May 2009 New Specialty Toys — All

Now, teaching music history is easy for teachers and fun for students. "The Right Notes" music assignment book teaches music history for instructors, freeing up their valuable time for lessons. A weekly practice chart helps keep track of practice time. The 9" X 12" pages give ample room for writing weekly notes. Each notebook lasts a year. A completed "The Right Notes" music assignment book can also act as a lasting record of a student's progress. Click here to watch publishers' 2-year-old exhibiting her musical knowledge. Launch date: January 2009.

A starter set for our other Montgomery Schoolhouse building blocks, these are excellent quality hard-maple building blocks in all the standard shapes, in proportion to each other. This set has 21 pieces with eight different shapes. The base block is 1" X 2" X 4" Each set comes in a sturdy box for storage. These blocks are unfinished and part of the Schoolhouse Naturals line. The set comes in a white compact box for easy shelf displaying. Launch date: 2009.

Everybody's favorite beagle keeps his chick buddy, Woodstock, warm with a striped muffler.

Doraemon is a fat-cat robot in Japan, where he's reigned as one of the more popular cartoon characters since his debut in the 1970s. In his pocket he keeps an assortment of gadgets, plus a nuclear bomb to take care of dreaded mice and rats. This 13" cuddly plush is just one of the many different kinds of Doraemons a fan can collect.

A fluffy seal lying on a fluffy cloud resting on a fluffy pillow: what could be more soothing? The backside is thick wooly fleece material and the front has a wonderful embroidered image of Mamegoma.

This 2" x 4" turtle keychain is equipped with a blue light that's activated when one presses down on its soft shell. Launch date: 2009.

We at Daydream believe that anything can be child's play. Once engaged in an entertaining meal, children won't notice that they are actually eating very healthy food. Kids spin the spinner and eat food from wherever the spinner lands. The matching mug completes this innovative gift set that will have grandparents, parents and children all Playing with their Food (and eating it, too)!

Includes: Plate (game board), Mug, Spinner. Plate and mug are made of melamine; not for use in the microwave; dishwasher safe.

Draw a line and the vehicle will follow! It is more than just a race set; it’s a craft activity that encourages children to be creative allowing for many ways to play. With the official Doodle Track marker and the included play mat, the Doodle Track car will follow a continuous line drawn on the mat by the marker. The Doodle Track car also comes with colorful, stick-on decals for customization. Set includes: Doodle Track Car, Washable Marker, Stick-On Decals, Playmat Track and Instructions.

Other Videos:
Aunt Jean's Toys and Treats

On the road, in the air or anywhere, kids can have fun with Minis! Perfect on their own or for use with the full-sized cushions. Set includes 6 square 8" cushions and 4 triangle cushions plus a sun and moon decoration all packaged in a handy travel backpack.

Bright colored and super-chunky for little hands, Polly's Pony Adventure includes six pieces to accompany a child on a horse-riding adventure. The car and horse trailer attach easily with magnets, getting the two characters and their two horses ready to go on the road.  Other arena-side accessories, as well as the push-button tailgate and shape-sorting roof of the trailer, add to the fun.
— “Wow toys are my best seller, bar none,” said Ron Kutchik, owner of Grand Slam Toys in Kodiak, Alaska. Kutchik listed Wow Toys as not only his best-selling playset in an April 2009 survey, but also as a long-time top seller in his entire inventory.

Cloverleaf Corners is a busy little town, complete with a ballet studio. With this playset from International Playthings, children can tell the story of aspiring ballerina Britney Bunny. The set includes three tiny dresses that fit the poseable, flocked bunny character, a mirror, and a ballet bar. Britney Bunny's Ballet Set integrates fully with the wide variety of other Calico Critters sets.
— “Calico Critters is fabulous, for the fantasy. All girls love those,” said Sheryl Guidera, owner of Kaleidoscope: The Parent Teacher Store in Capitola, Calif., in April 2009. 
— “[We] sell a ton of them,” Becca Bramhall, owner of Dandelion Toys in Fort Collins, Colo., told TDmonthly when she listed Calico Critters as her best-selling playset line in spring 2009.

