December 2010 Notable Toys — Wooden Toys

This environmental friendly wooden Rainbow Numbers Game is made of wood from FSC-monitored source, painted with water-based paints, packaged in a box made of recycled materials, and printed with soy-bean ink. Kids can learn counting and numbers. Color coded matching provides helpful hints to minimize frustration. The game helps develop motor and cognitive skills. Store the pieces in the nice and sturdy drawer box which comes with the toy. Tested to meet European and U.S. safety standards.

This environmental friendly wooden Flower Counting Game is made of wood from FSC-monitored source, painted with water-based paints, packaged in a box made of recycled materials, and printed with soy-bean ink. Kids learn colors, numbers and counting with this attractive flower with a happy smiley face. The game helps develop motor and cognitive skills. It includes 60 pegs for counting. Store the pieces in the sturdy drawer box that comes with the toy. Tested to meet European and U.S. safety standards.
Awards: 2011 Parents' Choice Approved Award

This environmental friendly wooden Double Sided Matching Game is made of wood from FSC-monitored source, painted with water-based paints, packaged in a box made of recycled materials, and printed with soy-bean ink. Learning ABCs is very important for kids while growing up. These 52 double sided wooden pieces will help kids learn their ABCs while playing. Develop motor and cognitive skills. Match the upper case letter with the corresponding lower case letter, each pair has a unique way to fit into each other to minimize frustration. Flip the pieces and you have a different set of matching game for extra fun. Store the pieces in the nice and sturdy drawer box which comes with the toy. It's been tested to meet European and U.S. safety standards.
Awards: 2011 Parents' Choice Recommended Award

This environmental friendly wooden Double Sided Alphabet Puzzle is made of wood from FSC-monitored source, painted with water-based paints, packaged in a box made of recycled materials, and printed with soy-bean ink. Learning ABCs is very important for kids while growing up. These 26 double sided wooden pieces will attract kids to it so they can play and learn while developing motor and cognitive skills. By sorting the capital letters in the right sequence, kids can assemble a beautiful picture. On the reverse side, a long caterpillar helps kids learn both upper and lower case letters. Store all the pieces in the nice and sturdy drawer box which comes with the toy. The toy has been tested to meet European and U.S. safety standards.
Awards: 2011 Parents' Choice Recommended Award

This high-quality, durable and easy-to-assemble wooden ride-on toy encourages the development of  balancing skills and stimulates the imagination. It's been tested to meet European and U.S. safety standards.

This easy-to-assemble wooden workbench is perfect for pretend DIY projects. It comes with 13 geometric shapes, 4 wheels, 14 screws, 6 nails, 12 nuts, 4 square nuts, 1 hammer, 1 screwdriver and 1 wrench. Build whatever you like, use your imagination, the sky is the limit. Instructions for 5 construction projects included. It's been tested to meet European and U.S. safety standards.

All kids like pretend play, particularly kitchen and cooking. This 4-sided wooden kitchen is equipped with oven, stove with clicking knobs, fridge with working door, blackboard with 2 pcs of chalk for "menu of the day" and a clock for learning how to tell time. Accessories include a pan with lid, stove with lid, 3 vegetable magnets, 2 pcs of chalk, and a spoon. Perfect for mom and daughter bonding. No assembly required. It's been tested to meet European and U.S. safety standards.

This high-quality, durable and easy-to-assemble Activity Table will engage children in hours of wholesome play. The exploring, learning and fun elements include shape sorting, stacking, hammer game, bead coaster and zigzag maze. Kids can develop problem-solving and fine-motor skills, as well as learn colors and shapes. It's been tested to meet European and U.S. safety standards.

The Zither Heaven harp, while small enough to be portable and affordable, is capable of quality sound. When the strings are plucked, the soundboard resonates. The strings form a diatonic scale, allowing many familiar tunes to be played. Beginners can explore the harp while making real music. The harp pictured is 38" tall and has 22 strings. Zither Heaven also offers a 15-string harp that is 30" tall that will debut at Toy Fair 2011.  Both instruments are made in the U.S.A.  The neck and pillar are made from sustainable native North American solid cherry or maple and the soundboard is made with Baltic birch.

Zither Heaven's ukulele is well constructed. The neck is made of solid maple and features a 15-inch vibrating string length. The body is made of solid cherry, maple, or black walnut. Made in the U.S.A. from sustainable native North American solid cherry or black walnut.

Zither Heaven's soprano ukulele features a smaller body with a 14-inch vibrating string length. The frets are closer together making it easier for a young child to play. The Baltic birch back on Zither Heaven’s soprano ukulele makes this instrument very sturdy and durable. Its small size makes it easy to carry. Made in the U.S.A. from sustainable native North American solid cherry, maple, or black walnut with a Baltic birch back

To play the thumb piano (kalimba), the musician pushes down on a key with a thumb. When the key is released, the vibration resonates in the wooden body. A thumb piano is sturdy and easy to carry, making it an easy choice for children. The 8-note thumb piano forms a diatonic scale (middle C to C, no sharps or flats). Made in the U.S.A. from sustainable native North American solid cherry, maple, or black walnut.

To play the thumb piano (kalimba), the musician pushes down on a key with a thumb. When the key is released, the vibration resonates in the wooden body. A thumb piano is sturdy and easy to carry, making it an choice for children. The 8-note dished thumb piano forms a pentatonic scale (sharps and flats only). Made in the U.S.A. from sustainable native North American solid cherry, maple, or black walnut.

