July 2010 Notable Toys — Tween

Snap Caps, the interchangeable, illustrated, magnetic bottle caps, also come on fashion accessories, such as huggers that can be used on hair, boots or ankles, plus hair clips. Snap Caps hair bows are available in red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise and hot pink.
— In a June 2010 survey, Linda Hanzelko of Timmy’s Toy Chest in Lake Mary, Fla., told TDmonthly her store sells 30 to 40 sets of Snap Caps each month.
— Three of 40 retailers names Snap Caps a top seller for girls in early summer 2010.
— Christine Osborne, co-owner of Wonder Works in Charleston, S.C., told TDmonthly in October 2011 that they sell 300-500 Snap Caps each month between their three stores.
AWARDS: 2010 TDmonthly Top Seller (entire Snap Caps line)

This festival-themed Silly Bandz 24-pack includes brushes, tents, suns, dancers, ballerinas and fiddles. These rainbow-hued bands can be collected, worn or traded with friends.
— “Rubber band bracelets … are a big hit for both boys and girls,” Patti Tepper-Rasmussen, owner of Learning Tree Toys, Games & Books in Oklahoma City, Okla., told TDmonthly in early summer 2010.
— Three of 40 retailers cited rubber band bracelets as a top seller for girls ages 4 to 12 in June 2010.
— TDmonthly  first reported on kids collecting rubber band animals back in 2005.

The Colorful Darkness model combines enchanting birds, exotic flowers, twinkling stars and a crescent moon. The pink, green and white designs stand out clearly on the black strap, and the black watch face, with 12 crystals, adds to the magical aspect. It has a fabric strap, and for a bit of extra help telling the time, the hands are color-matched to the hours and minutes on the dial. Flik Flak watches are Swiss made and equipped with a robust aluminium case and scratch-resistant mineral glass. Their Swiss-manufactured quartz movement is designed to guarantee precision time-keeping. They are shock-resistant and can even be machine-washed at 40°C. This Flik Flak Preschool comes with a giant cardboard clock for learning to tell the time.

This plane can go from charger to flying in just 10 seconds with the easy-to-use, all in one hand-held charger/launcher. The plane is designed to fly for 30 seconds or more, and stand up to many back yard landings. It features a single-pull trigger, requires three AA batteries, and can fly up to 100 feet.
— The owner of Kid’s Center in Tucson, Ariz., told TDmonthly they ordered from ASTRA 2010 a Kid Galaxy “back yard flyer that we had not seen operational before” — one of their favorite products of the show.
— In a November 2011 survey Lisa LeStrange, owner of Lucky Duck Toys in Wayne, Pa., told TDmonthly that their "Top selling flying toy is Backyard Flyer by Kid Galaxy...Depends on the season, but in warm weather we sell maybe 10 per month."

This signature travel kit includes a chocolate-hued ballet pop-up mirror and matching pop-up brush. Travel kits are also available in Butterfly Julie, Blush Ballet, Blue Ribbon, Dragonfly, Flower and Ladybug, Green Signature and Tiara versions.

This pop-up brush is painted with cheery bright colors and has a cute-as-a-bug ladybug perched on top.

AntWorks is based on a 2003 NASA Space Shuttle experiment to study animal life in space and test how ants successfully tunnel in microgravity. This ant farm comes with a clear gel, but with the Antbase LED illuminator it cycles through an array of colors. Kids can watch ants live, work and tunnel in the nutritious non-toxic gel as they create series upon series of intricate tunnels.

In this interactive game, girls can spin the wheel to answer a question, tell a secret, perform a silly stunt or see what they know about the Hannah Montana show. The player who scores the most points is the winner. This two-to-four player game includes a plastic game tray, cardboard wheel assembly with a two-piece spinner knob, three anchor pegs, three twist locks, 96 Hannah Montana secret cards and instructions.

These Lucky Charm Bracelets comes in assorted styles and colors with one size fits all design.

Charms include Peace, Hearts, Dance, Best Friends, Peace/Love/Happiness.

$60.00 per dozen.

This spooky 10" doll features rooted hair, an elaborate costume, and a vampire theme. Maggot has black hair worn in plaits dons a black and white sailor dress accessorized with white ruffled socks and black shoes.

