Toys for Just Plain Fun

ZipBin Softie Wheelie looks like and is shaped like a mag wheel and opens to reveal a side-by-side race track. The set’s play surface includes a garage area, a winner’s circle and a 12-car built-in parking garage. The set also features two, sturdy die-cast sports cars and a wipe-clean surface. Launch date: January 2008. This product was previously catalogued under the name ZipBin® Softie™ Wheelie™ (changed January 2009).
— This is “from Neat-Oh! International LLC, whose innovative line of ZipBin products has won 11 awards for product excellence,” Neat-Oh! International LLC Director of Marketing Gerry Linda told TDmonthly.

The portable playset is shaped like a race car and opens to reveals a small villagescape with drivable roadways. The set features two sturdy die-cast vehicles and a wipe-clean surface. It was named "Most Innovative Product at the Show" at the 2008 Middle East Toy Fair in Dubai. Launch date: January 2008. This product was previously catalogued under the name ZipBin® Softie™ Racer (changed January 2009).
— This is “another example of a toy box that’s also a toy!” Neat-Oh! International LLC Director of Marketing Gerry Linda told TDmonthly.

The rocket is interchangeable with other D&L Company squeeze rockets. Simply squeeze the handle and six rockets will launch consecutively.

This outdoor paddle ball game adds a twist to the traditional beach game. Players play the game without a net, with opposing game squares placed 12' apart. The product received a 2008 Seal of Excellence award in the Outdoor Fun category from Creative Child Magazine. Launch date: April 2008.
— “If you like table or outdoor tennis, you will love this game because it incorporates the action-sport quality of continuous ball play while outdoors on the beach, in the backyard, at the park or campsite … total outdoor fun!” Daniel Deppen of Cell Tag USA told TDmonthly.

The tiny helicopter is only 5” long. It is available in three different colors and three different infrared frequency bands. It is fabricated with high-impact plastic materials and is controlled by infrared technology. Its three-frequency capability allows three Micro X Copters D-FLYs to be flown and controlled at the same time without interference.

The 6” mini-helicopter comes in the shape of a flying cicada. It is fabricated with high-impact plastic materials and is controlled by infrared technology. Its three-frequency capability allows three Cicada Micro X Copters to be flown and controlled at the same time without interference.

The remote-controlled soccer hockey game includes two soccer players controlled by two stadium-shaped controllers, two goals and one ball. The game is face-to-face competition with real hockey action. Launch date: January 2008.
— “Compared to other RC hockey games in the market, this game actually controls the real player's figure to compete, which makes it more vivid and realistic to play with,” Alliance Toys Group Partner and Sales Manager Kenny Chen told TDmonthly.

The remote-controlled game offers face-to-face competition with real basketball actions for two players. Both players have the function of shooting and defending. One player can hold the ball and shoot it while another player can hold up his hand to defend the ball going into the goal. Launch date: April 2008.
— “There is not any other real action RC basketball game in the market so far, and we expect this item should be quite popular for the U.S. market, where basketball is one of the favorite sports,” Alliance Toys Group Partner and Sales Manager Kenny Chen told TDmonthly.

The remote-controlled tank-track vehicle wirelessly transmits video and audio to a private headset. The remote features a full-circle, single-button spin control and an attached earbud. Launch date: Fall 2008.
— “The Spy Video ATV-360 is the first remote-controlled Spy Gear video car to offer audio transmission, a full-circle spin control and tank tracks,” Kim Bratcher of Wild Planet Toys told TDmonthly.

The Aqua Glow version glows in the dark and is UV reactive providing an amazing light show under a black light. Each liquid-filled ball features a soft outer shell that serves as a flexible casing for the liquid, allowing for an easy, comfortable grip. Rather than a central metal weight such as standard Astrojax, the dynamics of the Aqua's fluid flows lower the rotational inertia of the balls to provide smooth orbits and prevent tangling of the string around the center ball. The string length is adjustable and stringbuds at each end of the string allow for quick and easy tuning. Launch date: November 26, 2007.
— Astrojax are hot items at Moon Rabbit Toys in Santa Fe, N.M., according to Owner Shana Hack in early summer 2009.

The Aqua Shiva is UV reactive and looks amazing under a black light! Each liquid-filled ball features a soft outer shell that serves as a flexible casing for the liquid, allowing for an easy, comfortable grip. Rather than a central metal weight like standard Astrojax, the dynamics of the Aqua's fluid flows lowers the rotational inertia of the balls to provide smooth orbits and prevent tangling of the string around the center ball. The string length is adjustable and stringbuds at each end of the string allows for quick and easy tuning. Launch date: November 26, 2007.
— “The newest generation, Astrojax is destined to become a classic toy,” Jim Marielli of Astrojax USA told TDmonthly.

