TDmonthly's ToyFair 2006 Preview--Water Activities Product Category

Riebee Water Bocce by Winlow Products

Riebee brings the land-based version of this popular game to water sports across the country. Riebee Water Bocce includes four of the colorful patented Riebee water skipping/skimming discs and one floating scoring mat. Two to four players skip their discs onto the scoring mat and score points based upon where and how many discs land on the scoring mat. ( Watch Video) 2/6/2007 (Price: $14.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Dive Pets Fishin' Net by FUNDEX GAMES

These Dive Pets slowly twirl as they sink. Players can dive for them or catch them in the net. The Dive Pets sink slowly enough so that they can be scooped up before they hit the bottom. Dive Pets Fishin' Net includes Fishin’ Net and three Dive Pets.
— During the summer swimming season, this set was used at least once a week by four out of five of TDmonthly’s Preschool/Early School Roundtable families. 1/11/2007 (Price: $7.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

AquaStruct™ Toy System – X Kit by AquaStruct Inc.

Created by Jim and Lori Phipps, parents of five who faced the dilemma of getting their children into the shower, The AquaStruct Toy System lets tweens plumb and replumb the walls of their baths and showers with stylish, suction-cup-mounted pipes, hoses, valves, sprayers, misters, nozzles and squirting devices. This is accomplished using proprietary zero-insertion force, easy release and no-twist connectors that provide a leak proof, plumbing grade seal. The X Kit includes 16 parts, the XL Kit ($64.99) includes 26, and the XXL Kit ($94.99) includes 44. Launch date: trade - February 11, 2007; public - August 1, 2007.
― Diana Glasier, owner of Green Caboose in Stroudsburg, Pa., was “looking” at this bath-construction kit, and will “possibly” order it. “Everyone loves to shower, and this makes it fun,” she shared with TDmonthly. 1/8/2007 (Price: $34.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Chubbie Subbies by MINDWALK INC.

Cool in the pool and a Blast in the bath!

Random motion movement in any body of water, including spontaneous diving.  Awesomely unpredictable! 3 each of 4 different color designs. Blister size - 8” x 10”(20.3cm x 25.4cm). 12/8/2006 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Oggle Goggles by MINDWALK INC.

Crabs and lobsters have eyes that see multiple images like a kaleidoscope. With Oggle Goggles kids can explore underwater the same way. Six each of two different styles — Slats and Cones — are available. Blister size - 8” x 10”(20.3cm x 25.4cm). Launch date: March 2007. 12/8/2006 (Price: $7.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Bathtub Fun Center by RAVENSBURGER

Bath time can be so much fun when a friendly whale doubles as a water scoop. Tots can pour water into the whale tank and choose an exciting function by turning the red dial. They’ll see the duck swim in circles and the starfish spin, switch the pink sea anemone from faucet to shower, and watch the bear’s boat rock back and forth. It’s easy to attach with suction cups. 11/28/2006 (Price: $19.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Geyser Football - Small by GEYSER GUYS

Just dunk the Football in water, and give it a little squeeze. Throw the Football and watch it spirally spray water in a 10-foot diameter as it heads toward the receiver ... who is going to get wet. The football sprays like crazy. The Geyser Football flies great with or without water. It comes in two sizes: small 6” and large 8.5”. The footballs are made of soft urethane and come in three cool color combos: yellow/green, red/orange and light blue/dark blue. The toy is patent pending. The large Geyser Football retails for $9.99 and wholesales for $5.00. ( Watch Video) 11/28/2006 (Price: $7.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Mother / Baby Sets by MINDWALK INC.

Baby Penguin and Clown Fish magnetically hug in place, as the Mothers spin, flip and race up and down and all over the place. They can be used for bath or pool play. When the babies are not attached, they float to the surface. 10/26/2006 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Banzai Sidewinder Falls™ by TOYQUEST

Scale the climbing wall of this 10’-tall waterslide and ride the water-soaked, curving slide all the way into the splash pool. Then, run and dive through the tunnel slide and make a huge splash. The Banzai Sidewinder Falls inflates in less than three minutes with the included continuous-airflow blower motor and easily attaches to any hose. Heavy-duty Dura-Tech construction ensures lasting strength and durability while the constant airflow helps resist small tears and punctures. Launch date: Spring 2007. 10/4/2006 (Price: $399.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Mini Dive N Rise Shark by MINDWALK INC.

This is a great stocking stuffer with a low price that gives hours of fun in a pool or bath. Toss shark into water and watch him surface like a real shark — no batteries, no winding. 8/18/2006 (Price: $3.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Squiddy Subbie by MINDWALK INC.

