April 2011 New Specialty Toys — All

All-in-one pillow+mat+blanket. An easy solution for daycare, Preschool, travel, Grandma’s house or just any time a little one needs to relax. This easy to carry mat that is colorful and versatile. Easy to roll up, has Velcro closures and a carry handle. There is also a name tag included. Comes in three different styles.

Sunny SleeveZ are light-as-a-feather, 50+UPF fabric sun protection sleeves. They block 98% of UVA & UVB rays. No mess. No missed spots. No Fuss. Kids can wear Sunny Sleevez with a regular short sleeve & get instant, chemical-free sun block that never has to be reapplied. Slip them on in the sun, Slide them off when you're done. They provide sun protection "that never needs to be reapplied and won't get in babies eyes and mouths," Dashiel St. Damien, founder of Sunny SleeveZ, told TDmonthly. Available in 7 sizes (baby-adult), with a wide range of colors & designs, including 3D.

Sunny BeadZ Jewelry features color-changing beads that are white indoors and instantly change to color in the sun, the stronger the UV rays the brighter the color. Skin cancer rates are skyrocketing, (1 in 5 Americans diagnosed annually). Often some of the worst sun damage occurs on cloudy summer days when the UV rays are just as strong but the temperature is cool, but Sunny BeadZ alerts the wearer to the strength of the rays. Sunny BeadZ Necklaces, bracelets and key-rings featuring both permanent-color beads & charms as well as UV beads, and all are made in the USA. Launch date: 2011.

Each member of the Piggy Wiggies family comes with a name and a lovable little story. Each Piggy is a hand-crafted plush made from socks. There are also mini Piggy Wiggies. Launch date: February 2011.

Shake, rattle and hold...these Silly Buddies now all come as pacifier holders and a rattle has been added to each. Machine wash and tumble dry. Size: 10"

Blossom is a soft, pink velour bunny. Her extra long arms make it easy to tie her on the side of a crib or atop the perfect baby gift. Machine wash and tumble dry. Size: 10"

Plush floppy eared bunny has snuggly soft pink velour blanket, lined and edged in silky satin. Embroidered message reads, "Best Friends Indeed." Washes beautifully, machine wash and tumble dry. Size: 16"

Plush bunny with soft blue velour blanket lined and edged in silky satin. Blanket is open in the back for easier snuggling. "Best Friends Indeed" embroidery. Machine wash & tumble dry. Size: 16"

Babies' skin is very sensitive to the effects of the sun and most built-in stroller canopies simply don't offer enough protection. ShadyBaby creates a stylish line of parasols that provide UPF 50+ protection. Universal clamp attaches to most strollers and joggers. "Our fun colors and custom prints add a touch of style to your stroller," Brian Winterling, owner of ShadyBaby, told TDmonthly.
Awards: 2010 Parent-Tested, Parent-Approved

A Poofin is a large pillow-like Star that holds a collection of soft picture charms that represent all the great things in a kid's life and what they like about themselves. "Kids can make it one-of-a-kind by filling it with as many as 50 small, soft charms of their choosing. As kids build their charm collection, they get an understanding of just how awesome they are. Poofin is a plush collectible toy with soul that bridges the inner and outer dimensions of a child. As we like to say: What you put inside is what’s inside you. Poofin allows a child to share their stories with friends and family through the sharing of their personal charm collection," Ann Bowar, principal of Poofin, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2011.

Bag-o-Loot is a new card game that combines strategy, luck, interaction and emotions. During their turn, players can create sets of matching cards called collections, steal collections from other players, or complete a set, making a Bag-O-Loot. But players must be wary- The Bag-O-Loot could be a bluff. Players must outwit or outguess their opponents and try to commit a robbery to end the round. "It is just as fun and engaging for a group of adults to play, a group of kids to play, or a mixed group of adults and kids to play," John Shelley, president of Bag-O-Loot, told TDmonthly.
Awards: 2011 Dr. Toy's Best Picks; 2011 Preferred Choice Award in the category of Family Card Games from Creative Child Magazine.
— As of 10/19/2011 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 10 reviews on Amazon.com.

The Mei Tai Baby Carrier is a modernized version of the traditional Chinese cloth baby carrier. It may be used to carry babies and toddlers in an upright position facing in or out, on the hip, or on the back. "Our Mei Tai is adjustable to enable users to adjust the width narrower for young babies or to face out," Beth Leistensnider, president of Catbird Baby, told TDmonthly.

Vacations are fun and exciting, but when day turns to night, being in an unfamiliar, dark environment can be scary. Read Bedtime on Safari to learn about how relaxing lights and familiar sounds can comfort kids and show them that there’s nothing to fear in the dark. Set features a fully illustrated book that helps children overcome their fear of the dark. Includes two fun finger puppets (Twilight Turtle and Gentle Giraffe). Gift box transforms into an interactive puppet theater with fully illustrated Safari scene. Gift set lets children play while they learn. Launch date: 2011.

