At Jillie Beans Toys & More in Westminster, Colo., a knowledgeable staff is ready to help choose the perfect item for every taste. Owner Valerie Elsea told TDmonthly Magazine what 10 products customers have been taking home the most.
Iwako Japanese Puzzle Erasers - Animals by BC INDUSTRIES
These animal erasers have removable puzzle parts so they can be taken off and reassembled. The animal collection includes elephants, panda bears, a giraffe, a cow and a pig. — "Over the course of the last year, it was 500 to 1,000 units per week," Gage Brownell of Belmont Toys in Belmont, Mass., told TDmonthly in March 2010 about his store's sales of Iwako erasers. — BC USA Erasers were on the top-10 best-seller list at Jillie Beans Toys & More in Westminster, Colo., in April 2010, reported Owner Valerie Elsea. “Tweeny girls and boys love them and they are easy to collect,” she told TDmonthly. “They’ve been selling well since the fall of [2009].” — Gwen Bowden, manager of Doodlehopper 4 Kids in Springfield, Va., told TDmonthly in a Summer 2011 survey that her best-selling collectibles are "Japanese erasers. We sell some every day - about 100 per month."
Made in Italy of high-quality latex-free vinyl, Rody is a classic riding toy that lets kids exercise while having fun. It's for children ages 3 and up, with adult supervision. — “This is one of the best toys for a 2-year-old,” reported Valerie Elsea, owner of Jillie Beans Toys & More in Westminster, Colo., in spring 2010. She reported that Rodys were on the store’s best seller list, and had been since the store opened in November 2006.
It’s “all aboard!” for this toy. The train is leaving the station to have plenty of kiddie passengers. The 15 interchangeable brightly colored pieces let kids design their own cars. It measures 17" x 3" x 6". — This train moves off the shelves for Kim Walter, manager of Giggles in Stoughton, Wis. She told TDmonthly, “People seem to love all the vehicles in this line.” — “That’s one of our best selling items,” said Susan Waterstreet of Tree Top Kids in Washington, D.C. “We also now have a jumbo version; they’re fabulous sellers for kids 2 and up.” — This toy is a steady seller at Be Beep A Toy Shop in Columbia, S.C. — Since Jillie Beans Toys & More opened in Westminster, Colo., in fall 2006, Melissa & Doug’s Stacking Train has been a consistently strong seller, Owner Valerie Elsea told TDmonthly in April 2010.
Stomp on the launch pad and a blast of air propels the Ultra Stomp Rocket over 200' in the air. The kit contains four rockets with the OG-1 Nosecone. “We are the original creator. Stomp Rockets started the "stompin' revolution," Cynthia Peeks of D&L Co. told TDmonthly, stressing that Stomp Rockets are known for their name, quality and safety. Awards: TDmonthly Top Seller 2008; iParenting Media, iParenting Hot; Dr. Toy Best Children´s Vacation Toy. — Retailers surveyed by TDmonthly have been naming Ultra Stomp Rocket as a best-seller since 2006. — Four of 45 retailers who spoke to TDmonthly in summer 2007 said the Stomp Rocket's success makes it a choice gift, reporting unit sales figures from four to dozens a month. Nine percent of 66 retailers named the Stomp Rocket as a best-selling gift for boys in July 2008. "We sell about 75 a month," Marilyn Walker, owner of Play Fair Toys in Boulder, Colo., told TDmonthly in early 2009. Thirteen percent of 47 retailers told TDmonthly in June 2009 that Stomp Rockets are a best seller for boys. “It's probably been the dang Stomp Rocket for about 15 years now. They just fly out,” Tye Steinbach, owner of Thinker Toys in Portland, Ore., said when asked about his most popular outdoor toy. Nine of 37 retailers named Stomp Rockets as a best-selling outdoor item in spring 2010. — Despite multiple complaints about its durability, the Ultra Stomp Rocket received an average of 4.5 stars among 217 Amazon.com customers for being fun for all ages and pleasantly surprising when it comes to the distance the rockets can be launched. The toy is best used in open areas. Rockets are easy to lose and break, but refills are easy and cheap to find! (12.17.2012)
Girls can create four fabulous butterflies by following the numbered pattern. The kit includes four shaped templates, four plastic hangers, and more than 1,900 foam and jewel pieces. Launch date: March 15, 2010. — Sticky Mosaics have been consistent best sellers at Jillie Beans Toys & More in Westminster, Colo., since the store started carrying them in fall 2009. “These are just fun,” said Owner Valerie Elsea in April 2010. “Parents say that their kids are so engaged when they are doing this craft. Any and all are great!”
