March 2012 New Specialty Toys — All

Loki is escaping from S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters with the powerful Cosmic Cube. If he succeeds he could use it to wreak havoc on the world! Will Iron Man in his amazing armored suit alongside Hawkeye in his function-packed S.H.I.E.L.D. off-roader be fast enough to catch Lokior will the Asgardian villain escape with the Cosmic Cube? You decide! Includes 3 minifigures: Iron ManLoki and Hawkeye. Launch date: May 2012.
— As of 05/21/2012 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 4 reviews on Amazon.com.

While riding his Avenging Cycle, Captain America spots the general on his craft. Help Captain America use his indestructible shield to defeat the general and his foot soldier. Win the battle and send them back to where they came from. Includes 3 minifigures: Captain America and more. Launch date: May 2012.
— As of 05/21/2012 this product had 4.7 out of 5 stars from 3 reviews on Amazon.com.

Sleek high tech looking tablet with 21 smooth touch icons. Tablet has 4 activities to learn about Dinosaurs and 15 dinosaurs to discover – just like in the Smithsonian Museum. earn their names, hear their sounds, learn what their diet was and more fun information. Launch Date:  September 2012.

Kids can learn about colors, quantities, observation skill and more with Arthur’s Little TV. One infra-red remote and 4 double sided scene cards + 1 default scene card for 9 total fun scenes to interact with. Insert card into TV and start playing with fun discover and questions about each scene. Touch one of 6 Arthur characters on the remote to answer. Launch Date:  September 2012.

Doll outfit includes: Cranberry color corset, Black satin full skirt with black tulle, Tailor purple blazer with cranberry color cuff hem long sleeves, Black Leggings, Black felt boots, Black felt pirate hat with purple feather and Black Eye Patch.

These construction toys allow kids to build their own transformational action figures. Prices range from $19.99 to $39.99. Launch date: February 2012.

The new Game where the goal is to be the first millionaire! Stack pairs of assets, to cover your valuables before they are stolen by other players! Defend your assets with like cards in your hand or Gold or Silver Wild Cards! Easy to learn in just minutes, with layers of strategy for years of fun! This will be a your new Family Favorite! Loved by all ages. Kids, Parents, and Grandparents can all enjoy a great time together. Even dedicated, competitive, gamers get a kick out of the quick action, and the drama. Enjoy the emotional response as the value of your Assets increase each time they are stolen. Steal them back to gain even more value. Before they are stolen again, cover them with more Assets to protect them. Watch out though, if your new top set is stolen the one below it is in jeopardy again. Keep building up your assets till you become the first millionaire.

Wearing "perplex-o-specs," glasses that let players only see mirror images, players must attempt to complete mazes and visual challenges. Launch date: June 2012.

There's a party tonight, and the players have been asked to bring the cupcakes. Be the first player to mix, bake, frost, and top the cupcake by visiting all 4 corners, and collect sprinkles along the way. The first player to reach the part with a completed cupcake and a sprinkle of each color wings the cherry to put on top. Launch date: June 2012.
Watch Video from ASTRA 2012

These pairs of super-sized plush hands looks just like kids' favorite character's hands and slide right over their hands for slamming SillyHands™ make-believe. Each hand makes distinctive motion activated sounds and speech. Styles include Karate, Tiger, Alien and Boxing. Launch date: February 12, 2012.

Silly Hands ©&TM 2010-2013 Idea Vault LLC All Rights Reserved
Used by Kellytoy U.S.A. Inc. under license from Volcano LLC

Starshine Watchdogs™ are cuddly bedtime companions specifically made to empower kids to overcome fear at night. Each talking, light-up Watchdog comes with reassuring phrases to comfort your child, along with a Go-Anywhere Star Light night light kids can remotely illuminate with the touch of the Watchdog’s paw. Let Starshine Watchdogs help your child harness the courage and confidence all kids possess to overcome their fears. Each All-in-One Starshine Watchdog™ purchase comes with: (1) Cuddly, Talking, Light-UP Watchdog Plush with wireless technology; (1) Go-Anywhere Star Light night light with Auto-Off timer; (1) Embroidered cape with logo and your Watchdog’s name! And yes, batteries ARE included! Choose from Orion (blue) or Skye (pink). (MSRP: $24.99; Age: 3 and Up)

Starshine Watchdogs ©&TM 2010-2013 Idea Vault LLC All Rights Reserved.
Used by Kellytoy U.S.A. Inc. under license from Volcano LLC

Using a special turbine-like technology, this football can fly up to and possibly further than 100 yards. Not only does this football have a hollow center for aerodynamics, it also has 3 settings for throwing it. Kids can set the football up for Right-handed, Left-handed, or short passed with the click of the dial. Launch Date: March 1, 2012.

Dixit Journey is the version of the award-winning game of storytelling through imagination and clues where one picture is worth a thousand words. In this new version featuring a gallery of artistically designed cards that offer simple images for easy individual interpretation, younger players now have the chance to stretch their imaginations and incorporate their best vocabulary skills, all in the fun of creative play. The challenge is for the leader of the round to give a clue that is subtle enough to ensure that at least one player (but not all) will understand which card is his/hers and vote for that card. Points are scored in relation to the identification of the storyteller’s card. The players move their icons on the scoring track based on the number of points they earn each round. Launch date: June 2012.

