February 2011 New Specialty Toys — School Supplies

This compilation by Susan Magasmen uses a developmental skills model called the 6Cs™ that was created by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Roberta Golinkoff to help parents and teachers see the immediate links between learning and play.  The stories come from families and educators at Goddard Schools around the nation.

This Brain Quest write and erase format is geared to give the earliest learners a leg up on writing, reading, and using number. Featuring an attached pack of 40 large, write-on, wipe-off cards plus a dry-erase pen, each deck teaches a critical skill to help children learn to read before kindergarten. These are practical lessons that are also fun, entertaining, and informative. Phonics teaches early reading with fill-ins for long and short vowels and basic consonant sounds, letter scrambles, complete-the-words, and more.
— ''We just got [the Phonics write & erase sets] in, and we sold 18 last month,'' said Gwen Bowden, manager of Doodlehopper for Kids in Springfield, Va.
— ''Brainquest work books and cards go the fastest,'' seconded Susan Blanton, owner of Pufferbellies in Staunton, Va.
— In a November 2011 survey 2 out of 12 retailers said that Brainquest was their best selling educational item. “Brain Quest (Workman Publishing) has always done well for us," Chris Lowe, owner of Beanhead Toys in Sandy Springs, Ga., told TDmonthly. Mike DiAndrea, manager of Hardware Toys in Paoli, Pa., told TDmonthly that sell about 30 units of Brain Quest each month.

Air-Dry modeling material for active hands. Dense, durable, responsive and air-drying, it features fine grain for finer detail and available in white or natural terra cotta color. Carvable, paintable and light weight.

Activa's Model N' Mold is reusable and non-toxic, with natural color and waterproof properties. This enables the creation of landscapes and models, be painted, and support water such as a river, lake, or moat. Suited for fast dimensional studies, an introductory carving material, as well as producing molds for sand casting. Mold N' Mold is special sand designed for creative use indoors or out.