Squiddy Subbie scoots through the water with his arms trailing after him. Hours of fun. 8/18/2006 (Price: $8.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Aqua Bomb by POOF-SLINKY INC.

Kids can have splashes of fun with this soft, polyester/lycra-covered foam ball that performs like a water balloon. 7/26/2006 (Price: $4.49) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Soft Sprinkles Tide Pool by SMALL WORLD TOYS

Designed especially for younger children, this plastic play mat keeps kids amused, while a gentle, adjustable stream of water keeps them cool. Activities include whimsical, floating characters, a safe plastic mirror, three squirting fish and water spraying fountains. The pool attaches easily to any standard garden hose.
— “This is the one that parents get because it’s for the very young,” commented Terry Meyers, owner of Kaleidoscope Toys in Round Rock, Texas. “It’s like a mini water park for little ones.”
— “When blown up, the sides are higher than the bottom, so it’s safe for kids 12 months and up,” Small World Toys president Debra Fine told TDmonthly. “The water only comes up about 1 to 1½ feet.”
— This product was launched in 2005 and has been selling well ever since, added Fine. 6/27/2006 (Price: $22.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Geyser Blast Water Sprinkler by SMALL WORLD TOYS

Attach a hose to this sprinkler and kids will have to be fast to dodge the unpredictable spraying action. It’s a twisting, spraying typhoon that’ll keep everyone cool, and the grass green, all summer long. It’s new for 2006. “It’s done incredibly well,”  Small World Toys president, Debra Fine, told TDmonthly. “It’s fun because it’s random and a lot of kids can play at once.”
— The Geyser Blast is a hit at Kaleidoscope Toys in Round Rock, Texas, owner Terry Meyers told TDmonthly. “It’s got tubes so water goes all over the place.”
— As of 06/08/2011 this product had 4 out of 5 stars from 24 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Sprays a lot of water in different directions; more fun than a regular sprinkler; great for watering the lawn. Cons: Does not work as well as advertised; boring; intended age group should be lowered. 6/27/2006 (Price: $39.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Battle Boogie™ NXT Generation by WHAM-O

This cool board has a built-in water trigger that draws water straight from the pool.
— “We just keep selling out of it every time we get it,” said Steve Meynig, manager for Tom's Toys in Beverly Hills. “This one has a way of disappearing very quickly off the shelves.”
— One-third of retailers surveyed said that spraying and squirting toys are hot when it’s hot.
— The Battle Boogie NXT Generation has gotten “lots of press” said an anonymous source at Wham-O. 6/27/2006

Geyser Gusher Water Cannon by GEYSER GUYS

This super water gun shoots a safe 1” stream of water for over 30 feet. It’s a winner of awards from Dr. Toy and Parent’s Choice. It comes in lime green, aqua blue and hot purple.  The Gusher works on the pulling force of arms alone.
— “The Geyser Gusher,” is hot for cooling off kids at Imagination Village in Concord, N.H., said owner Laura Miller. “Kids like it because it's different and fun. It doesn’t involve diving. You don’t have to swim, so little kids can do it as well. You can get people wet who are not in the pool, which is always fun!”
— Water guns are a perennial item at Tom's Toys in Beverly Hills, said manager Steve Meynig.
— Not only is this a cool toy, “it’s patented,” said John Frazier, CEO of Geyser Guys. They also make Geyser Guys Water Squirters, Douser Dolphin, Geyser Whale, Splashy Turtle, the Geyser Flyer and the New Geyser Spray Football. ( Watch Video) 6/27/2006 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Bubba the Bottom Feeder Game by FUNDEX GAMES

Bubba the Bottom Feeder is an underwater game that can be played in the shallow or deep end of the pool. Players take turns “feeding” Bubba fish and the first one to make Bubba float to the surface wins. The fish are weighted differently so no game is ever the same. The game includes Bubba and eight goldfish.
— Kids like Bubba the Bottom Feeder “probably because they get to dive,” said Susan Robinson, manager of Wishing Well Toy Company in Omaha, Neb.
— Pool toys sell well for Greg Bonner, owner of Heights Toy Center Inc. in Little Rock, Ark.
— Bubba can be played alone or with friends. 6/27/2006 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Sonic Search by FUNDEX GAMES