The psaltery has survived through the centuries, from ancient times to the present. Zither Heaven's bowed psaltery features a triangle shape, which separates the strings to form a diatonic scale on one side and the remaining chromatic notes on the other side. imply designed and easy to bow, the Zither Heaven psaltery is designed for a child interested in music. The psaltery includes tuning wrench, bow, and rosin. Made in the U.S.A. from sustainable native North American solid cherry, maple or black walnut.

The psaltery has survived through the centuries, from ancient times to the present. Zither Heaven's bowed psaltery features a triangle shape, which separates the strings to form a diatonic scale on one side and the remaining chromatic notes on the other side. Simply designed and easy to bow, the Zither Heaven psaltery is designed for a child interested in music. The psaltery includes tuning wrench, bow, and rosin. Made in the U.S.A. from sustainable native North American solid cherry, maple or black walnut.

These building blocks move into action with wheels and ball tracks. The 26-piece Basic Vehicle Pack includes blocks, clutches and clamps, and is designed to teach motor skills and basic physics principles. An instruction booklet is included.

This memory game for 2-4 players comes with 20 wooden pieces illustrated with images of favorite childhood toys, including dolls, blocks and teddy bears. Players lay the blocks out, then turn them over and try to match picture pairs by memory.

This dramatic play wooden workbench is designed to be the right size for young children, right down to the nuts and bolts. The set includes a functioning vise, a tool rack, wooden tools, hardware and a storage shelf. A booklet with creative play ideas is included.
— In a February 2012 survey about wooden toys, Mike DiAndrea, manager of Hardware Toys in Paoli, Pa., told TDmonthly that they sell six of this item each month.

The Guidecraft Feel & Find mixes visual and tactile stimuli via 20 printed tiles and wooden shapes. The set challenges kids to match the shapes, building their sensory skills.
— Nicole of Tired, Need Sleep reported that her son “was very, very excited about playing the game and eager to get everything perfect. However, with 20 fairly unfamiliar shapes in the bag, it was a pretty challenging game for him (which is a good thing, since it means we will get a lot of use out of this as his skills develop!).” She adored the bright, well-constructed pieces and the limitless possibilities for play and learning they offer.
— Renee of What Mommies Need called Feel and Find “a great learning tool for children.” After a few rounds, her son “learned to take his time and find what he was looking for” and “how to feel for a specific shape.” Renee noted that the $25 MSRP “is a great price for an all-wood product.”

Catan® is a modern classic. An international favorite, it has redefined social board games. Now you can create Catan out of wood and enjoy settling and building using specially tooled wooden pieces. Embark on a quest to settle the fair isle of Catan! Guide your brave settlers to victory by using clever trading and development. Use resources (grain, wool, ore, brick, and lumber) to build roads, settlements, and cities, and buy development cards. Acquire your resources through trades or the role of the dice. But beware! You never know when someone might cut off your road or if the robber will appear and steal your precious gains. Are you the best trader, builder, or settler? Will you master Catan? The strong, compartmentalized box contains: 52 thick, beautifully illustrated map hexagons, 144 specially designed playing pieces, 6 hexagonal building costs summaries and 2 special victory point markers, 1 vile robber, 2 dice, and 28 random number chits-all made from sturdy wood. The 154 cards, like the hexes, bear fine artwork from Michael Menzel. This special limited 15th Anniversary Wood Edition of The Settlers of Catan® is designed for 3-6 players.

A magnetic cannon is a chain reaction device. It is built in a series of stages, each containing a magnet, a spacer, and a projectile. To start the chain reaction, a steel ball is released, which accelerates towards the first stage magnet. When it strikes the magnet, its energy is transfered through the magnet and spacer into the projectile which speeds off toward the next stage. The process repeats until the last projectile leaves the end of the device. The more stages an accelerator has, and the more powerful the magnets are at each stage, the faster the ball bearing will leave the final stage. This four-stage device features powerful rare-earth magnets, steel ball bearings, and 22cm firing trough.

A magnetic accelerator is a chain reaction device. It is built in a series of stages, each containing a magnet, a spacer, and a projectile. To start the chain reaction, a steel ball is released, which accelerates towards the first stage magnet. When it strikes the magnet, its energy is transfered through the magnet and spacer into the projectile which speeds off toward the next stage. The process repeats until the last projectile leaves the end of the device. The more stages an accelerator has, and the more powerful the magnets are at each stage, the faster the ball bearing will leave the final stage. This four-stage device features powerful rare-earth magnets, steel ball bearings, and 25cm firing trough.

The trebuchet was most highly evolved catapult type weapon of its time. Built on location, it was able to hurl carved stone balls weighing up to 300lb (136 kg) at enemy fortifications and at a safe distance from enemy fire. This tabletop trebuchet kit is designed to withstand rigorous use, safely and reliably when using the included projectiles. Each piece has been accurately machined from carefully chosen lumber, and precisely drilled to allow easy assembly. The completed model measures 20.3cm(8") x 10.1cm(4") x 15.2cm(6"). A how-to section demonstrates loading and firing the completed catapult, including tips on tuning the finished kit.

Catapults have been used throughout history. Its simplest form was the onager or mangonel, where a projectile was placed in a cup or spoon on the end of a throwing arm. The arm would be powered by twisted ropes of hair or fibre. When fired, the arm would swing up and slam into a stopping block, causing the entire catapult to buck, and sending the payload on its way. This tabletop catapult draws inspiration from this design and is powered by a powerful twisted rope skien, and features a simple spoon and arm type arrangement. Each piece has been accurately machined from carefully chosen lumber, and precisely drilled to allow easy assembly. The completed model measures 20.3cm(8") x 10.1cm(4") x 15.2cm(6"). A how-to section demonstrates loading and firing the completed catapult, including tips on tuning the finished kit.