June 2011 Notable Toys — Preschool

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.

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.

Lily and Milo, a bunny and mouse, get ready to go to the beach in this hardcover book, which features thick, toddler-safe pages. Kids follow the pair as they choose what to bring- from bathing suits to food, sun lotion to juice. But by the time they collect everything, will they still want to go to the beach? This book is for children 24 mos. and up, with a focus on the child's world.

This hardcover book with toddler-friendly, thick pages, follows Lily and Milo on their day at the zoo. With a rhyming refrain and detailed, colorful illustrations, there is plenty to keep a toddler's interest while they learn about all the different animals at the zoo.

This board book, ideal for children 24 mos. and up who have a new sibling on the way, focuses on babies across the animal world. From naked baby rodents in a warm nest, to a lamb born with all of its curly hair, the charming paintings illustrate the story John's mom tells him about babies in nature. Eventually, John ends up with a new baby to lean about- his little brother.

This story is about the relationship between a child and his father. John plays with his Daddy, dangles from his arm, and listens to Daddy read a story. The charming illustrations feature lots of bright reds and yellows that give the board book a cozy feel. The book is for children 24 mos. and up and focuses on emotions.

No batteries, gears, or pedals - just a fun, encouraging and progressive start to bicycle riding. PlasmaBike’s unique design encourages balance, coordination and motor skill development while offering a fun ride. Children as young as 18 months can enjoy the freedom or riding without the added complication of training wheels or anxiety of having to hold their balance too long, too early. Wide wheels ensure that PlasmaBike doesn't tip over in a stopped or stationary position, giving children added confidence and promoting self-esteem. The wide wheels and limited steering range enhance balancing capabilities and provide a smoother transition to a conventional 2 wheel ride.
Awards: 2012 The Toy Insider – Top Summer Toys, 2012 The National Parenting Centre – Seal of Approval, 2012 Parenting Magazine – Recommended, 2012 Creative Child Awards – Preferred Choice Award, 2011 Parenting Best in Play – New York Toy Fair, 2011 Best Toys Guide

The Oscar-winning creators of Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep show off their all-new preschool play group, with adventures showcasing Timmy and his young friends. Fun, laughter and surprises take center stage when Timmy performs groovy dance moves, genuine acts of kindness, and also learns the true meaning of saying "I'm sorry." This DVD is 40 minutes long and features five episodes.
— As of 05/12/2012 this product had 4.2 out of 5 stars from 10 reviews on Amazon.com. Cons: Recommended age may be too high; not as entertaining as other cartoons from the same creators.
Awards: Parents’ Choice Gold Award 2011

LEGO DUPLO bricks are sturdy and safe for a toddler’s hands and imagination. Features 80 basic bricks in different sizes. Includes bricks in red, green, yellow, blue, orange, light green, white and black. The blocks are a great introduction to the world of construction play for toddlers, to whom smaller bricks present a choking hazard.

This edible fingerpaint was created in 2007 with babies in mind, adhering to baby safe ingredients which are organic. The paint is also vegan, wheat-free, sugar-free, and contains no preservatives. Babies and toddlers can start expressing themselves artistically earlier, without parents having to worry about them ingesting harmful chemicals and dyes. Fantastic Finger Paints come in 5 colors. Purple/Blue with REAL blueberries, Red/Pink with REAL beets, Orange & Yellow with REAL pumpkin and green with REAL spinach. CPSIA Compliant. Made from Organic Fruit & Vegetable powders, rice cereal and rice flour. Paints come in 6 oz. convenient tottle bottles which have powder in them. Just add the water, shake and create. Makes over 12 oz. of paint per bottle (refill bottle with water and get more paint). Must be refrigerated after water is added.
Awards: A Dr. Toy Best Green Product for 2011; TDmonthly Top Toy Award, June 2011
— Why it won: This paint is extremely eco-friendly, and encourages parents to introduce their children to art and painting as soon as possible, without having to worry about their child being harmed by ingesting the chemicals in non-organic, non-plant based paints. This means kids can start learning forms of creative expression from a younger age.

The set comes with 26 capital letters and 2 side bases. The font base has pictures which relate to the alphabet. On the back are directions for writing the alphabet. Children can recite the alphabet, letter-names, and identify letter-sounding relationships, by spelling with words in the vocabulary. Helps children match the alphabet with the animal picture base. Teaches children how to write the alphabet correctly by finding the letters to spell familiar words. For example, How do you spell C A T? This toy is great fun and helps develop letter recognition and fine motor skills.
Awards— A Dr. Toy Best Green Product for 2011

With the Green Toys Sandwich Shop young chefs can open their own imaginary deli and take orders, create sandwiches and serve guests. This 15-piece, stackable, mix-and-match play food set comes with all the fixings to create two complete sandwiches. Each realistic part is made in the USA from food-safe, 100% recycled plastic milk containers which save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Interchangeable with other Green Toys stacking play food products. Fits on Green Toys kitchen sets. Set includes two bread slices, bun top and bottom, burger patty, fillet, two cheese slices, lettuce leaf, tomato, two sets of onions, one red pepper, one set of pickles, and Sandwich Shop order form. No BPA, PVC, phthalates, or external coatings. Meets FDA food contact standards. Dishwasher safe. Stacks to 3-1/4"H. Each piece approximately 3"W.

