TDmonthly's ToyFair 2006 Preview--Wooden Toys Product Category

Name Board by CUBBYHOLE TOYS

Our puzzle board is made of maple wood and the frame has a hand rubbed oil finish. Letters can be painted in non-toxic primary, jewel or pastel colors. Available in 6, 9, or 12 letter sizes. Made in the USA. 2/27/2008

My Stool by CUBBYHOLE TOYS

Help your little one reach for a bit of independence and learn to spell his or her name too. Each letter is brightly colored with non-toxic paint and has smooth easy to fit edges. Available in primary, jewel or pastel colors and available in 5, 8, or 12 letter sized stools. Single name only. Made in the USA. 2/27/2008

Name Puzzle by CUBBYHOLE TOYS

These interlocking puzzle pieces can be hung on or sat on a shelf. Painted in non-toxic bright primary, jewel or pastel colors. Capital letters are 4" and lower case is 3". Personalization is up to 12 letters. Price is per letter. Made in the USA. 2/27/2008

Le Toy Van Honeybake Oven & Hob Set by HOTALING IMPORTS

This light-blue oven features spinning knobs and a see-through door and comes with the following: a saucepan, kitchen utensils, a frying pan that holds an egg and bacon, a six-slice pizza with toppings and a tray for baking. Launch date: Early 2008. 2/26/2008 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

TimberKits – The Pianist by MK AND COMPANY

Kids can assemble the pieces in this rubber-wood kit and then, thanks to the toy’s mechanical capabilities, watch the piano player perform. 2/26/2008

Hula Hippos™ by GAMEWRIGHT

In this simple, fast-paced action game, players spin the hula-hoop and then quickly flick their wooden hippos so the hippos end up inside the hoop when the hoop stops spinning. The first player to get four hippos into the hoop wins. The game comes with 24 wooden hippos, one wooden hoop and instructions in both English and Spanish. The game lasts approximately ten minutes and is intended for two to four players. Launch date: 2008. 2/26/2008 (Price: $11.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Schoenhut® 25-Key Piano Pals™ by SCHOENHUT PIANO COMPANY

This versatile little piano grows with the child. The main unit, decorated with a whimsical animal's head, is perfect for toddlers because it sits safely and squarely on the floor within easy reach of little hands. Later on, the sides with the animal's body can be attached, conveniently raising the piano to a comfortable height for an older child seated at the bench. Included is Schoenhut's® Learning System, with a removable color-coordinated strip that fits behind the keys to guide small fingers from chord to chord. The accompanying songbook contains a collection of familiar tunes. Schoenhut toy pianos are famous for their lovely chime-like tones. The keys are spaced correctly for a full-sized piano, which teaches proper finger placement and affords an easy transition to a large piano.The piano is 19-3/4" H x 16" W x 10-3/4" D and the bench measures 8" H x 8" D x 11" W. This product weighs 17 lbs. Launch date: February 2008. 2/25/2008 (Price: $129.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Wild West Play Set by SCHYLLING

The set includes 102 pieces, including pieces designed especially for building a personal frontier. Pieces include vehicles, western characters and roofing and logs so kids can build a real wood cabin.
– “The Wild West wooden set by Schylling — we sell at least one of all of those every day,” Manager Jessie Ryals and Owner Michelle Wood of Whippersnappers in St. Simon’s Island, Ga., told TDmonthly in early 2008.
– Schylling offers “lots of nice incentives for retailers, such as with shipping,” Donna Sedgwick of Toy Mill in Tiverton, R.I., told TDmonthly.
– “I’ve noticed a trend back to [wooden toys],” Ray Willis, owner of Toys & Bicycles in Westerly, R.I., told TDmonthly. “Grandparents and parents who had them … are bringing kids today into their past.” 2/21/2008 (Price: $17.99)

Farm Wooden Chunky Puzzle by MELISSA & DOUG

The jumbo puzzle features thick puzzle pieces that are hand-painted, feature full-color images and are capable of standing on their own for additional play. When assembled, the puzzle measures 12" x 11" x 4/5". The puzzle promotes creativity and matching skills. Launch date: June 2006.
– “Melissa & Doug…we sell two or three of their products every day. The best selling one is their puzzles,” Steve Ricks, owner of My Story House Toys in Roswell, Ga., told TDmonthly.
– Over 63 percent of retailers who spoke with TDmonthly named a Melissa & Doug product as their best-selling wooden toy item. Melissa & Doug wooden animal puzzles are very popular at The Toy Shop in Lexington, Ky., the owner told TDmonthly. “We sell one or two a day.”
— “Klutz books have been steady sellers for us,” Melodie Ingwersen, owner of Creative Kids Toy Shop in Columbia, S.C., told TDmonthly in March 2008. 2/21/2008 (Price: $9.99)

Quadrago by MINDTWISTER USA

This two-player, wooden-strategy game features 16 upright poles and 64 beads in two different shades, challenging opponents to be the first to get four beads in a row, diagonally, horizontally or vertically. Players have the option of turning the moveable, middle section of the board containing four poles at every turn, thereby adding to the strategy component and changing the playing field.
Awards: 2009 Creative Child Game of the Year; 2009 Gifted Children Award ( Watch Video) 2/21/2008 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Twiggles - Jungle Set by JEANJEANNE LLC

Made of wood (hence the "twig" part of their name), these characters' joints feature elastic so that they can be posed in many different ways — twisting and wiggling. They measure from 3.5" to 4.25 " tall. ( Watch Video) 2/18/2008 (Price: $24.95)

Schoolhouse Naturals Push Pulls by MAPLE LANDMARK WOODCRAFT CO.

