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

My First Railway Set by BRIO CORPORATION

This set includes three separate wagons and an engine to awaken children’s fascination with trains. Children ages 2 and up can play with the wagons that are sized for little fingers and compatible with the classic wooden railway.
― Bill of Tutoring Toy told TDmonthly in spring 2007 that Brio “has very good deals for the specialty market.”
― Annette Garcia, owner of The Wee Loft in Dana Point, Calif., told TDmonthly that her store sells “10 to 20 units” of Brio trains every month.
― Over 14 percent of retailers who spoke with TDmonthly in early 2008 stated that wooden trains are very popular items in their stores. 2/23/2007

Name Chain Puzzle by HOLLOW WOODWORKS

This personalized puzzle is designed to stand up on a shelf or dresser. It is handcrafted of 3/4" furniture-grade maple wood with a child-safe finish. Each customer has a choice of primary- or pastel-colored letters. There is no limit to the number of letters for a personalized name. Letters have an MRSP of $5.00 each. Launch date: January 2007. 2/23/2007 (Price: $5.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Cathedral Blocks by WESTWORK DESIGNS

Designed by architect Steven W. Hurd, these blocks are the first in a series of architecturally themed building blocks created for all ages. Each set is designed around a particular building type, but the unique pieces allow for creativity and imaginative construction. The blocks are carved from imported hardwood, and the set includes 145 pieces, 15 different shapes, a printed plan and instructions. Castle Blocks are also available. “The Cathedral shape offers a dramatic initial building project and the unique shapes allow for a different level of imaginative play than most sets of building blocks,” Hurd told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 2006. ( Watch Video) 2/21/2007 (Price: $160.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Sevi Mini Pull Along Giraffe by MAGICFOREST LTD

One of six fun animals that can be pulled. They wobble and make a small bell sound when pulled. 2/19/2007 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Sevi Transportation Play Puzzle by MAGICFOREST LTD

Because there is only one way to fit all of the pieces into the box and close the lid, this item makes a nice travel puzzle. Because the pieces are three dimensional, they can be used as an imaginative play toy too. ( Watch Video) 2/19/2007 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Airport by PLANTOYS

The Airport from Plan Toys is an impressive play experience packaged into a two-story wooden set. Park the car on the first floor, take the elevator to the second, and meet the pilot before taking off in his plane. The Airport also comes with control tower, check-in counters, luggage conveyor-belt, skypath, and limitless play possibilities for imaginative minds. It is 12.6" x 21.7" x 10.6" in size. It is also winner of a Good Toy Award in the UK.
— "Plan Toys have great and unusual things, like the Airport, that most other companies probably wouldn’t make," was the upbeat endorsement given by Leanna Halbrecht, owner of Animations Ltd. in Teaneck, N.J. 2/19/2007 (Price: $100.00)

Unit Blocks (110 Pcs.) by GUIDECRAFT INC.

The Unit Blocks from Guidecraft are a premium product in the wooden blocks toy category. The 100-piece set comes with 28 different shapes. Each piece is finely sanded and rounded, is splinter-free to protect young hands, is resistant to dents and dings, and is guaranteed for life. The Unit Blocks are the winner of the Oppenheim Toy Award No. 1 Pick for 2006 and provide kids with a limitless world of fun, constructive, and imaginative play. The entire set weighs 49 lbs.
— "Traditional wooden blocks: Unit Blocks by Guidecraft," was the response regarding best-sellers given to TDmonthly by Tom England, owner of Dancing Bear Toys & Gifts in Frederick, Md. 2/19/2007 (Price: $240.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Elvis Presley Commemorative Chess Set by WOOD EXPRESSIONS INC.

This chess set commemorates the great Elvis Presley with chess pieces represented by Elvis themes such as "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Hound Dog." With this chess set, Elvis truly is the King!  ( Watch Video) 2/8/2007 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Jumping Jacks by COLORI USA/TATIRI

Jumping Jacks, a traditional European Toy. To play with it, simply pull the string and the hand and legs will move and settle into a jumping position. We came up with 6 happy and colorful characters: The Lion, Pirate, Clown, Ballerina, Butterfly, and Giraffe. We created these to ignite children's imaginations. You may also use it as décor in your child's room. 2/6/2007 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Wooden Pop Gun by SCHYLLING

