January 2011 Notable Toys — Novelties

Kids can create and customize their own stickers online and print them at home with StickerYou.com's new product, Make Your Own Stickers.  Kids go on the StickerYou website, design the stickers, and print them on the special sticker paper. Using a code they will find inside their purchase, sticker-lovers can access popular licensed characters and the StickerYou's art bank of images, apply text, backgrounds and color tools, or use special effects and image upload features to create their own personalized stickers. "Stickers have been around for over 100 years, but the industry has always been about providing a readymade product,” said Andrew Witkin, president of StickerYou. “However, today’s consumer - particularly youth - expect to be able to customize their images, something they haven’t been able to do with stickers... until now.” The Make Your Own Stickers line offers consumers their choice of packs of stickers and labels in an assortment of shapes, including Make Your Own Photo Stickers and Make Your Own Sticker Albums. Launch date: June 2011

Fruitominoes, is a domino game for players aged 5 and up featuring fruit connections rather than dots. "With Fruitominoes, we put our fruity new spin on a classic!" said Rena Nathanson, CEO of Bananagrams. The game comes in a portable pouch so that it can be played at home or on the go.
 

This popular internet meme is written in white on a one inch wide, black silicone bracelet.

This light blue bracelet has the popular Coexist design worked into its surface in a bright white design. One inch wide; made of silicone.

This black, one inch wide, silcone bracelet is covered in a design of pink roses, green foliage, and white skulls. 

Composed of 216 individual high-energy rare-earth magnets, the NeoCube allows you to create and recreate an nearly infinite number of shapes and patterns. Can be used to create complex designs and puzzles, or for simple fun and relaxtion. As of 1.06.2011 this product had 4 out of 5 stars from 84 reviews on Amazon.com and was No. 2 on the top 100 bestselling toys and games. PROS: Challenging; stimulates both brain hemispheres; many variations. CONS: Not suitable for children under 14; can be difficult to master.

Young readers can help Curious George and his friends celebrate with decorating, baking, and card making.  Ruby-red foil and fold-out flaps provide interesting textures and colors for children to explore while reading.

This spooktacular calendar counts down the days until Halloween - from the 1st of October to the 31st. Upon opening the accompanying "casket" children find a hint, in the form of a question, for each day to help them guess what fun and mildy-spooky, illustration awaits them underneath the corresponding window on the calendar. 11" x 15" Shrinkwrapped.
— "I started carrying [Halloween advent calendars] five years ago, and I would only bring in 6 or 12, and this year, I brought in two or three different styles, and they sold out right away," said Mary Walsh Martel, owner of Magical Child in Greenfield, Mass., in 4Q 2010.

This satiny witch hat gives any hag a touch of class.
—  "We have a store now in Salem, which is the Halloween capital of the world," said Kristen Pollard, owner of Mud Puddle in Marblehead, Mass. "It's very local, market-driven. It's all visitors to Salem. Everyone walks around here in costume or wearing hats. People that come here, if they don't have something, they want something to fit in...to be festive, to join in the fun."

This pack of five temporary tattoos feature Mrs. Pinkelmeyer's dog, Moopus McGlinden. FDA approved.  

This pack of five temporary tattoos feature Mrs. Pinkelmeyer. FDA approved.

This patent-pending version of an elastic bracelet takes it to a whole new level – perpendicular to the wrist. Piggybacks, “The Bandz That Stand™" have incorporated a mini shaped band that “piggybacks” on top of the traditional shaped rubber band allowing, the top shape to be easily seen when placed on the wrist. A Piggyback Bandz looks similar to many other band bracelets until you slide it on your wrist and watch it stand at attention, upright. The bandz can be layered with one, two or a half-dozen more to create a word, a secret code, a design or whatever the imagination whips up.

This Bobble Head is for a desk, bookcase or shelf and helps to complete any child's Pinkelmeyer collection.

This Foxtail breaks the sound barrier every time you throw it. Whistles lodged in the leather-covered soft sponge ball shriek as it whizzes through the air.

This jigsaw puzzle features the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Featuring depictions of various stages of his life and the Neverland Ranch, this puzzle measures approximately 19"x27".

Standing tall at 16.3”, this cool piece of retro decor emits colored mood lighting that shifts with the mesmerizing motion of the 'lava' inside. The heat of the bulb in the base of the lamp warms the secret goo formula, causing it to convect in unpredictable globs and bubbles.
— “Lava Lamps are the most popular, I have some from Schylling,” said Fred Rosenberg, owner of On The Park in Kingwood, Texas, of his best-selling tween items. “I sell as many as I can get.”

Containing the shapes of a dolphin, sea turtle, crawfish, and other creatures native to the habitat affected by the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, this special pack of Silly Bandz is designed to raise awareness for creatures threatened in this environment. A portion of the sales from every pack will go to helping rescue affected wildlife. In addition, this pack features “thermo activated” technology, causing a change in temperature to change the Silly Bandz's color.
— Two of 44 retailers listed Silly Bandz as a best-seller for tweens, reporting sales of approximately 100 per month during a September 2010 survey.
— "We've sold 2,300 this year at all three stores,” Marc Holcomb, owner of of Toys & Co. in Greensboro, S.C., said in autumn 2010. ''Silly Bandz is trending down, and they are selling their excess to stores in California, Washington and Texas,'' he added.
--Christine Osborne, co-owner of Wonder Works in Charleston, S.C., sells about 3,000 to 4,000 per month.

Chatimals are the latest in hamster entertainment. Just speak to Chatimals for up to 60 seconds and they will repeat what you say back to you. Available in hamster and meerkat varieties.
— Jenny of Mummy Reviews brought Oscar the Chatimal home and shared that her son “just giggles at it over and over again and it giggles back.” She reported great success using Oscar “to repeat instructions for our Little Garden Helpers when I need them to do something for me.”
— In her video review of Chatimals Oscar, Bubbles from Sweet Craftiness told of her son playing with Oscar and his grandfather; the hamster’s mimicry “had everybody in stitches,” young and old alike.

Screen with words that have many different sayings. Over 20 different words, these are in tie dye or solid color colors and they glow in the dark.

This 24-pack features Silly Bandz resembling the popular Hello Kitty character and her accessories, including a hair bow and an apple. These bands can be collected, worn or traded with friends.
— 14 percent of 44 specialty retailers named rubber band bracelets a top-selling accessory in a fall 2010 TDmonthly survey, with one retailer boasting sales of 4000 a month.