February 2009 New Specialty Toys — Puzzles & Skill

The MagnaPlay™ Wooden Magnetic Alphabet Picture Puzzle contains self-checking tiles that give little fingers the ability to put puzzles together and keep them together. Launch date: November 15, 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.

Play and do a puzzle at the same time with the Wild Animal Puzzle. Includes a figure, monkey, giraffe, zebra, lion, cloud, and a colorfully decorated puzzle board.  Recommended for ages 18 months and up. 

This brain-building strategy game plays off the original Blokus but plays with entirely new configurations in four construction plans: steps, pyramid, tower and corner (shown). The player who ends up with the most squares showing from above wins the game. Launch date: 2008.

Just about everyone loves the BUMPER CAR ride. It's the next thing to driving a real car and the only time you can legally bump into someone. MAGNETIC BUMPER CARS is a brainteaser puzzle that is almost as much fun as the real thing. The challenge is to position the nine bumper cars on the track so they don't bump into one another or the surrounding wall. Of course these miniature drivers have something else on their minds, as powerful hidden magnets in the cars and track walls cause all sorts of collisions as you maneuver your way through 12 brain-bumping challenges!

This game comes with a colorful spinner and corresponding shapes that fit into puzzle board with color-corresponding cut-outs. Launch date: 2009.
— “eeBoo is excellent,” Elizabeth Ryan, owner of Tales & Toys in Venice, Calif., told TDmonthly of this preferred vendor in late 2008. One other retailer, out of 52, also mentioned eeBoo as a favorite.

LiveCubes are to cube puzzles as genes are to living organisms. . Just as genes are combined to form unique individuals, LiveCube cubes can be used to make all manner of puzzles by simply  snapping the cubes together. The puzzles  come apart after assembly and, thus, are  reusable. A LiveCube package includes play manuals and a total of 120 cubes (1.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 cm) comprising 24 white two-stud cubes; and six red, six blue, six green, six yellow and 72 white four-stud cubes.

It is a new concept of construction toy that can have endless possibilities. It is a teaching tool that will teach kids about colored shape matching, structure, and spatial skills. With livecube manual it is an intelligent toy that can guide kids to use their analytical, logical and motor skills through playing. It comes with four different packages – Lion, Rhino, Goat and Elephant version. Each package includes: 6 red, 6 blue, 6 green, 6 yellow and 24 blocks; a total of 48 blocks (2x2x2 cm) and play manuals.

In livecube classic, we offer our puzzle lover a unique puzzle set. Each set of the livecube has a different color combination so your set of livecube is personalized and has a unique ID number to only your set. In addition, we introduce the cube 3X4X5 play cards, this shape can form about 4000 different combinations itself and with our play card system, it’s a never-ending puzzle game. Includes 1 unique puzzle color puzzle (12 pieces), 90 classic play cards, and carrying bag.

Livecube for Kids & Parents is a proud winner of the Parents’ Choice Award, The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval and The Best Toy Winner from Dr. Toy. This is an exciting 3D adventure for the entire family developing visual, logical and problem solving skills. The package includes: 1 sets of 2 color mix puzzle(12 pieces); 30 Kids & Parents play cards (from 2D to 3D); 5 advance play cards; one carrying bag.

This set of five colorful pieces is carved from a single block of European hardwood, so the sections align perfectly with one another. It features non-toxic, water-based stains and measures 6.75" H x 4.5" W. A mini version (MSRP: $15.90) is available also and measures 4" H x 3" W.