From colorful paper constructions to useful items for babies and toddlers, the products in TDmonthly Magazine's Staff Picks this month offer fun ways to decorate, educate and play. If you have more time for research, click on over to our Notable & New Toys articles, where you can find products in more than 90 categories, including American-made, Eco-friendly and Wooden Toys.
Kissaluv’s Organic Fitted Kissa’s share the same features of the fitted diapers, with the addition of a snap-in soaker. Organic cotton and natural hemp make the diaper ultra-absorbent, anti-bacterial and super-soft. With superb fabric that brings the goodness of organic cotton and the durability of hemp fibers, super-trim design, yet very absorbent, elasticized leg and back openings, sturdy plastic snap closures, and overlapping wings to ensure a good fit for skinny and chubby babies alike.
This combo garden and playset gives girls the opportunity to grow a Lilly Bloom and Jasmine Fern while also utilizing the main flower as an enchanting doll house. The set comes with two dolls, two seed packets and 20 accessories.
This kit comes with 12 tropical paper animals that can be assembled for play by cutting, folding and pasting. It includes an instruction guide and scoring tool.
This origami kit comes with 16 sheets of metallic gold paper and 16 sheets of red- and gold-toned, multicolor paper. When completed, the star has 20 points and measures approximately 6" in diameter.
The Ultimate Kits cover everything from teaching children about the potty to using an insert on an adult toilet. Its packed full of rewards and is perfect for first-time parents or parents experiencing difficulties with toilet training. The kit includes the entire Toot range: Toot potty, Toot toilet-seat insert, Toot reward board and magical heat-sensitive potty sticker, Toot coloring set (includes badges, stickers, post cards, pencils and Toilet Training Certificate), two Toot toilet paper rolls, Toot toilet training balls
In this challenging game for two or more players, each participant is given five words on a card and must form a story using them in just a minute and a half. The first player to get to 300 points wins. Launch date: 2008.
Indie Girl by ORANGE AVENUE PUBLISHING AND ZEST BOOKS
This 136-page paperback written by filmmakers Arne Johnson and Karen Macklin guides readers from concept to reality with professional advice on nine exciting projects, including filming a TV show, starting a fashion company, and putting on a play. Featured sections include Tricks of the Trade, Insider Tips, Who's on Board? and more. Launch date: April 2008.
This album, dubbed a "14-track ode to childhood wonder," blends bluegrass, classical symphonic sounds and Indie charm. In addition to providing the primary vocals, artist Danielle Sansone plays piano and acoustic guitar for this collection of love songs that includes "Bed of Roses," "Whisper" and "There is You." Launch date: 2008.
From the Simple Machines Series, this natural wood cherry-picker mimics the principles used to work the real thing, but uses water in place of hydraulic fluid. It teaches kids about levels and parallel linkages and is easy to construct (glue included).
The Original djubi™ by ALIQUANTUM INTERNATIONAL INC
djubi™ (pronounced joo-bee) is played with specially designed racquets and a distinctive ball called “the djubi”. To play, place the rubber loop over the launch hook, pull back and aim. When the ball is released it flies through the air at varying degrees of speed, distance and height, depending on the launch trajectory. The djubi is then snagged out of the sky in the deep racquet pocket. Playing djubi undoubtedly will take the tried-and-true game of catch to a cool, new level of fun and excitement for all. See video of djubi in action at djubi.com. — Christine Osborne, owner of Wonder Works in Charleston, S.C., told TDmonthly in March 2010 that her store sells 36 units per month of the djubi. — In a March 2012 survey, John Taylor, owner of O.P Taylor's in Brevard, N.C., told TDmonthly that the djubi was one of his best selling outdoor toys.
Groovy Tube Book™: Knights and Castles by INNOVATIVEKIDS
Was King Arthur real? What were the coolest weapons that knights carried? How were castles built? And what was the best way to capture one? Kids will learn the answers to these questions along with countless other facts in this fascinating introduction to the world of medieval knights and castles. It includes 16 custom chess pieces, a 24-page fact-book and two games: Chess and Capture the Castle. Launch date: September 2008.
"Schoenhut's Humpty Dumpty Circus" Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle by LIBERTY PUZZLES
This large-size, classic wooden jigsaw puzzle, measuring 13" x 19", includes 479 pieces. Heirloom quality puzzle featuring dozens of circus-related and other figural pieces. Box cover image is taken from an early 20th Century toy set. Hours of fun for the entire family!
This 32-page hardcover book written and illustrated by Matt Hammill mixes fantasy and reality, imaginatively pulling readers into two worlds as they wonder whether that sound, for example, was simply an alarm clock ... or the buzz of a carnivorous beetle. Launch date: 2008.
This baby photo album holds 41 4" x 6" landscape photographs. Each photograph frame is double layered, like a small book, allowing for two photographs to be inserted into each one. The top photograph when lifted reveals the one beneath it, and waiting inside each frame are little hidden surprise pop-ups.
With a name describing one's own appearance, k9 kritters Starbelly Stripes feature durable 100 percent cotton rope appendages and plush body. This toy also features a high-pitch squeaker for added enjoyment or to quickly get your dog's attention. Size: 7 inch.
Paci-Plushies® are an extraordinary new pacifier holder that connects popular name brand infant pacifiers with a super-soft and light plush toy using a patent-pending flexible Hug Ring™. Paci-Plushies® are the answer a common problem: the all too often missing pacifier. When a Paci-Plushie® is attached to Baby's pacifier, the pacifier becomes easy for both Mom and Baby to find. Pacifers are fully removable allowing for proper sanitation of both the pacifier and plush toy. Paci-Plushies® are compatible with over 200 varieties of name brand pacifiers allowing for ultimate usability and versatility.
Hyperspace, the final frontier. Think of this as a mental spaceship that will help you project your consciousness straight into the fourth dimension. The first Hyperdo ever built took over two years to construct. Measuring 14" (35cm) in diameter, this 120-cell model will take a lot less time, but you still won't want to take it apart.
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
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