Barbecue Party an action-packed game for preschoolers. It’s all about action-reaction as players try to load up the grill with all kinds of funny food before it pops a gasket.  Kids have to be very careful not to jiggle the grill when they lay an ear of corn, a tomato, or any of the other food pieces on top because it can jump at any time. Includes 16 plastic food pieces, 18 cards, & 1 pair of tongs/pliers. Launch date: June 2012.

GameChanger is an electronic, multiplayer game board that works with the iPad.  Featuring interactive animation and sound, GameChanger adds a whole new dimension to the traditional board game by creating a different experience every time you play. Kids are given the option of playing 6 different games; The Magic School Bus® from Scholastic or Animal Mania, plus 4 action games. The iPad simply slides into the GameChanger cradle, and one of the included game skins can be placed on top of the board.  Parents can download the App, which is free with GameChanger purchase. The game pieces themselves interact with the iPad, which asks questions and assigns tasks, so players always know whose turn it is. A “spin” of the wheel on the iPad lets players move their pawn across the game board. Since the game board and the iPad are connected, all game play is completely guided and tracked. Launch date: February 12, 2012.

Great for backpacks and carry-ons, this fun and friendly, go-anywhere travel buddy puts an international twist on the message of friendship. Globe Clip keeps bracelet in place during knotting. Numbered slots keep threads organized for written and video instructions featured online. Slide-out drawer features 20 pre-cut Prism® threads in 10 different colors. Easy instructions included. Launch date: February 12, 2012.

FirstBIKE is a developmental training bike which enhances motor skills, builds confidence, and teaches proper two wheel balance and cornering. FirstBIKE Balance Bikes do not use a drivetrain- there are no pedals or cranks, no chain or sprocket, and no training wheels. Deleting these complicated parts makes it possible for children to safely reach both feet flat to the ground on a much lighter weight bike, giving them a boost in control and self-confidence. Feet are used as stabilizers, for propulsion and for braking. Children as young as two years old can use FirstBIKE Balance Bikes and benefit from the fast-track program of two-wheeled riding. Training wheels make it impossible for children to feel the sensation of balance. They also prevent children from leaning their bikes in the direction of a turn because training wheels hold the bike fixed in a vertical position.

The new Handy Science Kits, exclusively from GeoCentral, will have kids learning from real science experiments. There are four different kits including Water, Color, Magnetism and Light. Each kit includes 6 experiments that strengthen a child's powers of observation while being interactive and fun. The Water Handy Science Kit teaches experiments like how to make fish swim, float objects and explore paper. With the Magnetism Handy Science kit you can do experiments like navigate through a magnetic maze, attract objects through water or build force fields. The Color Handy Science Kit teaches how to change colors, make colorful super bubbles and make rainbows. The Light Handy Science Kit teaches how to use the sun to tell time, magnify objects or block light. Launch date: 2012.

Prepare for take-off with this pocket-sized, take-anywhere, air-powered rocket launcher that blasts foam rockets 50 feet. Real rocket launch action that’s safe for indoors and out. Launch date: Spring 2012.

Players give their brains a spin in the right direction and put all the twisted puzzle pieces on the game board. It looks easy until they realize that there are pegs that are in the way. And players can only put a playing piece over a peg if both are the same color. 100 challenges ranging from easy to extremely difficult. It's compact, so it's an ideal brain snack while on the go.
—  Paula Bolte, owner of Imaginations Toy & Furniture Co. in Blacksburg, Va., told TDmonthly in a February 2012 survey about best selling games that "Over Christmas time, IQTwist did well. Getting a big display of it and playing with it in the store helped."

Now kids can re-create the sound of a steam locomotive's whistle with this wooden train whistle. It's four chambers give it a rich, realistic sounding whistle while its chunky design is ideal for little hands to grip. Makes a great accessory for a child's train set or dress-up engineer's costume.
— In a February 2012 survey about wooden toys, Meghan Porter, owner of Charleston Child in Charleston, S.C., told TDmonthly that they sell more than 20 units of this item each month. “There's nowhere else in town” that has them, she said.

Brightly colored wooden sail boats. Assorted numbered boats, from one to six.
— In a February 2012 survey, two of 14 retailers said that Toysmith is their bestselling brand for wooden toys.

Detailed, brightly colored pictures encourage 1 1/2 - 3 years old to complete these 9-piece wooden puzzles, each with a different theme. Our level 2 puzzles help children learn to group like items and expand their vocabulary. Constructed with smaller knobs than Level 1 puzzles, each piece is easy to hold and promotes the development of fine motor skills.
—  Linda Laramy, owner of Crackerjacks in Easton, Md., told TDmonthly in a 2012 survey that puzzles from Small World Toys are their bestselling wooden toys.

Clear hardwood Flip Tops will flip right over onto their stem if they are spinned fast enough. These tops are not recommended for kids under six as they haven't yet developed the proper dexterity to get the tops to work. Flip Tops measure approximately 1-1/4" diameter by 1-3/4" tall.
— In a February 2012 survey about wooden toys, Dean Smith, owner of JaZams in Princeton, N.J., told TDmonthly that these tops were their bestseller. They sell 15-20 units each month.