December 2009 New Specialty Toys — All

This fun bag for day trips features padded shoulder straps that adjust to fit, a handle on the top, zipper closure for the main storage area, and a zipped compartment on top that stores a weatherproof hood. It also comes with a detachable safety rein for parental use.

Each of the 52 cards in this set includes a funny drawing, a catchword and a phrase. They are designed to be drawn randomly to spark conversation between parent and child, to provide comfort or reward, or to function as an ice breaker at a kids' party.

This punky yet cute Bottle Cap Pendant features a skull with pink hearts for eyes topped with a pink polka dot bow. Bottle Cap Pendants are interchangeable. Pendant chains are sold separately.

Deep black with subtle green sparkles, this slightly stiffer Thinking Putty has a mind of its own. Near a powerful magnet it comes alive! Strong enough to defy gravity. It can even lift tacks and paperclips on its own after charging in a magnetic field. One would be mesmerized by the invisible forces at play.
— Candace Gooch, owner of At Once All Agog in Limerick, Maine, told TDmonthly in July 2010 that this product is one of her top-three best sellers. She cited sales of 12 in the last month and three in the last week.
— In a late Summer 2012 survey, three out of 12 retailers said Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty was their bestselling novelty item. Richard Gibson, owner of Learning Express of Newton in Newton, Mass., told TDmonthly that the putty brings in $5-6,000 a year, and "the best is the magnetic one."
— In a Fall 2013 survey, three out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty was their best-selling novelty toy.

The ZipBin® Dinosaur Mini Play Set's features a dramatic exterior theme design, and when the bin is unzipped, it becomes a dinosaur island play mat. This activity mat is perfect for playing with dinosaurs, animals, vehicles, boats, action figures, etc. Fantasy play is encouraged by a prehistoric world featuring a volcano, a river, a tar pit and a mysterious cave. When play is done, the play mat easily becomes the storage bin, storing toys inside. Set includes 3 plastic dinosaurs.

Jewel Tone Tie Dye kits offer an assortment of two-tone color combinations colors with easy-to-follow instructions that allow anyone to create sophisticated variations on 3 tie dye patterns popular in today’s fashion world. Each kit includes enough products for two shirts: two applicator bottles with coordinating Procion MX dye colors, soda ash dye fixer, gloves and rubber bands. Jewel Tones are available in 7 beautiful color combinations: Amber, Amethyst, Emerald, Onyx, Ruby, Sapphire, and Topaz. Awards: Parent's Choice Award 2010. Launch date: February 2010.

This kit has a unique tie dye method designed to get the best Camouflage look. Complete, easy-to-follow instructions the Classic Camo pattern and ideas for creating 3 other dye patterns are included. The kit contains two applicator bottles of Procion MX dye, one container of dye for immersion bath, soda ash dye fixer, gloves, rubber bands and will dye up to four shirts. Launch Date: January 2010.

This set of two construction vehicles is outfitted for Nuchi train tracks. There's a rubber tread on the front of the steamroller and a functional red tipper decking out the front of the bulldozer.

This product is designed so that young toddlers will delight in placing the dowel/balls in the holes, turning the base, and watching the whirling forms turn around. Older toddlers can start to build with the hardwood squares, put “red hats on the red heads," and stack colored shapes into sturdy towers. Preschoolers can build more complex and imaginative structures while exploring how motion changes the appearance and stability of forms. "Torno Torno combines a wood building toy with a wood turn-table base that is activated by the child — no batteries, just the child's gentle push and imagination," Karen Hewitt, president of Learning Materials Workshop, told TDmonthly. This product was named one of Dr. Toy's 10 Best Toys 2009. Launch date: November 2009.

"Young Minds - Numbers and Counting" teaches young children how to count from 1 to 10 by way of visually counting objects on the screen in an interactive manner. he entire production is set to classical music from Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Vivaldi and other classical composers. The objects counted on the screen include animals, machines, fruits, vegetables and scenes from nature. "Our DVD has substantially more educational value than other DVDs marketed to this age segment. In addition to numbers, our DVD also teaches animal sounds, colors, and much more," Jason Gibson, owner of Math Tutor DVD, told TDmonthly. This DVD has received the following awards: Dr. Toy Top 100 Best Products 2009; 2009 Dr. Toy Top 10 Best Audio-Video Products 2009; Parent Tested Parent Approved (PTPA) 2009; iParenting Media 2009; Creative Child Magazine Top Choice Award 2009; Creative Child Magazine Seal of Excellence 2009; and "The Toy Man" Award 2009. Launch date: July 21, 2009.

