July 2010 Notable Toys — All

This internationally acclaimed jazz/world music artist teaches his Timbalooloo music classes to the children of Harvey Keitel, Naomi Watts, Edie Falco and Liev Schreiber. Wake Up, Clarinet! builds on Etkin’s Timbalooloo method of encouraging kids to internalize important musical concepts while exciting their creativity. The album, released on the Timbalooloo Records label and distributed by Motema, features performances by drummer Jason Marsalis and vocalist Charanee Wade. Awards: Parent's Choice Foundation Audio Award Fall 2010

This New York-based educator's  collection of catchy songs is designed to help kids build the vocabulary to express their feelings and needs. The lyrics were co-written with Lizzie Bicknell, an early childhood specialist. Madeleine Peyroux, Kirk Douglas (the Roots), and Leo Sidran also perform. A portion of proceeds benefits Kids Need a Melody, a nonprofit program that provides music lessons and concerts to kids in need. Awards: Parent's Choice Foundation Audio Award Fall 2010

In A Heart Pumping Adventure, Merrin wonders about her father's eating habits and the condition of his heart. Suddenly, Merrin and Pearl find themselves riding on a red, pillowy donut-shaped boat, floating through his bloodstream. This book includes 23 pages of educational activities, 44 color stickers and an audio story CD.
— “It is, to be honest, one of the most interesting and engaging human body learning tools I’ve come across in a very long time,” declared Robin Rivers of Our Good Earth.  Exploring the set with her daughter, Robin was surprised at “how much she took to the story, the lessons (eat healthy to have a healthy body) and the educational content that at times was a bit beyond her 5-year-old level.”
— The reviewer at One Zillion Books listened to the CD with her kids and noticed “that there were a couple of vocabulary- and concept-heavy moments, but overall the fun mood carried throughout the 15+ minute audio story.” She rated the set eight out of ten because “The story and characters were easy to relate to and led well into the activity book focusing of human anatomy and healthy living” while remaining “neither dull nor scary.”

In Battle with the Bugs, the girls find themselves in their cousin Max’s body, witnessing firsthand the immune system in action. This book includes 23 pages of educational activities, 44 color stickers and an audio story CD.

In The Lucky Escape, Merrin and Pearl are magically catapulted into their baby brother’s digestive system to help him extract a penny he swallowed. This book includes 23 pages of educational activities, 44 color stickers and an audio story CD.

This plush rabbit is designed to store pencils and other school or office supplies.

Made of printed cotton fabric, this shade features a sponge inside to keep eyes comfortable while helping kids sleep.

This colorful set of eight links comes with a large black and white ring to hold them all. Parents can use the links to help baby identify colors or even to link other toys together.

Moby is a spout cover designed to brighten up a bath while protecting baby's head from bumps in the tub. Its sleek design includes an adjustable fin strap that fits snugly on most tub spouts, and a tail that's also a handy hook, so Moby can hang around when bath time's done.

This swing features a comfort recline seat with two positions, quiet operation and a swing timer with three settings. It offers six melodies with volume control and auto shut off capabilities, along with a toy bar that pivots for easy access to two engaging toys.

This plush toy is designed to keep babies entertained. It features clinking rings, a tummy squeaker, a hanging banana and a knotted tail for chewing. The Monkey design includes a soft velour body and multiple textures and crinkles, along with a portable clip for on-the-go play.

This plush toy is designed to keep babies entertained. It features clinking rings, a tummy squeaker and a knotted tail for chewing. The Lion design includes a soft velour body and multiple textures and crinkles, along with a portable clip for on-the-go play.

This plush toy is designed to keep babies entertained. It features clinking rings, a tethered ladybug teether and knotted antennae for chewing. The Firefly design includes a soft velour body and busy wings with multiple textures and crinkles, along with a peek-a-boo mirror and squeaker.

This Jumperoo's comfortable rotating seat is designed to provide a safe place for infants to play. The colorful rainforest toys and lively music aim to stimulate visual and auditory senses and help develop motor skills.

This activity gym is designed to stimulate babies with music, lights, nature sounds, games and textures. It features 20 minutes of parent-activated continuous music, and a baby mode with eight to 12 seconds of lights and music. Included are a floor quilt with silky borders and colorful arches, a spinner with rattling beads, spinning butterflies, a shiny mirror, a crinkly leaf and movable and stationary activity toys. The gym measures 20" x 32.5" x 32.5."

The colorful ball is flexible and includes sections that allow babie to mix and match red, blue, yellow and green. Designed for little hands to grasp, it includes a rattle inside for baby to shake and measures 4" in diameter.
  — As of 1.10.2011 this product had 5 out of 5 stars on Target.com from 11 reviews and was listed as a top 30 bestselling toy. Pros: Assists in motor-skill development; makes rattling sounds.

As of 1.10.2011 this product had 5 out of 5 stars on Target.com from 11 reviews and was listed as a top 30 bestselling toy. Pros: Assists in motor-skill development; makes rattling sounds.

These collectible tins can store decks, cards and other Yu-Gi-Oh! accessories. Each tin includes a Secret Rare variant card of the monster depicted on the tin, along with four additional Super Rare variant cards and five booster packs.

With the iCoffin gadget, kids can play games, “text" the Monster High friends, and get dreadfully cool details about all the creepy characters. Use the outside buttons to scroll and play electronic games, then slide out the keypad to type special messages.

Girls can use the freaky skull key to open the Fearbook and access a specially locked section, where they can write secret messages with a “magic reveal” pen. Another lockable compartment can hide a pen and marker, composition book, and creepy stickers. When the button on the back is pressed, the book records a re-playable message.

The coolest ghouls in school at Monster High are ready to “cut up” the dance floor and boogie the night away. This doll features trendy fashions, an "iCoffin" accessory, a purse, a dance invitation and character photos.

The coolest ghouls in school at Monster High are ready to “cut up” the dance floor and boogie the night away. This doll features trendy fashions, an "iCoffin" accessory, a purse, a dance invitation and character photos.

This zipper pull features Hello Kitty dressed as a watermelon. It can be attached to clothing, bags or accessories.

This portable Connect Four game features a Hello Kitty theme. The game frame rolls up to become a take-along canister.

This set comes with four bottles of poster paint and four spill-proof paint cups. Also included are an easel paper roll, chalk, paint brushes, a dry-erase marker and an eraser.
— In a November 2011 survey, 2 out of 12 retailers said art supplies from Melissa & Doug were their best selling educational products.
— Mark Rosenblum from Hobbytown in Fairfield, Conn., told TDmonthly in a January 2015 survey that Melissa & Doug was one of their best-selling brands of arts & crafts toys.