October 2009 Notable Toys — Outdoor Fun

These Spinning Superstars are perennial favorites for wintertime sliding. Made of rugged plastic, these saucers are available in various colors.

This 48" classic sled has a wooden top layer featuring the Flexible Flyer® name at the front and is supported by a steel frame coated in traditional red paint.

Featuring full length graphics, the Aurora foam slider can support 1 to 2 riders. Laminated at the top and bottom, it will not crack in cold weather. It is also lightweight and easy to carry.

The Hurricane inflatable is made of cold resistant PVC, making it rugged and speedy in the snow. Featuring an icy blue theme, it can accommodate 1 to 2 riders.

The Original Dirtbag® the Dirtbag Classic is the flagship footbag for Flying Clipper. This eight panel hand sewn sand filled beauty is what all the kids are asking for.

The Mega Metal Dirtbag® is a one of a kind footbag. Not only does this one have miniature steel ball bearings for a filler but each panel of the Mega Metal has a metal stud affixed to it. Talk about Heavy Metal.

The Pumponator Balloon Pumping Station is designed to make filling balloons with water or air easily. The Pumponator Balloon Pumping Station is filled with 500 balloons and strings for tying. Just fill the container with water, pump, press and fill the balloon. Leave out the water for indoor balloon fun.
— Two of 43 specialty retailers named Pumponator as a top seller in late spring 2010. Four of 40 surveyed retailers claimed Pumponator as an overall top seller in June 2010.
— “I order 144 at a time (and am on my) fourth order since May,” Barbara Fineblum, owner of Barston’s Child’s Play in Baltimore, Md., told TDmonthly in early summer 2010.
— In a summer 2010 survey, seven of 38 toy and gift retailers named Pumponator an overall top seller. Terri Bracken, owner of Earth Explorer Toys in Zionsville, Ind., told TDmonthly in July 2010 that her store sold 120 Pumponator stations in less than two months. The same month, Kathy Burns, manager of My Favorite Toy Store in Downers Grove, Ill., called Pumponator "a neat, neat item, and very price-appropriate.”
— ''We sell about 500 per year at all 3 stores,'' Marc Holcomb, owner of owner of Toys & Co. in Greensboro, S.C., told TDmonthly in autumn 2010.
AWARDS: 2010 TDmonthly Top Seller

The Wave LX (Light Xtreme) offers an ultra-lightweight design that's built for extra speed and stability. Like the original Wave, the Wave LX runs on two wheels rather than four, with a flexible platform that gives you the ability to perform precision 360s in small spaces, carve downhill, and even ride uphill. In addition, the Wave boards encourage riders to perform all manner of skating tricks, including manuals, board leaps, ollies, acid drops, kick flips, and more. The Wave LX's wider concave platform allows for more stability and traction, while the reinforced web deck is lighter than before. As a result, you can cruise farther and turn with less effort on the Wave LX. The lightest casterboard of its kind, the Wave LX is also the first of Street Surfing's boards to offer the sleek Xtreme body design, which also helps boost speed.

The Jelly Flyer adds a new dimension of fun to flying toys.  Its floppy and flexible properties makes catching it easy and painless, even for little kids.  Just 4 inches in diameter, it’s safe indoors or out. Available in 5 vibrant colors (and glow-in-the-dark styles).

These ergonomic snow gloves for kids are snugly designed with a zipper that originates over the back of the hand and zips down past the wrist for quick and easy on-off use. There's elastic gathering on the inside of the wrist, and the gloves feature a water-resistant shell and a soft fleece material on the forefinger for nose wiping.

Everything about this toy is fake. We admit it. From the faux Black Ebony handle to the fake bow string. It's all fake. All fake except the performance. The Faux Bow was designed with only one goal: To be the best performing toy bow on the market. We beat all the competition by miles. Every Nerf® enthusiast's jaw will drop at the distance and accuracy of this beast. It out shoots and out distances everything in the class. My mom always told me not to judge a book by its cover. No truer words could be said about the Faux Bow™. Under its fake exterior lies the heart of a dragon (here comes the segue). So, if dragons are on the menu... Faux Bow™ is ready to do some slaying. Comes with 3 perfectly balanced Faux titanium arrows and one 3 arrow quiver.
— "This Bow an Arrow is new from Marky Sparky - creators of the popular 'Doink It Darts.' The bow shoots 'arrows,' which are more-or-less the same missles sold in Marky Sparky's popular 'Blast Pad' rockets. The rockets worked well and seem to be a good addition to a strong line," Joe Mitchell, owner of YoYo Joe's Toys & Fun, told TDmonthly at Toy Fair 2010.
— “Those things fly out of here,” unintentionally punned Christine Osborne, co-owner of Wonder Works in Charleston, S.C., in Fall 2010.

This versatile wagon features patented, five-way flip-and-fold seats for multiple riding options, padded seat cushions for comfort and an extra-large, expandable rear storage compartment to tote a family’s worth of necessities. The UV protection canopy allows for all-day adventures, and storage for water bottles, gadgets and other must-haves keeps everything within reach. It can offer a practical alternative to a double stroller for parents of small children. Launch date: July 2009.
— This update on the traditional red wagon retains its slick red, black and white coloring but adds padded seats, a large canopy for shade, and a storage area. Candace Lindemann of Mamanista likens the wagon to a “mobile base,” perfect for a long day of outdoor activities with room to spare for tired kids, their possessions, and the day’s purchases. Experimental Mommy loved the versatility, adjustability and heat protection offered by the wagon.

