October 2008 Notable Toys — All

Outfitted with a shield, a helmet with horns, and weaponry, this knight is ready for battle. It is one of many styles in the varied Papo collection.
— “Papo figures always seem to be the best-selling thing in our store; we sell hundreds. I order from Papo once a year, so I order in my inventory for the entire year … a $17,000 order,” Linda Angel, owner of Kidoodles in Norman, Okla., told TDmonthly in summer 2008. “I have birthday wagons … kids fill them with what they want people to buy for them, and they always include Papo figures.”
— Jessie Wood of Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, Vt., said in July 2008 that her store sells roughly six Papo figurines per month from each of about 30 SKUs in the line. They’re best sellers at The Gifted Child in Lenox, Mass., Owner Randy Austin told TDmonthly in summer 2008.
— Four of 66 retailers named Papo as a best-selling gift for boys in summer 2008.

This launch system features a flex tube that stretches to nearly 3’ and won’t restrict airflow. It only blasts vertically (9 degrees either way), using Metalix™ missiles (three included). The parts store in the base, and the product is also available in Electric Extra Terrestrial Green and Exploding Sun Yellow.
— Two of 66 retailers told TDmonthly in July 2008 that this product is one of their overall best sellers. Five of the 66 named it as a best-selling gift item for boys. Three of 39 retailers listed Blast Pads as their best-selling item for tween boys during an October 2009 survey. “I've been accused of giving them away with how fast I go through them,” Jude Larene, owner of Izilla Toys in Seattle, Wash., said in March 2009.
— “Blast Pads from Marky Sparky were our biggest sellers last year,” Joe Berardoni, owner of Pun’s Toy Shop in Bryn Mawr, Pa., told TDmonthly in spring 2009. Of 47 retailers, two told TDmonthly in June 2009 that Blast Pads top their sales of boys' items, reporting figures of seven to 15 sold per month. "We sell that all year. Every time we get them in we sell out," reported Kim Haynes of Lollipop Toy Store in Dawsonville, Ga., in March 2010.
—‘’We sell at least one per week, sometimes more,’’ said manager Gwen Bowden of Doodlehopper 4 Kids in 1Q 2011.
AWARDS: 2010 TDmonthly Top Seller

This pool toy looks like a swim aid but is designed to surprise other swimmers by shooting water up to 30’. It comes in a variety of colors.
— “It's made from the same stuff as the noodles,” Gwen Bowden, manager of Doodlehopper for Kids in Springfield, Va., told TDmonthly in July 2008. “We sold 28 in two weeks. It's a good seller, and we'll run out of it.”
— "We've sold over 4,000 in two-and-a-half years," Ron and Sue Banducci of Games Unlimited in Danville, Calif., told TDmonthly about this top-selling gift for boys.
— Three of 66 retailers mentioned water or pool toys when asked about best-selling gifts for boys in summer 2008. Three of 40 retailers named Max Liquidator Eliminator as an overall best seller in early summer 2010.
AWARDS: 2010 TDmonthly Top Seller

Melissa and Doug’s wooden ducky flaps its wings while it’s pushed and rolled along. A large wooden knob helps small hands grasp the handle and it’s brightly painted with non-toxic paint. It measures 21.5” x 7” x 5” when assembled.
— “We sell the most of Melissa & Doug’s push-and-quack Flapping Duck Toy,” Laurel Marvin Jacobs of Science to Go in Tampa, Fla., told TDmonthly in July 2008.
— Science to Go sells an average of five Flapping Duck Push Toys per month, Marvin said.
— Two of 66 retailers polled in a summer 2008 survey cited Melissa & Doug as a top-selling manufacturer of baby gifts.

This child-sized custom metal lunch box makes a great gift container. It includes a photo of Santa writing a letter on one side, and says “Santa Claus House” on the other. Launch date: 2005.
— It’s a best-selling item at Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska, according to Operations Manager Susan Miller.

Decorate a shadow box picture frame to display treasured photos and small mementos of your favorite furry friend. Kit comes with a white wooden frame with glass window, magnetic closure, and easel back. Frame measures 5.5"x 7.5" x 1.75" deep. Personalizing materials also included: paint, brush, alphabet stickers, push pins, glue and wood heart and star shapes.

Available in 5-, 8- and 11-oz. sizes, this shatterproof bottle is BPA free and offers an air-free feeding design so that babies will have less gas and be more comfortable. The 5- and 8-oz. versions even have an Anti-Colic valve at the base. The orthodontic nipple of the bottle is made of soft silicone, and the bottle includes a leak-proof cap. The two smaller versions have a suggested retail price of $4.99 individually and $12.99 in a three-pack.

