March Staff Picks

Tranquil Turtle is the first Cloud B product that combines both sight and sound features in one soft, comforting character. Glowing in a relaxing aquamarine or amethyst color, the shell projects a magical underwater light effect with a gentle wave motion and plays soothing sounds to help children sleep. Launch date: February 2012.
Awards: 2012 NAPPA Honors, 2012 The National Parenting Center - Seal of Approval

Like how every great inventor has a lab, the Nanopad is the ideal platform for Nanodot creations. Made from a fusion of ferrous metal and fabric, the Nanopad is a flexible double-sided surface that is attracted to magnets but isn’t magnetic. Each Nanopad features an imprinted grid on one side making it an ideal play surface for chess, checkers, go, as well as role-playing and card games. Available in two sizes: 16" and 26".

The latest Pentago utilizes the sleek design style of the Multi-Player version in the compact ready to go, two-player version. Pentago is a two-player game in which the object is to create a row of five markers, in any direction, before your opponent does, but with a twist. Each move consists of placing a marker and then twisting one of the four game blocks; simple yet ingenious.

The newest Perplexus model requires a player to twist, turn, and realign the tracks within to escape traps, dead ends, and cliffhangers. A captivating new dimension for the Perplexus family of toys. Thirty transition points.
Awards: 2012 ASTRA Best Toys for Kids – Gameplay/Brainteasers

Fishing Camp is a game where both children & adults can play & learn fun facts about Fishing. The game is designed to grow with the player, starting at level one questions, which are primarily identification of fish and fishing tackle. As the players increase in their knowledge about Fishing, they grow into the higher level questions. A fun & educational game where parents & children can play to see who catches the first fish and gets back to the docks. Game includes: 1 game board, 200 game cards(400 questions, and 100 fun facts), 1 decoder, 8 game characters, 1 die, 16 level cards, and 1 GPS card. Launch date: 2012.

Welcome to the buzzing world of Speedeebee!

Are you the speediest bee in the hive? Then join in the fun with this ultimate word game! With 150 fun challenges and four alphabet dice, players race to find words containing or excluding the letters shown on the dice.

The variety of creative challenges and dice combinations make Speedeebee excitingly different every time you play. Launch date: May 2012.

Detailed replicas of tropical marine life and a realistic coral reef surround this young diver with a wild underwater adventure. Exquisite sculpting and attention to detail make this the ideal gift for any child. The packaging features educational information in 5 languages on the back. All Safari Ltd.® products are phthalate and lead free and safety tested to safeguard children’s health. We take pride in the quality, innovation and design that have characterized our products for over 3 generations. Flippers, Fins & Fun Gift Set Includes: Dolphin, Sea Turtle, Queen Triggerfish, Grouper, Coral Reef, and Freddie the Free Diver. Box Size: 11” W x 4.75” H x 4” D (28 x 12 x 10 cm)

ZIP-IT! includes 24 ivory-like letter cubes packaged in a cloth pouch with unique self-scoring zippers, so everything you need is in the bag.  No pencil, paper or board needed.  Each player takes 12 cubes and races to form their own crossword grid using any side of the cubes.  The first player to use all their own cubes calls "ZIP!" and scores a point by moving their own zip up the pouch. The first person to score 10 points shouts "ZIPIT!!!" and wins the game.  One hand can be played in as little as than 20 seconds.The game was designed to be easily portable.  Also includes complimentary WEORDS Dictionary, a list of weird words that can help win word games.

Hey, That’s My Fish! is an engaging, award-winning board game of strategic fish hunting, in which 2-4 players control determined penguins hungry for their next meal on a bustling Antarctic ice floe. Since Hey, That’s My Fish! was originally published in 2003, it has become widely popular as an engrossing and strategic board game for casual family and tactical play. Hey, That’s My Fish! includes 60 hexagons to create an ice floe with new artwork renditions of fish, 1 rules sheet, and 16 newly sculpted colorful and animated penguin miniatures.

