May 2010 Notable Toys — All

The Ghost Nano Train Action Dome is a cast resin art piece that employs a revolutionary technology to move a train smoothly around a very thin narrow track. It comes packaged in a secure Styrofoam nest that fits snugly in a decorative colored display box. Ghost Train Action Dome features the following: a medieval castle Illuminated from within; a steam locomotive and three train cars that have an eerie glow when viewed in subdued light; locomotive sound that can be silenced for quiet night time operation; and a quality, hand-blown glass dome that protects its contents from dust. The 110 �] 230 VAC 50/60Hz power adapter provides endless hours of enjoyment.

Designed to be comfortable and cozy for pet portability, this is a handy case in which you can put your pet. William Xie of China Toybiz told TDmonthly, "With our gadget, travel with your pet will be quite easier."

This album is a blend of classic and original lullabies sung by Celeste over an accompaniment of keyboards, strings and harmonica. Classic titles include "Edelweiss," "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod" and "All Through the Night."  Awards: 2009 Nappa Gold Award; 2010 National Parenting Center Seal of Approval; 2009 Family Choice Award.
— The National Parenting Center gave “Celeste Sings, Kids Dream” its Seal of Approval award and labeled it as “an ideal CD for ‘wind down’ time or to enhance the pre-bed ritual.” Celeste’s “soothing voice” fosters a “gentle feel” that is both “engaging” and relaxing.
— Winner, Family Choice Award
— Winner, National Parenting Publications Awards NAPPA GOLD

Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem is an acclaimed American string band that released "Ranky Tanky" nationwide in 2010. This release is meant for all ages as family listening and reflects Rani Arbo’s journey into motherhood, as well as her love of American music. The tracks cover songs from various genres, times and traditions, so listeners of practically any musical taste can pick their favorites, from the raucous “Tennessee Wig Walk;” to the swingy “Kemo Kymo;” the Mardi Gras parade styled “They All Ask'd For You,” or the rousing rendition of  “Purple People Eater.” Sugar Mountain PR Publicist Beth Blenz-Clucas told TDmonthly, "Modern arrangements and traditional instruments, plus a collection of familiar songs that invite singing along, make this a great choice for families that love non-commercial acoustic music."

The Friendliest Bugs Lacing Cards enhance hand-eye coordination and sharpen fine motor skills. The heavy duty cards have faux silk laces. Roisin Ross of eeBoo told TDmonthly, "Laces will not unravel!"

Kids can learn geography, countries, states, capitols and industries with these giant 18" x 27" puzzles made from thick, sturdy board with a beautiful finish. Roisin Ross of eeBoo told TDmonthly, "Beautiful illustration with vibrant colors set these apart from the standard puzzle maps for kids."

This rectangular 100-piece puzzle measures 18" x 12" when complete. Mudpuppy's 100-piece puzzles come in a hinged storage tin. Mudpuppy Press Public Relations Assistant Shanya Lewis told TDmonthly, "The artwork is great and the puzzles are fun!"

The 63 pieces form an 18" x 14" jigsaw puzzle and fit into a 6"-high, 5"-diameter cylindrical canister with a colorful rope handle. The Monsters puzzle greyboard contains 90-percent recycled paper and its packaging contains a minimum of 70-percent recycled paper. All materials are printed with non-toxic, soy-based inks, and CE and ASTM tested for safety.

Mudpuppy 42-piece puzzles measure 16" square when assembled. The pieces are packed in a sturdy, 5" cube box with a colorful rope handle and are CE and ASTM tested to ensure safety. The puzzle's greyboard is made of 90-percent recycled paper, and the packaging is 70-percent recycled paper and printed with non-toxic, soy-based inks. Mudpuppy Press Public Relations Assistant Shanya Lewis told TDmonthly, "With themes like robots, princesses, cars, animals and classic characters like The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the Rainbow Fish, Mudpuppy 42-piece Puzzles make great gifts!"
— Kristin Dolle, manager of Playthings Toy Shoppe in Louisville, Ky., said that puzzles from MudPuppy were a best-seller in the category.

This 24-piece, two-sided puzzle has a sturdy 5.5" x 9.75" x 2.75" sliding drawer box. It features a full-color front and black-line reverse and includes five wipe-off crayons. The completed puzzle measures 10" x 15". It is printed with non-toxic inks and CE tested for safety, and the puzzle greyboard contains 90-percent recycled paper.

This 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle features a delicious assortment of berries and jams from the cover of Gourmet Magazine. Adam Silver, CEO of New York Puzzle Company, told TDmonthly, "The Gourmet line of jigsaw puzzles includes three free recipe cards based on the puzzle theme to make at home."

The Car Crazy Floor Puzzle is packaged in a sturdy, stackable box. The product features 24 jumbo pieces and a colorful rope handle. Puzzle dimensions are 24" x 36". Box dimensions are 8" x 3.5".

