October 2011 New Specialty Toys — Creative Activities

This box can be decorated with the custom stickers to look like a fire station. They can also be drawn on and erased using washable markers. The play box consists of six (6) pieces: a front panel, a back panel, two side panels, the roof and the floor, which locks everything into place. The play box weighs approximately 16 lbs. Once assembled, the play box's dimensions are 55.75" L x 36" W x 57.5" H. Once stored, the play box and carrying case's dimensions are 53.25" L x 20.5" W x 3.5" H. The play box is 100% corrugated plastic, made of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE).

eeBoo’s new line of super plush pipe cleaners come in 18 vibrant color assortments. Each 36 pipe cleaner pack contains 3 different colors and 4 different thicknesses per pack. Twist, curl or bend them into shape. "Our pipe cleaners are plusher and softer than anything else on the market. Instructions for a different project idea are printed on the back of each package for inspiration, but children are also encouraged to use their imagination to create wonderful, one-of-a-kind crafts," Regina Gelin, sales and marketing associate at eeBoo, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2011.

52 pages of great drawings to color with accompanying rhymes for reading. Features high-quality textured paper and a durable cover, so kids can read the book even after they're done coloring it. "Pigs and Rabbits at the shore will be your hosts to fun galore," Regina Gelin, sales and marketing associate at eeBoo, told TDmonthly. Launch date: August 2011.

Adorn any space with these crepe paper flower kits from eeBoo. Each pack contains 2 color papers from which 3 big flowers can be made. 3 pipe cleaner stems included. Easy to follow instructions printed on back. A simple, enjoyable craft for children and adults. "The flowers are hard to resist because they are the perfect marriage of beauty and versatility. They are even beautiful enough to be used as actual decoration for all events and occasions, including weddings, bar or bat mitzvahs, holidays, and birthday parties," Regina Gelin, sales and marketing associate at eeBoo, told TDmonthly. Launch date: July 2011.

lapiluv is the only wearable attachable activity center for parents to play with their children, mixing technology and traditional toys. Launch date: September 2011.
Awards: 2012 PAL AWARD;  2012 Creative Child Top Choice of the Year Award

Standing over two feet tall, the Weird & Wacky Contraption Lab has 60 mix-and-match pieces to build an unlimited amount of contraptions.  Kids can dream up crazy courses, then build and test them using this easy-to-construct Velcro-like system.  Instructions offer tips and tricks on how to best manipulate the kit's components.  It guides kids through five sample contraption designs while they learn how to predict the outcome of each. "Contraption Lab offers full-circle skill building from prediction and planning to testing and experimentation," Nancy Storment, marketing & PR rep for SmartLab Toys, told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2011.
Awards: TDmonthly Top Toy Award, January 2012.
— Why it won: A great product that encourages creativity.

The Starry Night would have been just another landscape if it were not for van Gogh’s swirling layered brush strokes that make the painting come alive. The Starry Night Master Kitz includes all the tools your child needs to create their own Starry Night masterpiece and learning materials to deepen their understanding of the original painting. Each Starry Night Master Kitz includes:A sturdy, re-usable art tool box with magnetic closures, 3 Custom Acrylic Paints (child friendly), 5 Custom Oil Pastels (child friendly), 1 van Gogh Roller specially designed to , replicate van Gogh’s active stroke, 1 re-usable Starry Night Cyprus Stencil, 1 standard paint roller, 2 pieces deluxe art paper, 1 low tack “Mesmerizing Stars” sticker sheet, Fun, easy-to-understand van Gogh learning materials, Easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions. The Tree of Life by Gustav Klimt and Water Lilies by Claude Monet kits are also available. Fifteen percent of Kidzaw’s profits are donated to programs that fund art for disadvantaged public schools in urban areas.
Awards: TDmonthly Top Toy Award, January 2012
— Why it won: This fun kit introduces kids to one of the most famous pieces of art in the world. Including educational materials about van Gogh, the kit also provides paint, stickers, and the tools necessary for kids to recreate, or re-imagine, the Starry Night painting.

Junglemorphs, new for 2011, is part of the Zoomorphs pop-together building system.  The child can build animals that exist or have existed in nature; or easily pop the pieces apart to make all sorts of friendly, poseable fantasy creatures.  There are four characters in this set:  Tree Python, Bird of Paradise, Tiger and Tropical Beetle.  All sets are interchangeable.  Some animals have hinged jaws. Launch date: August 2011.
— Karin Evick, manager of Kids' Ketch in Lewes, Del., told TDmonthly in an April 2012 survey that Zoomorphs are one of their best selling construction toys.

The Shrinky Dinks Monster Lab includes 50+ pre-cut Shrinky Dinks, Faber-Castell color EcoPencils, brads, chenille stems, wiggly eyes and more. When you are finished, place them inside the 3-D pop-up laboratory. This craft kit is perfect for play and display. The Laboratory measures 16" x 7 3/4" x 6". This is a spook-tacular kit for Halloween too.

