TDmonthly's ToyFair 2006 Preview--Construction Product Category

Mario Kart Wii: Mario & Bowser Ice Race Set by K'NEX BRANDS

Kids can bring Mario Kart Wii to life as they race Mario and Bowser through a series of ice-themed obstacles. The set includes the parts to build Mario and Bowser, 2 Standard Karts with super-fast battery-powered motors, 2 moving obstacles: Penguins & Shy-Guy Snowboarders PLUS 2 collectible items from the game: a golden mushroom and a spiked blue shell. Also includes 16 pieces of buildable, interconnectable track that creates a closed loop - combine this set with other sets from the Mario Kart Wii Series to build even bigger tracks. Building set includes 182 parts. Launch date: May 2012. 7/5/2012 (Price: $64.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Super Structs BIG Builder by WABA FUN LLC

The multiple, award-winning 126-piece Superstructs™ Big Builder set provides everything you need to build detailed, hard working, construction vehicles. Build a working forklift, dump truck, crane, or utility truck with the enclosed step-by-step plans. And once you have mastered these, you can take them apart and use your imagination to build other great creations! 6/22/2012 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Flying Dragon Automata by MECHANICAL KITS LLC

Enter the Dragon. Made from natural wood this moving model, with leg action and moving wings, is easy to paint. Automata are whimsical mechanical toys that make movements when a crankshaft is turned. This dragon moves its head, neck, legs, wings and tail while flying gracefully through the air. ( Watch Video) 6/21/2012 (Price: $20.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Mega Bloks First Builders - Big Building Bag by MEGA BRANDS

Build and stack for limitless fun with the award-winning First Builders Big Building Bag by Mega Bloks. These bright primary-colored blocks encourage hands-on exploration as children imagine and create. First Builders blocks are big and easy for little fingers to assemble. When playtime is over, zip the blocks up in the bag and stash them in the toy box until the next adventure. Includes 80 First Builders blocks.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys 6/19/2012 (Price: $19.99)

LEGOŽ DUPLOŽ Creative Sorter by LEGO

Teach stacking and sorting with a colorful assortment of big LEGO® DUPLO® bricks as children learn to build basic animals.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys 6/19/2012 (Price: $19.99)

Classic 30 Model Building Set by K'NEX BRANDS

Kids can build models that move with classic K'NEX pieces. Includes 300+ pieces and ideas to build 30 models like a truck, helicopter and dune buggy. Made in U.S.A.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys
— Dalene Lockhart, owner of Toy Town in Casper, Wyo., told TDmonthly in a May 2013 survey that K'Nex was one of her best-selling construction toy brands. 6/19/2012 (Price: $29.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

M-Boxes by PLAYMAIS CANADA INC.

PlayMais is a biodegradable crafting material made from corn and colored with food coloring. It is manufactured in Germany, 100% safe, and biodegradable. PlayMais stimulates children's imagination and creativity, trains fine-motor skills, and develops social group skills. PlayMais can be shaped, squeezed, and cut — and all it takes is a little bit water to create unlimited fun. Children can build in 2 or 3 dimensions, or wherever their imagination takes them. The PlayMais M-Box contains 150 pieces, a sponge, and an instruction booklet. It is a perfect starter box. 6/14/2012 (Price: $7.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

XM-Boxes by PLAYMAIS CANADA INC.

PlayMais is a biodegradable crafting material made from corn and colored with food coloring. It is manufactured in Germany, 100% safe, and biodegradable. PlayMais stimulates children's imagination and creativity, trains fine motor skills, and develops social group skills. PlayMais can be shaped, squeezed, cut and all it takes is a little bit water to create unlimited fun. Children can build in 2 or 3 dimensions, or wherever their imagination takes them. The PlayMais XM-Box contains 250 pieces, a sponge, a biodegradable plastic knife, and an instruction booklet. It is a perfect starter box if you want to build more and bigger creations. 6/14/2012 (Price: $11.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Circus Theme Boxes by PLAYMAIS CANADA INC.

