June 2008 New Toys — Educational

Bags of Knowledge - Slippery Spheres by DUNECRAFT INC.

Slippery Spheres are fun to throw, and they slip, slide, bounce and explode. Simply put the spheres in water and they will expand to over 200 times their size as they grow to the size of a marble. The kit comes with a full color insert with experiment ideas, details of what should happen and an explanation of the science behind the fun. 6/16/2008 (Price: $4.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Sand, Snow and Solid Physical Science Wonder Kit by DUNECRAFT INC.

Kids can experiment with fascinating polymers, demonstrating real world examples of conservation of mass, surface tension, polarity, osmosis, saturation, evaporation and more. All of the included polymers are reusable for hours and hours of mesmerizing fun. The comprehensive kit contains over 20 educational experiments, as well as a thorough guide outlining what can be demonstrated by each experiment and the science behind them. Other varieties in the line are Botanical Discoveries, Water Plants Adaptation Exploration and the Astounding Polymers Properties Observation Kit. Launch date: 2008. 6/16/2008 (Price: $24.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

40x, 100x, 400x Compound Microscope by BARSKA

The microscope is designed for examining plants, insects and leaves, teaching children about the biological structure of things in nature. Launch date: June 2008. 6/16/2008 (Price: $119.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Who Will Save our planet? by ALL 4 KIDZ ENTERPRISES

The educational book teaches children about global warming in an eye-catching, informative format. An accompanying audio CD is also included. Launch date: May 2008. 6/16/2008 (Price: $12.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

EmotrionsOnCards™ by TRIANGOL STRATEGY SL

The emotional intelligence card game features cards that represent emotions such as love, sadness, fury, hungry and indecision. Positive emotions win players points, while negative ones detract points. There are various levels, advanced rules, tournament rules and rules for an alternate game. Since “everyone at any age is interested in the emotional battlefield in some way, this is the perfect game to bring the family [together]…sharing at least a genuine theme of common interest,” Triangol Strategy SL Director Rolando S. Buenavilla told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 2004. 6/4/2008 (Price: $11.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Yes to Running! DVD by ROUND RIVER RECORDS

The DVD features live footage of a concert performed by Grammy Award-winning storyteller and musician Bill Harley. The DVD includes hilarious stories, ten sing-along songs and an introduction to Harley's offbeat and insightful way of looking at life. Launch date: August 10, 2008. 6/4/2008 (Price: $14.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Yes to Running! CD Set by ROUND RIVER RECORDS

The two-disc set features hilarious stories and sing-along music by Grammy Award-winning storyteller and musician Bill Harley. The CDs feature ten songs and stories, providing a fun introduction to Harley's offbeat and insightful way of looking at life. Launch date: August 10, 2008. 6/4/2008 (Price: $17.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

My First Book of Mazes by KUMON PUBLISHING NORTH AMERICA INC.

The workbook gives kids the opportunity to build a firm foundation for pencil-control skills by tracing lines through basic mazes following clear directional indicators. The exercises have many 3D illustrations, such as towns, streets and parks, which will engage a child’s curiosity. This amusing practice will also help children acquire the ability to concentrate, a crucial study skill for the emerging student. Launch date: February 1, 2004. 6/4/2008 (Price: $6.95)

My First Book of Tracing by KUMON PUBLISHING NORTH AMERICA INC.

The workbook lets kids practice basic pencil-control skills. All the exercises include colorful, pleasing pictures that children will enjoy drawing. Children start by tracing straight vertical lines, and gradually move to drawing more challenging curved, zigzag and diagonal lines. Launch date: February 1, 2004. 6/4/2008 (Price: $6.95)

My Book of Numbers 1-30 by KUMON PUBLISHING NORTH AMERICA INC.

The workbook gives kids the opportunity to learn to read and write numbers from 1 to 30. Fun and colorful exercises progress slowly from tracing over numbers to writing them from scratch. Children will be able to easily learn the shapes and concepts of numbers by tracing and writing numbers again and again. Launch date: February 1, 2004. 6/4/2008 (Price: $6.95)

My Book of Easy Telling Time: Learning about Hours and Half-hours by KUMON PUBLISHING NORTH AMERICA INC.

The workbook introduces kids to the concept of telling time by concentrating on the hours first, and then incrementally introducing children to half- and quarter-hours. Learning to tell time this way will also help children improve their general understanding of numbers. This item is an Association of Educational Publishers Distinguished Achievement Award winner. Launch date: April 1, 2006. 6/4/2008 (Price: $6.95)

My First Book of Uppercase Letters by KUMON PUBLISHING NORTH AMERICA INC.

