These 27 brightly colored interconnecting, swiveling, rotating plastic shapes can be used to make recombined bugs, butterflies and beetles. Joints can bend 180 degrees.
— Exo Bonz can be combined with the Curious Bonz, Curious Globonz and Curious Seabonz sets, as well as Zolo construction toys.
— Bonz sets are good sellers at Accipter in Raleigh, N.C., says owner Sandy Friedman.
— Exo Bonz has won several awards, including a Family Fun T. O Y. Toy of the Year Award.

Little white honeycomb balls and colorful sticks combine to make flowers, houses, giant spheres and more. The Pioneer Kit includes 121 parts and a colorful instruction booklet.
— At Big Fun Toys in Hoboken, N.J., these toys sell well, according to manager Wendy Kramer.
— Based on the mathematical principles of nature, Zome can create a plenitude of geometric shapes, molecular structures, quasicrystals, and more
— The manufacturer claims that Zome kits are in use in more than 6000 schools and educational institutions.

This foam construction toy consists of wired tuber-shaped oblong pieces (toobers) and thin pieces of variously shaped foam with holes (zots). Boys and girls can make hats, monsters, dragons and more. Each toober is between 1 and 2 feet long.
— This toy is a favorite at Finnegan’s Toys in Portland, Ore., says manager Jordan Walden.
— Toobers & Zots has won more than 30 major toy awards and was one of only 12 toys to be included in Dr. Toys’ book, “Toys for a Lifetime” in 2000.
— Compatible kits include Toobers & Zots Zany and Toobers & Zots Zowy.

Ball-and-joint construction pieces endow Zoob creations with mobility. Kids can make anything from spheres to dinosaurs with this 250-piece kit, which comes with six instruction booklets.
— Zoob continues to be a strong seller at Big Fun Toys in Hoboken, N.J., says manager Wendy Kramer. Tara Trew, sales associate at Growing Tree Toys and Books in State College, Pa., agrees.
— Zoob has been rated a top seller by accounts such as Neiman Marcus and Learning Express, it was the No. 1 selling product in two well-known direct-to-consumer catalogs, and it now sells in 45 countries around the world, according to Jeff Pinsker of Infinitoy.
— Jordan Walden, manager of Finnegan’s Toys in Portland, Ore., claims that Zoob was unavailable for about 3 years. During that hiatus, customers requested it frequently. Now it’s selling well again.
— “In our store, probably Zoobs” will be found under most trees for the 2006 holidays, Tristan Hewitt, manager of Dragon’s Toy Box in Seattle, Wash., told TDmonthly.

Included in a vinyl carrying case are 48 plastic pieces that build odd shapes, bright colors and abstract geometric designs.
— Compatible with the Bonz sets of construction toys, Sandy Friedman, owner of Accipter in Raleigh, N.C., says that all the building items in the Zolo/Bonz lines are popular in her store.
— Zolo comes in a pocket version for the compulsive player or impulsive buyer.
— Pop*Zolo is an add-on kit that has “mini to mondo” connector rods for all Zolo/Bonz systems.

Modeled on the pure light and color emitted by computer screens, PixelBlocks are 3/8” translucent colored cubes that feature a peg-and-hole interlocking device on the top and bottom as well as a tooth-and-groove device on all four sides. Starter boxes include 200 single-shape pieces.
— Pixel Blocks are available in PhotoGrays and Artist sets, for a wider variety of colors. Individual colors can also be bought separately.
— Jordan Walden, store manager of Finnegan’s Toys & Gifts in Portland, Ore., says that PixelBlocks is his newest construction set that’s doing well.
— This toy is appropriate for both kids and professional artists, according to the manufacturer.

Already popular in Japan, the basic, colorful “head” pods of Pontiki are only 1” to 2” long. Mini-geometric parts are stored inside the pods and can be used as hands, feet or eyes.
— Pontiki has an officially licensed “Franny K. Stein” version, based on the popular book series by Jim Benton.
— “The sets build on each other,” explains Sandy Friedman, owner of Accipter in Raleigh, N.C., where the toy is selling very well.
— “They’re an impulse item,” says Wendy Kramer, manager of Big Fun Toys in Hoboken, N.J. She keeps them by the counter for quick sales.

These 16 blocks in bright colors are made of wood from ecologically supervised European forests. Famed Swiss toy designer Kurt Naef designed these blocks in 1957; they were his first toy design. The sophisticated but easy-to-use interlocking feature enables small children to build towers that don´t fall down. Older children can experiment with building cantilevered structures.

Twenty-eight wooden embossed Alphabet blocks, approximately 1-3/4” square, come in a wooden pull-toy wagon. Each block has an animal picture, a number or math symbol, and four letters (two embossed), for a total of four complete alphabets. The wagon is unpainted with wooden wheels. It sells for between $44.95 and $49.95.