The Groovy Girls Sparkeltastic Jewelry Set lets kids create their own personalized jewelry, show off their creative side and get shimmerin'. Kit includes 3 plastic bracelets, 3 plastic pendants, 6 tubes of sparkly glitter, 3 colored cords, 8 different glamtastic gem styles in plastic spin wheel dispenser, felt work mat and an instruction sheet. Each pendant and bracelet has a sticky texture once the protective sheathe is pulled off making it easy to adhere glitter and jewels. Launch date: January 2012.

Great for backpacks and carry-ons, this fun and friendly, go-anywhere travel buddy puts an international twist on the message of friendship. Globe Clip keeps bracelet in place during knotting. Numbered slots keep threads organized for written and video instructions featured online. Slide-out drawer features 20 pre-cut Prism® threads in 10 different colors. Easy instructions included. Launch date: February 12, 2012.

To play, simply toss the big plush cube and identify which colored side faces up. Choose a matching color card and perform the simple activity shown. “Make a happy face,” “Moo like a cow,” etc. The activities supported by Roll & Play are designed to help kids shine, supporting healthy development and celebrating success. Roll & Play gently introduces play patterns and rules through a loving, joyful play experience. Launch date: 2012.

Ugh is the life of a caveman through the eyes of John Kovalic. In Ugh! players encounter the Stone Age life by pushing their luck against the deck and trying to lock in as many sets of cards as they can before they are abruptly shocked by a natural disaster… Ugh! Each turn players can flip over up to three cards, all of which are good options for their set. Contents: 110 cards, including 4 Wild Cards, 28 Ugh! Cards, and 78 Number Cards.

Helps teach kids about healthy eating habits. This redesigned set includes a cutting board, knife, and 5 sliceable veggies – tomato, mushroom, shallot, bell pepper, and cucumber. Tactile details offer more realistic play.

With this kit, kids can personalize their own skateboard. One of the only sports craft kits available on the market. With the DYO Real Skateboard Kit, children can decorate their own one-of-a-kind real skateboard. Personalizing their own skateboard will inspire a child's originality, and foster spirit and commitment. Launch date: 2012.

Angry Birds fans will be able to build obstacles from the app and knock them down with these construction toys. Sets will include the most popular Angry Birds characters, launchers and other recognizable elements from the game. Launch date: Fall 2012.

The Waboba Surf "Bounces On The Water".  Softer and smaller, and easier to throw and catch than the original Waboba balls that bounce on the water, the Waboba Surf is an excellent item for the toy industry.  Perfect for the beach, lake, or river.
— Mike Castor, owner of Pentwater Toybox in Pentwater, Mich., told TDmonthly in a late Summer 2012 survey that they sold 200 Waboba Surf balls in three months this Summer.

The Wheely Pig is the latest addition to the Prince Lionheart award-winning, ride-on toy line. The Wheely Pig teaches children balance and motor skills with castor wheels which will allow children free movement. Easy to clean and durable. Launch date: June 2011 Awards: Mother & Baby, Top Gear, 2005 Baby Gear Gold, 2005 Practical Pre-School, 2010 Fat Brain Best of the Best

Dixit Journey is the version of the award-winning game of storytelling through imagination and clues where one picture is worth a thousand words. In this new version featuring a gallery of artistically designed cards that offer simple images for easy individual interpretation, younger players now have the chance to stretch their imaginations and incorporate their best vocabulary skills, all in the fun of creative play. The challenge is for the leader of the round to give a clue that is subtle enough to ensure that at least one player (but not all) will understand which card is his/hers and vote for that card. Points are scored in relation to the identification of the storyteller’s card. The players move their icons on the scoring track based on the number of points they earn each round. Launch date: June 2012.

The world-famous Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Circus has partnered with Bachmann Trains to let kids experience all the excitement of The Greatest Show On Earth® as it travels by rail with this vintage Large Scale ready-to-run electric train set (Item No. 90083) that comes complete with a 4-6-0 steam locomotive (with operating headlight, smoke, and speed-synchronized sound), coal tender, advertising car with lighted interior, elephant stock car, flat car with lion in cage wagon and tiger in cage wagon, 8' 2" x 4' 3" oval of track, and DVD-format video instructions. Launch date: February 2012.