July 2010 Notable Toys — Wooden Toys

The Jigsaw Puzzle Board has two slide-out trays for sorting and storing puzzle pieces, and comes with a clear, acrylic cover and four plastic clips to protect the puzzle when not in use. The puzzle board is made from Oak wood with a hand-rubbed oil finish and is available in three sizes: 500 pieces, 1,000 pieces and 1,500 pieces. Ed Weber, owner of Jigsaw Puzzle Board, told TDmonthly, "The 1,000 piece puzzle board is our most popular."

Peppy Five is a wooden educational toy designed with natural dyes and lac finish. This colorful five-stem stacker helps children learn counting and understand number concepts. In playing with this toy, children learn about increasing and decreasing quantities and color matching.

Cup & Ball is an ageless wooden toy enjoyed by many. This traditional, fun toy challenges one's
juggling skills and offers excellent entertainment for children and adults. Available in 2 sizes (large shown), in 5 color combination of natural dyes and lac finish.

This two-level Car Carrier Truck comes with four cars to load and unload. The top level of the truck swings up and down for easy loading and unloading. Launch date: 2010.

Reeves International introduces their one of-a-kind classic games 8-in-1 combo pack. The games challenge players in strategy and in conservation, or teach them about some of the species that inhabit our planet, from the polar bear to the river dolphin. The wood used in these games are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and signifies compliance with the highest environmental standards. The combo package Includes: chess, checkers, backgammon, dominoes, ludo, pick-up sticks, salamanders, ladders, playing cards and playing instructions. Launch date: 2010.

Large, versatile and sturdy stand-up easel allows young artists to create masterpieces over and over! Painting area is 17" x 20" for chalkboard, write and wipe, and paper roll surfaces. Handy and spacious paint and brush shelf has a washable surface for easdy clean-ups. Spacious 18" x 18' storage tray conveniently holds a variety of art supplies. Paints, paintbrush, chalk and paper sheets not included.  Ships partially assembled.

These hardwood maple and cherry chess pieces are made in Vermont. The pieces are blocks with a traditional characters engraved on two sides. All the pieces are 1" wide and 1" deep, varying in height depending on the strength of the character. The pawn stands at 1.25" tall and the Queen is 2.25" tall. Each set comes with a cloth pouch for piece storage when not in use. Barbara Rainville, marketing manager for Maple Landmark Woodcraft, told TDmonthly, "Each piece has a diagram to show how that character moves engraved on the bottom — for new players or those just a bit rusty." Launch date: March 13, 2010.

This German-made clutching toy by HABA manipulates easily in an infant's hands. The variations created with the easy movement of the different sections allows for easy beginning hand-eye coordination. It is made from beechwood and colored in a nontoxic, water-based stain. Launch date: March 2010.

This high-quality wooden xylophone is designed with lifestyle colors, has a handle for easy toting and storage for two sticks. The baltic birch frame and maple keys and two sticks offer fun, safe early melodies. Robin Lehnert, Hape Marketing Manager, told TDmonthly, "A 10-month old begins with a rap and a tap. Who knows what could happen next on the very beginner xylophone." Launch date: February 2010.
— In a January 2014 survey, Cariad Owens Fichtner, manager of Out of the Blue, Ltd in Albuquerque, N.M., told TDmonthly that Hape Xylophones were one of the top-2 best-selling musical toys at her store.
— In a January 2015 survey, two out of 10 retailers told TDmonthly that Xylophones were their store's best-selling music toys.

Youngsters can tap on both sides of this wood drum. One side is a classic tone drum and the other has a regular drum sound. The see-through drum surface allows children to trace beads inside in a secure maze. It comes with two drum sticks. Launch date: February 2010.

Children start by joining the puzzle bases together and then twist the shapes on the appropriate post. Children can make up their own way to play this stacking and sorting activity that triples as a puzzle, too. Designed with solid baltic birch bases, the Creative Peg Puzzle posts have elasticized bases in case a child falls onto the post. Multiple bases allow for more than one child to play at the same time. Launch date: February 2010.

Children can prepare a cup of joe for themselves or a guest with this modern coffee maker and sugar and cream. They can insert the single-serve coffee filter in the basket and push the button to pretend the coffee is brewing. This product is constructed with a combination baltic birch plywood and maple. Robin Lehnert, Marketing Manager at Hape, told TDmonthly this product features a "modern realistic design in lifestyle colors." Launch date: Feb. 2010.

The Gourmet Fridge is a modern white wood cabinet-style refrigerator with a top-mounted freezer and six ice cubes ready to provide instant refreshment. Hape Marketing Manager Robin Lehnert told TDmonthly, "High-quality Baltic Birch plywood materials combine with a modern, realistic design in lifestyle colors for this working ice-maker." Launch date: February 2010.

Made in Germany of high-quality wood and non-toxic paint in brilliant colors, the Miro clutching toy and teether has an interesting shape and set-in rattle. Large, smooth bumps on the circular panels offer texture to engage the fingers and soothe sore gums.
― When asked about her best-selling infant and toddler items in March 2010, Martha Bimblich, owner of Twinkles of Bay Harbor in Bay Harbor Island, Fla., told TDmonthly, “Haba is a great seller for us.” Bimblich said she sells 25 to 30 pieces per month.
― Three of 39 storeowners said in spring 2010 that Haba is a consistent top seller in their stores.

My First Cooker from French company Djeco is designed as a cute and elegant kitchen playset. The set features a sink, oven and stove in a cheery yellow and green daisy motif with included salt and pepper shakers, pots, cooking utensils and other accessories.
— Although she was initially surprised by the small size of the kitchen playset, Greta Gard of Upscale Baby Blog found the compact size a boon when it came time to move the toy from one room to another. Greta also enjoyed the product’s easy assembly and bright, non-toxic paints.
— An Amazon.com reviewer reported that the set’s numerous play features, including moving clock hands and magnetic utensils, were very popular with her daughter.

Baby can enjoy the clicky clack this teether makes when this toy is tapped together. This teether features wooden shapes, multiple textures and colors, and is easy for little hands to grasp. Launch date: 2010.

This board game has a strategic engagement style of play, where players must use historical figures and sailing warships from the era 1750-1805 to battle for the seas. Bunky Gress, President of Bunky's Enterprises, Inc., told TDmonthly, "The game is designed by the players in regards to length and complexity." Launch date: June 2010.