"Up Down & All Around" is a creative movement/exercise DVD for people of all ages and abilities. The DVD provides resources to develop gross motor skills, spatial awareness, strength and balance. It’s designed to be easy to follow, easy to do, and encourage adult-child interactions. "It was designed specifically to be utilized by educators and parents to do with their students and children. ... each of the eight sections of the DVD begin with bulleted objectives. There is also a detailed movement guide ... [that] explains how to do each section of the program in depth, what kinesthetic skills are being addressed, as well as offers fun variations to the exercises. This is a comprehensive program that will help schools and communities meet the National Physical Education Standards as well combat the obesity epidemic," Stacey Pepper Schwartz, founder of Leaping Legs Creative Movement Programs, told TDmonthly. The DVD was awarded Dr. Toy’s 10 Best Active Products 2009 and Dr. Toy's 100 Best Children’s Products 2009. Launch date: December 21, 2008.

Little Bites Freezer Trays are designed to make storing and freezing homemade baby and toddler foods safe and easy. Made of durable, BPA-free and phthalate-free silicone, these stackable trays feature four storage cups and a see-through silicone lid. Users seal with a pinch, and then place in the freezer. They are sold in sets of two, and feature 2-oz. servings that can simply be popped out, warmed and served. The toxin-free trays are freezer safe, dishwasher safe and microwave safe. Kinderville offers "uniquely designed products made of resilient silicone. Not too many items in the market place ... are similar to what we are offering," Oliver Albers, president of Luft Industrie LLC dba Kinderville, told TDmonthly. Launch date: December 2009.

Designed as an educational, fun and easy-to-use puppet making kit, SPP! Chinese New Year Edition puts the power of creation in the hands of the child. It provides a balance of structure and creativity as it leads kids through the process of creating five large, one-of-a-kind stick puppets with the Chinese New Year theme. It could be used for school projects or for parties or family nights. The kit includes five blank corrugated bodies, 10 blank arms and legs, five blank heads, five themed faces, five sticks, 20 fasteners, five sheets of decorative paper, 50ml glue, an informative synopsis of the Chinese New Year, and directions. Kids assemble the puppets, make the clothing, and complete the puppet characters with the included themed faces, photographs or hand drawings. The stick puppets stand 14" tall and have movable arms and legs. They are packaged in a 12” hang bag. This product is made in the USA. Launch date: October 2009.

Whirled Peas® engages two teams in five challenges where everybody plays every turn. The object of the game is to earn and steal peas and be the winning team to fill its "PeaPod©". At the center of the game is the "PeaKing©" Spinner. He is the brand ambassador and symbolizes the party game atmosphere inherent in Whirled Peas. "The best part about Whirled Peas® is that sales will support our giving-based business model and help us build and grow our foundation, 'The Peas Project©'" Kevin Werntz, president of Peas-Corp, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 13, 2010.

The Dream Baby Hallway Security Gate is designed to fit any opening 38' to 53.5'. The gate comes with a 7' extension and a 3.5' extension. It is pressure mounted, swings closed automatically, has a door that opens in both directions and closes automatically, and functions with one-handed operation. It is created for easy installation and comes with a one-year manufacturer's warranty. This gate is available in white or black. Launch date: November 10, 2009.
— As of August 2010, this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 16 reviews on Amazon.com. PROS: Sturdy, effective and fits even wide doorways. CONS: Some parents felt the gate was too difficult to open and close.

The Heaven Sent Girl Collection combines pinks and green with touches of sheer, cloud-like fabrics and soft minky material. The quilt and bumper are appliquéd with spiritual messages celebrating the joy of birth: "Heaven Sent," "A Perfect Gift from God," "The Lord is my Shepherd" and "I am Wonderfully Made" — embroidered on white linen patches accompanied by sweet appliquéd angels, sheep and wrapped gifts. The four sectional bumpers are patch worked front and back. The sheet is 200+ thread count and 100-percent cotton. The crib skirt is a shirred, fully lined, cream and pink floral with 16" drop. Matching accessories include crib blanket, standard ivory lamp base and shade, diaper stacker, hamper, musical mobile, fitted sheet, valance, pillow pack, toy bag, and hand-painted wall art. Launch date: August 2009.

