November 2010 Notable Toys — Gifts

This Iridescent Star Necklace is part of the iridescent jewelry line from Cool Jewels®. Features an assortment of pink (with matching cord), blue (with matching cord), purple (with matching cord), and white (with black cord) pendants. Other styles launching in Spring 2011.

Each paua shell dinosaur pendant hangs on an adjustable silver ball chain necklace.  Each dozen comes pre-packed in an assortment of pink, purple, red, and blue paua shell dinosaur pendants.

Each rainbow heart mood pendant hangs on adjustable black cord.  Each pendant hangs on a “Mood Jewelry” header tag, which will define the meaning of each color the mood material turns.

This iridescent dolphin necklace is available in pink, blue, purple, and white pendants. Each pendant also has its own matching cord.

This dome pendant necklace features a peace sign and glitters throughout the necklace.

This rhinestone butterfly stretch ring features light blue and dark blue rhinestones.

Ben KaChoo's story Sink or Swim captures kids attention through the silly humor of sneezing, then offers suspense and intrigue as relationships build. Living in the zoo’s swamp is the last thing a bright-eyed young hippo like Ben KaChoo needs. You see, Ben has allergies. After accidentally sneeze-jetting into a crocodile named Arrow, the two start an unexpected friendship. But will their families be uncomfortable with this as each animal usually stays with their own species? Will the animals adapt? "Characters make the same sounds as children, which engages the kids immediately," Angela Larson, Chief Story Teller of Fierce Fun Toys, LLC, told TDmonthly.

Weighing less than three pounds and the size of a rolled towel, the Piggyback Rider bonds parent and child in active transport that is natural and instinctive.  Rather than a seat attached to a frame or wheels, the brothers Jonny and Wayne Lifshitz designed a backpack with a shoulder mounted foot bar for a child to stand on, four integrated grab handles for a child to hold, and a safety harness to secure the child. The foot bar rests just below adult waist level, allowing the child to stand perched on the adult’s back and be engaged in active transport, rather than sit (and fall asleep). The Piggyback Rider is built strong and sturdy, made with high quality climbing buckles, webbing and a tempered aluminum bar. The foot bar has textured grip tape to ensure  traction on the shoes; the child’s harness is clipped to the adult carrier at two points and the back has a neoprene panel for comfort. The entire carrier comes in a convertible multipurpose storage bag/mudflap.

This portable play mat is eco-friendly, and made in Canada. Play mat is available in three chic two-tone combinations of pink/brown, blue/brown, and natural/brown.
Awards: 2010 Parent Tested Parent Approved Award; 2010 Parent Tested Parent Approved Environmental Award; 2010 Pediatrician Approved - Dr. Natalie Geary

Baby Bubadoo's Diaper Changing Wrap features a water-resistant outer shell and protects baby's clothes from accidents and secures little one's arms for a quick and clean diaper change.

Poo~Pourri’s formula of essential oils such as a fresh evergreen and holly scents should be sprayed into the toilet water before you go and no one else will ever know. A couple of drops of this spray creates a film along the water’s surface that traps odor at its source. This solution to embarrassing bathroom emergencies is also safe for the planet.  The 2 oz retails for $9.95 and the 4 oz retails for $14.95.

A clever parody of the classic Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, this handpainted cel is a 150-piece, hand-numbered limited edition from Acme Archives. It features stunning artwork straight from The Simpsons, measures 15-inches tall x 14-inches wide, and comes with a certificate of authenticity.

Sturdy and quality built with a genuine leather interior, here's the Mark V Iron Man Suit in its briefcase form. The lockable, fully functional briefcase from Museum Replicas is expertly constructed of aluminum with an elaborate machined look, and measures 16-inches tall x 21-inches wide x 6 1/2-inches deep. It's a limited edition of 1,000 pieces.

This large set from NECA is limited to 300 pieces worldwide. It showcases movieaccurate, hand-painted resin statues of Jack Skellington, Sally, Mayor, and Vampire that range in size from 7 to 12-inches tall and feature bases and accessories that include pumpkins, Zero, a black cat, and a 16-inch clock tower.

A dream come true, you can now bring a lifesize Jedi Master into your living room to counsel and protect you. This Supreme Edition Collector's Yoda Replica from Rubies stands 26-inches tall on a themed base and includes a detachable green lightsaber. He's so lifelike, you'll swear Yoda is standing in front of you!

Direct from Gotham City, this superb Batmobile replica is based on designs for the original Tim Burton / Michael Keaton film models, with interior references scaled down from the full-size props.  Loaded with details like working lights and a fire effect at the rear, and limited to just 500 pieces worldwide, the fiberglass vehicle from Toynami measures 29-inches long.

From the exhilarating escape scene in Star Wars: A New Hope, this astounding resin statue from Attakus is perfectly cast in the finest detail. It measures an incredible 68-inches long and provides an astonishing open view of the inside of the vessel. A limited edition of 400 pieces, this French import will become the centerpiece of any Star Wars aficionado's collection.

This is a full-size reproduction from the Star Trek: The Original Series TV show, built by Steve Horch of HMS Creative Productions for Roddenberry, and hand-crafted to the exact standards of the original.  Made in the USA.  The center seat is made using plywood with solid laminated walnut arms crafted as the originals were. The finished product is built to be sturdy and hold up to 250-300 pounds.

Contents include:  Sixty finger-puppet cards featuring Shakespeare's most famous characters, including Hamlet, Lady Macbeth, King Lear, Othello, Shylock, and Falstaff.   Twelve stand-up sets of castles, forests, balconies, and battlefields.  A 96-page "folio" of classic scenes—from Hamlet's "To Be or Not to Be" soliloquy to Romeo and Juliet's classic balcony serenade.  Once you've finished staging the Bard's entire canon, you can mix and match masterpuppets to produce your own Shakespearean mash-ups. Perhaps your Romeo will fall in love with Lady Macbeth.

Includes Board + 6 Ghost Hunter Characters + 24 Ghost Cards + 12 Room Cards + 36 Cover Up Counters (one set for each character) 24 Numbered Counters + 6 Ghost Sheets + 6 Room Sheets + Dice.   For 2-6 players.

The GoCrib is a standard-size portable crib that packs into an accompanying backpack. Its rigid-inflatable-airframe technology creates a light-weight, yet strong and safe environment for children.  The total weight of the crib and backpack is 10.5 pounds.  Its side door allows the crib to morph from a safe and secure place to a fun play area as your child grows. The GoCrib is designed to set up quickly, and the included dual-action pump inflates the crib in less than a minute.  The self-inflating, insulating mattress sets itself up and protects children from the ground.

Open up and explore a wonderland of forest friends and activities in this
soft, take-a-long book.

TUMZEE has been designed for babies, from birth to crawling age. The unique design enables babies to be propped up on their stomachs on an incline, which helps reduce the frustration babies incur during this learning experience. Once babies are able to roll over they do not spend any time on their tummies anymore and TUMZEE allows them to spend time on their stomach without rolling over or getting out of it. It also has a "T" support which will keep them from sliding down. Since they are propped up they are able to see the surrounding environment and play with toys developing neck and back muscles as well.  TUMZEE is made of 100% non-toxic EVA foam. It has the softness required for infants to be comfortable laying on it but the stiffness necessary to support their weight.

These bow-shaped gem hairclips come are available in various colors.
— Kate Noreen, manager of MudPuddles Toys & Books in Ann Arbor, Mich., told TDmonthly that Creative Education is one of their best-selling jewelry brands.