Wearing fairy wings is a thing of the past for most tweens, but that doesn't mean they won't use them to dress up their bedroom. These products encourage kids to decorate themselves and their surroundings.
mY DESIGN Paintable Boots Kit by mY DESIGN
This kit includes the following: a pair of boots with a paintable surface, six waterproof paint colors, 32 magical erasing pads, two paintbrushes, one mixing palette and a colorful instruction book.
Josie is a cute gold- and brown-spotted giraffe that will help give a cell phone attitude while also protecting it from damage. Fun Friends Plush Animal Cell Phone Covers are cute and stretch to fit most flip-style cell phones. Made of the highest quality fabrics and materials, these adorable plush cell phone covers are a great gift for family and friends. Soft to the touch, these creatures are the perfect accessory. Fun Friends products are hand-washable and should be line-dried.
CAKE Personalized Stepping Stones by DIC ENTERTAINMENT
This easy-to-use kit includes mosaic tiles, glass gems and hip stickers so that girls can create their own stepping stone for displays indoors or out. It is available at Wal-Mart. CAKE is inspired by the reality-based series airing on the Saturday programming block, “KEWLopolis on CBS.” Launch date: Q4 2007.
Encourage recycling and reusing by offering these design kits to your little and tween girl customers. The kits are great for craft or slumber parties, too. This toy is still in development and artwork may not reflect the final product.
Girls can use this styling wig to experiment with wild and fun hairstyles. Not only can they wear the wig, but they can even use the coloring on their own hair!
iGlow Special FX Body and Hair Gel by MG TECHNOLOGIES LLC
The product is a glow-in-the-dark gel that lasts for four to six hours without an external light source. The product is certified by the FDA to be safe for use on skin and hair, and can also be used on objects such as props or signs. Launch date: September 2007.
These ponytail holders look like pom-poms. They are great for dressing up stuffed animals, for wearing in one’s hair, for use as a gift bow, for use as a napkin ring and much more.
WallCandy Arts - Season Surface Graphics by NOTNEUTRAL
Each pack includes two 19” x 24” sheets of multi-colored colored tree, leaf, flower, bird and butterfly decals. These U.S.-made surface graphics are made for use on many surfaces, including walls and furniture. Launch date: November 2007. — “These decals are easy to apply to any clean, flat surface,” notNeutral Designer Chiaki Kanda told TDmonthly. “They are removable and re-usable and are an innovative and fun way to decorate any room instantly."
The table and chair set is inspired by the boomerang form. Both pieces are environmentally friendly, industrial grade, hygienic, waterproof and easy to clean. Adult assembly is required. The set is available in pre-finished Baltic Birch plywood and three vivid, candy-coated colors. Launch date: January 2004. — “These tables and chairs were originally designed for childcare centers and have been tried and tested,” notNeutral Designer Chiaki Kanda told TDmonthly. “Since their initial conception, the design has been simplified to a KD-version and is available in three painted styles.”
What Are Little Girls Made Of - Framed Creative Canvas by DISH & SPOON PRODUCTIONS LLC
Award-winning children's artist Janet White offers a rich watercolor interpretation of the classic nursery rhyme "What Are Little Girls Made Of" by extending her artistic palette into ballet. The richly detailed lithograph is laminated and mounted on a wooden board, and framed in a white bevel-edged wooden frame. The artwork's canvas-like texture is easy to clean, while the absence of glass makes the product safe for children. The frame measures 21-3/4"x17-3/4" and comes ready to hang with a wire hanger. Launch date: January 2008. — “Dish and Spoon Productions wall art is recognizable and highly sought after because of the incredible level of detail that goes into each rendering,” Joanne M. Wiberg, co-founder and chief executive officer of Dish and Spoon Productions LLC, told TDmonthly.
What Are Little Boys Made Of - Framed Creative Canvas by DISH & SPOON PRODUCTIONS LLC
The richly detailed lithograph is laminated and mounted on a wooden board, and framed in a white, bevel-edged wooden frame. The artwork's canvas-like texture is easy to clean, while the absence of glass makes the product safe for children. The frame measures 21-3/4"x17-3/4" and comes ready to hang with a wire hanger. Launch date: January 2008. — “Loved by children and parents alike, our sophisticated and whimsical wall art is a welcomed addition to a child's nursery, bedroom or family play area!” Joanne M. Wiberg, co-founder and chief executive officer of Dish and Spoon Productions LLC, told TDmonthly.
The book features detailed instructions and step-by-step illustrations for making seven different bracelets. The book comes with all the necessary supplies, including a bead loom, beading floss, needles and thousands of sparkling seed beads, bugle beads and specialty beads. The bead loom requires no assembly and collapses neatly for easy storage. Launch date: March 2008.
The E-Racer is part of the "bamboo collection", a line of fun, eco-friendly toys produced by HaPe. Children will be intrigued by the colors and design of the E-Racer while parents will appreciate the natural bamboo shape, water-based colors and sustainable materials. The E-Racer is naturally fun! Launch date: February 2008. — “It's made of eco-friendly bamboo, a highly sustainable, replenishable material,” Robin Lehnert of HaPe International told TDmonthly.
The wings of the whimsical Color Flutter Butterfly contain eight pockets to catch eight matching balls using the magnetic wand in this hand-held magnetic marble maze. There are no small loose parts because the balls stay put behind the wipe-clean Lucite cover. This maze is the perfect size for on-the-go fun and it stows easily in a bag or backpack. Launch date: February 2008. — “Use of the wand in tracing the balls is a healthy activity in developing pre-reading skills,” Robin Lehnert of HaPe International told TDmonthly.
Amusing faces and poses make Anamalz simply irresistible. The Australian-designed animals can be moved to look left, right and run or stand on their legs and perform. Each animal is made of renewable wood and textiles and are entirely environmentally-friendly and child safe. Launch date: February 2008. Awards: Dr. Toy 10 Best Creative Products for 2011; Dr. Toy 100 Best Children’s Products for 2011. — “No two pieces of Anamalz are the same, as each are handcrafted from grained wood, resulting in individual toys of character and originality,” Robin Lehnert of HaPe International told TDmonthly. “In addition, every animal also bears a unique code on the bottom of one of their feet, allowing the proud new owner to register the toy online, name the animals and print out a personal certificate.” THIS PRODUCT IS NO LONGER SOLD BY HAPE
This embroidered shirt comes with bold graphics and is hand-wrapped to look like a lollipop. The shirt is made from 100-percent combed cotton and features super-soft lined interiors, soft baby rib on heavy, durable weight (6.2 oz/square yard), reverse-cover-stitching, trims and side slits. More than 14 designs are available.
Writer's Bio: ALISON MAREK is an award-winning writer, director and cartoonist whose work has been published by Fairchild Publications and DC Comics (Piranha Press), broadcast on Showtime and other cable networks, and viewed worldwide in film festivals. See her short films and print work on www.alisonmarek.com. Watch her nefarious villains in the web series www.MuggsMovers.com. Get inspired by her cartoons "Daily ARFFirmations to Unleash Your Inner Fido" at www.ARFFirmations.com. Phew! And then ... Read more articles by this author