November 2012 Notable Toys — Puzzles & Skill

For the first time ever, piece together Jan Brett's beautiful illustrations at home. This 36 piece floor puzzle makes a great holiday gift for children aged 3+. Read along with Jan Brett's wonderful story book "Gingerbread Baby" while the children piece together this beautiful puzzle. Made in the USA. Launch date: September 2012.

For the first time ever, piece together Jan Brett's beautiful illustrations at home. This 24 piece floor puzzle makes a great holiday gift for children aged 3+. Read along with Jan Brett's story book "The Mitten" while the children piece together this beautiful puzzle. Made in the USA. Launch date: September 2012.

Crystalline geometries in brilliant color...the 9 die-cut cards (and 3 solid backers) of the Kaleidograph™ can be arranged into billions of designs. Based upon geometry in nature, the Kaleidograph upholds the tradition of the original creative design toys of the Froebel Kindergarten system that are known to have influenced Albert Einstein, Frank Lloyd Wright, Buckminster Fuller, Piet Mondrian, and design education at the Bauhaus. Like the floral forms found in nature, the Kaleidograph Flora is based on interconnected circular radial forms which can be assembled and overlaid into hundreds of millions of possible patterns. Richly personal and environmentally friendly, the Kaleidograph Flora is a toy for all ages. It fosters creativity, rewards with surprise, and brings out the designer in everyone.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys, 2012 Dr.Toy Best 20 for $20

The Black Capped Chickadee is a pretty little bird with a pretty “chicka-dee-dee-dee” song. It ranges throughout Canada and the northern United States, including Alaska. The scientific name for the Black Capped Chickadee species is Poecile atricapillus. Black Capped Chickadees can be found anywhere in the woods or even residential areas. They usually flock together. Those flocks are likely to be mixed groups, having other species of small and chirpy birds. They settle on tree branches, woody shrubs, in parks in residential areas, marshes and even weedy fields, which they choose for nesting. They sometimes even use woodpeckers’ abandoned nests. Their nesting season extends from the beginning of May to the end of June.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

"65 More Short Mysteries You Solve With Science!" continues the fun in the acclaimed One Minute Mysteries series. These brainteasers have a clever twist; kids  must tap into their science wisdom and critical thinking skills to solve them. This entertaining and educational book is great for anyone who loves good mysteries, good science or both. Become a super sleuth with the newest book from this award-winning father-daughter team. Launch date: October 2012.

Kids will be amazed as they watch their puzzle come alive with the Puzzle Double! Discover It! Floor Puzzle Bugs. Taking the concept of a traditional puzzle to a new level, this Discover It! puzzle includes five fun, 3-D lenticular stickers. When kids finish piecing together the beautiful 30-piece, talk about puzzles, they simply add the stickers to their matching place in the scene and watch the puzzle come to life and move and change. Additionally, after assembling the puzzle kids can turn it over for a fun coloring activity (crayons not included). Puzzle Doubles! Discover It! puzzles will provide children multi-dimensional ways to discover and learn! Puzzle measure 24" X 18". Ages 3+ years. Launch date: 2012.

Step Ups! 4-In-A-Box puzzles area great “starter” puzzles and will help little hands develop their fine motor skills. Step Ups! Puzzle sets contain four puzzles depicting fun characters that young ones will easily recognize. The puzzles progress from 2 pieces to 4 pieces to 6 pieces to 8 pieces, giving children the opportunity to grow with the set as they grow and develop. The 8 piece puzzle brings the characters from the other three puzzles together in one animated scene with lots to discuss and talk about. Step Ups! Are a great way to help toddlers begin building their tactile and problem solving skills. Each puzzle measures approximately 12.5” X 8.5”. Launch date: 2012.

Step Ups! 4-In-A-Box puzzles area great “starter” puzzles and will help little hands develop their fine motor skills. Step Ups! Puzzle sets contain four puzzles depicting fun characters that young ones will easily recognize. The puzzles progress from 2 pieces to 4 pieces to 6 pieces to 8 pieces, giving children the opportunity to grow with the set as they grow and develop. The 8 piece puzzle brings the characters from the other three puzzles together in one animated scene with lots to discuss and talk about. Step Ups! Are a great way to help toddlers begin building their tactile and problem solving skills. Each puzzle measures approximately 12.5” X 8.5”.

