toys & family entertainment, february 2013

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDLEBANON

JUNCTION, KYPERMIT NO. 499

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Vol. 8, No. 2, February 2013

Toy Fair 2013State of the Specialty Industry

Competition Heats up in Doll Category

What’s New with K’NEX

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February 2013Volume 8, No. 2

38 Control Your Brand with MAPP Trapby Ron Solomon

40 Competition Heats up in the Doll Categoryby Christine Sullivan

42 Dolls:Product Presentationby Christine Sullivan

44 Strong Start at This Year’s Hong Kong Toys & Games Fairby Christopher Byrne

46 Disney, Partners Launch Monsters University Initiative by Nancy Lombardi

48 State of the Specialty Toy Industryby Nancy Lombardi

58 What’s New at Toy Fair 2013compiled by Laurie Leahey and Jennifer Lynch

128 Specialty Emporium: Blue Orange by Jennifer Lynch

10 Observations & Opinions

12 Sizzlers

14 The Ticker

18 Entertainment Marketplace:

Babar

22 Industry Forum: TIA

24 Industry Forum: ASTRA

26 Industry Forum: Design Edge

28 Industry Forum:

Dallas Market Center

30 Industry Forum: ToyFest West

32 Industry Forum:

Gameplan Europe

34 Merchandise Makers: K’NEX

130 Calendar of Events

clockwise from left: Babarwooden car from Schylling;Spot It! Party Game from BlueOrange; LEGO MindstormsEV3 robot; A scene fromDisney/Pixar’s MonstersUniversity; Monster HighScaris assortment from Mattel

Cover and related Toy Fair2013 poster created by

Design Edge

departments on this pagefeatures

TOYS & FAMILY

ENTERTAINMENT

EXCLUSIVE

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Embrace the Change

10 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT FEBRUARY 2013

OBSE

RVAT

IONS

& O

PINI

ONS

February 2013 • Volume 8, Number 2

PUBLISHER BOB [email protected]

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ANDY [email protected]

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR DONNA [email protected]

CONTROLLER MARY [email protected]

EDITOR IN CHIEF JIM [email protected]

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR NANCY [email protected]

EDITOR AT LARGE CHRISTOPHER [email protected]

EDITOR LAURIE [email protected]

ASSISTANT EDITOR JENNIFER [email protected]

WEB MASTER ERIK [email protected]

WEB CONTENT MANAGER BRENDAN [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORS

ANDREW DOBBIE; KATHLEEN MCHUGH;KRISTIN MORENCY; CINDY MORRIS;MATT NUCCIO; RON SOLOMON;BILL ST. JOHN; CHRISTINE SULLIVAN

PUBLIC RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE JOSSLYNNE WELCHLITZKY PUBLIC RELATIONS, 320 SINATRA DRIVE, HOBOKEN, N.J. 07030

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TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT is published four times per year by aNb Media.Copyright 2013 aNb Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may bereproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical,including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system,without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the U.S.A. TOYS & FAMILYENTERTAINMENT and SPECIALTY EMPORIUM are registered trademarks of aNb Media.Opinions and comments expressed in this publication by editors, contributing writ-ers, or solicited or unsolicited documents are not necessarily those of management.

WWW.ANBMEDIA.COM

The only constant is change. As we embark on yetanother Toy Fair, things are very different thisyear. There are major shifts happening within soci-ety that are not “trends” but rather signify realchange in how consumers spend their time and

money. As you will read on the pages ahead, the recurringtheme in the issue speaks to these shifts. At the root of this seachange is the internet. One aspect of the shift is the rise of online shopping. Theother is mobile devices, which encompass smartphones and tablets. Online shopping is still in its infancy. According to an October 2012 survey of

American consumers by the National Retail Federation, 51.8 percent of U.S. con-sumers planned to shop online during this past holiday season. That’s up from 46.7percent in 2011. It’s obvious that this number will accelerate with each passingyear, not just in the U.S. but globally. Amazon.com is without question the leaderwhen shopping for anything online. After all, the tagline is “Earth’s biggest selec-tion.” It does indeed seem true. So how is anyone else supposed to compete? Mostmass market chains will have to act quickly to catch up to what consumers believeare givens when shopping online: search, shop, pay, ship, and return with ease—allat the lowest price. It’s a tall order to fulfill. Oddly enough, this should not spell certain doom for independent toy stores.

They will not be able to compete based on the criteria above. However, it’s beenwritten about repeatedly in this magazine that the independents will be able tocompete based on customer service and community activities—two things thatcan’t be replicated online.The other issue vexing the industry is tablets and accompanying apps. The

reality is an iPad is the ultimate toy—regardless of the user’s age. Many toycompanies have tried to make complementary toys for iPods and iPads knownas “app-cessories” but without too much success. We can expect to see manymore attempts this year. It will be interesting to see how this category evolvesand what product will break through at retail. At aNb Media we are also in the midst of change. Our consumer site,

TimetoPlayMag.com, has allowed us to move from a trade magazine publisher to afull-service media company. We continue to serve the trade with magazines and awebsite (aNbMedia.com). But we have seen explosive growth with our comprehen-sive video reviews, media events, blogger lunches, Twitter game show, socialmedia outreach, and so much more. In addition, 2013 will see growth onTimetoPlayMag.com in the infant, sporting goods, and tech for kids categories. We live in an exciting time. We can see the change happening around us and

we should all be open to embracing what is on the horizon. It will allow every-one’s business to grow in 2013.

BY BOB GLASER

www.PlaSmartToys.com | 1.877.289.0730 | [email protected]

NEW

from PlaSmart

New York

ToY Fair

Feb. 10-13, 2013 | booth # 1851

• Sturdy,long-lastingpostersstandthetestoftime

• Choosefromfive24x34”postersortwoMini-Kitscontainingfour11”x14”posterseach

• Eachposterorkitcontains12-non-toxic,dual-tippedpens(calligraphytip&finetip)

Fantastic family activity, kids’ project, or hobby!

