Top-Selling Mass-Market Toys

S032 Syma - 3 Channel Electric Helicopter RTF w/ Auto Stabilizing Gyro + Metal Frames + Cool Strobing Head Lights. 11.5" long helicopter comes with battery, charger and transmitter. The Syma S032 RC helicopter can go forward, backward, left, and right. This S032 even equipped with bright strobing LED head lights, so you can enjoy flying in the dark. The unique co-axial rotors counter-rotate for unprecedented stability. Light and safe, this helicopter will transform any indoor environment into a cool chopper fly zone. Get about 12 minutes flight time per charge. S032 is in RED & WHITE 2-tone colors.
— As of 12/17/2012 this product had 4.1 out of 5 stars from 899 reviews on Amazon.com.

The entire class can watch caterpillars as time and nature work their magic in creating beautiful butterflies. Includes a coupon which is returned to the laboratory for the Butterfly Culture (yields 5 caterpillars), 11 1/4 inch tall habitat for your butterflies, a butterfly feeding kit, instructions on their care, and interesting facts about their lives.

S107 Syma - 3 Channel Radio Controlled Infrared Remote Controlled Electric RC Micro Mini Helicopter w/ Gyro + Colorful Strobing LED Lights. This S107 equipped with NEW Gyroscope System for simpliest controls and stabilities, NEW Metal Frame & Body for extra durabilities, NEW Awesome Look and Design, and Bright strobing muti-color LED headlights so you can enjoy flying in the dark. At only 7" long, it easily fits in the palm of your hand and is fully functional. This S107 even has the option to charge directly from computer's USB port (USB cable included) or transmitter which uses "AA" batteries! S107 is in RED & YELLOW colors. Each Helicopter is individually packed in a window box. Box size: 17.75"L x 3"W x 7.25"H.
— As of 05/21/2012 this product had 4 out of 5 stars from 730 reviews on Amazon.com. PROS: Lightweight, durable, two methods of charging. CONS: Not suitable for children under 14; repairs are difficult.

The WaterWheel play table includes boats, a waterwheel and a cup for pouring, all in an elevated design that keeps children as clean as possible while still encouraging creative water play.
— As of 4/18/2012 this product had 4.6 out of 5 stars from 429 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Easy to assemble; appeals to a wide age range; Lightweight; a good value for the price. Cons: No plug makes it harder to drain; no cover is included.

When kids stomp on the launch pad, a blast of air propels the Stomp Rocket over 100 feet into the air. This kit comes with four glow-in-the-dark foam rockets.
— As of 12/17/2012 this product had 4.6 out of 5 stars from 291 reviews on Amazon.com. PROS: Simple to use, no assembly, rockets fly high, and foam construction of rockets doesn't damage people or property. CONS: Could use a sturdier base and wingnut/screw connection.
— In an August 2010 TDmonthly survey of 43 retailers, three cited Stomp Rockets as an overall top seller.
— Stephanie Dupuy of Playville in Covington, La., told TDmonthly in a November 2011 survey that their best selling flying toy is Stomp Rocket. They sell between 12 and 18 each month, depending on the weather.

This three-position adjustable, removable canopy protects baby from the sun and folds for storage just like the Baby Spring Float. There is a mesh play space for toys and splashing. Dual inflation chambers and low seat enhance security; the included sun canopy blocks 90% harmful UV rays. Features a "rainy day ducky" design and includes a carry/storage bag. 34"L x 30"W x 3"H. 1.64 lbs. Ages 9 to 24 months.
— As of 05/21/2012 this product had 4.5 out of 5 stars from 199 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Thorough sun protection; folds up easily; the mesh area for toys is convenient. Cons: One customer complained of a leak around the hole where you inflate the float; One customer said her baby flipped over and was held under water because her legs were still in the hole.

The first member of the Perplexus family, this see-through sphere houses a 3-D labyrinth game with 100 barriers, turns, twists and cliffhangers that serve as obstacles to getting a small steel ball to the end. Invented in 1970 by Michael McGinnis, a design teacher, Perplexus helps develop motor and dexterity skills, along with hand-eye coordination.
― As of 12/17/2012 this product had 4.4 out of 5 stars from 393 reviews on Amazon.com and was No. 12 on the top 100 bestselling toys and games.
— At Izilla Toys in Seattle, "Perplexus is selling really, really well for us," Co-owner Jude Larene told TDmonthly in late fall 2009.
— In summer 2010 this game was a top-10 best seller at Dancing Bear Toys in Asheville and Hendersonville, N.C..
Awards: 2012 Parents’ Choice Awards - Silver, 2011 Time Magazine – 15 Smartest Toys for Young Geniuses, 2011 Parent Tested Parent Approved – Seal of Approval, 2011 Grand Prix Kidexpo – Elu par les Parents (Parents’Choice), 2011 Children of Museum of Indianapolis – Top 10 Toys of 2011, 2011 Canadian Toy Testing Council – Children’s Choice, 2011 Babble List – Best Kids Toys, 2010 Toy Insider – Hot 20, 2010 The National Parenting Center – Seal of Approval, 2010 Prémio Brazil – Award of Excellence, 2010 Parents’ Magazine – Top Toys, 2010 NAPPA – Gold, 2010 ASTRA – Best Toy for Kids

