January 2010 New Specialty Toys — Developmental Toys

Kids can learn about colors, numbers, stacking and nesting with this set of wooden nesting boxes.

This high-quality, colorful, easy to assemble Push & Play Mouse Wagon is designed to engage kids in hours and hours of wholesome play with lots of fun. It encourages walking and balancing, and there's a maze on both sides of the wagon. Kids can store their favorite toys in the large box and move around the house. Tested to meet European and U.S. safety standards. Launch date: February 14, 2010.

Featuring striking design and photography, these unique lacing cards teach shapes, colors, and textures while they develop hand-eye coordination. Bright, colorful cards with die-cut shapes can be used alone or laced together into a book or a piece of hanging art. Fundamental concepts have never been so fun! WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD—Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

Inspired by classic stringing bead toys, this innovative collection of 10 books in various shapes develops motor skills while introducing color, shape, and pattern in a wonderfully playful way. Children will have hours of fun reading this set as books, playing with them as blocks, or stringing them as beads. WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD—Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

The SandLock 5x5 Sandbox has a patented interlocking design, a CoverLock system and a variety of other one-of-a-kind features. "The SandLock brand is known for it's quality and now we bring all that and more at an affordable price," Chris Freres, Owner, SandLock Sandbox, told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 2010.

The Tessell play mat was designed to develop kids' creativity, space perception and shaping ability by giving them the option to assemble whatever shape they want from soft colorful piece segments of the soft play mat. Tessellation has been adopted as part of mathematical curriculum in the United States since the 1960s. It has been applied in mathematical education in many countries in the world because it enables kids to develop mathematical thinking and creativity in the most natural way while they move, rotate and turn over the basic shapes of triangle, square and hexagon. "It's two products in one. The puzzle mats changes to a rocking chair while it enhances learning skills," Jennie Nam, PR, Tessell, told TDmonthly. Awards: 2008 & 2009 Kind + Jugend Innovation toys. Launch date: 2010.

Zatswho® is a set of six differently colored, sensory flashcards that work like flexible photo frames. The cards are soft, easy to hold, pliable, tactile and wipe clean, great for babies, toddlers and special needs children. Slip in a photo of your child’s faraway Grandma and they'll learn her face in minutes, keeping family connected. This interactive learning tool also helps to teach colors, shapes and more as the child goes from one developmental stage to the next. Zatswho® soft photo flashcards come in a little carrying tote, so it also makes a cute travel game.

Designed for children ages 3 to 8, Pipperoos' creative drama kits include dress-up materials and an illustrated storybook. The Sea Play Octopus Kit features a Opus the Octopus costume and Pipperoos' first book, The Key in the Sea. While listening to the story, children can pantomime, act out the story independently, or explore the theme with related activities listed in the book. "Pipperoos' creative drama products encourage active participation in reading, storytelling, and learning," Jennifer Hastings, co-founder of Pipperoos, told TDmonthly.

Designed for children ages 3 to 8, Pipperoos' creative drama kits include dress-up materials and an illustrated storybook. The Sea Play Shark Kit features a Mark the Shark costume and Pipperoos' first book, The Key in the Sea. While listening to the story, children can pantomime, act out the story independently, or explore the theme with related activities listed in the book. "Pipperoos' creative drama products encourage active participation in reading, storytelling, and learning," Jennifer Hastings, co-founder of Pipperoos, told TDmonthly.

Designed for children ages 3 to 8, Pipperoos' creative drama kits include dress-up materials and an illustrated storybook. The Sea Play Jelly Kit features a Julie the Jelly costume and Pipperoos' first book, The Key in the Sea. While listening to the story, children can pantomime, act out the story independently, or explore the theme with related activities listed in the book. "Pipperoos' creative drama products encourage active participation in reading, storytelling, and learning," Jennifer Hastings, co-founder of Pipperoos, told TDmonthly.

The JUMBO Grip features the same shape as The Pencil Grip to place fingers in the correct stance for gripping, for both right- and left-handed writers. It’s about 40-percent bigger than The Pencil Grip, designed to offer comfort and support up to the second knuckle.
— Joan Machlis, owner of Wind Up Here in Olympia, Wash., told TDmonthly in fall 2009 that the store sells about 50 items per month by the Pencil Grip.
— ''We sell maybe 75 per month,'' Mike DiAndrea, manager of Hardware Centre, Inc., in Paoli, Pa., told TDmonthly.

Each of the 52 cards in this set includes a funny drawing, a catchword and a phrase. They are designed to be drawn randomly to spark conversation between parent and child, to provide comfort or reward, or to function as an ice breaker at a kids' party.

Created by Dr. Jen, a pediatrician with two sets of twins, the U-Play Mat is a "U" shaped floor mat with 15 clear pockets, 240 theme-based card decks, a tote bag and an instruction manual. Children ages 1 to 4 can work on language and communication development engaging with the caregiver in 10 exercises per card deck. The child sits inside the U, which is designed to promote physical acvitity, social skills and enhancement of language development. The U-Play Mat is a "pediatrician-invented, low-tech, interactive, unique educational toy for language development," Dr. Jennifer Canter, CEO of Play This Way Every Day, told TDmonthly. This product was named one of Dr. Toy's Top 10 Active Products 2009. Launch date: September 30, 2009.