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SIZZ

LERS

Sizzlers: What’s Moving Off Store Shelves? What Are the Hottest Web Orders?

AIR HUNTRESS Z-CURVE BOWZing Toys

BARBIE BUILD ’N STYLE ASSORTMENTMEGA Bloks

DOC MCSTUFFINS DOCTOR’S BAG SETJust Play

DOC MCSTUFFINS TIME FOR YOURCHECKUP DOLL

Just Play

CRAYOLA COLOR WONDER ASSORTMENTCrayola

FURBYHasbro

HEDBANZ GAMESpin Master

JAKE AND THE NEVER LAND PIRATESJAKE’S MUSICAL PIRATE SHIP BUCKY

Fisher-Price

LEAPPAD2 EXPLORERLeapFrog

LEGO FRIENDS ASSORTMENTLEGO

LEGO NINJAGO ASSORTMENTLEGO

MONSTER HIGH GHOULS RULEASSORTMENT

Mattel

MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGICPONY PRINCESS WEDDING CASTLE

Hasbro

PERPLEXUS ASSORTMENTPlaSmart

REGULAR SHOW FIGURE ASSORTMENTJazwares

SKYLANDERS GIANTSActivision

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLESROLEPLAY AND VEHICLE ASSORTMENTS

Playmates

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLESCOMBAT GEAR ASSORTMENT

Playmates

WWE BRAWLIN’ BUDDIESMattel

Here is an alphabetical listing of the hottest-selling items in the toy industry, based on

a combined survey of both offline and online retailers, reflecting the previous month’s sales.

Doc McStuffins Time for Your Checkup DollMy Little Pony Friendship Is Magic

Pony Princess Wedding Castle Air Huntress Z-Curve Bow

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JAKKS PACIFIC LAUNCHES DREAMPLAY WITH NANTWORKS, DISNEYDreamPlay Toys, LLC, the joint venture between NantWorks, LLC and Jakks Pacific, Inc., debuted Disney-branded DreamPlay prod-

ucts at last month’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. DreamPlay products will incorporate NantWorks’ groundbreaking iD image recognition technology. It is a robust recognition platform that

accurately recognizes images, 3-D objects, voice, speech, data, live video, and more, with the capability to differentiate between millions ofobjects instantaneously. The integration of this technology with Disney characters enables the consumer to experience a seamless blending ofa physical toy with new character-based content in the form of interactive games and animation right on a smart phone or tablet device.

DreamPlay Toys and Jakks Pacific plan to launch this interactive productline in the U.S. at major retailers in fall 2013 and internationally in 2014. UsingNantWorks’ iD technology, apps will be developed for both iOS and Androiddevices, which will allow the consumer to access deeper content-rich experi-ences from their mobile and tablet devices without the need for any type of QRcode, according to the companies.

The patented 2-D and 3-D recognition technologies instantly recognize thetoy and allow children to interact, play, and learn in ways that were not possi-ble before. It is a seamless convergence of technology, storytelling, and tradi-tional toy play delivered through a single experience.

“What really sets this apart from anything else out there is the combinationof a truly incredible technological platform combined with the best content andstorytelling company in the world, Disney. Kids are about to see the magic they always dreamed of come to life right before their eyes,”says Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, NantWorks’ founder, in a statement. “At NantWorks, we believe in breaking barriers and bringing the impos-sible to life. This collaboration marks the convergence of imagination, innovation, and interactivity, and we are excited that Disney is deliv-ering new experiences to the consumer utilizing our groundbreaking iD technology.”

Bob Chapek, president, Disney Consumer Products, says in a statement, “One of our top priorities is to integrate cutting-edge technolo-gies with our incredible Disney content to transform traditional toys into interactive storytelling experiences that are uniquely Disney. Thisannouncement is an exciting first step toward our vision of re-imagining conventional toys as new forms of play and digital entertainmentthat will enrich and enhance how the consumer interacts with Disney products.”

Stephen Berman, president and CEO, Jakks Pacific, Inc., also says in a statement, “We are excited to work with Disney, our longtimelicensor, to develop and deliver best-in-class play experiences for families to enjoy. Increasingly, kids are ‘playing’ with digital technolo-gy. Our goal is to combine physical toy play with a digital experience incorporating the unique content that only Disney can provide. Bymarrying toys and Disney to our DreamPlay technology using the powerful NantWorks iD recognition platform, we are merging the twoways kids are playing today, with smart devices and traditional toys, enhancing their experience and deepening the level of interaction withour products using their smart phone or tablet device.”

Disney will be granted exclusive rights to utilize the DreamPlay technology in the toy space along with select entertainment charactersand brands owned by Jakks, such as Monsuno.

A Recap of Industry Headlines


THETICK

ER

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By pointing the iPad’s camera at the interactive Little Mermaid drums, Sebastian appears and interacts

with the drums on the screen.

A Recap of Industry Headlines


THETICK

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LEGO UNVEILS MINDSTORMS EV3The LEGO Group introduced its new LEGO Mindstorms EV3 platform for consumer robotics, designed

to introduce a younger generation to building and programming robots while adding new flexibility for itsexisting fan base. The entire Mindstorms system is powered by the new EV3 Intelligent Brick, featuringmore memory and a larger processor. A new infrared sensor gives builders more control over their robotsthan ever before. A new Linux-based firmware, a USB port, and SD expansion slot will offer nearly unlimited programming and expan-sion capabilities. Additionally, LEGO Mindstorms EV3 will also include full iOS and Android compatibility out of the box.

At launch, it will include building instructions for 17 different robots. The LEGO Group has created a series of modular builds designedto help children begin programming and playing within minutes. Builders can then add LEGO Technic pieces, additional motors, or sen-sors to change the functionality of the robot. A mission pad included with the box encourages children to compete against themselves in aseries of obstacle courses for the robots they build and program.

