October 2008 Notable Toys — Preschool

This poseable kitten is available in two varieties and features a head, legs and tail that move.

This set comes with two cars and colorful, click-lock track that children can use to build and rebuild their own roads for play.
— Three of 32 retailers predicted in October 2008 that this product will be a hot seller for the holiday season. "Got 12 in yesterday; sold through half," James Burdette, owner of LB Toys in Media, Pa., told TDmonthly.
—    “People keep asking for it,” said Terri Bracken, owner of Earth Explorer Toys in Zionsville, Ind., in November 2008. “We’ve gone through 36 and have 18 left.”

With stories tucked inside special pouches, these stuffed animals come to life with their very own stories by published authors. Children are encouraged to find the squeak, the crinkle and other special characteristics described in the story on the stuffed animal. The illustrated stories are printed on easy-to-read, soft, fabric story sheets. The adventures blend reading, storytelling and play into a stuffed animal. The large, 10" characters ($30) pair up with their own 5" friends attached via Velcro or magnets. The medium-sized, 8" characters ($15) each come with three adventure stories zipped inside a pocket. The small, 5" characters ($7) each come with one story written about them and tucked into a pocket. Launch date: March 2008.

This stylish blanket features water-resistant nylon backing that has a DWR (durable weather resistant) coating that acts as a protective barrier for a child, while the cozy soft fabric creates a wonderful surface to lie on or snuggle. The innovative tie design allows WooBee blankets to be attached to strollers, front packs, infant car seats, or anything else you can imagine. The original WooBee blanket is 30” x 36” and makes a great baby shower gift. It is available in the following color combos: Pistachi/Pewter; Turquoise/Pewter; Urban Black; Pistachio/Chocolate; Tangerine/Red; Turquoise/Chocolate; and Turquoise/Red. "Rain Or Shine Kids WooBee blankets offer a modern look and water-resistant functionality," Lizzie Sorensen of 32FlavorsPR told TDmonthly.

So crazios and always in a good mood, I’m the excitable guy with the big heart. Poilodos tells me I need to chill out and loosen my suspenders a bit, but I prefer to blow off steam by playing the drums with my tail. Not everyone appreciates this talent. Party poopos! Discovery Deglingos are an explorative adventure for young kids. Each leg contains a different activity — squeaks, rattles, crinkles and more. Also, a pull-string tail creates a shake and rattle surprise. Launch date: November 2008.

Bob them as they pop! Using the space rocket boppers, two players try to capture the Crazy Mixed-up Manic Martians as they peep out from craters in the “planet” game base. "iPlay Crazy Mixed-Up Manic Martians is a fun, two-player, scaled-down alternative to the popular game Whack-A-Mole. Kids will love bopping the surprise pop-up martians!" Nicole Tiedemann, PR account executive for International Playthings, Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2008.

Two to four players defend their goal area using fast-action flippers from one of four adorable Jungle Animals — all while a mixed-up monkey “referee” wobbles around and gets in the way. The five colorful balls bounce around the game and off of the monkey, adding to the challenge and wackiness of this fast-paced game. Each score is rewarded with a special scoring banana. "iPlay Jungle Animal Pinball resembles the age-old classic eat-up pinball games, but includes a new twist. Instead of gathering pinballs, players are required to keep the pinballs out!" Nicole Tiedemann, PR account executive for International Playthings, Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2008.

This four-DVD set includes 20 award-winning and best-selling children's stories colorfully adapted for the small screen. It provides hours of educational fun, with a helpful Read-Along option. From recent children’s best-sellers like "Karma Wilson’s Bear Snores On" and "Bear Wants More," to classic tales like Beverly Clearly’s "The Mouse and the Motorcycle," this value-priced gift set offers parents and children true storytelling treasures, expertly designed to enhance the reading experience. Together, these stories-on-video have won 35 awards including the Caldecott Medal, the NAPPA Gold Award and the Parents’ Choice Gold Medal. "The Scholastic Storybook Treasures series is produced by Weston Woods Studios. The stories are carefully adapted from the original books, and producers work with authors and illustrators to be sure the productions are faithful to the original stories," Beth Blenz-Clucas of Foundry Communications told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 18, 2008.

This set of three different trucks includes a dump truck, fire engine and bulldozer. All have the same, popular, velvet-like flocking as the other Rubbabu vehicles, but have movable parts to encourage active play. Launch date: March 2009. (Product was formerly dist. by Plasmart)
Awards: 2010 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Gold Seal.

These building blocks have soft connectors so children can easily build with them. They are tactile and great for early spatial learning.
Awards: Parent's Choice Award 2010. Launch date: March 2009. (Product was formerly dist. by PlaSmart)

"Bitty Fish" is an easy-to-read book that combines phonics and rhyme in a lively, entertaining story for young readers. It is one of 15 books in the "Let's Read Together" series. Each book includes an artful blend of familiar vocabulary and easy-to-sound-out words, along with amusing characters. The storylines stress positive character traits such as sharing, friendship and responsibility. An audio component — CD or audiocassette — is available for each book in the series. "Bitty Fish offers a complete story with endearing characters and a humorous plot line," Margo Gunsser, marketing director for Kane Press, told TDmonthly. "Many books written for this age group offer rhyming words in unrealistic, uninteresting context. Bitty and her friends in the 'Let's Read Together' series offer stories that kids can 'sink their teeth into.'" Launch date: September 29, 2008.

