February 2010 New Specialty Toys — All

Feeling crabby? This brilliantly colored Hermit Crab puppet can cheer you up in a pinch!  With his bright orange body and soft patterned shell, he'll sidle blithely into your heart.  Slip your hand inside his underside to animate legs and pincers. Hermit Crab puppet is 13” long, is recommended for ages 3 and up and has an M.S.R.P. of $24.

A classic, open ended building toy has a new twist via vibrantly colored, wood cylinders, cubes, and triangular prism blocks and little wood trays. Builders of all ages can create an infinite number of abstract and representational structures and play with the connections between color and form. The design was inspired by a survey conducted at the Bauhaus by the artist and teacher, Wassily Kandinsky, on the relationship between basic forms and primary colors. Designed by Karen Hewitt for the Museum of Modern Art [MoMA] Design Stores in conjunction with the Bauhaus 1919-1933: Workshops for Modernity exhibition. Set includes 9 hardwood blocks in 3 primary colors, 9 small hardwood trays, 1 hardwood tray/container, and descriptive booklet. Winner of the Best Picks 2009 Dr. Toy Award.

DINGaRING characters like Craig Crocodilel feature old-school craftsmanship and good quality materials. All are safe and non-toxic, with wooden rings and internal rattles, designed to serve as an interactive toy for ages 0 and up. Each toy comes with its own introduction swing tag and unique backer card which allows it to be free-stand, hung or laid flat, for various display options.

DINGaRING characters like Gigi Galah feature old-school craftsmanship and good quality materials. All are safe and non-toxic, with wooden rings and internal rattles, designed to serve as an interactive toy for ages 0 and up. Each toy comes with its own introduction swing tag and unique backer card which allows it to be free-stand, hung or laid flat, for various display options.

DINGaRING characters like Keith Koala feature old-school craftsmanship and good quality materials. All are safe and non-toxic, with wooden rings and internal rattles, designed to serve as an interactive toy for ages 0 and up. Each toy comes with its own introduction swing tag and unique backer card which allows it to be free-stand, hung or laid flat, for various display options.

DINGaRING characters like Pete Penguin feature old-school craftsmanship and good quality materials. All are safe and non-toxic, with wooden rings and internal rattles, designed to serve as an interactive toy for ages 0 and up. Each toy comes with its own introduction swing tag and unique backer card which allows it to be free-stand, hung or laid flat, for various display options.

It's all about keeping the most money. Game includes 6 oversized 3/4" (20mm) Dice. For 2 or more players. (Choking hazard: Not for children under 3 years of age)

This beautiful Pearl Princess Cape (51915) is made with shimmer organza on one side and reverses to a shiny bridal satin on the other side. The collar has a lined scalloped finish with satin ties. This gorgeous cape is trimmed in silver with a scalloped bottom edge and it’s adorned with hand stitched pearl drops. Transforms any little girl into an instant Princess.

This Renaissance Gown (32305) is the most deluxe costume in the Great Pretenders collection for Creative Education of Canada. With a two-tiered tulle fixed to the lining, the skirt has all the volume fit for a real queen. A gorgeous layer of shiny bridal satin in a beautiful magenta color makes this dress a dream come true for any little girl. The puffy sleeves are lined and are finished with an extravagant double ruffle. The top of the dress is made with stretched steamed velour, which allows for flexible sizing.

Follow KISS® on tour and travel the world collecting KISS® cash, merchandise, albums, programs, ticket stubs and other items to redeem for your KISS® Army cards. Along the way, you’ll have the chance to fly to different parts of the world, answer on-screen challenges and steal KISS® cards from your opponents! Be the first player to collect all 4 KISS® Army cards to win the game and become leader of the KISS® Army! Includes Game Board, Playing Pawns, DVD, Six-Sided Die, KISS® Cards, KISS® Army Cards, KISS® Cash. For 2-4 players.

These fashionable designer handbags are made to look like pups. "These purses are the most realistic looking dogs for the dog-loving fashionista," Julie Flann, Manager of Marketing & Sales, Manhattan Toy, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2010.

The myWallaby Agile Doll Bag is designed specifically to serve as a purse and doll carrier. It can accommodate dolls and stuffed animals from 12" to 18". The strap is adjustable so it can be sized to its owner. In addition to the enclosed doll compartment, the bag also has its signature “pouch,” a handy zipper-enclosed pocket on the front that is in the shape of a Wallaby’s stomach. It is machine washable. Dimensions: 9.5" x 7.5" x 3.5". "What really sets the myWallaby Agile Bag apart from others, besides the upscale quality, is that it is designed to carry a doll facing forward in an expandable pocket that resembles a real Wallaby pouch," Eric Hildenbrand, co-founder, MyWallaby Limited, told TDmonthly. Awards: Dr. Toy's Best Picks Children's Products for 2009. Launch date: March 15, 2010.

