February 2009 New Specialty Toys — All

Hobby-Bike, a learning bicycle for children with a removable drive system (crank, pedals,chain, etc.), allows for two modes of operation: learning and riding. The bicycle's primary purpose in the learning mode (without drive system) is to teach young children the basic skills (balancing, braking and control) needed to ride a bicycle without the use of training wheels.  Without the pedal system it is lighter and easier for a child to maintain balance and steer. Once these skills are mastered, the drive system is fastened and the bicycle is ready for use in the riding mode. The Hobby plush toy serves as the handlebars protective padding to protect the child from direct impact with the handlebar. Available in red, blue, yellow, and pink. Comes with a comfortable saddle and pneumatic rubber tires, making rough and bumpy paths comfortable for the rider. Awards: Mom's Best Award 2010

Hobby-Bike, a learning bicycle for children with a removable drive system (crank, pedals,chain, etc.), allows for two modes of operation: learning and riding. The bicycle's primary purpose in the learning mode (without drive system) is to teach young children the basic skills (balancing, braking and control) needed to ride a bicycle without the use of training wheels.  Without the pedal system it is lighter and easier for a child to maintain balance and steer. Once these skills are mastered, the drive system is fastened and the bicycle is ready for use in the riding mode. The Hobby plush toy serves as the handlebars protective padding to protect the child from direct impact with the handlebar. Available in red, blue, yellow, and pink. Comes with a comfortable saddle and pneumatic rubber tires, making rough and bumpy paths comfortable for the rider.

The AdoraPet Puppies DVD shows 5 puppies, Watson, Bela, Dart, Oliver and Raleigh, playing and romping, set to beautiful music. Suitable for all ages, the DVD is 40 minutes long and will delight children and parents. Minimum retail price of $12.99.

Intro to Engineering is part of the Little Labs line, which is intended to be the portal through which children ages five to seven first begin to explore and appreciate science. Intro the Engineering introduces young children to the field of engineering with 25 experiments in five sections. Children learn engineering basics with experiments on levers, forces, and pulleys. They explore engineering on land by building vehicles with wheels; engineering in the air with a helicopter, a parachute, and a glider; and engineering in the water with a diving bell, a sailboat, and a paddleboat. They even find engineering at home, with experiments modeling the telephone and television (without breaking them, of course). This kit has a 48-page, full-color experiment manual, and a retail price of $34.95. Available summer 2009.

The Dangerous Book for Boys: Electronics presents information on electronics every child should know through fun, engaging, and impressive experiments and activities. Children ages eight and up learn how to construct simple electronic toys, such as a joy buzzer and insect. It comes with a 32-page, full-color experiment manual and retails for $35.95. Awards: Parent's Choice Award 2010. Launch date: Fall 2009.

Targeted for ages ten and up, this edition enables a younger audience to experience one of the most significant technologies of the early 21st Century — especially appropriate in the midst of our auto industry crisis and global energy situation. By constructing and operating a unique reversible hydrogen fuel cell, powered by water and sunlight, children build a model car that actually runs on water! And in so doing, they join auto manufacturers in experimenting with a technology that will power not only automobiles, but electronic devices such as laptops and cell phones. This new edition has a beautifully redesigned car body with a display stand and a rewritten 64-page, full-color experiment manual, and retails for $169.95. Available fall 2009.

As a follow-up to the bestselling Power House kit comes Power House Green Essentials Edition, targeted towards a younger audience of ages 10 and up. This kit teaches children about the timely issues of alternative energy and sustainable living, by conducting 30 experiments and building ten energy-related models: the power house itself, a greenhouse, a solar cell array, a passive solar collector, a solar oven, an air conditioner, a refrigerator, a hydrometer, a lemon battery, and a wind power generator. They can even sow seeds in the greenhouse! The kit comes with a 64-page, full-color experiment manual and retails for $89.95. Available now.
— “Most anything from Thames & Kosmos, like the Power House, Wind Power [and] Creative Cosmetics,” sells well for education, according to Patti Tepper Rasmussen, owner of Learning Tree Toys, Games & Books in Oklahoma City, Okla.
— Three of 40 retailers mentioned science kits by Thames & Kosmos when discussing best-selling educational items in fall 2009.

Get ready to touch, time, see, balance, bluff, listen, locate and laugh your way through this outrageous game! Teams race to perform all kinds of fun, easy to play challenges spread over ten sense-ational categories.

A bookworm to the core, this tan Glowberry Bear always wants to know more. When he’s not reading, he yearns to explore, and see which adventure is behind the next door. The Glowberry Bears are 12-inch soft plush, adorable daytime friends; at night they are huggable, cuddly, night-lights. The Glowberry Bears glow and giggle if their tummies are rubbed. A squeeze of their left paw and they become a cuddly night-light. The Glowberry Bears can actually talk to kids and when two Glowberry Bears are in the same proximity they talk to each other!

Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall, she’s always giggling and having a ball. This yellow Glowberry Bear is kind from head to toe, both her tummy and her personality glow. The Glowberry Bears are 12-inch soft plush, adorable daytime friends; at night they are huggable, cuddly, night-lights. The Glowberry Bears glow and giggle if their tummies are rubbed. A squeeze of their left paw and they become a cuddly night-light. The Glowberry Bears can actually talk to kids and when two Glowberry Bears are in the same proximity they talk to each other!

Twinkles is pink and just the kind of Glowberry Bear you’d think. She’s pretty and kind, and witty you’ll find. Besides her incredible ability to sing, the other Glowberry Bears will tell you she knows everything. The Glowberry Bears are 12-inch soft plush, adorable daytime friends; at night they are huggable, cuddly, night-lights. The Glowberry Bears glow and giggle if their tummies are rubbed. A squeeze of their left paw and they become a cuddly night-light. The Glowberry Bears can actually talk to kids and when two Glowberry Bears are in the same proximity they talk to each other!

This Glowberry Bear is green, the youngest and cutest on the scene. Smart and athletic, he has it all, and is always there to help when his best friends call. Day after day, this fastest Glowberry Bear is out, discovering what Snooky Island’s all about. The Glowberry Bears are 12-inch soft plush, adorable daytime friends; at night they are huggable, cuddly, night-lights. The Glowberry Bears glow and giggle if their tummies are rubbed. A squeeze of their left paw and they become a cuddly night-light. The Glowberry Bears can actually talk to kids and when two Glowberry Bears are in the same proximity they talk to each other!

Includes a large variety of jewels so you can add some "bling" to all of your fuse bead projects. Pack includes flowers, hearts, stars, larger circles and three different colors of our popular smaller circles.  Then hang your completed Perler® and fuse bead project on the refrigerator with one of the super magnets. JAMLiBs allow a child to customize their fused or Perler® bead projects, opening the door to another level of creativity and fun.  They come in jewels of all shapes, sizes, and colors, googly eyes, colorful dots and word tabs.  Each pack also includes magnets, enabling each kid to display their finished work on your refrigerator. JAMLiBs are reusable.

Includes everything you will need to get you started; large and small jewels, googly eyes, colorful pegs, word fun circles with pre-printed messages and some word fun circles to write your own message. Then hang your completed Perler® and fuse bead project on the refrigerator with one of the super magnets. JAMLiBs allow a child to customize their fused or Perler® bead projects, opening the door to another level of creativity and fun.  They come in jewels of all shapes, sizes, and colors, googly eyes, colorful dots and word tabs.  Each pack also includes magnets, enabling each kid to display their finished work on your refrigerator. JAMLiBs are reusable.

Designed for both kids and adults, Tail Wags helmet covers come in a variety of styles that not only provide fun expression, but also enhance visibility for safety purposes. MSRP for the styles in the line ranges from $30 to $45.

Press a song button on the guitar and sing along to popular children’s songs. Lyrics are printed in the book. Roll the bar on the guitar to play the melody note by note. Includes five song triggers.

Kids help Thomas take photos from around Sodor. “Digital camera” module includes buttons for five spread animations with sound effects, a flash snapshot button, and a slideshow button. Kids watch the LED animation and press the snapshot button to capture a still ‘photo’ that they can then view by pressing the slideshow button. Each spread animation can have six ‘photos’ and each ‘photo’ is accompanied by a sound effect.

Children will love using the real working flashlight included with this book to cast shadows on the book and the pop-ups that are on each spread. The flashlight includes five fun sounds. 

Children can sing along with their favorite characters using their own detachable digital MP3 player! Each book spread features the lyrics of four songs, each with its own icon. The child can select the corresponding icon on their MP3 player to hear the song. The MP3 player includes Play, Shuffle, and Stop buttons. On the LCD screen, a simple animated icon – one for each of the 20 songs – is also displayed.

Steering Wheel books feature a steering wheel mounted on a telescoping base that raises and locks into place. Sound triggers, including the horn button on the wheel, make realistic vehicle sounds to accompany the story. Each spread features the story with illustration on the left-hand page, while the right-hand page shows what the child sees through the “windshield” at a particular point in the story.

Trigger 25 magic moments including sound, character voice, and melodies by touching the “magic” spots on the page with the magic wand. Or wave the wand in the air to hear sparkly magic wand sounds.

Box set includes a storybook that makes three fun sounds and a plush toy of the character in the story.

Welcome to the Pit Crew! The Tool Box book helps readers join the team by letting them use three tools while reading the story. Hear the click-clack, tap-tap, and ratchet sounds by interacting with the shaped buttons. Press the illustrated buttons to hear Lightning’s engine rev and other race day sounds.

Created with the help of developmental education experts, My First Story Reader® is the younger sibling of the bestselling Story Reader®. It is geared towards beginning readers and features a smaller design that is friendly to little hands. Place one of the included sturdy board books into the reader and plug in the story cartridge to let the fun begin. Activities include first steps to reading, sound identification, matching, shapes, and colors. The reader features three big light-up buttons that play silly sounds.  Available storybooks feature favorite characters.