Tired of TV toys that break the next day? TDmonthly has compiled a series of alternative holiday shopping lists by age to take the guesswork out of finding unique, fun toys that let your little boy really play. Keep this page on your SmartPhone when you shop. Click on any item to learn more about it, or simply scroll to the end of the list —please be sure to double-check age recommendations:
No manufacturer paid to be included in this article. All products listed were designated by editorial staff without regard to the company's relationship with TOYDIRECTORY.com/TDmonthly Magazine.
Designed by a physician to assist in developing a child’s oral-motor alertness. The Busy Bee Baby Buzzer stimulates auditory senses with blinking lights and music. The bee gently vibrates and plays soothing and calming classical tunes. The bee’s soft ears are ideal for the orally-dependent child. The color buttons let caregiver or child select what they’d like to hear.
School's in session with the planet's favorite new kid in class - the Green Toys™ School Bus. Made in the USA from 100% recycled plastic milk containers that save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, this sturdy bus is ready to be loaded up for an earth-friendly ride to the classroom, a field trip, or whatever excursion little scholars see fit. The Green Toys School Bus goes to the head of the class for safety and eco-design, with no metal axels or external coatings. No BPA, PVC or phthalates. Packaged using only recycled and recyclable materials. "The Green Toys™ School Bus, like all Green Toys products, is made responsibly in the USA from 100% recycled plastic, and is still fun and appealing to youngsters of all ages," Cameron Passmore, marketing manager at Green Toys Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2011. — Bebe Feimster, manager of Big Smile Toys/Hardware Center in Paoli, Pa., told TDmonthly in a March 2015 survey that the Green Toys School Bus is one of their best-selling "green" toys.
Soft and snuggly organic cotton clutching toys will be a hit with mom and baby. Choose from an adorable blue Bob Burrow (bird), green Freddie Frog, or Lisa Long Ears. Each clutching toy is filled with Oeko-Tex Standard 100 polyester filling, which means they’re machine washable and hygienic. (Natural fillings don’t dry as well and are more prone to mold.) Approx. 5 ½” Launch date: 2011.
Carnegie Dinosaur Collectibles™ Carnotaurus by SAFARI LTD.®
Named for its 2 horns similar to those of a bull, this carnivore had extremely short arms, even shorter than those of the T-Rex. This Carnotaurus is in scale and was developed with the collaboration of paleontologists of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. This model is intricately hand-painted and is phthalate and lead free and thoroughly safety tested. The scale for this figure is 1:30 and measures approx. 1.75” tall. It includes educational information in 5 languages and is appropriate for ages 3+.
This Automoblox pack is designed to make playtime fun and creative. The Automoblox hot rod minis feature a universal connector system that enables the rapid interchange of parts, and are conveniently sized for on-the-go car design. The set includes a red/black HR1, a black/gray HRw and a red/chrome HR3. — Jeanette Lauture, owner of Aunt Jean’s Toys & Treats in Montclair, N.J., sells approximately 4 to 10 per month.
Kids can transform, configure, and manipulate Block Builders for endless building and perpetual design. Fold and unfold the six distinctively hinged blocks to create skyscrapers, modern art sculptures, geometric marvels - just about anything imaginable. Includes 50 puzzle challenge cards. Block Builders puzzle challenge cards range from beginner to expert. Look at the design on the front of the card and recreate the shape using the indicated number of blocks. The solution is provided in an exploded view on the opposite side of the card.
Includes 24 blue and turquoise magnetic rods & 20 chromed steel spheres. Magnetic rods combined with non-magnetic spheres transform into thousands of geometric forms. Awards: Dr. Toy 100 Best Products For Kids
Kids can send marbles down the wooden 99-piece Quadrilla Twist & Rail Set. Curved rails, straight rails, and a big twist make up this set. 50 marbles are included along with a cloth bag for safe storage. Awards: Dr. Toy's 10 Best Toys - 2011
Norev - GT by Citroen Hard Top Salon de Paris 2008 - 1:18 scale die-cast collectible model by TOY WONDERS INC.
181610 Norev - GT by Citroen Hard Top Salon de Paris 2008. 1:18 scale diecast collectible model. This GT by Citroen is a 10.25"L x 4.25"W x 2.25"H high die-cast metal car with openable doors. Sits on a display plaque. Item 181610 is in WHITE color. This GT by Citroen is manufactured by Norev. Individually packed in a window box. Box size: 12.75"L x 6.5"W x 5.75"H.
Zoob's sturdy snap-together pieces are joined with colorful, flexible foam pieces that allow children to customize and accessorize their creations in new ways. The 80 Zoob pieces come with more than 100 pre-cut foam shapes and 10 sheets of foam from which kids can cut their own pieces. Instructions are included for projects ranging from robots to rocking horses, but the kit is totally open ended, allowing young creators to design straight from their imaginations. Cons: Foam pieces tear too easily. ― “Zoob seems to appeal to a broader age range,” Amy Barrett, owner of Lasso the Moon Wonderful Toys in Helena, Mont., told TDmonthly in spring 2010 of what makes Zoob her top-selling construction toy. ― Of 43 retailers surveyed in April 2010, three listed Zoob as their best seller in construction. — Mary Porter Green, owner of The Curiosity Zone in Ashburn, Va. told in late Spring 2011 TDmonthlyshe sells a dozen Zoob kits each month. — Want this? As of 05/10/2011, this product was available for purchase at The Curiosity Zone
This giant flying foam toy can be thrown in 12 different ways and flies up to 200'. The Uberdart is soft and light, making it easy to catch and throw, and may be used for group games and family fun activities. It is ASTM safety tested for ages 6 and up. Launch date: March 2007. — Two of 47 retailers named Uberdarts as their best seller for boys in June 2009. — In March 2010, TDmonthly surveyed 37 specialty retailers about their top-selling outdoor toy. Sheryl Guidera, owner of Kaleidoscope the Parent Teacher Store in Capitola, Calif., said, “There is no question, it's the Uberdart. Absolutely the best.”
Players must complete each word challenge and motor across the USA. "Rest Stop" cards add to the fun along the way, with lucky breaks and the occasional pothole. Road Trip game contains 120 Challenge Cards, 40 "Rest Stop" cards, 7.5" x 20" Vintage Road Map Board, 30-sided Alphabet die, and 4 retro Station Wagon movers. Awards:2015 TDmonthly Magazine Top Toy Award; 2011 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award for Best Toys — As of 10/21/2011 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 3 reviews on Amazon.com.
LEGO Crazy Action Contraptions is a brand-new book of brand-new, high-performance projects. From the supercharged Speedster to the Squeezeclaw Grabber to the Wall Rocket Racer — all these contraptions spin, stretch, speed, or otherwise spring into action. And all of them are totally buildable thanks to super-clear instructions and step-by-step diagrams. Every single one of the 16 projects can be constructed using just the custom selection of LEGO® bricks that come with the book. — As of 05/12/2011 this product had 4.7 out of 5 stars from 15 reviews on Amazon.com. Cons: Some contraptions run slowly; the included rubber bands wear out with time. — "Klutz Lego contraptions is by far our biggest seller," Mary Porter Green, owner of The Curiosity Zone in Asburn, Va., told TDmonthly in late Spring 2011. — Want this? As of 05/11/2011 this product was available at The Curiosity Zone.
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