PlayMais is a biodegradable crafting material made from corn and colored with food coloring. It is manufactured in Germany, 100% safe, and biodegradable. PlayMais stimulates children's imagination and creativity, trains fine motor skills, and develops social group skills. PlayMais can be shaped, squeezed, cut and all it takes is a little bit water to create unlimited fun. Children can build in 2 or 3 dimensions, or wherever their imagination takes them. 6/14/2012 (Price: $21.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Erector 30 Model Set by SCHYLLING

Build 30 Amazing Erector Models. Designs include Dune buggy, lawn mower, crane, speedboat, tractor, forklift, motorcycle with rider. Kids can make their own masterpiece with a 6 Volt Motor (Requires 4 AA batteries not included). Set has 352 Parts and includes instructions and illustrations for 18 models.
— Joe Berardoni Jr., owner of Puns Toys in Bryn Mawr, Pa., told TDmonthly that Erector sets are one of their top selling hobby items. 5/25/2012 (Price: $64.99)

85 Piece Bristle Blocks by TOYSMITH

This 85-piece set contains 72 easy-to-handle building blocks in a variety of brightly colored, interlocking geometric shapes, 8 wheels to construct buildings and vehicles with and 5 figurines. A convenient handled carrying case stores all the blocks neatly away when not in use.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval
— Mary Porter Green, owner of Curiostiy Zone in Ashburn, Va.,  told TDmonthly in a May 2015 survey that this was a best-selling construction toy at their store.
 5/25/2012 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

SmartMax Basic Stunt by SMART TOYS AND GAMES INC

With a simple click, wheels, cockpits, wings and panels attach to the magnetic bars. 48 magnetic pieces provide building variation and fun that reaches the finish. 18 medium bars, four long bars, two cockpits, four pairs of wheels, ten metal balls, two ramps, two containers, and four panels. Giant, non-swallowable 1.8 inch diameter metal balls. 5/25/2012 (Price: $79.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

nanoblock musical series assortment by OHIO ART CO.

The nanoblock ‘Miniature Collection’ includes a wide range of musical instruments. Form a miniature band with the Drum Set and Electric Guitar or perform a piccolo concerto on the Grand Piano or violin. nanoblocks are all about the creative construction process with rewarding sculptural results – the perfect three-dimensional puzzle. The miniature blocks connect securely to create extremely detailed objects of varying size and complexity. Challenging three-dimensional puzzle with amazingly small sized building blocks. 5/25/2012 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

OGOBILD Nexus by OGOSPORT, LLC

With over 90 different attachments the Nexus offers maximum play value. With attachments like wheels, a scoop, hands, feet, wings, springs and more, the possibilities for creations are endless. Build a flying Martian, a hovering robot, or objects that fly, drive, and spin. The Nexus includes 4 flexible OGOBILD balls for hours of fun, and increased variety. 5/25/2012 (Price: $34.00)

The ZOOB Challenge by INFINITOY

How can kids move a ball into a target with 2 high walls from 2 feet away? Build a ramp? A catapult? A trampoline? A zip-line? There are no right answers and we provide no solutions--it's up to kids to use ZOOB pieces (and other materials that they choose) to build contraptions that solve the challenges. The ZOOB Challenge features 175 ZOOB pieces, string, wheels, a ball, rubber bands, a foam play pad, and 25 challenges based on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) skills-skills that educators have targeted as essential to helping the US compete successfully in the 21st century. 5/25/2012 (Price: $32.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Tower Block by SMART GEAR LLC

Colorful blocks with unconventional basic shapes. Learn matching shapes, sequencing and stacking. Develops hand-eye coordination, logical thinking, and trial & error skills. Made in Thailand from environmentally friendly rubberwood. Strictly using Non-Toxic Paint; Dyes and Lacquers. Formaldehyde Free Glue. Packaging is made from at least 70% recycled paper. 5/25/2012 (Price: $14.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Starter Pack Domino by HABA USA/HABERMAASS CORP.