These whimsical monkeys come in four colors and can be utilized as clothes hangers while adding decoration to a room.

This kid-friendly DVD player is especially designed to survive drops, and has an easy-to-use door and controls, plus a kick-stand base and anti-skip protection. The LCD video screen measures 3.2" and is supported by stereo sound. The product has rubber hand grips and a sturdy handle, and can play CDs or be connected to a television with a video output cable (not included) for large-screen viewing. It comes with bonus DVDs and a rechargeable 4.8V NiMH battery pack and AC charger/adaptor for plug-in use.

Based on the popular comic books "Grabouillon" by Alexis Nesme, "Loopdidoo," an animated children's program, features a goofy dog named Loopdidoo and his 5-year-old owner and best friend, Petunia, who find everyday life to be one big adventure. Seemingly harmless situations soon turn into breakneck adventures, especially when Loopdidoo throws his well-meant enthusiasm in the balance.

Ideal for creating a full room for toddlers, this set includes easy-to-assemble pieces that form a bed with a sturdy steel frame and removable bedrails, a toy organizer and table and chairs. It is recommended for children ages 18 months to 5 years. The weight limit is 50 lbs. The toy organizer includes nine storage bins and is easy to clean. The table and chairs set is made of wood and MDF.

This wall-mount coat locker, with side-mounted double-coat hooks, is available in eight Rainbow Accents colors. Each of the 10 cubbie holes measures 8.75" D x 14" W x 6.75" H. It is available with trays (MSRP shown) or without ($371.30). The product features KYDZSafe edges and KYDZStrong construction. It is also available in Birch and Sproutz designs.

This fascinating Giraffe character that doubles as a four piece music set. Each piece of the character is a musical instrument, including castanets, tambourine, kazoo and banjo. Launch date: August 18, 2008.

An alternative to plush, Rubbabu is made from natural foam rubber and covered in bright, colorful flocking. The Alphabet Set has 26 letters that are perfect for learning letter identification and spelling. Children are drawn to the visual and tactile appeal, and parents and teachers love the educational value. Display Idea: Display the full alphabet sets on shelf space at eye level. Ensure a demo is displayed so that both children and parents can feel the unique product. (Product was formerly dist. by PlaSmart)
Awards: Parent's Choice Award 2010.

An alternative to plush, Rubbabu toys are made from natural rubber foam and are covered in bright, colorful flocking. The Rubbabu balls have wonderful visual and tactile appeal and come in an assortment of shapes. They are great for rolling, catching, and bouncing. Display Ideas: Have the Rubbabu balls in a large plastic bin that allows children and parents to easily touch and feel how unique the line is. (Product was formerly dist. by PlaSmart)
Awards: Parent's Choice Award 2010

Made of rubber wood from Thailand, Pin Toys Fire Station and Accessories will provide hours of imagnative play for children. The Fire Station is 25" x 12" x 22" and comes with four lockers, a control console, a swivel chair, a satellite dish, a bunk bed, a round table, two chairs and a shelf unit, as well as a fire pole between floors. It provides imaginative play for pre-schoolers, with plenty of real-life accessories to set up and manipulate. Also available are the fire truck, firefighter and accessories used by firefighters. This heirloom-quality toy is eco-friendly. Launch date: June 2008.

These write and wipe flash cards will help children learn to write their uppercase ABCs. Each card features the outline of a letter on one side with proper stroke order noted, and a picture and word illustrating the letter on the other. A dry-erase marker is included so children can write and erase letters over and over. "There are very few, if any, dry-erase flash cards on the market. The thick cardboard and their re-usability makes them a very solid investment for parents, as a single set can be used for multiple children," Adam Hennessy, in marketing and account management for Kumon Publishing, told TDmonthly. Launch date: July 14, 2006.

These extra large and thick write and wipe flash cards allow children to count abstract objects (dots) and identify them with a numeral. Using a dry-erase marker and following the strokes in order as they are outlined on the card, children will learn not only how to count, but also how to write the numbers 1-30. "There are very few, if any, dry-erase flash cards on the market. The thick cardboard and their re-usability makes them a very solid investment for parents, as a single set can be used for multiple children," Adam Hennessy, in marketing and account management for Kumon Publishing, told TDmonthly. Launch date: July 14, 2006.

Students can explore the sun, moon, stars, clouds and astronauts as The Launch Pad for Learning™ engages them in hands-on "missions." It includes 30 Missions — Jr. Cadet (PreK-K) and Cadet (Grades 1-2) Activity Guides with 15 missions each; Classroom Posters — Spanish and English; Zula Bingo; and The Zula Patrol® 15 Missions DVD. "The Zula Patrol® is a popular children’s education program on PBS, and has exciting new educational programs and products that promote science and astronomy learning through engaging character-driven stories and activities," Program Manager Kristen Mayfield of Carolina Biological Supply Company told TDmonthly. Launch date: August 2008.

Kids can build their favorite words over and over again with this fun pull-apart set. Mix and match with other pull-apart WordFriends to create new words. Launch date: 2008.