May 2010 Notable Toys — Educational

With more than 60 activities, this set can serve as a great introduction to the wonders of science. It allows kids to set up their own science lab and investigate activities in chemistry, physics, biology, geology, weather, magnets and electricity. Activities include Insta-Snow , the Geyser Tube (Mentos and diet soda geyser), Water Gel, Gravity Goo, Windbags, Twister Tube and more.  "We have billed it as “the best of Be Amazing!” since it contains many of our signature science activities," Renee Whitney, president of Be Amazing Toys, told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2010.

To help kids pass the time traveling, this Travel Kit includes fun activities, mini crayons and three draw-your-own postcards. Shelley Dieterichs of Good Buddy Notes told TDmonthly the Here We Go! Travel Kit's best features are its "price point, convenient size and packaging for travel." Launch date: 2008.

Children start by joining the puzzle bases together and then twist the shapes on the appropriate post. Children can make up their own way to play this stacking and sorting activity that triples as a puzzle, too. Designed with solid baltic birch bases, the Creative Peg Puzzle posts have elasticized bases in case a child falls onto the post. Multiple bases allow for more than one child to play at the same time. Launch date: February 2010.

This anatomically correct, all-vinyl baby doll drinks and wets and loves to take a bath. Emma is a potty-training aid, too, and is recommended by Potty Training Pro Teri Crane. At 14", she comes complete with four accessories: pink potty, pacifier, feeding bottle and disposable diaper. Liza Grando, Account Executive at Moss-Tucker Associates, told TDmonthly, "Corolle dolls are set apart from all others by their sweet, expressive faces, quality materials and construction, creative fashions and a soft, subtle scent of vanilla." Awards: 2007 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal; 2006 ASTRA 100 Best Children's Products; 2006 ASTRA 10 Best Socially Responsible Toys; 2005 Grandparents Magazine Best Doll. Launch date: 2005.

Children can prepare a cup of joe for themselves or a guest with this modern coffee maker and sugar and cream. They can insert the single-serve coffee filter in the basket and push the button to pretend the coffee is brewing. This product is constructed with a combination baltic birch plywood and maple. Robin Lehnert, Marketing Manager at Hape, told TDmonthly this product features a "modern realistic design in lifestyle colors." Launch date: Feb. 2010.

A retailer can carry over 5,000 names in a space as small as a counter display. This retail-friendly personalized music CD uses a child´s name to be the main character and is personalized in other ways at home by the customer using "grab and go" internet technology. No rack system and no special equipment or mass amounts of inventory are required. The CDs come pre-packed in a colorful and informative countertop display with built-in audio samples. Company President Kurt Penberg told TDmonthly, "Kids Juke Box is the only company in the world that offers Any Name personalized music. No other product gives a better return on space than Kids Juke Box." Launch date: Dec. 25, 2008.

This 14-page, colorful board book contains four fold-out flaps in the quest to find Pete's Potty. Launch date: May 2010.

Suitable for babies 6 months to a year old, this 7" x 7" book features a teddy bear touching his toes, nose, tummy and more. It's a touch-and-feel book with the highlighted body parts in set apart with some kind of fabric or fur. Launch date: May 2010.

Designed to help children listen and improve their behavior, The Ticket Store Game allows kids to earn tickets for positive behavior at home or school — for example, doing a task when first asked instead of having to be told repeatedly. They can then redeem those tickets for rewards, such as ice cream or TV time.
Awards: 2010 iParenting Award for Excellence

This powerful reference tool is packed with the features that English and Spanish language learners need most. Designed to enhance grammar and speech skills, it speaks words and phrases—providing students and language-lovers with sample sentences, advanced verb conjugations and learning exercises.

Best of all, it comes with the most trustworthy word lists in circulation: Merriam-Webster’s Spanish-English Dictionary, Merriam-Webster’s Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary and Franklin’s comprehensive thesaurus. Students appreciate features like the TOEFL* word list and SAT** Spanish Subject Test Word List, along with a range of extras, including a phonetic spell corrector, grammar guides and interactive quizzes.

It also includes a USB port† for connectivity to a PC or Mac, allowing users to download their entries from their own dictionaries. Despite its robust features, this powerful device is perfectly sized to fit into a pocket or bookbag, and is ideal for language, gift, puzzle and learning aisles.

Ideal for travel, this creative activity includes four colored pencils and gives kids the chance to not only identify shapes but to create objects, patterns and characters. As children work through the pad, the shapes and designs become more complex.
― Out of 39 retailers interviewed by TDmonthly in March 2010 about top items in travel, two said Squiggle On-the-Go is a best selling product in their stores.

