December 2011 New Specialty Toys — All

Now, Baby Stella can talk. Features three sounds: pacifier sucking noise when pacifier is attached, giggling when foot is squeezed, and saying "mama" when hand is squeezed. Doll comes with pink ruffled onesie with Velcro-like closures in back and magnetic pacifier. Comes with 2 replaceable AA batteries. Launch date: January 2012.

Loopdedoo is a new spinning tool that makes fabulous twisted bracelets in just a few minutes. It's fast, easy and fun. Just wrap the threads around the Loopdedoo device, turn the knob, guide the thread and minutes later the bracelet is done. Kids can even make necklaces, anklets, belts and more. There's no pattern to follow so each accessory is completely different and unique. Kids can use as many threads and color combinations as they like, and can make them thick, thin or anywhere in between. Launch date: November 2011.
— In a January 2012 survey, Barbara Finblum, owner of Barston's Child's Play in Baltimore, Md., told TDmonthly that Loopdedoo is their best selling arts and crafts toy. "They came in in December and we sold 194 out of 5 stores - 163 out of 3 stores alone. We sold out and couldn't get them back," she said.
— As of 10/5/2012 this product had 4.5 out of 5 stars from 8 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Easy to use; promotes creativity; fun. Cons: One user couldn't figure out how to start.
— In a Fall 2012 survey, Dean Smith, owner of Jazams in Princeton, N.J., told TDmonthly that they sell 15 of this item each month, making it one of their top-2 sellers in the Hobby category.

Finally, a well-designed play mat that lasts through the developmental stages of your child!  Our play mats have been designed to cushion and delight babies during tummy time, entertain toddlers for play time, and encourage young learners of all ages to engage and explore.  Search for the hidden characters, count the creatures, sound out letters, or master the road rules: the only limit is their imagination. Reversible: engaging art on both sides; Water-resistant, wipes clean; Soft & cushiony ; Non-toxic. "The play mat lasts through multiple developmental stages of a child - from baby to kindergarten," Lea Janowicz, marketing director for Prince Lionheart, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2012.

Nothing gets the green light from Planet Earth like the Mini Fastbacks from Green Toys Inc. Made in the USA from 100% recycled plastic milk containers that save energy and reduce greenhouse gasses, these four palm-sized cars are perfect for little hands ready to explore and protect their world. The red, blue, green, and yellow two-door coupes are high-design and low-emission, with a classic sloping roofline, racing stripes, and no metal axles. No BPA, phthalates, PVC or external coatings. Packaged with recycled and recyclable materials and printed with soy inks. Dimensions: 6"L x 3-1/2"W. Launch date: 2012.

Build a castle. Dig for buried treasures. No matter how ambitious the project, the world's most eco-groovy sand play set always leaves a light footprint. Like all Green Toys products, the Sand Play Set is made from advanced environmentally friendly materials, helping to reduce fossil fuel use and C02 emissions. 4 Pieces, including: Bucket, Shovel, Rake, Sand Castle Mold. For ages 18 months and up. Launch date: 2012.

Build a castle. Dig for buried treasures. No matter how ambitious the project, the world's most eco-groovy sand play set always leaves a light footprint. Like all Green Toys products, the Sand Play Set is made from advanced environmentally friendly materials, helping to reduce fossil fuel use and C02 emissions. 4 Pieces, including: Bucket, Shovel, Rake, Sand Castle Mold. For ages 18 months and up.Launch date: 2012.

No job is too big for the world's most environmentally friendly tool kit. This 15 piece set includes a tool box, phillips screwdriver, flat screwdriver, hammer, saw, wrench, pliers, 2 two-hole connectors, 2 nails, 2 bolts, and 2 nuts. Launch date: 2012.

No job is too big for the world's most environmentally friendly tool kit. This 15 piece set includes a tool box, phillips screwdriver, flat screwdriver, hammer, saw, wrench, pliers, 2 two-hole connectors, 2 nails, 2 bolts, and 2 nuts. Launch date: 2012.

City streets, busy highways, country roads. Whether it’s the Ambulance, Police Car, Taxi, or Red Fastback, the Green Toys Mini Vehicles are sure to stop traffic wherever little imaginations venture. These planet-pleasing automobiles are made in the USA from 100% recycled plastic milk jugs, saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Each pint-sized car sports its own unique details, while the whole fleet features a super-eco design with no metal axles or external coatings. No BPA, phthalates or PVC. Packaged with recycled and recyclable materials and printed with soy inks. Dimensions: 6"L x 3-1/2"W. Launch date: 2012.

With the Green Toys Build-a-Bouquet, budding florists can create countless floral arrangements while saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Made in the USA from 100% recycled plastic milk jugs, this brightly colored 44 piece set includes 4 bases, 16 stem and leaf pieces, and 24 flower pieces. The vibrant lilies, petunias, and daisies stack interchangeably in the assorted stems for limitless fun that blossoms in all seasons. It’s no secret that this garden is as safe as it is fun, with no BPA, phthalates, PVC or external coatings. Packaged using recycled and recyclable materials and printed with soy inks. Launch date: 2012.

