July 2010 Notable Toys — All

This fishbowl features three happy residents for puzzle play. The extra-thick, three-piece wooden puzzle includes a fish, a turtle and a crab, each with jumbo wooden knobs for easy grasping. Full-color, matching pictures appear underneath each piece.
— In a Summer 2011 survey, 5 out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that wooden peg puzzles from Melissa & Doug were their best-sellers in the category.
— As of 7/12/2011 this product had 4.5 out of 5 stars from 32 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Durable; age-appropriate; puzzle pieces fit well. Cons: One reviewer said the veneer on the puzzle pieces began peeling a month after purchasing it.
— In a June 2010 survey of 40 specialty retailers, 15 percent named Melissa & Doug as an overall top-selling brand. Two retailers told TDmonthly that the brand’s puzzles sell especially well.

This rainforest-themed Silly Bandz 24-pack includes geckos, tree frogs, panthers, gorillas, toucans and monkeys. These bands can be collected, worn or traded with friends.
— Thirty percent of 40 specialty retailers surveyed counted Silly Bandz as overall best sellers in June 2010.
— Linda Hanzelko of Timmy’s Toy Chest in Lake Mary, Fla., told TDmonthly her store sells “about 100 packs (of Silly Bandz) a day.”

Kids can design sparkling mosaics using the metallic foam magnets of Magnetic Mosaics Metal. The package includes peel and stick tile sheets in seven assorted colors and styles. The tiles are reusable and easy to store with the provided bags.

Features:
    * 2100 metallic foam magnets
    * 12” square playing surface
    * Four reusable templates
    * Seven zip-lock storage bags
    * Colorful creative ideas poster

From ancient Greece and Rome to modern times, artists have been using simple tile sets to create beautiful and intriguing patterns. Using only 64 square tiles, Mosaica unlocks hidden creativity and inspires the creation of colorful works of art.
Features:
    * 64 colorful 3/4” square tiles
    * Insert with suggested patterns
    * Magnetically receptive play surface

Designed for young mosaic artists, My First Picture Maker allows children to create sparkling mosaics through following numbers or colored symbols.
Features:
    * 300 magnetic 5/8” square tiles
    * 12” square playing surface
    * 10 reusable templates

Magnetic Color Cubes is a pocket-sized set of half-inch wooden cubes in lustrous colors allow the creative edge to flourish.
Features:
    * 100 colorful magnetic hardwood cubes
    * Travel tin and suggested patterns
    * No assembly required

Sticky Mosaics bring the fun and excitement of mosaic art home. The Fairy Tales package includes peel and stick tile sheets in 14 assorted colors and styles, used to create four designs featuring Humpty Dumpty, the Tortoise and the Hare, Little Red Riding Hood, and the Ugly Duckling.

Sticky Mosaics bring the fun and excitement of mosaic art home. The Fairies package includes peel and stick tile sheets in 12 assorted colors and styles, used to create four projects featuring fairies.

Sticky Mosaics bring the fun and excitement of mosaic art home. The Unicorns & Ponies kit includes 11 sheets of peel and stick tiles in assorted colors, used to create four projects featuring beautiful ponies and sparkling unicorns.

My First Sticky Mosaics bring the fun and excitement of mosaic art to preschoolers. Package includes seven sheets of peel and stick tiles in assorted colors to create up to five circus-themed projects: Trapeze Monkey, Circus Clown, Ferris Wheel, Big Tent, and Carousel Horse.

My First Sticky Mosaics bring the fun and excitement of mosaic art to preschoolers. Package includes seven sheets of peel and stick tiles in assorted colors to create five mosaic projects.

Universal Siliskin Wideneck silicone covers for glass bottles and metal containers are designed to fit a variety of large and small glass baby bottles and slide on and off for easy cleaning. These safe, silicone sleeves help prevent breakage of glass baby bottles, and are a translucent silicone which allows you to see measurements and liquid in the bottle. Siliskins are hypo allergenic, have no open pores to harbor bacteria, are dishwasher and microwave safe, and can be boiled to sterilize. Small Wideneck Siliskins come in Red, Sky Blue, Teal Green, and Yellow, and fit the Born Free 5oz glass bottle, Nuk Wideneck 120ml glass bottle, 12oz Kleen Kanteen, and 10oz Sigg. Large Wideneck Siliskins (MSRP $8.95) come in Green, Light Blue, Lilac, and Yellow, and fit the Born Free 9oz glass bottle, Nuk Wideneck 240ml glass bottle, Fogo Straw Sippy by Thermos, 13.5oz Sigg, 12oz Soda/Beer can, and even mason jars.

The Siliskin 12oz Glass is a safe alternative to plastic drink-ware. The reusable and recyclable glass drinkware comes in a four pack with two aqua and two lime glasses. The Siliskin is hypoallergenic, has no open pores to harbor bacteria, is dishwasher safe, and can be boiled to sterilize. Also comes in a smaller, six ounce version.

