TDmonthly Magazine brings you highlights on the most exciting toys, games and gifts at the show, researching hundreds of booths and pinpointing the items that are most likely to be solid matches for specialty stores.
These small, sparkling fairies can be guided around via a magic wand and seem to magically flutter and float in the air. There are three characters: Daria, Eva and Alexa. A demo DVD is also available. Launch date: February 2009.
Complete with capital letter tiles featuring various designs (dots, lines, blank and solid), this game comes packaged in a zip-open, pear-shaped pouch with a hanging rope (stem) at the top. It is designed to help kids work on cognitive skills and memory, as well as the order of the alphabet, vocabulary and rhyming as they practice forming words. Launch date: February 2009.
The Sun Moon Star drum from Jamtown is a percussion instrument with three lightweight drum heads along a dowel, each playing a different tone and painted with a corresponding symbol. More than a simple pounding instrument, the Sun Moon Star drum is a tool for various kinds of musical exploration as one or two players can invent complex, interacting rhythms. The included DVD guide brings these lessons and games to classrooms and families with play along tracks, activity ideas, and information about traditional African rhythms. Comes with drum, DVD, and two mallets. Awards: Parent's Choice Award 2010. Launch Date: 2009 (available)
Uniting environmentally conscious manufacturing with environmentally conscious characters, Global Green Pals has created a line of dolls for boys and girls that make environmental issues accessible to children. Made from organic cotton with detailed clothing and stitched faces, the 12" dolls each have a theme that they are passionate about. Pink Coral Laurel is concerned with the health of the beautiful marine ecosystems of her home in Australia. She comes with a pink swimsuit, flippers, and snorkel along with her story and green living tips tailored for children. Available for delivery: August 2009 Launch Date: May 2009
An ant farm and an art project! An elegant acrylic case shipped with a multi-colored filling made with finely ground glass, the ant farm starts like a sand sculpture. Children can design their ant habitat by carefully pouring the colors into layers and hills. Detailed instructions are included on how to infuse the sand with sugar water while sending away from the ants. After the ants are added, the ant farm becomes self-sustaining, requiring no further feeding. Then, as the ants tunnel and build their home inside the ant farm, they alter the sand sculpture, piling the colored sand on top where they have been digging. Comes with habitat, special building sand in five colors, facts and instructions booklet, zoom lens, and mail-in coupon for ants. Launch Date: 2009
Whimsical eebee characterizes the line eebee's Adventures from Little Little Little, a system of toys, books, and DVDs aimed toward stimulating and educating babies and their parents. Bright colored and ultra soft, Snuggle Time eebee is a combination plush toy, puppet, and security blanket with various textures and knotted ends for easy grabbing or teething.
Made from sustainable, domestically grown hard maple and manufactured by a company-owned facility in St. Paul, Minn., these shape sorters come in two styles. One has two same-sized posts that slide through a large unit block; the other features the base unit with two sunken wells to fit differently-sized posts for matching. Both are natural wood with no surface finishes or coatings and smooth-sanded edges that are safe and comfortable for baby. Both sets can be integrated into a larger set of Beka unit blocks later for added play value.
Super Zeroes Zebu the Zebra by GEARED FOR IMAGINATION
Animal character plush from All New Materials, the Super Zeroes are bright colored super-soft friends with a unique, simple personality trait. These caped characters each have a super power – Zebu's is his talent for hiding – but they also have a challenge, in Zebu's case that he always gets lost. The Super Zeroes and their stories encourage the exploration of those things that really shine, but also not to be ashamed of something that might seem a little scary or difficult. Launch Date: March 2009
This tiny playset comes with a storybook and three moose - mom, dad and baby - that are soft and poseable. It also includes a tent, and is part of a collection featuring various animal characters and themed sets.
This soft, plush bear holds a blanket and comes with a sound box that provides a real recording of the sound inside a mother's womb as well as ocean noises and lullabies designed to comfort babies. The oval sound box can be tucked into the back of the bear or hung from a child's crib. Launch date: February 2009.
TRIVIATHON... fast-paced trivia for smart AND stupid people! Triviathon will have players singing, dancing, arm wrestling, cheering, cheating, and more as they compete in a game that puts each player's cognitive, physical, and social skills to the test, while they try to win a race moving at speeds of 0, 1, 2, or 3 spaces based on trivia questions they don’t even have to know the answers to. Made in the USA, this game is designed for 2 to 12 players. Triviathon has received the following awards: Creative Child Magazine’s 2009 Game of the Year; PTPA Media 2009; iParenting Media Award 2009; The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval 2009, NAPPA Honors 2009; and Dr. Toy's 100 Best Children's Products 2009. — "A trivia game that you can win without having to know the answers. Now some of us might agree that that is our kind of trivia game. Super fun and fast paced. A great choice for family game night. My own children are going to love this game!!" Jennifer Shuman, of 1SmartNoodle, told TDmonthly at Toy Fair 2010.
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