Mindstorms EV3 is the first LEGO playset to incorporate 3-D building instructions, made possible through collaboration withAutodesk. Mindstorms will be released with native language editions for Russia, China, Korea, Japan, Spain, and Denmark in addition tothe English, French, German, and Dutch language versions now available.

ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE EXPECTED IN THEATERS IN 2016Rovio Entertainment announced that Despicable Me producer John Cohen has signed on as producer of the upcoming Angry Birds

movie. David Maisel, former chairman of Marvel Studios and executive producer of Iron Man, will be executive producer of the featurefilm, which is expected in theaters in the summer of 2016. Following Marvel Studios’ example, which was architected by Maisel, Roviowill produce and finance the movie outside the studio system and retain full creative control. The upcoming movie marks RovioEntertainment’s first foray into feature films. Since its debut in 2009, the Angry Birds gaming app —and its numerous versions—has been

downloaded more than one billion times across multiple platforms.

ICONIX HIRES BRODSKY FOR PEANUTSIconix Brand Group, Inc., appointed Leigh Anne Brodsky to the position of manag-

ing director of Peanuts Worldwide, a joint venture with Charles M. Schulz CreativeAssociates. Brodsky will oversee the global business for the Peanuts property, includ-ing the launch of the recently announced 2015 feature film from Twentieth Century Foxand Blue Sky Studios. She will also oversee and develop the Iconix Entertainment divi-sion as well as seek out properties for the company’s growing portfolio of brands.

Brodsky is well known for her role as president at Nickelodeon Consumer Products,where she built the division into the world’s No.1 TV-based licensing business. Mostrecently, she has been an acting member of the board of directors at Jakks Pacific, aboard member of the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation, and president of L.A.BLicensing and Branding.

• For More News, Visit www.aNbMedia.com• Sign up to Receive FREE Weekly News Alerts

UGLYDOLL HAS NEW OFFICEDUE TO HURRICANE

Thanks to Hurricane Sandy, PrettyUglyLLC, home of Uglydoll, has new perma-nent office space. The company has beenfully operational at this location since earlyNovember.

Pretty Ugly, LLC290 Highway 22 WestGreen Brook, NJ 08812

Email: [email protected]: (908) 620-0931

B abar originated in the 1930s as a bedtime story told to Laurent de Brunhoffand his brother by their mother, Cecile. The books then came to life throughthe art of Laurent’s father, Jean de Brunhoff, a painter, who produced sevenbooks about the character. Jean passed away suddenly at the young age of37. Laurent, who studied at the same art academy, built on his father’s work,

creating many bestselling adventures for the elephant family. Babar tells the tale of a littleelephant playing in the jungle who ventures into town after his mother is shot by a hunterand then returns to the jungle, where he becomes the king of the elephants.

The lovable elephant has appeared in more than 100 books in 17 languages as well as mul-tiple TV series and specials and even a feature-length film. More than 42 Babar titles havebeen published to date with more than 10.1 million copies sold in the U.S. alone.

Babar is celebrating its 80th anniversary in the U.S. this year. A celebration fit for a kinggot underway in fall 2012 as New York City’s Saks Fifth Avenue and Books of Wonder show-

cased Babar with a lineup of upscale products. In November 2012, the flagship Saks Fifth Avenue Toy

Boutique featured Babar, which expanded into 21 other Sakslocations nationwide. Babar was included in Saks’ New York Cityholiday window display as well as the store’s holiday catalog.

Books of Wonder, New York’s largest independent chil-dren’s bookstore, featured Babar window displays last fall, aBabar book signing by author and illustrator Laurent deBrunhoff, story times throughout the month, and an auction ofrare Babar silkscreened prints with proceeds benefitingReading Is Fundamental.

“What began as a family bedtime story nearly a century agohas grown into one of the most successful and well-loved chil-dren’s book series and brands of all time,” says Andrew Kerr,head of consumer products, The Americas and Australasia, for

Nelvana Enterprises, which manages the Babar brand in collaboration with The Clifford RossCompany. “With a standout presence at Saks Fifth Avenue and Books of Wonder, coupledwith the launch of an exciting new product range marking the brand’s stateside reintroductionafter more than a decade, we are thrilled to kick off Babar’s 80th celebration.”

As part of the 80th birthday celebration, the vintage Babar brand will be showcased in arange of new products set to launch at specialty toy and book stores nationwide. A selectionof the licensees are featured on the next page. The upscale collection of Babar products willmark the beloved brand’s widespread reemergence at retail after more than 10 years, pavingthe way for a whole new generation of fans to become immersed in the world of Babar.

Babar from Nelvana & Clifford Ross CompanyBY NANCY LOMBARDI

ENTERT

AINM

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ARKE

TPLA

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Fun Facts• 2013 marks Babar’s 80thanniversary in the U.S.

• There are currently 100-plusBabar book titles available in17 languages. There are evenmore in development alongwith multiple TV series and afeature-length film.

• The animated Babar TV series,produced by Nelvana and TheClifford Ross Company, pre-miered on January 23, 1989.

• 78 Babar classic and 52 Babarand the Adventures of Badou TVepisodes have been produced.

• Babar means “lion” in Hindi.

• The first book, Histoire deBabar by Jean de Brunhoff, waspublished in France in 1931.The English version, The Storyof Babar, was introduced byA.A. Milne in 1933 in the U.S.and England.

• Laurent de Brunhoff, son of thecreator, wrote and illustratedBabar et ce Coquin d’Arthur(Babar’s Cousin: That RascalArthur) in 1946 at age 21.

FEBRUARY 2013 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 19

YottoyYottoy is celebrating Babar’s 80th anniver-

sary in a big way with a five-foot tall plushBabar in his familiar, signature green suit withgold crown with an MSRP of $495. He’s in asitting position (shown here) and ready to snug-gle as kids read one of the many celebratedbooks for the Babar series. Also available is theclassic 13-inch Babar and Celeste plush for $28.Dressed in their signature outfits, each standstall with golden felt crowns atop their heads.

