February 2009 New Specialty Toys — Creative Activities

Peggy Flores explains and demonstrates relief printing by using flat cardboard, small pieces of corrugated cardboard, styrofoam and string, which are glued onto cardboard, painted, and inked. She also carves images on vinyl blocks to create images which she then prints. The film also demonstrates a variety of simple tools such as brayers, carving tools and bench hooks. Many student examples are shown. Running time is 26 minutes. "An art teacher actually demonstrates how these particular prints can be made simply with basic techniques and shows actual student work," President Amy Woodworth of Crystal Productions told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 17, 2008.

In 1958 Chr. Flensted designed a mobile with one red and three black disks. The mobile was named "Flying Saucers" and was very popular for years, but it was discontinued after two decades. The new version consists of six discs that are not only flat but also three-dimensionally shaped, and the mobile is delivered with extra discs in white, red, black and light grey, so that kids can build their own color scheme. The mobile can be watched from below and from the sides and top. The design is by Ole Flensted. Launch date: January 25, 2009.

"Happy Accidents," the latest Billy Jonas recording, offers funky folk music for the whole family. It’s musical medicine for the mind, body and spirit — a splendiferous sonic sojourn into the near and far reaches of fun and fantasy, possibility and purpose, word-play, wonder, heart and hope. Jonas’ seventh recording and second “family” CD contains 19 songs (15 originals; four adaptations of traditional tunes) based on voice, percussion and strong, memorable melodies. "'Happy Accidents' includes Jonas’ trademark homemade 're-percussion’ drum set, as well as a glorious panoply of found sounds (rubber bands, body percussion, door squeaks, apple cider jugs), exotic kalimbas and marimbas, conventional instruments (guitars, bass, piano, banjo, accordion and tuba) and two-, three-, four-, and five-part vocal harmonies," Billy Jonas of Bang-a-Bucket Music told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 28, 2009.

This exclusive bonding adhesive will work great on most materials. Tanner's Bond Water-Based Contact Cements are non-flammable, non-toxic and low VOC. Available in a 4-oz. size, quarts and gallons, all are safe for retail consumer sales. "Due to regulation by the CPSC, TLF has developed a water-based cement line [that] is compliant in all 50 states, Canada and Europe, and ha[s] a low enough level of VOCs to be sold in CA. Our line is made exclusively for TLF and co-branded with Barge Cement," Tony Hernandez, national sales manager for Tandy Leather Factory, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009.

Paper Posie's newest book, the just-published Flower Girl A to Z, is written in rhyme and filled with colorful, trendy photographs that help Flower Girls learn about their new roles in the wedding. 

6-1/4" x 6-1/4" Hardcover, 32 pages.
Illustrated throughout, includes mirror.

This bright and colorful chart helps children of all ages recognize and share their feelings. Through a colorful and vividly illustrated marine life scene, children and their parents can identify a wide range of feelings. These 11" x 17" charts are double-sided with one side in black and white for coloring over and over again using washable crayons. It was a 2008 Dr. Toy Best Products Winner. Launch date: 2008.

This fun and engaging coloring book will help children recognize, identify, and talk about their feelings. "The whimsical verse is combined with a creative representation of feelings," Lisa-Marie Arneson, owner and creator of Bright Spots, told TDmonthly. The book was a 2008 Dr. Toy Best Vacation Children's Products Winner. Launch date: 2005.

This blank puzzle gives kids freedom to draw their own picture, and then assemble and reassemble their very own design. It is available in 5" x 7" and 8" x 10" sizes with mailing envelopes.

Each Softdough Play Set includes the following: four, 4-oz. tubs of Softdough (in colors red, blue, green and yellow), a hardwood rolling pin and 11 cookie cutters (turtle, frog, squirrel, dragonfly, moon, star, sun, leaf, butterfly, heart and cloud).

This animals-themed Kids Color Tissue Box® kit features illustrations of popular animals such as a tiger and a panda for a child to color in. Each animal occupies a different face of the tissue box. Each Kids Color Tissue Box® kit includes 2 Coloring boxes, 4 Crayola® Crayons, and 2 packs of Hankeez Brand facial tissues, each with 80 SuperSoft 2-ply tissues in each pack. The tissue box size measues 4 3/8" x 4 3/8" at the base, and 4 3/4" tall.

Hours of creative entertainment for the young jeweler are packed into this boxed learning-activity-turned-craft. Kids can use the bright laces, various shapes and alphabet beads to create keepsake jewelry for themselves or parents, or use the kit as a reusable lacing set to practice spelling and patterning. 
— “The Melissa & Doug bead stringing kits” are the best-selling craft item at Let's Play in Hillsboro, Ore., Owner Shirley Reilly told TDmonthly in fall 2008. Reilly said she sells around 20 kits per month.
— Fifteen percent of 44 retailers said Melissa & Doug supply their best-selling craft kits.
— Kim Emigh, VP of E-commerce at Growing Tree Toys in State College, Penn., told TDmonthly in a Fall 2012 survey that this was a top-2 best selling jewelry item at their store.

