December 2008 New Specialty Toys — All

This ultra-luxurious line from Honey by The Bumble Collection was created to facilitate a high-end lifestyle and endure the challenges of motherhood. It features full Italian cowhide leather, 18k gold-plated signature hardware, a removable front clutch with detachable shoulder strap, and a water-resistant exterior. Launch date: December 15, 2008.

These plush pet beds are a fluffy, fashionable and fun addition to the Pawparazzi line. They are available in Leopard Print and Pink & Black styles. "Accessories like our Plush Pet Beds expand the Pawparazzi play experience and bring girls into the world of these miniature superstar pets in a way other plush toys don't," Susan DeCoste, marketing manager for Noodle Head, Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2006.

This set is filled with pets, purses, fashion and more — everything little girls need to spark their imaginations and pamper their favorite celebrity pets. It includes two pet sets, two dress-up sets, two plush pet beds, a doggy dining set and the Hotel Pawparazzi playset and carrying case. "Pawparazzi pets’ unique personalities (artists, writers, actors and more!) encourage young girls to use their imaginations to unlock and explore the exciting world of these tiny superstars. The pets inspire individual expression and creativity and encourage social interaction and collaborative play with friends at birthdays, parties and play dates," Susan DeCoste, marketing manager for Noodle Head, Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2008.

The Pilloroo is the pillow with the surprise pouch. Each pillow has a zippered pocket at the top that opens to a hidden pocket big enough for a small toy, book or remote control. The pillow is stuffed just enough so kids can’t feel the toy from the outside. There are eight themes for girls and eight themes for boys. Each Pilloroo comes with a toy that coordinates with the theme. "The Pilloroo is the best hiding spot for kids!" President Vicky McQuoid of Pilloroo Designs told TDmonthly. This product received a 2008 Mom's Best Award. Launch date: September 2008.

Keys to Comprehension offers an adventurous way for kids to master six key skills. Players spin to determine which specific reading skill to focus on, draw a card, read its short passage, and then answer the specific skill question. If they get it right, they get a “key” for that skill. Once they collect all six keys they are on their way to unlocking the buried treasure and winning the game. The game for two to six players includes a gameboard, 90 question cards, 36 key cards, six pawns, and one die. "The Keys to Comprehension game is available in two different reading levels - RL 1-3 (REM 6006A) and RL 3-5 (REM 6006B)," Liz Mullen, director of sales for Remedia Publications, told TDmonthly. It received a Learning Magazine 2009 Teachers’ Choice Award. Launch date: 2006.

Every new parent wants to make sure baby’s environment is as healthy as possible. This 12-oz. bottle is made from 100-percent recyclable, high-quality, food-grade stainless steel so it doesn’t need a synthetic lining like aluminum bottles. It’s completely BPA-free and won’t leach chemicals, toxins or funky flavors into baby’s beverages. It’s designed for small hands, making it easy to hold, and the large-mouth makes it easy to clean. It can be scrubbed out with soap and water, or tossed in the dishwasher. It comes with a nipple adapter, stainless stopper and no-leak sport lid so the bottle can be used for many years. "G2 Grows with your child from newborn right into grade school. At Goo-Goo Baby we make products that last," CEO Rea Cymbol of Goo-Goo Baby told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2008.

The Sports of All Sorts Kit optical illusion eye-hand challenges provide hours of independent, brain-powered, sit-down sports fun. Kids find and crayon morphed shapes on distorted coloring pages to make color appear in the right place in the sports cartoon reflections. They complete the morphed picture, create their own morphed drawing, navigate a morphed maze, connect the dots, predict a reflection, and more. The activities help develop logic and perception skills, flex problem-solving mental muscles, exercise fine motor control, test spatial intelligence, and spark imagination and creativity. The kit contains 32 coloring page activities (“Soccer” is shown), two mirror-perfect Morph-O-Scopes (easy assembly), 16 non-toxic crayons, a Sports Kit Enrichment Guide to maximize learning, and instructions in English, Spanish and French — all in a portable “desk” convenient for travel. The activities engage boys and girls, kids, tweens, teens and adults, as they have universal, cross-cultural appeal. The Sports of All Sorts Kit is made in the USA and meets or exceeds all U.S. safety standards. It's the second Morph-O-Scopes Kit offered by OOZ & OZ, whose Circus Kit earned 19 national educational toy awards.
The Sports of All Sorts Kit has received the following awards and honors: 2009 Dr. Toy Best Vacation Children's Products,  a “Recommended” endorsement from the National Association for Gifted Children, 2009 The Toy Man Editors Choice Award, 2009 The Toy Man Award of Excellence, and 2009 The Toy Man Seal of Approval.  “No other products on the market use OOZ & OZ's exclusive technology or have earned as many toy honors," Myrna Hoffman, managing director and chief morphologist of OOZ & OZ, told TDmonthly. Launch date: December 13, 2008.

The LaQ Free Style Series includes all seven types of snap-and-click-together blocks in various color themes. LaQ Free Style Colors is a 400-piece kit of blocks in red, blue, yellow and green. "The innovative construction toy block LaQ has been shown to aid the growth of a child's mind. A child's mind shows activity in both the right and left hemisphere of the brain," Mo Saeki, manager of the Overseas Division for YOSHIRITSU CO., LTD., told TDmonthly. "All LaQ blocks materials, assembly and packing are handled in Japan." Launch date: December 2008.

