June 2011 Notable Toys — Puzzles & Skill

Caillou preschool products: Stimulate the imagination and creativity while participating in emotional development. Improve sociability and language. For boys and girls.

Robotime is a real wood three dimensional puzzle that when assembled is a fully functional robotic dinosaur.  It is an intelligent high-tech toy with high simulation and interaction. No tools needed to construct these creatures. Approximately 100 pieces. Launch date: August 2010.
Awards: 2010 Creative Child Magazine Toy of the Year; 2010 Preferred Choice Award.

Part of the four games of the Architecto line, use these 18 orange blocks to build and replicate different models in order to enhance spatial visualisation skills. Children will be captivated by the amazing structures they create, whether in perspective or a towering high rise. The Geoblocks are sold separately so users can transform Architecto, Equilibrio, Tangramino or Cliko into a two-player game. One set of Geoblocks is already included in the four Architecto line games. Launch date: 2005.

This is a set of 27 interlocking Cubes arranged in a 3x3x3 cube shape.  The puzzle challenges the player to transform the arrangement of the 27 cubes from one shape to any other shape, without disengaging any of the Cubes from each other. Cubes must be shifted by sliding along their faces.  The Cubes can shift in all three dimensions: X, Y and Z, but each face slides in only one direction. There are many solutions because there are millions of shapes you can tranform from and to.  The ultimate goal is to be able to logically understand how to shift from one shape to another in the fewest number of moves.  Other games can be invented by disengaging the Cubes and re-engaging them with the colors "flipped" on one or some of the Cubes, creating a "marked" Cube. The challenge is then to shift the "marked" Cube or Cubes into a specific position in the arrangement
Awards: TDmonthly Top Toy Award, June 2011
— Why it won: This cube puzzle challenges kids to use their spacial-temporal reasoning and logic skills. It's innovative design allows for more open-ended play than similar products, and it is portable for fun on-the-go.

Earth-friendly wooden play ball puzzle that exercises skills that prepare children for reading, math, problem solving and more. This 16-piece puzzle features four scenes of a boy playing sports. It's made of wood harvested from sustainable forests, and comes packaged in a handy carrying case to help keep track of the pieces.Launch date: July 2011.

Earth-friendly wood rainbow fairies puzzle that exercises skills that prepare children for reading, math, problem solving and more. The 12-piece puzzle is made of wood from sustainable forests, and comes in a handy carrying case so kids can easily keep track of all the parts. Launch date: July 2011.

Soft foam books with bold photographs of sweet and funny kittens that pop off each page and stick to sides of the tub. Launch date: August 2011.

Soft Shapes Puppies are soft foam books with bold photographs of puppies that pop off each page and stick to sides of the tub. Launch date: August 2011.

Players race against each other or work together against the clock to find the patterns hidden in the grid. Each time a tile is turned over, the pattern on that tile may be created by combining two or four of the tiles in the playing grid. Features 70 durable and vibrantly mind-bending pattern tiles, Acuity reinforces the importance of visual spatial skills and pattern recognition.
Awards: Parents' Choice Gold Award, 2010

Combination of game play, brainteaser, optical illusion.

Perplexus Rookie offers newcomers to Perplexus a three-dimensional puzzle challenge, with 75 barriers to success. Users must guide the metal ball through a maze of twists and turns, down dips and around winding spirals toward the maze finish. Players maneuver surprising routes of challenge that test hand-eye coordination, focus and perseverance. 6.5 Inches in Diameter, Perplexus Rookie is a brainteaser puzzle filled with layers of detailed maze structures. A shelter finish keeps the ball in place at the end to secure success.
Awards: 2012 Creative Child Awards – Puzzle of the Year, 2011 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio – Best Toy Award (Gold), 2011 NAPP Gold – Seal of Approval, 2011 Canadian Toy Testing Council – Best Bet, 2011 ASTRA – Best Toys for Kids, Game Play (3-7years)

This is a set of 8 interlocking Cubes arranged in a 2x2x2 cube shape. The puzzle challenges the player to transform the arrangement of the 8 cubes from one shape to any other shape, without disengaging any of the Cubes from each other. Cubes must be shifted by sliding along their faces. The Cubes can shift in all three dimensions: X, Y and Z, but each face slides in only one direction. The 8 Cube set introduces the player to this innovative new toy. The ultimate goal is to be able to logically understand how to shift from one shape to another in the fewest number of moves.  Other games can be invented by disengaging the Cubes and re-engaging them with the colors "flipped" on one or some of the Cubes, creating a "marked" Cube. The challenge is then to shift the "marked" Cube or Cubes into a specific position in the arrangement.
Awards: Dr. Toy Best Vacation Product of 2011

All the information kids need to solve the mystery is in the puzzle story; everything they need to deduce, reason and organize their thoughts is in the handy grid below. Grid Perplexors: Level A teaches kids a step-by-step process that keeps their thinking linear and focused. Great practice for standardized tests that reward logic skills. Paperback; 50 puzzles on 56 pages.

