November 2012 Notable Toys — Interactive

M3 wows his audience with 360 spins and his signature one-handed handstand, the Windmill M3 has 8 original tracks to share with kids, including the catchy beats: M-to-the-I Remix and Who's Da Mouse Master Moves Mickey has over 15 dance moves to groove along to the music. Encourages energetic movement and learning through 4 action-packed dance lessons Squeeze Mickey's nose to switch songs and moves and to activate interactive dances. Launch date: 2012.
— As of 11/26/2012 this product had 4.8 out of 5 stars from 30 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: High quality; well-designed; dances are entertaining. Cons: Motor noise is loud; does not work well on soft surfaces.

Kids will meet friendly animals in their home environments: farm, pond, forest and yard. Each book introduces readers to other animals that the main character meets along the way. The pages are filled with sounds, lively text and beautiful illustrations.

With their amusing movements and realistic sounds, the lively animals in this series will easily keep kids engaged. Books also include riddles to solve and fun information about adorable animals that live on the farm, in the forest, in the pond, and at the zoo.

This series is great for little readers who love to build and repair things. Sam is not only a skillful builder, but also a good teacher. In these books he shows kids how to repair a car or build something special. Each book include the sounds of tools, amusing melodies, and colorful pictures.

This exciting series introduces kids to the wonders and dangers of many worlds: underwater, forest, jungle, savanna, and the land of dinosaurs. 3D pictures and realistic sounds bring to life the atmosphere of nature in all its wildness. Detailed pull-out cards provide lots of information about each creature.

Classic fairy tales given a modern twist with pop-up pictures and magical sounds! These books unlock the enchantment of the past and keep children eager for the next turn of events as they read one page after another. They'll want to read these classic stories over and over again.

Kids love to get into the act, and this charades game is made especially to put youngsters in the spotlight. In this game, every player gets in the act on every turn, so it's ideal for home or school play. And there is no reading required, so little ones can play without help from Mommy or teacher. Encourage creativity and communication skills while having active fun. It's a game the whole family can play and enjoy. National Parenting Publications Award and Early Childhood News 100 Best Picks.

Give children their own durable touch-screen tablet with VTech's InnoTab 2 Learning App Tablet. This multi-functional tablet for children ages 3 - 9 includes a photo/video camera, a 5-inch touch screen, 2 GB of onboard memory, an SD card slot for expandable memory, and media players for MP3s, photos, and videos. The InnoTab 2 comes with an art studio, coloring app, one e-book, two motion sensor games, and 2 free downloads from the Learning Lodge Navigator. Additional songs, games, e-books, and videos are available for purchase online on VTech's Learning Lodge Navigator.

FURBY is back and it has A MIND OF ITS OWN. Feed it, speak to it, tickle it, play music for it and shake, tilt or turn the FURBY upside down. It even interacts with other FURBYs (sold separately). But be warned - how the FURBY is treated will shape its personality. Who the FURBY becomes may surprise it's owner. For additional interactive fun, kids can download an optional free FURBY app that works with iPad, iPod touch and iPhone with iOS 4.2 or later for virtual feeding, accessing the FURBISH-English dictionary and the FURBISH translator. (Not all functions of the app work with older devices).

FURBY is back and it has A MIND OF ITS OWN. Feed it, speak to it, tickle it, play music for it and shake, tilt or turn the FURBY upside down. It even interacts with other FURBYs (sold separately). But be warned - how the FURBY is treated will shape its personality. Who the FURBY becomes may surprise it's owner. For additional interactive fun, kids can download an optional free FURBY app that works with iPad, iPod touch and iPhone with iOS 4.2 or later for virtual feeding, accessing the FURBISH-English dictionary and the FURBISH translator. (Not all functions of the app work with older devices).

Elmo loves a sidesplitting, rolling-on-the-floor gigglefest. And preschoolers will too with LOL Elmo. He laughs up a storm, tells jokes, and comes with a Dorothy fishbowl squeaker toy for even more silly fun. The more Elmo laughs, the more he rolls and shakes. To see Elmo giggle, press either of his feet or tickle his tummy. To hear Elmo tell a silly joke, just press and hold either foot for 3 seconds. Each time his foot is pressed, he'll tell another joke. To activate Elmo using Dorothy's fishbowl squeaker, hold it approximately 6 inches from his tummy, then give it a squeeze.

The Hot Dots pen works with dozens of Hot Dots card sets, providing instantaneous visual and audio feedback. Simply press the pen to choose an answer on any Hot Dots or Hot Dots Jr. card for an immediate response—cool, kid-friendly phrases for correct answers and gentle redirection for incorrect responses.

Developed especially for kids, Lexibook® Junior Tablet combine educational, multimedia and interactive activities, empowering children to play and learn using their very own tablet.  The double injection molded plastic casing is solidly constructed to hold up to kids at play -- even in the hands of its youngest users.  The easy-to-use interface can be intuitively navigated by all ages. The scrolling menu makes it easy for kids to access a treasure trove of apps, games, music, videos, cartoons and books. Launch date: October 2012.