Books to BedThis matching crewneck, long-

sleeved pajama set is paired withBabar’s ABC book, which has Babarand the residents of Celesteville pre-senting the letters of the alphabet.The pajamas are available in blueand pink cotton in sizes 18 months tochildren’s size 10.

Out of Print Out of Print offers 100 percent cot-

ton vintage short-sleeved T-shirts fea-turing three styles of distressed soft-ened prints. Styles include BabarComes to America, ABC de Babar(shown), and Babar’s Little Girl.

MudpuppyThe Babar Wooden

Magnetic Shapes fea-tures 35 magnetic piecesof Babar, his family,friends, and other citi-zens of Celesteville. The Mudpuppy set is made of80 percent recycled wood.

SchyllingSchylling offers a classic collec-

tion of nostalgic wooden and tin toyscapturing the heritage of Babar. Someof the items include Babar WoodenCar (shown), Babar Tin Bank, BabarTin Kaleidoscope, Babar Jack-in-the-Box, Babar Tin Tea Set, Wooden PegPuzzle, Babar 4-in-1 Jigsaw Puzzle,and Babar Mood Puzzle.

New York PuzzleCompany

Big Piece Puzzles have colorful,easy-to-see and easy-to-hold two-inchpieces that feature classic Babarimages. Available in the line is thisBabar et les Ballons, which is a 300-piece puzzle.

Fun on a Global Scale.

NEW CHARACTERS. FRESH CONTENT. STATE-OF-THE-ART DISTRIBUTION PLATFORMS.WE’RE GROWING AND REACHING ALL KIDS, EVERYWHERE!

ACTION WHACKED SATURDAY MORNINGS ON THE CW AND 24/7/365 ON MYVORTEXX.COM

LARGEST AGGREGATOR OF KID SAFE CONTENT ON THE WEB

L

TM & © 2013 SCG Power Rangers LLC. All Rights Reserved. TM & © 2013 Paul Frank Industries LLC. All Rights Reserved. TM & © 2013 SCG Characters LLC. All Rights Reserved. © Akiyoshi Hongo, Toei Animation. TM Saban Properties LLC. All Rights Reserved. TM & © 2013 Vortexx Entertainment Ventures. All Rights Reserved. TM & © 2013 Saban Digital Studios LLC. All Rights Reserved. TM & © 2013 Playforge Games LLC. All Rights Reserved. TM & © 2013 Saban Brands LLC. All Rights Reserved.

R

LEADING MOBILE GAMES PUBLISHER AND DEVELOPER

T

While the United States is the world’s largestconsumer of toys, domestic toy sales haveremained relatively flat over the past fewyears. U.S. toymakers are increasinglylooking for growth opportunities in inter-

national markets, especially with recent estimates predicting thatworldwide toy and game sales are expected to rise 22 percent by2016, bringing the global market to almost $95 billion.

As part of its strategic plan for 2013–2015, the Toy IndustryAssociation (TIA) is dedicated to helping its members grow theirmarket share both domestically and internationally. TIA’s advo-cacy team is stepping up efforts to support international legisla-tive initiatives that help toy companies expand their businessesacross borders with ease.

“Working with peer organizations such as the Toy Industries ofEurope and the International Council of Toy Industries, one of ourtop priorities in 2013 is to improve trade relations among key inter-national partners, align global standards to make internationalbusiness easier, and increase market access for our members,” saysEd Desmond, TIA executive vice-president of external affairs.

Trade topics currently being monitored include: • Regulatory Cooperation—alignment of international regulations• Improved Efficiency at Ports—entry/release delays of compli-ant product caused by agency activity such as U.S. Customs &Border Protection and/or Consumer Product Safety Commission • Corporate Social Responsibility—child/forced labor, living wage,supply chain visibility, etc.• China’s currency—efforts to revalue China’s currency• Forced Localization—regulations and laws that favor domesticcompanies• Export Assistance—increasing the ability to sell products in for-eign countries• Technical Barriers to Trade—unique standards, inspections, etc.by foreign countries• Free Trade Agreements—increase market access and reduce bar-riers to trade• Intellectual Property Protection—antipiracy, counterfeit protec-

tion, copyright protection, etc.• Countervailing duties—by foreign countries on goods enteringtheir market or by U.S. on imported goods

To account for the rising globalization of the toy industry, TIA isbuilding on its year-round educational and informational resources:

• The TIA Knowledge Network recently presented webinarscovering topics such as anti-counterfeiting and intellectual proper-ty protection that apply in the international arena. In the comingmonths, webinars will cover toy-related issues in North and SouthAmerica, Europe, the Middle East, and other regions.

• The re-vamped Global Commerce section of the TIA website(www.ToyAssociation.org/GlobalCommerce) includes news andinformation on international regulatory cooperation initiatives, techni-cal or tariff barriers to trade, and other trade and customs updates.

• At this month’s Toy Fair, two seminars will provide compa-nies with the tools and information they need to expand theirbusinesses further into the global marketplace. On February 11,the Department of Commerce (DOC) will present Guide toExporting: North & South of the Border, and on February 12,TIA will host its annual Toy Safety Compliance Update, whichwill feature recently passed toy safety standards, laws, and com-pliance requirements in the U.S. and abroad.

For more information about TIA’s commitment to tracking andreporting on issues related to the expanding marketplace, visitwww.ToyAssociation.org. For more details about Toy Fair’s vari-ous opportunities, visit www.ToyFairNY.com.

Kristin Morency is communications specialist for the Toy IndustryAssociation (TIA). Visit toyassociation.org for more information.

TIA STRENGTHENS COMMITMENT

TO TOY INDUSTRY GLOBAL EXPANSION


BY KRISTIN MORENCY, TIA

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The first business buzz of 2013is in, and it’s all about compe-tition, competition, competi-tion. There are hopeful signsin the economy (hooray!), and

members of The American Specialty ToyRetailing Association (ASTRA) are lookingto translate that hopefulness into sales. Forindependent toy store owners, that startswith getting customers into your store.