The workbook gives kids the opportunity to develop basic pencil-control skills while learning the shapes of uppercase letters. The book begins with easy-to-write letters, like the letter L, and then gradually progresses to more difficult letters, such as the letter A. Children learn the shapes and concepts of letters by writing and tracing them again and again. Launch date: February 1, 2004. 6/4/2008 (Price: $6.95)

Now I'm Reading!™ GAMES: Word Dominoes!: A Game of Word Building by INNOVATIVEKIDS

“Et,” “ip” and “op” are all letter families that make the fun rhymes and sounds in this storybook and game.  Kids learn the rhyming word families in the story and then build the words in a game of Word Dominoes. The Now I’m Reading! Games series turn reading into play. Launch date: May 2008. 6/4/2008 (Price: $9.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Now I'm Reading!™ GAMES: Rhyming War: A Game of Comparisons by INNOVATIVEKIDS

The numbers are at war. One thinks he’s bigger than Two and Three thinks he’s greater than Four; only wise Zero knows that nothing good can come of all this division. Kids will have fun rhyming as they practice number-comparison skills in this twist on the classic card game War. The Now I’m Reading! Games series turn reading into play. Launch date: May 2008. 6/4/2008 (Price: $9.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Now I'm Reading!™ GAMES: Letter Bingo!: A Game of Letter Sounds by INNOVATIVEKIDS

Annie packs an apple into a box marked “A.” Zelda puts a toy zebra into a box with a giant “Z.” In all, kids learn letters and the sounds they make as they read the alphabet party book from A through Z and play the Bingo game to reinforce what they’ve learned. The Now I’m Reading! Games series turn reading into play. Launch date: May 2008. 6/4/2008 (Price: $9.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Now I'm Reading!™ GAMES: Go Fish Stories!: A Game of Story Sequencing by INNOVATIVEKIDS

Story sequencing meets the well-loved matching game Go Fish. As kids read the book, they learn how a seed becomes an apple and flour makes a cake. Then they build essential story-sequencing skills by playing the game and building each of nine story scenes. The Now I’m Reading! Games series turn reading into play. Launch date: May 2008. 6/4/2008 (Price: $9.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

The Sesquipedalian Word Game: Act it! Draw it! Ad-lib it! Guess it! by INNOVATIVEKIDS

By playing this game, kids will learn a plethora (a lot) of words to make them sound sagacious (wise). Each player will become a sesquipedalian (one who uses long words) and enjoy some tomfoolery (playful behavior) in the process. Launch date: May 2008. 6/4/2008 (Price: $19.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Phonics Comics™: Tutu Twins (Level 2) by INNOVATIVEKIDS

The tutu twins collide at center stage as Tina and Nina, two ballerinas-in-training, learn what it takes to be a star. Developed with the help of reading specialists, Phonics Comics make reading fun. Launch date: March 2008. 6/4/2008 (Price: $3.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Phonics Comics™: The Fix-It Crew (Level 1) by INNOVATIVEKIDS

The fun-loving Fix-It Crew trio can fix any mix-up in a jiffy using strength, smarts and speed. Kids learn the importance of teamwork while building reading skills in this engaging story. Launch date: March 2008. 6/4/2008 (Price: $3.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

innovativeKids READERS™: Clue School™: The Ghost in the Music Room by INNOVATIVEKIDS

The music room at Clue School is haunted. Readers help Artie, Sandra and the other Clue School kids solve the mystery of the haunted music room using deductive reasoning. The answer is revealed in the 64-piece puzzle. Launch date: March 2008. 6/4/2008 (Price: $6.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

innovativeKids READERS™: Presidents: The Race for the White House (Level 3) by INNOVATIVEKIDS

This book provides kids with a glimpse at the history and how-to of U.S. presidential elections. An activity sheet helps kids track the current presidential election, while a 48-piece puzzle of U.S. presidents gives kids a chance to piece together history. Launch date: March 2008. 6/4/2008 (Price: $6.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

innovativeKids READERS™: Rock Band (Level 2) by INNOVATIVEKIDS

Blast off with Beep, Boop and Bam as they visit Earth to find new sounds for their intergalactic rock band. Toilets flushing, chalkboard-screeching, and a dog barking are all music to these earthbound newbies as they find new tunes in all the wrong places. This hilarious level 2 reader comes packed with picture clues and 16 spelling puzzles. Launch date: March 2008. 6/4/2008 (Price: $6.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Music is ... MATH! by SoundScience

This award-winning new audio CD series teaches the early developing brain the framework of mathematics, spatial relationships, symmetry and motion — all through a passive CD system that plays in the background. This groundbreaking product is a multi-CD series designed to match the ages amd stages of a baby's brain development. 6/4/2008

UpScale - A Musical Scales Game by NOTELOGIC LLC

A simple game to learn scales.  Pieces are laid face down, much like dominoes, and picked up one at a time by players.  As the students lay down their pieces, they learn the key signatures and whole/half step patterns.  "Choosing cards" are included for 15 Major and 15 minor keys.  Pieces are color coded to match the black and white keys on the piano.  Half step markers are also included. 6/3/2008 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Mind Benders A1-A2 Software Track & Field Complex by THE CRITICAL THINKING CO.

The deductive thinking puzzles help children develop the logic, reading comprehension and mental organization skills vital to achieving high grades and top test scores in all subjects. “They're also great for developing real-life, problem solving skills,” Nile Duppstadt II, vice president of sales and marketing at The Critical Thinking Company, told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 16, 2008. 5/30/2008 (Price: $25.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]