Find Out WHY Toys Are Great in 2007 TDmonthly Specialty Toys Report

300+ Nominees, 60 Award Winners and Safety Profiles for Most

By Alison Marek
November 2007

If you're still struggling over which toys to buy this holiday season, the 2007 TDmonthly Specialty Toys Report may help! We profiled more than 300 great toys, all of which we also nominated for a first-ever TDmonthly Top Toy award.

The 2007 TDmonthly Specialty Toys Report includes photos, descriptions and prices. Most of the companies also submitted safety information, so you can easily tell where a product is made and how it's tested. We've also included consumer reviews, retailer comments and TDmonthly staff reviews, when appropriate! And TDmonthly award winners are easily identified by one of the following seals:

To see a Sneak Peek of the Report, please click here [link coming soon]. To order your own PDF of the report for just $5.95, please go to our Order Page.

And here are just a few of the toys we nominated. By clicking on the WATCH VIDEO link, you'll see for yourself why we consider them to be special!

Only Hearts Horse & Pony Club™ by ONLY HEARTS CLUB GROUP LLC

Only Hearts Club introduces its newest line, the Only Hearts Horse and Pony Club™. This exciting brand features a complete equestrian line, from horses, to riders, to stables and tack-room accessories. The Only Hearts Horse & Pony Club features both Western and English riding lines, and is sure to delight horse lovers of all ages. Kids can experience realistic fashions and horse breeds with soft and poseable dolls and horses.
— “Only Hearts Club with the equestrian theme,” is tops for fashion dolls at J.W. Allen and Sons Children’s Provisions in Park City, Utah. Owner Jonathan Allen said, “We sell on the average 15 a month.”
— “Only Hearts Club has done well as far as fashion,” agreed Stephanie Dupuy, owner of Playville in Covington, La.
— Ten percent of retailers surveyed in January 2008 named the Only Hearts Club as their most “stable” fashion line. ( Watch Video) 2/22/2007

Woodman Concept Carpenter Carry Case by WOODLAND MAGIC IMPORTS

Scaled down for little hands, this briefcase-style carpenter’s carry case for kids includes 16 woodworking tools: model maker’s hammer, carpenter’s hammer, carpenter’s pencil, mallet, saw, set of pliers, screw cutting tool, carpenter’s square, ruler, spirit level, wood chisel, screwdriver, Philips screwdriver, clamp, plane, and sanding block. Launch date: October 28, 2008. ( Watch Video) 7/13/2007 (MSRP: $36.95; Age: 8 and Up)

BlongoBall by BLONGO FAMILY FUN

BlongoBall by BLONGO FAMILY FUN BlongoBall is a great family game on the beach, at a picnic, on a camping trip, indoors or outdoors. Toss the unique BlongoBalls and wrap them around a horizontal bar to score points. Fun for all ages and skill levels. BlongoBall is easy to learn, exciting to play and will be enjoyed by the entire family for years to come. This Toss It, Wrap It and ScoreGame consists of two BlonGoals (racks) and two sets of BlongoBalls (yellow and orange) — enough for two players or two teams. Each of the two goals is 24”W x 26 ½”L x 39 ½”H and made of PVC. Ball sets include six balls of 1.625” in diameter. The toy is made of plastic, surlyn and nylon rope. ( Watch Video) 9/1/2004 (MSRP: $59.95; Age: 8 and Up)

Capture The Gag™ by RUBBING HANDS

In this game, two to eight children split into two teams, put on their colored wristbands, and unfurl their flags. Each team hides a Gag — a multifaceted creature that is magnetic and can also stick, grab and hook in hiding places — for the other team to find. The company’s Get-Out-Of-Their-Way Play “products allow kids to reinvent their play places and use their imagination,” Rubbing Hands Founder Chris Friden told TDmonthly. “There is no technology required and they are based on simple play that kids instinctively do on their own: hiding, finding, following and inventing, to name a few. These are fantastic gifts and party activities.” This product is a 2008 iParenting Media Award winner. ( Watch Video) 2/2/2007 (MSRP: $29.95; Age: 4 and Up)

Juba Clownfish by GOLDFISH GUITARS LLC

Juba Clownfish by GOLDFISH GUITARS LLC This wonderful 22-1/2" scale Juba Clownfish guitar with a built-in speaker and volume control knob requires a 9-volt battery. It also can be plugged into an amplifier (sold separately). Perfect for children and adults alike, it has 20 frets, a rosewood fretboard and quality tuners. Goldfish kids’ guitars are twice the quality of toy-store guitars at the same price. This guitar may also be enjoyed by teens and adults as a travel instrument. ( Watch Video) 3/5/2007 (MSRP: $139.99; Age: 4 and Up)

Volangulary: The International Vocabulary and Language Game by VOLANGULARY LLC

This game of multiple levels challenges one to six players or two to six teams to test and improve their vocabulary, language and communication skills. Players move game pieces around the board toward the winner’s circle, collecting PASS and BLOCK cards that add a dimension of strategy and planning. Volangulary is designed for competition among players of all ages and intellect, and younger players benefit from playing against those who are older because they get exposed to higher-level vocabulary and definitions. The brain soaks up these words and retains them (the Brain Sponge Syndrome). Multiple languages are available. Launch date: December 18, 2006.
— Inventor Sherwin Burrowes created this game to “make it fun for my kids doing their homework,” but told TDmonthly its purpose is also to help foreigners with language skills. “Use it for five years,” he challenges younger players, “[and] I guarantee that you’ll have such a large vocabulary that you’ll do well on the SATs.”
( Watch Video) 1/5/2007 (MSRP: $29.99; Age: 5 and Up)