We at TDmonthly Magazine would like to continue to congratulate toy manufacturers who have recently received iParenting Media Awards. The quality of their creative and educational products is worthy of notice. Take a look for yourself at the following toys that truly stand out. (To see information on more award-winning toys, click here.)
This game lets two to six young players choose between competing and cooperating. It encourages healthy competition as kids race to form three-letter words faster than their opponents. Whoever forms the most words wins. Parents (or older kids) can combine forces with little ones to help them learn how to spell new three-letter words. The game contains 72 letter tiles, 36 word cards, Gnu's stand and instructions. "What’s Gnu? is designed as an essential learning tool to help younger kids develop important language and vocabulary skills. It's perfect for multiple players and the rapid-fire game play keeps kids coming back again and again," said Emily Peters, marketing communications manager for ThinkFun. Launch date: 2004. — "ThinkFun: They have a lot of very popular games," said Gwen Bowden, manager of Doodlehopper 4 Kids in Springfield, Va. — "ThinkFun games: What’s Gnu?" is a best-selling game according to Jamie Burdette, owner of LB Toys in Media, Pa. — In fall 2009, two of 40 specialty retailers named games by Thinkfun when polled about best-selling educational items.
The Tiny Treasures Playset provides hours of fun to young girls ages 2 to 5 years of age. The Tiny Treasures playset is designed to teach children to role-play and to encourage the use of their imaginations by generating stories about their play. The individual pieces in the set help develop hand-eye coordination — bassinette with zipper, baby doll, bear that rattles, bottle that crinkles and baby blanket. The playset is surface washable and available in either pink or purple.
Terri Lee is all dressed up in her fancy lavender dress for a special birthday party! Her accessories include a special daisy-charm necklace, birthday cupcakes and plates for two and party favors that include a birthday crown and gift box. She also has her very own hairbrush. She recently won an iParenting Media Award.
Parents and teachers can eliminate back strain and injuries while teaching kids ages 8 months to 8 years old to walk by using the physician endorsed Walk-O-Long. All they need to do is wrap the sturdy, cushy tube around their child’s chest and under the arms, secure the safety latch and adjust for fit. The Walk-O-Long gives little ones self-confidence, helps them achieve balance, coordination, practice motor skills and provides safety. It is ideal for that first hike, going down a slide for the first time, playing by the waters edge, learning to roller/ice skate and ride a bike, rehabilitation, or for children with special needs. Injuries that commonly occur when adults accidentally pull a child’s arm or wrist too hard are eliminated with the Walk-O-Long. It weighs only 8 oz and is strength tested for over 650 pounds. View Demo Video
No More Pacifier is a 32-page hardcover book about little Charlie learning to give up his pacifier (binky). Written by Ricki Booker and Penny Asher, the book tells the story of Charlie’s struggle to give up his binky. His binky makes him feel warm and cozy and he doesn’t want to do without it. Mommy suggests they make a binky box for Charlie’s binky. Slowly Charlie is able to leave the binky in its box until one day the binky stays in the box all day and night and Charlie declares he’s a big boy now. Colorfully illustrated by Selena Kassab, the characters are painted in skin tones of pink, purple, yellow and blue in order to transcend racial boundaries. The book includes a page of helpful tips for parents, with suggestions from child development specialist Betsy Brown Braun, on how to help children through the change.
Giggles Computer Funtime for Baby: Shapes by LEVERACTIVE LLC
Shapes is the first title from the new Giggles Computer Funtime for Baby line. The CD-Rom is set up so that whenever a child touches the keyboard, she is rewarded by fun, on-screen sounds and adorable dancing, flying and spinning shapes. In addition to the 14 activities, each Giggles Computer Funtime For Baby title includes more than 50 songs in five musical categories, and Shapes includes a second bonus CD with a limited edition screensaver version of the software. It is intended for use by those ages 6 to 24 months. Babies LOVE to tap the keys on the computer! This unique software encourages little ones to tap on the keys for adorable onscreen feedback, such as animated animal characters, animating shapes, fun sound effects and great music. It has won numerous awards, including a Dr. Toy Smart Play Award for 2006, iParenting Media Product of Excellence Award and “HOT” Product Award, 2006 Editors Choice Award – Children’s Technology Review and Mr. Dad’s Top 10 Seal of Approval Award.
This fast-action, futuristic adventure helps teach kids math. It includes addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, helping to build children's confidence as they increase their speed with answering math questions. In addition, it introduces kids to fact families, basic problem-solving, the notion of equivalence and mental math. Once kids know the answers to math problems, they maneuver the character on the screen to blast the problem away. The game provides automatic progress reports to help boost kids' confidence and encourage progress. It recently won an iParenting Media Award and was named one of the 100 Best Children’s Products of 2006 by Dr. Toy. Math Blaster Master the Basics “helps kids reach their potential by uniquely delivering state-standard math content in an engaging and exciting video game format,” Colwin Chan, marketing manager of Knowledge Adventure, told TDmonthly.
Blue's Clues Colors, Shapes and Opposites Workbook by LEARNING HORIZONS
The Blue’s Clues Colors, Shapes and Opposites Workbook provides children a great way to learn educational concepts in an environment that’s familiar and enjoyable. This workbook targets children in preschool and kindergarten, and contains 32 full-color pages that help children learn color recognition, opposites, counting, visual discrimination, shape recognition and patterns.
