November 2009 Notable Toys — All

Raphael is the most assured martial artist of the group and this R/C vehicle follows in the same tradition. It is a full function R/C vehicle that is able to stop, turn and spin on a dime. It also features removable weapons and cool spinning action. "It is part of the only line of R/C vehicles featuring the ever-popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," Andrew Eugenio, intern at Productivity PR Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2009.

A-B-C OY! contains eight surprisingly adaptable word, spelling and alphabet based games for any age or ability level. Players can learn letters backward and forward with ZOOM OY! or speed spell with SLAPSPELL OY!. They can use the blank cards included to make their own foreign alphabet. The deck contains 120 cards, which includes both capital and lower case letters. Instructions are in English, French and Spanish and include comprehensive information for parents and educators. Launch date: 1996.

Instructional videos are available for the following Dream Green games: Tic Tac Chec, 1-2-3 OY!, A-B-C OY!, Noble Celts and Uthini/Mancala. Launch date: October 6, 2009.

RiNGLEY is a natural teething toy made with a combination of untreated maple wood and 100-percent organic terrycloth. The wooden ring is attached by Velcro, making it easy to remove to machine wash and dry the cloth. RiNGLEY provides babies and toddlers with two safe and efficient textures that enable children to satisfy their teething needs. RiNGLEY was designed with a child’s development in mind and is handmade in Toronto, Canada. Launch date: October 2009.

The LOL Rollover Monkey rolls around back and forth on the floor laughing hysterically. It starts laughing with a wave of your hand (motion activated). Launch date: November 15, 2009.

When baby gums or bites the largest soft disk on this teething ring, it vibrates, offering comfort and a lesson in cause and effect. A disk with bold, red and white stripes catches baby’s eye. Raised stripes and smooth sections encourage teething. Completing the ring are six chewy, textured disks filled with orange, purple and red beads. Some are water-filled and, when refrigerated, provide a cool diversion from sore gums. Varied textures cultivate tactile sensitivity, helping to develop communication skills. Launch date: October 2009.

Caregivers can refrigerate this colorful, water-filled rattle to bring cool relief to teething babies. On one end, a red, squishy, water-filled, oval ring with nubby bumps invites baby to soothe his gums. In the middle, a curved, white handle features raised, black stripes and three colored rings click-clacking around it. The handle is thin enough for even young babies to grasp. There is a black ball with white polka-dots on the other end of the handle to help baby focus. Launch date: October 2009.

These sleek, boldly colored ladybugs can be refrigerated so that their water-filled sections provide cool comfort for sore gums. Bendable, squishable textures and raised polka-dots encourage exploration by mouth. A smooth, black head provides bold contrast in color and texture to the rest of the little bug. Nubby antennae offer additional teething fun. They are available in two-packs with either a red and a purple ladybug or a red and an orange ladybug. Launch date: October 2009.

This soft, padded playmat features a high contrast, smiling ladybug. Overhead, white polka-dots on a black arch are designed to catch baby’s gaze, allowing him to focus. Three brightly colored toys with geometric patterns and high contrast designs dangle overhead to provide added visual stimulation. A soft, curved cushion securely cradles baby. It doubles as a tummy time bolster. A self-standing, True Reflection™ mirror offers tummy time entertainment. Many textures encourage baby’s tactile sense while sounds stimulate baby’s hearing. "The playmat is so versatile, with activities for back-lying babies and tummy time too. The high contrast, geometric patterns help baby develop visually, sounds and textures stimulate the other senses," Peggy Barrett, PR consultant for Barrett Marketing Communications, told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2009.

These lightweight oval rattles are made for little hands to grasp and little mouths and fingers to explore. The set comes with a yellow rattle with raised, textured, orange stripes and a red handled rattle with raised, purple stripes. A smooth, clear plastic ball perches at one end of the rattle, spinning and sending colorful beads popping along. Inside is a spinning disk with a mirror on one side and a symmetrical, smiling face on the other. It comes in a two-pack and received a 2009 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award. Launch date: October 2009.

High contrast geometric stripes, polka dots and a surprising light up feature grab baby’s focus. The lime green rattle has two textured handles with teal stripes, perfect for two-handed play. There are two spheres on the rattle. One lights up as it spins. The other is clear with a bug character smiling on a rotating disk inside. It is available with either blue or pink accents and has received a 2009 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award and SNAP Award. Launch date: October 2009.

This retro, little phone receiver has chewy textures, soft rattling noises and clear, bright colors to engage and stimulate baby’s senses. A bold, black and white bull’s eye on one end fosters visual acuity. Two beads — one black and the other white — circle around a mirrored funnel on the other end for additional visual stimulation. The lightweight rattle has a thin handle to fit even the tiniest grasp. This product received a 2009 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award and an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio SNAP Award.

Little hands will snap and unsnap 20 large beads in bold, bright colors with many textures. The beads have a vanilla bean scent to stimulate the sense of smell, too. At first, baby will dump the beads and pull strings of them apart. As muscles coordination improves, baby will learn to snap the beads together and even sort them by color and shape. The beads pack up in a clear reusable plastic storage bucket with a convenient carry handle. "Vanilla scent helps stimulate another sense. The set has two large pieces with three attachment points to allow more building variety and fun," Peggy Barrett, PR consultant at Barrett Marketing Communications, told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2009.

My First Hand and Foot Print offers a way to commemorate baby's first little impressions. The kit contains two silver decorative plates on which to make baby's hand and foot prints. Also included is a non-toxic, no-mess ink pad. The product should be used under the supervision of an adult and is not intended to be a toy. It's a "great way to personalize an item with no mess and create a wonderful keepsake for a new baby," Danielle Signorelli, media and communications director for Rashti & Rashti, told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 2009.

