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TDMONTHLY TOY VIDEOS
Watch This! Toys On the Loose
The weather outside is frightful and these toys have found their way under the warmth of the spotlight in front of the camera....READ MORE
TDMONTHLY NEW TOYS
December Peeks
With the following products in stock, we here at TDmonthly Magazine think you won’t have any problem moving merchandise....READ MORE
Take a look at exciting new products, sorted by category....
TDMONTHLY HOT TOPIC
Hollywood ToyBoy: Where Did the Year Go?
Okayokayokay — from November 15th to January 5th, you can pretty much kiss off Hollywood....READ MORE
One activist speaks out in favor of polyvinyl chloride toys, claiming they pose no toxic hazard to children....
Communities In Schools of New Orleans Inc. is requesting donations of products (no cash) that can help rebuild schools in New Orleans that were severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina....
"Songs from the Neighborhood: The Music of Mister Rogers" is up for an award in the category of Best Musical Album for Children....
HOLIDAY PREVIEW
One to Watch This Holiday Season
The Sony PSP may be set to become one of the holiday’s hottest products less than a year after the console’s launch failed to meet the high expectations of the electronics community. A number of factors, including popular new games and a slew of movie titles, have been stirring up excitement in the gaming world and could lead to a spike in sales during the gift-giving season as the PSP catches its second wind....READ MORE
In specialty stores, tradition sells for the holidays, retailers agreed … and what could be more traditional than dolls?...
This December, young scientists will be ripping open their presents and discovering the coolest toys about the natural world....
TDmonthly Magazine talked to over 20 retailers to find out what’s hot in this cold month for outdoor toys....
So what are the hot DVD/Video sellers for this holiday season? TDmonthly Magazine contacted over 25 retailers to find out....
Euro/retro wooden toys and bouncy rubber rides catch the fancies of infants and toddlers — or at least their parents — 40 retailers across the nation told TDmonthly Magazine....
Though not always small in price, tiny collectibles are big with little kids, a TDmonthly Magazine survey of 40 specialty retailers revealed....
Although toys are still tops with younger kids, the appeal of electronics is spreading from older kids to their younger counterparts faster than you can e-mail a digital photo from your My Scene Prepaid Cell Phone....
A little more than 300 tween girls were polled on what kinds of crafts they like to do. With this information, it was clear what they want for the holidays....
Two new surprise great sellers are both construction toys, retailers have told TDmonthly Magazine over the past few months: RollerCoaster Tycoon by Miniature Amusements and the low-tech, high-fun Zoomorphs by River Dolphin Toys. Also high on their list are old-reliables with new twists....
Families who want that get-together spirit to last through the New Year are expected to load up on games for the holidays....
Girls on the go don’t have to go it alone, according to manufacturers and retailers of plush products. Kids’ve been zipping up their fake furry friends in fuzzy knapsacks and taking them to school, to play … wherever....
COLLECTIBLES
Specialty Teddy Bears No Longer Bank Breakers
Now, even the budget-strapped can find collectible-quality, manufactured bears within their price-range....READ MORE
Medieval-themed figures and accessories have become a hit in toy stores across the country, and three major players are “jousting” for the top spot....
Tonner, Integrity Toys and Mattel have the gals of the moment, and smart retailers have ordered extra Tyler Wentworths, Jason Wu-designed Fashion Royals and I Love Lucies for well-behaved adults this Christmas....
HOBBY PRODUCTS
Making Toys Makes for Double-Duty Fun
Have you noticed the fuzz-blowing soft-animal-stuffing machines showing up in the cards and gifts section of the local mega-supermarket? It could be time to try something similar in your own shop by providing books and materials to host a creative happening....READ MORE
Origami, the ancient art of paper folding, is expanding beyond its traditional niche as scrapbookers embrace the creative activity....
Nostalgia and a strong interest in history play starring roles in the popularity of many best-selling model kits....
MAGIC SETS
Magical Therapy
Magic has the power to entertain, the power to amaze and — when used as part of a therapeutic program at hospitals and rehabilitation centers — the power to heal. The tricks are illusions, but the benefits are real....READ MORE
Magic card manufacturers offer so many varieties of trick decks, it can be difficult to choose which ones to stock....
TDmonthly Magazine handed six kits over to an 11-year-old, Maggie, and a 15-year-old, Nick, to see if they liked them, or wanted to "make them disappear."...
