August 2011 Notable Toys — All

Designing a wardrobe for Barbie® has never been easier. This Barbie® Fashion Design Artist Tote features the Compact Fashion Design Sketch Portfolio and markers. Simply use the removable plastic stencils and markers to trace the most glamorous collection of clothing and accessories for Barbie®. The instructions provide tips and inspiration on how to color, shade, and add details to make each outfit perfect for Barbie®. Finish off and embellish the designs with the foil stickers included in the spiral bound portfolio book. When you’re done designing you can carry all your designs around in the stylish Barbie® shoulder tote. This kit includes the shoulder tote, 10 markers and the Barbie® Compact Fashion Design Sketch Portfolio featuring 40 sketch pages, 4 removable plastic stencil sheets with 52 stencil designs, 77 foil stickers, and instructions. Launch date: 2011.

In this game, the players are prep cooks in a Pizza Shop and have to help Chef fill the pizza orders coming in while keeping an eye on how hot the oven is getting. Players don't want to burn any pizzas. Often one player on a turn will set up the next player for a good move. Next time round, they may get help from someone else. That's the fun of co-oper­ative play. It allows different ages to play together. Comes with three levels of play- The red dot game is for beginners and young players. Add the green dot cards for a tougher game. Add the yellow dot cards for the most challenging version. Includes 36 Cards, consisting of 6 Pizza Orders, 5 Ovens, 25 Ingredients and Rules.

Illuminate your message with Shains Glow in the Dark key clips. Come in flower and heart shapes. Shains Key Clips allow individuals to express themselves through letter and icon elements that easily attach through the holes. "What sets these apart is the ability to change your message whenever you want and the ability to mix, match and combine various Shains products to create new cool looks," Chris Ohama from Shainware told TDmonthly. Launch Date: Summer 2011.

Based on the popular website (ranked in the Top 10 comedy websites by CNN), Awkward Family Photos combined classic and never-before-seen Awkward Family Photos with open-ended questions to inspire laughter and creative discussion among players. 4-6 players.

KATATU, which means ‘three’, is a unique abstract strategy board game, very rich in history, that takes its roots from a 3000 year old game that was played originally in Italy and Egypt and eventually made its way to Southern Africa. KATATU is adapted from this ancient game that has never before been available in a packaged form to the Western part of the world until now. Very easy to learn, but hard to master, KATATU can take some surprising twists and plays in about 15 minutes. Ages 5 and up. Where Tic-Tac-Toe leaves off, KATATU picks up.
Awards: 2012 Game of the Year and 2012 Preferred Choice Award from Creative Play Magazine; 2012 Seal of Approval National Parenting Center; Dr. Toy 2012 winner Best New Products; 2011 Preferred Choice Award Creative Child Magazine; TDmonthly Magazine Staff Pick August 2011

From the creator of the popular Uglydoll Plush figures, David Horvath has created another lovable character, Bossy Bear, based on the titled character from David's children's book. This new "monster" version evolves the classic Bossy Bear into the world of kaiju or monsters like Godzilla and Gamera. Available in a case pack with two different versions - classic Blue and Cutie Stomp Pink Editions and includes variant expression editions. Launch date: July 2011.

This nonfiction series encourages kids' historical exploration and discovery. With detailed reconstructions, original artworks, and source material from each period, plus reading lists, and resources for further study, this series is a comprehensive introduction to the history that shaped America. "It's history in action with dynamic full-bleed spreads featuring historical objects, cutaway illustrations, scenes from daily life, and accessible age-appropriate text," Marina Cambareri, Marketing Manager at Kingfisher, told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2011.

100 piece assorted "camo" colors including : Green, Olive, Brown, Khaki, and Natural. Fun and educational, these award winning eco-friendly blocks will keep kids building for hours on end. This 100 piece CAMO colors set contains 5 different colors to add a little pizazz to building fun. Colors include: green, olive, brown, khaki and natural (20 blocks of each color). Kids can build towers, towns, castles and more. Building guide included. Launch date: July 2011.

