July 2011 Notable Toys — Water Activities

Pump-handle water blaster blasts a spinning stream of water up to 20 feet away. Detachable stock adjusts to different reaches. Water blaster comes with spinning barrel, detachable stock, tactical rails and a water clip.
— As of 6/14/2011 this product had 4.3 out of 5 stars from 7 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Gets opponent very wet; spinning barrel is amusing.  Cons: Uses water in the clip too fast; extra clips are expensive.

The Anchors Away Pirate Ship is made of durable plastic construction and features two fun characters, a squirting shark and a constant running water fountain. Kids can keep the water moving by pumping or pouring the water into the crows nest; the spinners cause a current in the ship which moves floating objects around. Kids can aim and squirt water from the water cannon to see the steering wheel spin, and the anchor raises and lowers by cranking the handle.
— As of 6/6/2011 this product had 3.2 out of 5 stars from 39 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Interactive; keeps kids engaged. Cons: Numerous reports of the plank and the cannon squirter breaking; expensive; water flow in fountain isn't strong enough to make the wheels spin smoothly.

The Intex Mushroom baby pool features a built-in mushroom shade for added comfort on hot days. It has a soft, inflatable floor that allows for gentle play. Adult supervision required at all times.
— As of 06/02/2011 this product had 4.8 out of 5 stars from 12 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Shade keeps baby protected from sun; easy to blow up; inexpensive. Cons: One customer said one of the floats that came with the pool had a hole in it; if you aren't kneeling next to the pool when the top is on it's hard to see the baby in the pool.

This three-position adjustable, removable canopy protects baby from the sun and folds for storage just like the Baby Spring Float. There is a mesh play space for toys and splashing. Dual inflation chambers and low seat enhance security; the included sun canopy blocks 90% harmful UV rays. Features a "rainy day ducky" design and includes a carry/storage bag. 34"L x 30"W x 3"H. 1.64 lbs. Ages 9 to 24 months.
— As of 05/21/2012 this product had 4.5 out of 5 stars from 199 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Thorough sun protection; folds up easily; the mesh area for toys is convenient. Cons: One customer complained of a leak around the hole where you inflate the float; One customer said her baby flipped over and was held under water because her legs were still in the hole.

This water table helps children develop "put and take" and early motor skills. They can: drop balls down spiral, watching them go round and round and down into the lazy river; turn the Ferris wheel to scoop up and drops off balls; fill the cup and pour into the funnel to power twin water wheels; and turn the spinner that powers the "lazy river."
— As of 05/24/2011 this product had 4.6 out of 5 stars from 7 reviews on Amazon.com. Cons: Assembly is somewhat difficult; one customer received a box with missing pieces, but the company replaced them when she called.
— In a May 2012 survey, Barbara Fineblum, owner of Barstons Child's Play in Baltimore, Md., told TDmonthly that they "just sell Little Tikes" in the furniture/play house category.

Slick Sand will not get wet. Slick sand is saturated with silicon vapors. Silicon is a very slippery substance and these vapors reverse the way Slick Sand interacts with water. When kids pour water on it, the water will stay on top and flow, instead of wetting the sand and sinking down as happens with ordinary play sand. Paired with the fun experiments, the science behind Slick Sand is explained.  Kids will be introduced or further versed to terms and concepts like hydrophobe, hydrophile, conservation of mass, the biological composition of sand, and surface tension. Non-toxic. Slick Sand Includes: 1lb each of Red, Yellow, Blue, Green & Purple Slick Sand; Instructions and Information on Slick Sand.

Kids can pretend to clean their dishes in the tub. When the dishes are dipped in the warm water, the "dirt" disappears. This 10 piece set includes a dish rack that can be suctioned to the wall and a sponge.
—Mike DiAndrea, owner of Hardware Toys in Paoli, Pa., told TDmonthly in late Spring 2011 that he sold five Dirty Dishes each month.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at Hardware Toys.

These chubby, star-shaped bathtub crayons are fun and easy for children to hold. The crayons come in six bright colors, and can be used to create bath time art on shower wall, tile surfaces, or on children.
—Annie Ricks, owner of My Imagination Station/ Head over Heels LLC in Hattiesburg, Miss. named Rub a Dub Star Crayon as a best-selling bath toy when surveyed by TDmonthly in late Spring 2011.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at My Imagination Station.

This set includes a basketball net and three squirting balls. A suction cup rim and mesh net allows the product to be mounted easily to a smooth surface for bath-time fun.
—Margy Peine, owner of Tree House Toy Shop in Cumberland, Md. named Rub a Dub Shapes For The Tub as a best-seller in the bath category when surveyed by TDmonthly in late Spring 2011.
— In an April 2012 survey about bath toys, five out of 11 retailers named Alex as their best selling brand.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at Tree House Toy Shop.

These soft foam shapes stick to the tub or ceramic tiles when wet. Includes two multicolored sets of alphabetical letter and the numbers 0-9. There are 62 pieces in all. Kids can learn that ABC's and 123's while playing in the bath.
—Kim Emigh, VP of e-commerce at Growing Tree Toys in State College, Pa. named Rub a Dub Shapes For The Tub as a best-seller in the bath category when surveyed by TDmonthly in late Spring 2011.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at Growing Tree Toys.

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.

In Don't Tip the Waiter Splash, players take turns stacking cups on the three-dimensional floating waiter's tray. But they have to be careful, because too many cups will tip the waiter. If a player makes the waiter drop the cups into the water, they're out. The last player standing wins. This pool game is ideal for 1-4 players.

Scale the climbing wall and slide through the water-spraying arch into the connected splash pool. With the included continuous- airflow blower motor, the pool and slide inflate in two minutes. With a garden hose connected to the top of the slide, water will spray down so kids can slide into the pool. Heavy-duty Dura-Tech construction ensures lasting strength and durability. Includes 1 Inflatable Water Slide, 1 Blower Motor, 3 Blower Ground Stakes, 1 Water Spraying Hose Assembly, 6 Water Slide Ground Stakes + 1 Extra, 1 Carrying Bag, 1 Repair Kit (Glue for repair kit). Safety Warning - use with adult supervision.