June Staff Picks: Crafts and Critters

Maru-bo, the Hero of Gettin' Around, is one of five heroes in the DEBO™ Superheroes team. Production of each superhero is limited to just 50. The figure stands 3" tall and comes with a matching keychain. 

Made of plushest fabric, these adorable Crutch Critters provide a soft, comfortable cushion on any crutch pad. Their feet are filled with beads for extra weight and dangle over the crutch pad adding a touch of whimsy. Crutch Critters are made to easily slip over the crutch pad and fit snugly under the arm. Look for the sports styles coming summer 2008.

This set of laminated, 6" x 8" flash cards gives kids a fun way to learn while also providing wall art for a bedroom or nursery. Each card features artwork by Shelley Dieterichs in the form of a boy or girl alphabet letter.

The kit includes 16 Stonehenge rocks, a landscaped mat and a 32-page guide about the ancient wonder. Launch date: March 2008.

The playset resembles the hollowed trunk of a tree and features three spacious levels, a spiral staircase, doors that open and decorative windows. The set’s green “lawn” base is actually a six-piece puzzle. The lodge measures approximately 18” x 24”. Launch date: March 2008.

The kit comes with materials to create an accessorized snowman. Materials include wood fence parts, wood shapes, shovel, felt pieces, raffia and ribbon.

The drawstring pouch is perfect for carrying a child’s favorite toys to the doctor’s office or restaurant. “It even has a carabiner clip for easy access,” Baby Rhys Adventure Gear Inc. CEO Pam Liyanage told TDmonthly.

The kit comes with unique peel-and-stick stencils, fabric paint, glitter and fabric glue, allowing children to easily personalize fabric items such as sneakers, clothes, totes and accessories. “The party-sized kit is packaged in our kid-pleasing hot pink cake box and includes invitations, thank you cards, totes to decorate and enough art materials for a party of twelve,” Storybook Studio Founder Melissa Yamello told TDmonthly. Launch date: April 2008.

The book tells the timeless classic of the Peanuts gang and their heartwarming quest to uncover the true meaning of Christmas. “This cloth-bound deluxe collector’s edition is faithful to the original television special that airs every Christmas season, and makes the perfect gift for young and old Peanuts fans,” Seta Bedrossian Zink, of Running Press Book Publishers’ publicity department, told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2008.

Jumbo-sized and child friendly wildlife wonders of the world. Designed to be lightweight and soft to the touch, this series consists of a tiger, giraffe, lion, zebra, hippopotamus, gorilla and polar bear, as well as an elephant. All are finely hand-painted, phthalate-free and safety tested. Each comes with an educational hang tag in five languages. Hippopotamus size: 10" L x 6" H.

Recommended for ages 6 months and up, these 2" hardwood blocks in a pastel palette are handpainted and handprinted with non-toxic finishes, featuring images of old-fashioned toys, letters and numbers. Six blocks come in a clear drawstring pouch. A bright set is also available. “It is handmade in our small studio in New York,” Owner and Designer Kerri Lee-Sensiba told TDmonthly.

The drawing book comes with 60 blank pages. A matching oil pastel set is also available. “Beautiful artwork packaging [will] inspire little artists!” Roisin Ross of eeBoo Corp. told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2008.

Monika continues to amaze everyone with her beautiful 40" vinyl children. There have been many requests for Monika to create an adorable boy to go with the girls that they have been collecting. Monika has sculpted Michael. He as a beautifully expressive face that will warm your heart. Monika has dressed him in a typical little boy's outfit with slouchy gray tone pants and coordinating stripped shirt. I also love the way she has put on his blue cap. Michael has fully sculpted arms that go into the shoulder plate and legs sculpted well above the knees. His eyes are blue and he has brunette wig. Michael comes with a dark brown wooden based doll stand. Limited Edition 350 pieces.

In this third installment, the Octonauts crew meets a fish with a giant frown on his face. He looks so glum that he's causing everyone around him to feel down also. The Octonauts try music-making, field trips, miniature golf and even a baking marathon to try to cheer up their new friend. “Created by popular illustration and design team, MEOMI, the Octonauts will excite the imaginations of kids and adults of all ages,” Amy Ma of Immedium told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2008.