This set includes 10 assorted colorful trees to decorate Citiblocs creations. This set of 10 vibrantly colored trees in a variety of shapes and sizes lets kids expand their Citiblocs environment. Launch date: July 2011.

Chaostle is a board game that has many levels of strategy, from picking a starting army to moving throughout the multi-level castle towards victory. Chaostle has many fates that constantly effect the game, ranging from mild setbacks to cataclysmic earthquakes. These unpredictable twists of fate can be either from the card of happiness or the card of doom. Chaostle offers a wide range of fantasy characters to strategically build an army. The game comes standard with sixteen of these custom collectible miniature characters. Chaostle features 23 three-dimensional castle walls that are secured onto the game board. The fantasy fighters can move any direction throughout the castle including up and down stairways to change levels.

Toy2R is pleased to unearth the next series of artist 2.5" Skelanimal Qees. Featuring designs by Voltaire, Lunabee, Pocket Wookie, Albert Art, Nick Z, and PO! (Patricio Oliver) and also including classic editions of the Skelanimal characters Dax, Jack and Kit. This 25 pc blind box assortment is randomly packed. Each Skelanimal Qee includes keychain attachment so the Skelanimals don't get lost. Launch date: July 2011.
Awards: 2010 HKADF Outstanding Greater China Design Award; 2010 Best SME’s Award; 2009 Hong Kong Ten Outstanding Designers by Hong Kong Communication Art Centre.

Volcanoes are one of the most awesome forces found in nature. They can shoot rocks and gases miles into the air and their lava flows can outrace a speeding car.  Now kids can try that at home.  In this kit, everything is included to create a volcanic blast.  Volcano really explodes and lava flows, and the kit includes cool science that explains how volcanoes form and why they explode.  Volcano erupts up to 10 times. Launch date: August 2010.
— In a September 2011 survey, three out of 13 retailers said products from Scientific Explorer were their bestselling science & nature toys. Joe Berardoni, owner of Pun's Toys in Brynn Mawr, Pa., told TDmonthly that "Scientific Explorer's line features colorful, good sized boxes and some great titles."

With this kit, kids can investigate crime scene clues and learn about how science plays an important role in solving crimes.  They'll also learn how to make & match DNA, analyze mysterious fingerprints, decode secret messages, and more. Launch date: August 2011.

With this kit, kids can make gruesome fake cuts, burns, and bruises, just like in the movies, use tricks professional make up artists use, and learn the science behind the movie make up. Launch date: September 2011.

Kids can make oodles and oodles of reusable Fuzzoodle combinations.  Just pick a Fuzzoodle Noodle, add some parts and pieces, and start creating.  Includes: 22 Fuzzoodles, 26 Fuzzoodle parts, and an idea guide.
Awards: 2010 Parenting Magazine Toy of the Year Award

Kids can create over 300 different color combinations with this set of Blendy Pens.  Just insert any 2 Blendy Pens into the fusion chamber, and click, twist, fuse.  Includes 12 original Blendy Pens, 12 Magic Blendy Pens, and 10 mini Blendy Pens, PLUS 20 bonus Surprise Art posters. Launch date: October 2011.

Gustafer Yellowgold’s Infinity Sock is the first Gustafer Yellowgold DVD/CD package to have a storyline, unfolding in graphic novel fashion and weaving together ten thought provoking, melodic soft-rock music videos in the inimitable Gustafer Yellowgold style, ranging from sublime alt-pop to gentle acoustic. Launch date: March 2010.

Gustafer Yellowgold's Mellow Fever is the third in the award-winning series of DVD/CD sets released by Apple-Eye Productions.  Each song is accompanied by a series of hand-drawn, minimally animated illustrations set to melodic and catchy tunes ranging from mellow acoustic to crackling-pop.  Mellow Fever features guest-star performances by WILCO’s John Stirratt and Pat Sansone, as well as Lisa Loeb. "Gustafer Yellowgold's DVD/CD set are the only series of musical moving story-books," Brian Pearl, in marketing at Apple Eye Productions, told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 2009.

