TDmonthly's Top-10 Toy Fair Toys

Suitable for babies 6 months and up, this soft, developmental toy is made of organic cotton fabric and is machine washable. It is part of a collection that features minimal packaging made of recycled paper and printed with vegetable-based inks. Launch date: February 15, 2009.
— "[I] love the organics, as new mothers are asking for them," commented Patti Tepper-Rasmussen, owner of Learning Tree Toys, Books & Games in Oklahoma City, following the 2009 ASTRA exhibition.

Gentle Giraffe offers a compilation of soothing sounds designed to entertain, educate and help children achieve a better sleep. Tucked inside Gentle Giraffe’s back is a removable sound machine that plays four sounds specifically composed to transport young listeners to the beautiful and mysterious plains of the Serengeti. With Gentle Giraffe, kids will listen to the rhythmic drums of a native tribe, gaze over the cliffs of Victoria Falls and hear actual sounds from real giraffes. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of both products will benefit Conservation International Foundation, a wildlife conservation organization. This product received a 2009 iParenting Media Award and a 2009 NAPPA Honors award.

Made from the versatile, multi-experiment Snap Circuits that allow kids to safely and easily build real electronic projects, this kit features many of the latest innovations in alternative energy. Featuring a hand-crank dynamo, solar panel, and wind turbine, kids can light up an LED, power a clock, charge a rechargeable battery (included), run a small radio, and watch the created energy on an analog meter. Instructions for many other projects are included in the kit; can be integrated with other Snap Circuits sets. This product received a Dr. Toy Green Award. Launch Date: Fall 2009

When thrown onto the ground, these squishy pigs splat into a flat, liquid-looking mess, then morph back into their original shape. The pigs come in four colors, and various designs are available. Launch date: February 2009.

Made from recycled plastic milk containers, this energy-efficient dump truck features a functional dumper and measures 10" L x 7 1/2" W x 7 1/8" H. Launch date: February 15, 2009.
— "The new trucks from Green Toys will be big hits with 2- to 4-year-olds," Patti Tepper-Rasmussen, owner of Learning Tree Toys, Books & Games in Oklahoma City, told TDmonthly following the 2009 ASTRA Marketplace.

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.

These interchangeable bottlecap necklaces were designed by a tween girl, Maddie Bradshaw, who continues to provide the artwork for the bottlecaps as the line grows. The bottlecaps have a magnet on the back so they can be easily switched out on the stretchy choker necklaces that are available. Snap Caps® have received the following awards: 2009 Best Toy Award - Most Innovative New Toy - Learning Express Toys; 2009 Best Toy Award - Best Toy Girls 5+ - Learning Express Toys; Creative Child 2009 Seal Of Excellence Award; and 2009 PTPA Winner.

This 500-piece starter kit includes enough components for the construction of 12 lineal elevated feet of monorail track. It also comes with a powered engine and a car to ride the rail and weather 30-degree grades.

Consensus is not a trivia game or a strategy game. It is a game about opinions that allows its participants to express themselves as individuals or as part of a group. Ideal for parties or family settings, the game has a subtle, yet strong, educational component. Consensus consists of 300 Noun Cards, 100 Adjective Cards and 80 Voting cards. An average game lasts about 30 minutes. Although Consensus can be played with as few as three players, the greatest benefit can be derived when there are five or more players participating. The more players, the more opinions, and hence, the more debating and bonding that takes place. Launch date: August 2008.
— "This fun and fast-paced social game takes about a minute to learn and requires no prior knowledge of anything whatsoever," Marshall Chrein, CEO of Mindlogic, told TDmonthly. "It is a game where you can learn how your friends and family view all sorts of things."

Touted as the "world's easiest to fly indoor helicopter," the Vertigo is equipped with a V-Wing for stability and a dual-rotor remote control/charger that delivers gaming-style action. A Sky Shark model is also available. Launch date: February 2009.
― “I tell customers it takes a brain. It's not your typical helicopter and they have to figure it out. Kids love a challenge,” said Kate Tanner, owner of Kidstop in Scottsdale, Ariz., of what makes the Vertigo Helicopter her best seller for tween boys.
― Two of 39 retailers told TDmonthly in October 2009 that their best-selling item for tween boys is a remote-control helicopter.
Per a March 15, 2010, letter from Feldman Law Group, P.C., of New York, N.Y., Interactive Toys claims this product infringes on U.S. Patent 7,204,453.