HANDTRUX®, a BRAND new, made in AMERICA toy line of safe, imaginative, hand-operated construction vehicle toys. To be released first: the HANDTRUX® Backhoe, along with a film documentary, “Zapped by a Dream: How to make a toy in America” and an original rock music CD by Rough Embrace, “Crush on You.” These unique sandbox sized dirt machines look and work just like the Big Iron, kids can really do precision digging for hours of unstructured playtime. “This is a new twist on a time-treasured category: sand toys. Unlike previous offerings, these are toys that you wear, incorporating the patented, amazing ‘handraulic’-operated power grip,” Ernest Autumn Van Den Heuvel, president of TenTonToys/EVERGREENRIVER Media Holdings LLC, told TDmonthly. Launch date: August 2008.

The kit comes with assorted wood and felt pieces, one sheet of transfer, rattail, gems, three lobster clips and color instructions. “These dangle pals are easy to create…[and] very trendy,” Bojeux Inc. Coordinator Isabelle Grenon told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2008.

The kit features 30 snap-together parts, a rock-like base with six plant fossils, a dinosaur jawbone fragment, support rods, a full-color T-Rex action poster and full-color assembly instructions. The skeleton displays beautifully after assembly. “Dinosaurs are very popluar right now and our product is a great quality for the money,” Educational Insights Inc. Advertising and Public Relations Coordinator Heidi Bultman told TDmonthly. “Also, our dinosaur can be put together over and over again, and does not use glue.” Launch date: January 2008.

Kits include the Funky Groovy Tie Dye Kit and the Large Tie Dye Kit. The Funky Groovy Tie Dye Kit contains three primary colors of Procion MX dye in applicator bottles, gloves, rubber bands, soda ash and written instructions. Enough product to do up to 5 shirts. The Large Tie Dye Kit dyes up to 15 adult T-shirts and contains primary colors of pre-measured procion dye powder in applicators, soda ash dye fixer, rubber bands, rubber gloves, an extra applicator bottle for mixing secondary colors and simple instructions. Launch Date: January 2010.

The wood puzzle is very environmentally friendly. It is constructed from two tree bases that fit into one interlocking base. Each piece of the puzzle must be assembled in order, helping children learn the order of the alphabet and numbers. “Children enjoy this puzzle because they feel twice as satisfied when completing the puzzle,” Tony Goonewardenn of Creatively Yours Gift Designs told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2008.

The box contains over half a dozen classic mind-benders, take-aparts and other conundrums to keep the puzzler bemused, busy and happy. “Variety, value, and fun packaging all make this a great product,” Peggy Tobias of Copernicus Toys told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 2008.

This is a replica of the Notre Dame du Haut, a chapel designed by world famous Swiss-born French architect Le Corbusier. The model is designed on a 1:175 scale and measures 10” x 8” x 5-1/2” when assembled.

The fully-illustrated, step-by-step guide teaches readers how to raise and train a baby dragon, and how to take flight on the wings of their very own dragon mount. Launch date: September 2008.

The convenient, take-along case comes with 69 pieces, including a figure, a shopping cart, three cartons, detergent, canned goods, drinks and more. Launch date: January 2008.

The plush elephant comes with a collectible fun fact card featuring gorgeous National Geographic photography and amazing facts about the elephant. The elephant, part of the African and Asian Mammals collection, stands 14” tall and features plush tusks. Launch date: June 2008.

The toaster pops out toast, the heavy duty die-cast blender blades spin at the push of a button and the can opener opens cans. The set includes two cans fruit, a can opener, a jar of jam, two pieces of toast, a die-cast metal toaster, a lunch plate, a knife, an ice cream carton, three scoops of ice cream, an ice cream scoop, a die-cast metal blender, a carton or milk, a bottle of soda and four glasses. Launch date: Summer 2008.

The sports-themed socks are 82 percent cotton, 13 percent polyester, 3 percent nylon and 2 percent spandex. The socks are available in child sizes 0 to 5-1/2. The socks come in soccer, basketball, football and baseball themes. Launch date: 2008.