February 2009 New Specialty Toys — Gifts

These plush pet beds are a fluffy, fashionable and fun addition to the Pawparazzi line. They are available in Leopard Print and Pink & Black styles. "Accessories like our Plush Pet Beds expand the Pawparazzi play experience and bring girls into the world of these miniature superstar pets in a way other plush toys don't," Susan DeCoste, marketing manager for Noodle Head, Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2006.

This set is filled with pets, purses, fashion and more — everything little girls need to spark their imaginations and pamper their favorite celebrity pets. It includes two pet sets, two dress-up sets, two plush pet beds, a doggy dining set and the Hotel Pawparazzi playset and carrying case. "Pawparazzi pets’ unique personalities (artists, writers, actors and more!) encourage young girls to use their imaginations to unlock and explore the exciting world of these tiny superstars. The pets inspire individual expression and creativity and encourage social interaction and collaborative play with friends at birthdays, parties and play dates," Susan DeCoste, marketing manager for Noodle Head, Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2008.

The Pilloroo is the pillow with the surprise pouch. Each pillow has a zippered pocket at the top that opens to a hidden pocket big enough for a small toy, book or remote control. The pillow is stuffed just enough so kids can’t feel the toy from the outside. There are eight themes for girls and eight themes for boys. Each Pilloroo comes with a toy that coordinates with the theme. "The Pilloroo is the best hiding spot for kids!" President Vicky McQuoid of Pilloroo Designs told TDmonthly. This product received a 2008 Mom's Best Award. Launch date: September 2008.

Every new parent wants to make sure baby’s environment is as healthy as possible. This 12-oz. bottle is made from 100-percent recyclable, high-quality, food-grade stainless steel so it doesn’t need a synthetic lining like aluminum bottles. It’s completely BPA-free and won’t leach chemicals, toxins or funky flavors into baby’s beverages. It’s designed for small hands, making it easy to hold, and the large-mouth makes it easy to clean. It can be scrubbed out with soap and water, or tossed in the dishwasher. It comes with a nipple adapter, stainless stopper and no-leak sport lid so the bottle can be used for many years. "G2 Grows with your child from newborn right into grade school. At Goo-Goo Baby we make products that last," CEO Rea Cymbol of Goo-Goo Baby told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2008.

These tiny helicopter erasers come in four colors.
— “We have been selling those really, really well,” Michelle Smith of Piccolo Mondo Toys told TDmonthly of Iwako erasers in fall 2008. “It’s amazing how many people are driving across town for these things because they heard we have them.”
— "We sell 5,000+ pieces a month" of the Iwako erasers, estimated Bill Sartain, co-owner of Tutoring Toy in Salt Lake City, Utah, in early 2009.

Grant the soccer ball is in high demand.  His best friend is Martin the Monkey and he loves to travel on kids’ soccer bags and backpacks.  He’s easy to apply with his self-adhesive Velcro.  Approximate size:  2.25 inch diameter

Martin the Monkey is nutty for his friends from PakNaks®!  His curly tail and infectious grin make him a hit with boys and girls.  He loves to play with his buddy, Bill Ball and comes with his own trading card information and both pieces of his self-adhesive custom Velcro.  Approximate size:  2.4 x 2.5 inches

Tabby the penguin is a hit!  She’s made from recycled plastic, is cute beyond words and loves jelly beans.  Simply peel off the self adhesive strip and press down the back side of the velcro she comes with and then apply her loop side and you are ready to sport your new penguin design.  Approximate size:  1.8 x 2.6 inches

Kyla Jane, the butterfly, is one of the most popular PakNaks®. Her vibrant colors and delightful texture make her an instant hit. She comes with her own trading card information (her best friend is Sprinkles, the cupcake Nak) and both pieces of her self-adhesive custom Velcro. Approximate size: 2.5 x 2.5 inches

Chrissie is a Broken Heart Doll. Broken Heart Dolls is a character-driven line of super-soft plush hearts for tweens, teens and collectors. There are five original BHDs, with more to be unveiled seasonally. The nurturing, sad-eyed, 7" hearts have humorous story-lines geared to help young people navigate the emotional landscape of middle school and beyond. Launch date: November 1, 2008.

