This classic noise-making prank measures 7.25” in diameter and becomes quite the shocker when sat on after inflated.
— Two of 38 retailers told TDmonthly in late summer 2009 that whoopee cushions are a favorite novelty item among their customers. “They’re always very popular,” commented Karen Leppmann, owner of Finnegan’s Toys & Gifts in Portland, Ore.

This wooden storage box with a sliding lid holds 41 colorful wood pick-up sticks that each measure 9.75” long.
— Two of 38 specialty retailers said in late summer 2009 that this long-loved classic game is a best-selling novelty at their stores.

The mirascope utilizes concave mirrors to project 3-D images of an item placed inside. Kids can stick their finger right through the illusional image that appears.
— The 3-D Mirascope “always attracts people’s attention,” Mike Lane, manager of Hobbytown in Cumming, Ga., said in late summer 2009.
— The Wooden Toy in Wethersfield, Conn., sells about 20 per month of this item, David Ekwall told TDmonthly in 2009.

This soft foam pirate saber will make a little blackbeard feel like the king of the seas, without causing any harm.

Kids can whittle down their waists by keeping this hula hoop going. It comes in various colors and sizes to suit all shapes and sensibilities.
— Syd Clarke, owner of Ali-Cat in Carrboro, N.C., sells about 30 hula hoops per month. She attributes the fad's resurgence to increased interest in countering childhood obesity with exercise. She also noted that a woman in her neighborhood now offers a hula hoop class for adults.   

These flexible hand puppets will let dino-buffs take their play to a new level. Assortment of three, approximately 8” long.

Featuring a board made from the renewable resource bamboo, this game, a version of the ancient Mancala, challenges players to collect the most pieces.

Kids can recycle a soda can into a silly, walking, wobbling robot. The kit includes all the parts needed, right down to the googly eyes, except for the two AAA batteries that are required. Launch date: 2008.
— “The Tin Can Robot is a huge hit. It’s from their Green Science series, which has been doing great,” Jennifer Schneeweis, owner of Izilla Toys in Seattle, told TDmonthly in late August 2009. Two of 40 retailers mentioned the brand when discussing best-selling educational items in fall 2009.
― “Right now we have the Tin Can Robot for 8- to 10-year-olds and that's doing well,” said Marlene, manager of Kits & Kaboodle in Carmel, Ind., when asked about her best-selling item for tween boys. Seven of 39 retailers surveyed in October 2009 said science kits are their top sellers for tween boys.
― “It's a good price point and an excellent product.  It sells all the time,” Priscilla Moore, owner of Mr. Fub's Party, Toys and More  in Yellow Springs, Ohio, said of the Tin Can Robot and other 4M science kits in spring 2010.
— In August 2010, seven of 43 retailers told TDmonthly that Toysmith is a best-selling science and nature brand. Two retailers named Tin Can Robot as a top product.
AWARDS: 2010 TDmonthly Top Seller

Kids can learn about renewable energy by building this functioning wind generator. When the blades turn, they create electricity that powers an LED light, demonstrating renewable energy from the wind. Users just add a recycled plastic bottle and the kit provides everything else they need. No batteries required. Launch date: 2008.

These kits are designed to offer everything kids need to learn about the basics of robotic science while constructing fun machines. There are four styles: Robotic Bird, Robotic Ball Collector, Robotic Bubble Blower and Robotic Beeper. All parts snap together with easy to follow instructions. Each kit requires 2 AA batteries, not included. Launch date: 2009.

When placed in water for 30 seconds, this compact package expands into a 12" x 12" cotton towel.
— “Toysmith offers lots of small, inexpensive toys that go out the door consistently,” Steve Melody, owner of Melody’s Choices in Fayetteville, Ark., told TDmonthly in spring 2009.

This little duck in an inner tube is designed to make bathtime fun for kids.
— "I sell a couple of dozen a month" of the Bath Buddies, Fran Anaya, owner of Golden Aspen Toys in Flagstaff, Ariz., told TDmonthly in May 2009.

Powered by baking soda, this classic 1950s toy submerges and resurfaces over and over again.
—  “I sell around 25 a month,” Molly McMullin, owner of Twirl in Taos, N.M., told TDmonthly in March 2009.
— Five of 64 retailers named products by Toysmith when asked about best-selling bath toys in spring 2009.

