November 2011 Notable Toys — Preschool

Miss Lina’s ballerinas have all learned how to dance as a group. But now Miss Lina has a new surprise for them – a boy will be joining their class and performing in their end-of-year show. The girls have grand visions of dancing their first pas de deux with a prince. But when he finds himself surrounded by so much pink and so many girls, he turns quite shy, and dances his way out the door.

The fog in Foggytown was so thick that people bumped into parking meters . . . and streetlamps . . . and each other. So Joey and Chloe's parents decide it's time to move. But Joey and Chloe love their house. And as it turns out, their house loves them . . . and has a very special and utterly fantastic way of taking matters into its own hands. Comic- and picture-book star Mark Siegel has spun a delightful and compelling fantasy for young picture book readers, illustrated in a unique style that combines elements of traditional picture book, comic, and animation art.

In this multiplayer game, players must unearth dinosaur bones by excavating the mountain. But watch out- If more than one boulder tumbles off, if Tim is hit, or the big dinosaur topples over the turn is over.

This Soft purse includes pretend accessories, such as a wallet, debit card, lipstick, keys, mirror and cell phone.

Kids undo a latch, swing open the numbered door, and see the picture beneath revealed on this wooden play board. Build fine motor skills while learning colors, numbers, animals and more. Measures 15.7" x 11.7" x 1.6".
— As of 10/26/2011 this product had 4.4 out of 5 stars from 130 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Helps develop manual dexterity; durable; pieces are attached and can't get lost. Cons: Sharp edges on latches; fingers can get pinched in the latches.

This toy laptop's nine colorful keys are easy to press, bringing learning to life on the animated screen so baby can learn numbers, shapes, colors, object names, initial letters, and more. Flip the lid open and closed, or bat and roll the mouse for alphabet fun. Plenty of sing-along songs, words, sounds and exciting activities, in both English and Spanish. Baby gets responses by tapping keys, rolling the mouse, or flipping the lid open and closed to discover A-B-C’s, counting and much more. Learn numbers, greetings and more in Spanish, too. 12+ sing-along songs and fun tunes, plus sounds and rewarding phrases.
— As of 10/26/2011 this product had 4.4 out of 5 stars from 15 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Lots of variety keeps it from becoming repetitive or boring. Cons: Can smash babies' fingers when closed.

The Poppity Pop Dino is a Dinosaur character and 6 brightly colored balls. As baby bats at the roller ball, drops one of the balls down the dino's tail or onto his "back", the popping action and music begins. As the balls pop up, down and around, baby will be encouraged to grab them and start all over again. And when an occasional ball pops up and out, baby will be encouraged to crawl after it. As Baby plays, they are rewarded with over 8 fun tunes and silly sound effects.
— As of 10/26/2011 this product had 3.9 out of 5 stars from 18 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Interactive; entertaining; sturdy. Cons: The motor is a little loud; balls often shoot out of the bowl and have to be chased down.

These playfully smart, multi-feature puzzles offer more than a standard shape puzzle. With surprise pictures under the pieces and pieces that can be mixed and matched, these playful puzzles fine-tune motor skills, entertain children longer and challenge creativity.

This set of 9 pattern blocks can be twisted and turned in different shapes based on the guide provided.  Shapes can also be open-ended and based on the child's imagination. Start from Basic (4 blocks), Intermediate (6 blocks), to Advanced (9 blocks).

These 5 stories feature narration by Mem Fox, David de Vries… and others. ONE ZILLION VALENTINES (Written and illustrated by Frank Modell) Two enterprising friends, Milton and Marvin, prove that valentines are for everyone. A LETTER TO AMY (Written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats) The wind spoils Peter’s attempt to mail a special invitation to his special friend Amy. GOGGLES! (Written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats, narrated by Geoffrey Holder) Peter and his friend Archie call upon faithful dog Willie to outsmart a gang of tough bullies who want Peter’s goggles. WILFRID GORDON McDONALD PARTRIDGE (By Mem Fox, illustrated by Julie Vivas, narrated by Mem Fox) In this gentle, moving story about caring and sharing, a small boy helps a friend remember her past by sharing his own special items. WILL I HAVE A FRIEND (Written by Miriam Cohen, illustrated by Lillian Hoban, narrated by David de Vries) On the first day of school Jim worries that he won’t make any friends. Will he meet anyone who feels the same way? Launch date: January 10, 2012.

23 Award-Winning Stories in a 3-DVD collection. Caldecott award winners including Ezra Jack Keats’ The Snowy Day, Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling and Denise Fleming’s In the Small, Small Pond come together for the first time in Caldecott Favorites. Launch date: November 15, 2011.

Teach geometric shapes and reinforce fine motor skills as kids put the correct shape into the pegboard. Five shapes including square, circle, triangle, star and hexagon come in five colors. Large 1.5" x 1.25" pegs for easy handling.
Awards: 2005 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award
— In a November 2011 survey about best selling education toys, Martha Bimblich, owner of Twinkles of Bay Harbor in Bay Harbor Island, Fla., told TDmonthly that she sells 20-30 of these each month.  “I think it's a great manipulative toy for kids, especially if they're having trouble using their hands," she said.