Step Ups! 4-In-A-Box puzzles area great “starter” puzzles and will help little hands develop their fine motor skills. Step Ups! Puzzle sets contain four puzzles depicting fun characters that young ones will easily recognize. The puzzles progress from 2 pieces to 4 pieces to 6 pieces to 8 pieces, giving children the opportunity to grow with the set as they grow and develop. The 8 piece puzzle brings the characters from the other three puzzles together in one animated scene with lots to discuss and talk about. Step Ups! Are a great way to help toddlers begin building their tactile and problem solving skills. Each puzzle measures approximately 12.5” X 8.5”. Launch date: 2012.

Step Ups! 4-In-A-Box puzzles area great “starter” puzzles and will help little hands develop their fine motor skills. Step Ups! Puzzle sets contain four puzzles depicting fun characters that young ones will easily recognize. The puzzles progress from 2 pieces to 4 pieces to 6 pieces to 8 pieces, giving children the opportunity to grow with the set as they grow and develop. The 8 piece puzzle brings the characters from the other three puzzles together in one animated scene with lots to discuss and talk about. Step Ups! Are a great way to help toddlers begin building their tactile and problem solving skills. Each puzzle measures approximately 12.5” X 8.5”. Launch date: 2012.

Click It! puzzles take a traditional puzzle and blend it with today's popular technology. After completing the beautifully illustrated 24-piece "talk-about" puzzle, children can use any smart phone or tablet with a QR label reader application to "Click" the barcode and watch their puzzle come to life. The QR barcode will link them to a fun video animation of the puzzle that was just assembled. Additionally if kids flip the puzzle over, it becomes a fun coloring activity (crayons not included). Click It puzzles offer the traditional ways of learning along with the high tech ways to discover. Each puzzle measures 24"X18". Launch date: 2012.

Click It! puzzles take a traditional puzzle and blend it with today's popular technology. After completing the beautifully illustrated 24-piece "talk-about" puzzle, children can use any smart phone or tablet with a QR label reader application to "Click" the barcode and watch their puzzle come to life. The QR barcode will link them to a fun video animation of the puzzle that was just assembled. Additionally if kids flip the puzzle over, it becomes a fun coloring activity (crayons not included). Click It puzzles offer the traditional ways of learning along with the high tech ways to discover. Each puzzle measures 24"X18". Launch date: 2012.
Awards: 2012 Dr.Toy Best 20 for $20

Click It! puzzles take a traditional puzzle and blend it with today's popular technology. After completing the beautifully illustrated 24-piece "talk-about" puzzle, children can use any smart phone or tablet with a QR label reader application to "Click" the barcode and watch their puzzle come to life. The QR barcode will link them to a fun video animation of the puzzle that was just assembled. Additionally if kids flip the puzzle over, it becomes a fun coloring activity (crayons not included). Click It puzzles offer the traditional ways of learning along with the high tech ways to discover. Each puzzle measures 24"X18". Launch date: 2012.

Click It! puzzles take a traditional puzzle and blend it with today's popular technology. After completing the beautifully illustrated 24-piece "talk-about" puzzle, children can use any smart phone or tablet with a QR label reader application to "Click" the barcode and watch their puzzle come to life. The QR barcode will link them to a fun video animation of the puzzle that was just assembled. Additionally if kids flip the puzzle over, it becomes a fun coloring activity (crayons not included). Click It! puzzles offer the traditional ways of learning along with the high tech ways to discover. Each puzzle measures 24'X18". Launch date: 2012.

Enjoy two fun-filled playtime activities in one. Each Find It! product combines a puzzle and game into one highly educational, interactive learning experience. First assemble the puzzle, then play the game using the enclosed game pieces. For an additional learning experience, flip the game pieces over to play a word recognition game. Each 50-piece puzzle measures a gian 3'X2'. Launch date: 2012.