This quick and easy craft makes a spook-tacular Halloween decoration. Includes genuine Shrinky Dinks®, 11" x 8" sturdy black velvet tree, colored pencils, sharpener, mini hole punch and all the extras needed for decoration and display.

Kids can make up their own royal adventures, swashbuckling stories, superhero missions, and pretty kitty tales with these themed puppet packs containing six puppets each. For use alone or with the Soft Shapes Puppet Theater. Launch date: August 2011.

All purpose sketch paper is bright white with sturdy backing. Kraft paper covers to customize! 30 acid-free sheets. 50 lb paper weight (80g). Polybag with label. Size:5¾ x 8¼“. Launch date: August 2011.

All purpose sketch paper is bright white with sturdy backing. Kraft paper covers to customize! 30 acid-free sheets. 50 lb paper weight (80g). Polybag with label. Size: 8¼ x 11¾”. Launch date: August 2011.

All purpose sketch paper is bright white with sturdy backing. Kraft paper covers to customize! 30 acid-free sheets. 50 lb paper weight (80g). Polybag with label. Size: 11¾ x 16½" (A3). Launch date: August 2011.

High quality tree-free pencils are entirely graphite for drawing and writing! Great for broad strokes and fine detail. 2B grade. Set of 8 in recycled hanging window gift box. Launch date: August 2011.

The Domino Express Maxi Power Plus set combines the fascinating action of falling dominoes with even more exciting stunts. It comes with a rocket tower, 2 straight and 2 curved speed tracks, a plane launcher, 36 speed dominoes and over 100 regular dominoes to stack up and watch fall. This set is hours of fun for both new domino fans, as well as the experienced pro. Launch date: July 2011.

Kids can bake real desserts with this set which features 12-cup mini muffin pan, a mini loaf pan, a pan and 4" diameter springform pan. Comes with laminated recipe cards. Dishwasher safe.
— As of 8/29/2011 this product had 4.8 out of 5 stars from 11 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Oven and toaster oven safe; don't need to buy special mixes in order to use; durable; non-stick really works. Cons: Since pans are smaller than adult pans, users need to reduce most recipes that they want to use the pans for.

This new family music release is the follow-up to Alastair Moock's award-winning debut family album, "A Cow Named Moock." These Are My Friends features many of Moock's old musical collaborators, including Rani Arbo, Lori McKenna, Mark Erelli, Vanessa Trien, Kris Delmhorst, Jennifer Kimball, Anand Nayak, Rose Polenzani, Scott Kessel and Paul Kochanski. Launch date: October 2011.

This is our newest in Wonder Dough. Gluten-Free. The same soft-pliability that small hands love, and all the same great benefits of Wonder Dough, minus the wheat. Comes in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, white, brown, and pink. Launch date: September 2011.

This is our newest in Wonder Dough. Gluten-Free. The same soft-pliability that small hands love, and all the same great benefits of Wonder Dough, minus the wheat. Comes in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, white, brown, and pink. Launch date: September 2011.

These modeling dough based language kits do such a great job of teaching literacy skills that they "make the pencil jealous."  Kit includes red, yellow and blue dough, 32 Write and Wipe cards, a black erasable marker, a black erasable crayon and instructions for step by step activities. Launch date: November 2010.

Kids can design dream cars for Hot Wheels with the Light Box Design Set. The light box makes drawing easy: simply use the sketch pages and films with the light box tracing table to outline car decals and logos to make them look like they are ready for speed. Use the Tree-Free colored pencils and instructions for tips and inspiration on how to color and shade to make each car ready for the street or racetrack. Finish off the designs with the foil stickers for extra-cool detail. This kit includes the light box tracing table, 40 car design sketch pages, 10 Tree-Free colored pencils with pencil sharpener, 15 films, 38 stickers, and instructions. Launch date: 2011.

Kids can trace, bake, shrink and build their own Christmas ornaments in 3D. Classic Shrinky Dinks with a new 3D twist. Create trees, reindeer, presents and more. The new SmArt Studio 3D Shrinky Dinks® Christmas kit comes with 10 Shrinky Dinks Sheets and tracing sheets. Just follow the easy to use illustrated instructions and kids’ll be making their own 3D Christmas in no time. Smart Studios Shrinky Dinks are 100% Made in America. Launch date: August 2011.

Draw Star Wars: The Clone Wars is packed with tips and techniques, practice space to draw right in the book, and translucent overlays to make kids a master of drawing. Start with stick figures, move onto basic shapes, and finish up with the details. Learn to draw 20 different Clone Wars characters. The book comes with everything needed, including a black marker, double-tipped metallic — colored pencils, and an always-sharp mechanical pencil. Of course, we also include perhaps the most essential tool for any artist… an eraser.
— Mary Porter Green, owner of The Curiosity Zone in Ashburn, Va., told TDmonthly in a Summer 2011 survey that she sells "Klutz books of all sorts —  dozens —  especially Star Wars," each week.