Easily take playtime to bedtime with Mimicking Monkey. Mimicking Monkey’s unique dual track voiceover option allows parents to record personal messages along with each sound to personalize their child’s play, relax or bedtime environment. Familiar voices and soothing sounds can help children achieve a more peaceful, deeper sleep. Caregivers can record a soothing message to their child to help ease separation anxiety. Mimicking Monkey features include: Plays three unique sounds - Monkey fun, angel falls, lullaby; Records voices over all sound options; 30 minute sleep timer; Velcro hands for securing to cribs and strollers; 2 AA batteries included; Illustrated storybook and adoption certificate.
— As of 05/27/2011 this product had 3.3 out of 5 stars from 3 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Cute; users liked the recording features; on an automatic timer so it doesn't stay on all night. Cons: one user said the monkey excessively shed its fur.

The inside play area of this Princess Carriage easily accommodates 2-3 children. Carriage comes complete with 2 authentic lanterns, swinging carriage doors and a sunroof. Carriage has detailed pre-printed line work and includes colored markers.

The sleek contemporary design of this galactic cruiser will accommodate 1-2 children inside. Child uses flip up booster door in back of shuttle for easy entry. Front windshield flips up for additional peak-a-boo play. This Space Shuttle can also be easily positioned on its tail for “Take-off” position play.

This classic design is large enough to accommodate 2-3 children. Includes pre-printed line work and color markers for tons of coloring fun. Features a pointed tower and a door that folds down, just like a castle gate over a moat.

This high styled Pirate Ship will accommodate 2-3 small children and includes a flap door in back for easy access, a real spinning steering wheel and 2 Pirate swords. Safety tested designs with markers included- they're easy to assemble and built for serious play.

In Trigger, players answer "True" or "False to various statements using their right hand for "True" and their left hand for "False." The first to answer using the correct hand signal collects a card. An example of one of the statements is "If I am your mother's brother, then I am your aunt." Players collect a card if they are the first to answer correctly, or lose a card if they are the first to answer incorrectly. "Trigger is a fast, fun party game. Your brain has to think quickly so you can answer the statement correctly and answer using the correct hand," Nicole Britton from Blue Orange Games told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2011.
Awards: TDmonthly Top Toy Award, January 2012; 2011 ASTRA Best Toys for Kids
— Why it won: Super fun, for small or large groups of friend or strangers. Rapidly paced and often hilarious, players learn new facts about their opponents, and about their own abilities to be observant.

Tell Tale is a portable story telling game. Players pick from the 60 included cards, then spin a story based on what has been picked. Packaged in a sturdy round tin, the game is good for travel. There are nearly an infinite amount of unique card combinations to pick, and four variations to spice up the game. "Tell Tale offers a new option to traditional storybooks. Your little one can choose a few cards for you to improvise and tell your own short bedtime story," Nicole Britton from Blue Orange Games told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2011.

In Spell it! players roll the five-sided lettered die. Using at least 3 of the 5 letters they must call out a word related to the given theme. The first to call out the word and spell it correctly wins a chip worth the number of letters in the word. If the word is misspelled, no points are received. Themes include "Home Sweet Home," "Around the World," "Famous People," "Sports, Games, and Hobbies," "Create a Theme," and "No Nouns." "Spell It! is truly a party game with words. There is always a challenge to get the longest word in the right theme and spell it correctly," Nicole Britton from Blue Orange Games told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2011.

Each card lists 6 items. Players roll the die and the number rolled tells them what to sketch. Each person simultaneously sketches a different item. The challenge is to draw quickly enough to grab the highest-valued token, but carefully enough that opponents can identify the drawn image. Points are gained in two ways: when one player correctly identifies another's drawing the artist gets points, and the player who correctly identifies the image gets points as well. After 10 rounds, the one with the most points wins. Launch date: June 2011.

Fastrack is an all-new kind of sports game. It consists of a wooden tray with an elastic band across each end and a bridge in the middle with a slot opening. Each side starts with 5 wooden disks. Using the elastic cord, players must be quick and aim well to be the first to send all of the disks zooming across to the other side. The first to successfully clear all 10 disks to the opponent's side wins the round. "Fastrack is high quality, eco-friendly, durable and made of wood," Nicole Britton from Blue Orange Games told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2011.
Awards: 2011 Dr. Toy's Best Green Product; 2011 ASTRA Best Toys for Kids
— In a July 2014 survey, one out of 14 retailers told TDmonthly that Fastrack was their store's best-selling toy.

Arrange colorful cubes in different designs with Pixy Cubes. Each cube is colored green, red, yellow and blue- either as solids, halves or in two variations of crescent shapes. Players can race for speed, challenge their memory, or simply create pictures and designs as a pastime. "With so many options and travel-friendly packaging, Pixy Cubes is perfect for an afternoon of fun and mental stimulation," Nicole Britton from Blue Orange Games told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2011.