Fidgetz are both puzzles and fiddle-around toys in the shape of small wooden "people" crafted from smooth hardwood blocks strung on heavy-duty nylon elastic cords. The 7-inch Fidgetz Boy has 19 cubes that fold up into an oblong shape. The Fidgetz Girl is made of 25 cubes and spheres. Both are great for long car rides, waiting rooms and restaurants, as well as for teaching manual dexterity and problem solving. The MSRP is $2.99 to $12.99.
Maxim Enterprise is a name known to the children of serious train hobbyists. Aiming to update the classic wooden set, its Record & Playback Station ($29.99, ages 3+) has jumped beyond lights and visuals and given kids the ability to record their own phrases for personal sound effects.
The Basic Set introduces kids to the world of dollhouses in trees. Dolls and even a bucket of water can go up and down to the delight of kids' imaginations. The set includes a wooden base with two ladders, two elevated platforms, pulley system with bucket, a table with chairs, a keg and three people. The tree and limbs are made of plastic. The entire set comes in a heavy-duty wooden storage container with an emblazened logo. — The "Treehouse from Maxim" is what Bob Breneman, co-owner of G. Willikers Toy Shop in Portsmouth, N.H., told TDmonthly is a hot-seller in his store.
This park takes a fun spin on the traditional train set with elements of an amusement park that include a motorized track, a merry-go-round that spins the horses and plays a song, and a musical Ferris wheel. It is compatible with other fine wooden railway sets. This set “has multiple accessories that come with the set rather than having to be purchased at a later date,” Kris Millington, vice president of marketing and development for Maxim Enterprise, told TDmonthly. Also, “it has a self-feeding motorized track that allows the coaster cars to be brought up the track to start their ride down.” Launch date: June 1, 2007.
Bringing new life to an old item, this activity table transforms into a drawing table or desk. The table easily converts, and the set includes a stool, two cups, a roll of paper, and a painter’s palette. The table is available in a natural wood finish, as well as in playful colors. “Our table allows parents and children to decide what type of medium they need at any particular time,” Kris Millington, vice president of marketing and development for Maxim Enterprise, told TDmonthly. “We’ve taken the need for multiple pieces of furniture in a family’s home out of the equation.” Launch date: June 1, 2007.
Made from all-natural wood and watercolor-based paints, and packaged in recycled material, this cute wooden dog wags his tail as he's pulled along. "No other wooden pull toy is taking the same measures with recycled packaging materials, watercolor-based paints, and the use of sustainable forestries for raw materials," Kris Millington, VP of marketing and development for Maxim Enterprise, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009.
Designed to develop hand-eye coordination, color recognition and basic number skills, the Junior Ramp Racer may entertain children even after the checkered flag is waved. "Made from all-natural wood, painted with watercolor-based paints, and packaged in recycled materials, our EverEarth line of goods is our way of trying to take care of Mother Earth," Kris Millington, VP of marketing and development for Maxim Enterprise, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009.
Made from all-natural wood and watercolor-based paints, and packaged in recycled material, this activity walker includes a block puzzle, working gears, wire beads, a spinning block, a peg maze, a shape sorter and a xylophone, plus a storage space with mesh netting in the back. It's "the only wooden walker on the market that is eco-friendly," Kris Millington, VP of marketing and development for Maxim Enterprise, told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2009.
The WudWorkers™ line is a “Build and Play” construction line that allows children as young as three years old to begin their love affair with creative play and construction. They can be built into one specific set and become a work of art on a shelf, or they can be played with, taken apart, and then turned into something entirely different. "Our line stands out from any other wooden construction set through our design and creative engineering," Kris Millington, SVP of Maxim Enterprise Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2011.
Whether kids are into super heroes, zombies, princesses, robots, or anything else they can think up, our Wood Chuck is the perfect medium to bring their creation to life. Complete with paints and a brush all kids need is an idea and they're off and running.
