May 2010 New Specialty Toys — All

Little Bloom's Sweet Sounds Lantern's beautiful colors and multi-fabric patterns make a lovely hanging display for baby's room. With just a pull on the little kitten, this musical lantern plays Brahm's Lullabye. This lantern features ribbons and a crinkle paper flower and will attach to most strollers and carriers. Launch date: 2010.

Girls can give their Star Willow Stables horse a way to travel in style with this Horse Carrier. It's made of soft pastel-colored fabric with satin ribbon embellishments and sturdy handle. Julie Flann, Manager of Marketing & Sales at Manhattan Toy, told TDmonthly, "This beautiful, soft horse carrier fits all Star Willows horses perfectly making it easy to take them anywhere." Launch date: 2010.

 This soft basket is light yellow and green with pink accents. The entire basket is lined and has a pillow and removable padded bottom to make sure the doll has all the comfort needed. Marketing & Sales Manager Julie Flann of Manhattan Toy told TDmonthly, "The Baby Stella Moses Basket is super cozy and is just right size for Baby Stella dolls and is highly detailed." Launch date: 2010.

Preston is made with green reptilian-like fabric and his accentuating horns, mouth and teeth make him almost come alive. Launch date: 2010.

Terry Infant Robes with Seersucker Trim come in pink and blue and include a seersucker padded hanger. These robes are ideal for monogramming and fit up to 9 months. Marketing Coordinator Marchelle Lyons of Trend Lab told TDmonthly, "We believe the look of our infant robes is very specialty because of the coordinating padded hanger that it comes on." Launch date: 2009.

Dr. Seuss by Trend Lab Bath Bag Gift Sets are designed in white terry velour with black gingham seersucker trim. The oval, four-piece bath bag sets include a hooded towel, a wash cloth and a bath mitt in a PVC-lined oval bath bag with zippered closure. The bag measures approximately 8" x 5" x 9". Marchelle Lyons, Marketing Coordinator at Trend Lab, called these Dr. Seuss prints "fun and whimsical." Launch date: Dec. 2009.

This fun-filled educational book is written about two Shoulder Buddies, Breezee and Biffle, who plan to go to the School of Smarts. They want to earn their Feathers so they can fly. Readers take a journey with them as they try to help each other discover the Smarts that are right for them. The Book N' Buddy combo comes with the Breezee or Biffle Shoulder Buddy character attached. Shoulder Buddies are unique to their Feather color, so no two are alike. They come with a collectible Shoulder Buddies Coin and a backpack clip. Shoulder Buddies are not recommended for children under 4 years of age. Launch date: Feb. 2010.

Peace teaches about "Peaceful Smarts." Peace's acronym is W-O-R-L-D: Work together, Open your mind and heart, Remember we are all equal, Deliver this message of PEACE. Shoulder Buddies are unique to their Feather color, so no two are alike. They come with a collectible Shoulder Buddies Coin and a Backpack clip. Shoulder Buddies are not recommended for children under 4 years of age. Jeaneen Muller, Managing Partner of Shoulder Fun USA, told TDmonthly, "Shoulder Buddies can be worn on the shoulder, and are a collectible, educational accessory." Launch date: Dec. 2009.

Breezee is a Shoulder Buddy character that teaches "Frustration Smarts." His acronym is T-H-I-N-K: Try to relax, Have happy thoughts, Its good to be thankful, Now is the time to share your feelings, Know you have choices. Shoulder Buddies are unique to their Feather color, so no two are alike. They come with a collectible Shoulder Buddies Coin and a Backpack clip. Shoulder Buddies are not recommended for children under 4 years of age. Jeaneen Muller, Managing Partner of Shoulder Fun USA, told TDmonthly, "They can be worn on the shoulder, and have a great learning message that each teaches about."

The products of Naturecolored are divided into two categories: organic cotton and natural colored cotton. All the organic cotton products meet IMO NOP and OCIA standards. Launch date: May 2, 2010.

StinkyKids Brand tees feature the colorful StinkyKids characters on the front of each shirt as well as the StinkyKids logo and motto, "Always be a leader of good," displayed on the back of the tee neckline. StinkyKids Brand tees are 100-percent cotton, and sizes range from infant to women's lX and come in white, light pink or baby blue. Each StinkyKids Brand tee comes with a matching trading card and collectible book mark. A portion of the profits is donated toward making cancer patients smile. Britt Menzies, CEO of StinkyKids told TDmonthly, "StinkyKids characters teach kids to 'Always be a leader of good' and learn from their childhood mistakes and mischievous little stinker behavior. Characters have an eye candy appeal and are very colorful and unique." Launch date: August 2006.

