October 2012 Notable Toys — Preschool

The magic of Thomas & Friends comes to life with remote control action. The TrackMaster remote lets little engineers control Thomas' every move. Connects with other TrackMaster playsets.
— In a Summer 2012 survey, Cynthia Phillips Strinich, owner of Phillip's Toy Mart in Nashville told TDmonthly that Thomas the Tank Engine items are overall best sellers at her store.

Make bath time more constructive with this innovative play set. Arrange the assortment of twisty, straight, and stair chutes, along with the giant water wheel, to create a unique water cascade. 8-oz. reservoir and scooping cup keeps the flow going until bath time is done. Mix and match pieces mean endless possibilities.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval

No batteries, gears, or pedals - just a fun, encouraging and progressive start to bicycle riding. PlasmaBike’s unique design encourages balance, coordination and motor skill development while offering a fun ride. Children as young as 18 months can enjoy the freedom or riding without the added complication of training wheels or anxiety of having to hold their balance too long, too early. Wide wheels ensure that PlasmaBike doesn't tip over in a stopped or stationary position, giving children added confidence and promoting self-esteem. The wide wheels and limited steering range enhance balancing capabilities and provide a smoother transition to a conventional 2 wheel ride.
Awards: 2012 The Toy Insider – Top Summer Toys, 2012 The National Parenting Centre – Seal of Approval, 2012 Parenting Magazine – Recommended, 2012 Creative Child Awards – Preferred Choice Award, 2011 Parenting Best in Play – New York Toy Fair, 2011 Best Toys Guide

Six large pieces make this puzzle ideal for those beginning puzzlers with Little Hands. Six colorful farm shapes with a colorful associated piece to match up and a farmer to help.

Playful Puzzles featuring Artwork of Pop Artist Romeo Britto. This puzzle features a bold and vibrant birdhouse and bird in the sunshine. Color variances, playful patterns and bold, black lines are the ideal reference points for a fun and challenging puzzle. 24 x 36 inches; 24 big, color pieces.

Three great, rugged puzzles of increasing difficulty. 6-piece, 9-piece, 12-piece. Perfect for little fingers. Comes in a wonderful, brightly-illustrated storage/carrying case. Puzzles are 8 X 10. Package is 6”W X 6”H X 6”D. Ages 2+. Crocodile Creek products conform to all of the appropriate safety standards.
— In a July 2013 survey, two out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that Ravensburger was their best-selling puzzle brand.

Instead of jigsaw pieces, this puzzle is made up of distinct, smooth-edged, and glare-free shapes that combine to form a picturesque moment in time and pull apart to show that moment in black and white underneath! But this puzzle also reveals in those who complete it the ability to strategize, manipulate space, and exercise manual dexterity. Ravensburger puzzle pieces are extra durable to withstand the demands of little hands and promote the development of fine motor skills, association, task completion and independent play.
— In a July 2013 survey, five out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that Ravensburger was their best-selling puzzle brand.
— In a July 2014 survey, four out of 14 retailers told TDmonthly that Ravensburger was their best-selling puzzle brand.

Chunky Puzzles are 2-in-1. Put the fat chunky pieces in place on the board, matching by picture and shape. Or stand them up, move them about, and play pretend.

Place the puzzle pieces inside the trucks so that they don't stick out. There is only one solution, yet 48 challenges. These little trucks combine a great puzzle with a fun toy. Trucky 3 is made from sustainably-harvested, eco-friendly wood from rubber trees, and plastic.
— As of 07/20/2012 this product had 4.4 out of 5 stars from 5 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Portable; fun even for younger kids who don't understand the challenges; variety of challenges provide lasting fun for kids of different skill levels. Cons: Answer key is easy for kids to see.

This wooden scale with metal pans is a fun way for kids to experiment with weight and balance. A perfect pretend play item for kitchen sets.

This beech wood stove top features two black burners, two knobs, and one red knob. Made in Germany.

Black Forest chocolate cake can be "sliced" into 6 scrumptious pieces. Dimensions: 7.8 x 8.08 x 2.8 inches.

