June 2009 New Specialty Toys — Outdoor Fun

Lil Red Tractor is a high-quality, rechargeable, battery powered mini-tractor for boys or girls. It can be driven up to 2 mph indoors or out, on semi-hard surfaces. It has a large, adjustable seat for growing legs, and on-off foot pedal, and a one-year limited warranty with a free second year extended warranty and toll-free customer service. It is made in Canada. "Lil Red Tractor is a very high quality product, powered by a rechargeable battery (included). Kids love the bright shiny red finish and it's the perfect size for use indoors or out. [It is] not distributed in big-box stores," Ken Maxwell, VP of marketing for Peg Perego, told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2009.

Double Ladderball consists of placing each ladder 25 feet apart, and each team consisting of one or more players stands at one ladder and  tosses their colored bolas (either red or blue) at the other ladder. Bolas that hang onto any of the crossbars scores points for the tosser. Top bar is 3 points, middle bar is 2 points, and the bottom bar is worth 1 point.

Metal Ladderball is exactly like Ladderball, but built tough for durability against wear and tear. Similar to the rules of Double Ladderball, Metal Ladderball consists of placing each ladder 25 feet apart, and each team consisting of one or more players stands at one ladder and tosses their colored bolas (either red or blue) at the other ladder.

Tail Wags helmet covers are designed to fit over all makes and models of bike, ski, snowboard, toboggan, skate and equestrian helmets. They come in more than 35 animal character designs. Tail Wags was a 2008 JPMA finalist and received a 2009 iParenting Media Award. Launch date: June 2009.

Parents may indulge their child’s imagination with this enchanting unicorn helmet cover, designed to encourage kids to wear their safety helmet. Tail Wags helmet covers are designed to fit over all makes and models of bike, ski, snowboard, toboggan, skate and equestrian helmets. They are available in more than 35 animal character designs. "Tail Wags helmet covers uniquely fit over all safety helmets, thereby, making it an ideal all-year-round product," Karyn Climans, owner of Tail Wags Helmet Covers Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2009. Tail Wags was a 2008 JPMA finalist.

Tail Wags helmet covers are designed to make it fun for kids to wear their safety helmets. They are made to fit over all makes and models of bike, ski, snowboard, toboggan, skate and equestrian helmets, and come in more than 35 animal character designs. Tail Wags was a 2008 JPMA Finalist. Launch date: June 2009.

The MOOV by BERG is both a construction toy and a rideable vehicle for children, ages 5 to 12. Children can construct MOOV by themselves without the use of any tools or help from parents. The wooden parts, rings, shafts and frames are multi-functional. Once the model is complete, the fun continues. MOOV construction toys are available in three kits: Starter, Advanced, and Street. The Starter kit ($210.00) can create three wooden models, the Advanced ($300.00) seven models, and the Street ($376.00) up to 10 models. For each new construction, the old model must be taken apart.

Designed for older girls (ages 4 to 10), Junior BanZ feature UV400 polarized polycarbonate lenses and sturdy frames, while offering new shapes and temples for protection and style. Junior BanZ come with their own solid pink neoprene carrying case complete with zipper clasp, as well as a removable neoprene strap for active girls on the go. Launch date: April 2009.

A tribute to family, friendship and forty-five years at summer camp, "Campingly Yours" paints a poignant picture of character, charisma and courage, lovingly nestled in America’s heartland. Punctuated with vivid imagery and laugh-out-loud humor, Thomas C. Adler’s memoir is "a heartwarming journey of a lifetime at summer camp," Sue Defabis, project manager at Five Star Publications, told TDmonthly. Launch date: January 15, 2009.

Kids can line up the arrows on Froggy's belly and watch him spin through the water from one end of the pool to the other. He uses 2 AA batteries. The "patented random direction makes him zip in random directions," Doug Rubel, CEO of MindWalk, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009.

The Spooner is a balance trainer that simulates board maneuvers associated with surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding but not limited to that. The Spooner helps to develop flexibility and strength in the legs as well as creating a better center of balance. The Spooner is a core trainer, a stabilizer and a pasteurizer because of the ability to work the muscles closest to the spine. Also, it's loads of fun and can be done on any surface indoors or out. Made of H.D.P.E. it is unbreakable. Our guarantee is "You break it, we replace it."  Made by Hand in the USA. Launch date: 2006.
— In a March 2012 survey about outdoor toys, two out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that Spooner Boards were among their best sellers.
— In a March 2012 survey, Chris Lowe, owner of Beanhead Toys in Sandy Springs, Ga., told TDmonthly that Spoonerboards were one of her best selling ride-on toys.
— Alexander McPherson, toy supervisor at Little Dickens in Lynchburg, Va., told TDmonthly in a March 2013 survey that Spooner Boards are their best selling item - they sell about 114 each year, with sales of the item concentrated in 4th quarter.

Designed for children who are learning to ride a bike, the Go Glider allows kids to practice balance and movement on a model that does not consist of pedals or training wheels. It has 16" EVA foam tires (no air), adjustable handlebars and a seat that is adjustable from 17.5" to 23". Launch date: 2008.

This trainer bike is designed without pedals or training wheels in order to help young children learn balance and crucial motor skills as they ride. It is available in red, blue, green and pink.