This pail liner to hold soiled diapers provides non-wicking, bacteria-free and odor-control storage. Made from a high-quality PUL (poly urethane laminate) fabric with a special anti-microbial* effect, the Kissaluvs Antibacterial Pail Liner lets soiled diapers sit another day or so, worry free, without collecting gunk. The special finish also helps reduce unpleasant odors and protects against the spreading of health-hazardous bacteria, which can sometimes collect on soiled diapers. It may also be used for storing laundry, dirty shoes, wet swim suits and more. Launch date: December 2009.

StoryPlay Cards is a deck of storytelling and playing cards designed to delight, inspire and intrigue kids of all ages. The card deck has 90 illustrated cards along with a carrying pouch and two guidebooks. Children can use these cards to tell stories, play card games like Spoons, Poker, Sets and Concentration, or use them to engage in thoughtful conversation by choosing the card or cards you are attracted to and talking about what they mean to you. Launch date: Feb. 14, 2010.

Cutie Cake Pets are designed to be completely sweet inside and out. These cupcakes don’t have traditional filling, buy convert into loveable pets. Launch date: 2010.

Cutie Cakes™ are designed to be completely sweet inside and out. These cupcakes don’t have traditional filling, but convert into sweet dolls. There are five in the collection: Pistachio Penny, Bubble Gum Bitsy, Chocolate Chip Charlie, Lemon Drop LuLu and Jelly Bean Bella. Launch date: 2010.

ThinkFun a-ha! Brainteasers are designed to inspire special a-ha! moments for novice and seasoned problem solvers alike. A player will need all his brainpower for this one. The goal is to fit all four cubes into the box so they sit flush with the rim. Expert, Level 4. Launch date: 2010.
— Mary Porter Green, owner of Curiosity Zone in Ashburn, Va, told TDmonthly in a July 2013 survey that ThinkFun Brainteaser Puzzles were among her store's best-selling puzzles.

ThinkFun a-ha! Brainteasers are designed to inspire special a-ha! moments for novice and seasoned problem solvers alike. Can you “shoot” the arrow out of the front of the tray without removing the three planks? Hard, Level 3. "[It's] another brainteaser to add to ThinkFun's collection of best-selling brainteasers, which teach pattern recognition, abstract thinking and problem solving," Edoardo Kulp, Marketing Manager, ThinkFun Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2010.

For novice and seasoned problem solvers alike, the object of the Star Burst is simple, the solution is elusive. Just take the Star Burst apart and put it back together again. Simple. Or is it? Medium, Level 2. Launch date: 2010.
— Mary Porter Green, owner of Curiosity Zone in Ashburn, Va, told TDmonthly in a July 2013 survey that ThinkFun Brainteaser Puzzles were among her store's best-selling puzzles.

This “cousin” of the best-selling Gordian’s Knot is designed to be elegant but cunning. Untangling Zig-Zag Knot is not as easy as it looks. The player slides each piece in the correct sequence of 37 moves to take the Zig-Zag Knot apart. With every move made, one or more pieces will move easily, but there’s only one right answer. The included guide shows the complete solution as well as full instructions for putting Zig-Zag Knot back to its original form. Launch date: April 2010.

This new and improved version of What’s GNU? may serve as a fun confidence-builder as it allows early readers to build their vocabularies. Two or more players slide the “Letter Getter” to reveal two letter tiles at a time, then use those tiles to create three-letter combinations on their Word Starter cards. The player who spells the greatest number of words wins. It now includes beginner and advanced Word Starter Cards and highlighted vowels for added learning. "ThinkFun has taken a best seller and improved it by including both beginner and advanced cards. Now the entire family can play!" Edoardo Kulp, Marketing Manager, ThinkFun Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: Jan. 15, 2010.

Two or more players race to be the first to get the animals into the barnyard in this matching game. Focusing on image completion, players search their cards to complete a barnyard animal, then use the fun Barnyard Flipper to turn over the card and reveal the next image to be matched. Images help children match, while the writing on each card will help early readers make associations between the words and the image. Launch date: March 2010.

Zingo! now comes in a fun, portable package. Just shake the Zingo! Zoomer car to expose the two dice. Got a match? Turn over the corresponding traffic light on your game board. The first player that turns over a completed traffic light wins. With no loose pieces and a snap-together game board, this Zingo! is designed for family fun on the go. Launch date: April 2010.

With Zingo! 1-2-3, players must match their numbered tiles with the corresponding display on their challenge board. The first player with a full card wins the game by yelling “Zingo!” In this fast-paced game, two levels of play focus on image recognition and addition. "This is a line extension of the best-selling Zingo! game by ThinkFun. It now uses numbers and math skills as compared to of pictures and image recognition skills used in original Zingo!" Edoardo Kulp, Marketing Manager, ThinkFun Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: Jan. 15, 2010.
— Angie Knutson from My Four Monkeys:  the “easy to use” number dispensing Zinger was “the funnest part of the game” for her kids. “As with most ThinkFun games,” said Angie, “Zingo! 1-2-3 would also make a great preschool and kindergarten resource!”
— Ruth B. Roufberg and Parents’ Choice applauded the successful blending of number education and bingo as well as the game components and packaging for being “functionally designed.” Zingo 1-2-3 Number Bingo received the Spring 2010 Parents’ Choice Gold Award.
— Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Best Toy Award Winner, 2010