If you didn't make it to Toy Fair, or are still deciding what to order, don't worry: You haven't missed out on Show Specials yet! TDmonthly Magazine gathered show specials for you in one video. In three minutes, you'll find about free demos, free displays, free shipping and lots of discounts. Watch the video to the left to hear about the specials straight from the vendors.
Most of these offers have a time limit, so you need to order quickly. Also, please be sure to verify the offers with the vendors before ordering. Some offers have already expired, as of March 1, 2009.
You can read more about the individual products and companies below:
Wise Alec is the new highly interactive party and family fun game from Griddly Games. The game is entertaining as well as educational and is tailor-made for family game nights. Wise Alec is filled with challenging questions for the young and old. This stimulating trivia game takes you back to everything you learned in grade school. With over 1,000 questions covering a wide range of interesting topics like history, science and spelling, this game is guaranteed to entertain time and time again. Each card features both easy and hard questions – great for leveling the playing field between big and little kids. The second edition of Wise Alec features updated questions, new packaging and a new game board.
My Smart Budget is a fun, parent-child interactive financial literacy program that trains kids as young as 8 to become Money Wise for Life™. Kids CREATE their budget; DECIDE to spend, save, share or invest; MANAGE their activity; and TRACK their results. Parents CREATE the budget; FUND the budget monthly; DELEGATE management and STAND BY to help. Professionally designed by Day Timer, the kits includes everything needed to get started. "Just like an adult, kids get to manage a real budget on expenses that are all about them while still under the tutelage of the parent. Well beyond an allowance program, the expenses the parent incurs for the child are delegated to the child to manage. No more kids asking for money everytime they want something. No more worried parents when they send their child off as a young adult," Creator Danielle Aguiar told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 2008.
Made with high-quality blue board that gives the puzzle edges a finished look, this 399-piece family jigsaw puzzle completes to 17.25" X 26.5". It is made in the USA with 100-percent recycled fibers, soy-based inks, water-based coating and recyclable bagging material. With the family puzzles, children work from the side of the puzzle with the large pieces while adults work from the side with the small pieces. They meet in the middle when the puzzle is complete. Launch date: January 20, 2009.
This is the first trivia game players can win without knowing any trivia. Everyone writes guesses to fun questions, and then places the guesses face-up on a betting mat. Players then bet on who has the answer that is closest to the correct answer. Players can bet on their own guesses, or the guesses of other players. Launch date: January 2008.
Claim the most precious gems and build your fortune. Roll the dice, move your pawns by following the patterns on the dice, and capture your gems. You finally land on a diamond, a ruby and two emeralds. But now you must keep them from being taken by another player. You must roll a “GEMLOK” to make them yours to keep (when rolling GEMLOK, flip your pawn over to display the “GEMLOK” symbol and lock your pawn - hopefully onto a high value gem). Each player attempts to capture the highest value gems with their eight pawns, and will compete with other player’s strategies before securing their fortune. Players attempt to bump their opponent’s “unlocked” pawns, claim their gems, and send them up to three spaces away from the high value gems. Players may also bump themselves in a strategic move, up to three spaces onto a higher value gem. The player with the highest total value of gems wins. Game play 25-35 minutes. Winner of Mensa Select, GAMES100, Creative Child Family Strategy Game of the Year, Canadian Toy Testing Council “Best Bet Award”, iParenting Outstanding Product Award and Major Fun Thinking Award. Gemlok “is easy to learn, yet contains some nice strategy. It appeals to all ages and reaches very wide market demographics. Pywacket Games are always very high quality and heavily play tested before entering the consumer market,” President Donald Meyer told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 2007.
