August 2009 Notable Toys — American-Made

Black Widow — an icky, creepy spider climbing across window shade — is a 3' x 5' full-color, high-quality plastic window decoration that lights up at night with back lighting from every day household lamps for the enjoyment of passersby on the street. It comes with corner stick adhesive squares. Reusable WOWindow Posters are made in the USA. Launch date: 2008.

This haunting ogre is a 3' x 5', full-color, high-quality plastic window decoration that lights up at night with back lighting from everyday household lamps for the enjoyment of passersby on the street. It comes with corner stick adhesive squares. Reusable WOWindow Posters are made in the USA. The are "not sold in national big-box or national chain discount party stores," Robert Schott, director of National Sales for WOWindows, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2007.

Ideal for a growing 2- to 7-year-old who may have a nap/rest time at preschool, kindergarten or day care, the Nap Pack is now available in Monkeys, Pink Dots and Daisy Allover prints. Durable, warm and cozy fleece is used for this blanket with attached pillow. It is designed to fit on a standard preschool cot, kindermat or carpet, and fits snuggly into a cubby or hangs on a hook. When rest time is over, the child simply rolls up his/her nap mat, Velcros the straps and grabs the handle to go. This product is made in the USA. It received a Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Award and a Toy Man Award of Excellence in 2008. Launch date: December 2002.

The Recyclable "Over 100 Projects" kit contains materials that can be used to make more than 100 projects. The Show Box contains 120 Feet of Plastic Lacing, Craft Foam, EZ Gimper TM, 50 Poms (Assorted sizes and colors), 20 Craft Straws, 120 Plastic Beads and many other items. It also comes with an instruction/idea booklet plus a bonus Wacky Whirly. The box measures 13.5" Long x 6.5" Wide x 5.5". It's made in the USA.

Candy Corn Jamboree fills a house with Halloween treats. The 3' x 5' full-color, high-quality plastic window decoration "lights up" at night with back lighting from everyday household lamps for the enjoyment of passersby on the street. It comes with corner stick adhesive squares. WOWindow Posters are made in the USA and are reusable. The product is "not sold in national big-box or national chain discount party stores," Robert Schott, director of national sales for WOWindows, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2006.

Little Hero Capes are designed to empower a child's imagination and expand his adventures. The fully lined capes are made from high-quality materials with high-quality sewing and have a SUPER design placed prominently on the back. The capes feature a snap closure so a child can easily spring into action when he or she hears the call. Each cape also has a collar, which may be placed upward for a more mysterious look.  "Each Little Hero Cape, mask, and pair of power cuffs is artisan crafted in the United States," Allison Faunce, owner of Little Hero Capes, told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2, 2008.

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.

This collection of little animals on wheels includes the following designs constructed from various American hardwoods: anaconda, alligator, bear, chimpanzee, cow, elephant, giraffe, horse, kangaroo and rabbit. They are finished with non-toxic mineral oil. Each measures approximately 3" x 2" x 1.5".

Filled with millet or sand for a realistic real, this colorful pastel dragon features a covering of stretchy fabric with a bit of sparkle. It is made in the USA.
— Rainbow Creatures’ dragons and mermaids are top sellers at Moon Rabbit Toys in Santa Fe, N.M., Owner Shana Hack told TDmonthly in early summer 2009.

These lightweight batons have a shaft length of 48 cm and come in purple, blue and fire orange with coordinating handles, suede leather ends and sure-grip surfacing for ease of use. They are handmade in the USA.
— Lunastix are best sellers at Moon Rabbit Toys in Sante Fe, N.M., Owner Shana Hack told TDmonthly in early summer 2009.
— Lunastix were best sellers at Figpickels Toy Emporium in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in the late summer of 2010. “Our employees are quite good at demonstrating Lunastix in the store,” said owner Brett Sommer. “When people see them performing they want to try it too.  Also, the elementary schools have juggling classes that use Lunastix, so there is an endless supply & demand in the area.”

The Jelly Belly Kids Mix of 20 flavors was selected by kids, for kids. The company interviewed children, pre-teens and teens to determine which Jelly Belly jelly bean flavors they loved most. The result is this collection of kid favorites. Launch date: February 2009.

This set of oversized building pieces is made of all-natural, finish-free hardwood maple with an interlocking design that facilitates construction of a classic barn measuring 18" W x 24" L x 20" H. It has sizeable windows and doors, plus a removable roof so that kids can play with their dolls and toys on the interior. Launch date: 2009.

