June 2009 Notable Toys — Gifts

Are you looking for the perfect Unisex baby gift? Every creative detail says this will make a happy baby boy or girl with the adorable socks with park theme. The first pair of socks has a cute big yellow duck with three little baby ducks on the back of the heel. The second pair is designed to look like a green pair of sneakers for those cute little kicking toes, and the last pair is a big green happy turtle with three baby turtles on the back of the heel. It's time to grab a picnic and go to the park to show off this new collection!

Have him ready to cross the finish line, make a touchdown or hit a home run in our sporty athletic booties. The Pee Wee Sports collection includes three pairs of booties resembling athletic shoes in the colors of red, orange and blue. They are packaged in a colorful sports complex gift box. He'll be an All Star!

Not just for Easter, this cute little tuffet is 12" in diameter and finished with soft bunny slippers.

How could I live in Maine and not do the Lobster? This tuffet has become a favorite in cottages along our fine coast. It's a must have and is finished with soft Lobster slippers.

Full of whimsy this set of butterfly wings, wand and fur antennae make a perfect addition to your daughter's dress up trunk! Now at a wonderful price! Includes one set of pink wings, one wand and one set of marabou fur antennae. Fits sizes one to ten years.

Cool little albums for BIG TIME fun! Enough to make an entire mini scrapbook! Kits include mini scrapbook with 12 page protectors, 12 pattern sheets, sticker sheets, 3D embellished frames, embellished stickers, foam stickers, confetti, pom poms and rhinestones.

The “Gift of Adventure” is a gift card which includes a one month subscription to the Jacabee Code and allows the child to create one Personalized Journal online. The gift card is packaged in a greeting card with step-by-step instructions for the child to login to the Jacabee Code website, play the quests and create their journal.

This cute baby sock set includes three pairs of socks designed to coordinate with our Creeper gift set or to stand alone. Fun and functional, they make a great gift for any baby. The set is packaged in a clear acetate box and accented with a bow. Other colors and gifts are available through Rashti & Rashti.

Each handcrafted box is shaped like a cupcake and embellished with sequins and pink jewels. "The Jewel Cupcake Boxes are unique in style and design and have a broad age appeal from 3 years old to mature women," Veesha Knight, sales and marketing manager for Creative Education of Canada, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009.

This soft and cuddly Boogaloo is knit by Peruvian artists and dressed in a classy cap and tie.

Knit from natural fibers by Peruvian artists, Mini Kaya comes complete with braids and a smile.

With this special diary, kids write with invisible ink markers and then shine the UV mini-light on the page to read what they’ve written. Each set comes with a locking 240-page diary with two keys, a mini UV-light and two invisible ink pens in a 6.5” x 7” x 1.5” magnetic-closure keepsake box. Varieties include Fairy, Castle, Princess Pea, Dragon, Baby Deer, Firebird, Degas and Merlin. “A perfect gift, the My Invisible Diary sets combine the secret elements of invisible ink with a personal diary and a special keepsake box decorated with beautiful artwork,” Elizabeth Carpenter of Mazeology told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 1, 2007.

Suitable for babies 0 to 3 months and up, this teether and discovery toy features a contrasting spot pattern that offers visual stimulation, plus a squeaker for amusement. It is made of natural rubber from Hevea tree and colored with food paint. Sophie is distributed in the United States by Calisson.
— Retailers surveyed by TDmonthly have been naming Sophie the Giraffe as a best-seller since 2009.
― Nicole Boomhover, assistant manager of Learning Express in Cahaba Heights, Ala. told TDmonthly in late Spring 2011 that they sold between five and ten Sophies a month.
— In an April 2012 survey, three out of 11 retailers told TDmonthly that Sophie the Giraffe was their best selling infant & toddler product.
― “Sophie giraffe is a great baby product that we order over and over again,” Diana Nelson, owner of Kazoo & Company in Denver, Co., told TDmonthly in June 2010. “I can't keep them on the shelf,” agreed Keith Schumacker, general manager at Talbot’s Toyland in San Mateo, Calif.
― During a March 2010 survey of 39 retailers, seven said Sophie the Giraffe is a top-selling toy for infants. Sales averaged 24 per month.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at Learning Express of Cahaba Heights, Ala.
AWARDS: 2014 TDmonthly Magazine Top Toy Award, 2010 TDmonthly Top Seller

