November 2011 Notable Toys — Construction

Kids can create shapes, animals, and people with the 42 geometric shapes included in this set. The set includes 24 idea cards. The wooden storage case with metal closure doubles as a playing surface for the pieces.

SmartMax allows children to explore magnetism safely. The oversized pieces are specifically designed for handling by young kids as they learn about the effects of magnetic attraction and repulsion. Older children will have fun using the pieces to construct towers and bridges. The magnets are strong enough to carry up to 60 times their weight. Basic 36 includes long bars, short bars, large 1.8" diameter metal balls and a guide to build models. 25-piece and 42-piece sets are also available.

The Domino Express Maxi Power Plus set combines the fascinating action of falling dominoes with even more exciting stunts. It comes with a rocket tower, 2 straight and 2 curved speed tracks, a plane launcher, 36 speed dominoes and over 100 regular dominoes to stack up and watch fall. This set is hours of fun for both new domino fans, as well as the experienced pro. Launch date: July 2011.

The WudWorkers™ line is a “Build and Play” construction line that allows children as young as three years old to begin their love affair with creative play and construction. They can be built into one specific set and become a work of art on a shelf, or they can be played with, taken apart, and then turned into something entirely different. "Our line stands out from any other wooden construction set through our design and creative engineering," Kris Millington, SVP of Maxim Enterprise Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2011.

These blocks can be stacked to over four feet tall—a foot taller than most stacking blocks. Kids can also arrange the blocks into cityscapes filled with skyscrapers, houses, vehicles, trees, and traffic signs, and then use the blocks as a play space for action figures, dolls, or toy cars. Includes 10 stacking blocks. Launch date: August 2011.

The all-new LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar comes with 24 unique gifts, including an exclusive Santa Claus Yoda minifigure plus vehicles and accessories from the Star Wars universe. Features 8 minifigures, mini Millennium Falcon and X-wing Starfighter, and is 266 pieces total.

The Make It! series are fun construction games that will challenge problem solving and memorization, and will develop fine motor skills of young children as they build their favorite creatures.  Featuring Dinosaurs, Zoo Animals, Farm Animals and Animal Babies, Make It! is a multiplayer game that teaches cooperation skills and animal recognition.  Simply take turns selecting game cards and try to collect the pieces necessary to complete your animal.  Great family games for all ages.  Ages 3+ years.

The HEXBUG Nano Hive Habitat Set is the first transportable environment that enables HEXBUG Nano architects to customize the design and layout within a HEXBUG Nano Habitat Set. The Hive Habitat Set features an integrated center ramp for multi-level Nano interaction and a floor spotted with attachment points that kids can build off of, further extending its creative play pattern. Each attachment point can be filled with a variety of new playground accessories including pegs, which act as bump points for the HEXBUG Nano, rotating flags, which direct the HEXBUG Nano toward ramps or other obstacles including merry-go-rounds and even a seesaw for the playfully energetic HEXBUG Nano to explore. The HEXBUG Nano Hive Habitat Set can be connected to any pre-existing habitat set or used as a stand-alone product that kids can simply pack up to go with a convenient carrying handle. The Hive Habitat Set comes with one extremely rare HEXBUG Nano mutation and 35 easy-connect construction pieces including 16 pegs, 16 adjustable flags, two merry-go-rounds and one seesaw. HEXBUG Hive is CPSIA approved for kids 3 and up.  Launch date: mid-August 2011.