January 2013 Notable Toys — Creative Activities

Take a trip with Rory's Story Cubes. Contained within this set are 9 cubes that aim to inspire stories of epic adventure. Cast away on a deserted island. Spin tales of a faraway land. With 54 images and millions of combinations, your journeys are bound to be endless.

Crayola DigiTools Effects Pack lets children create awesome art effects on their iPad. Draw sparkly designs with the Digital Crayon or create swatches of shimmering color with the Digital Color Changer and instant, animated images with the Digital Stamper.

Use the 4 inkpads, marker, and dual-tipped colored pencil to make thumbprint versions of your favorite Star Wars characters. Simple step-by-steps include — Clones and Battle Droids, Ewoks and Wookies, Jedi and Jabba the Hutt. Star Wars fans will love re-creating key moments from the movies and creating scenes of their own.

This book comes with all the plastic pieces, paper parts, and special pages you need to experience 25 impossible things. These objects work like magic, but there are no tricks. All this weirdness has a solid scientific basis and we tell you why — from the mathematically amazing Möbius strip (a band of paper with only one side), to cardstock acrobats with amazing balance, to a color changing spinning top.

Dot Jewelry comes with over 1,600 pre-cut paper pieces in a rainbow of luscious colors and coordinating patterns. Follow the step-by-step instructions for making everything from simple one-strand bracelets to stunning statement necklaces. Our custom dot tool lets you pick up dots with ease, while the ruler and clip measure your cord exactly and keep it taut for professional-looking designs every time.

Make Clay Charms features simple step-by-steps for more than 30 different designs — cute fruit, adorable animals, sweet treats, and tons more. Make your charms with the nine bright colors of clay, bake them, add shine (with our specially formulated glaze), and then attach your creations to the included bracelet.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval
— Dean Smith, owner of JaZams in Princeton, N.J., told TDmonthly in a May 2014 survey that Make Clay Charms from Klutz is the store's best-selling activity kit.

This is a journal of super-nosy surveys to fill out. Subjects range from food to fashion to friendship. Over 300 different questions reveal everything you never thought to ask yourself, let alone anyone else. Each survey is repeated three times, in three different colorways to make it easy to share and compare with friends.

eeBoo’s Waste-Not Animal Recycle Kits are the perfect gift for the eco-minded family that plays together. The simple, brilliant idea behind Waste-Not is to repurpose discarded materials by transforming them into toys. Each kit comes with die-cut felt, a plastic needle and thread. Simple instructions show how to turn such items as a water bottle or yogurt container into an adorable cloth friend, such as a fox, hedgehog or Chameleon. Not only do the kits raise environmental consciousness, but they teach simple sewing skills and encourage the valuable, artistic ability to see an object in a fresh way. Recycle a container and make a friend! What’s not to like? Kits are marked with level of difficulty.

The 20 sheets that come with eeBoo's Scratch Papers are not just any sheets. Hidden beneath the scratchable black surface are dazzling papers that children will delight to discover. Available in gorgeously designed Pattern Papers, shiny Foil Papers or bright Fluorescent Papers, eeBoo's Scratch Papers will make the simplest drawings shine, and enhance more complicated ones too. Scratch Papers come with 4 sheets each of 5 designs, 20 pages altogether, and the artist's very own bamboo stick.

All the world's a stage with eeBoo's first Play Masks. Each package of eeBoo Play Masks comes with 7 heavy cardboard masks that represesent 7 uniquely illustrated characters. The sturdy masks have cut outs for eyes and handles for little hands, making them perfect for make-believe, drama, storytelling and other forms of imaginative play. Our Mystery in the Forest Play Masks are illustrated by Melissa Sweet and include an array of enchanted characters and forest friends. Our Animal Village Play Masks are illustrated by Stephanie Graegin and feature an adorable assortment of animal characters.

Once Upon a Time is the award-winning storytelling card game that encourages creativity and collaborative play. One player is the Storyteller, and begins telling a story using the fairytale elements on her Story cards, guiding the plot toward her Ending Card. The other players use their own cards to interrupt her and become the new Storyteller. The winner is the first player to use all her Story Cards and play her Ending Card. The object of the game, though, isn't just to win, but to have fun telling a story together. Launch date: October 2012.

This all-in-one creativity table with large work surface, plenty of shelves and storage pockets. 2-sided Table Top converts Chalkboard to Dry-Erase surface. Includes: 2 Stools, 3 Paint Cups, 3 Brushes, Fabric Pockets, 1 Eraser, paper roll dispenser fits 12"w paper roll, paper towel holder provides easy clean-up (paper roll and paper towels not included). "Offers 360 degrees of creative workspace," Bonnie Chan, marketing manager for Grow'n Up Limited told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2011.

Children express their individuality by designing charm bracelets that best fit their personalities and interests. By finding a cool design or picture in a magazine or on the Internet, Tweens can punch out using our studio tool. Then attaching to the Bubble Cap they can put it into the Crafty Snap Setting and place the charm onto the Crafty Band. Starter Kit is priced at $29.95, and includes the Shape Studio Tool, four Crafty Bands, 20 Crafty Snaps, 20 Bubble Caps and adhesive. Refill Kits, including four Crafty Bands and 20 Crafty Snaps, are priced at $6.99. Launch date: November 2012.

The Urban Canvas Metropolis Train Set is a craft toy constructed of heavyweight recycled cardboard and is completely reversible. Children can play with, decorate, and display the train set. One side of the train displays an image of a city train station. Fold it inside out and it becomes a brand new train with a blank canvas for children to decorate. Die cut windows and sliding doors complete the train adding another level of fun. Launch date: September 2012.

The Urban Canvas Cityscape Building Set is constructed of heavy duty recyclable cardboard and contains 40 connector pieces and 6 specially shaped roof top pieces. Each interlocking piece is pre-printed on both sides with city scenes, skyscrapers and buildings. Children can delve into the wonder of the city by building a tall skyscraper or a wide city skyline. The pieces fit together to build endless configurations, even animals, planes, or anything the imagination can create. "While 'skyscrapers' can be constructed with other building sets, the Cityscape set is the only one with a city structure and skyline motif and specially shaped pieces to achieve the architectural elements of an actual skyscraper," Maria Chee, founder of Urban Canvas told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2012.

Families are sure to embrace this new holiday activity, and kids will savor the lasting excitement they'll get from completing this festive playscape. Kids color in over 50 precut Shrinky Dinks characters and accessories, and then pop them in the oven to watch them transform. Includes over 50 precut Shrinky Dinks characters and accessories, colored pencils, and 3-D pop up living room.

The Crayola Digital Light Designer lets children express their artistic side, without the mess of traditional pens. The round dome responds to the touch of a stylus to display up to seven colors, providing unlimited imaginative fun. Kids can make their drawings move with animation options or even create short movies by combining drawings. The dome also features eight engaging activities and games to keep kids entertained.

GloGlo Inkoos bring kids designs to life - even in the dark. As with all inkoos, kids can draw and decorate on them with the included washable markers. But when the lights go out, their cool glow-in-the-dark patterns are revealed. Then kids can draw even more glowing designs with the special light pen. Each GloGlo inkoos includes 3 clip-on, washable markers plus the GloGlo light pen. Choose from 3 styles. Machine washable.

Each glitter glue pack contains four different tubes. Each tube has two glittering colors swirled together.

This handcrafted wood set includes seven pieces: A bucket drum with a natural skin head, a pair of drum sticks, a single jingle stick, a handled castanet and a pair of mini maracas. Fun for the whole family or class! Includes a parent/teacher friendly activity guide for ideas on using the items to encourage child development.
— As of 10/30/2012 this product had 4.6 out of 5 stars from 26 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: The drum makes a nice noise; fun for kids on their own or in groups.
Awards: 2015 TDmonthly Top Toy Award

The Sounds Like Fun ABC Clappers are 3 brightly painted, hand crafted wood castanets with handles in graduated sizes and sounds. One side is labeled 1, 2,3, and the other side is labeled A, B, C. For color, number, shape and letter recognition, beginning pattern making, and hearing high and low sound changes. Includes a parent/teacher friendly activity guide for ideas on using the clappers to encourage child development. Launch date: 2005.

Little ones love defining what it is that makes them so special, and so do we. This fun activity book encourages kids to explore their own imaginations and preferences—treehouse or fort? Pirate or ninja? Filled with whimsical illustrations, playful prompts, and awesome stickers, This...or That? gives kids the power of creative decision making. Launch date: June 2012.

Combat a universal childhood affliction—exercise resistance—with our Kids’ Passports. Featuring fancy sticker “stamps” as rewards, this official-looking booklet will trick even the idlest of youngsters into making an adventuresome, interactive game of moving and grooving. Launch date: January 2012.

Combat a universal childhood affliction—picky eating—with our Kids’ Passports. Featuring fancy sticker “stamps” as rewards, this official-looking booklet is sure to convince even the fussiest little eater to make an adventuresome, interactive game of trying new foods. Launch date: January 2012.