This open-ended building set introduces kids to the spatial world of angles, color association and unlimited geometric design. With large components, this toddler-safe product offers the same open-ended fun kids find while building with WEDGITS Junior and Deluxe sets. The geometric shapes nest, and each set contains 15 pieces of primary-colored building blocks that can be configured in virtually unlimited configurations. The Starter Set is compatible with all other WEDGITS sets. — “You can start very young with these,” said Patty Tepper-Rasmussen of Learning Tree in Oklahoma City, Okla. She sells approximately 10 to 12 WEDGITS sets each month. Idanna Smith of Juggles in Wakefield, R.I., named WEDGITS as a top seller in her store. — “We came up with the starter set to meet the concerns of parents of toddlers regarding choking hazards. The pieces are big, so that all kids in the family can play with them without worrying about the littlest ones,” Rob McKinley, vice-president of sales and marketing for Imagability, told TDmonthly. — The simple, open-ended play afforded by Wedgits makes it a favorite at toy stores and earned it a TDmonthly Top Seller 2007 award. — Jillie Beans Toys & More in Westminster, Colo., has carried Wedgits, a consistent best seller, since the store’s opening in 2006. “These are an educational toy and parents love that they start at age 1 and you can continue using the early sets even as the child grows older,” reported Storeowner Valerie Elsea in April 2010.
This 175-piece set includes 12 large gears and step-by-step plans to build seven wacky models, including a crazy clock, a geared-down Ferris wheel and a car that drills. It comes in an 8” by 15” canister. Launch date: June 2007. — “This sells great in our store,” reported Valerie Elsea, owner of Jillie Beans Toys & More in Westminster, Colo., in spring 2010. “Parents like that we are supporting a local business, since the inventor, David McCloskey, is from the town just a few miles north of our store. David comes to the store for play days in the summer and the kids love this great building toy.” The store has carried Superstructs since it opened in November 2006.
Kids can paint with sweeping gestures when they use this generous-sized easel. One side is a chalkboard, the other´s a dry-erase board. Load a piece of paper into the paper holder and kids can paint and scribble to their heart’s content. Each side of the easel features a colorful tray that can hold paints, cups, chalk, erasers, clips and more. “Our Deluxe Easel has become one of our best-selling items because of its great value, high-quality construction and versatility,” said Rick Davis, part of the marketing team at Melissa & Doug. It has two adjustable boards that allow children of all sizes to enjoy painting and creating, and the easy-to-clean trays are removable in seconds.” — This product has been making the TDmonthly Best-sellers lists since 2005. — As of 1.06.2011 this product had 4.5 out of 5 stars from 647 reviews on Amazon.com and was No. 18 on the top 100 bestselling toys and games. Pros: Double Sided; easy to clean. Cons: Supplies must be purchased separately. — "The Melissa & Doug Easel, hands-down, beats everything in terms of dollars. It's well-made and good value," was the praise given by David Campbell, owner of Amazing Toys in Great Falls, Mont. — “Our easel, from Melissa & Doug, just blows out of here,” said Nishan Shepard, owner of Rockridge Kids in Oakland, Calif., in early 2010. — Seven of 48 retailers named the easel as their top-selling art item in January 2010, reporting average sales of three per month. — This easel has been a consistent best seller for Jillie Beans Toys & More of Westminster, Colo., since the store opened in 2006. (April 2010)
Rub-a-Dub Color Your Tub Fizzy Tints by ALEX BRANDS
Kids can turn ordinary bath water into a tub of colorful fun. The primary colored tablets (50 each in red, blue and yellow) can be mixed and matched to create all the colors of the rainbow. There are enough tablets for more than 50 colorful baths. — These bath tints have been a consistent good seller at Jillie Beans Toys & More in Westminster, Col., since the store opened in fall 2006. “Kids love that they change the water and can make different colors by blending,” said Owner Valerie Elsea in April 2010.
Writer's Bio: Brenda Ruggiero is a freelance writer from western Maryland. Read more articles by this author