This spooky 10" doll features rooted hair, an elaborate costume, and a vampire theme. Orchid has curly blonde pigtails wears a black and white dress accessorized with black ruffled socks and black shoes.

This spooky 10" doll features rooted hair, an elaborate costume, and a vampire theme. Sabbatha has bright red hair and eyes and wears a black and red dress accessorized with red socks and black mary-janes.

This dazzling charm attaches to Charm It! bracelets or necklaces for a bit of fun and sparkle.
— Charm It! Charms were on the top-10 best seller list at Dancing Bear Toys in Asheville and Hendersonville, N.C., in June 2010, as reported by Sarah and Erika Evers, owners and sisters. “These charms are very tastefully done, and they are the right price point,” they told TDmonthly. “They’re also adorable, and you can start a child with a couple charms and they can add on over time.”
—     ''Every day, we sell a bracelet and two charms, and on the weekends, it's more,'' Gwen Bowden, manager of Doodlehopper for Kids in Springfield, Va., shared with TDmonthly in the fall of 2010.

These tiny puzzle erasers feature cute cow faces and bright pastel accents.
— In a June 2010 survey, three of 40 retailers told TDmonthly that Iwako erasers are a best-selling product.

Not only are these stretchy rubber bands are shaped like anything, from adorable animals and pretty butterflies, to fashionable shoes, clothes and rock star shapes, but they also glow in the dark. Tweens can stretch them, wear them, trade them, and collect them all.

These 3-D watches come in assorted 12-sets of themed styles.

From Ruffin Flag Company, these wooden painted slingshots come in several varieties, including a wolf, eagle and pirate.
— These slingshots were top sellers at Key West Toy Factory in Key West, Fla., in the late spring 2010, reported Manager Katie Harris. “These are the perfect gifts,” she told TDmonthly. “Pirates are loved here, and the unique wooden painted shot is fun for kids! Marshmallows make it safe at home, too.”

Snifty Holiday pens are designed to be the perfect stocking stuffer. Available to retailers in a holiday display box of 50, these pens fill the air with the scents of candy cane, gingerbread, spiced apple and sugar cookie. "The scent is embedded in the tip and the grip to create a yummy aroma," International Arrivals Sales and Marketing Liason Kate Fuller told TDmonthly.

The Mood Butterfly Best Friends Necklace is split into two butterfly pendants. One says "best" and the other "friends." Each set of pendants hang from an 18" ball chain. These pendants are made with mood material, which change colors when worn or touched.

This necklace features a key with green, purple, blue and pink rhinestones hanging alongside a matching heart-shaped rhinestone lock. Each key hangs on a silver snake chain.

These popsicle-colored bracelets come in glittery and translucent shades, including Lime, Cherry, Grape and Blue Hawaiian. As with other bracelets by Shainsware, kids can change out the elements (letters, symbols, etc.) to personalize the band.
— In a September 2010 survey, nine percent of 44 retailers named Shainsware a best-selling jewelry brand. “I did really well with their Popsicles,” Martha Burrows of Timeless Toys in Chicago, Ill., told TDmonthly. “They just hit that market between make-your-own and a quick fix.”
— In an October 2011 survey, Katie Rook, manager of Be Beep Toys in Columbia, S.C., told TDmonthly that Shains bracelets are her best selling jewelry.

Swanson Christian Products offers more than 20 different design assortments of shaped rubber bands, with wholesale pricing as low as 60 cents per package depending on purchase quantities. The bands are formed in various shapes and colors including glow-in-dark and scented styles. They can be used as regular rubber bands, or collected and traded. They are designed to return to their original shape.

Watch in amazement as The Magical Animated Butterfly comes to life with the flick of a switch. Not only will you be amazed by the butterfly’s animated wings but you will be mesmerized by the optical effect that the built-in black lights create when the lights in your room are off. Wings available in 4 black light responsive colors: Blue, Orange, Green and Pink

Free of BPA and phthalates, these stainless steel drinking bottles features colorful, attached caps, clips for attaching to a bag, and a wrap-grip personalized for the child. Designs in more than 100 names are available.