December 2010 Notable Toys — Developmental Toys

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.

A new addition to the Colours Collection, this little bear has stacking rings, a rattle in the head, crinkle in the paws and many tags to rub. Stacking rings encourage repeated play and hand-eye coordination.  Ages 6 m+.

This baseball plush is sized for little hands to play catch with or bring to the ballpark Children will have fun while learning cause and effect, an important part of a child’s development. 5" Diameter.

The memory cube is available in the TAGGIES Colours Collection. With fun and colorful patterns, cute pals and easy picture pockets to hold special memories, every side offers comforting playtime. An engaging way for baby to remember loved ones near and far.

Taggies pillowcases are a transition to make the "crib to bed" adjustment a smooth and secure one. The soft pillowcase has a full row of interactive, colorful tags right at the fingertips to keep young children comforted all night long. Available in pink or blue. 30" x 21"

The Drum Therapy® Kit, designed to help autistic and special needs children and adults develop retention, coordination, self-esteem, fine motor skill, sensory integration, social skills, and physical and cognitive functioning, can also help children get better grades in school, and make homework much easier. "[Used by] Doctors, School Systems, and Therapists throughout the world," Pat Gesualdo, President/CEO of DAD, told TDmonthly.

Two five-foot long, 30-piece colorful cargo train puzzles: one teaching color, counting and number recognition and one teaching the alphabet. One puzzle features a train of cabooses with numbers on the side, while the other features the alphabet.

This Brain Quest write and erase format is geared to give the earliest learners a leg up on writing, reading, and using number. Featuring an attached pack of 40 large, write-on, wipe-off cards plus a dry-erase pen, each deck teaches a critical skill to help children learn to read before kindergarten. These are practical lessons that are also fun, entertaining, and informative. Phonics teaches early reading with fill-ins for long and short vowels and basic consonant sounds, letter scrambles, complete-the-words, and more.
— ''We just got [the Phonics write & erase sets] in, and we sold 18 last month,'' said Gwen Bowden, manager of Doodlehopper for Kids in Springfield, Va.
— ''Brainquest work books and cards go the fastest,'' seconded Susan Blanton, owner of Pufferbellies in Staunton, Va.
— In a November 2011 survey 2 out of 12 retailers said that Brainquest was their best selling educational item. “Brain Quest (Workman Publishing) has always done well for us," Chris Lowe, owner of Beanhead Toys in Sandy Springs, Ga., told TDmonthly. Mike DiAndrea, manager of Hardware Toys in Paoli, Pa., told TDmonthly that sell about 30 units of Brain Quest each month.

Word Wheels are fun, educational, toys. They are intuitive, hand held, and promote learning through reading, manipulation, and understanding. To a child they are toys, but to a parent or teacher, they are learning tools. They engage the mind, are quiet, and enhance learning through stimulating comprehension. "Word Wheels play like a toy and teach like a book," Tim Irwin, president of Paradigm Devices, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2011.
Awards: 2010 Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products

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.

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.”

This 48-piece set includes solid colored pieces, along with pieces with holes, curved pieces, a magnetic door and a wheeled piece. Magna-Tiles DX contains 12 small squares, four large squares, six isosceles triangles, 10 right triangles, 11 equilateral triangles, a wheeled piece, and arch and three special shapes. An idea guide is included.
— In late summer 2010, five percent of 43 specialty retailers told TDmonthly Magna-Tiles are an overall best-selling product.
— In late Spring 2011, 25% of retailers mentioned Magna-Tiles as a best-selling construction toy.
— As of 05/12/2011, this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 23 reviews on Amazon.com.
— In a Summer 2012 survey, Diana Nelson, owner of Kazoo & Company in Denver, Col., told TDmonthly that Magnatiles were their overall best-selling toy.

Giant, solid maple sorting cube with solid maple shapes to sort. 4 different sorting combinations from simple to complex. Large openings on each side for easy retrieval of shapes. Solid maple construction makes this sorting cube virtually indestructible.

Classic wooden stack and nest toy with safe, rounded corners and brightly colored bases to arrange in sequence six ways. Recessed edges help the child make and correct and stable fits.

This 24-page book includes a collection of self-checking, standards-based skill cards. These cards are designed for hands-on review or independent work at a learning center. The varying skill levels represented in the series provide valuable differentiation for students. "The Turn & Learn series is designed to provide a fun, interactive way for students to practice early literacy and math skills," Creative Teaching Press Marketing Specialist Lauren Tuculescu told TDmonthly.