July 2010 Notable Toys — Travel

This placemat with reversible chalk mat is durable, waterproof and easy to clean. The mat turns any table into a creative play space or clean eating area, then easily folds into the included travel pouch to hold creative essentials or eating utensils.

This classic toy is easily portable and appeals to "kids" of every age. Just use the magnetic wand to move the metal filings around Fuzzy's face to give him (or her) unusual hairstyles.

Think-ets is a little game in a pouch containing tiny treasures from all over the world. The game includes an assortment of 15 miniature trinkets that can be used to tell stories and play memory and strategy games. These Think-ets come in a purple pouch, replacing the previous yellow pouch design.
Awards: 2008 iParenting Media Award; 2008 AblePlay Rating; 2007 The Toy Man Editor's Choice Award; 2007 Creative Child Magazine Seal of Excellence Award

Train Time includes two fold-out scenes and more than 50 reusable stickers. Packaged in a self-contained carry tote, it is available in 40 Sticker Tote designs. "The reusable stickers offer hours of play over and over again. Parents often comment that it's easy to take their kids on planes and to restaurants because they know their child will be entertained," Peaceable Kingdom Marketing and Operations Manager Donna Modrell told TDmonthly.
— In a January 2012 survey about arts and crafts toys, Teresa Derry, owner of Annie's Toy Chest in Cocoa, Fla., told TDmonthly that other than Sticky Mosaics from the Orb Factory, her best seller in the category was stickers from Peaceable Kingdom. They sell between 15 and 20 each month.

This set of eight interlocking foam pieces is designed to make hopscotch more fun. The pieces are easy to clean and come in a carrying case with two markers and instructions.
— The Sunny Patch line was included in the top-10 best-seller list for Dancing Bear Toys in Asheville and Hendersonville, N.C., in June 2010, as reported by Sarah and Erika Evers, owners and sisters. “I love the Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch line of garden/beach items ... especially Bella Butterfly Hopscotch!” Sarah told TDmonthly. “They are very cute and sturdy gardening tools and outdoor toys, all with bug themes. They encourage boys and girls to get into the garden!”

The Sidekick is a puzzle and game companion designed for people on the go, whether traveling by car, hiking, or camping. Everything needed to play 15 games and solve 10 puzzles fits neatly into a compact case with a different puzzle and game board printed on each side. It features a nylon strap to attach it to the top of one's leg if a flat surface is unavailable. Product dimensions: 5.375" H x 4.25" W x 1.125" D

Designed to be comfortable and cozy for pet portability, this is a handy case in which you can put your pet. William Xie of China Toybiz told TDmonthly, "With our gadget, travel with your pet will be quite easier."

To help kids pass the time traveling, this Travel Kit includes fun activities, mini crayons and three draw-your-own postcards. Shelley Dieterichs of Good Buddy Notes told TDmonthly the Here We Go! Travel Kit's best features are its "price point, convenient size and packaging for travel." Launch date: 2008.

Featuring two wheels and a different SQUIGGLE on each page, one wheel features amphibians and insects, the other wheel features animals. Person spins both wheels, and combines the two results together to create a unique creature with the SQUIGGLE on the page.

An activity pad for multiple players. Player starts out spinning the wheel on the pad to land on a random category. Player then draws an item based on that category while other players ask 20 questions related to that category to guess what was drawn.

Ideal for travel, this creative activity includes four colored pencils and gives kids the chance to not only identify shapes but to create objects, patterns and characters. As children work through the pad, the shapes and designs become more complex.
― Out of 39 retailers interviewed by TDmonthly in March 2010 about top items in travel, two said Squiggle On-the-Go is a best selling product in their stores.

Mad Libs combine language education, creative stimulation, and just plain silly fun. Each page asks for a list of words by part of speech, which are then plugged into strategic blanks in a short story on the page following. When distributed throughout the Mad Libs framework, a list of seemingly ordinary words becomes inventive and hilarious.
― Two of 39 retailers who participated in TDmonthly's March 2010 survey of top-selling travel toys said Mad Libs are their best.
— “We sell three Mad Libs a day,” Ava Allen, owner of Be Beep A Toy Store in Columbia, S.C., told TDmonthly in autumn 2010.
— In an April 2013 survey, two out of 12 retailers said that Mad Libs are one of their best-selling travel products.

Be a super detective! Use your Invisible Ink pen to uncover the truth and solve the mysteries. Here are just some of the games you will find inside this book, decode the cryptograms, decipher Krazygrams, and nab the crook in jailbreak.
Each book includes 48 pages of fun and a special pen.
― Out of 39 retailers, four named activity books from Lee Publications as their top-selling travel item in March 2010, reporting sales averaging 24 per month.
― Kristen Dolle, manager of Playthings Toy Shoppe in Louisville, Ky. told TDmonthly in late Spring 2011 that Magic pen books by Lee Publications were a best-selling travel toy.
— In an April 2012 survey about best selling travel toys, Joe Berardoni, owner of Pun's Toys in Bryn Mawr, Pa., told TDmonthly: "As a category, Lee Publication’s Yes & Know books continue to sell out during travel time due to their wide age range and low retail price."
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at Playthings Toy Shoppe.

Kids can get all the fun of coloring in a neat, compact and portable kit. Use the washable, dry-erase crayons to draw and color on the included reusable activity sheets, then wipe them clean with the EZ-erase mitt. The pack includes four washable dry-erase crayons, eight reusable activity sheets, dry-erase case, EZ-erase mitt, and crayon sharpener. Launch date: 2010.