How does a store become a popular placeto visit and shop? How do you become a des-tination? As you look ahead to your big busi-ness challenges for 2013, let’s be clear thatthis must be one of your top priorities. Yourcustomers have more choices than ever, andbetween new technologies and online com-petitors, it is essential that you find new waysto ramp up foot traffic. As bestselling authorJon Acuff, who will be keynoting ASTRA’sMarketplace & Academy in Nashville, Tenn.,(June 16–19, 2013) points out, you cannotexpect your business to do better just bydoing the same things.

ENVISION THE STORE YOU WANT

Clarifying your business’ mission andvalues can help lead you to strategies for cre-ating a place customers seek out. Claudiaand Tom Towles, owners of aMuse Toys inBaltimore, Md., were conscious of creating adestination when they opened their toy store.“We pictured a place that would be a hub ofcommunity activity—a welcoming, friendlygathering place in a downtown area that didnot have anything for kids,” says ClaudiaTowles. “Being a destination is baked intoour mission and our core values. We haveworked hard to position ourselves as a desti-

nation in the customer’s mind.”aMuse Toys wants customers to have a

calm, relaxing, distinctive shopping experi-ence. “We make our shopping space physi-cally beautiful,” says Claudia Towles.“When you walk through our door, you arerelaxed by classical music and you can findwhat you want in displays that are wellgrouped and not cramped.” The mission ofaMuse Toys—beautiful, purposeful play—drives all aspects of the store’s operationsfrom product selection to merchandising tothe charities the store supports.

PROVIDE WORLD CLASS

CUSTOMER SERVICE

The single most significant competitiveadvantage most independent stores offer isyour customer service. Service—includingyour product knowledge—differentiates youfrom stressful, ho-hum shopping experiencesat big box stores, and provides the personal,human interaction that online shopping willnever match. “People really appreciate goodservice because they don’t get it in verymany places anymore,” says Greg Larson,owner of Larson’s Toys and Games inColumbus, Ohio. “In my many years in thisbusiness, I have read lots of books andattended many terrific ASTRA seminars thatreinforce how crucial it is to provide worldclass customer service. This cannot be saidoften enough. It sets your store apart fromother choices available to your customers.”

Sari and Sam Powazek, owners of twoDoll House & Toy Store locations in thePhoenix, Ariz., area, agree and point out thatthe same things that differentiate you frombig box stores and online retailers are the

things that make you a destination. “It’sabout being open, giving, gracious, andhighly focused on customer needs,” saysSari Powazek. “It also helps to have a popu-lar dog named Sydney in the store that kidslike to pet and shower with treats.” (SeveralASTRA store owners have popular pets whobecome part of their store’s brand image—and part of their destination strategy.)

MAKE YOUR

STORE FUN—AND USEFUL

The Powazeks welcome customers tostop by even if they are not shopping. Theymaintain play areas in their stores, and iffamilies have half an hour between the kids’activities, they can use them to keep chil-dren occupied. They also provide a reasonfor parents to be in the store. They offer par-enting resources through recurring classesand services like infant massage, musicdemonstrations, and a home safety series.

So take another look around. Think like amom who is tired of being cooped up withpreschoolers at home, or a grandmother whois watching the kids for the weekend, or thefamily that likes to do arts and crafts projectsbut hates the mess. Think like the dad whojust remembered that he was supposed to pickup a gift for his daughter to take to a class-mate’s birthday party tomorrow. What willmake them think of you—every time? Thebottom line? Keep it simple. Take all the has-sle out of shopping at your store. Make it aplace where kids have a great time and par-ents exhale when they walk through the door.

Kathleen McHugh is president of The AmericanSpecialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA).

DESTINATION: YOUR STORE


BY KATHLEEN MCHUGH

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I t seems we survived the Mayan prediction regarding theend of the world last December. Surely we’ve heard theseend-of-the-world prophecies before. Remember Y2K?And, of course, there is always a Nostradamus predictionfloating around. But somehow we never learn about those

until after a calamity occurs. Yet lately it seems that a lot of the woeful predictions are com-

ing from the toy industry. It seems everyone is convinced thatcomputers, smart phones, tablets, and just about any other tech-related device means the end of traditional toys. I have to laughat this idea. How can an industry that is as flexible and innova-tive as this one seriously consider new technology as a threat?Rather, it’s a long-term asset to be tapped into.

While it is prudent to consider the long-term changes theseproducts may have on traditional toys, it is important to rememberthat new technology—and change—in general always createsapprehension and resistance.

Yet in the end, it is these new developments that usually add totraditional play, and grow the economy. When radio debuted thefledgling toy industry debated whether listening to cowboy serialstook away from kids’ playtime. We know now that’s certainly nottrue. In the end, it sold a ton of toys.

That same pattern played itself out when television made itsway into American homes. It was predicted that time spentwatching television would end playtime. Instead play—and thesale of toys—increased considerably due to children’s series. Ithelped to fuel the modern-day toy industry. It lead to the creationof sophisticated character licensing. It also lead to the develop-ment of the modern-day advertising industry.

The same pattern repeated itself yet again when video gamesentered homes, then computers, CD-ROMs, web-based games,etc. I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. Each newgeneration of kids weaves technology seamlessly into their livesas it evolves without even giving it a thought. It manages to fitvery comfortably right next to traditional toys. It’s all part of abalanced toy box—and a balanced life in general as kids moveinto adulthood.

Forward-thinking companies are looking at the creativity com-ing from the digital world and are realizing that there will alwaysbe a strong market for conventional toys if they are inventive andtimely. The industry should be immersing itself in this new world.That doesn’t mean companies should abandon classic productlines. But companies should be willing to absorb technology’sstrengths, learn from its weaknesses, and apply the lessonslearned to every aspect of play—regardless of what products youmanufacture. This is how you will really get to know the marketand keep up with play patterns that are in sync with the times.