This 300 piece puzzle glows in the dark for extra value once the puzzle is completed. Each piece is unique and fully interlocking.
—In a Summer 2011 survey, Syd Clarke, owner of Ali Cat in Carrboro, N.C., said that this Glow-in-the-Dark unicorn puzzle from Ravensburger was a best-seller.

This 1500 piece puzzle  features one of Van Gogh's most iconic works. Each piece is unique and fully interlocking.
— In a Summer 2011 survey about best-selling puzzles, Donna Frederick, owner of The Play House Toy Store in Durham, N.C., said that Ravensburger puzzles over 1000 pieces were a best-seller. “There are not a lot of [companies] who cater to older people who like puzzles but not kiddie pictures,” she told TDmonthly.
— In the same Summer 2011 survey, Syd Clarke, owner of Ali Cat in Carrboro, N.C., said that this Van Gogh puzzle was one of his best-sellers in the category.
— As of 7/12/2011 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 5 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: "Outstanding quality;" durable; beatiful artwork; challenging.

Featuring detailed images of 8 favorite noisy vehicles, this wooden peg puzzle makes the vehicle sound when a piece is placed correctly in the puzzle board. Eight sounds in all. Full-color, matching picture under each piece. Dimensions: 1.2" x 8.5" x 11.7" Assembled. AAA batteries not included.
— Michael O'Dell of Toys from the Attic in Rehoboth Beach, Del., told TDmonthly in a Summer 2011 survey that he sells 10 Melissa & Doug sound puzzles each month.
— As of 7/12/2011 this product had 3 out of 5 stars from 23 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Affordable; engaging. Cons: Many reviewers said the sounds were poor quality.
— In a February 2012 survey about wooden toys, three out of 14 retailers said that puzzles from Melissa & Doug were their best sellers in the category. “Melissa and Doug has been a core of the store for years and years," Mike Snyder, owner and manager of Cville's Hobbies, Games and Toys in Charlottesville, Va., told TDmonthly.

The object of the game is to be the first player to fill the Shains bracelet with the most stars by using their intuition and how well they know their friends, to figure out “WHAT SHE SAID!” Each game comes with a set of 200 elements (letters, numbers and stars), six orchid tabs with seven holes and six bracelets in pink and orchid, 36 “WHAT SHE SAID!” cards, eight cardboard element holders and carrying pouch. Each player takes a small purple strip and a larger bracelet strap. The bracelet will be used for scoring and is worn on the wrist. The smaller strip will be used to plug in letter elements, to create a word that corresponds to the card played from the deck on each turn. The deck of cards are placed face down in the middle of the playing area, along with the cardboard element holders. Letters are for making words that answer the “WHAT SHE SAID!” cards, numbers are for betting, and stars are for scoring. Launch date: September 15, 2011.

Teachers can use these handy magnets in a pocket chart or any magnetic surface in the  classroom to show the class routine. Illustrations are simple enough for non-readers of any age to understand. Created by a teacher. No more having to make a routine out of laminated paper! 18 durable magnets. Includes 3 blanks to fill in with a permanent or dry erase marker. Great for kids with special needs. Launch date: 2010
Awards: 2010 Creative Child Magazine Top Choice of the Year Award (Parenting Aids-Teaching Responsibility & Educational Products); 2010 PTPA Award (Parent Tested Parent Approved).

Kids carefully dig into a block of soft, sedimentary rock and discover an ancient, 70 million year-old 3D Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton. Then solve an ancient puzzle and assemble its scattered bones into a 10 inch “museum quality reproduction.” A fun filled, educational, hands-on experience for all explorers ages 7 and up.  Contents: excavation block with bone replicas, excavation tool, excavation brush, and instructions.  WARNING! CHOKING HAZARD – contains small parts. Not suitable for children under 3 years. Conforms to ASTM F-963-08. Launch date: 2010.