The Kidzsack is a high quality, multifunctional, and durable bag with a screenprint that kids can color in using the 8 provided color markers. The Castle Kidzsack has received the 2008 Preferred Choice Award in the Creative Activities category.

This set includes supplies to make six handcrafted ornaments to give as gifts or to adorn the Christmas tree. It comes with hanging ribbon and gift envelopes.
— Creativity for Kids “offers kids 2 to 12 years old a craft they can do alone or along with other friends, [and the] prices are just right, too. Also, they have never given me a problem with returns,” Jeanette Lauture, owner of Aunt Jean’s Toys & Treats in Montclair, N.J., told TDmonthly in late 2008. More than 7 percent of 52 retailers named the company as a favorite supplier.

The CALAFANT Castle is part of the CALAFANT cardboard kit line and is extra sturdy and easy to build. Children can decorate it any way they like and get really creative. Not only is it fun to decorate the castle, it's also a wonderful toy and a cool home for knights, kings, princesses and dragons. The toy is fully recyclable and won't take up space in a landfill. Launch date: January 4, 2008.

With a treehouse kit made from high-quality, extra durable cardboard, all pieces come precut and easy to assemble. The child can decorate this treehouse with paint, crafting materials and get very creative. After decorating and building it, the kids can play with it and incorporate it in their every day play. Ideal size for play with 3" dolls or animal figurines. The material is 100% recyclable. Approximate size is 15" x 16" x 22". Launch date: June 1, 2008.

Kids can color these 24-piece, two-sided jigsaw puzzles with the five jumbo wipe-off crayons that are included in the sturdy sliding drawer box. Or, they can flip over the pieces over and assemble the pre-colored pieces to see the same scene. Launch date: August 2008.

The 16" x 16" polymer panels are designed so that kids can safely build three-dimensional structures kids. Launch date: March 2009.
— Dave Taylor of The Attachment Parenting Blog said Brik-A-Blok was a huge hit with his kids (ages 6 and 9). He noted that his kids’ constructions took up a great deal of space, with Brik-A-Blok tunnels stretching throughout their home. Taylor called the building system “fabulously cool,” though he lamented the high price tag.
— Brik-A-blok was the "most funnest review ever!" for She Scribes’ Kimberley and her son. Her kids enjoyed creating new structures with the versatile panels. However, Kimberley also pointed out the large amount of space needed for the toy as well as the panels’ inability to support much weight.

Style Paige LLC introduces Shailie™: going beyond “dress-ups.” With Shailie™, girls design, create, and wear their own fashions. Shailie™ includes a life-size designer dress form and stand. Shailie™ dresses come in pieces. Sleeves, skirts, tops, and accessories come in various styles, colors, and lengths. All pieces easily attach and detach; girls can mix and match creating endless looks to wear. Launch date: February 13, 2009.

This tutu features a two-tone organza petal topskirt over a tulle tutu with flower trim. It is child-sized and comes in turquoise, lavender and pink. Launch date: March 2009.

This dress features a panné velvet leotard and a glitter topskirt over the tulle and organza skirt. It is available in light blue and pink, and comes in four sizes: XSC, SC, MC and LC. Launch date: February 2009.
— Two of 52 retailers mentioned costumes and accessories from A Wish Come True when asked by TDmonthly about best-selling Halloween items in fall 2008.

This pre-colored, walk-in cardboard castle is designed for children to climb in, crawl in, play in, and decorate inside and out. It is beautiful, sturdy and offers lots of room for play and even storage, with secret compartments in the towers. The slot-and-groove system makes it easy to build, and it's made in Germany from extra-durable, lightweight white cardboard. The castle measures approximately 41" x 41" x 49". "[It's] better than any regular playhouse because children can color it and play with it," Martina McConnon, owner of Creative Toyshop, told TDmonthly. "You can build this castle in three different configurations depending on what space you have available." Launch date: 2008.

This creative and fun fashion accessory comes with a Web address and decoder card. It introduces online banking for kids to save for free prizes, and is a great impulse item. It received a 2008 Creative Child Award of Excellence. Launch date: February 14, 2008.

The Let’s Learn series of Puzzle Doubles! combines a puzzle with additional activities into a highly educational, interactive learning experience for your child. The Let’s Learn puzzles introduce numbers, letters, animals, transportation, foods, and colors & shapes in a bright and colorful way. After assembling the colorful “talk about” puzzle, turn the puzzle over for an entertaining learning activity! Color in the illustrations using the enclosed write- on/wipe-off crayons, and practice those hand writing skills by tracing and writing the letters and words as shown. Each 50 piece puzzle measures a giant 3’ X 2’! Recommended for ages three years and up.

The Create A Scene series combines a puzzle with additional activities to create a fun and interactive learning experience for children. After assembling the puzzle, children can create their own scenes and stories by placing the reusable static stickers on the surface of completed puzzle. Then turn the puzzle over for a big coloring activity. The bright illustrations encourage parent-child conversation. Each 50-piece puzzle measures a giant 3’ X 2’! Recommended for ages three years and up.