Each new generation thinks technology should stop right whereit is comfortable. Everyone wants to remain in their definition ofthe “good ol’ days.” For some it was the 1950s, for others it wasthe 1980s. But those born into today’s generation will never knowlife without a tablet, for example, and for them its use is as naturalas the light switch you flick on when you enter a room. Move for-ward in 2013 to simply learn—even if you are not quite personal-ly ready to forfeit your library card for an eReader.

Design Edge is a New York-based graphic design andresearch development studio. Matt Nuccio can be reachedat (516) 377–0500 or [email protected].

FROM RADIO TO TABLETS:EMBRACE (TECHNOLOGICAL) CHANGE


BY MATT NUCCIO, DESIGN EDGE

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Barbie (2-in-1)

Barbie® as Kristyn Farraday doll changes from dance

fashion to recital costume!

Ballerina Dress

Movie-inspired dress allows girls to recreate

movie magic!

©2013 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Barbie in The Pink Shoes movie

Available on DVD and Blu-Ray

February 26, 2013.

123682_BB_Pink_Shoes_Ad_2.indd 1 1/17/13 10:28 AMUntitled-1 1 1/18/2013 10:28:02 AM

PBJ: Play. Baby. Juvenile., anew trade event for baby giftsand gadgets at the DallasMarket Center will make itsdebut March 21 and 22. This

trade show is expected to become an annualspring event. PBJ further expands the selec-tion inside the Dallas marketplace thatincludes apparel, accessories, toys, furni-ture, bedding, books, and educational gifts.“We see a tremendous growth opportu-

nity in the gifts and gadgets market,” saidBill Winsor, president and CEO, DallasMarket Center. “As specialty stores con-tinue to expand their product mix, we candeliver a comprehensive marketplace ful-filling every retail need.”PBJ, taking place on the eighth floor of the

World Trade Center, will feature a uniquearray of new products from emerging compa-nies as well as recognized brand names.The show space, designed by the Dallas

Market Center visual merchandising team,will be modern, fun, and inspirational.Fresh displays, hospitalities, special events,and educational and networking opportuni-ties will be available throughout the show. “Our approach to this event is to create

an energetic temporary marketplace that issimilar to European exhibitions,” saidAmber Williams, visual director, DallasMarket Center. “We will keep a playfulmood while integrating sophisticated designelements and displays.”PBJ will be held in conjunction with the

Dallas KidsWorld Market (March 18–21),which draws specialty retailers from acrossthe U.S. and internationally to the 200,000-square-foot marketplace on the eighth floorof the World Trade Center.Other show amenities include the Dallas

Market App, free buyer Wi-Fi, a range ofdining choices, airfare discounts, specialhotel rates, complimentary shuttle services

from partner hotels, and more. Dallas is centrally located and within a

four-hour flight from most North Americandestinations. In addition, Dallas Love FieldAirport is conveniently located 10 minutesfrom the Market Center. While in Dallas,visitors can enjoy some of the best shop-ping in the southwest, four- and five-dia-mond restaurants, the largest urban arts dis-trict in the nation, more than 13 entertain-ment districts, and much more.Make plans now to attend next month’s

inaugural PBJ (March 21–22) by contactingMarket Travel at (214) 744–7444 or [email protected]. Stay up to date byvisiting www.dallasmarketcenter.com/pbj/and by “Liking” Dallas Market Center onFacebook and following @DallasMarket onTwitter.

Cindy Morris is COO of Dallas Market Center.Visit www.dallasmarketcenter.com/pbj/

PBJ Show Launches in March


BY CINDY MORRIS, DALLAS MARKET CENTER

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Shown here are exhibitors forthe PBJ show. From the left isThe Daisy Baby, Baby ElephantEars, and WubbaNub. PBJ isscheduled for March 21 & 22,2013, at Dallas Market Center.

FOR MARKETING AND LICENSING INQUIRIES, CONTACT:

Sasha Junk (212) 598-2200 [email protected]

© 2012 Kidz Bop, LLC. “KIDZ BOP” and “Kidz Bop Kids” are registered trademarks of Kidz Bop, LLC. All rights reserved.

The social network and video site for kids

THE #1 MUSIC BRAND FOR KIDS 5-12 IN THE U.S.!

Untitled-1 1 1/16/2013 3:41:21 PM

ToyFest West (formerly known as the Western States Toy & Hobby Show)makes another fresh start with a move to Las Vegas this year. For manydecades, The Western Toy and Hobby Representatives Association(WTHRA) hosted the show in Long Beach, Calif. We are excited to main-tain our tradition yet change our show venue.

ToyFest West has enjoyed a substantial growth in attendance over the years, withimpressive increases in both exhibitor and buyer participation contributing to the over-all success of the event. Attendance not only comes from the West, but from manyother parts of the U.S. as well as Mexico and the Pacific Rim countries. Overall, weexpect a more than 30 percent growth this year compared to previous years.

We believe that the reason for this growth is that attendees recognize that travel toindustry trade shows in New York City during the winter months can be both compli-

cated and expensive. Our attendees aredrawn by the beautiful western weather,easy arrival and departure on our spa-cious convention facilities, and the casu-al, reunion-like atmosphere of our eventto be a winning combination. We knowthat our attendees will surely have funthis year as they also enjoy Las Vegas, amore regionally attractive destinationwith great spas, casinos, restaurants, andshows. Frankly, Las Vegas just makes

good business sense during these economic times. In addition, our host, South Point, isoffering an unprecedented hotel room incentive—Monday, March 11 will be free ofcharge to the first 300 guests that book rooms for March 9 and March 10.

Attendees can also expect myriad networking opportunities as ToyFest West willagain host the annual Gala Event, a much-anticipated affair celebrating industry col-leagues who have been inducted in the WTHRA Hall of Fame. This year, WTHRAcongratulates the 2013 Retailer of the Year Geppetto’s, located in La Jolla, Calif. Weare also continuing our annual ToyFest Game Night, where retailers experience a fun-filled venue where they learn about products, enjoy refreshments, and even win prizes.Participants will engage in a fast-paced, three-hour, roundtable event. Additionalinformation about this year’s activities is featured in the box on the right. We hope youwill join us next month for another successful show in this year’s new location.