It's not surprising that the Schylling Wooden Pop Gun comes in a point-of-purchase display. Kids simply load and shoot the gun by pulling and pushing the handle. It comes with cork and string to ensure that nothing gets lost.
— At Silly Goose in Essex, Mass., classic toys by Schylling — including pop guns, jack-in-the-boxes and rubber horseshoe games — rank as best sellers, according to Owner Diane Robinson.
— "Our best-sellers are the old-fashioned ones, such as the Pop Gun," said Rene Leonardi, assistant manager at Ouray Toys in Ouray, Colo.
— Two of 51 retailers specifically referred to the Pop Gun as a continuing best-selling wooden toy in their stores. 1/31/2007 (Price: $2.99)

Natural Cubes by HABA USA/HABERMAASS CORP.

These simple but finely made cubes combine natural beauty with educational value to provide comprehensive play value. As with all HABA wooden blocks, they're designed and finished with precision to allow for an aesthetic and productive play experience. Motor and learning skills are developed as kids master how to handle and piece these blocks together.
— "I really love — and people come to me for — the HABA," said Amy Barrett, owner of Lasso the Moon Wonderful Toys in Helena, Mont., about wooden toy best-sellers in her store.
— "HABA has all-wood products and games for children of all ages," explained Brandy Lindstrom, manager at Little Blue Choo Choo in Scottsdale, Ariz.
— Eight of 51 retailers told TDmonthly that HABA wooden toys were big sellers among their customers. 1/31/2007 (Price: $16.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Castle by HABA USA/HABERMAASS CORP.

This accessory set stands alone or can be used as an addition to other HABA block buildings. Designed and crafted in Germany, the set is made of solid, finished wood. Each piece is sized for children as young as 1 year. It comes with 59 pieces, including two colored flags.
— "We’re a wooden toy store; we don’t sell plastic. So almost everything is wooden that we sell. One of our mainstays is HABA. They’re high-quality designs and open ended," said Dan Marshall, owner of Peapods Natural Toys & Baby Care in St. Paul, Minn.
— "HABA ... is a line of great wooden blocks, but they have skyscrapers that kids can build as well as castles," said Leanna Halbrecht, owner of Animations Ltd. in Teaneck, N.J.
— HABA block sets are designed so that they can be used with other sets to build entire communities and cities. 1/31/2007 (Price: $59.50) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Cutting Food Box by MELISSA & DOUG

The Cutting Food Box is a super-sized play-food set that comes with a child-safe knife. Kids prepare their own healthy meals, cut into them as they make a crunching sound, and then have fun trying to put them back together again. The set includes a cutting board and a wooden crate for easy storage.
— "I think Melissa & Doug certainly ramped up the trend toward wooden toys in designing things like the food-cutting box out of wood," said Nancy Streeter, owner of Eureka in Newburyport, Mass.
— Melissa & Doug dominated the wooden toys' category in an early 2007 survey, as the brand was cited more than 50 times by a collective 51 retailers.
— Two of 39 retailers told TDmonthly that Melissa & Doug cutting foods make popular playsets.
— As of 8.03.2010, this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 201 reviews on Amazon.com and was No. 20 in the top 100 best-selling toys and games. PROS: Entertaining and well-made. CONS: Paint can peel. ( Watch Video) 1/31/2007 (Price: $19.95)

Bamboo Pallina by HAPE

Colored sticks are threaded through the basket which serves as the game board and coordinating balls are placed inside. The object of the game is to carefully remove the colored sticks so only the colored balls of your opponent fall through. Made from eco-friendly bamboo and nontoxic paints. 1/24/2007 (Price: $39.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Extension Block With Axle - Red by AUTOMOBLOX

Turn any of your Automoblox vehicles into a six-wheeler by adding one of our Extension Blox to your Automoblox garage. Get two Extension Blox and create an eight-wheeler. It includes two C9 wheels and tires, and is compatible with most models.
― Automoblox is “very nice to deal with [and has] great sales reps,” said Martin Goetzinger, founder of www.schooldelay.com, in spring 2007. 1/17/2007 (Price: $12.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Extension Block With Axle - Blue by AUTOMOBLOX

Turn any of your Automoblox vehicles into a six-wheeler by adding one of our Extension Blox to your Automoblox garage. Get two Extension Blox and create an eight-wheeler. Includes two C9 wheels and tires. Compatible with most models. 1/17/2007 (Price: $10.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Word Discovery Game by TAG TOYS INC.