Players hit the timer, toss it into the water and follow the distinctive beeps to the ball. The first player to disarm the timer wins. The game includes one electronic sonic search with 60-second timer. Batteries are included. Kids can play alone or compete for extra fun.
— “Fundex’s Sonic Search is very popular,” said Jeri Dorsey, buyer for Kaboodle LLC in Carmel, Ind. “Parents are excited because it’s clear when it’s in the bottom of the pool, so kids have to use their hearing to locate it. It’s new this year for us.”
— Dive balls also do well at Children’s Gift Shop in Northfield, Ill., said owner Markie Carlson.
— Sonic Search has a “try me” button that lets shoppers test before buying. 6/27/2006 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Underwater Walkie Talkies by WILD PLANET

Now kids can have private conversations underwater with these cool Water Talkies developed by an 11-year-old after a trip to Hawaii. Before going under water, kids need only take a deep breath, hold Water Talkies against their mouths, and then go below. From there they can start talking, speaking slowly and loudly with friends. The sound travels up to 15 feet.
— “We’ve always done well with the water toys from Wild Planet,” said Tricia Cooper, buyer for Le Jouet in Metairie, La. “The underwater walkie talkies have a great price point for presents.”
— Wild Planet has lots of underwater toys that are “very fun and popular,” Markie Carlson, owner of Children’s Gift Shop in Northfield, Ill., told TDmonthly.
— Seven of 18 retailers said that their most popular water toys involved being under, rather than just in, the water. 6/27/2006 (Price: $12.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

SL175 Waterball Launcher by WILD PLANET

Forget about squirting, Waterball utilizes one-of-a-kind technology that forms and launches balls of water. The SL175 Waterball Launcher enables kids to launch up to 175 balls of water per tank, or 40 balls per minute. Marble-sized waterballs travel from 6 to 20 feet.
— “It is very popular,” said Markie Carlson, owner Children’s Gift Shop in Northfield, Ill.
— “The kids really like it because it is like a water gun but isn't a gun shape, so their parents don't worry too much about buying it,” noted Jordan Walden, manager of Finnegan's Toys and Gifts in Portland, Ore.
— Wild Planet toys are consistently a specialty retailer favorite, according to TDmonthly surveys. 6/27/2006 (Price: $21.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

SeaFunnoodle Creatures by JAKKS PACIFIC INC.

These fun floating devices provide kids and adults support while swimming. SeaFunnoodles come in the shape of sea animals, such as dolphin and dragon. 6/5/2006

Storm 760 Water Guns by JAKKS PACIFIC INC.

Kids can cool off with these Storm 760 Water Guns. The dual pressurized drenching water guns provide a large tank for extended opponent soaking. This water blaster shoots up to 30 feet and looks cool. 6/1/2006 (Price: $12.99)

Funnoodle Zoodle Toppers by JAKKS PACIFIC INC.

New to the Funnoodle line of water toys, these colorful water resistant end covers to the Funnoodle floating devices spice up afternoon pool fun. Funnoodles are foam noodle-shaped pool toys that kids and adults can use to provide support when swimming. These Zoodle Toppers are in the shapes of animal heads and the like. 6/1/2006

Turbo Sub by MINDWALK INC.

They can dive as far as 5' in the pool and are also fun to take in the bathtub. They use an AA battery and move through the water in unpredictable directions. They each have a light-up nose that never goes dim. Turbo Subs sit in a display box of four different styles, three of each. They are 6.5" by 3.5" by 2".
— “I would have to say, for this year, the surprise was summer items, pool toys … It’s probably because of the heat. MindWalk was the big-selling manufacturer,” said Lance Ghulam, manager of Handlebar Toys in Lafayette, Calif.
— “Basic beach and sand toys. Parents are trying to move away from video games,” was what Emily Holmes, executive assistant to the president for Ambassador Toys in San Francisco, had to say about surprises in her store.
— “Our Turbo Subs are part of our Super Subbie product line which uses patented random motion technology,” Denise Sanger, VP of operations at MindWalk USA, told TDmonthly. “This allows our Turbo Sub to move through the water in unpredictable directions, diving down 5' in the pool or just scooting around in the bathtub. In addition, the Turbo Sub has an always-on light in the nose, which makes it fun to play with in the dark, too.” 4/27/2006 (Price: $8.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Rub A Dub Car Wash by ALEX BRANDS

The ALEX Car Wash is a unique interactive play set for the bathtub that provides enormous play value for ages 2 and up. The set includes the car wash floating platform, three colorful cars, a squeegee and play squirter. Place a car on the rubber conveyor belt, turn the hand crank and watch it move along. Turn the next hand crank to spin the foam brushes. Fill the squeegee with liquid soap to lather up the car, then use the spray squirter to rinse it off. ALEX’s Car Wash is highly engaging and brings pretend play into the tub!
— Two of 64 specialty retailers named this item as a best-selling bath toy in spring 2009. 3/6/2006 (Price: $23.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]