Create a treasured memory album to celebrate the horses that you love. Keep photos and memories together in one special place. The scrapbook is an 8" x 8" fabric covered durable book with vinyl sleeves. All of the materials needed to get started are included: a variety of colorful papers, horse stickers, glue stick, double sided tape, deckled edge scissors, a set of markers and pages for you to fill in the blanks and tell fun facts about the horses you love. All of the materials are acid free to ensure that the scrapbook lasts for years to come.

This colorful burro can be attached to a stroller or carrier to entertain while baby is on the go. It features interior jingle bells and crinkle legs, and is attached to the ring by a scrunchy tether so that it can be pulled down and jiggle back into place. Launch date: August 2008.

Tail Wags promotes fun combined with safety by creating eye-catching helmet covers that encourage kids and adults alike to want to wear their helmets while participating in sporting activities. Statistics from the Consumer Product Safety Commission show that using a helmet could have prevented 53 per cent of head injuries occurring in children under 15 years of age. With a focus on fun and safety, Tail Wags helmet covers make a bold statement on the slopes, bike trails and horseback, through vibrant animal personalities, including zebras, turtles, kitty cats and teddy bears.

Leaning over to keep pushing off the ground only allows you to go so fast. Self-propulsion, on the other hand, has advantages. With a kick pedal centered on the rear of the deck, you are able to accelerate with ease while maintaining your balance. Plus, depending on how much thrust you give the kick pedal or how quickly you kick it, you are now truly able to control your speed.

The results of our scooter makeover are nothing short of amazing. Unlike those old scooters or other skating gimmicks out there, the Pulse Kick ‘N Go feels like it is part of you. No more leaning off the scooter and messing up your balance. Just kick down and get mad speed without giving up control. The engineers call the kick pedal a “single-action, dual-sided, ‘T’-bar self-propulsion mechanism.” You’ll call it awesome.

A unique alternative to the traditional plush toy, Rubbabu are durable as they are soft. Made from the natural sap of rubber trees and covered with colorful flocking these tactile, easy-to-handle activity vehicles encourage creative and imaginative play. The soft rubber wheels can be squeezed and rolled for hours of fun. The popular Micro Vehicles are getting company in 2008 with the addition of Micro Animal Vehicles. Also new for 2008: Rubbabu Balls and Mascot Cars. Available in an assortment of sizes, vibrant colors and designs. Launch date: 2008. (Product was formerly dist. by PlaSmart)

Bio-Energy Kit is the world’s first fuel cell kit that runs on a mix of plain water and alcohol. It is a simple educational product used to introduce a new generation of fuel cell technology to students, aspiring scientists, teachers and engineers, investigating new power possibilities for consumer electronics.

Label Itz are “wine charms for kids!” Kids love the chance to be themselves and to show it with these customizable bands and stickers.  Moms love the allergy stickers and the chance to easily identify whose cup is  whose. They're great for  parties, daycare, and everyday home use.

Little Taggies Colours Collection 12” x 12” blankets are made with soft, rich fabrics edged with an array of vibrant, engaging tags, described on the company’s website as “scrumptious to touch.” Colorful patterns include Confetti, Polka Dot fun, Bubbles and Sweet Swirls.
— “A new blanket made of minky fabric — Little Taggies Colours,” is the best-selling baby gift at  Doodlehopper for Kids in Springfield, Va., Manager Gwen Bowden told TDmonthly in July 2080. “They are really soft. We just got them in; we had six and we have one left.”
— “Consumers just want something a little unusual that they can't find in mass market,” explained Kara Fichtner, manager of Out Of The Blue Ltd. in Albuquerque, N.M., whose store does well with Taggies.
— Mike DiAndrea, owner of Hardware Toys in Paoli, Pa. told TDmonthly in Spring 2011 that he sold one dozen Taggies blankets each month.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at Hardware Toys.

Soft and fully washable, Nicki Baby dolls come in a variety of colors and are made of all natural materials. Colors include blue, violet, yellow, green, light blue, pale red, orange, rose, pink and red.
— Diane Robinson, owner of Silly Goose Inc., in Essex, Mass., said she sells a dozen a month of the “Nicki Baby organic doll from Kathe Kruse.”
— A summer 2008 survey about best-selling baby gifts found many retailers to be fans of European-made toys.
— “We love Kathe Kruse’s unique products from Germany,” reported Michelle Smith of Piccolo Mondo Toys in Portland at the end of December 2008.

Gund’s Comfy Cozy is a 24-inch plush blanket with a full satin underside and a plush animal pillow. The blankets come in a variety of colors and animals including a monkey, cow, lamb, horse, lion, bear, puppy, and kitten.
— “There are so many that are good, but I say Gund Comfy Cozies — the larger size a baby can lie on” are my best-selling baby gifts, Dennis Hofstetter, owner of The Toy Store in Atlanta, told TDmonthly in July 2008.
— “For babies, we have had a lot of success with the My First Teddy Bear [Comfy Cozy] blanket by Gund,” added Donna, owner of Treasured Child in LaGrange, Ky. “I have re-ordered twice and we just started carrying them six weeks ago.”
— Eleven percent of 66 retailers mentioned a Gund product when discussing as top-selling gifts for babies in summer 2008.

