February 2015 Notable Toys — Kits

This great new science kit from Science Wiz lets kids accomplish college-level experiments with sound by building an Edison-Style phonograph and downloading free apps from the web. There are twenty different activities that kids can do with this kit.

Zoom down the runway and off on another tough cargo mission with the biggest and most demanding LEGO® Technic plane yet. This is so much more than just a model, as it has a range of real-world functions to help it do its job. Move the joystick and watch the flaps, elevators and ailerons move, then activate the LEGO® Power Functions motors to open the front and rear cargo bay, retract the landing gear and spin the propellers. It’s just like the real thing! Rebuilds into a Transport Hovercraft.
Awards: 2015 TIA Educational Toy of the Year

A complete pattern workshop for creative children to teach them how to make beautiful Art Nouveau motifs. Designed for older children, this kit will engage their artistic sensibilites while teaching them a classic art form. The kit comes complete with highest quality pigmented felt tipped brush pens in eight colors, multitudes of stickers and 4 colorful card "canvasses".
Because play is essential to a child's development, Djeco creates toy collections that are always entertaining, educational and imaginative. Staying faithful to their philosophy of incorporating art into play, the passionate and inventive Djeco creative team includes unique illustration and bold graphic design into all of their toys.
— Taka  Andrews, owner of Miller's in Mamoroneck, N.Y., told TDmonthly in a January 2015 survey that DJECO art kits are their store's best-selling arts & crafts toys.

4 popular kits in one big box! This ultimate box contains Ball Blast Bouncers, Dazzle Dino Crystals, Jelly Wiggle Bugs. Includes 2 ball molds, 4 packets of ball powder, 2 re-sealable bags, 2 bug molds, 2 colors of magic jiggly gel powder, paper dinosaur, paper tree, magic crystal liquid (.7 fl oz), plastic tray and easy instructions. SMALL PARTS. Not for <3 years.
Launch date: Spring 2015

Make jewelry and crafts for you and your doll. Use the design guide to create custom, matching jewelry for you and your American Girl® doll with the cutest collection of crafting materials. Kit Includes: storage bottles, twine, elastic cord, embroidery floss, mini clothespins, beads, earring hooks, jump rings, and 20 page design guide and instructions.

Create your own bracelet designs with the Pixel Loom™ Bracelet Kit by Fashion Angels. Use the designs provided or create your own pixel image bracelets. Kit Includes: loom, cube beads, glass beads, floss, satin cord, scoubistring, tweezers, thimble, design sheets, and instructions.

Science Wiz presents their new Sound Science Kit. Joining a stable of bestselling titles, Sound lets a child build, record, play and explore sound vibrations. 20 activities are included with a 48 page book and materials. Building a working Edison Phonograph is the center piece of the product. For ages 8 years and up with a suggested retail of $29.95.

A colorful activity center with 6 activities for little hands to explore. Press the button and it squeaks, pull back the blue bird to chime the bell, slide the mirror to see who’s hiding underneath. Encourages manual dexterity and the learning of cause and effect. Ages 6 months+. Mention ToyDirectory for special considerations

The largest Brackitz set, The Master Builder Set, contains 200 pieces ((120) wooden planks, (20) blue 90° connectors, (20) orange 90° connectors, (20) yellow 120° connectors and (20) red 120° connectors). The Master Builder Set retails at $99.95. This set is designed for kids who want a no-limits building kit and educational toy. Ideal for building, balancing and active early-math learning. Perfect for family fun!
Awards: 2014 TDmonthly Magazine Top Toy Seal of Approval

The Architect Set contains 100 pieces ((60) wooden planks, (10) blue 90° connectors, (10) orange 90° connectors, (10) yellow 120° connectors and (10) red 120° connectors). This set retails at $59.95. This is a clear choice for the little builders and architects in your life. Perfect for the curious mind this set can provide countless hours of fun!
Awards: 2014 TDmonthly Magazine Top Toy Seal of Approval

The Creator Set is the smallest of the three sets sold. Boys and girls can create structures and models with endless possibilities. It contains 50 pieces ((30) wooden planks, (5) blue 90° connectors, (5) orange 90° connectors, (5) yellow 120° connectors and (5) red 120° connectors). This set retails at $29.95.
Awards: 2014 TDmonthly Magazine Top Toy Seal of Approval

