September 2012 Notable Toys — All

The BabyBjörn Canopy for Cradle Harmony complements the cradle and makes it snug and cozy for your baby. The canopy is made of an airy mesh fabric that screens without feeling confined, allowing ambient light to filter in and create a cozy atmosphere for baby. Launch date: November 2012.

The BabyBjörn Booster Chair, which is suitable for children ages 3 and up, is perfect for when a child has grown out of his/her high chair. The booster seat, which is small and portable, helps a child sit at the correct table height. The seat features a non-slip strap and mini pads, and a two-stage safety lock to prevent a child from releasing the booster when it is strapped to a chair. The seat is equipped with a practical handle, making it ideal to take along for traveling or to restaurants. The smooth surface also makes clean-up easy. PVC, BPA and phthalate free. Launch date: November 2012.

The BabyBjörn Cradle Harmony’s gentle rocking helps baby to relax and sleep peacefully. The low height and transparent mesh fabric provide secure supervision of baby, and the cradle is lightweight and easy to move. The cradle comes complete with a waterproof mattress cover, while the sides of the cradle are made of an airy and soft mesh fabric that is breathable and machine washable. All fabrics are tested and approved in accordance with Oeko-Tex Standard 100, class 1 for baby products, guaranteed harmless to children’s sensitive skin and will not trigger allergies. A lightweight mesh canopy is sold separately for $99.95. Suitable for ages 0-6 months. Launch date: November 2012.

Douglas extends the Christine Clarke Collection with a flurry of new designer fashion accessories. One is this shoe shaped sak made of a unique, fun multi colored fabric with coordinating ruffles and embellishments in black and white gingham and hot pink polka dots. The shoe is a working purse with room for all the usual essentials, a plastic zipper enclosure, and a shoulder strap. 8" wide and 10" tall.

Dachshund Whatever Sak™ is pretty in hot pink and black and white print with Dachshund puppies running all around it. The bright pink cording, signature wide zipper and faux fur on the top of the bag adds a festive yet edgy touch to the iconic black and white dog print. Beneath the zipper that goes around the rectangular shaped bag is a dainty white with black pindot ruffle. A single easy-to-carry handle shares the same coordinating fabric.

One of four styles, Sassy Black and White Shih Tzu is dressed to thrill in a pink leopard dress with hot pink satin bow. A soft pink bib attaches the dress around the neck with a cozy feel. Also available are Sassy Pug, Sassy Cream Shih-Tzu, and Sassy Bichon.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval
— In a June 2013 survey, three out of 11 retailers told TDmonthly that Douglas was their best-selling plush brand. "The dogs are so soft and cuddly and they look very realistic. Plus, they are relatively inexpensive. We sell one almost every day!" Suzi McMullen, manager of e-commerce at Doodlehopper 4 Kids in Springfield, Va., said.

The Fascinating World of Birds is part of a video series designed by BrainFood Learning to build confidence in science through fun and interesting content. The video series advances a child's education by showing amazing video footage along with narration describing bird features and abilities. This format is designed to expand a child's vocabulary as the video content grabs the viewer's attention and the vocabulary is absorbed. This animal DVD is appropriate for kids of all ages. Each bird is clearly identified and shown in their natural habitat keeping children engaged. More advanced children will enjoy learning larger concepts such as depth perception. Birds featured in this animal video include ostrich, penguin, Canada Goose, owl, hummingbird, woodpecker, macaw, pelican, American Robin, and eagle. A multi-section review reinforces information presented earlier in the video. The beginner level reviews show bird flash cards and what features are common among all birds. The more advanced levels quiz children on bird facts and broader scientific terms related to birds.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

These unique paint-your-own coin banks encourage artistic skills while creating a keepsake. Each set comes with everything that’s needed: a ceramic coin bank, set of six paints, and an artist quality paint brush.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