Just the right size for a variety of tiny treasures, jewelry or other extra-special keepsakes, this miniature craft kit from Melissa & Doug comes with four pots of paint, a brush, glitter, white glue, and glittering gems to decorate the lidded, heart-shaped box.
— “It's a party favor. A cute and fun activity,” Linda Rocco, owner of Gummy Lump Toys in Medford, N.Y., told TDmonthly when asked about top-selling activity kits in spring 2009.
— Seven of 49 retailers surveyed in April 2009 listed Melissa & Doug as a top-selling activity brand in their stores.
— Bill Sartain, owner of Tutoring Toy in Salt Lake City, Utah, told TDmonthly in a May 2014 survey that items from the Melissa & Doug "Decorate Your Own..." line are their best-selling activity kits.

With My Giant Busy Box, kids can craft and create with two frames, four animal punch outs, 10 colors of dough, two peel-and-stick tissue art pictures, plenty of tissue paper, and glue. All the supplies come in a handy storage box with an easy tote-along handle.
— “It's awesome,” said Vicki Davis, owner of Children's Prep in Atlanta, Ga. In an April 2009 survey of best-selling activity kits and playsets, Davis reported sales of about a dozen per month.
— About 10 percent of 49 retailers named Alex as a best-selling activity kit line in spring 2009.

Kids can take their imaginations to the high seas with the rough-and-tumble Red Corsair. Crimson sails are emblazoned with the Jolly Roger, and the Red Corsair comes with three pirates, a cannon and other assorted accessories to dress up the deck. The boat floats and will accommodate the Playmobil motor, available as an add-on. Launch date: August 2009.
— “Playmobil is our best seller. Everything in that line is strong,” said Peggy Sebert, owner of Becky & Me Toys in Glenview, Ill., of her best-selling playsets in spring 2009.
— “Playmobil as a line. The pirate ship is probably the best in that line,” Dean Nelson, owner of Wizard Kids Toys in Toledo, Ohio, told TDmonthly during an April 2009 survey on playsets. 
— “As a brand, Playmobil is our No. 1 selling brand in store. All day long, everyday,” remarked Casey Sartain, buyer at Tutoring Toy in Salt Lake City, Utah. Eleven of 49 retailers surveyed in April 2009 named Playmobil as a best seller.

Our hats, mittens & scarves are plush and warm inside and out. The perfect mix of style and comfort. Available in all sizes from infant to adult.

Our Lounge Wear is made from our signature ultra soft minky chenille. Our hoodie is perfect as a light weight jacket or as a top in those colder months. The lounge pants are perfect anytime.

Choose from our plush double sided Minky Chenille to our tactile Satin & Minky Blankets. Our soft, luxurious blankets come in four great sizes.

Form, function & fashion continue with our booties. Minky inside and out for comfort, warmth and style with a side snap design that actually stays on the babies feet.

Ciao Ciao is condemned to live forever on earth, in her modern grave-loft with her boyfriend Adios. But she's cute, so that makes everything okeydokey. From TokiDoki.

This prickly lass is a lot cuddlier than she looks. She's part of a Japanese-inspired designer line of toys and clothing from Italian company TokiDoki. She's 9" high.

This plush poundcake takes comfort food to a whole new level. It measures 6.5" long.

This Relaxed Bear is so relaxed, he'll take anything lying down.

Hello Kitty is so healthy, she's transformed herself into a yummy-looking 4" fruit. She's also helpful -- use the padded slot on her head to hide jewelry, cell phones or mini erasers. She comes in a variety of flavors, including green pear (pictured).

This relaxed bear is taking it easy on his feet. He can make you relaxed, though, by stashing keys, change and other treasures safely in his zippered back.