Why take just a plain old picture when you can have photo booth fun? Silly Me Photo Booth from ALEX lets you make all kinds of silly props, like a pirate face, silly glasses, scuba dive gear and more! Fun to make at a party and then take keepsake pictures for party favors! Glue and stick the paper shapes and decorate with straws, pipe cleaners and stickers. Easy to follow instructions included. Say cheese!

This highly usable collection of 30 songs invites children to sing, move and learn. With seven songs for each Season - Summer, Winter, Spring and Fall - plus hello and goodbye songs, children will be up and moving from the get-go. Launch date: December 2012.

Any little host will be proud to present these three layers of "delicious" yumminess. This fabulous cake can be topped with a bride and groom for a formal pretend wedding or with a flower bouquet to celebrate any special event. Serving and assembling this confection is easy with all the wooden layers, a selection of toppings, a server and decorative cake plate included in the "bakery" box.
— As of 1/17/2013 this product had 4.8 out of 5 stars from 36 reviews on Amazon.com.

Any project is possible with the whimsical, Green Toys Pink Tool Set. Constructed from 100% recycled plastic milk containers that save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, this trendy tool kit makes any fix-it job an opportunity to go green (and pink and purple) too. The groovy 15 piece set includes a tool box, phillips screwdriver, flat screwdriver, hammer, saw, wrench, pliers, 2 two-hole connectors, 2 nails, 2 bolts, and 2 nuts. No BPA, phthalates, PVC, or external coatings.
— As of 1/17/2013 this product had 4.8 out of 5 stars from 37 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Eco-friendly; durable; helps encourage interest in building.

Eight multi-colored, precision tuned metal bars give any toddler room to make bright and colorful sounds. Includes child safe mallet and attractive vinyl carry case.
— As of 1/17/2013 this product had 4.8 out of 5 stars from 129 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: durable; clear sound; notes are on the correct scale. Cons: Some reviewers mentioned the paint scratched on the keys after a month of use.

Three dump trucks deliver important concepts related to volume, size and distance. Dumpsters are sturdy, stackable, and friction driven. Colors may vary. 7 1/2" x 3 3/4" x 8" (19 cm x 10 cm x 20 cm).

Teach sequencing and ordinal numbers. Pictures on front, words and numbers on back. Format adapts to abilities and features self-checking pieces for independent learning. Two-sided, 3-piece puzzles. 15 puzzles/45 pieces.

8 Lauri sea creatures for swimmingly good fun. Includes the much loved manatee and seahorse (7" long), and 8 laces with easy to use 1" tips. Can also be used as stencils.
— As of 1/17/2013 this product had 4.4 out of 5 stars from 7 reviews on Amazon.com.

Smart Toys and Games, Inc. has launched its first brain-building game for kids as young as two years old with Bunny Peek a Boo.  Sturdy wooden blocks and fun rabbit characters allow children to develop spatial perception skills and "pull a rabbit out of the box" with this 3D puzzle. Sixty challenges prepare children ages 2-5 for more difficult single player logic games. The four large bunny blocks can be combined in many different ways for endless fun. Launch date: 2013.

Hello Kitty, hello seasonal fun! This pair of sunny offerings depicts our favorite star and her cast of friends enjoying all that the seasons have to offer: butterflies, baseball, sand castles, ice cream cones, and more. With sparse text and irresistible original scenic art, this title is one of four in the newest series of Hello Kitty collectible board books. Launch date: March 12, 2013.

Coming off his 80th Anniversary, Babar's first full-length film is being re-released on DVD from Entertainment One with all-new artwork and a new price point, making BABAR: The Movie a must-own for all lovers of the Elephant King. With Celeste and the always-humorous monkey, Zephir, by his side, the King of Elephants is at long last ready to take on Rataxes, a rhino who's taken charge of Babar's beloved Elephantland. Launch date: February 12, 2013.

What do you get with basic geomentric shapes made of Lauri crepe rubber and 21 tall-stacker Pegs? You get toy that entertains preschoolers for hours in convenient travel case for kids on the go. They'll fill all the holes, sort the pegs by color, and see how high the pegs will stack. With to holes per shape, it's also counting toy that lays good foundation for early math skills. When finished playing, kids will have fun putting the shapes back in the puzzle frame.
— In a November 2013 survey, Richard Gibson, owner of Learning Express of Newton in Newton, Mass., told TDmonthly that they make $5,000 a year on Tall Stackers alone.

It's a Busy Busy Day at the Airport. Set up destination game boards around the room. Load the plane with Busytown characters and wait for the all clear for take-off. Then fly to faraway places - the beach, mountains, the city, and more. Collect souvenirs wherever you go. The player with the most wins. It's out-of-your-seat role play fun. Learning Fun includes picture identification and matching, physical movement and imaginative play, as well as strategic thinking. Product Contents include: 4 Airplanes, 1 Airport Box, 1 Dice Tower, 16 Passenger Tiles, 16 Souvenir Cards, 4 Destination Pads, 2 Dice, and 1 Game Rules Manual.

