Solid beechwood blocks still made in Germany. Perfect for little architects with the 6 building block clamps, 6 wheel clamps, 3 building block clutches, 11 building blocks. 26 pieces. Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval
Tall-Stacker Mighty Monkey Playset by PATCH PRODUCTS INC.
Now youngsters can take pegging to a whole new level of excitement when playing with this versatile building set that combines popular Tall-Stacker Pegs with Mighty Monkey Pegs. Kids can stack colorful pegs and create different configurations for their monkeys to play. Use the included monkey figurines to swing from a vine, zoom down the slide or ride the elevator basket — with the Tall-Stacker Mighty Monkey Playset, the thrills are endless. "The Tall-Stacker Mighty Monkey Playset encourages free-form building and role-play, while fostering creativity and imagination," Mary Dolan, public relations coordinator for Patch Products, told TDmonthly. Launch date: July 2012. Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval
Fairy Town Train Set: The land of railways and trains just got even more exciting. Enter a magical world of colorful cottages, bridges and trees, designed in a gorgeous princess themed purple and pink. This bright and cheerful wooden train set contains 75 pieces. An ideal first train set, it contains a chunky engine and three detailed royal carriages, which attach using a magnetic system – perfect for little hands to use. Can be used with any wooden railway system. "Compatible with existing wooden rail systems. The Fairy Town Train Set is among the few available train sets specifically designed for girls," Liza Grando, President of The Moss Tucker Group, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2012. Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval
100 piece GLOW IN THE DARK building block set. The building fun doesn't have to stop when the lights go off. Safe and non-toxic glow paint adds a new dimension to block building. Set includes 70 glow blocks and 30 natural color blocks. Building guide included. Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval
This 85-piece set contains 72 easy-to-handle building blocks in a variety of brightly colored, interlocking geometric shapes, 8 wheels to construct buildings and vehicles with and 5 figurines. A convenient handled carrying case stores all the blocks neatly away when not in use. Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval — Mary Porter Green, owner of Curiostiy Zone in Ashburn, Va., told TDmonthly in a May 2015 survey that this was a best-selling construction toy at their store.
Avast ye, matey; there's hidden treasure in this Playmobil Pirate Adventure Island. Find the 5 magic coins and use them to unlock a secret cave where the treasure lies hidden. Sound & light effects activate when the cave is opened. But beware of danger. The island also has hidden stairs and falling rocks. Set contains 210 pieces, including 3 figures, exotic creatures, rowboat, working cannon, and many other accessories. There's even a colorful poster for little buccaneers to put on their wall. Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval
The Classic set consists of 36 varieties of maple blocks. Painted with non-toxic water based acrylic paints and sealed with organic beewax. Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval
SmartMax Set - BASIC 25 by SMART TOYS AND GAMES INC
SmartMax Set - BASIC 25 allows children ages three and up to experience the wonders of magnetism and the fascinating world of construction in a safe way. Towers, bridges, and houses are just a few building options that take advantage of the large pieces to engage even the youngest builder. — Diane Gervais from Amato's Toy & Hobby in Middletown, Conn., told TDmonthly in a November 2014 survey that Smartmax sets are one of their store's best-selling educational toys. "Smartmax is pretty popular right now in preschool," she told us.
Writer's Bio: Justina Huddleston graduated Magna Cum Laude from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature, and Publishing in 2009. After graduating she was the on-site director of the Boston Children's Museum gift store for a year, selling educational, developmental, and creative activity toys that tied in with the museum's exhibits. Justina also interned at children's book publisher Candlewick Press before moving from Boston to Los Angeles, where she is now Editorial Director of TDmonthly Magazine. Read more articles by this author
Writer's Bio: Justina Huddleston graduated Magna Cum Laude from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature, and Publishing in 2009. After graduating she was the on-site director of the Boston Children's Museum gift store for a year, selling educational, developmental, and creative activity toys that tied in with the museum's exhibits. Justina also interned at children's book publisher Candlewick Press before moving from Boston to Los Angeles, where she is now Editorial Director of TDmonthly Magazine. Read more articles by this author