This has the same shape and package design of the first Krazy straw® that was ever created in the 1960's. Bring to parties and be sure to turn heads. Launch date: 2012.

Everything that a budding inventor needs to build 12 basic machines is provided, including 25 machine pieces, 10 plastic nuts and bolts, and a detachable peg board—all color-coded for easy identification. Using the simple and direct instructions, kids can build each machine in minutes. The projects include: incline planes, levers, wheels and axles, gears (spur, compound, rack and pinion, and planetary), cams, cranks, pulleys, ratchets, and springs. Includes timelines detailing the history of each machine.  Hands-on, interactive, and engaging, this kit will bring out the DIY and inventor spirit in every child. Launch date: October 2011.

Enjoy hours of fun with the Bop It Smash from Hasbro Toys. This toy features 3 game modes: solo, pass it and multiplayer. In solo mode, kids can play by themselves, smashing the lights as they appear slowly at first, then faster with every round. Pass it play allows friends to join in the fun as kids pass the toy between 2 to 6 players. In multiplayer mode, players will challenge others to pit their skills against their own.

LeapPad2 Explorer™ inspires kids to imagine and explore with front-and-back cameras, 4 GB of memory and a library of 325+ cartridges and apps for limitless learning and fun! This special KIDZ BOP Music Pack features: a LeapPad2 Explorer™ tablet, Target Exclusive KIDZ BOP Rockin' Playlist, KIDZ BOP Ultimate Hits Playlist, KIDZ BOP Music Video Collection, a pair of kid-friendly headphones, a protective Green Gel Skin and 5 included apps: Pet Pad writing app, LeapFrog Learning Songs, Art Studio, Cartoon Director and one app of your choice. (Some included apps require Internet connection to download.) Works with LeapFrog Explorer cartridges and apps (sold separately).

Created just for kids, the Tabeo Tablet combines cutting-edge technology, advanced details and a sleek design with parental controls and kid-friendly safety features. Featuring a 7" capacitive multi-touch screen, 50 popular kid-friendly apps and Wi-Fi connectivity, this tablet is ready to deliver hours of learning, Web browsing and fun. The tablet uses the Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) operating system and with more than 7,000 free apps available for download. A built-in speaker, microphone, G-sensor and front camera provide the familiar functionality of Mom and Dad’s “grown-up” tablet. A soft, removable bumper case fits around the tablet to protect the device from accidental bumps and drops. A micro SD slot (SDHC compatible) accepts cards up to 32 GB, while the mini HDMI output allows viewing of content on a separate monitor or TV screen. The tablet offers parent-friendly features as well. The built-in browser offers a variety of parental controls, including an option to set different Internet safety controls for up to eight users or allow Internet access only on certain days or at certain times of the day, to help kids have a fun, safe online experience.

The interactive Lalaloopsy Silly Hair Star Doll set comes with 6 removable hairstyles that play 6 different songs when placed on Harmony's head. Simply mount her on the dancing stage, press her chest, and watch as she sings, grooves and spins her hair around. Includes 1 doll, 1 stage, 6 hairpieces, 1 rattling pet cat and 1 poster.

Winner of Dr. Toys 100 Best Childrens Products of 2012 and 10 Best High-Tech Products of 2012, as well as a Preferred Choice Award by Creative Child Magazine, this new children's book is built around The Global Game Changers, a fictional team of superheroes whose leader, Global Girl, and her sidekick, Little Big-Heart, and their trust dog Pixel, recruit real-life kids to help change the world for the better by doing good things for others without expecting anything in return. At the end of The Global Game Changers book there is a call to action for the reader to be inspired to join the Alliance by visiting The Global Game Changers interactive web community where they can share their Ignite Good! stories, learn how to utilize their talents to affect things they are passionate about, have fun, and be empowered to help make a difference in the world. Launch date: July 15, 2012.

Tap a NUKO. Run Wild. Play with virtual NUKO and physical cards. Animal Planet is an innovative 3D animal adventure game for kids of all ages. Players can collect the full set of 60 unique trading cards called 'Nuko' that magically come to life within the game. Each animal card will allow them to explore an immersive 3D world where they can interact with other animals, create herds or packs, discover hidden items and race against other animals – all while making sure they don't end up on the wrong end of the food chain.

With the addition of a rotatable camera that can also take video, children can capture memories of their friends and themselves. With hundreds of apps to download, children will have so much fun they won't realize they are learning. Combines photo/video camera, interactive animated eBooks, creative activities, tilt sensor learning games and a rich collection of application. Teaches essential skills in reading, logic and creativity. Parents can also track their child's progress on a variety of educational milestones and lessons. Launch date: 2012.

New FURBY looks great in any color, but Teal FURBY seems to be our most popular so far. Maybe it's the luxuriant teal sheen of its fur, or the way the teal sets off the bright yellow-gold of its eyes. With a mind of its own, the new Hasbro Teal FURBY will develop its personality based on how kids play with it. It will dance to their favorite songs. Put it in a room with a few of its friends and they'll interact with each other in all sorts of hilarious ways while speaking either English or the special FURBY language, FURBISH. Launch date: 2012.

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