May 2009 New Specialty Toys — Puzzles & Skill

Butterfly Puzzles are Consumer Product Safety Commission 2009 tested and approved. All Wee Organics products are hand rubbed with natural oil that is FDA approved. Designed for early learning, the 7" x 5" puzzles measure are 1" thick, and each of the four to five pieces is 2" to 3" high. Wee Organics recommends that parents help their child initially and then let them progress on their own. "Wee Organics hand rubs each wood piece for a smooth, tactile experience. Each puzzle can also stand up on its own," Ed Bogosian, president of Wee Organics, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2004.

Tiny tots will enjoy putting the layers of auto back into place with this wooden puzzle. Launch date: Early 2009.

P’kolino’s Puzzle Stacker increases the play value of the classic stacker by adding the benefits of puzzles. This 6 ring stacking toy helps develop a baby’s hand-eye coordination and recognition of sizes and colors. The puzzle fine-tunes motor skills and teaches spatial logic through joining the interconnecting pieces, resulting in doubling its developmental value within a single toy. Also available in a 10 ring version. Launch date: June 2009.

With facts, trivia, puzzles and more, this kid-friendly book is all about America's 44th president. It includes interesting facts about Barack Obama’s childhood, parents, educational background and career, while also introducing the First Lady Michelle Obama and following her journey to the White House. Readers will also meet their daughters, Malia and Natasha, who have a story all their own. Launch date: November 5, 2008.

With these three activity books, children and students can learn about different holiday traditions surrounding Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, while participating in engaging activities, delicious recipes, seasonal trivia and more. Launch date: June 2003.

This 160-page, reproducible activity book covers all 50 states, plus U.S. Territories, and lots of activities in history, geography, people and more. It may be used in the classroom or on the road. "It's the biggest, coolest, funniest, smartest, greatest USA Activity Book you've ever seen," Camille Chansteen, marketing manager for Gallopade International, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2008.

Made in England, this colorful, 20-piece fire truck puzzle features firefighters preparing for action. It measures 17" x 25" when assembled.

The base of the Rolling Earth Puzzle Bank is a savings bank with a screw-on cover. The Earth Globe is a puzzle. Place the globe on the base and nothing happens; however, place the magnetic jet airliner on the equator and the globe begins to turn as the jet circumnavigates the Globe. It runs on 4 AA batteries and comes assorted with light blue and dark blue globes. "People will be amazed by the simplistic magnetic science that makes the Earth turn. The motion is mesmerizing as the plane moves around the globe," Richard B. Freeman, VP of domestic sales for Fascinations Toys & Gifts, told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 2009.

The object of this double-play puzzle is to remove the ring. It can be solved in one way, then turned over, hanging vertically, to be solved differently. Launch date: 2009.

New and improved, this special edition updates the best-selling TIA 2008 T.O.T.Y. Game of the Year with new features to improve game play, more challenges to master, and a cool metal look and texture for a better grip. Packed with speed games and brainteasers everyone can play, the Titanium Edition features six electronic games that test speed and smarts, save high scores, and track progress.

Brightec’s PlayGlo Pets Collection puzzles feature three 11” x 15”, 100 piece puzzles. These glow-in-the-dark puzzles feature photo-quality images and can be charged with a few minutes of exposure to light to allow for hours of glow. The puzzle pieces stay together after completion so that the completed puzzle can be hung directly on a wall to provide instant room décor by day and night.

This 4D time puzzle of New York City includes 765 pieces and challenges participants to build a base map from 640 pieces as they learn about city streets, museums and more. Then, they continue to build the city by adding buildings and skycrapers as they are numbered in the included booklet, which details the city's evolution from 1812 to 2013. Launch date: February 2009.

Game play starts by removing the towers from the base. The goal is to place the towers following two simple rules: there must be only one of each colored tower in every row and column, and the towers must fit into the base to form a perfect cube, with all the towers being the same height. Launch date: November 19, 2008.

P’kolino’s Puzzle Stacker increases the play value of the classic stacker by adding the benefits of puzzles. Stacking toys help develop a baby’s hand-eye coordination and recognition of sizes and colors. The puzzles fine-tune motor skills and teach spatial logic through joining the interconnecting pieces. This two-in-one toy does both, doubling the fun; and doubling the development. Also available in a 6 ring version. Launch date: June 2009.

Painted in a whimsical style, this 24-piece jigsaw puzzle features a host of sea creatures, from whales and sharks to anemones and starfish. The wooden pieces lie in their frame once assembled to keep the image and pieces together. 
― “Wooden puzzles by Melissa & Doug. Weekly we sell a wide variety of them,” said Chuck Harper, owner of Explorations Toys in Granger, Ind.
― “We literally sell thousands through the year,” remarked Fred Meyer, owner of Meyer's Toy World in Battle Creek, Mich.
― Also in early 2009, another retailer reported sales of 200 to 300 Melissa & Doug puzzles per month.

In this unique puzzle, players must solve 3 challenges each one has multiple solutions. Using the 16 scenery tiles of a sinuous and complex river, the player must be part of the legendary Tautoniac raft race. Arrange the scenery tiles and bring the meanders of the TAUTON River to life while setting the rafts in the right direction. The player who finds the highest number of solutions of all the challenges wins. Tauton may be played alone, or in a competitive mode with family and friends.

In this amazing puzzle, players must solve one challenge: create KEFER™ serpent body as a continuous, unbroken path. Player must seek for different solutions, making sure to keep unbroken the red and yellow bands that go along the serpent body. This challenge has multiple solutions. The player who finds the highest number of solutions wins. Kefer may be played alone, or in a competitive mode with family and friends.

In this maze, players must solve 8 challenges. Each challenge has multiple solutions. The maze consists of a single pathway that forms four concentric circles, bounded by mobile walls, surrounding the center. The player who finds the highest number of solutions on all the challenges wins. NOXOS™ may be played alone, or in a competitive mode with family and friends.

The first completely electronic, solvable Rubik's Cube has six touch-sensitive sides. A player just moves his finger, sliding the row of colored squares where he wants. This version also comes equipped with a teaching tool that shows how to solve the puzzle, and a rechargeable battery with charging display stand. Launch date: Fall 2009.