August 2010 Notable Toys — All

This fall tee features a fairy that comes complete with a velcro-attached dress. Girls can remove the dress and attach a different one. Additional dresses are sold separately. Fairy dresses are handmade in the USA. Made of tulle, special glittery fabrics, and flowers.

The original YBIKE features design, quality and attention to safety designed to make it an ideal first bicycle for toddlers. Its unique design enables toddlers to meet the challenge of independently riding a bike. Features include an extended front fork angle to allow for safe turning, and two closely aligned rear wheels to help with balance but still allow a child to lean from side to side while turning. It also offers high ground clearance to ensure safety regardless of terrain and large wheels for safe riding on uneven surfaces. YBIKE is made of high quality, smooth, durable injection molded plastic and comes in four vibrant colors.
Awards: 2015 TDmonthly Magazine Top Toy Award; 2010 Oppenheim Gold Seal Toy of the Year Award; 2010 Creative Child Magazine Toy of the Year Award; 2010 Creative Child Magazine Toy of the Year in Bikes and Ride-on Category
— Glisyn Lewis Jarrells, manager of Imaginations Toy & Furniture in Blacksburg, Va., told TDmonthly in a March 2013 survey that they sell around 10 Ybikes during the warm-weather months.

The original Mimi is a 30" x36" blanket made from high-quality chenille. It is designed to be just the right size for comfort and convenience. The blanket is easy to clean and is machine-washable.

This quilt and patchwork bear set in bright blue and yellow is designed to make both babies and moms happy.

The Handstand Kids Cookbooks are fully-illustrated, international children's cookbooks that introduce children to the language, culture and cuisine of three different countries (Italy, Mexico and China) while encouraging healthy eating, community involvement and helping out in the kitchen. Each kit comes uniquely packaged with a cooking accessory. The Italian Cookbook is packaged in a pizza box with a chef's hat, the Mexican Cookbook comes in a tortilla bag with a child-sized oven mitt and Chinese Cookbook is packaged in a take-out box with a set of chopsticks.

This fairy-themed Think-ets collection includes an assortment of 15 miniature trinkets that can be used to tell stories, and play memory and strategy games. Think-ets is designed to be an ideal travel game for use in restaurants, waiting rooms, poolsides or anywhere on the go.

Part of the My Friendship Bracelet Maker line, this clip board is designed to be a smaller, portable, gender- and age- neutral version of the My Friendship Bracelet Maker. The clip board allows users to easily create even the most complicated friendship bracelet patters with the patented designed "peace" sign clip and string holder. The kit comes with 10 pre-cut threads so users can get started right away. The "MY Friendship Bracelet Maker Clip Board allows users to create an unlimited variety of friendship bracelets with ease," David Crorey, Owner and CEO of Crorey Creations told TDmonthly.

This question and answer game comes with two special features. First, the questions are practical, not trivial, for hours of conversation about topics such as child-rearing, gardening, everyday law, travel, health, cooking, car and home care and more. Second, Untrivia is cooperative. Players share ideas, discuss the possible answers, and decide on the best choice. A snakes and ladders type of board provides some pitfalls and surprises.

In this game, players are CEOs in control of their own power grids on the continent. Each is responsible for bringing and maintaining full electrical service to a Populated Center. There are bonus revenues and other perks for fully servicing one’s own area. However, each grid is interdependent with other grids, so CEOs must work together for the survival of the Continental Power System.

In this game, players need to bring in enough stories, photos, cartoons and advertising contracts to meet the printing costs and staff payroll of a newspaper. If they can’t meet these combined costs, then it is a case of "Stop the Presses." Each player takes on a different staff role to maintain the paper's publication. The game includes a 17" x 17" board, a reporter mover, a press time marker, one die, 55 cards consisting of 10 staff, two cartoons, one comic page, six photos, six issues, 12 ad contracts, 18 assorted stories and rules.

In this game, players act as research and development teams trying to redesign North America's social-economic system before it's too late. The focus is on energy and resources, but many fields are explored. Designed for thinking friends and for high school and college classes, the game aims to provoke discussion among mature, thinking people.

This game is a Kafkaesque metaphor about seekers trying to escape the political, religious, economic and other illusions that entrap them, preventing freedom of mind and spirit. Captain K sails to a dark but enticing land to look for crew to help cross the dangerous seas to Freedom Island. Constant patrols make it difficult for the crew to gather documents and gear needed to make a boarding at any dock. Players are the crew, seekers after freedom, helping each other round up credentials which entitle them to board the Good Ship Freedom and avoid those feverish patrols, who never tire of vying for their very being.

In this game players are private investigators, all working for Eagle Eye Agency, gathering clues in a big city to solve the mysteries. They shadow suspects, do legwork and gradually work up a case. Everyone plays a key part. It's not who wins, but rather whether players can all solve the mystery. Thirty-nine original cases are provided. When these cases are exhausted, the game can be extended with the Mystery Maker Kit included to create more cases.

In this game, the cruise ship is sinking fast, and players manage to launch a lifeboat. They form a rescue team, working together to save themselves and as many of the survivors as they can. There are many variations on how the game can end. S.O.S. includes a 17" x 22.5" board, special dice, a lifeboat, charts (captain's marine forecasts, food supply, fuel/speed) and diecut cards (drifting currents, food marker, fuel marker, sharks, rocks, food and fuel packets, an assortment of survivors, rules for regular and nasty versions).

This expansion pack for the wordsearch game Wordquest Goliath comes with 20 additional topics to choose from on 10 circle board cards with topics on the front and back side.

This strategy game is about operating Coast Guard Ice Breakers in the Arctic. Players' job is to open up frozen waterways for freighters, supply ships, tankers and military craft. They succeed if they get all 12 ships to their respective destinations before the ice becomes too thick and widespread.
Awards: 2003 Dr. Toy Best Game

This set includes 19 pieces for building this member of the Lego Hero Factory Alpha Team. The finished figure stands 6" tall and comes equipped with a removable hero core, high-tech air armor, a camera helmet and a communications headset.

This plush dog handbag is designed to look like a real pug. Ant wears a holiday-themed outfit, with a Christmas tree sweater and silver lame reindeer antlers. His tweed-lined pouch fits a few essential items, and he comes with a detachable faux-leather strap. OUR SAMPLE, WHICH WE REVIEWED IS FOR SALE. please call 310-979-4330 to purchase it with a credit card for $45. Ask for the Publisher.

Explore a beautiful medieval day with colorful illustrations of enchanting scenery, princes, and princesses. The felt play board can be used to place the various illustrations into the setting for a fun and educational activity.

It's a grand evening at the ball. With this set, choose from different outfits to dress the two main couples on center stage; from elegant pink and blue dresses to a pair of formal attire.

Relive the story of Cinderella with this felt activity set. The set features all the well-known characters of the story, including Cinderella, the prince, the Fairy Godmother, and the three step sisters. Also featured is the stagecoach, the glass slipper, and more.

A blend between the T8-08 and the T78 air, it features the T8 style handlebars, black painted machined rims, animal free leather hand grips, upgraded brake cables, aluminum brake levers, bolted aluminum stem, and black foot decks. Available in two colors (green and pink).

This lightsaber plugs into a USB port to light a desk area. The base recharges the light and can be removed to adjust the illumination level. This singular lamp stands approximately 14" tall.

With a flick of the wrist, fans can levitate this Timelord's Spinning TARDIS so it actually floats. The TARDIS measures 3" tall and contains magnets. It requires 6 AA batteries.