Brooks Pond’s award-winning Carrier Cover slips come in a variety of fabrics and colors and cover any front-infant carrier, keeping babies warm in the coldest weather. An integrated hood provides extra protection, and the length is adjustable. Side pockets and a zip pouch for keys and wallets allow parents to stay active and share the outdoors with their little ones. A signature product in the Brooks Pond collection, the cover also fits car seats and strollers, making it an excellent value. The MSRP is $65 to $145.
Soccer Edge Bungee Cord Soccer Trainer by SoccerEdge
This easy to set up bungee cord soccer training aid is a great tool for solo training. When kicked, the ball bounces right back. Kids can practice free kicks, corner kicks, penalty kicks, goal kicks and even throw in’s. It can increase shot power and improve the weaker foot. It includes a Corkscrew Stake, a 10-foot bungee cord and a net to hold all sizes of soccer balls. Now, with the Bungee Handle, SoccerEdge allows a player to practice both ball control skills and shooting skills using the same training tool. SoccerEdge is the total soccer trainer.It also includes a new Bungee Belt that allows athletes to practice in indoor facilities as well. This product was named a 2006 iParenting Media Award Excellent Product.
Roll ’n Multiply, the game of multiplication, strategy and fun, assists younger children in basic multiplication skills and challenges players who are proficient in multiplication. The game’s unique 10-sided dice enable students to multiply as high as 100. Simply roll the dice, and with the help of the multiplication table and the opposing player, multiply the numbers together. Corresponding game pieces are then strategically placed on the playing board. Four in a row wins the game — but watch out! A playing piece may be captured and flipped to the other side. For novice students, winning depends on luck and strategy. Students who are more advanced in math challenge each others' strategies and multiplication skills and assist beginning players. “This award-winning strategy math game comes with unique 10-sided dice and double-sided playing pieces; the concept of flipping and moving the playing pieces to get 4 in a row brings so much excitement for the children, they enjoy themselves and do not realize that they are actually getting practice with skills,” Katy Tee of Emines told TDmonthly.
The Witty Bit World Alphabet CD uses character, rhythm and stories to educate and entertain. Witty Bit World applies a nontraditional and highly effective approach to teaching the alphabet and phonics. The focus is on kindergarten preparedness with a collection of 26 fun stories, songs and jingles. The variety of musical styles, with everything from pop to ballad, keeps children of all ages completely entertained while learning.
Koala Brothers Outback Adventures is an action adventure game for the preschool audience. Kids take on the role of all the different characters from the popular Koala Brothers TV series. They can help the brothers find George’s lost mail or jump around as Josie the Kangaroo, searching for Mitzi. They can even play a tennis match with Archie or help Lolly serve ice cream from her ice cream van on a warm day.
HandySitt Wooden Booster seats are a new, stylish and compact alternative to everyday high chairs. Manufactured in Denmark, the unique combination of beech wood and steel make them durable and innovative. The seats easily fit onto most chairs, making them versatile and allowing the child to sit at the table with the rest of the family. These booster seats fold flat and are fully portable making them ideal for traveling, restaurants and home alike. They are appropriate for kids 7 months to 4 1/2 years.
Little architects will find creative inspiration in a jar! The new clear storage format contains a versatile mix of roof tiles, doors, windows and bricks which are complemented by the reintroduction of LEGO trees and flowers to create houses — from small cottages to big mansions. The jar with lid makes clean up fun and easy and helps keep all of the 233 pieces in one place. — “Any LEGO product, I can't keep them on the shelf,” said Warren Brown, owner of French’s Toy Shop in Concord, N.H. “It has a wide age-range and has universal appeal,” pointed out Joseph Baiocco, manager of Big Top of Scarsdale, in N.Y. — LEGO products can be "low cost items that can easily add to other LEGO creations or be used alone," Angel Stahl, owner of Angel’s Toy Barn in Greensburg, Pa., told TDmonthly. — TDmonthly recently spoke with with Michael McNally, the Director of LEGO Brand Relations, who said, "The entire LEGO Creator Classic Building Line got a new twist this year with several sets designed to offer unique collections of LEGO bricks and elements to help young builders create the cars, homes, and buildings they see throughout their every day."
This CD, winner of both the 2006 Creative Child Magazine and 2006 iParenting awards, is a compilation of all of the musical duo ZunZun's songs about water. The 12-song world beat CD features such topics as watershed, water conservation, waves, rivers and water legends. A true celebration of our water planet, this CD features over 25 folkloric instruments from around the world and highlights ZunZun's beautiful harmonies, humor and danceable beats. Three songs are bilingual Spanish/English. It is both educational and high-energy fun for all ages.
School Rules! CD Volume 1 by SOCIAL SKILL BUILDER INC.
Engaging real-life onscreen videos teach social awareness and the unwritten rules of peer relations and acceptable behavior in the difficult middle to high school years. All Social Skill Builder programs include an easy to use lesson plan to customize the video sequences shown for each student. These lesson plans also include predeveloped lesson plans that emphasize items like exclusively positive behaviors, peer-interaction scenes, problem solving scenes and more. Each of these programs includes seven complexity levels and over 350 videos to target a broad range of abilities. All levels include the ability to earn energy points that result in a fun motivating computer game. Both volumes target individuals with a cognitive age of 8 to 18 years. These programs are both Macintosh and IBM PC compatible.