This pretend play set encourages healthy eating. Includes: basket with 1 leek, 2 carrots, 1 banana, and 2 tomatoes. Basket 18 x 12 x 9 cm.

This little pirate ship has a colorful red and white striped sail, and squirts water in the bathtub.

Things really start to roll for little ones: the barrels, balls and rotating disks allow kids, in a playful way, to delve into the fascinating world of optics and discover impressive motion effects. Contents: 3 basic wheel chassis, 1 set of wheels, 2 effect balls, 1 spinning top, 6 color disks to stick on spinning top, 8 barrels, 1 ringing roll. Material: beech wood, polycarbonate.

This brightly colored pegging game comes with 36 interchangeable pieces for endless playing configurations. Made from beech wood and colored with water-based, non-toxic stains.

Baby Doll, 12 inches tall, with a flexible, lightweight body that is soft to touch. Thanks to its cuddly soft, beanbag body, Calin Laughing Blueberry can be posed just like a real baby. Calin baby dolls can wear any fashion from the Mon Premier collection. Corolle also offers a wide selection of nursery accessories specially sized for Calin babies.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval
— In a June 2013 survey, two out of 11 retailers told TDmonthly that Corolle's Calin is their best-selling doll.

A fun safari animal puzzle that's shaped like a cube. Promotes problem solving skill and hand-eye coordination. Slide individual cubes on pegs to create images. 8 unique images to view in all. Made of renewable rubberwood and non-toxic paint.

A fun way to learn step counting, an important stage in learning multiplication. Count by 2s, 5s, 10s and 20s...all the way to 100. Colorful I Spy images make the game even more exciting. Also includes catchy rhymes to say when counting.

Kids can get in the driver's seat with the Inflatable Sports Car for iPad and enjoy turning the steering wheel tablet mount as they race around corners in their favorite racing games. The super bouncy and comfortable seat covered with images of playful Nickelodeon characters is designed for children of all ages supporting up to 230 lbs. The car is very easy to set up, just pull out and pop open the air valves around the car and inflate with the included foot pump. This model not only is compatible with the iPad, but sports design choices between 3 different beloved Nickelodeon characters that you won't find on our previous versions of the kart: SpongeBob Squarepants, Dora the Explorer and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Launch date: September 2012.

The Universay Activity Tray for iPad safely brings tablet technology to toddlers and young children while entertaining them with playful images of popular Nickelodeon characters. The tablet tray can also be easily fitted and securely attached to a car seat, stroller or high chair. Made with soft spongy padding, a sealed waterproof top layer and cushioned bottom, this special tray is comfortable and protects the iPad from bumps, spills, or falls. Launch date: September 2012.

This FUNctional set is fit for a princess and includes the special message:  “Always a Princess”. The desk top opens to reveal a roomy storage area with multiple compartments. Slow-closing metal safety hinges are included on both the desk and chair. The chair features a removable padded seat cushion and a storage compartment beneath the seat. The space-saving design allows chair to slide under desk when not in use. Desk dimensions: 24” L x 18” W x 46” H, Table surface: 21.5", Chair dimensions: 15” L x 15.5" W x 21” H Height of seat: 12”. Launch dare: January 2012.

Kids can collect their favorite Octonaut figures and creatures - just like in the show. Travel with Tweak and explore the incredible underwater world of the Octonauts. Each pack contains one figure and one color change creature.

Bucky sails in straight from the Jake and the Neverland Pirates show. Bucky comes fully equipped with all the necessities a young pirate would want in order to fend off the evil deeds of Captain Hook and Smee. Bucky has 3 push buttons on the deck of the ship. The 1st button activates the cannon. Load the spring loaded cannon with the water ball projectiles and press the button to shoot them. If kids press the 2nd button they'll see the infamous Tic Toc Croc explode out the side of the hidden trap door chomping away. When kids push the third button they will activate sound effects, Jake phrases, and the theme song. There is also a working slide for the figures to slide down into action. And Bucky has captain quarters to play inside. Bucky comes with Jake and Skully figures.
— As of 07/16/2012 this product had 4.6 out of 5 stars from 9 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Durable; encourages imaginative play. Cons: The boat is not waterproof.