Arctic babies is a pattern inspired by the plight of mothers and their babies to survive in the changing world. The Arctic set is a combination of 100-percent cotton, washable velvet in tundra red, appliqués in black dot, and textured fleece. Whales, penguins and polar bears, mothers and babies interact on the quilt and sectional bumper accented by hand stitching. The comforter measures 45" L x 36" W. The dust ruffle is washable velvet with a black dot trim. Matching accessories include diaper stacker, toy bag, valance, mobile, hamper, pillows, whale lamp and shade, photo frame, and three-piece wall art. Launch date: 2009.

The Heaven Sent Boy Collection combines blue, cream and brown cottons. The quilt and bumper are appliquéd with spiritual messages celebrating the joy of birth: "Heaven Sent," "A Perfect Gift from God," "The Lord is my Shepherd" and "I am Wonderfully Made." The messages are on white linen patches accompanied by appliquéd angels, sheep and wrapped gifts. The four sectional bumpers are patch-worked front and back. The 200-thread-plus count stripe sheet is 100-percent cotton. The crib skirt is a box pleat, 17" drop in blue geometric with banding in brown star. Matching accessories include crib blanket, standard ivory lamp base and shade, diaper stacker, toy bag, hamper, musical mobile, fitted sheet, valance, pillow pack and hand-painted wall art. Launch date: August 2009.

Poppy is an all-cotton set with contemporary poppy appliqué. It features woven cotton houndstooth in black and white, combined in a patchwork of black, white, pink and citrus green. Fun patchwork poppies are appliquéd on a lightweight comforter, with the reverse in big dot pink. It has a four-section patched bumper, big dot pink sheet and tailored black and white stripe crib skirt. Matching accessories include a crib blanket, decorator lamp, diaper stacker, hamper, musical mobile, fitted crib sheet, photo frame, toy bag, valance, pillow pack and wall art. Launch date: 2008.

The Animal Tracks collection features a combination of soft chocolate corduroy on natural seersucker. Bright textured animals fill the train cars traveling around the bumper on brown and white tracks. The four-section bumper has appliquéd fronts with red dot backs. The sheet is 100-percent cotton, 200 thread count sheet, in chocolate skin. The crib skirt is in brown and white train track twill. The comforter presents all the train animals, including the monkey engineer, on soft natural seersucker with chocolate corduroy trim. Matching accessories include a crib blanket, decor orator lamp, diaper stacker, hamper, musical mobile, fitted crib sheet, photo frame, toy bag, valance, pillow pack, and wall art. Launch date: 2009.

The Elephant Brigade collection is a pattern with a brightly colored forest and a family of elephants. Contemporary yet whimsical, the brigade crosses a landscape of greens, neutrals and red. The coverlet is quilted on natural percale with rich warm colors of the mountains and landscape at bottom and top. The green dot sheet is 100-percent India cotton, 300 thread count. The boxed bed skirt is a yarn-dyed cotton incorporating all the colors. The four-section bumper is embroidered with the the trees and elephants, and trimmed in the yarn-dyed stripe with large cord and ties. Matching accessories include crib blanket, decorative lamp and shade, diaper stacker, toy bag, hamper, musical mobile, fitted sheet, valance, pillow pack, and hand-painted wall art. Launch date: August 2009.

The Slow Poke collection contains brightly colored turtles in greens, blues and accents of red, marching along on 100-percent cotton sheeting. The quilt is a combination of all five fabrics with accent cording and red, skin, inserted flange. The bumper is in four separate sections with stripe cord and accent ties on top and bottom. The box pleated crib shirt has a 2" bias trim in canvas stripe. The sheet thread count is 200 in shell swirl. Matching accessories include crib blanket, decorative lamp and shade, diaper stacker, toy bag, hamper, musical mobile, fitted sheet, valance, pillow pack, and hand-painted wall art. Launch date: November 2009.

This four-piece set has lots of color in a bright cotton motif. There are large appliquéd daisies on a patchwork of big dot red, small red dot and a fancy contemporary floral, plus accents in bright turquoise on a four sectioned bumper, patch-worked front and back with large floral appliqué. The sculptured dust ruffle has turquoise trim. There's a soft dot sheet that is 100-percent, 200-thread-count cotton. Matching accessories include a crib blanket, decorator lamp, diaper stacker, hamper, musical mobile, fitted crib sheet, photo frame, toy bag, valance, pillow pack and wall art. Launch date: July 2009.

This add-on kit includes nine colored, durable magnets that can be used with the Every Day Kits or other sets. It could make an educational gift for homeschooling, help get kids organized and into routine, aid kids learning English, and help children with special needs. "This teacher-created product arose because of parent requests for a daily schedule like the one in my classroom," Elaine Comeau, founder of Easy Daysies, told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2009.