Gasoline is currently the fuel of choice, but petroleum used to make it is becoming increasingly difficult to find and is contributing to environmental issues and worldwide problems. Automobile manufacturers know this and are spending tremendous amounts of money to develop alternative fuel for the future. A few years ago, OWI introduced a Salt Water Fuel Cell vehicle and is now introducing another alternative fuel and eco-friendly vehicle. Let us introduce you

Air as fuel...could possibly be another alternative to petroleum. Air is available 24/7, does not run out and it’s free. By golly, we might have something here and OWI’s O2 Power Racer can break down this technology to its simplest form. This is an amazing kit that uses the vision of our ancestors back in the middle of the 19thcentury. Now, your child can gain valuable insight into propulsion via compressed air.

Assembly and operation is a breeze. A pump-up bar with a pressure meter is built into the car for easy operation. This meter measures the volume of compressed air. The air chamber is a silicon tube (not a PVC tube used by others). The silicon tube creates an air tight fit. Another safety device implemented into the kit is a safety valve. If the user keeps pumping while the tank is full, the safety valve will open and bleed the air automatically. Anyway, back to the air in the tank. When the air chamber is full, you can release the compressed air; the air then expands and drives the vehicle a distance up to 50 meters in 35 seconds. The car is fast and furious fun that requires no batteries or specific weather conditions to limit its usage. OWI’s O2 Power Racer is not only designed with the environment in mind, but is also fun and easy to build!

Get "blown" away creating stencil art with blow pens and colored pencils! Children can experiment with fun blow pens to create brightly colored artwork in their sketchbook using the stencil spinner, chipboard shapes and colored pencils. Blow pens are BPA-free and safe for children. Practice mixing colors, creating "negatives" with the chipboard shapes, or using the stencil spinner - choose from a variety of shapes and letters. When the fun is over, everything stores neatly inside the package.

The easy make and bake eraser kit where you can shape your very own eraser. The Creatibles DIY Eraser Kit is easy as 1,2,3. You build it, bake it and erase with it. Make all sorts of amazing eraser creations with this Do It Yourself kit. Creatibles comes with 12 pliable clay colors that can be mixed for an endless amount of hues. Create any kind of cool shapes, characters or whatever you want your eraser to be. Follow the baking instructions and you'll have an amazing eraser all your own. And it comes in a nifty reusable case. It's fun to make and fun to erase.

Kids can enjoy hours of creative enjoyment with this Moose Toys Beados Quick Dry Design Station. It is a fun all-in-one crafting set. With this bead making kit you can easily create, spray your unique designs. It also features a quick dry fan to swiftly dry in half the time, as well as plenty of pod storage. A design tray, scoop pen and 500 Beados are included with this kids' bead kit. This item requires assembly and it comes complete with everything you need to get started. You can make a variety of different shapes and objects in any color. Make a bright, colorful world out of beads with the Moose Toys Beados Quick Dry Design Station.

Now girls can start sewing in a safe and creative way! The Sew Cool Machine is a revolutionary threadless device that's perfect for a first time experience. It has everything you need to start sewing right away. Create nine projects from start to end. This threadless sewing machine includes patterns and pre-cut shapes for purses, pouches, characters and more. Encouraging imagination and hand eye coordination, young sewers will love it because they can do it by themselves. Start creating today with the threadless miracle that's Sew Cool!

Whoever said diamonds are a girl's best friend never had a pet! With this super sweet kit, you can pamper your pet with a one-of-a-kind pet collar charm and make a matching charm for yourself. Packaged in a cool, collectible tin. A perfect gift to give and get! A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this kit will be donated to a charity to benefit animals.

Girls can choose between Purple Twirl and Pink Paisley kits that unravel 6 feet of shiny chain and 6 reversible pretty patterned clips. They can hang up the chain any way they want, and then use the clips to hang up anything that inspires them. From photographs, magazine clippings, notes, posters, t-shirts, or anything else they can dream of. The Picture Perfect Pin-Ups let girls change their look as often as they change their mind! Sugar Lulu encourages girls to express their creativity, individuality and style, and gives them the chance to decorate their room with a festive flare! This holiday season girls can get inspiration for the perfect items to keep, give and share by watching Sugar Lulu’s Holiday DIY video at www.SugarLulu.com!