays neatly hidden when not in use. High-visibility LED signal light lets kids flash secret Morse code messages across any field.
Awards: National Parenting Center Seal of Approval Spring 2011

Woody Rocking Horse is made from 100% birch, harvested from an FSC Approved (ethically harvested) forest. It is produced to last as an heirloom toy. Helps Children develop balance, muscle strength and coordination. Over-sized rockers prevent tipping forwards or backwards, and footrests help children balance and position themselves properly. Weight limit is 100 lbs. Launch date: June 2011.

These fully adjustable stilts feature soft grip handles. Kids can practice walking on their stilts using the sturdier big foot trainers. Once their balance skills have improved, they replace the trainers with no-skid caps. Fits kids up to 110 lbs.

This game helps children learn which materials are used to make products and what happens to them when we're done with them. Players can win the game by recycling as much as they can. Helps parents to talk to their children about the environment.

Kids and subtract the numbers on the dice to figure out how many spaces their "car" can go. For younger players, play fast and frantically.

In this princess-themed game, players must complete the secret tasks as they race around the 3-D castle in search of the jeweled tiara. This game teaches kids to use their logic-based puzzle solving skills.

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