Made of 100-percent maple, products in the Schoolhouse Naturals' line have either no finish or an earth-based finish, such as beeswax or whey. The smooth, wooden Push Pulls come in bunny, bus and elephant varieties and have holes in the front for a string so that a child can still utilize the toy when he or she starts walking. ( Watch Video) 2/18/2008 (Price: $19.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Forster Woodsies Motorized Engraving Tool & Wood Set by LOEW-CORNELL INC.

This set comes with assorted wood shapes and a special tool that allows children to customize their projects with three different engraving heads. Launch date: 2008. 2/18/2008

Pengoloo by BLUE ORANGE GAMES

The wooden game will help children enhance their memory skills. The game invites children to guess which penguin is hiding which brightly colored egg. Each egg hides perfectly inside each penguin. Launch date: 2008.
— In late fall 2009, Sue Banducci of Games Unlimited in Danville, Calif., estimated sales of 150 to 200 Pengoloo games in December. Two of 44 specialty retailers named the game as one of their overall best sellers. ( Watch Video) 2/14/2008 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Snorre - Bead Baby by SELECTA SPIELZEUG

This 7 cm Viking cheerfully watches over Baby while he sleeps. He features a helmet, shield and bright colors on his wooden frame.
— Selecta’s push toys were listed as top sellers by Owner Candace Gooch at At Once All Agog in Limerick, Maine, in May 2009. “It’s a shame that Selecta decided to pull out of the USA market due to CSPIA’s testing requirements,” she told TDmonthly. “I figure if a product meets the EU’s testing standards, then it should be fine for the USA. There are so many fantastic and safe European toys that our children will miss out on.” 2/14/2008

Blue Sky Airport by TOP SHELF HOLDINGS LLC

Young minds are "cleared for take-off" with this two-level passenger terminal featuring a boarding gate, check-in counter, runway, control tower and baggage claim area with a working carousel. Flexible wooden figures of various ethnicities include two pilots, a flight attendant, two passengers, and a tarmac worker to direct the three-seat passenger jet as it taxis up to the gate. Launch date: June 15, 2008. 2/13/2008 (Price: $119.95)

Polar Glacier by TOP SHELF HOLDINGS LLC

Kids can "break-the-ice" with this beautiful arctic play set, the first of Top Shelf Holdings’ Natural Habitat Series. The set includes two flexible wooden Inuit figures, a papoose, an igloo, ice slides, an ice-fishing hole and six realistic polar animals. "Long have we lamented, in the educational toy business, playsets and other products constantly pairing the dapper penguin family with the friendly neighborhood polar bear. This collection features fauna from both the arctic and antarctic regions of the globe, as well as informational materials about the animals themselves," said TDmonthly reporter and toy-store buyer Marie Raven at Toy Fair 2008. Launch date: June 15, 2008. ( Watch Video) 2/13/2008 (Price: $89.95)

Woodstock Band by WOODSTOCK CHIMES

The set has an old-fashioned appeal, with its simple, yet sturdy instruments: a triangle, a tambourine, jingle bells and castanets, all organized in a neat little case. The set contains everything a youngster needs to start his or her very own band. The case measures 15” x 7-3/4” x 2-1/4”. 2/12/2008 (Price: $19.50) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Jingle Fish by WOODSTOCK CHIMES

The fish-shaped tambourine not only sounds great, but it also features a unique shape that makes it even more fun to play. The instrument measures 10-3/4 x 5-1/2”. 2/7/2008 (Price: $10.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Nuchi™ 15-Piece Circle Train Set by THE LITTLE LITTLE LITTLE TOY COMPANY

This classic wooden train set has a circular track layout that can be easily assembled into different shapes. Designed for the child new to trains, this set is simple enough to assemble right out of the box. It can easily be used with other interlocking wooden train tracks, so children can pair it with existing sets they own. The 15-piece set includes eight durable interlocking curved tracks, two trees, an engine and two loading cars. The cars are brightly painted and utilize magnets to help children assemble the set easily. The set is 18" in diameter while cars are 2" long, 1" wide and 1½" high. 1/30/2008 (Price: $17.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Wood Model Train Kit by BROOKLYN PEDDLER

Kids can build their own model steam train with this all-inclusive kit. Simply assemble, paint and then play. The fun and educational kit will help children increase their dexterity, patience and sense of accomplishment. 1/29/2008 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Frog Clip-On by HESS-HOLZSPIELZEUG TOYS

The adorable little clip-on frog can be easily added to baby's gym, stroller chain or even clothes. The German-made toy is constructed from hard wood and painted with non-toxic paints, making it safe for babies to suck and chew. This item is intended for children over the age of three months. Launch date: February 2007. 1/29/2008 (Price: $13.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Constructor Set Helicopter by HEROS TOYS

The construction set consists of 225 wooden shapes, screws, pegs, nuts and bolts. Children will be able to build helicopters and many other items. The set is designed to enhance a child's motor skills and intellectual capacity, while providing hours of fun. Launch date: February 2007. 1/29/2008 (Price: $95.00)

Locomotive Pull Toy With Sound by HEROS TOYS

The colorful wooden train with makes a clacking sound as it is pulled. The German-made train is manufactured to EN71 standards. Launch date: February 1998. 1/29/2008 (Price: $34.50)

Executive Baseball by UNIVERSITY GAMES

The desktop baseball game requires only a pitcher and a batter. Pull back the spring-loaded bat, connect with the rolling pitch and watch the ball leave the stadium. Launch date: 2004. 1/29/2008 (Price: $29.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]