Stevia is known to produce a sweetener twenty to thirty times sweeter than sugar. The Sweet Leaf Plant is a sub-tropical plant that will grow 2' to 3' tall. "This product contains a plant that actually works! It is made in the United States and is guaranteed to grow," Alicia Borley, PR manager for DuneCraft, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2009.

Individuals can grow ingredients to make their own herbal teas. Plants include Lemon Balm, German Chamomile and Spearmint. These three herbs have many medicinal qualities, including promoting sleep, encouraging relaxation and lifting spirits. All make light, refreshing, aromatic teas. Decorative accents include natural gravel, decals, planting stakes, an instructions and recipe booklet and more. "The Tea House is completely manufactured in the United States, contains three types of herbal teas that can be harvested right from the terrarium, and has great educational value," Alicia Borley, PR manager for DuneCraft, told TDmonthly. It received a 2009 iParenting Media Award. Launch date: February 2009.

Jacquard Products’ popular Medium Point Tee Juice Fabric Marking Pens are now offered in a boxed set which includes: Yellow, Blue, Red, Green and Black pens. Tee Juice Fabric Art Marking Pens are also available in Fineliner and Broad Tip Pens; all are available in eight vivid colors: Golden Yellow, Red, Blue, Black, Chocolate Brown, Orange, Purple and Emerald Green. The pens can be used on a wide variety of natural and synthetic fibers. Any piece of fabric, from t-shirts to lampshades can be transformed into a unique piece of art. Launch date: June 2009.

These Uncle Goose multi-color alphabet blocks have bug pictures and names, and are made in the USA. This set includes four complete alphabets, two upper case and two lower case, and numbers from 0 to 10 and math symbols. Uncle Goose blocks are 1-3/4" and are handcrafted from sustainable Michigan basswood with child-safe inks.

An addition to the NameTrain Wooden Railway System created by Maple Landmark, the four-car Santa Train Car Set is crafted from locally harvested maple with whimsical images of Santa, Mrs. Claus, reindeer and elves. The finishes and inks are all non-toxic. The car pieces are not sold separately. Launch date: June 15, 2009.

Brought back to celebrate Maple Landmark's 30th anniversary, Danish Solitaire is a mind-challenging math game crafted from locally harvested maple (in Vermont) and finished using a non-toxic clear lacquer. Measuring 5" x 7", Danish Solitaire comes with pegs numbering from one to 10. The object is to follow the lines and make the pegs add up to the same number. Directions are on the back. "The Danish Solitaire is an original, very rarely copied," Barbara Rainville, marketing manager for Maple Landmark Woodcraft, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 15, 2009.

Crafted from sustainably harvested, local hardwood maple, this train includes 6"-long cars, fat wheels and an easy to connect "knuckle hitch." Each car is sanded super smooth to the touch and has engraved detailing. No finishes or chemical coatings are used. As an added bonus, the train comes with a "pull stick" to make the whole train a pull toy. "The train is designed for the 3 years and under. There are very few products on the market that for that age group," Barbara Rainville, marketing manager for Maple Landmark Woodcraft, told TDmonthly. This product received a 2009 Preferred Choice Award, Classic Wooden Toys Category, from Creative Child Magazine. Launch date: January 23, 2009.
— Maple Landmark wooden trains are a big hit at Moon Rabbit Toys in Santa Fe, N.M., Owner Shana Hack told TDmonthly in June 2009.

Crafted from locally harvested hardwood maple, this set of 16, 1 3/4" blocks can spell more than 250 words, phrases and names. Each letter is engraved using a clean, simple font for ease of reading. The Simple ABC Blocks are sanded smooth to the touch but left unfinished for a truly eco-friendly toy. They are made in Vermont. Launch date: January 25, 2009.
Awards: 2009 Creative Child Magazine Toy of the Year Award, Classic Wooden Toys category.
— Any kind of stacking alphabet blocks, no matter the maker, do well for James Dello Stritto, manager of Magic Box, Ltd., in New Orleans.

A child-sized spin on a classic design, Holgate's Adirondack Chair is made in the USA out of Pennsylvania black cherry hardwood. Most of the chair is finished in the wood's rich, natural color, while the back slats are painted in bright primary colors. The chair can be personalized with a name on the front slat as shown (silk screened; upper-case letters only), and arrives fully assembled.
— “Holgate is our best seller,” said Angel Stahl, owner of Angel's Toy Barn, during a May 2009 survey of best-selling kids’ furniture and play house items.

A member of the order Ferrous Lepidoptera. Easy to set free, but can you net the ring? A prize specimen for any collection. The object of this puzzle is to remove the ring.

Captain Teach gave no quarter when he plundered and pillaged. Likewise, this hook will leave you hanging. The object of this puzzle is to remove the shuttle.