Made for intermediate-level riders and designed to help younger children master balance while allowing them to keep pace with older siblings or more accomplished riders, this scooter is available in red or pink. It features extra-wide wheels, an ultra-low deck, a rear foot brake and limited steering to ensure maximum safety and offer parents peace of mind without sacrificing style. It comes fully assembled with minimal packaging and folds for storage and travel. "The scooter helps children maintain their balance while learning to ride a two-wheel scooter," Blessly Thomas, marketing coordinator for Radio Flyer, told TDmonthly. It has received an iParenting Media Award. Launch date: July 2009.

For little linebackers who can’t wait to hit the fields, the nine-piece Touchdown Football Set includes a kid-sized football with “laces” for proper holding technique, an adjustable goal post and a kicking tee. "This play set encourages outdoor, active play for children. It also develops hand-eye (foot-eye) coordination," Vickie Cullen, PR account executive for International Playthings, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2009.

The iPlay Six Pin Bowling Set includes flat-bottomed pins and a weighted foam ball for indoor or outdoor play. The set comes stored in a study zippered bag for both portability and storage. "Weighted pins allow for easier set up. Children love this age-old game for indoor and outdoor play, featuring parts in fun and stimulating colors," Vickie Cullen, PR account executive for International Playthings, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2009.

Rocket Pockets features floating super balls and an inflatable, multi-color target that can be used in the pool, at the beach or in a back yard. It is designed for one to eight players and points are scored by landing the super balls in the colored pockets. The game may be used for birthday parties, ring toss, fun learning activities and, for adults, party pong and chipping golf balls. Each game includes one inflatable target, four floating balls, four non-floating super balls, a patch kit and instructions. It is "great for teaching hand and eye coordination, letter recognition and number recognition," Gary Hoskins, creator and inventor of Rocket Pockets, told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 2004.

Coursing Around's first edition offers 15 activity courses using sidewalk chalk. Designed to motivate kids to get off the couch and be active outside, it also offers an educational dynamic by helping kids learn their shapes, colors, numbers, and lefts and rights. Coursing Around received a 2009 iParenting Media Award in the Outstanding Product Toys and Games Category. Launch date: 2009.

Description: This large-scale construction set is designed so that kids and parents can work together to design and build a structure on which children can climb, crawl, slide and play. Additional components or accessories like slides or wheels may be used to create larger, more complex creations. It’s designed for easy assembly and disassembly when building something new. Launch date: 1979.

With this large-scale modular construction kit, children and parents can collaborate to design and construct play structures on which children can actually climb, crawl, slide and play. Larger, more interesting and more complex designs can be created by adding more components or accessories such as slides or wheels. It’s designed for easy assembly and disassembly when building something new. The Junior kit is the second largest set in the line. "Our kits are the only product on the market where you can design your own play equipment on a computer and then actually build rugged play structures to actively play on," George Maday, owner of Phunzone, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 1979.

With this large-scale modular construction kit, parents and children can work together to design and build play structures on which children can actually climb, crawl, slide and play. Larger, more interesting and more complex designs can be created by adding more components or accessories such as slides or wheels. It’s designed to be easy to take apart so users can build something new and different as often as desired. This Basic kit includes wheels to make rolling vehicles. Launch date: 1979.

This is a large-scale modular construction kit on which children can climb, crawl, slide and play. Parents and children can work together to design and build play structures. Larger, more interesting and more complex designs can be created by adding more components or accessories such as slides or wheels. It’s designed to be easy to take apart so users can build something new and different as often as desired. "Our kits are the only product on the market where you can design your own play equipment on a computer and then actually build rugged play structures to actively play on," George Maday, owner of Phunzone, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 1979.

This ready-to-fly mini helicopter measures 10.5 cm x 3.5 cm x 8 cm and can travel up, down, left or right. It requires 15 to 25 minutes of charge time for 6 to 8 minutes of flying time. It comes with a 3.7 Li-polymer battery and requires a transmitter battery (6*AA 1.5V - not included). Launch date: August 10, 2009.

The Trikke T67 Three-Wheeled Carving Scooter lets the rider "surf the street" and exercises the whole body as a side-to-side motion propels it forward. This model is adjustable for anyone 4'6" to 5'4" and up to 200 lbs. "There is a trick to making them go, which must be learned, but children seem to have an easier time than adults. Though it is not necessary, Trikke can provide an instructional DVD to loop in the store," a company representative told TDmonthly. Launch date: January 1, 2003.

The Guardian Angel Bracelet is a secure lock bracelet that can be easily adjusted to fit children of all ages. The bracelet includes a space for parents or caregivers to write the cell phone number of the child’s caregiver. They can teach their children that if they get lost or separated from their group, they should find a mommy and ask her to call the number on the bracelet. Launch date: June 2009.