Contents: 61 colored domino blocks, 6 pieces of untreated wood, 1 ball, 1 building block clamp, 1 arched clamp with little bell. Endless building fun with abundant options for experimenting. Helps kids learn cause and effect. 5/23/2012 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

100 pc Glow in the Dark Blocks by CITIBLOCS LLC

100 piece GLOW IN THE DARK building block set. The building fun doesn't have to stop when the lights go off. Safe and non-toxic glow paint adds a new dimension to block building. Set includes 70 glow blocks and 30 natural color blocks. Building guide included.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval 5/18/2012 (Price: $29.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Newspaper Builders by ROYLCO INC

Go green with a new and innovative approach to building. Don’t toss out newspapers: recycle them to build incredible geometric sculptures. Tape the included tubes to both ends of a sheet of newspaper. Roll up the newspaper and secure with tape to make a connecting paper rod. Includes durable plastic connectors that fit into the rods. Follow the step-by-step instructions in the guide to make a triangular pyramid, a square anti-prism or design kids can design their own creations in the classroom, gymnasium or playground. Includes guide. 36 connectors, 200 rod-tubes.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval 5/18/2012 (Price: $39.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

HABAland Train Building Blocks by HABA USA/HABERMAASS CORP.

The attractive colors and grinning conductor on this train set are sure to impress. Train cars connect via magnets. Toot, toot, the locomotive arrives at the station with its three wagons transporting an interesting load: two small stacking games and a drum with a little bell. The conductor and load are removable. Material: PEFC certified beech wood. Non toxic, water based stain. Made in Germany.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Green Toys
— Wooden trains and block sets were mention by two retailers surveyed by TDmonthly in February 2013 as best selling wooden toys. 5/18/2012 (Price: $51.29) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Hot Wheels Wall Tracks Mid-Air Madness Booster Trackset by MATTEL INC.

With a boost, crashing and fast-paced action come to Wall Tracks sets. The booster launches cars up the ramp for anti-gravity thrills. The track works with multiple cars for mid-air madness. And the poster adds a background for the adventure and action. The set and poster can be hung with the included safe-for-walls Command strips from 3M. This set gives new meaning to climbing the walls. Includes 1 car. Not for use with some Hot Wheels vehicles.
— As of 5/10/2012 this product had 2.9 out of 5 stars from 16 reviews on Amazon.com. Cons: Difficult to put together; safety button makes it confusing to turn on; the car that comes with the set has difficulty going through the tracks without flipping. 5/11/2012 (Price: $24.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Cat Ride On by MEGA BRANDS

The large steering wheel and real truck sounds create an exciting ride for kids who can imagine they are working on an important construction site. The CAT 3-in-1 Ride-On allows little construction workers to attach the toolbox to the back of the truck and carry their tools around to any important construction site. It can be transformed into 3 different forms: from a car to ride in, it easily turns into a walker that can be pushed from behind, to a vehicle that can be pulled along with the tools firmly attached. The 3-in-1 Ride-On includes 3 tools and 2 screws.
— As of 04/30/2012 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 4 reviews on Amazon.com. 4/30/2012 (Price: $49.99)

Mega Bloks Build'N Go Wagon by MEGA BRANDS

Children's bloks can go anywhere with the pink Build’n Go Wagon. The Mega Bloks Wagon has a bin that loads and dumps blocks anywhere with ease, a secure handle for little hands with a block slide to transport blocks into the wagon, and four sturdy wheels. The wagon also comes with a removable building plate so children can bring their creations anywhere they want.
— As of 04/30/2012 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 6 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Durable; easy to use. 4/30/2012 (Price: $34.99)

K'NEX Classics 50 Model Building Set by K'NEX BRANDS

Builders ages 3+ can create a train, garage, bridge and more or accelerate their imagination with other ideas. The Tinkertoy Transit set includes 150 durable, plastic pieces including spools, straight rods, bendable rods, wheels, eyes, two buildable figures and more. The newly redesigned Tinkertoy pieces snap together and stay together for long-lasting play. The colorful guide provides a variety of ideas for all building skill levels. Comes in a sturdy box with lid for easy storage and portability. September 2012. 4/27/2012 (Price: $43.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

K'NEX Thrills: Atomic Coaster by K'NEX BRANDS

Kids can build an atomically cool coaster with dueling action, using over 850 K'NEX pieces to create a thrilling roller coaster building experience. 2 dueling cars twist, turn, and dive as they race through over 37 feet of track. The Atomic Coaster builds over 4 feet tall and includes a motorized chain lift. Color-coded, easy-to-follow building instructions are included. Go to the K'Nex website to download instructions for a 2nd coaster model. Launch date: September 2012.
Awards: 2012 Best in Play at Toy Fair - Parenting Magazine 4/27/2012 (Price: $69.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]