This bustling beach has plenty of detail to satisfy even the biggest of puzzle aficionados. The 1000-piece Beachgoing puzzle features the July 8, 1939 cover of the New Yorker.  Adam Silver, CEO of New York Puzzle Company, told TDmonthly, this product is "made in the USA from extra-thick puzzle board to ensure for better play and a better fit."

The Jigsaw Puzzle Board has two slide-out trays for sorting and storing puzzle pieces, and comes with a clear, acrylic cover and four plastic clips to protect the puzzle when not in use. The puzzle board is made from Oak wood with a hand-rubbed oil finish and is available in three sizes: 500 pieces, 1,000 pieces and 1,500 pieces. Ed Weber, owner of Jigsaw Puzzle Board, told TDmonthly, "The 1,000 piece puzzle board is our most popular."

Counting Animals 3-Piece Puzzles are constructed from 90-percent recycled greyboard and designed to develop basic math skills. There are 10 three-piece puzzles and each puzzle shows a group of friends for young children to count, from one to 10. Roisin Ross of eeBoo told TDmonthly this product features "beautiful artwork by Kevin Hawkes."

This game is part of eeBoo’s eco-friendly board games series and is designed to develop patience and number skills. Each player works his way around the solar system (game board) and collects one element from each of the planets to complete a space lab. Children can learn counting, judgment, cooperative play and taking turns, as well as strategy, planning ahead and how to win a race. Along with learning the names of the planets, their gases and the solar system, the game includes additional facts about each planet.

Puzzles are a great quiet-time activity to hone fine-motor skills and spatial perception. eeBoo’s versions of this classic format are made of extra sturdy 90-percent recycled board and printed with non-toxic inks. Roisin Ross of eeBoo told TDmonthly, "eeboo's tray puzzles are made using recycled board, have a vintage look and are multicultural."

This all-in-one recycled tote is designed for today's busy lifestyle — ideal for baby, work and travel. From working, traveling, running errands and changing diapers, parents can have one bag that does it all. Contemporary style allows both men and women to stay organized and stylish. Michelle Herbert of Amy Michelle Go Totes told TDmonthly, "Each bag recycles 11 plastic water bottles and 8.5 oz. of fabric."

This holiday jigsaw puzzle features an apple-cider-themed cover from "Gourmet Magazine." Included in the box with each puzzle are three recipe cards featuring recipes from the magazine that one can make at home. Adam Silver, CEO of New York Puzzle Company, told TDmonthly, "The Holiday Cider Jigsaw Puzzle puts a unique spin on the traditional jigsaw puzzle with free recipe cards based on the puzzle image's theme."

This children's lunchbox combines style and function for kids, parents and the environment. Each Deluxe lunchbox includes a custom-fit ice pack, two small round containers suitable for sides and snacks, and one large container big enough to pack a whole sandwich or leftovers. Lunchbox handles are made of a soft rubber material and can be repositioned anywhere along the outside of the lunchbox to carry it vertically or horizontally, or clip it to a backpack. Each Yubo lunchbox is dishwasher-safe and comes with a designer faceplate set of two prints that can be swapped out for personalization. Faceplate sets are durable, water-proof, and tear-proof. Additional food containers and designer faceplate sets are sold separately. Cyndi Pedrazzi, Founder of Kinsco LLC, told TDmonthly, "Yubo's unique changeable faceplates allows kids to update the look of their lunchbox as often as they'd like. Kids can personalize faceplates with their name, upload photos or even their own artwork!"

Puzzlers can visit the Duck Pond, Noah's Ark, Llama's Castle and more at this Children's Zoo Wonderland. This 500-piece jigsaw puzzle can be a family activity. Adam Silver, CEO of New York Puzzle Company, told TDmonthly, "All of our jigsaw puzzles are made in the USA from extra-thick puzzle board to provide for better play and a better overall fit."

Math-o-matic is a fun puzzle card game that teaches numbers and math concepts. Children can learn numbers (from 1-20) and their spelling in English and Spanish. Kids can play the self-checking math game using numbers and symbols to learn number sequencing, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

This reversible alphabet puzzle has English letters on one side and Spanish letters on the other side. Color-coded puzzles makes it easy for the child to complete the floor puzzle and learn the English/Spanish alphabet.

This colorful and informative puzzle is designed to help develop an early appreciation for geography. It icludes illustrations of all 50 U.S. states, 32 Mexican states and other North American countries, allowing kids to learn country and state names in both English and Spanish. The puzzle has 48 large, easy to grasp pieces and measures over 6' square when fully assembled. Durable, extra-thick pieces store easily in the reusable box. Ilango Sankaralingam, president of Smart Play, told TDmonthly, "All Ingenio products are bilingual. In addition, this map puzzle covers the entire North American region and has colorful illustrations of all countries in this region."