The original Spa Time Baby Cape has a waterproof panel to keep parent dry while bathing baby. The patented Spa Time Baby Cape, easily worn by the parent, is designed as a safe and convenient alternative to bathing and drying baby. It has received the following awards: 2008 Mom's Best Award; 2009 PTPA (Parent Tested Parent Approved); 2009 iParenting; 2008 Baby Planner's Seal of Approval; and 2008 Best Products Media Guide by Orca Unlimited, LLC. Launch date: June 2008.

Sort it Out! is a game of putting things in order, from Australia. It's designed as a great icebreaker for groups of new friends and a battle of wits for old; it is a fast-paced game where knowing just a little about something can help a player win everything. "Sort it Out! offers a new approach to trivia, making it more interactive and better for all levels. Because players are asked to arrange information instead of supply facts, they have a greater chance of scoring points even by guessing or using logic. Every turn involves every player, so there are no pauses between turns to repel energetic player," Maddie Oatman of University Games told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009.

In 164 BCE, Judah Maccabee led his Maccabean army to liberate the land of Israel and reclaim the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. But the Maccabees did not have enough oil to light the menorahs to rededicate the Temple. Now players must lead a band of Maccabees and acquire enough oil to light the new eight-stemmed menorah called a Chanukiah. But beware, there are still remnants of the Seleucid Empire’s army roaming the lands trying to thwart these efforts. This board game is made in the USA and turns the basic game of dreidel into an adventure. The entire game is in English and Hebrew, so it serves as a tool for learning Hebrew. Launch date: September 2009.

This product was a 2009 ASTRA Best Toys for Kids Winner — the only costume to win this award in 2009 in the Pretend/Fantasy Play category. The green Dragon side is made with shimmering scales and a yellow dragon tail. The silver Knight side emulates a glittering armor and is embellished with a red and black emblem. The Reversible Dragon/Knight Hood (sold separately) completes the look of this fiery dragon and a feisty knight. "This is a truly unique and high-quality design and it's sold for the specialty market only," Veesha Knight, sales and marketing manager for Creative Education of Canada, Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2009.
Awards: 2010 Children's Choice Award by the Canadian Toy Testing Council.
— Donna Frederick, owner of The Play House Toy Store in Durham, N.C., told TDmonthly in a December 2011 survey that "We ran out of capes this year," and that she will definitely order capes from the Great Pretenders line by Creative Education again for Halloween next year.

The stinky bum clutch is a new design from Momma Couture. It is part of Momma Couture's everyday collection, which uses smooth nylon and faux leather for the exterior while maintaining the insulation within the bags for its function. The clutch specifically is fully insulated and allows for one diaper, wipes and non-kid essentials. The bag also includes the Momma Couture tushy pad and is ideal for quick trips out with your little ones. The bags are CPSIA compliant. Launch date: August 4, 2009.

The Discover Electronics Kit is designed to help users learn the basics of electronics and make their own projects. It contains the most common electronics components as well as a prototyping breadboard. Easy, full-color diagrams teach how to bring ideas to life, helping teenagers become smarter about the world around them. It offers a basic understanding of how things work and that knowledge is a great motivator in figuring out how to solve problems. Not overly simplified, it uses real parts and encourages creativity — not just following directions. "The kit takes you beyond the concept of turning on a light and guides you through the 'how' and the 'why' of electronics so you can get creative yourself," Victoria George, founder of Victoria George Public Relations, told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2009.

Ophélie hides in her chubby belly a large, cuddly egg in which her four chicks, all with different colors and featuring different sounds, are snuggled up warmly. Each chick gets into the egg through an opening of the corresponding color. Mother Ophélie is a hand puppet and the little chicks are finger puppets. A game encouraging mother-child role playing, recognition, matching colors, and awakening of the senses, Ophélie offers baby various discoveries. "Ophélie and her chicks is a toy that evolves in a way that accompanies the baby throughout his or her passage into early infancy. As the child grows, new play elements are revealed, making new activities possible," Alicia Célérier, assistant sales manager export for Lilliputiens, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009. Watch Ophélie and Her Chicks: Top-5 Video, Toy Fair 2010

This accessory attaches to sand and water tables and art easels, allowing a large amount of storage. It "can almost double storage capacity," according to a company representative. Launch date: October 5, 2009.

"Ptown," what natives call Provincetown, Mass., is made with the blue of the ocean, the green of the waves, the opalescence of the sand, and the copper fire of the late summer sun. Creamy solid 14k gold and solid .925 sterling silver set the Swarovski crystal ablaze in the handmade piece, designed to be as splendid as that point on the outermost point of Massachusetts' peninsula. The piece is handmade in New England. "morse code jewelry® is bracelets and necklaces with the components laid out in the dot-and-dash pattern of Morse code to 'spell' words," Annie Fields, founder of morse code jewelry®, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 9, 2009.

The Particle Zoo is a collection of more than 36 plush versions of subatomic particles from the worlds of physics and astronomy. Often compared to Giant Microbes, these handmade soft toys represent the familiar neutron and proton as well as lesser-known particles like the charm quark and muon. A favorite of physics students can make unique birthday and graduation gifts, especially for physics students. The particles are handmade in the USA. "There are no other companies making plush subatomic particles, so they are a unique concept. Because they are weighted according to their relative masses, they can serve as a teaching aid or novelty gift," Julie Peasley, owner and seamstress for The Particle Zoo, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2008.