August 2011 Notable Toys — All

Think chores and schedules are boring and restrictive? Think again! Wizarday is an  adventure story that will help the whole family – big and small – understand what an important role family schedules play in a happy, healthy life. Play the game and bring the Wizarday book to life creating your own daily family routine. Ages: 8+ .An 80 page chapter book and/or 3 interactive board & card games.  "This product doesn't simply deal with helping parents program their children into doing their chores. It emphasizes the role of structure and boundaries as the foundation of a family's wellbeing, preparing children for a responsible adolescence," Dr. Sarah Itzhaki, Co-founder of ToysNTayls, told TDmonthly. Launch date: January 2011. Book plus game: $37.50; Game only - $25.00; Book only - $14.50.
Awards: 2011 Creative Child Game of the Year Award; 2011 The Toy Man eChoice Award.

Jurassicmorphs #14: Jurassicmorphs, new for 2011, is part of the Zoomorphs pop-together building system. The child can build animals that exist or have existed in nature; or easily pop the pieces apart to make all sorts of friendly, poseable fantasy creatures. There are six characters in this set:  Diplodocus, Pilosaur, Coelophysis, Rhamphorhyncus, Pterosaur and Triceratops All sets are interchangeable.  All animals have hinged jaws.  Also available: Junglemorphs #15. There are four characters in this set:  Tree Python, Bird of Paradise, Tiger and Tropical Beetle.  All sets are interchangeable.  Some animals have hinged jaws.
Awards: Family Fun TOY of the Year

Little Tikes Jump N Slide Inflatable Bouncer is an inflatable gym with tall protective walls that surround a large jumping area, including a big slide with side rails. Two mesh doors feature hook-and-loop closures to protect children, and allow parents to watch the fun. Stakes anchor the bouncer firmly in place, while a heavy-duty blower provides continuous airflow. The Little Tikes Jump N' Slide Bouncer is built of puncture-resistant material. It also features two mesh pockets on the side to hold shoes or water bottles. The Little Tikes Jump N' Slide Bouncer includes stakes, heavy-duty blower, repair kit and storage bag.

Control the flow - control your opponents. Game for 2 to 4 players. Game time: 30-45 minutes. Control the flow by altering the flow directional tiles. Gain a reward token each time you either push an opponent's pawn out of the board or into an existing infinite loop. Collect most tokens at the end of the game to win.

Burning bridges behind you is not all bad! In this game it's the only way you can win.
Game for 2 or 3 players. Game time: 15 - 30 minutes. Take turns in moving from island to island across a bridge. After crossing the bridge set the bridge on fire. Once the fire is set no one can move or jump over it. The game continues until there are no more bridges remaining, all the scorch points have been awarded. The player with the highest count of scorch points wins.

Each player is a daemon that guides and influences the main character. The game is a struggle between daemons to control main character's mood by using the environment surrounding the character. Daemons take turns playing cards to trigger the environment to shift the mood. Each player's actions directly affect decisions and strategy of the other players. The game ends when Moody enters the mood wheel. Players uncover both mission cards and check how close they are to Moody's final mood determined by the mood marker. Each space gives 1 point. Count how far is the distance from your mission mood to the final mood marker. The player with the least points wins the game. Each game can end up in a draw between 2 players. Play more than one game to truly establish who is the MOOD MASTER.

Players move on a 6 x 6 game grid. Movement is determined by roll of dice and coordinates embedded in each game place. Along the way players can pick up booster cards which can help them get to the target area or hinder the efforts of their opponents. The seemingly simple concept of transferring the game pieces from start to finish takes a different shape in Avodome. The game “twists and turns” after each move and is never decided until the last playing piece of one player lands on the target area. No player is ever in the lead since the boosters add a special dynamic to the game where a player seemingly “in the lead” can be blocked, forced back and actually loose the game to a player who appears to be “dead last”.

Features 36 party gras bead strings, 300 party gras cards, 1 rule sheet, for ages 13 and older. 4 to 12 players. Party gras is a perfect way to spice up any social occasion. Unlike other games, you won’t be stuck sitting around a table. Players stand up, move around and try to cleverly complete the lively mission on their cards. Mind control: make someone refuse to throw away the trash. Caught in the act: catch someone text messaging. Talk it out: find someone who likes werewolves better than vampires. Players must use charm and wit to get those sparkly beads away from others, all while they’re trying to get beads from their opponents. Collect the most beads to win. 10 or more minutes to play. Created by GaZima Games.

In this set Lightning McQueen is an RC car with the ability to drive forward or backward. Send him roaring after the other push vehicles as he delivers fun movie phrases. Flo adds to the fun with cool lines from the movie, and Sheriff hides behind the billboard, waiting for speeders. Includes Lightning McQueen RC vehicle, Flo, Sheriff, Sally and Sarge push vehicles, Flo's V-8 café, mountains of Radiator Springs, 2 ramp tracks, 1 "T" switch track, 2 "Y" switch tracks, 4 curve tracks, 1 cross track, 2 straight tracks 6" long, 2 straight tracks 3" long, Radiator Springs traffic light, highway sign, 2 guardrails, 3 off-track ramps and a Radiator Springs billboard.

An estimated third of the world's population watched The Royal Wedding on April 29th, 2011. This puzzle shows Will & Kate, the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge, on their wedding day. Piece Count: 550. Piece Jigsaw Puzzle Finished Size: 24"x18". White Mountain Puzzles are made in the U.S.A. with recycled materials.