The World of Entertainment, Publishing and Inspiration (World of EPI) was formed by Dr. Lisa Williams, a dynamic mom/former professor whose mission is expressing joy by providing children access to dolls that encourage dreams, promote intelligence, challenge perceptions, and open their hearts to all types of beauty. Abrielle is modeling her satiny lavender princess dress with a matching headband, slippers, and silvery studded earrings. Her high ponytail with long luxurious tresses perfectly complements her regal attire. She has beautifully bronzed skin and golden brown eyes.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ Match and Munch Game uses the recognizable art from Eric Carle’s illustrated tale of The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ to help kids learn to identify healthy foods by practicing association and matching skills to help the caterpillar transform into a beautiful butterfly. The 55 food cards and 10 butterfly tokens are stored in the adorable caterpillar carrying case for easy transport and safe keeping. When kids are ready to play, each player receives 5 food cards to start and the remaining cards are placed in a pile. The goal is to complete a hand of either, five oranges, a hand of four strawberries and one apple, or a hand of three blueberries and two pears.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

Crunch a Color Conversation Starters brings the whole family together at mealtime by inspiring creative thinking and healthy discussions. Chock-full of curious questions and delightful dilemmas, these 104 conversation starters help kids share their thoughts, grow their ideas, and make mealtime fun. Developed with teachers, parents and kids, Crunch a Color® Conversation Starters spark interesting, open-ended discussions that are engaging for kids (and adults) of all ages.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys
— As of 1/17/2013 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 22 reviews on Amazon.com.

Tech 4 Kids has gone back to the drawing board to reinvent the board itself, with a new and unique artistic sensation. Each 3-D Magic creativity station gives kids an innovative designing world to generate a 3-D artwork, allowing them a new way to let their creativity run wild. This product magically transform designs into vibrant 3-D artwork by using the magnetic coloring studio and colorful 3-D Magic Dots. The unique magic dot pens allow children to place the 3-D Magic Dots to color in the stencil design bv either creating a single spot or make trails of multiple dots by running the pen across the screen. When finished, they sweep the dots into the sorter compartment and watch as the dots magically return back into the pens with absolutely no mess.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

Players pick and discard through a full deck as they try to get one of the three combinations to shoot for a goal. Each team has 11 players, 3 super-subs and a coach. Enjoy light and fun strategy as the shooter and keeper try to outsmart each other on shot attempts. There are three ways to shoot for a goal: Collect 3 positions (Striker/Midfield/Defender) or collect any 4 jerseys in your team or collect 3 jerseys that add up to 30 points or more. Kids are using simple math skills while having fun.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

This new set of Smarcks Smart Blocks has 70 standard building blocks and four new smarter talking blocks. Each new Smart Block uses a higher capacity microprocessor and is equivalent to three of the original; so four blocks in this new set is equivalent to having 12 of the original. The new blocks have been programmed with a new progressive learning function to enable children, as they get older, to play differently as the blocks are programmed to react differently. Very young children can press the buttons in the blocks or stack them one block at a time. This is a discovery stage as they sing, play nursery rhymes, play sound effects, laugh, and talk about color and good manners. As children develop fine motor skills they begin to stack two blocks at a time. Play moves to a higher level as they sing nursery rhymes, like Old MacDonald, with 7 different animals and learn spelling, counting, math, and puzzle solving providing years of entertainment and learning.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

My1story books are a fun, entertaining collection of the world’s most renowned children’s characters and fairy tales under one cohesive and comprehensive brand. Each storybook introduces classic fairy tale characters in a new story twist. The collection has five titles with the first two, Lil’ Riding Hood and Jack’s Beanstalks The goal is to build under the My1story umbrella books that parents, grandparents, and children will find their favorite classic characters and hopefully kindle many happy memories through storytelling.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

Make It Mine is now offering a revolutionary new line of dolls that are a first-of-its-kind line of high-quality, fun, fully customizable, poseable, play dolls and accessories. This innovative combination of features make the dolls stand alone. They are 16-inch premium ball-jointed play dolls, with changeable wigs, changeable eyes and 15 articulated joints that separate to allow for changeable parts. From the dolls’ faces to their eyes, wigs, torsos, hands, feet and clothing, These dolls’ parts and accessories are interchangeable, so a girl can make her doll a black-haired, brown-eyed soccer player one minute and a pink-haired, purple-eyed mermaid the next.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