The Intex Mushroom baby pool features a built-in mushroom shade for added comfort on hot days. It has a soft, inflatable floor that allows for gentle play. Adult supervision required at all times.
— As of 06/02/2011 this product had 4.8 out of 5 stars from 12 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Shade keeps baby protected from sun; easy to blow up; inexpensive. Cons: One customer said one of the floats that came with the pool had a hole in it; if you aren't kneeling next to the pool when the top is on it's hard to see the baby in the pool.

This pocket-sized story generator is designed to provide hours of imaginative play for all ages. With Rory's Story Cubes®, anyone can become a great storyteller and there are no wrong answers. Players simply roll the cubes and let the pictures spark the imagination. "Rory's Story Cubes is unique because of its simplicity, small packaging, low price point and endless story possibilities. It's a great learning and writing tool that can be played with one person or a large group as a party game," Emily Nichols, marketing coordinator for Gamewright, told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 2010.
Awards: 2009 Dr. Toy’s 10 Best Games of the Year; 2010 Major Fun Award; 2010 Parents’ Choice Gold Award, Creative Child Magazine Seal of Excellence Award, iParenting Media Award, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award.
— As of 12/17/2012 this product had 4.6 out of 5 stars from 306 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Helps develop story telling ability; promotes cooperative play; creative; affordable. Cons: One reviewer said they were bored with it after playing a few times, but that it is very affordable.
— Stacy Kalisz of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine “absolutely loved” using the Story Cubes with her family as they came up with a variety of games. One of their favorite play variations “is to tell a group story, with each person using one die on his or her turn.”

Requiring no reading from its players, Qwirkle is a simple-to-learn but stimulating game based around matching the attributes of the game play tiles. Players build rows and columns by placing tiles adjacent to tiles they share an attribute with (shape or color), and score bonus points if they can think ahead and put a tile down touching multiple other tiles. While the game is easy to understand, a good eye and quick thinking make Qwirkle challenging enough for a wide range of ages to play together.
Awards: 2011 Speiele des Jahres (German game of the year).
― “We sell a lot of Qwirkle,” Sue Banducci said of popular games in her Danville, Calif., store, Games Unlimited. “Qwirkle was best-selling over Christmas,” said Shirley Reilly, owner of Let's Play in Hillsboro, Ore., in January 2009.
― When asked about his top-selling games in early 2009, Tye Steinbach of Thinker Toys in Portland, Ore. told TDmonthly, “It was probably Qwirkle. We're not huge gamers in our family, but it's really fun.”
— Four of 44 specialty retailers named Qwirkle as a best seller in late fall 2009. Ages & Stages Toy Box in Golden, Colo., sells about 10 Qwirkle games per month, Manager Holly Anvers told TDmonthly.
— As of 12/17/2012 this product had 4.8 out of 5 stars from 483 reviews on Amazon.com and was No. 6 on the top 100 bestselling toys and games. Pros: Exciting; intellectually stimulating, easy to learn. Cons: Some said it took too long to play; only had 3 reviews less than 3 stars, however.

This kitchen set comes with 18 pieces for kids to bake, decorate and display their royal treats. The set works with all Magic Rise toys and is designed to easily fit the Disney Princess Magic Rise Oven (sold separately). The burners light up when the heart gem is pressed.

The Silly Bandz 24-piece Justin Bieber Bracelet Set includes 6 shapes with 4 of each style; Headphones, Music Note, I Heart JB, Bieber Heart, Justin Singing and Justin's Hat. Silly Bandz are made of silicone and die molded into these Justin Bieber shapes. All can be worn as bracelets or used as a rubber band.

This activity gym is designed to stimulate babies with music, lights, nature sounds, games and textures. It features 20 minutes of parent-activated continuous music, and a baby mode with eight to 12 seconds of lights and music. Included are a floor quilt with silky borders and colorful arches, a spinner with rattling beads, spinning butterflies, a shiny mirror, a crinkly leaf and movable and stationary activity toys. The gym measures 20" x 32.5" x 32.5."