It's Shavuot, a holiday that commemorates the anniversary of the day God gave the Torah to the entire Israelite nation assembled at Mount Sinai. Avigail and Brosh want to stay up all night observing the holiday, like the grown-ups. But will they be able to do it? They try their best, along with the help of a dancing cow and their friends. Shalom Sesame is a brand new series of 12 episodes from the creators of Sesame Street. Grover and his friends explore Israel, its people and places, and learn new things. Launch date: May 10, 2011.

This DVD features more than an hour of carefully animated stories by the wildly talented Keller including “The Scrambled States of America Talent Show”, “Do Unto Otters” and “Open Wide: Tooth School Inside”. The original stories featured on the DVD have won numerous awards, including the Caldecott Honor, ALA Notable, Nick Jr. Best Book, and more, and bonus extras include read along captioning, discussion questions, an interview with Keller and the music video “Tooth School Anthem”. Runtime is 66 minutes plus bonus footage. Launch date: May 24, 2011.

It is often said that life is a journey, and it’s true. But sometimes it’s hard to know which path to follow when signs point in so many directions.  From best-selling author Peter H. Reynolds comes the inspirational tale “The North Star”, encouraging learners of all ages to navigate to their full potential and follow their dreams. Celebrity narrators such as Zooey Deschanel and Tim Curry lend their voices to the other three stirring tales featured on this all-new DVD, including as William Steig’s “Brave Irene”, “Players in Pigtails” and “Swamp Angel”, a Caldecott Honor book from Anne Isaccs and illustrator Paul O. Zelinsky.  Extras include read along captioning. Total running time 57 minutes. Launch date: May 24, 2011.

The “My First” series, a new line of DVDs from Scholastic, was created specifically to support early literacy skills and a love of reading in the pre- and early reader.  The debut release, My First Collection Featuring Splat the Cat, is a 3-DVD set featuring 14 stories adapted from the book versions that, together, have won more than 15 awards, including the Caldecott Medal, NAPPA Gold, and American Library Association Notable Books. Splat the Cat and Other Furry Friends features four beautifully adapted stories led by the title tale from best-selling author/illustrator Rob Scotton (“Splat” and “Russell the Sheep” series). Disk two features "The Story About Ping" and four additional award-winning stories, including “Goose”, “The Most Wonderful Egg in the World”, “Duck on Bike” and “Rosie’s Walk”. As an added bonus, the DVD also contains a Spanish Language version of “The Story of Ping”. The third disk features five rhyming stories. Total running time 100 minutes. Launch date: May 10, 2011.

The Little Tikes 3-in-1 Trike grows with little ones as they become bigger and better riders. This trike offers 3 configurations to meet a child's needs: parent push, parent guided and kid powered. The seat can be adjusted to 4 different positions to fit almost any size child, while the shade canopy adjusts to any angle or can be removed depending on preference. The push handle allows parents to control direction with 1 hand as they help little ones become comfortable with riding. As children becomes more familiar with the trike, the push handle and the footrests can be detached for independence. Made with durable plastic and metal, this trike features quiet-ride tires, non-slip pedals, a 5-point seat belt harness and protective bar for lasting strength and safety. The extra large storage bucket with dumping feature and convenient beverage holder deliver even more fun for a kid on the go.

This set includes 2 cups with saucer, 2 spoons, 2 cookies and 2 tea bags. The dishes are made of shatterproof melamine and are dishwasher safe for easy clean up.  The realistic cloth tea bags can be put in the washer. Not recommended for use in microwave.

Constructed of durable, lightweight foam, Big Grips Frame is a big, soft protective case for iPad that is easy to grab, comfortable to hold and very grip-able. Big Grips Frame mounts snugly into Big Grips Stand in portrait or landscape orientation for watching movies, working at a desk, or surfing on the couch. Made from the same material as Big Grips Frame, Big Grips Stand is sturdy and stable—even on soft or uneven surfaces. Big Grips Frame and Big Grips Stand are available separately for $34.95 and $24.95 or as a matching set for $49.95. They come in four colors: Fresh Green, Electric Blue, Carnation Pink and Steel Grey
— As of 10/01/2012 this product had 4.6 out of 5 stars from 14 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Easy to grip; thick protective material. Cons: The cover makes it difficult to charge the iPad or plug in headphones.

All-in-one pillow+mat+blanket. An easy solution for daycare, Preschool, travel, Grandma’s house or just any time a little one needs to relax. This easy to carry mat that is colorful and versatile. Easy to roll up, has Velcro closures and a carry handle. There is also a name tag included. Comes in three different styles.