The LaQ Free Style Series includes all seven types of LaQ snap-and-click-together blocks in various color themes. The 400-piece Free Style Pastel kit features the blocks in pink, orange, sky blue and yellow green. "The intellectual construction toy block LaQ makes a fun snap! and click! noise when piecing the parts together. This encourages the child that the pieces are firmly connected. The basic square and triangle parts connect together with angled joint pieces. The joint parts make possible the creation of flat, two-dimensional, three-dimensional and spherical models," Mo Saeki, manager of the Overseas Division for YOSHIRITSU CO., LTD., told TDmonthly. Launch date: December 2008.

Snuggle up with your soft and cuddly Wumbler named Bertrum. He is guaranteed to be your best friend
Available in 8.5", 5" and a backpack clip.

The Wumblers rely on their best buddy Raimundo as they tackle life in Wumbleton. Raimundo is a cuddly little snail with big dreams to make little ones smile.
Available in 8.5", 5" and a backpack Clip

Born from watermelon and at the center of one of our most successful "social" enrichment activities for kids held at The Wumbler Patch retail store, Baby Wumblers teach children the importance of caring for ALL beings, even the weakest and most vulnerable. Each Baby Wumbler transforms from a soft, cuddly watermelon into an adorable blue or pink Baby Wumbler that children can register on line at the Wumblers website. Each baby arrives with a bright yellow identification band worn by the adopting child which states, "It's A Wumblerful World We Live In!" Each band marks the adoption and full commitment by children and their families to helping "make the world a better place for ALL!"
— “I love the message behind these Baby Wumblers and the things that it teaches not only our kids but ourselves as well,” said the reviewer at Mommy 2 Two Girls. Her kids, on the other hand, loved that the Wumbler could be tucked back into its “little watermelon house.”
— After testing the Baby Wumblers with her sons, Erin Tales from The Mom Buzz jokingly observes that a “toy like this can start arguments if you don’t have one for each kid.” Her sons “were so excited when they discovered them,” while Erin liked that the watermelon transformation “opens up discussions about watermelons and healthy snacks!”

Blending watermelon with imagination, learning, and fun, each Wumbler DVD and CD centers itself upon lessons critical to nourish the "whole and balanced" child. The Wumbler Patch's goal is to help parents raise children that understand the many responsibilities they have to "human kind and the world" in a way that leaves a positive impression on them and remains a lifelong goal.

Everything about The Wumbler Patch and its Wumbler characters seeds itself in social, global, environmental, and humanitarian fun and learning wrapped up in the WATERMELON. Its games, puzzles, and full line of plush all share the same theme.

WIth the typical red plaid shirt and workman's tools illustrated on this art smock, it protects a child's clothing from arts and crafts, and also serves as a pretend play outfit. It is 100% waterproof and can be fastened on from the back with velcro.

This art smock has a cheerleader design theme, complete with pom poms and the typical cheerleader style outfit. It is 100% waterproof and can be fastened on from the back with velcro.

This firefighter art smock's design includes the suspender overalls of a typical firefighter, but not its fire retardant jacket. It is 100% waterproof and can be fastened on from the back with Velcro.

The Hairdresser art smock comes in a pink design with illustrations of a hairdresser's common items, such as a comb, brush, and scissors. It is 100% waterproof and can be fastened on from the back with Velcro.

These tiny helicopter erasers come in four colors.
— “We have been selling those really, really well,” Michelle Smith of Piccolo Mondo Toys told TDmonthly of Iwako erasers in fall 2008. “It’s amazing how many people are driving across town for these things because they heard we have them.”
— "We sell 5,000+ pieces a month" of the Iwako erasers, estimated Bill Sartain, co-owner of Tutoring Toy in Salt Lake City, Utah, in early 2009.

Grant the soccer ball is in high demand.  His best friend is Martin the Monkey and he loves to travel on kids’ soccer bags and backpacks.  He’s easy to apply with his self-adhesive Velcro.  Approximate size:  2.25 inch diameter

Martin the Monkey is nutty for his friends from PakNaks®!  His curly tail and infectious grin make him a hit with boys and girls.  He loves to play with his buddy, Bill Ball and comes with his own trading card information and both pieces of his self-adhesive custom Velcro.  Approximate size:  2.4 x 2.5 inches

Tabby the penguin is a hit!  She’s made from recycled plastic, is cute beyond words and loves jelly beans.  Simply peel off the self adhesive strip and press down the back side of the velcro she comes with and then apply her loop side and you are ready to sport your new penguin design.  Approximate size:  1.8 x 2.6 inches

Kyla Jane, the butterfly, is one of the most popular PakNaks®. Her vibrant colors and delightful texture make her an instant hit. She comes with her own trading card information (her best friend is Sprinkles, the cupcake Nak) and both pieces of her self-adhesive custom Velcro. Approximate size: 2.5 x 2.5 inches

Featuring the country voice of lead singer Kimber Breaux (as Rosie Mae Bummkinn), this 17-track album includes tunes that explore traditional and rock stylings of country music. It also has a bonus story track.

One of the most challenging in the bunch, remove the eight pieces out of the stepped side of the frame and reassemble them in the rectangular frame on the opposite side. Expert (Level 4)