RETAILING TIPS
The Doctor May Be In
British popular culture has had a tremendous impact on America. Many of our science fiction and fantasy films originate in the United Kingdom, such as the "Harry Potter" series and "War of the Worlds." These days, "Doctor Who" is re-taking the nation by storm. American retailers would do well to pay attention to the BBC as it reintroduces well-loved shows of the past....READ MORE
TDMONTHLY MANUFACTURER'S CORNER
Pedal to the Mettle: The Unbelievable True Story of Automoblox
Many of us can recall the pride we felt the first time we spotted a product that we had a hand in designing sitting on a store shelf. And this pride turns to absolute nirvana when that product is your product — something that you’ve brought to market completely born of your vision and manufactured by your own company.
Patrick Calello, president of Automoblox Co., shares what he's learned after resolving problems with his supply chain....
Since the first cavemen went door-to-door demonstrating fire, retailers have been drumming up business by exhibiting the goods....
According to research conducted at the University of Tennessee, the failure rate of new businesses in the first year is a staggering 70 to 80 percent! How do fledgling manufacturers survive?...
Protect your company against competitors who claim your patent infringes on theirs....
TDMONTHLY POPULAR STORIES
Designing Toys for Tomorrow
How do toy designers satisfy everyone? TDmonthly Magazine spoke with a number of toy makers to find out....READ MORE
TDMONTHLY TOY BUZZ
Toddlers Meet the Letters
Kathy Oxley, founder of Preschool Prep, a company that makes educational videos for toddlers, believes that letter recognition is easiest for the very young....READ MORE
Teddy Bear Stuffers, the brainchild of Stan and Annette Block, has enticed many an entrepreneur to join the highly lucrative stuffing machine business....
Founded by two self-proclaimed "Bohemians" in 1989, Enchanted World of Boxes started as a small business in Cambridge, Mass., that was supplied by Poland’s cottage decorative box industry....
Painted Pony Press creates and distributes history games that cater to the educational and museum store market....
TDMONTHLY COOL COMPANY
Brand New World Takes Fresh Approach
Doing what you love has a way of paying off — especially if your name happens to be Kathy Palker. For Palker, the energetic vice president of sales and marketing for Brand New World, a company that designs educational toys for kids in childcare and school, making a career of what she loves has led to one success after another....READ MORE
RETAILER SPOTLIGHT
Eagle Magic Stands Test of Time
A small business has to build relationships and loyalty with their customers that cannot be copied at a big box outlet. Larry Kahlow’s Eagle Magic and Joke Store has built its business on an impeccable relationship strategy with hobbyists, professionals, children and grandmothers....READ MORE
Sharon DiMinico, CEO and founder of Learning Express, recently shared details of her successful business model with TDmonthly Magazine....
TDMONTHLY BRASS RING
The Double-e Sisters and ee publishing
elizabeth sills and elena patrice, two Virginia sisters, had always dreamed of having creative careers, working together and contributing to the “children’s world.”...READ MORE
TDMONTHLY MOM´S PERSPECTIVE
Tween Girls Go Scientific
Five homeschooling moms in North Carolina and their nine tween daughters evaluated six toys for TDmonthly Magazine....READ MORE
Homeschooling moms rate toys on a scale from one to 10....
Maryam Seyedhosseini's background as a mother and as a childcare professional give her a unique insight into toys....
TOY FAIR 2006 PREVIEW
TDmonthly's Toy Fair 2006 Preview
Don't risk missing out: Use The TDmonthly's ToyFair 2006 Preview to locate those manufacturers worth finding....READ MORE
TDMONTHLY TOP-10 MOST-WANTED LISTS
TDmonthly's Top 10 Most Wanted Last Minute Gifts for Boys
TDmonthly Magazine contacted over 35 stores and asked: What are surefire hits for boys between the ages of 4 to 7 and 8 to 11?...READ MORE
The customer’s on his way to a holiday party and just remembered that the host has kids. All girls. What do you hand him when he’s in a hurry and has only $20 to spend per kid? Fifteen retailers around the country gave TDmonthly Magazine their suggestions....
TDmonthly asked retailers what some of their best mini items were to help compile our list of best stocking stuffers....
TDMONTHLY UPCOMING ISSUES
DVD Board Games: More Than Just a Passing Fad?
DVD board games incorporating familiar and brand-new themes have been popping up from a number of different companies....READ MORE
TDmonthly Magazine has been following recent changes in the television business model caused by the introduction of video-on-demand, the chaos in the affiliate structure and the search for how to make advertising work in the new realm....
Now that Mom uses her Blackberry, Dad has a portable DVD player and everyone’s walking around while talking on the phone, kids want their very own electronic gizmos that really work....