This game features a word board and letter cards that include letters for the complete alphabet with extra vowels and consonants. A child or teacher selects letter cards from the back to spell a word. To play, a child tosses the die to determine which color card can be turned to reveal a letter, and then has a chance to guess the word, playing until a word is guessed correctly. The game teaches children to mentally complete words with only partial information — an important reading sub-skill for developing word recognition and reading speed. Tag Toys are “unique and they can't be found in the mass market stores,” CFO Barbara Villafana told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2006. 1/15/2007 (Price: $79.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Exploding Outhouse by MOUNTAIN CRAFT SHOP

Masquerading as a savings bank for nickels, this 3" x 6" x 5" wooden, turn-of-the-last-century outhouse literally comes apart at the seams when a nickel is deposited in the slit in the roof. Constructed of West Virginia hardwood, each one is made by hand by West Virginia craftsmen. A copy of the story that inspired it is included, as well as reassembly instructions. It will provide hours of hilarious fun.
— Mountain Craft Shop specializes in bringing old toys to life, and this product “has been around for awhile, but is just now ‘exploding,’” Ellie Conlon of Mountain Craft Shop told TDmonthly. 1/9/2007 (Price: $14.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

"Moto Kid" Wooden Running Bike by PLIM COOPERATION AG

The “Moto Kid” is made of 100 percent birch plywood and features quality construction with rubber tires and an aluminum cylinder. It assembles in minutes and includes an adjustable padded seat. The maximum capacity is 60 lbs.
— The bike “is very solid and can therefore easily be passed down to a younger brother or sister. The seat can be adjusted in four different heights, which ensures that the bike will grow with the child,” Oriana Chiandusso, head of graphic services at PLIM Cooperation AG, told TDmonthly. The two bends on the bike’s wooden frame, she added, make it “look even more like a motor bike!” Launch date: May 1, 2006. 1/8/2007 (Price: $100.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Riding School by TOP SHELF HOLDINGS LLC

Children love to "saddle up" with this colorful equestrian playset, which comes ready-to-play with four realistic horses with bridles and removable English saddles, two jumps, one saddle horse, and four flexible wooden equestrian dolls. The buildings feature five working doors and the roof pieces can be removed for plenty of "indoor" and "outdoor" play. The set assembles in minutes without screws or hardware. Launch date: March 1, 2007.
— “This year Top Shelf Holdings LLC has pushed the envelope of our ‘ready-to-play playset’ concept by combining different materials and components — whatever is necessary to make the perfect equestrian playset,” Eric Meade of Top Shelf Holdings told TDmonthly. "Heritage Playsets includes all the figures, animals and other accessories that a child would need to play with the playset immediately." 1/5/2007 (Price: $99.95)

Dino by APPLEPIE TOY DISTRIBUTION

Dino and his friends are true ride-along pals. “All of our items are designed in England,” President Rick Tomasco of Applepie Toy Distribution told TDmonthly, “and the design team over there is constantly working on really neat stuff to offer to the U.S. market.” Launch date: April 2007. ( Watch Video) 1/4/2007 (Price: $70.00)

Little Garden by HABA USA/HABERMAASS CORP.

Zealous little hands arrange the flowery pieces into a friendly summer garden as a butterfly floats on top. 25 pieces of solid beechwood, still made in Germany! Includes 3 pc pegging board. 12/20/2006 (Price: $50.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Chaos in the Kids Room by HABA USA/HABERMAASS CORP.

As each round card is turned over, players try to see if any two pictures match on any of the cards. If they do, then the first player to quickly snatch the wooden goblin and check their answer wins the round. Player with the most cards at the end of the game is the winner! Fun for parents and children alike. 12/20/2006 (Price: $12.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Water Nymph Beads by HABA USA/HABERMAASS CORP.

Eight beautifully adorned sea creatures are a delight for little girls to try to best use their fine motor skills and dexterity to make a pretty design. Each piece is approximately 2.5”. 12/20/2006 (Price: $20.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Construction Site Magnetic Puzzle by HABA USA/HABERMAASS CORP.

A durable wooden frame contains 9 magnetic puzzle pieces. Each piece corresponds to a different section of a fun construction site. Recommended for ages 18+ months. 12/20/2006 (Price: $15.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]