With this kit, kids can color a dragon and butterflies on purse that measures 10” W x 7.5” H x 3.5” D. It comes with six permanent markers in a pouch.
—  The “Color a Purse and Backpack by Alex,” are popular girls’ gifts at Pun’s Toy Shop in Bryn Mawr, Pa., Owner Joe Berardoni told TDmonthly in July 2008.
— Four retailers of our 68 mentioned Alex craft kits as a best-selling product.

This 8” doll is dressed to party and comes with an exclusive Web access code, plus a puppy. Groovy Girls are characterized by their funky fashions, hair and accessories.
— Mary Ellen Cerney, owner of Dear Friends & Children in Duncan, Okla., told TDmonthly in July 2008 that her store sells 30 Groovy Girls per month.
— Three of 66 retailers polled in a summer 2008 TDmonthly survey cited Groovy Girls as a top-selling gift for girls.

Suitable for ages 18 months and up, 12” Calin Smiling is cuddly and soft, with a beanbag body that allows her to be posed like a real baby. She features sleeping eyes and can wear clothing from the Mon Premier collection.
— “They're reasonably priced and decent quality,” Fred Meyer, owner of Meyer’s Toy World/Baby USA in Battle Creek, Mich., said about Corolle baby dolls.
— Jamie Burdette, owner of LB Toys in Media, Pa., told TDmonthly in July 2008 that his store sells 30 Corolle dolls a month. Other stores that mentioned Corolle indicated they sell between two to eight dolls per month.
— Seven of 66 retailers named Corolle dolls as a best-selling gift for girls in summer 2008.

Numbered templates and sticky foam allow kids to easily create beautiful mosaics. This particular kit includes 3000+ sticky foam and jewel pieces, four sparkling designs and four wall hangers.
— “Without a doubt, the Orb Sticky Mosaics” are a best-selling girl gift, said Joe Berardoni, owner of Pun’s Toy Shop in Bryn Mawr, Pa.
— “Sticky Mosaics by The Orb Factory. Enchanted Forest in particular. We sold five dozen of that particular one last year,” Kai Rady, owner of Shenanigans Inc in Charlottesville, Va., told TDmonthly during a January 2010 survey regarding best-selling arts and crafts items.
— Eighteen of 48 retailers listed Sticky Mosaics as their best-selling arts and crafts item in early 2010.

This set includes glass and ceramic beads of various shapes and colors, and an instruction and design booklet, all in a wooden, hand-crafted case with a sliding top. The kit makes 8+ accessories.
— Jewelry-making kits are popular at The Toy Store in Atlanta, Denis Hofstetter said, because “they are a good price point [and] something that lasts.”
— “Jewelry items from Bead Bazaar” are popular buys for girl gifts at Sisters Kids in Springfield, Mass., Co-Owner Diana Gisolfi said. “Girls wear more jewelry in the summer.”
— Four of 66 specialty toy retailers told TDmonthly in summer 2008 that beading kits are top-selling gifts for girls.

This fashionable poodle is one in a line of plush pets featuring interactive computer play. Using a special code specific to the pet, kids can log onto the Webkinz website, meet the pet’s online counterpart, and build special rooms with points gained from answering trivia questions. Online, this pet’s special item is the Poofy Poodle Chair, and its special food is Licorice Canepés.
— Terry Myers, owner of Kaledioscope Toys in Round Rock, Texas, told TDmonthly in July 2008 that her store sells about 350 Webkinz per month.
— “[We sell] about 100 per month,” said Donna, owner of The Perfect Present in Suwanee, Ga., who also named Webkinz as a best-selling gift item for girls.
— Eleven percent of 66 retailers polled in summer 2008 cited Webkinz as their top-selling girl gift.

These baby piglets are designed to sit or stand, and are outfitted with denim overalls and brightly colored neckerchiefs. Calico Critters are adorable little families designed with play themes in mind. Accessories build on imaginary play opportunities and include a townhome, village house, play park and more.
— In a summer 2008 poll, Calico Critters products were the clear leader in sales when it comes to gifts for girls, with 10 of 66 retailers mentioning the critters and accessories as their top seller.
— “Calico Critters is our top girl line,” Angel Stahl, owner of Angel’s Toy Barn in Greensburg, Pa., told TDmonthly.
— “Calico Critters sells lots more than the LEGO,” noted Kara Fichtner, manager of Out of the Blue Ltd. in Albuquerque, N.M.
— Owner Randy Austin of The Gifted Child in Lenox, Mass., also noted Calico Critters as a best-selling line in her store.