This book contains twenty-five endlessly reusable mazes. Featuring the work of the talented illustrators from around the world, each maze stands on its own as a work of art. The brightly colored mazes each offer a whimsical design and a new challenge. Ideal for travel or just to pass the time.
— Mary Porter Green, owner of the Curiosity Zone in Ashburn, Va. mentioned this book as a best-selling travel toy in late Spring 2011, saying she sold several each month.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at The Curiosity Zone.

Accessorize an iPhone or a backpack. Individualize the accessory by creating a unique color pattern, or solve the puzzle by getting the numbers in order. Launch date: February 2011.

This Mini Eni in pastel colors can be manipulated to create interesting patterns. Or, place the numbers in the correct order to solve the puzzle. Launch date: February 2011.

First Jigsaw Puzzle is a 4-piece solid hardwood puzzle perfect for 1-3 year olds. The pieces are interchangeable and reversible, allowing any two pieces to be connected. However, only if all pieces are connected correctly, will a square be built. Two different pattern solutions are possible: a checkerboard pattern and a striped pattern. This puzzle is designed to provide multiple levels of challenges. Younger toddlers will find it challenging to just physically connect two pieces. By having the pieces interchangeable and reversible, they find success without being frustrated. Once that skill is mastered, older toddlers will be challenged to build a square. Finally, toddlers will be fascinated that they can make two different patterns and will be challenged to discover how that is possible. They will do the puzzle over and over to find the answer. Made of sturdy, solid maple and cherry, it will not bend or warp like cardboard puzzles. At over 3/4" thick, toddlers can easily sense when a successful connection has been made - something that can be difficult with thin cardboard puzzles. Other puzzles have pictures painted or glued onto them. Our puzzle is simply finished with a safe, food-grade beeswax and oil finish. Instead of concentrating on a picture, our puzzle focuses on the natural pattern the two contrasting wood tones make.
Awards: A Dr. Toy Best Green Product for 2011

Putting Pool Puzzles together is simple- just pop the foam puzzle pieces out and assemble them by number. Once together, they become floating friends- a dolphin, turtle, or lobster. They can be taken apart and put together again every time a child plays in the pool.

Dragon Face is perfect for the chess and checker enthusiast and ideal for those with a penchant for fantasy and strategy games. Each side has an Emperor, 6 Ambassadors and 7 Governors. Each piece can move in different ways. Players capture an opponent's piece by jumping over it; that piece is then turned upside down and becomes the players own. The end goal is to capture the Emperor by locking it in. "Dragon Face is a great strategy game and a perfect way to develop critical thinking skills and concentration," Nicole Britton at Blue Orange Games told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2011.

Sold as a set of four pods, these nifty holders are made of sturdy vinyl that won’t tear and come with pleated corners to adjust to thick crayons, bulky puzzle pieces, dice, tiles or whatever the kids can snuggly fit inside. The Puzzle Pod adheres to the back of the puzzle, the game board or any toy packaging. Now when kids travel in the car or on a plane, they can whip out the Puzzle Pod and neatly play with dozens of puzzle pieces, word tiles, dice or game cards. When play is over, everything goes back in the Pod -- which easily closes tight thanks to cleverly placed Velcro tabs. The design is patent pending.Ideal for grownup projects too. Moms like it for scrapbooking to keep scissors, glue, arts & crafts pieces and other necessities tidy and within reach. The Puzzle Pod is perfect for storing bill-paying supplies, holiday receipts, greeting cards and stamps, whatever activity needs to be neatly contained for a new day. Simple, transparent and affordable.

The 500-piece (17.5” x 25.5”) handmade, limited edition puzzle features the April wedding of the royal couple.

Prismatic contains a variety of brightly colored hardwood prisms and hand-polished acrylic prisms that fit into square boxes. Children create simple and complex designs that help them think about order, pattern, and symmetry. Children also experience the beauty and wonder of the color spectrum when light refracts through the acrylic prisms that form part of their inventive buildings and designs. Contains 30 hardwood prisms (natural finish), 36 hardwood prisms (in 6 colors), 6 clear acrylic prisms, and 1 hardwood tray.
Awards— Dr. Toy’s Best Classic Toys for 2011

The sophisticated colors of the realistic Serengeti Scramble Squares puzzle make it among the best selling styles of Scramble Squares overall, appreciated by enthusiasts of African art and nature, naturalists and conservationists. This puzzle is also especially popular with children.
Awards— Dr. Toy’s Best Classic Toys for 2011

The Soccer Scramble Squares puzzle features boys and girls of many cultures playing the world's most popular team sport. This puzzle edges out our Baseball Scramble Squares as the most popular sports style and sells strongly all though the year.
Awards— Dr. Toy’s Best Classic Toys for 2011