The nationally acclaimed and award winning HKS KETTRIKE® HAPPY® AIR NAVIGATOR™ simply is the smoothest, safest and most prized tricycle ride available.  This tricycle continues the KETTLER® tradition by being the Best of the Best.   Our customer’s ultimate compliment is that our trike is “built like a tank.”  KETTLER®’s team of certified engineers is in constant pursuit of perfection to incorporate the latest in safety, innovation and quality in our products. This is well documented by numerous patented and exclusive tricycle features from KETTLER®.  The HKS Kettrike® Happy® Air Navigator™ is well worth the investment in order to provide your children and grandchildren many years of safe and enjoyable triking.  When you invest in KETTLER®, you invest in peace of mind for present and future generations.
— In a March 2013 survey, two out of 13 retailers told TDmonthly that the Happy Navigator is their best selling ride on toy.

Aspiring puppeteers can move the mouth and arms of this plush baboon puppet. Launch date: July 2011.

These wooden noise makers are made from beech wood. Dimension: approx. 14 x 9 cm. Suitable for children ages 2 and up. Made in Germany.

ArtiSands Flowers Mini Kit includes nine shakers of sand and eight pre-cut Sandesigns.

Each mini figure is carefully sculpted and finely painted by hand to ensure optimum quality for years of learning fun. For added play value these collections are packaged in a reusable acetate tube. Figures range in size from 1" to 3". All figures are phthalate and lead free to ensure your child's safety. These tiny yet highly detailed figures depict real venomous creatures from around the world. Toob® includes a Cane Toad, a Yellow-Belllied Sea Snake, a Bat Ray, a Komodo Dragon, a Brown Tarantula, a Giant Centipede, a Fat-Tailed Scorpion, a Stone Fish and a Common Indian Cobra.

This stroller has a folding canopy plus three wheels for extra stability and a basket. Collapses for easy storage. Fits up to a 17" baby doll.

Designed as party favors, the Fun Favor Pack contains 8 LEGO items ( 4 ea- Jeep and Yellow Airplane); Free LEGO Club membership and LEGOLAND Offers (free child admission).

Though sleek and thin, the LeapPad can withstand kids' roughhousing and dirty fingers. Designed to be flipped, shaken, and turned by little hands, the LeapPad comes with a tilt sensor for game control that puts kids in the middle of the action. A 5-inch color touch screen makes it easy for kids of all ages to learn and interact. There are more than 100 learning games, videos, books, and apps available, and topics covered include spelling, phonics skills, mathematics, science, music, geography, and more.
— As of 8/29/2011 this product had 4 out of 5 stars from 96 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Larger screen than other LeapFrog products; works with Leapster explorer games and apps; comes with extra stylus in case one gets lost. Cons: Screen and camera resolution are low; takes 4 batteries; processing is slow; most apps need to be purchased separately.

White two story house with red roof. Fully painted and decorated with strawberry motif. Side opens up for easy access. Doors, windows and shutters open and close. Includes deluxe starter furniture set. Furniture includes sofa, coffee table, lamp, dining table with chairs, oven/stove, buffet, bunkbeds, end table with lamp, toilet, toys and more. People are not included. 13 ¾ x 24 ¾ x 17 ¼.
— Joe Berardoni, owner of Pun's Toys in Bryn Mawr, Pa., told TDmonthly in a Summer 2011 survey that he sells one of these high-ticket items each month.

Featuring a removable, locking tray, this durable white chair will can accommodate dolls up to 20".
— Mike DiAndrea, manager of Ace Hardware & Toy Center in Paoli, Pa., told TDmonthly in a Summer 2011 survey that he sells six of this item each month.
— Joe Berardoni Jr, owner of Pun's Toys in Bryn Mawr, Pa., told TDmonthly in a June 2013 survey that Melissa and Doug wooden doll furniture is their best-selling furniture item.

These bean bags are made in the USA. Filled with an engineered poly foam mix; slip cover removes for easy care.
— Paula Bolte, owner of Imaginations Toy & Furniture Co. in Blacksburg, Va., told TDmonthly in a Summer 2011 survey that Southeastern Kids was one of her best-selling furniture brands. She said she sells between 1-3 bean bags each month.

The Urban Lifetime Crib is a standard crib that converts easily to a ToddlerBed, Daybed and Full-size Bed. The Lifetime Crib meets all safety guidelines and is JPMA certified. Conversion kits sold separately. Matching dresser, armoire, and chest of drawers also available.

Cute and cuddly, these 6.5 inch soft-bodied dolls have vinyl heads, arms and legs. Assorted outfits. Come in a case of 24.
— In a Summer 2011 survey Paula Bolte, owner of Imaginations Toy & Furniture Co. in Blacksburg, Va., told TDmonthly that she sold about 24 Mini Babies each month.
— In a Fall 2013 survey, Kim Emigh, manager of e-commerce at Growing Tree Toys in State College, Pa., told TDmonthly that Mini-Babies from Toysmith were one of their best-selling novelty toys.

Specially designed for bathtime fun, Tidoo is soft and posable and so light that it floats.
Filled with polystyrene "beads" that dry quickly, Tidoo can play out of the tub, too; it can even suck its thumb. Tidoo baby dolls can wear any fashion from the Mon Premier collection. Corolle also offers a wide selection of nursery accessories specially sized for Tidoo. 12 inches tall. Blue sleeping eyes.
— In a Summer 2011 survey 10 of 14 retailers told TDmonthly that dolls from Corolle were their best-sellers. Joe Berardoni, owner of Pun's Toys in Bryn Mawr,  Pa., said they sell 6-10 Corolle dolls per month, and that Tidoo is the best-seller.
— Rebecca Goblish, owner of Picayune Toys in Dunwoody, Ga., told TDmonthly in a Summer 2011 survey that dolls from Corolle are in her top-three best-selling products.
— In a June 2014 survey, two out of 10 retailers told TDmonthly that Corolle makes their best-selling dolls.