Made with high-quality blue board that gives the puzzle edges a finished look, this 399-piece family jigsaw puzzle completes to 17.25" X 26.5". It is made in the USA with 100-percent recycled fibers, soy-based inks, water-based coating and recyclable bagging material. With the family puzzles, children work from the side of the puzzle with the large pieces while adults work from the side with the small pieces. They meet in the middle when the puzzle is complete. Launch date: January 20, 2009.

Measuring just six centimeters long, each battery operated HEXBUG Crab is loaded with robotic intelligence. The six-legged creature feels its way around while sensing objects in its path and avoiding them. Users interact with the bug by tripping the sound sensor with a hand clap or loud noise, which sends it crawling off in a new direction. Launch date: September 29, 2008.

AmeriTales uses fantasy-adventure stories to introduce children to American history. In this tale, the legendary story of young Amelia Earhart building her own roller coaster is depicted. The spunky Amelia battles prairie winds and outdated traditions for girls to make her roller coaster dream come true. This childhood misadventure shows kids how Amelia grew up to become a famous aviator. Launch date: July 2008.

The tea set is decorated with a duck dressed with a bonnet and a drape and fits neatly inside a medium-sized hamper basket.

Packaged in a sturdy, pink round hat box, this tea set includes a teapot, 4 teacups and coasters, and cloth napkins.

This tea set for four comes neatly packaged inside a large hamper basket. The lid of the basket carries the plates, while the remainder of the set is nestled safely in a soft, black protective base.

This children's tea set comes with a teapot, cups, coasters, and plates decorated with images of fairies interacting with flowers.

Cart-Stopper offers a new level of safety in grocery-store parking lots by reducing the risk of child injury and vehicle damage related to "run-away" shopping carts. Cart-Stopper is extremely effective, is easy to use and is compact in design, storing easily in a purse, diaper bag or glove compartment.

Flying Wish Paper is a wishing kit for birthdays, holidays, weddings ... anything from a prayer meeting to a bachelorette party. Just write a wish on the special paper, shape it into a tube, and light the top. The wish burns down and, at the last second, dramatically rises into the sky. Write it, light it, watch it fly! It comes with 50 sheets of Flying Wish Paper, 25 platform cards, pencils, matches and instructions. Launch date: August 8, 2008.

Comet® The Fast Path to Learning - Family Edition is an exciting and stimulating game based on spelling. The Family Game offers the best knowledge in Science, Geography, History, Health and much more. Based on multiple choice answers, choose the correct word, spell the word, state the number of vowels…win a Bonus Card. Roll the dice, everyone has a chance to win! Launch date: August 8, 2008.

The Marine Life Grow-a-Head assortment includes goldfish, crab, penguin, leopard and tiger styles. Kids just add water and watch them grow "hair," or grass. It's a "great educational tool with info about plant biology, seed germination and more," Lori Wrubel, national sales manager for Sourcing International LLC, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009.

These personalized, fun retro boxes come in 12 boy and 12 girl designs. Custom designs are available on request. The boxes measures approximately 8" x 7" x 4". Each has a waterproof vinyl label. Launch date: August 3, 2008.

The Wildlife Animals Grow-A-Head Collection includes five styles: parrot, elephant, panda, leopard and tiger. Kids can just add water and watch them grow. Launch date: 2009.

Picture Pockets are inexpensive hanging photo/artwork display galleries that have proved incredibly popular with children and adults alike, for many years, all over the world. Kids love seeing themselves in photos on the wall and seeing their artwork, placed by their teachers. Picture Pockets can be hung in nurseries, kitchens, bedrooms, offices and schools, and used to record happy events, such as births, weddings, holidays, anniversaries or retirements. "Picture Pocket photos are kept clean and undamaged, continually on display, and are easily interchangeable. As soon as you fancy a change, just turn the Picture Pocket over to reveal up to 80 more photos," Director Jon Goldsmith of Clever Little Ideas Ltd., told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2008.