August 2009 Notable Toys — All

This germ education product for toddlers and preschoolers is designed so that kids quickly go from not knowing they are spreading germs to being equipped with the knowledge of what they can do to stop the spread of germs and illness. "Many in the medical community advocate teaching children the three keys to illness prevention: keeping germs from your face, wash your hands, and cough and sneeze into your elbow. Germy Wormy Germ Smart for Kids does the teaching for you!" Margaret Back, president of Back Enterprises LLC, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2009.

An educational and environmental addition to a child's room, this nature themed poster with a gender-neutral design is printed on heavy, 100-percent PCW recycled paper using soy ink. The posters are available in size 11" x 14" (MSRP: $32) and 18" x 24" (MSRP: $42). "We consider the environment in everything we do, from design to product creation to packaging. Our art is educational, simple and stylish," Rebecca Peragine, CEO of Art and Philanthropy, told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 2009.

This poster may serve as both an educational and environmental addition to a child's room. The nature theme and gender-neutral design makes it appropriate for both boys and girls. It's printed on heavy, 100-percent PCW recycled paper using soy ink. These posters are available as 11" x 14" prints (MSRP: $32) and 18" x 24" prints (MSRP: $42). "Our products are made from 100-percent recycled, biodegradable and non-toxic materials," Rebecca Peragine, CEO of Art and Philanthropy, told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 2009.

This is one of two Spanish planispheres the company offers. It contains about 700 stars and more than 300 objects for binoculars: nebulae, open en globular clusters, galaxies, double stars, variable stars and more. "Our program includes planispheres in 11 languages (five of them only available through our customers), and English planispheres for 10 different latitude ranges, together covering the entire populated world," Rob Walrecht, director of Rob Walrecht Productions, told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2003.

From the company's vintage magazine collection comes this 500-piece jigsaw puzzle of the March 1931 cover of Popular Mechanics Magazine. It features an image of an innovative airplane design in flight and is made in the USA from post-consumer recycled materials. Launch date: August 15, 2009.

From the company's vintage magazine collection comes this 500-piece jigsaw puzzle of the October 1926 cover of Popular Mechanics Magazine. Featuring an image of a pirate battle, it is made in the USA from post-consumer recycled materials. The company's collection features "relevant puzzles that have broad cross-market appeal from general gift buyers and casual puzzlers to even the most discerning of jigsaw enthusiasts," Adam Silver, co-President of New York Puzzle Company, told TDmonthly. Launch date: August 15, 2009.

From the company's New Yorker collection comes this 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle of the November 29, 1952, cover of The New Yorker magazine. Featuring art by Arthur Getz, this puzzle is a drawing of the famous Thanksgiving Day Parade watched around the country every year. It is made in the USA from post-consumer recycled materials. Launch date: August 15, 2009.

From the company's New Yorker collection comes this 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle of the December 8, 2008, cover of The New Yorker magazine. Finding the humor in politics, this puzzle features art by Barry Blitt, with a drawing of President Barack Obama interviewing dogs to find his new pet. It is made in the USA from post-consumer recycled materials. "We make puzzles you'll want to frame and hang as art," Adam Silver, co-president of New York Puzzle Company, told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 2009.

From the company's vintage magazine collection comes this 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle of the November 1931 cover of Good Housekeeping Magazine. It features artwork by Jessie Wilcox Smith, well known for her paintings of classic childhood experiences, and is made in the USA from post-consumer recycled materials. Launch date: August 15, 2009.

From the company's vintage magazine collection comes this 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle of the May 1925 cover of Good Housekeeping Magazine. It features artwork by Jessie Wilcox Smith, well known for her paintings of classic childhood experiences, and is made in the USA from post-consumer recycled materials. "We make puzzles you'll want to frame and hang as art. Relevant puzzles that have broad cross market appeal from general gift buyers and casual puzzlers to even the most discerning of jigsaw enthusiasts," Adam Silver, co-president of New York Puzzle Company, told TDmonthly. Launch date: August 15, 2009.

Named Respiratory Management Magazine's "New Product of the Year" for 2009, Paralda is an eco-friendly, RoHS compliant, Energy Star rated HEPA UV air purifier with 99.97-percent air cleaning efficiency. It is designed for babies and children's rooms because it contains zero lead components and is quiet. Its UV lamp is designed to last up to five years and sterilizes airborne viruses that cause the flu. It is available in the following colors: Bamboo Green, Twilight or Espresso. "Paralda was the first HEPA UV air purifier in the U.S. market to meet strict green standards — it is environmentally friendly by meeting all RoHS requirements and is Energy Star rated — using less energy than a standard light bulb," Ria Romano, PR manager for Alen Corp., told TDmonthly. Launch date: January 15, 2009.