The Precycle is a "green" and artfully crafted wood balance bikes for ages 2 to 5. It features a curved saddle, raise handlebars and wheels inspired by the Lamborghini. A tree is planted by Global Releaf for every bike manufactured by Foot Cycles. Launch date: November 27, 2009.

The U-Play Mat is a U-shaped mat with 15 clear pockets on its surface. The mat is 4 feet wide, and 3 feet deep. The innovative "U" shape allows the child to sit inside the opening of the "U" with full access to the 15 pockets. The child has full visual and tactile access to the whole surface, without having to crawl atop the mat. Child-safe see-through pockets allow fifteen theme-based cards to be secured to the mat surface. This patent pending design allows for the caregiver to sit across and engage the child in a variety of exercises using the adorable theme-based card decks. The pockets are designed to be slightly larger than the cards, allowing for the cards to be placed and removed easily. The Professional Edition is recommended for the two to five year old child at home or for the professional (speech therapist, teacher, etc.) working with children of any age or ability. This includes all of the eight available card decks for a total of 240 cards. Includes U-Play Mat, Tote, U-Animals Card Deck, U-Foods Card Deck, U-Fruits and Vegetables Card Deck, U-Go Card Deck, U-Home Card Deck, U-Dress Card Deck, U-Outside Card Deck, and U-Play Card Deck.

The U-Play Mat is a U-shaped mat with 15 clear pockets on its surface. The mat is 4 feet wide, and 3 feet deep. The innovative "U" shape allows the child to sit inside the opening of the "U" with full access to the 15 pockets. The child has full visual and tactile access to the whole surface, without having to crawl atop the mat. Child-safe see-through pockets allow fifteen theme-based cards to be secured to the mat surface. This patent pending design allows for the caregiver to sit across and engage the child in a variety of exercises using the adorable theme-based card decks. The pockets are designed to be slightly larger than the cards, allowing for the cards to be placed and removed easily. This set is recommended for at-home use, especially with the one to two year old child just starting to use the U-Play Mat. Includes: U-Play Mat, Tote, U-Animals Card Deck, and U-Foods Card Deck.
— "A great language activity that promotes listening, language and social skills.  A superior choice for children who need support in these areas and might have trouble staying focused," Jennifer Shuman, of 1SmartNoodle, told TDmonthly at Toy Fair 2010.

The Goal Bands Game features karate belts turned into six wristbands and used as a simple reward/reminder system that encourages the achievement of behavioral goals. Goals are chosen, daily, by GBG participants and the wristbands are exchanged, in karate belt order, after each days' success until the black wristband is reached, ideally, at the end of the week. The idea is for GBG participants to become goal oriented and able to supercharge their inner stregths for a lifetime of great achievements. "The Goal Bands Game is both visual and tactile, has a broad appeal, a mutitude of uses, is as simple to use as putting on a bracelet, and works for virtually anyone of any age to encourage personal growth and the achievement of great individual, or group, goals," James Mentzer, president of Black Belt Goals Inc., told TDmonthly. This game received a 2009 Dr. Toy 10 Best Socially Responsible Products award and was named one of Dr. Toy's 100 Best Children's Products. Launch date: 2009.

Muddy Cloud is a character-driven line featuring bright colors and abstract shapes. "Muddy Cloud characters are abstract and invite an active imagination," Matt Anaya, co-owner of Muddy Cloud, told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2008.

Designed to provide safe, fun and healthy activity for children, the Happy bike has an adjustable seat and a tension setting, and includes a battery powered odometer. It is made with a steel frame, and is foam padded for safe play, Some assembly is required (tools included). Launch date: 2009.

Designed to provide safe, fun and healthy activity for children, this air walker is made of steel and is foam padded for safe and long-lasting use. Some assembly is required (tools included). Launch date: 2009.

This treadmill for children between the ages of 2 and 6 is designed to provide safe, fun and healthy activity. It is not motorized. It features a battery powered odometer, and some assembly is required (tools included). The treadmill is foam padded and colorful, built of steel for long-lasting use. Launch date: 2009.

This weight bench for children between the ages of 2 and 6 is designed to keep children fit by providing safe, fun and healthy activity. The total weight of the bar, including foam weights, is 4.25 lbs. Three different exercise are possible: press, leg curl, and leg lift. It is made of steel and foam padded. Some assembly is required (tools included). Launch date: 2009.

These smart characters are comprised of three soft pieces that when “puzzled” together make a playful friend. Sturdy enough for a wobbly toddler to balance on and lightweight enough to move around, these silly seats are a fabulously fun gross motor tool. Kids can climb on it, sit on it or drool on it; the snugly, durable fabric is removable and washable, and there are four playful characters. Silly Soft was a 2010 Gold Award Winner for Netherlands' Best Baby and Infant Product. Launch date: September 25, 2007.

When baby gums or bites the largest soft disk on this teething ring, it vibrates, offering comfort and a lesson in cause and effect. A disk with bold, red and white stripes catches baby’s eye. Raised stripes and smooth sections encourage teething. Completing the ring are six chewy, textured disks filled with orange, purple and red beads. Some are water-filled and, when refrigerated, provide a cool diversion from sore gums. Varied textures cultivate tactile sensitivity, helping to develop communication skills. Launch date: October 2009.