This soft activity gym features an electronic aquarium with classical melodies and dancing lights. A whale-shaped prop-up pillow accompanies baby on this aquatic adventure, which comes to life with the crisp and colorful real-life scenery of the sea on the play mat. A soft textured border encourages tactile development. Remove the arch and the play gym becomes the perfect play mat for tummy time. Tummy time is enhanced by the animal peek-a-boo flaps with real-life imagery, as well as the ability to reposition and attach toys to loops on the mat or loops on the whale pillow. The play gym comes with several developmental and colorful plush and plastic toys, including a large fish-shaped baby-safe mirror, a set of Ocean Discovery cards featuring real-life images of 6 underwater animals, a Baby Neptune rattle, and a star-shaped teether. The play gym also has 8 links for repositioning the toys. The plush Octopus with various textures and dangling rattles and teethers offers baby an on-the-go toy. The play gym features a 2-in-1 musical aquarium toy that can be used both with the gym and in the crib. his underwater-themed gym folds up for easy transportation and storage.
— As of 05/20/2011 this product has 4.2 out 5 stars from 63 review on Amazon.com. Pros: Lots of elements can be detached; many reviewers like the light-up mobile. Cons: Not interactive enough; noises are annoying/ not melodical enough; not enough toys/toys not interesting enough.

This adjustable basketball set features an oversized rim and junior size basketball. Baskets are easier to make, encouraging more active, winning play.
— As of 05/20/2011, this product had 4.3 out of 5 stars from 103 reviews on Amazon.com, and was listed No. 22 in the top 100 best-selling toys and games. PROS: Adjustable, durable and "addicting" for kids. Appeals to a wide age range. CONS: Board can bend forward.

This colorful rattle comes in a twisted barbell design. The transparent plastic ends hold colorful balls that rattle when baby shakes the toy.
— As of 05/31/2011 this product had 4.7 out of 5 stars from 58 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Lightweight; bright colors; easy for small hand to grab; not overly loud.  Cons: The plastic is hard, and one parent complained that their child kept hitting itself in the face, and needed a softer rattle; one reviewer said her baby liked a different rattle that was easier to hold.

This pretend lawn mower features mechanical sounds that require no batteries. It comes with three yard tools and a removable gas can with lid, for "filling up" the mower.
 — As of 8.12.10, this product had 4 out of 5 stars from 20 reviews on ToysRUs.com and was listed No. 23 in best-selling toys and games. PROS: Sturdy, easy to assemble, attractive design.

Sassy Ring O Links offers youngsters a variety of textures to enhance tactile experiences. A bright, bold spectrum of colors keeps kids interested- no link is quite the same. The bold black and white pattern on the ring itself offers high-contrast imagery that is ideal for developing eyes.
— As of 05/20/2011 this product had 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com from 65 reviews. Pros: Durable; Multi-use (toy, teething rings); very colorful. Cons: Cheaper to just get the "bag o links;" the large black and white link detaches too easily from other links.

The Baby Einstein Around the World Play Gym introduces baby to animals, sights and sounds from 5 different regions of the world. The large, 34" mat features crisp, real-life imagery and animals from Africa, Asia, Australia, South America and the Polar Regions to offer a whole world for baby to discover. The mat also has sewn-in loops for attaching extra toys. Additional toys baby can play with include a panda rattle toy, a soft parrot with crinkle, a large baby-safe mirror, a spinning globe rattle ball, animal discovery cards and an igloo-shaped teether.
— As of 05/18/2011 this product had 3.9 out of 5 stars from 59 customer reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Great pictures on the mat; "wonderful songs;" the toys that hook on to the mat can be moved around; easy to store. Cons: One reviewer said their baby rolled the mat over itself like a taco; the fabric stuck to one child's mouth and nose while she was crying.

Designed using sensory stimulating principles, this activity mat is packed with activities and features that encourage baby's development during the first year of life. The large plat mat features high-contrast colors, textured fabrics for tactile development, and adorable ladybug characters. Features include water-filled teether, soft corduroy fabric on mat for added tactile development, and 4 loops to attach more of baby's favorite toys. The Bright Starts Start Your Senses Activity Mat is a machine washable play mat.
— As of 05/20/2011 this product has 4.4 out 5 stars from 14 review on Amazon.com. Pros: Lots of elements can be detached; many reviewers like the light-up mobile. Cons: One parent expressed concern over the toxicity of the flame-retarded fabric; one reviewer was disappointed that all of the "familiar faces" included in the artwork were blond/blue-eyed caucasian babies.