Kids learning to drink from a "big kid" cup will enjoy the Siliskin-Glass, a clean alternative to plastic drink-ware. BPA-free, and made from 100 percent  food grade silicone, the Siliskin 6oz Glass helps prevent slipping and adds extra protection to the glass inside. The Siliskin is hypo-allergenic, has no open pores to harbor bacteria, is dishwasher safe, and can be boiled to sterilize. Comes in a four pack with an aqua, lime, red and purple glass.

Siliskin colorful silicone baby bottle cover allows for young ones to grab hold and avoid slippage when feeding from a glass bottle. The microwave safe Siliskin keeps heat from transferring from bottle to hands and is both hypo allergenic and dishwasher safe. This translucent silicone sleeve allows you to see measurements and liquid in the glass bottle (included). Available colors: Pink, Gray, Aqua, and White.

Silibib is a stylish infant silicone bib designed to lie flat on the chest in a soft, wipe-away material. The Silibib is both hypoallergenic and dishwasher safe. Available colors: Blue/Brown, Gray/Yellow, Green/Blue, and Red/White.

Think-ets is a little game in a pouch containing tiny treasures from all over the world. The game includes an assortment of 15 miniature trinkets that can be used to tell stories and play memory and strategy games. These Think-ets come in a purple pouch, replacing the previous yellow pouch design.
Awards: 2008 iParenting Media Award; 2008 AblePlay Rating; 2007 The Toy Man Editor's Choice Award; 2007 Creative Child Magazine Seal of Excellence Award

A versatile all season bootie that can be worn over shoes, Stonz Linerz, slippers or bare feet. Their durable coated nylon upper provides wind and water-resistance, their fleece lining provides warmth and comfort, and their wide opening allows the booties to slip on and stay on easily. The booties have rubberized, skid-resistant soft soles and are machine-washable.

A versatile all season bootie that can be worn over shoes, Stonz Linerz, slippers or bare feet. Their durable coated nylon upper provides wind and water-resistance, their fleece lining provides warmth and comfort, and their wide opening allows the booties to slip on and stay on easily. The booties have rubberized, skid-resistant soft soles and are machine-washable.

This reversible fleece hat features the Stonz logo on one side, and a two-tone red/black design when reversed. The high quality anti-pill fleece provides warmth and wears well. Velcro closure ensures hat stays on with a comfortable fit. Machine washable and dryable.

Two adjustable toggles tighten at the arm and wrist to ensure the Mittz stay on, and the over-arm design allows Mittz to be put on last. There are five layers of warmth in every mitt, and the styles for newborn to 24 months have a thumbless design for easy on and off and warmth. The design for ages 2 to 7 has a thumb added with an extra layer of protective rubberized fabric in the palm and thumb. The appliqué matches Stonz Booties and Hatz for a coordinated look. The Mittz are machine washable and dryable.

The Klutz Glossy Bands book kit lets kids make their very own durable rubbery jewelry. The kit includes four tubes of non-toxic, acrylic gel. Kids can follow the instructions to squeeze and swirl the gel into beautiful patterns that turn into one-of-a-kind bracelets.
— Deal Seeking Mom Tara Kuczykowski declared, “If your child is into the Silly Bandz craze, he or she is sure to love making Glossy Bands!”
— Jennifer of 5 Minutes for Mom reported that her 11-year-old daughter “loved this kit, and it’s something she could do on her own, without help or hovering from me.” Jennifer liked that the Klutz Glossy Bands book “provided enough instruction to get her started, and enough leeway for her creativity to grow and her to try new things on her own.”
— Jo-Lynne of Musings of a Housewife gave the book to her daughter, who spent several days making bracelets. Her daughter’s love for the kit led Jo-Lynne to call the Glossy Bands Book “the perfect birthday gift for your craft-obsessed little girl.”

Many Hands: Family Music for Haiti brings together 22 family friendly artists to help with the Haiti relief effort. The CD includes previously unreleased and brand new songs from kid favorites including They Might Be Giants and Pete Seeger. Proceeds from the record will be donated to the Haitian People’s Support Project.
— Leigh Goldman Balber of Urban Baby calls the CD “A We are the World for the sandbox set.” The “who’s who … of the best in the world of kiddie music” combine to create a “spiritual, uplifting (but not too out there)” CD.

Straw, sticks and bricks are just the beginning in Steven Guarnaccia’s imaginative reinterpretation of the fairy tale classic. “The Three Little Pigs: An Architectural Tale” transforms the pigs into representations of architects Phillip Johnson, Frank Gehry and Frank Lloyd Wright, complete with iconic houses that mirror those designed by the famous architects. The architecture may be different, but the wolf still huffs and puffs in this delightful adventure in modern design.
— The Kansas City Star’s Stacy Downs calls the tale “a squealing lesson in architecture.” The architectural twist made the book fascinating for Stacy, too, as she read it to her toddler sons.
— John Hill of A Weekly Dose of Architecture enjoyed the “landscape of modernism within the familiar story.” He also praised the learning potential of the story, explaining, “As the parent of a two-year-old girl I can see the myriad educational opportunities, from matching images to word association and even creating stories within the story.”