Bill St. John is Western States Toy & Hobby Retail Association (WTHRA) boardpresident. For more information, visit www.toyfestwest.com.

TOYFEST WEST: THE BUYER’S PLAYGROUND MOVES TO LAS VEGAS


BY BILL ST. JOHN, TOYFEST WEST

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TOYFEST WEST IN LAS VEGAS

MARCH 10–13SOUTH POINT HOTEL, CASINO, AND SPA

WWW.SOUTHPOINTCASINO.COM

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

PLAYWEST GALA RECEPTIONSunday, March 10, 6:30PM–9:00PM

at the South Point Hotel. A playful cel-ebration designed exclusively for retail-ers, representatives, and exhibitors. Theevent includes food, entertainment, anda brief awards ceremony inducting out-standing industry peers into the Hall ofFame. Congratulations to the following2013 Hall of Fame Inductees: RichBrady, Kathleen Milne, and Bill andNancy Smith. The 2013 Retailer of theYear, Geppetto’s in La Jolla, Calif., willalso be honored.

TOYFEST GAME NIGHTMonday, March 11, 6:30PM–9:30PM at

the South Point Hotel. Buyers only arewelcome to learn and laugh at this signa-ture event of the expo. The event is free;register early as seating is limited.

BEST OF THE FEST BY ASTRATuesday, March 12, 8:00AM–9:00AM at

the South Point Hotel. ASTRA welcomesall retailers to learn what’s on trend for2013. No registration required.

Untitled-1 1 1/18/2013 12:21:21 PM

It is no secret that parts of Europe arean economic mess. Greece leads thepack with deep economic woes thatwill not be fixed anytime soon.Portugal, Spain, Italy and, perhaps,

even France are not far behind withentrenched issues that stem, in part, frommulti-generational reliance on the govern-

ment mixed with a failure ofits citizens to pay taxes. Soit comes as no surprise thattoy-buying is not top ofmind at the moment in theseregions. Toy market valuesyear-over-year declined by16 percent in Spain, 7 percentin France, and 4 percent in

Italy. (Of course, some of these stats alsohave to do with declining birth rates.)

Yet apart from these macro-economicproblems, the toy industry—in Europe andglobally—has other issues to contend with.One is the rapid growth of toy sales from theinternet. In the UK and Germany, in particu-lar, web sales are growing so fast that one ofthe largest multi-national toy companies nowpredicts that by the end of 2014, 40 percent ofGerman toy sales will be from the internet.This includes both internet-only retailers suchas Amazon.com as well as the internet divi-sions of brick-and-mortar retailers. The latterhave to find a way to contend with consumerswho expect the same prices both in-store andonline. Consumers who are increasinglyequipped with smartphones can instantlycomparison shop while in-store, as we haveseen with the “showrooming” phenomenon.

There is no way to fight this inevitablechange—and no one should fight it.

Embrace it. Mass market retailers mustadapt by creating the best site possible fortheir consumer with low prices, ease of use,easy returns, and multiple ways for con-sumers to receive their merchandise.

It is obvious that this is nearly an impos-sible task for a mom-and-pop retailer toaccomplish. Yet there are other ways toadapt and embrace. This retailer’s strengthwill be in knowing how to serve its localcustomers for repeat business.

Here is a seemingly simple idea that I wasrecently told about. For the past year, a spe-cialty toy store in Hannover, Germany, hashosted twice weekly “men evenings” for 30men. They each pay 30 Euros (which is justunder $40) for beer, pretzels, and the oppor-tunity to play with model trains, radio con-trol vehicles, steam engines, slot racing, orother such items for a couple of hours. Theycannot make purchases but, of course, manyof them return to buy on subsequent days.These “men evenings” are booked sixmonths in advance and the store’s ownermakes more profit in a year on these eventsthan he does in operating the store from whatI am told. The point is, it is a simple idea,which can be replicated and adapted any-where in the world. It gives traditional retail-ers a chance to offer a point of differentia-tion. You simply can’t do this online.

The next major change that has alreadyarrived in the toy industry is the “threat”from tablets and smartphones as entertain-ment providers. A 3-year-old can now oper-ate an iPad and there are countless appsgeared for that age group and younger. Untilnow, the game play on mobile devices hasprimarily been solitary, so conventional

board game sales haven’t been fatallyaffected. But at CES last month, Lenovointroduced the IdeaCentre Horizon TablePC, which has been dubbed an “interper-sonal computer” rather than a “personalcomputer.” It is expected to be for sale laterthis year for about $1,700. It won’t be asubiquitous as an iPod in a year’s time but itcould be a game changer for game playing.

This 27-inch screen can stand or lay flaton a table and can be easily transportedaround the house. It allows for a group ofpeople to sit around it and play. It’s appeal-ing from a game play perspective. However,globally it is also appealing as a space saver.Most Europeans and Asians live in spacesthat are much smaller than Americanhomes. This tablet allows for countlessgames, apps, photos, etc. to be stored with-out taking up any living space.

Again, this is a chance to embrace thechange. Traditional board game makers canoffer versions of their classic games for thisor any other related device, as an example.If they don’t, someone else will.

The toy industry has always been a fast-moving industry but I believe we are enter-ing a period of unprecedented change.Those companies that can be flexible, inno-vative, and adapt will prevail. This willfavor small companies that can implementchange immediately. The pressure will beon the large multi-national toy manufactur-ers and retailers. Their long-lead processesmay leave them a step behind.

Andrew Dobbie, founder and managingdirector of Gameplan Europe, can bereached at [email protected].