Organic Sleepy Bear wears a baby bear on its belly in a baby carrier. The adult bear, baby bear and baby carrier are made out of 100-percent organic cotton. There are no loose parts considered a choking hazard. Sleepy bear is cream-colored and the baby bear carrier comes in khaki. "The new organic teddy bear is made from the softest organic cotton produced in accordance with the requirements of the Organic Exchange 100 Standard and contains no pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers or any other chemicals. It is perfect for baby’s first friend or children of all ages," Ria Romano, PR manager for NAP, Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: July 2009.

These soft toys are knit in Peru of 100-percent organic cotton with natural color and have no dyeing. They have a bell inside, are a natural brown color, and meet CE standards. The collection includes a 15 cm elephant, 16.5, 23, and 27 cm giraffe, and 14 cm lion. "Each soft toy is handmade [and] signed by the Peruvian dressmaker. Those soft toys provide a job to women issued from the slums of Lima, and with this job, they regain self-confidence and they provide for their family," Abruzzo, the founder of C.A.BIO, told TDmonthly. Launch date: April 2009.

Ziggideez are designed to appeal to kids who love plush and want to take their favorite characters with them everywhere. Ziggideez are wearable plush that can be attached to shoes, clothing, book bags, bikes and even fingers. There are three different products: one designed specifically with a Velcro strap to be worn on shoes; another for the finger, which also has a button hole so it can be attached to shirts and jackets; and the third with a Velcro strap that can be attached to just about anything. Launch date: June 1, 2009.

These heavy cardboard banks have a metal clasp, a color-coordination padlock and two keys — they don't have to be smashed to make a withdrawal. Each bank has three slots so the money can be sorted into Spend, Save and Share compartments. The bank measures 4" high x 4.5" in diameter. The product is printed with nontoxic inks and CE tested to ensure safety. Launch date: February 2009.

A Fathead is a life-size, hi-def, precision-cut wall graphic made of hyper-durable vinyl that's easy to put up with a special adhesive backing that allows it to be moved from wall to wall. Fathead IS NOT a poster, sticker, decal or cardboard cutout. Fathead images are impressively sized and designed so that they will not damage the wall. Launch date: June 6, 2006.

This 16" x 20" tote is designed to stores baby necessities and toys. It has double long straps, a magnetic snap closure, folds and packs for travel, and is available in six designer cotton canvas prints. It is also washable and has a zipper and double elastic pockets inside. The tote is made in the USA and comes with a carabiner key ring and padded diaper pad. Launch date: June 30, 2009.

Los Angeles-based artisan studio Terra Traditions offers its pieces with customized covers — photo albums, journals, guest books, Baby’s Journey books, pillows, candles and LaTela Wall art. Our items may be used for weddings, baby gifts, favors and everyday life. They can be crystallized with Swarovski elements (optional). Launch date: 2009.

Players will need to know more than their ABCs to play Electronic A to Z Jr. In fact, they'll need to be pretty quick with the entire alphabet, including those pesky XYZs. Players have 30 seconds to list as many different answers for a specific category as possible. Each answer must begin with a different letter of the alphabet. Players turn off letters on the electronic board for each correct answer. The first one to turn off all the letters on their board wins. It includes an electronic game board, A to Z Jr. category cards, and instructions. Launch date: June 2008.

This USB Owl bobbles its head. It measures 5.5 cm and is available in white, gray, pink and brown. Launch date: May 6, 2009.

This monkey-faced bank eats and saves coins. The size is approximately 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm. Launch date: June 6, 2009.

This cell phone charm features a fortune-bringing piece of golden poop. The size is approximately 1 cm x 9 cm. Launch date: June 6, 2009.

The Gisela doll and book set is based on one of the daughters of Charlemagne, designed to teach young girls about the lives of young girls during the medieval period. The soft-bodied and vinyl doll is dressed for historical accuracy. Launch date: March 2008.

This rocker is also a table designed for indoor or outdoor fun. Upon turning it over, the stable twin-seat rocker (see-saw) becomes an activity table. It is made of durable, easy to clean plastic. The table is 15" H and the seat height is 8". The unit measures 18" H x 16" W x 34" D. Launch date: May 29, 2009.