The Conestoga Homestead comes with a plastic frontier couple, wagon, two horses, roof, windows and door. It includes enough wooden logs to build a small house.

This set has plans to create a working Ferris wheel, majestic carousel, huge crane, as well as cars, racecars, trucks and more. With the 230-Piece Superstructs Super Set, little builders will never run out of building ideas.

The 126-piece Superstructs BIG Builder set gives you everything you need to build detailed, hard-working construction vehicles. Build a working forklift, dump truck, crane or utility truck with the enclosed step-by-step plans. And once you have mastered these, you can take them apart and use your imagination to build other great creations.

With 78 pieces and plans to make a colorful jet, solar planet explorer, racecar, robot, characters and more, this set is equipped to meet every adventurer´s needs.

Swiss architect Mario Botta´s building for the San Francisco Museum of Modern art opened in 1995, becoming an instant architectural landmark. Now anyone can construct aSFMOMA! This scale model of Botta´s famed design features die-cut cardboard parts and step-by-step instructions, which make assembly easy.

A cool way to take LEGO building on the go is packed in four collectible pod containers featuring a unique color scheme and theme. It fits right in a backpack, cargo pants pocket, and is perfect for the back seat of the car, an airplane or even the beach blanket for keeping young imaginations active. Choose from green (Dragon), purple (Monster), orange (Arachno) or blue (Aqua) pods for mini model building fun!

All proceeds from this set of stacking blocks support the National Parks. Made entirely of recycled materials, all blocks fit one within the other in a tidy box with an easy to carry rope handle. The blocks stack high to reveal a giant redwood tree, as well as pictures of birds and pine cones. An enchanting poem rounds out the decoration.

Believing that construction toys help foster a better understanding of math and science, this unique set was created to attract young girls. Included are 18 pieces that allow girls to build their own magical fairy tale. This highly decorated carriage includes a doll that can be used to play in the fairy tale world of a child’s imagination.

PLAN City also gets new product treatment in 2005 with some exciting new designs. The Construction Set ($50.00) is a magnificent construction crane that is fully operational.  Children are able to move the trolley in all directions and the crane pivots on the base as well to allow for 360 degree play.   A variety of construction accessories are also included to expand the play environment.   

Block sets are a classic that never go out of style, and FamilyEducation.com notes that blocks allow kids to “master math concepts about shapes, space, balancing and gravity.”
— “Wooden blocks by Melissa & Doug” were expected to be a 2006 holiday hit at The Name Dropper in Montgomery, Ala., owner Shea Schroll told TDmonthly.
— “Standard building blocks by Melissa & Doug … we sell those every day,” Peter (Mr. Toad), owner of Mr. Toad’s Toy Company in Naples, Fla., told TDmonthly in April 2008. Erica Welton, manager of Bedford Falls Toy Store in Charlotte, N.C., said her store sells “two or three sets a day.”
— More than 17 percent of retailers who spoke with TDmonthly in spring 2008 named this item as their best-selling construction toy.

This kit constructs a huge (over 5 feet) working ball tower with custom obstacles around a transparent air-lift tube.
--This toy won “Ultimate Construction Toy of the Year” at the Ultimate Toy Awards Show in Dec. 2004.
--The Tower was nominated to be the 2005 Activity Toy of the Year by the Toy Industry Association.
--Creative Child Magazine gave this set the 2004 Preferred Choice Award.

This 643-part set, with a carrying case, builds 25 models and includes a motor. Previously distributed by Nikko America (6.2.09).
--This set was named as a “top seller” by Brio’s senior product manager Kay Thomson.
--Erector sets are among the Top 10 product lines of 2004 at YoungBuilder.com.
--YoungBuilder’s co-owner Mark Carson noted a trend toward “nostalgic” sets, noting that “the Baby Boomer generation is searching for toys that encourage creativity and problem-solving skills” for their kids and grand-kids.

Last spring, popular Lincoln Logs were introduced in clear bags with handles, offering the familiar wood logs and plastic roofs in portable form.
--Lincoln Logs are a top seller on Amazon.com.
--“Lincoln Logs have been around since 1916, yet nearly 90 years later, they still remain our top sellers,” said Mark Carson, co-owner of Fat Brain Toys.
--These toys are among the Top 10 product lines of 2004 at YoungBuilder.com.

This set features plenty of fun features like a working cannon, a toppling mast, figures and animals.
--This toy is listed as a best-seller for both Amazon.com and Target.com.
--Modular parts from the ship can be mixed and matched with other sets in the Imaginext system, adding to play value.
--This set hones both building skills and imaginative play.