Toys to Talk About: Novelty Toys

Itzabots are robot shaped ceramic planters that kids can customize with any of the included mix and match stickers. Create and recreate new companion as many times as kids like. When kids fill the planter with water and give it a little light, their itzabot will begin to sprout a thick head of grass "hair" within 5-7 days. The hair will continue to grow for 2 months with continued watering and styling. Available in three styles/sticker kits: Monster, Girl, and Robot.

A happy tune and saying–reminding him to lower the seat when he’s done. A flashing LED light every 15 seconds lets users know when he’s left the seat up in the middle of the night. Peel-and-stick adhesive backing attaches easily to the flat underside of any toilet seat. Hygienic, water resistant case.

Zowa are fun toy puzzle erasers that kids can collect and trade with their friends. Series 1 has over 50 erasers to collect in 5 different themes: Fantasy, Jobs, Imagination, Sport, and Monster. Find all the rare erasers which come in white. The more Zowa one collects the bigger the Zowa World becomes. Zowa are available in a single pack or a 3 pack. Launch date: 2012.

Airfork One is now ready for boarding. It's made of sleek stainless steel encased in food-grade, dishwasher-safe silicone, just the thing to bring those mashed potatoes and peas in for a safe landing. It's high-flying meal-time fun for the little ones. 6-1/2-inch long, packed in a recyclable clear peggable PET box. Design by Sibylle Stoeckli/ECAL.

A reproduction of the original 1968 Fisher Price toy, this camera includes 3 interchangeable picture disks that are advanced by pressing the "shutter" button. Other features include a take along strap for the aspiring photographer on the go and a rotating flash cube.

A retro replica of the candy necklace. Each bead is one of six different colored crayons. Non-toxic.

Nickelodeon Gak is back. The Nickelodeon Gak - Blue is the incredible squishable, squeezable, squashable, stretchable, bounceable, ploppable, poppable stuff. Gak's  "Splat" container lets kids make all sorts of wacky sounds when they squish the Gak around. Smoosh it, Twist it, Bubble It, Mix it.

It's a 7" long x 2-1/2" dia PVC tube with a resonant head at one end attached to a 17" long x 3/16" dia extension spring. Kids shake it, scrape it, wiggle it, use their palm to muffle it and they generate creaks, deep warbles, rumbles, weird heterodyne-ish gong effects, wa-wa's, rude noises, and, yes, realistic thunder. A perfect musical companion to a cuica and rain stick - and good, clean fun around the house.