Each liquid-filled ball features a soft outer shell that serves as a flexible casing for the liquid, allowing for an easy, comfortable grip. Rather than a central metal weight such as standard Astrojax, the dynamics of the Aqua's fluid flows lower the rotational inertia of the balls to provide smooth orbits and prevent tangling of the string around the center ball. The string length is adjustable and stringbuds at each end of the string allow for quick and easy tuning. Launch date: November 26, 2007.
— “The Astrojax Aqua is a unique and patented skill toy with no competition, building upon the excitement and success of earlier versions of Astrojax, Jim Marielli of Astrojax USA told TDmonthly.

It's a beautiful day for a swim on the reef with Nemo. Kids can paint the adventurous little clownfish with this Paint-by-Number kit. Each kit contains preprinted textured art board, high-quality acrylic paints, a No. 1 round paintbrush and easy-to-follow instructions in English and French. Finished size is 9" x 12".

The kit provides parents with an interactive and fun way to teach young children social skills. Each kit includes 11 pages of parental instruction, 33 ready-to-go kid activities, games, art projects, discussion lists, two tear-out play-sheets for each activity and a CD-ROM of kid activities. Launch date: January 2008.

This twist on cribbage uses the same basic card play as traditinal Cribbage, but enables the score pegs to interact on one shared score track. Players gain or lose points when their pegs are "crashed" into by an opponent.
— “Cribbage lovers have the benefit of having a traditional cribbage board right on the back of Crash Cribbage so there is no-risk at all in purchasing our product, Joe Kane of Abelkane Enterprises told TDmonthly. Additionally, the board is “made from high-quality hard wood…[allowing it to] last for generations to come.”

The colorful 1” mini frogs are stretchy, allowing for creative play. The frogs are available in four assorted styles.

With this set, young children can create quirky robot characters and simple machines from a variety of easy to handle reusable stickers. This travel friendly play set is packaged in a practical folder/booklet that includes plenty of models for inspiration, a generous play surface and more than 100 mechanical parts. This product is a 2008 iParenting Media Award winner. Launch date: November 2007.
— “Most sticker sets are primarily designed to foster imaginary play, and include a variety of self contained pieces to assemble a scene,” Meera Gill of Play Odyssey Inc. told TDmonthly. “Character Creator is more versatile in that it is both an imaginary play and construction toy.”

This all-occasion greeting card kit is a fun way for young children to practice their printing skills. The kit includes materials for 16 pop up cards. These cards are uniquely designed as self mailers with trace over greetings on the inside, and manuscript printing guidelines for address information on the outside. Additional guidelines are also provided at the bottom of the card to encourage children to write a short message. Trace over greetings include: Happy Birthday, Thinking of You and Thank You. Launch date: December 2007.
— Alexander (8) and Jessica (6) Richardson, like the other kid reviewers in TDmonthly's Grade-School Roundtable, were excited about this product. "Wow! Let's make some cards!" they said. Overall, the six moms and their children were impressed with the design and simplicity of the pop-up cards, rating them with 4.5 out of 5 TD stars.

The non-toxic and stain-free solution allows kids and adults to create colorful bubbles that measure up to one yard in diameter. Even the small lungs of a five-year-old can blow a huge bubble thanks to the patented bubble-blowing pipe: only 1/5 of the air that fills the one-yard-wide bubble comes out of the lungs; the rest of it is “sucked into” the bubble by the special bubble-blowing pipe. Launch date: 2007.
— The solution and bubble-blowing pipe creates bubbles that are “huge, durable and bouncy,” Olga Ousherovitch, president and co-owner of Toysie LLC, told TDmonthly.

SpherePlay is the art of rolling, balancing, manipulating and playing with spheres. With infinite ways to play there are guidelines, but no rules. Genuine playfulness combines with learned skills to increase coordination, balance, fluid motion, reflexes and dexterity. The set includes a 70mm UV acrylic sphere, DVD, sphere pouch/polisher and sphere stand/finger dexterity toy. Launch date: February 2008.
— “The SpherePlay Contact Juggling Set is the first and only Sphere and DVD set packaged for retail sales,” Jennifer Sauvageau of TryOut Toys Entertainment told TDmonthly. “Included [is] everything a beginner needs to start Sphereplaying.”

Kids can make their own snuggly friend without sewing a single stitch. Just stuff the two soft fabric bodies with the included squishy “pillows,” and then choose from the ready-made felt features — ears, noses, arms, and tails — to create a distinctive animal. Sturdy Velcro tabs ensure that all of the parts attach and detach with ease, so kids can make a monkey, mouse, dog, cat, bird or bunny. Launch date: March 2008.
— Chicken Sox products are popular at Clever Kids in Rochester, Minn., according to Owner Michelle Beyer. “The price point is great and the activities are all super for young kids, ages 3 to 6 especially,” she said in late 2007.

This version of the popular television game show is full of survey questions from the actual show. This edition also features the famous plastic game console from the 70's and early 80's home versions. Launch date: August 15, 2008.