It's not easy deciding which toys and games deserve the most prestigious of TDmonthly Magazine's awards. Research over the past year — and more intensively over months of evaluating submissions and nominations for Positive Toys for a Promising Future: TDmonthly's 2008 Report on Specialty Toys— has led us to a group of products we are proud to say now carry the title "TDmonthly Top Toy!" (see 2007's Top Toy awards).
These products in particular are lauded for a combination of coveted qualities that include the following: superior design and materials, safety, excellent play value, innovation in the way the product is conceived and executed, strong sales potential, and environmental and/or social consciousness.
Players attempt to position all five of their playing pieces on the playing field, while blocking their opponents’ attempts to do the same. No same colored pieces may touch or stand on the same side or edge; at the same time, no two pieces of the same height can be positioned next to each other. The game is available in four languages. Awards: TDmonthly Top Toy 2008. Launch date: 2008.
The Potty Monkey is designed to make potty training fun for ages 18 months to 7. It comes complete with a plush monkey, a toilet that makes real flushing sounds, a timer that can be set to 30 or 90 minutes, a diaper, underwear, a certificate of completion, a book for children by Dana C. Smith and Denise McClure titled “Monkey Learns to Potty,” and a guidebook for parents called “The Potty Trainer” by D. Preston Smith. Potty Monkey asks to use the toilet, based on the timer setting, helping kids develop a healthy routine. “What sets us apart is the fact that this is a potty-training system focusing on education,” Jennifer E. Marma, director of PottyMD, told TDmonthly. Launch date: January 29, 2007. Read Review
This bright, poseable dragon measures 20” and is made of a soft, rubbery material. — Although she carries a lot of animals by Safari Ltd., Owner Gillian Fetz of The Learning Tree in Missoula, Mont., plans to supplement her display with larger figurines — dragons, dinosaurs and elephants — in this line of “lightweight, kind of squishy animals.”
This 40-page science book and materials kit includes eight major activities that transform the study of central concepts of molecular biology into child's play. Kids can extract DNA from a fruit, probe and spool real DNA, build a double helix model, solve a chromosome puzzle (Is it a boy or a girl?) and play a gene construction game. A more advanced version is available for appropriate markets. Awards: TDmonthly Top Toy 2008. Launch date: 2008.
ZipBin Softie Wheelie looks like and is shaped like a mag wheel and opens to reveal a side-by-side race track. The set’s play surface includes a garage area, a winner’s circle and a 12-car built-in parking garage. The set also features two, sturdy die-cast sports cars and a wipe-clean surface. Launch date: January 2008. This product was previously catalogued under the name ZipBin® Softie™ Wheelie™ (changed January 2009). — This is “from Neat-Oh! International LLC, whose innovative line of ZipBin products has won 11 awards for product excellence,” Neat-Oh! International LLC Director of Marketing Gerry Linda told TDmonthly.
Kids will learn how to cook simple, yet delicious Mexican dishes, while learning about the vibrant Mexican culture. Each book is packaged in a tortilla bag with an oven mitt. "Ingredients and utensils are translated in the intro so kid chefs get to learn Spanish," Handstand Kids Founder Yvette Garfield told TDmonthly. Awards: TDmonthly Top Toy 2008. Launch date: May 5, 2008.
This two-player, high-quality card game offers head-to-head fun as players take calculated risks to win sets by forcing their opponent to "bust." Yet, players must also play their cards defensively at the right time, or the tables will turn. The player who wins the most sets wins the game. Sixteen is easy to learn, while cribbage-like counting and a distinctive combination of cards yield high strategy and replay value. Playing time is about 15 minutes. Sixteen won the Dr. Toy 2007 Best Products Award, the Major Fun Family Award and the Creative Child Magazine Seal of Excellence Award. MSRP: $6.99 to $9.99. Launch date: July 2007.
These new construction/craft kits from Überstix take the company's commitment to recycling one step further. To complete the working ÜBERSTIX PirateShip™ or ÜBERFO™, one must collect a list of recyclable components from an included Scavenger List. Building the PirateShip, for example, requires ice cream sticks, a plastic water bottle, cups, a rubber band, a plastic bag for the sail, and tape. The ÜBERFO is easy to build and fun to fly. — "The Scavenger Kits reward children in two ways," Uberstix Founder Dane Scarborough told TDmonthly. "First, they get to build a working model they can actually play with. Second, they can build bigger objects because they add to them with materials they find."
In this third Xeko mission, two players must work to protect the islands of Indonesia. Along the way, via cards featuring animals with endangered, rare and common status, they will meet creatures unique to that region of the earth. The crate packaging, made of sustainably farmed pine wood from New Zealand, holds 41 cards, a playmat/eco-map, giant learn-to-play cards and two limited-edition sketch cards. Launch date: September 2007.
Baby Deglingos - Milkos the Cow by GEARED FOR IMAGINATION
This soft friend for babies has just as much crazy character as the large plush Deglingos. It measures 8.5" high and features a flattened design so it's easy for little ones to hug and tote around. Launch date: February 2008.
Dolphins are playful, have individual personalities and adapt well to humans, making them a popular sea mammal to kids and adults alike, making for a very enjoyable Scramble Squares® Puzzle.
Scaredy’s idea of the beach consists of a faux set-up under his nut tree, with an inflatable pool, fake beach scenery and a plastic flamingo. But a visit to the real beach is tempting. Will his No. 65 sunscreen offer enough protection?
This is a fun and portable tile game in which players simultaneously build an inner maze and an outer wall. Players try to position themselves to be the first to exit the maze once the exit tile has been played. A round can be played in 15 minutes, or players can decrease the influence of lucky maze-tile drawing by playing multiple rounds. The rules can be learned in two minutes, but there are lots of strategies. The “compact box size is great for portability and can easily challenge a variety of ages for any time, up to two hours,” CEO Mark Salzwedel of Strategic Space told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2007.
The instrument measures 29"L x 17"W x 26"H and consists of 11 color-band coded aluminum tubes. It features a G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C tuning system, red finish wood, blue power-coated steel legs, two mallets, a songbook and a white gift box with a four-color label. Minimal assembly is required.
This seven-piece starter set includes a doll, five outfits and an embroidered carrying case. Each outfit has a Velcro backing so that children can dress the doll with just a press of the fingers. “The Press 'n Dress set engages the young child’s imagination even before their small motor skills develop,” May Grant of Pockets of Learning told TDmonthly. Awards: TDmonthly Top Toy 2008. Launch date: January 2007.
This game of deductive reasoning involves life-like candy play pieces. Players examine all the clues on the cards before making a move. Once they discover where to put a chocolate piece, they combine this knowledge with the clues to learn more information. Some clues give exact or possible locations, while others just give you the token color or shape. Narrow down all of the possibilities to fill each candy assortment. Challenges range from beginner to expert. Awards: TDmonthly Top Toy 2008.
Writer's Bio: Julie L. Jones has written articles for both newspapers and magazines. Before joining the staff of TDmonthly Magazine, she worked as a communications writer and provided editorial support for a market research company. Read more articles by this author
It's not easy deciding which toys and games deserve the most prestigious of TDmonthly Magazine's awards. Research over the past year — and more intensively over months of evaluating submissions and nominations for Positive Toys for a Promising Future: TDmonthly's 2008 Report on Specialty Toys— has led us to a group of products we are proud to say now carry the title "TDmonthly Top Toy!" (see 2007's Top Toy awards).
Writer's Bio: Julie L. Jones has written articles for both newspapers and magazines. Before joining the staff of TDmonthly Magazine, she worked as a communications writer and provided editorial support for a market research company. Read more articles by this author