CircaToys is a family business that designs and manufactures heirloom quality wooden toys that are handmade in Franklin, N.C. USA.  The company was founded in 2009 by Gary Murphy whose inspiration for the first toy "Wagon of Blocks" came from the original toy itself which he received on his birthday in 1942.  The original toy still exists, although beginning to show its age, having been played with by 3 generations. It is a simple toy made from basic wood shapes and threaded nuts and pegs that can be taken apart easily. It is a mechanical learning toy that opens the door for imagination building and hand eye coordination. Safety tested and approved for children 6 months and up. Launch date: January 2009.
Awards: 2010 Creative Child Magazine TopToy of the Year; 2010 Brain Child Tillywig

Parents can have fun with their child as they practice early learning skills with Water Magic™, an exciting new educational format by Beaver Books Publishing. This series of educational discovery books includes four colorful discovery scenes that are magically revealed with the Water Magic™ brush. The engaging activities presented above each scene reinforce the basics of each subject while keeping children entertained. Titles include Alphabet Zoo, Candy Counting, Bug Play: Matching, Circus Colors and more. Launch date: 2011.

Kipsy and the Magic Beans is a bedtime story about a special little gnome named Kipsy. He isn't very fond of bedtime, but after finding something magical in the forest, his feelings change. The story offers a time of bonding between parent and child and many times even helps children get excited about bedtime, instead of dreading it. Includes 13 pg colorful boardbook, the cuddly Kipsy doll, 5 magic beans and 5 prepackaged incentive toys. Launch date: October 4, 2011.

Kids can bring classic tales such as Mother Goose, The Little Engine That Could, The Berenstain Bears and Where the Wild Things Are to life with colorful game boards, including three-dimensional accessories and pawns. Each game is an adventure, much like the ones children read about in books. "No other game brings to life cherished childhood stories in the form of a board game that children will love to play over and over," Mary Dolan, public relations coordinator at Patch Products, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2011.
Awards: 2011 Dr. Toy Best Picks Children’s Products; 2011 Creative Child Game of the Year, in the Kids Games, Learning to Share category; 2011 Parents’ Choice Foundation Parent’s Choice Recommended Product Award.

The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Dance and Play Puppy is baby's puppy friend that will encourage him to move, dance and sing along through familiar songs. With over 25 sung songs and phrases, baby will learn about ABCs and letters, counting and numbers, parts of the body, actions, manners, greetings and first words. Takes 6 AA batteries (not included).
— As of 10/21/2011 this product had 4 out of 5 stars from 1 review on ToysRUs.com.
— As of 10/21/2011 this product had 4.1 out of 5 stars from 25 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Engaging; moves well; interactive; large. Cons: Volume is not adjustable and can get annoying; the motor itself is loud.

The Tonka Chuck & Friends Race Along Chuck is bursting with energy and wants to race. Kids can push or pull Chuck to make him go. Kids can fill and empty his dump bed and press the cab lights to hear over 50 phrases and sounds.

What do puppies love? Puppies love to run and play, puppies love to eat and sleep, and puppies love you. This over-sized board book with a unique sliding-panel format is designed to introduce youngsters to the delights of puppies. With colorful illustrations and adorable photographs of puppies under sliding panels, youngsters will love discovering what puppies are all about. Launch date: June 7, 2011.

This puzzleball from Ravensburger is designed especially for pre-school kids. Extra large plastic pieces support 3D comprehension and fine motor skills. The 24 piece puzzleball comes with an assembly aide for the little puzzle beginners. 24 curved plastic pieces fit together to form a perfectly smooth surface. No glue required. The finished puzzleball is a "picture-perfect" decoration for every kids room. Colorful and age-appropriate puzzle fun for children from 4 to 6 years. Each puzzle piece is numbered on the back so kids can puzzle by the image or by number – their pick.
— In a July 2013 survey, five out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that Ravensburger was their best-selling puzzle brand.

This adorable soft-bodied baby doll comes complete with its own feeding bottle and soft bunny. Thanks to the mini picture book that is also included, little girls can learn how to take care of Bebe Do Mode just like a real mommy. Dressed in a bright new outfit for the new year, this classic 14" Corolle doll will be treasured for years to come. Launch date: January 2004.
Awards: 2011 Oppenheim Platinum Ableplay
― In a May 2012 survey about dolls, 5 out of 11 retailers said Corolle was their best selling brand.

This Little Helper Broom Set has three pieces, sized for kids. Includes a Broom, a Hand Broom and a Dust Pan.
— As of 09/09/2011 this product had 4.2 out of 5 stars from 91 reviews on Amazon.com.
— Ginger Milligan, co-owner of Fantasy Island Toys in Fairhope, Al., told TDmonthly in September 2011 that they sell 2-3 dozen of the Schylling Little Helpers Broom Set each month. “We sell those every single day. It's one of those things we're never out of,” she said.

With Teach My Preschooler, little ones can get Ready To Read, Print, Count to 100, Add & Subtract, all in one kit. Teach My Preschooler is the multi award winning, all-in-one learning system for preschoolers. The kit has all the educational tools necessary to help prepare preschoolers for kindergarten. The kit is divided into four sections – Ready to Read, Ready to Print, Ready for 1-100, and Ready for Math – each fully-coordinated with books, flashcards, posters, a print guide and magic drawing board. Developed with education consultant Judith Rowlands, M Ed., Teach My Preschooler is designed to give preschoolers a head start, develop fine motor skills, encourage parent/child interaction and increase school readiness skills. Launch date: September 2010.
Awards: 2010 Dr. Toy 100 Best; 2010 iParenting Media Award

Happy Nappers reverses from a house-shaped pillow into a cuddly friend and back again. Ring the house's doorbell to hear the Happy Napper's Sleepy sounds. Simply unzip the door of the house, pop out the Happy Napper, and then tuck the house away behind them. Cuddly companions for long trips or vacations. 21" in Size. Styles include penguin, puppy, ladybug, dragon, and more.
– As of 09/01/2011 this product has 3.8 out of 5 stars from 8 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Cute. Cons: Several viewers said the items was not durable and began to fall apart the same day they received the item.