Kids will be amazed as they watch their puzzle come alive with the Puzzle Double! Discover It! 3D Space floor puzzle. Taking the concept of a traditional puzzle to a new level, each Discover It! puzzle includes five fun, 3-D lenticular stickers. When kids finish piecing together the beautiful 30-piece, talk about puzzles, they simply add the stickers to their matching place in the scene and watch the puzzle come to life and move and change. Additionally, after assembling the puzzle you can turn it over for a fun coloring activity (crayons not included). Puzzle Doubles! Discover It! Space puzzle will provide children multi-dimensional ways to discover and learn. Launch date: 2012.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval

Kids will be amazed as they watch their puzzle come alive with the Puzzle Double! Discover It! 3D Safari floor puzzle. Taking the concept of a traditional puzzle to a new level, each Discover It! puzzle includes five fun, 3-D lenticular stickers. When kids finish piecing together the beautiful 30-piece, talk about puzzles, they simple add the stickers to their matching place in the scene and watch the puzzle come to life and move and change. Additionally, after assembling the puzzle you can turn it over for a fun coloring activity (crayons not included). Puzzle Doubles! Discover It! puzzles will provide children with multi-dimensional ways to discover and learn. Puzzle measures 24"X18". Launch date: 2012.

Kids wil be amazed as they come alive with the Puzzle Doubles! Discover It! Ocean puzzle. Taking the concept of a traditional puzzle to a new level, each Discover It! Puzzle includes five fun, 3-D lenticular stickers. When kids finish piecing together the beautiful 30-piece, talk about puzzles, they simply add the stickers to their matching place in the scene and watch the puzzle come to life and move and change. Additionally, after assembling the puzzle you can turn it over for a fun coloring activity (crayons not included). Puzzle Doubles! Discover It! Ocean floor puzzle will provide children with multi-dimensional ways to discover and learn. Puzzle measures 24"X 18". Launch date: 2012.

Snowflakes are combinations of frozen ice crystals that fall through the Earth's atmosphere. They form when microscopic super cooled cloud water droplets freeze that are only about the size of four ten thousandths (.00039) of an inch one hundredth of a millimeter (.01 millimeter) in diameter. Snowflakes come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Complex shapes develop as the flakes fall through different temperatures and humidity. These droplets are able to remain liquid at temperatures lower than -0º Fahrenheit (-18º Celsius) because in order to freeze, a few molecules in the droplet need to come together by chance to form an arrangement similar to that in an ice lattice molecule; the droplet then freezes around this "nucleus." Experiments show that this chance accumulation of droplets around an ice lattice molecule to form a snowflake occurs at temperatures lower than -31° Fahrenheit (-35° Celsius). Once a droplet has frozen, it grows in the supersaturated cloud environment where air is below the freezing point. These large crystals fall through the atmosphere due to their mass, and may collide with others, sticking together in clusters. These clusters of ice crystals are snowflakes, and are usually the type of ice particles that fall to the ground.

This puzzle game is different on all levels. For starters, a challenge consists of showing the solution (the color of all the balls on the playing board). But which balls are connected and how? Not only do players' brains have to be flexed to find the solution - they can bend all the puzzle pieces so they click into a new position.

Tower Bridge is a 216-pc 3D Puzzle that replicates the historic London landmark with exacting details.  Featuring the company’s Premium Puzzle Softclick Technology™ of precision-cut plastic flat and hinged pieces that snap together without glue, Tower Bridge is the newest addition to the 3D Puzzle assortment of impressive structures known worldwide.  The newest offering joins the line’s Big Ben, Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building and New England Lighthouse.

A steady hand is required to remove the shaped pieces in this game. Players must think critically, remove pieces carefully without causing the trap to move. Assists with fine motor control and visual spatial development. Contains 63 pieces, game board, 6 game cards, replacement band, and complete instructions.

The snap and match puzzle. Push the colored balls and snap them into empty spots to fit each one with its matching, colored ring. Mix them up again for a brand new challenge.
Awards: 2012 The National Parenting Centre – Seal of Approval, 2011 Parent Tested Parent Approved – Best Product Media Seal of Approval