For the group that likes to have some competitive fun. Mashoonga!® Sabers by Revel King are new and unique sport toys for playing the new game of Mashoonga!. These are quality made products that will hold up to the intended abuse they will get. So, revel on!

Rubber chicken meets disc golf in this ridiculously fun game.  Players each choose a different colored rubber chicken.  One player throws the target nice and far!  The target becomes the "hole," like in golf.  Players then take turns flickin' their chicken at the target.  If you don't make it on the target, throw again from where it landed. Each throw counts as a point.  Try to land any part of your rubber chicken on the target within the least amount of throws as possible. The player with the lowest score after nine-rounds is the winner.  For 2- 4 players. 

When swung and thrown by the tail attached to the hollow ball that houses the Klutz Sling Chute, kids and adults alike can send this parachute high. Once aloft, the brightly colored 32” parachute deploys and floats the ball gracefully to the ground. Users quickly stuff the chute back in the ball to repeat the process. While easy enough for a young child to handle, the Sling Chute can provide lots of entertainment and observation for older children as well.
— “The Klutz Sling Chute. I sell tons of those,” Patti Tepper-Rasmussen, owner of Learning Tree Toys in Oklahoma City, Okla., told TDmonthly when asked about her top-selling outdoor products in spring 2009.
— Two of 60 retailers surveyed in March 2009 reported this product as a best-selling outdoor toy, with one store averaging sales of about 15 per month.

Made from durable rubber, this textured, heavy-duty ball may be used on the playground or in the gym.  The 7”-diameter ball sports whimsical illustrations of dinosaurs, as well as their names. Suitable for indoor or outdoor use, the rubber used to make this ball contains no PVC, latex or vinyl.
— When asked about the best-selling sports items in her Fort Collins, Colo., store, Dandelion Toys owner Jenny Bramhall told TDmonthly, “Playground balls by Crocodile Creek.” Retailers reported sales averaging about six per month of playground balls.
— Seven percent of 60 retailers interviewed by TDmonthly during a March 2009 survey regarding sports and outdoor toys listed play balls as their top sellers in this category.

Now more than 10 years old, PlasmaCar continues to intrigue and fascinate with millions of units sole and multiple awards in over sixty countries worldwide. Just sit, put your feet up, and turn the steering wheel to propel yourself forward up to 6 mph on any smooth, flat surface. With a maximum weight capacity of 220 lbs., even parents and grandparents have experienced a giggle by taking it for a spin. Made from state-of-the-art, high-quality ABS plastics, this kid-powered, durable, ride-on vehicle comes in a variety of colors.
— “I can't believe how many of these I sell,” remarked Jacque Flagg, owner of Jacque’s Inc. in Bryan, Texas. In a March 2009 survey, Flagg reported sales of around 20 per month.
— In spring 2009, 41 percent of 60 retailers listed PlasmaCar as a best-selling ride-on in their stores, reporting sales of a dozen per month on average.
Awards: 2012 Parents Choice Awards Recommended, 2009 Green Parents List Check Mark, 2009 DisneyFamily.com Top Action Figures and Toys for Toddlers, 2009+2008+2005 The National Parenting Centre Seal of Approval, 2008 iParenting Media Toy Award, 2008 Fat Brain Toy Award Active Play, 2006 TIA Outdoor Toy of the Year - Specialty Toy of the Year, 2006 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award, 2005 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award, 2005 Dr. Toy Best Vacation Products, 2005 Creative Child Seal of Excellence, 2001 International Patent Fair, Hong Kong Gold Medal

These large, foam gliders are now available in three new styles in the rubberband-powered gliders and three new styles bundled with an electric winder. They are not sold to mass-market accounts. "The first launch in this series sold out three times in the first six months of release," Dennis Edlund, marketing director for AG Industries, told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 30, 2009.
— “AG airplanes (are) really great products. They’re 8 and up, so they’re great for the older boy,” Diana Gisolfu, co-owner of Sisters Kids in Springfield, Mass., told TDmonthly in early summer 2010.
— In June 2010, five percent of 40 retailers cited AG planes as a top seller for boys 4 to 12.

Bake a sand cake and decorate it beautifully every time with the Haba Spiloling Funnel. Always the right combination of sand and water to make a sand flower or write a messge in the sand.

Three year olds and older will love creating their own waterpark with this extra large set. Phalate free with 15 pieces will help to create a water epire in a sand box or on the beach.

This scooter features an eight-position, adjustable handlebar, a synthetic MaxXtread™ front tire for a smooth and quiet ride, EVA foam rear tires, a rear footbrake and an extra-wide footplate. Weight capacity is 100 lbs. "The KETTLER® Scooter Prinzessin comes with a lifetime warranty on the main 'd' tube frame, [and] also has a five-year warranty on the paint against fading. It is coated inside and outside with an anti-rust coating," Heather McGlothlin, national sales manager for KETTLER International, told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 10, 2009.

The heavy-duty Tire Time Swing Set makes a great replacement or upgrade for your existing playground set. It includes a heavy-duty plastic tire, a 4 foot double looped nylon rope, and a metal looped attachment device for connection to your playground set. With only four simple steps, the Tire Time Swing Set is assembled easily. Lead free and made of recycled materials. For ages 3-8 with maximum weight of 75 lbs. Adult supervision required.