Fret no more, the solution is in the palm of your hand! Collins Bradford’s Crossword Solver offers advanced crossword search, allowing you to look up entries in the portfolio of Collins references using known keywords, letters, and/or word length. Search and solve with the power of Gem Bradford's Crossword Solvers Dictionary with over 120,000 crossword solutions, Bradford's Crossword Lists, Solutions English Dictionary, Compact Thesaurus, and Discovery Encyclopedia. The crossword solver, anagram solver and word builder flex your word power while 4 learning zones filled with practical clues, word games, crossword indicators and more will have you polishing off puzzles in no time. The perfect gift of crossword and word game enthusiasts!


Solve puzzles like a pro – learn and improve as you go!

3 great tools in 1: Pencil Case, Spelling Corrector and Calculator

The SSB-210 Speaking Spelling Bee is a virtual spelling bee tutor designed to improve spelling skills for students’ ages 8 and up and all aspiring spelling bee participants. Play with friends and family in the Competition mode, or sharpen your skills in Practice or Game Show modes to become a spelling ace! Includes a Merriam-Webster Intermediate Dictionary and Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster Rhyming Dictionary, phonetic spell correction, reading timer, word bank and additional games to enhance both educational and play value.

Challenge your quick thinking and math skills with Racin’ Mathematics

• Test your skills in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
• Advance through 12 levels of difficulty
• Earn points and cups in the bonus rounds
• Use training mode to get up to speed
• Practice learning your multiplication tables up to the “9’s”
• Ages 7+
• 1 CR2032 battery included

This travel toy includes seven alphabet cards designed with elements of the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom story on both sides. Cards fit into a case that may hang in the car or in other various play areas with hook and loop straps. Launch date: 2010.

Easy-click bricks, sticks, panels, and a play figure make building a snap for kids. They can build suggested designs, or use their imagination to build things all their own. Includes 100 pieces in a convenient storage tub whose lid doubles as a building base. All pieces in the Fisher-Price TRIO Building System work together. Launch date: 2010.

Suitable for ages 6 months and up, this Chicka Chicka Boom Boom-themed toy is designed to work perfectly with most strollers and carriers. Baby can enjoy a mirror, three clacking rings, crinkle flaps and a teether. Launch date: 2010.

Suitable for ages 18 months and up, this 14-piece set includes 10 shapes with numbers and letters to count and sort into the A-B-C-D compartments, each with a hook and loop closure. Julie Flann, Manager of Marketing & Sales at Manhattan Toy, told TDmonthly, "This great Chicka Chicka Boom Boom-themed toy provides a great way for little ones to practice their numbers and shapes." Launch date: 2010.

Baby Wilford has soft brown fur and a cute little face. Julie Flann, Manager of Marketing & Sales at Manhattan Toy, told TDmonthly, "Baby Wilford is an adorable little walrus plush, part of the new Manhattan Wildlife Collection." The Manhattan Wildlife Collection has been developed to strongly resemble the real animals they represent. They come with a hangtag that describes their animal's unique characteristics. Launch date: 2010.

This fun-filled educational book is written about two Shoulder Buddies, Breezee and Biffle, who plan to go to the School of Smarts. They want to earn their Feathers so they can fly. Readers take a journey with them as they try to help each other discover the Smarts that are right for them. The Book N' Buddy combo comes with the Breezee or Biffle Shoulder Buddy character attached. Shoulder Buddies are unique to their Feather color, so no two are alike. They come with a collectible Shoulder Buddies Coin and a backpack clip. Shoulder Buddies are not recommended for children under 4 years of age. Launch date: Feb. 2010.

Peace teaches about "Peaceful Smarts." Peace's acronym is W-O-R-L-D: Work together, Open your mind and heart, Remember we are all equal, Deliver this message of PEACE. Shoulder Buddies are unique to their Feather color, so no two are alike. They come with a collectible Shoulder Buddies Coin and a Backpack clip. Shoulder Buddies are not recommended for children under 4 years of age. Jeaneen Muller, Managing Partner of Shoulder Fun USA, told TDmonthly, "Shoulder Buddies can be worn on the shoulder, and are a collectible, educational accessory." Launch date: Dec. 2009.

Breezee is a Shoulder Buddy character that teaches "Frustration Smarts." His acronym is T-H-I-N-K: Try to relax, Have happy thoughts, Its good to be thankful, Now is the time to share your feelings, Know you have choices. Shoulder Buddies are unique to their Feather color, so no two are alike. They come with a collectible Shoulder Buddies Coin and a Backpack clip. Shoulder Buddies are not recommended for children under 4 years of age. Jeaneen Muller, Managing Partner of Shoulder Fun USA, told TDmonthly, "They can be worn on the shoulder, and have a great learning message that each teaches about."

Players are charged with the challenge of rescuing a baby dinosaur stuck in a canyon threatened by a flash flood. Players must work as a team to save little Dino by lowering the water level until he is dry and also help give him his favorite food. Bambino Dino is simple to grasp, with color-coded dice that indicate when to pick a helpful Tool or some Food and also when to build the Water higher and higher. The game includes a 6" x 12" board, water pieces, rules, bucket and food cards, dice and stickers. Launch date: 2001.