These flash cards are an engaging invitation for children and parents to explore color together in a whole new way. This 18-card set focuses on 2 tones of each of the 9 basic colors. When you flip the card over, additional colors in the same color family are introduced in the context of an illustrated pattern, and the child is prompted to pick out the right color. These innovative flash cards are both practical and stunning, making them an irresistible addition to any child’s toy box, bookshelf, or wall. "Pantone is the world’s most powerful and influential brand in color, trusted by artists and designers for decades. These flash cards will bring the colors to a younger generation," Jason Wells from Abrams told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 2013.

Different from traditional memory games in which two identical cards are matched, Puzzle Match has kids search and match three puzzle piece parts of one image to complete the match. For example, players search for puzzle pieces of the head, body and claws of a parrot to make the match. As an added value, once kids finish the memory game and match the interlocking pieces, the pieces can be assembled into a giant, beautifully illustrated scene. "Unlike traditional memory games in which two identical cards must be found for the match, Puzzle Match - The Pet Shop has players searching and matching three different parts of one full picture to make the match," Ari Weinstock, CEO of Wowopolis, told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 2013.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Picks New Products

Animal rescue rangers to the rescue! With this rugged safari truck, two cheerful people are ready to zoom across the savannah to help their animal friends. The alligator, zebra, rhinoceros, elephant, giraffe, hippopotamus and lion fit into the truck's sides through die-cut slots, so this exciting toy is perfect for imaginative play and fine motor skills . . . and much more! Lift and remove the cargo door to unload the colorful animals, then count, sort and stack the solid-wood pieces before loading the truck and securing the door in its track. One male and one female ranger fit in the cab of the truck, or come out to tend to the animals on the preserve. Play ideas are included to reinforce basic skills and inspire creative play.

The school bus is here! There's a friendly driver at the wheel and room for six happy passengers in this 10-piece wooden play set. With easy-rolling wheels and doors that open and close, this exciting set creates an interactive scene designed to inspire limitless play. Pieces are sized to fit with all Whittle World play sets and accessories sets.

Sounds just like a real piano with transparent keys that light up. Moves and dances to the beat. Removable cap to store blocks. Launch date: Fall 2013.

Hello Sunshine is a delightful learning game for toddlers. Play hide and seek with Sunshine – a huggable plush toy – while teaching your toddler positional words such as In, On Top, Below and more. As one of your child’s first games, Hello Sunshine builds interaction between parent and child while building vocabulary and language skills.

It’s three times the love, laughter, sharing and caring when Barney®: Barney Loves You from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment. Huggable, loveable Barney and his playground friends discover the joys of friendship and family through imagination, song and dance. So come along with everyone’s favorite T-Rex in this heartwarming collection featuring Barney: We Love Our Family, Barney: You Can Be Anything and Barney: I Love My Friends. Launch date: February 19, 2013.

JAKE AND THE NEVER LAND PIRATES characters come to life in these Action Adventure Pirate Packs. The characters are in cool action poses and are ready for an island adventure. One pack includes Jake and his Telescope, Izzy and her Pixie Dust pouch, and Cubby and his Treasure Map. The second pack includes Jake and his sword, Captain Hook and Tick Tock Croc.

Explore and build EVEN MORE endless possibilities by combining the expanded assortment of gears. Place the puzzle pieces together and watch the amazing movement you can create by spinning and twirling the gears. (24 pieces included)

Touch Magic™ is a new product line from LeapFrog that brings intuitive touch technology to preschool toys for the first time. It combines fun, learning, and creativity. Touch Magic learning toys utilize capacitive touch technology that recognizes every tap, touch, and swipe to bring each product to life. This new collection of interactive toys includes four products that help develop core learning skills, and encourage exploration and discovery. The Touch Magic Rockin’ Guitar brings musical fun and develops preschool skills with every little touch. It fits kids’ development, engages their creativity, and builds their confidence as they learn ABCs and many new words through educational songs. Kids can choose to play solo without a backup, play along with a band, or select an electric or acoustic guitar to accompany songs including Rockin’ Robin, Itsy Bitsy Spider, If You’re Happy and You Know It, and Pop Goes the Weasel.
Awards: 2012 Dr.Toy Best Picks

TDmonthly recommends looking at Schoenhut for similar, high-quality musical toys and instruments.

Get the road trip started as you steer your little car around the B. town on the screen, which lights up for night driving. Shift through forward, neutral and reverse. Both the engine and the horn make actual sounds. The LED blinkers let everyone know where your little driver is headed. Your child can push the music button to hear 3 driving songs in 3 unique styles. The YouTurns also make the perfect car seat toy – flip it over and it doubles as a pillow.
Awards: 2012 Dr.Toy Best Picks

This special assortment of 8 fuzzy colorful durable, safe and fun toy vehicles includes plane, car, fire engine and bus. They are the perfect size for little ones to grab onto. With all the different colors and shapes they provide endless hours of pretend play and story telling. Rubbabu toys are made of soft, squishy rubber foam, which is organic, hypo-allergenic, and completely biodegradable. They are covered with the brightest, best-quality Swiss flock for a surface your child will enjoy playing with. This is a safe, durable and fun toy for preschoolers to enjoy at home and on travel. They are also available as a Little Vehicle Assortment B and the new Shape Sorter Bus.
Awards: 2012 Dr.Toy Best 20 for $20