December 2011 Notable Toys — Play Sets

A deliciously beautiful patisserie tea set with 15 pieces and made from 100% plantation wood and non-toxic paints. Launch date: September 2011.

Kids learn how to recognize animals through sight and sound with the Little People Zoo Talkers Animal Sounds Zoo from Fisher-Price. This interactive set recognizes model animals, like the included lion, gorilla, and polar bear, names them out loud for children, and demonstrates the noises they make in the wild.
— As of 11/04/2011 this product was $34.88 on Amazon.com.
— As of 11/04/2011 this product had 4.7 out of 5 stars from 12 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Cute; interactive; large; handle is useful for transporting it. Cons: Extra animal figures are expensive; one person reported missing/defective pieces came in her box; animal sounds can be annoying and even though children seem to like them, they don't add much educational value to the toy.

It's easy for kids to prepare meals for a birthday bash, picnic, backyard barbeque or to cook up just about anything with the Fisher-Price Dora Fiesta Favorites Kitchen Playset. The Fisher-Price Dora Fiesta Favorites Kitchen Playset includes: A double sided "fiesta recipe card" that kids can place in the kitchen window to cook delicious meals like tacos, huevos rancheros, hamburgers, and more; Dora talks kids through each recipe with fun phrases that correspond to the recipe; A refrigerator, oven, stovetop, grill, sink and a phone; More than 60 English and Spanish phrases, and 20 play pieces. Requires three AA batteries, included.