This cuddly infant toy features a peaceful duck face and decorative yellow ribbon ties. It measures 13” square and is machine washable.
— “I sell 20 to 30 a month,” Fred Rosenberg, owner of On the Park in Kingwood, Texas, told TDmonthly about the Lil’ Snugglers in spring 2009.
— Two of 64 retailers named this product as a best-selling infant and toddler toy in March 2009. Two of 40 retailers cited Lil’ Snugglers as a top seller for babies in June 2010.

These analog watches for kids come in a wide variety of colors and in more than 100 designs, such as penguins, sports, bugs, berries and monkeys.
— Children’s watches from Fantasia Gifts are best sellers at Green Frog Toys in Portland, Ore, Owner Patricia Fieldler told TDmonthly in March 2009. “They are great analog watches that help kids learn.”

The Swing Pony is designed to make skills training more fun. Launch date: 2009.

Each Vermont Teddy Bear is handmade in Vermont and comes with a lifetime guarantee. The company's core product is a jointed, 15" teddy bear available with dozens of outfits. Vermont Teddy Bear can personalize product and is also introducing a second major line of floppy, 15" plush bears that are made for hugging. MSRP ranges from $39.95 to $49.95. Launch date: 2009.

These small characters with removable clothing are poseable and have jointed arms and legs and heads that turn. The parents are approximately 3" tall, while brother and sister are 2.25" tall. The Wilder Panda Bear Family is comprised of Mother Penelope, Father Percival, Brother Phillip and Sister Priscilla. "This miniature animal family allows young girls ages 3+ to interact in imaginative play. As part of a larger line of Calico Critters, the Wilder Panda Bear Family can be combined with any number of other animal family lines, previous homes, detailed furniture environments and ready-to-play sets," Nicole Tiedemann, PR account executive for International Playthings, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2009.
— “International Playthings offers lots of consistent sellers,” said Steve Melody, owner of Melody’s Choices in Fayetteville, Ark., in April 2009.

This set of colorful, squeezable bathtime friends includes eight animals that each measure around 2" x 2" x 2". They come in a vinyl bag that zips closed.
— “The little Squirties come in and go right out,” Barbara Paeth-Haas, owner of The Durango Kid in Durango, Colo., told TDmonthly of this strong seller in spring 2009.
— Two of 64 retailers named Elegant Baby’s Bath Squirties as a best-selling bath toy in March 2009. Cheryl Richmond, owner of Punkin Doodles in Havre, Mont., cited sales of 12 per month.

This bright, cuddly butterfly measures 3" x 5".

This colorful collection of fruits and vegetables from the HABA garden consists of a leek, a banana with a removable peel, two carrots and two tomatoes with rattles, all in a wooden basket. The fabric items are machine washable. Launch date: 2009.

This is a heat and cold therapy item that looks like a stuffed animal and is part of the Toasty Wild Animal Collection. It can be a calming, soothing aid for children, and also may comfort those with Alzheimer's, anxiety or sore muscles. The elephant can be warmed in the microwave to deliver heat therapy, or placed in the freezer to deliver cold therapy for up to two hours. Launch date: 2007.

Each alarm makes the sound of the animal on the dial, so the dog barks, the frog ribbits and the butterfly kisses. Batteries are included. The product features a clear-box design with a "hear me" option that allows customers to hear the sound of the clock alarm sound inside the package. The product is 7" tall, with a 4"-diameter clock face. "Bright colors and clearly printed numbers make it fun for children to learn how to tell time," a representative of Streamline Inc. told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2007.

While this watch can't its wearer back in time, it does create the illusion that time is running backwards. The numbers on each 1.25" round clock face are arranged counter-clockwise and the hands move counter-clockwise as well. The watch has a leather strap and metal casing. It is designed to fit most adult wrists. Launch date: January 15, 2009.