100 NEW CAMP Cards & 100 NEW FUN Facts for the Award winning CAMP board game. The new booster packs have a versatile packaging option for specialty retailers, where each deck stacks both horizontally and vertically for maximum shelf appeal. Keeping with the Education Outdoors, Inc. 'green' philosophy, a single label is used instead of a full card box. (P.O.P.'s come 6 per pack)
The HEXBUG Inchworm is the first Micro Robotic Creature in the HEXBUG line to feature a full-function IR remote control. Users drive the Inchworm forward, back, left and right. A and B control bands allow users to control two Inchworms at once or multiple Inchworms on the same band. The product features a unique crawling and pirouette motion around its center pod foot. "This unique HEXBUG Micro Robotic impulse item is offered in a five-pack impulse counter display with five-color variety assortment," Joel Carter, VP of marketing for Innovation First, told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 15, 2008. — The Inchworm has been a top seller at Pufferbellies in Staunton, Va., for at least a year, according to co-owner Susan Blanton in fall 2009. — The Hexbug Inchworm is a popular item at the Toy Shop of Concord in Concord, Mass., Owner David Hesel told TDmonthly in late 2009.
Circus Teethers help to alleviate teething discomfort by providing three surfaces and textures for biting. Furthermore, they fit snugly in a stylish carrying case for staying clean while on the go. Kids will enjoy the way the teethers feel on their sore gums as well as their interlocking play value. The modern parent will pick the Circus Teethers because they are made in the USA with medical grade materials and feature a unique design. Launch date: August 2008.
Tracksters - 06 Dodge Charger SRT8 Police car by 10VOX ENTERTAINMENT INC.
This high quality, 1:64-scale die-cast police car comes with a code that allows users to log onto the corresponding, interactive website. Once logged on, users get a garage and can fix up their cars and race them in the world of street racing, track racing and the dragstrip. The 06 Charger debuts in a limited edition. Launch date: February 2008.
Rue, The Monster of Insecurity by THE MONSTERS IN MY HEAD LLC
Rue, the irresistible Monster of Insecurity hides behind flowers because he thinks he's different. He doesn’t realize that his unusual features make him interesting. He thinks that his nose just doesn't "fit" with his shaggy hair, cheese curl ears and fluffy wings. How silly! What he needs is a little encouragement. Won't you tell him he is perfect just the way he is? Rue is a part of the The WorryWoo Monsters series that tackles complicated feelings and transforms them into quirky, loveable characters. Rue and "The Nose That Didn't Fit" won a 2009 Excellent Product Award from iParenting Media and the 2009 Toy of the Year Award (category: storybook and plush) from Creative Child Magazine, as well as a TDmonthly Top Toy Award 2009.
The Gryphon Games Bookshelf Series is a numbered collection of book-size games that will appeal to a wide array of players of all ages. The games in this series are of medium-weight strategy, featuring short, clear rules playable in under an hour. The first thing you’ll notice about the Gryphon Games Bookshelf Series is our emphasis on high-quality art and superior graphics and production values. The game play is always snappy and innovative. The themes are fun and interesting. Catch people on their way back to board games with the Gryphon Games Bookshelf Series. Since we are committed to adding no fewer than three games a year to this collectible series, it is sure to be the talk of the gaming community for years to come.
RE.STORE Eco-friendly banks by KING-MAX PRODUCTS INC.
Who knew saving waste can save money and the environment? These eco-friendly banks, recycled from paper, mud and glue, come in 13 wildlife and marine varieties. Kids can smash the bank once it's full; it's biodegradable and will decompose by itself, plus it doesn't leave any sharp edges. "It's the only recycled bank in the U.S. market ever featured, as of the moment. We are educating the kids to save up and, at the same time, care for the environment," Janelle Go-Lin, president of King-Max Products told TDmonthly. Launch date: January 2009.
Shains - Recycled Bracelet with 60 Elements by SHAINSWARE
Shains Bracelets are part of the Shains line of fashion accessories and an easy way to begin stylizing one's own fashion. Comes with the full alphabet and seven icons. Available in a variety of colors. Shains are cool, recycled fashion accessories that empower people of all ages to make their own statements — and change them anytime. "Shains are unique in using recycled materials and in their cool colors and new product selections, including unique ponytail holders and backpack keyclips," Owner Ewa Martinoff of Shainsware told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2008.
With a treehouse kit made from high-quality, extra durable cardboard, all pieces come precut and easy to assemble. The child can decorate this treehouse with paint, crafting materials and get very creative. After decorating and building it, the kids can play with it and incorporate it in their every day play. Ideal size for play with 3" dolls or animal figurines. The material is 100% recyclable. Approximate size is 15" x 16" x 22". Launch date: June 1, 2008.
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
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