This colorful, translucent ball rattles when bounced.
— "I like that they have such a large selection of merchandise. They have a low level for free freight,” Fred Gross of Multi Kids Toys Inc. in Boca Raton, Fla., said of Toysmith in fall 2008, when 19 percent of 52 retailers named the company as one of their favorite vendors.

Kids can flip this 2.25”-diameter Poppin’ Hopper inside out and watch it launch into the air.
— Three of 52 retailers mentioned Toysmith novelties when asked about popular Halloween items in their stores, in fall 2008.

Kids just pull back this 2.25" helicopter and watch it glide along the ground.

This clear, worm-filled ball makes a satisfyingly nasty sound when it's squeezed hard. Display near the counter to encourage impulse buys.

Kids can watch these animals walk, then flip for fun. The assortment includes a dog, cat, frog and monkey. Launch date: 2006.
— “Wonderful wind-up toys from Toysmith,” Candace Williams of The Toy Maven in Dallas, Texas, told TDmonthly when asked to name the best-selling novelty item in her store.
— “Toysmith wind-ups are most popular,” Fred Rosenberg, owner of On the Park in Kingwood, Texas, told TDmonthly in May 2008. According to Rosenberg, they sell “hundreds” per month.
— In May 2008, 11 of 55 retailers named Toysmith as the manufacturer of their best-selling novelty toys.

This yo-yo features a roll of paper with a printed design on a 7” handle. The paper extends when the yo-yo is forced outward by a simple wrist motion.
— “Funny enough, Chinese yo-yos,” Alicia Smith, owner of Juneau's Imagination Station in Juneau, Alaska, told TDmonthly when asked to name the best-selling novelty item in her store. “I don't know why, but all of the sudden everybody loves them. [I] probably sell a couple dozen in a month.”
— “Chinese yo-yos … do really well,” Mary Sisson, owner of Kazoodles in Vancouver, Wash., told TDmonthly in May 2008. “They're on backorder right now.”
— Nathan McKelvey, manager of Toy Castle, LLC in Jonesboro, Ar., told TDmonthly in a September 2011 survey that they sell about 100 of this item each month.

Kids can grow their own crystals with this kit. The kit includes a base rock, crystal formula, a growing tray, a magnifying glass, a spatula and instructions. Adult supervision is required.

Kids can make their own volcano and then watch it erupt. The kit includes a volcano mold, fast drying plaster, paint, a stirring stick and a paintbrush. Simply add baking soda and vinegar and watch the volcano erupt with bubbling lava. Adult supervision is required.
— Mary Porter Green, owner of Curiosity Zone in Ashburn, Va., told TDmonthly in a May 2013 survey that this toy is their best-selling activity kit.

Amazing three-dimensional replica of the Eiffel Tower with finished size of 3 feet high by over 2 feet wide. Thirty-two pieces, blue print instructions included. Also included is a fact file on the historical building. Other historical buildings/sites/items available include Empire State Building, Golden Gate Bridge and dinosaurs.

These cool rings are completely flexible and come in a rainbow of colors and designs. Made of tiny, colorful beads, they are soft and fit comfortably on the fingers. Sturdy design allows for constant wear, even in water. Several styles are available.

Kids simply add baking soda to this mini volcano and place it inside a glass filled with water. They will be amazed by the bubbly reaction, which is similar to an underwater volcanic eruption.
— When asked about best selling novelty toys in a September 2011 survey, Mary Porter Green, owner of The Curiosity Zone in Ashburn, Va., told TDmonthly that Pocket Volcanoes from Toysmith were one of her top-two novelty items.
— Two of 32 specialty retailers mentioned Toysmith in summer 2007 when discussing their best-selling science and nature toys.
— This product is “safe, fun [and] educational,” Debra Ashley of Toysmith told TDmonthly. It “entertains while educating.”

The Magnifying Bug Viewer has a 3.5" magnifying lie and features air holes to allow the insect to breath. Kids can watch a little creature for a while, then let him go. It's simple, educational, and fun.
— "I would say that our best-selling in science and nature are those little plastic magnifying cups with the magnifier on the top. We definitely go for volume on those items. I get mine from Toysmith," said Dalene Lockhart, owner of Toy Town in Casper, WY.