Kids can practice healthy eating habits with the fresh and fun Green Toys Salad Set. Toss up lettuce and veggies and top with a dash of dressing or salt & pepper for the greenest salad around. In this 20-piece stackable set, each realistic part is made in the USA from food-safe, 100% recycled plastic milk containers that save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Sized for Green Toys kitchen sets and interchangeable with other Green Toys play food products, the Salad Set includes a serving bowl, salad plate, 2 serving utensils, 3 lettuce leaves, 3 sets of cucumbers, 2 tomatoes, 2 red peppers, onions, mushrooms, and fold-your-own oil & vinegar and salt & pepper. No BPA, phthalates, PVC or external coatings. Meets FDA food contact standards. Dishwasher Safe. Launch date: 2012.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Green Toys, 2012 Dr.Toy Best 20 for $20

Dedee bath organizer stores toys and other items, keeps bathtubs tidy and comes with tote bag for outdoor use. Launch date: March 2012.

A lightning fast shape and color recognition game for kids, families and gamers alike. In Ghost Blitz, five wooden items sit on the table waiting to be caught: a white ghost, a green bottle, a cute grey mouse, a blue book, and a comfortable red chair. Each card in the deck shows pictures of two objects, with one or both objects colored the wrong way. With all players playing at the same time, someone reveals a card, then players grab for the "right" object - but which object is right? The first player to grab the correct object keeps the card, then reveals the next card from the deck. If a player grabs the wrong object, she must discard one card previously collected. Once the card deck runs out, the game ends and whoever has collected the most cards wins. Launch date: 2011.
Awards: 2011 Deutscher Lernspielpreis "6 years and up" Nominee; 2011 Golden Geek Best Children's Board Game Nominee; 2011 Spiel des Jahres Recommended.

12 new cubes and new cards for the FauxCaublary Game. Launch date: February 2012.

216 new categories and an extra timer to add to kids' Word on the Street fun. "Word on the Street is great for spelling practice, but is also a party game," Leah Sugar, VP of marketing at Out of the Box Publishing, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2012.

eeBoo's Pom Poms are lovely to look at, incredibly soft, and as light as air. They come in packets of 36 fluffy bunches - 4 extra large, 4 large, 12 medium, and 12 small. Back label includes project ideas. "The perfect add-on or beginning to any arts and crafts project," Regina Gelin, sales & marketing manager at eeBoo, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2012.

Three of eeBoo's favorite illustrators - Kevin Hawkes, Lizzy Rockwell, and Melissa Sweet - share their love of art in this new collection of "How to Draw" Art Books. They begin with the Rockwell's intro "Learn to Draw Simple Forms in the Home & Garden"; followed by Sweet's "Drawing Book" and its clever ways of teaching children about form, light, and perspective; and finishing off with Hawkes' "Learn to Draw Animals" with his funny approach to drawing animals without fear. "Kevin Hawkes, Lizzy Rockwell, and Melissa Sweet are well-known children's illustrators who bring their love of drawing and design to these easy-to-follow instruction books," Regina Gelin, sales & marketing rep at eeBoo, told TDmonthly. Launch date: January 2012.

The Kalista has a 4 position adjustable frame and a 4 position adjustable seat. The Kalista is a classic model that grows with a child. With the fixed front wheel the pedals will always rotate, which in turn will teach children the motion of pedaling, as well as build strong leg muscles. Launch date: March 2012.

Piperoid is a paper craft robot designed and produced in Japan. The robot is made out of just paper pipes with pre-drilled holes and marks to cut, fold, and connect the pipes without the need of glue or tape. All kids need is a pair of scissors, and with minimal assembly they can bring their own Piperoid to life. Launch date: April 2009.

Explore flights of fancy with five fantastical butterflies you build yourself. With this kit, kids get a close-up look at the fragile, fluttering creatures living in butterfly gardens. A one-of-a-kind tool allows kids to create oversized butterflies for their bedroom walls. "Wallscapes Butterflies includes a unique device that allows for 3D butterflies to be created easily by anyone. This interior decoration kit provides a social occasion to craft pretty, cheerful and fun projects that can be hung on a bedroom wall, placed inside a locker at school, or gifted to a friend," Nancy Storment, marketing & PR rep at SmartLab Toys, told TDmonthly. Launch date: April 2012.

This adventure kit comes included with all the necessary tools to explore the amazing world of Bugs 3D. The kit contains a 3D book, 3D cards, magic costume card, software and Popar Reader. Kids will have an unforgettable experience as they grow wings and watch their favorite bugs leap from the pages or cards. "Popar® Toys use Augmented Reality (AR) technology to create an immersive reading experience that will allow the user to see incredible virtually “real” 3D objects and animations that will pop off the book or card," Scott Jochim, President of Popar Toys, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2011.
Awards: 2012 Best of the Toy Fair - The View; 2012 National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval.

Watch the helicopter as it zooms around the tracks in this delightful interactive book. Pull back the helicopter, place it on the tracks and let it go. Launch date: January 2012.

Patented Limited Turn Radius reduces tipping. Patented Quik-Adjust frame to easily adjust the size to fit different aged children. Features Tubeless air tires on sealed ball bearings for a smooth and quiet ride. Attached the included Push-bar and take a stroll through the park. Launch date: March 2012.
— In a March 2012 survey, 2 out of 12 retailers said trikes from Kettler were their best selling ride-on toys.

Space Adventure series is an extension of Cube Figures where each of the three packages (episodes) include two Cube Figures along with over 90 blocks to create two space crafts for them to go in and fight the evil. In addition, the package contains a Manga (Japanese-style comic book) which outlines the background stories of the characters and links the three episodes. The instruction booklet included details the steps needed to build not only the two space crafts but also the mega robot which can be assembled by collecting all three packages. Launch date: October 2012.