Players are charged with the challenge of rescuing a baby dinosaur stuck in a canyon threatened by a flash flood. Players must work as a team to save little Dino by lowering the water level until he is dry and also help give him his favorite food. Bambino Dino is simple to grasp, with color-coded dice that indicate when to pick a helpful Tool or some Food and also when to build the Water higher and higher. The game includes a 6" x 12" board, water pieces, rules, bucket and food cards, dice and stickers. Launch date: 2001.

In this game, a winter storm hits Little City. Granny and Grandpa, Uncle and Aunt, Mom and Dad, and Best Friend's Family have things to do, places to go and errands to run. Players must help them complete these tasks together by driving to the places on their lists and returning them safely home. Deep snow? Bad ice? Players decide when and where to do some plowing or spreading of sand while the weather constantly changes. The game includes one 12" x 12" board, weather reports, errands, cars, places, snow and ice, and service trucks. Launch date: 1994.

DGA-TV is a co-operative game about running a TV station. Players are producers who run 7 Studios, featuring everything from children’s shows to current affairs, working together to bring award-winning programming to the viewing public. They must deal with the critics, ratings, sponsors and the actions of people behind and in front of the cameras while putting together as popular a TV program as possible in order to avoid cancellations and earn awards. The game includes eight player game boards, rules, six movers, seven success markers, a program marker, 41 thumbs up and 45 thumbs down cards, and a rules summary chart. Launch date: 2006.

This board game is designed particularly for young children who have an interest in stars, planets, astronauts and space travel. Players are among a team of astronauts sent out into the universe to find another planet with new sources of energy, food and minerals as a suitable environment for earth's growing population. Dark and Dangerous Skies includes two more games of increasing complexity, making it a game youngsters can start off on and then grow with, well into adult years. Jim Deacove, President of Family Pastimes, told TDmonthly that one of the notable features of the game is that one can "play as friends, not as enemies!" The game includes a 12" x 12" board, four explorer craft, four matching astronaut movers, a die, rules, and 10 equipment, 19 danger and 12 info tokens. Launch date: 2006.

This handy accordion is a musical toy suitable for little kids. William Xie of China Toybiz told TDmonthly it is "good for practice and fun." Launch date: Feb. 20, 2010.

Protect-a-Bub is a leader in sun and all weather protection products for strollers, joggers and car seats. The classic sunshade is the largest canopy style UV protective sunshade on the market and winner of an iParenting Media Award. It is made out of a specially-woven polyester microfiber that is breathable and doesn’t retain heat. The shade has mesh sides that reduce glare and promote air circulation. As is the case with all of Protect-a-Bub’s sunshade products, this shade has been tested and rated UPF 50+ and blocks 99 percent of the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays. The Classic Sunshade fits all strollers, joggers and car seats with a canopy and is available to for both single and twin strollers.

This board game has a strategic engagement style of play, where players must use historical figures and sailing warships from the era 1750-1805 to battle for the seas. Bunky Gress, President of Bunky's Enterprises, Inc., told TDmonthly, "The game is designed by the players in regards to length and complexity." Launch date: June 2010.

Peggy Flores shows examples of wire sculpture and how creating them teaches students the elements of line, space, and shape. She explores using different types, gauges, and colors of wire and the tools necessary to cut and bend the wire to create a sculpture. She begins by drawing an outline of a subject and plans adding form by bending, sculpting, and cutting the wire. "This product is unique because an art teacher demonstrates the sculpting process and finished examples are shown," said Amy Woodworth of Crystal Productions. Launch date: March 12, 2010.

This particular T-Rex is more adorable than it is scary. Squishables makes giant, round, fuzzy stuff animals. Aaron Glazer of Squishable.com, Inc, told TDmonthly that the T-Rex "wants only to cuddle and maybe nibble on your nose." Launch date: December 2009.

Cubilete is an old and traditional Cuban dice game. It is played by everyone from young children to grandmothers, and is as commonplace in Hispanic homes as a deck of cards. Cubilete has been played in Cuba and most of Latin America since the Spanish Empire. While different rules exist among the many countries where it is found, the basis of the game remains similar to Poker. Includes a leather dice cup, also known as a cubilete, 5 Spanish Poker Dice, and instructions.

Make a Copter Ball, a Rocket Ball or a Glider Ball with the new OGOBILD-FLY. The soft bouncy rubber ball has 12 sockets that let you reposition and twist the wings to create your own flying creation. Part of the new OGOBILD Building Ball system from OGOSPORT. Can be combined with any of the other OGOBILD attachments offering a brilliant combination of active and constructive play.

This robot construction kit includes pieces for children to make animals and figures that move via a one-geared motor.

Designed as a realistic replica of the Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake, this serpent's moves can be dictated by the remote. It flicks its tongue and rattles its tail while on the move. The product requires 4 AA and a 9V battery (not included).
Awards: Creative Child Magazine Toy of the Year 2010