Crystalline geometries in brilliant color...the 9 die-cut cards (and 3 solid backers) of the Kaleidograph™ can be arranged into billions of designs. Based upon geometry in nature, the Kaleidograph upholds the tradition of the original creative design toys of the Froebel Kindergarten system that are known to have influenced Albert Einstein, Frank Lloyd Wright, Buckminster Fuller, Piet Mondrian, and design education at the Bauhaus. Like the floral forms found in nature, the Kaleidograph Flora is based on interconnected circular radial forms which can be assembled and overlaid into hundreds of millions of possible patterns. Richly personal and environmentally friendly, the Kaleidograph Flora is a toy for all ages. It fosters creativity, rewards with surprise, and brings out the designer in everyone.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys, 2012 Dr.Toy Best 20 for $20

Stampers of all ages are wild about the new Ink ‘n’ Stamp collection of critters that have left their mark with Animal Print Ink ‘n’ Stamp set. The delightful Ink ‘n’ Stamp tub contains 18 woodblock stamps and one ink pad. All Hero Arts woodblock stamps are made in the USA on sustainably-harvested woodblocks. Conforms to ASTM D-4236.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

Curious kids will be inspired by the endless possibilities of the fifty fun-filled building activities in The Budding Builder. With great ways for children to take ideas from their limitless imaginations and to fashion them into reality, this book shows parents and kids how to create a fairytale cottage, make a marker organizer, carefully construct a toothpick sculpture, and build a bird feeder.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

Gibout Blocks are each hand-made with the most luxurious minky fabric available, and all sides are textured to stimulate a child's senses. These plush toy blocks are great for building, stacking, making forts, climbing on, making furniture, and whatever else a young mind can imagine. Until baby is old enough to stack and play with them, these work as nursery decor. With their soft interior and exterior, these blocks are safe for any age and will grow with  children as he/she finds new ways to play with them.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

The new MobiGo 2 Touch Learning System by V Tech is a multi-functional educational handheld system that allows kids to enjoy on-the-go play and hone their creativity all while learning basic skills such as math, vocabulary, spelling, reading, logic, drawing and more. MobiGo 2 has two new ways to play: it comes equipped with a motion sensor and microphone, in addition to the touchscreen. The motion sensor provides total game control, allowing kids to create action movements within games and programs while playing. The microphone provides different methods of game play. Kids can blow into the microphone to move objects, blow off dust, or initiate other special effects. Or they can speak into it to give a command or trigger an action. The QWERTY keyboard helps kids become familiar with a keyboard layout. Additionally, the handheld system functions as an e-reader, photo album, photo viewer, art studio, coloring book, and comes pre-loaded with three great games that take advantage of the product’s many features. The expanded onboard memory allows kids to store more fun, and there are more than 80 other apps available for download at the VTech Learning Lodge Navigator.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

Bright colors and bold patterns help engage baby’s developing sense of vision. The easy-to-grasp loops help baby tug and toss the ball for a fun activity. The clacking rings and a pleasant chime inside easily engage hearing. The soft ball construction is appropriate for baby’s stimulating environment.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

The Shape Sorter Bus is a soft, squishy colorful vehicle for little ones to hug, hold, and play with, plus it has an extra bonus of a shape-sorting game built into the sides. Six friendly faces pull out of the sides of the bus, all in different colors and shapes. Rubbabu toys are made of soft, squishy rubber foam, which is organic, hypo-allergenic, and completely biodegradable.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval, 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

In this fun game, each player gets to be Clifford, racing around the board inviting friends Cleo, T-Bone, Mac, and Mimi to the birthday party. Drop the die down the dog house dice slide and see how far you’ll go The first one to pass out all of the invitations and make it back to the party wins.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys