February 2013 Notable Toys — Preschool

Create up to 5 different layouts with this 20-piece play set. Includes Thomas, 17 pieces of track, a bridge and a tunnel.
— Grafton Stein, owner of Toys on the Square in Hummelstown, Pa., told TDmonthly in a May 2013 survey that Thomas the Tank Engine toys are their best-selling licensed products.
— In a February 2014 survey, three out of 10 retailers told TDmonthly that Thomas & Friends sets from Fisher-Price were among their best-selling wooden toys.
— In a February 2015 survey, Sue Hottel, co-owner of No Kidding (aka Sand Castle Toys Inc) in Mattapoisett, Mass., told TDmonthly that Thomas & Friends trains are her some of her store's best-selling wooden toys.

Adora’s exclusive Fab Fairies™ spread love & joy! They are absolutely adorable, a perfect blend of sweetness and love for infants on up. Fab Fairies™ are made of ultra soft and cuddly microfiber plush with adorable fairy faces and are available in three cheerful colors accented with a sweet flower appliqué.

Soft Blocks are soft, interlocking blocks that are safe for kids to use. It doesn't hurt to step on them, and kids won't pinch their fingers or have trouble pulling the blocks apart.

From the makers of Bag-o-Loot comes a new storybook about Snitch the Fracoon, who has to go on a scavenger hunt and ends up learning a lesson about generosity. Comes with a plush accessory.

Create your own version of happily ever after with this fairly tale block set. (Includes a prince too!)

Explore your imaginative side with this 35-piece castle-themed block set. Includes wooden knights , horses and a variety of colored and non – colored blocks. Made of PlanWood, a sustainable material created from recycled sawdust.

Build a fantastic marble run with this brilliantly colored 30 – piece set. Watch the marbles spiral and hop down the various pieces of track. The Marble Run Deluxe is made of PlanWood, a sustainable material made from recycled sawdust.
— In a February 2014 survey, Julie Steinbach, owner of Rainbow Toys in Falmouth, Maine, told TDmonthly that Marble Runs were one of their best-selling wooden toys.

Lace and play fun is in store. This fabulous fish lace and play character is great for play time fun or as a decoration to hang when done. Lacing activity supports the development of hand-eye coordination fine motor skills.

There’s more to this cute little tugboat than meets the eye. Introducing the SwimWays Flip Float, a new toy for preschool water play. Water babies will love transforming the tug boat into a happy, smiling whale with a few big playful splashes of water. When submerged, the whale spouts bubbles as he journeys down under the water. The bright, bold colors encourage practicing of early letter sounds and counting. For ages 18 months +. Prices range from $7.95-$9.95. Launch date: February 2013.

Adora’s NurseryTime™ Babies are lovingly swaddled in an adorable jersey one piece newborn outfit and tucked gently inside a cushiony soft baby doll carrier. At just about 2 pounds 7 ounces they are perfect for nurturing. You will adore them from their little button noses...to their tiny little hands and feet. Each handmade doll is created in our exclusive, lightly baby powder scented, Gentle Touch™ vinyl. They are perfect for cuddling with their soft doeskin body and bean bag weighted bottom.
—  Sari Powacek from Doll House & Toy Store in Scottsdale, Ariz. told TDmonthly in an August 2013 survey that Adora is one of their store's best-selling collectible doll brands.

Tape up the town. Create your own Tape Town by taping roads, ponds, and trees onto a paper landscape. Then add buildings and cars to your tapetastic town by bringing them to life first with colorful tape. Easy to tear tape in six colors and stickers makes it fun to create your own town. Decorate the paper landscape, then enjoy hours of interactive and creative play in one deluxe activity.
— In a July 2013 survey, two out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that products from ALEX were their best-selling toys overall.

Why take just a plain old picture when you can have photo booth fun? Silly Me Photo Booth from ALEX lets you make all kinds of silly props, like a pirate face, silly glasses, scuba dive gear and more! Fun to make at a party and then take keepsake pictures for party favors! Glue and stick the paper shapes and decorate with straws, pipe cleaners and stickers. Easy to follow instructions included. Say cheese!

This highly usable collection of 30 songs invites children to sing, move and learn. With seven songs for each Season - Summer, Winter, Spring and Fall - plus hello and goodbye songs, children will be up and moving from the get-go. Launch date: December 2012.

Any little host will be proud to present these three layers of "delicious" yumminess. This fabulous cake can be topped with a bride and groom for a formal pretend wedding or with a flower bouquet to celebrate any special event. Serving and assembling this confection is easy with all the wooden layers, a selection of toppings, a server and decorative cake plate included in the "bakery" box.
— As of 1/17/2013 this product had 4.8 out of 5 stars from 36 reviews on Amazon.com.

Any project is possible with the whimsical, Green Toys Pink Tool Set. Constructed from 100% recycled plastic milk containers that save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, this trendy tool kit makes any fix-it job an opportunity to go green (and pink and purple) too. The groovy 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. No BPA, phthalates, PVC, or external coatings.
— As of 1/17/2013 this product had 4.8 out of 5 stars from 37 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Eco-friendly; durable; helps encourage interest in building.

Eight multi-colored, precision tuned metal bars give any toddler room to make bright and colorful sounds. Includes child safe mallet and attractive vinyl carry case.
— As of 1/17/2013 this product had 4.8 out of 5 stars from 129 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: durable; clear sound; notes are on the correct scale. Cons: Some reviewers mentioned the paint scratched on the keys after a month of use.

Three dump trucks deliver important concepts related to volume, size and distance. Dumpsters are sturdy, stackable, and friction driven. Colors may vary. 7 1/2" x 3 3/4" x 8" (19 cm x 10 cm x 20 cm).

Teach sequencing and ordinal numbers. Pictures on front, words and numbers on back. Format adapts to abilities and features self-checking pieces for independent learning. Two-sided, 3-piece puzzles. 15 puzzles/45 pieces.

8 Lauri sea creatures for swimmingly good fun. Includes the much loved manatee and seahorse (7" long), and 8 laces with easy to use 1" tips. Can also be used as stencils.
— As of 1/17/2013 this product had 4.4 out of 5 stars from 7 reviews on Amazon.com.

Smart Toys and Games, Inc. has launched its first brain-building game for kids as young as two years old with Bunny Peek a Boo.  Sturdy wooden blocks and fun rabbit characters allow children to develop spatial perception skills and "pull a rabbit out of the box" with this 3D puzzle. Sixty challenges prepare children ages 2-5 for more difficult single player logic games. The four large bunny blocks can be combined in many different ways for endless fun. Launch date: 2013.

Hello Kitty, hello seasonal fun! This pair of sunny offerings depicts our favorite star and her cast of friends enjoying all that the seasons have to offer: butterflies, baseball, sand castles, ice cream cones, and more. With sparse text and irresistible original scenic art, this title is one of four in the newest series of Hello Kitty collectible board books. Launch date: March 12, 2013.

Coming off his 80th Anniversary, Babar's first full-length film is being re-released on DVD from Entertainment One with all-new artwork and a new price point, making BABAR: The Movie a must-own for all lovers of the Elephant King. With Celeste and the always-humorous monkey, Zephir, by his side, the King of Elephants is at long last ready to take on Rataxes, a rhino who's taken charge of Babar's beloved Elephantland. Launch date: February 12, 2013.

What do you get with basic geomentric shapes made of Lauri crepe rubber and 21 tall-stacker Pegs? You get toy that entertains preschoolers for hours in convenient travel case for kids on the go. They'll fill all the holes, sort the pegs by color, and see how high the pegs will stack. With to holes per shape, it's also counting toy that lays good foundation for early math skills. When finished playing, kids will have fun putting the shapes back in the puzzle frame.
— In a November 2013 survey, Richard Gibson, owner of Learning Express of Newton in Newton, Mass., told TDmonthly that they make $5,000 a year on Tall Stackers alone.

It's a Busy Busy Day at the Airport. Set up destination game boards around the room. Load the plane with Busytown characters and wait for the all clear for take-off. Then fly to faraway places - the beach, mountains, the city, and more. Collect souvenirs wherever you go. The player with the most wins. It's out-of-your-seat role play fun. Learning Fun includes picture identification and matching, physical movement and imaginative play, as well as strategic thinking. Product Contents include: 4 Airplanes, 1 Airport Box, 1 Dice Tower, 16 Passenger Tiles, 16 Souvenir Cards, 4 Destination Pads, 2 Dice, and 1 Game Rules Manual.