Change Is in the Air


BY ANDREW DOBBIE

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Imagine. Build. Play. That’s theK’NEX slogan. But more than that,it’s a truncated version of the compa-ny’s own start. As a third generationowner of The Rodon Group, a U.S.

custom plastic injection molding company,toy inventing was not a top priority for JoelGlickman, K’NEX inventor and chairman,or his brother Bob Glickman, vice-chairmanand chief counsel of K’NEX. But when JoelGlickman started playing with straws oneday during a crowded wedding, instead ofwriting it off as perhaps boredom, he imag-ined opportunity. Looking back at theTinkertoy and Erector sets of his youth, hesaw their limitations. And with the help ofhis brother and their factory at hand, he builta solution—the original K’NEX 22-pieceRod and Connectors color-coded system.Since its start, K’NEX has grown from its

basic sets into a well-rounded system that nowinclude bricks and blocks, buildable motor-ized roller coasters, licensed constructionlines, and more. “We’ve focused over the pastfive years in particular on building worldskids love,” says Araten. “This has merged intobringing video games and apps to life withNintendo and [Rovio’s] Angry Birds, addingTinkertoy, and taking on Lincoln Logs fromHasbro as well as NASCAR, Monster Jams,Sesame Street, and more.”In creating product, K’NEX approaches

it from a kid’s angle, says Araten. Itsinstructions merely offer a launching point.“Because the system is totally expandable itallows them to then use their imaginationand take one set, combine it with another,and create something we could have neverimagined,” he says. “That’s one of the fun

parts.” Mechanisms, such as gears and pul-lies, have always been a key component tothe original K’NEX systems, and the addi-tion of motorized versions of these compo-nents in 1994 has only enhanced that expe-rience. This can prominently be seen in itsThrill Rides buildable roller coasters, whichlift the cars to the top of the coaster beforeshooting them down.“We believe, and what we’ve seen from

research, that roughly half the experience isthe building of the product while the otherhalf is playing with it afterward,” says Araten.“The ability to have movement, whether it’smechanical or motorized or both, allows kidsto experience as much joy playing with theproduct as they do building it.”Part of that joy also comes in products

that are built to last. This past fall K’NEXteamed with Hasbro to reinvent the classicwooden Tinkertoy using its plastic injectionmolding expertise. “We wanted to take theiconic shapes within Tinkertoy—the hub-and-spoke system—and give preschoolerstotal buildability, open-ended play, and funthemes and still address what mom wastelling us,” says Araten. And momsdemanded sturdy sets that stayed together—to prevent any tears if things fall apart—andgerm-free sets, both of which the new dish-washer-safe plastic sets meet. What momsalso like about the updated product is that,thanks to K’NEX, all the core Tinkertoyparts are manufactured in the U.S. for thefirst time in five to six decades, says Araten. “It’s pretty clear from all the national sur-

veys that have been conducted that more andmore people would rather buy products thatare made in the U.S. if they can,” says Araten.

While other construction toys are typi-cally imported, K’NEX has prided itself asa company where, through its connection toThe Rodon Group, 95 percent of K’NEXparts are made on-site and cost either thesame or less than if the product had beenmade overseas. “On top of all that, we’regiving consumers better quality becausewe’re using the highest engineer-level,quality plastics to make the toys,” he says. By also cutting out the time it would take

to import new product, K’NEX has tripledits speed to market. For example, when thecompany signed Angry Birds in January oflast year, they were able to have product onshelves by June. “Especially in a trend-driv-en industry like toys, speed is a tremendousadvantage,” Araten says. K’NEX’s dedica-tion to stateside manufacturing even earnedit recognition beyond the toy industry whenPresident Barack Obama toured The RodonGroup and K’NEX factories in Decemberand used them as an example of success inAmerican manufacturing. For 2013, K’NEX will continue expand-

ing its current lines with new additions to itsTinkertoy and Angry Birds sets and more aswell as take on the new construction licensefor Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures ani-mated series, premiering this fall.

: CONSTRUCTING LASTING FUNBY JENNIFER LYNCH

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Consumers are flocking to the inter-net to shop. According to the U.S.Department of Commerce, thirdquarter 2012 online sales reached$56.99 billion, which is up 17.3

percent from the same period one year ago. Thosenumbers are increasing with each passing day.While that is good news, there is also bad news.Any manufacturer will tell you that selling throughan online merchant can be a double-edged sword.While having distribution through Amazon.com,eBay.com, and other retail websites can certainlyincrease gross sales, there are challenges.Two of the biggest online sales challenges for

manufacturers are channel control and brand man-agement. As of January 2012, it is estimated thatthere are more than two million third-party sellerson Amazon.com alone. When you add in the num-ber of merchants on eBay.com and others, thatnumber grows exponentially. Most of these mer-chants are small businesses or sole proprietorsthat purchase product from distributors then hidetheir identities by outsourcing their warehousingand fulfillment to Amazon.com. So when it comesto channel control, how can a manufacturer possi-bly know who is selling its product?Another growing concern for manufacturers is

brand management. The vast majority of onlineshoppers use the internet not only for conveniencebut for price comparison. According to GrantThornton International, an advisory, tax, and auditfirm, more than 78 million Americans currentlyuse smartphones; 40 percent of those use it to com-pare prices before shopping. E-commerce mer-chants know this and therefore employ systemsthat automatically find and match the lowest price.Such practices have created a virtual race to thebottom. This discounting works for online mer-chants because their cost of doing business is

much lower than standard brick-and-mortar stores. One response to the decline in channel and

brand control, and an important one to those man-ufacturers that value their brick-and-mortarstores, is the adoption of minimum advertisedpricing policies (MAPP). Not to be confused withMSRP, and not an illegal price-fixing strategy,manufacturers have created policies that tell theircustomers at what price they may “advertise”products. Advertising encompasses listings ononline stores, print mailers, and in-store signage.Of course, every solution presents new chal-

lenges. Now manufacturers using MAPP arefaced with not only finding out who is sellingtheir products online, but with knowing the adver-tised prices. This leaves manufacturers with oneimpossible option—search the internet daily tofind offenders. With all the online sellers, this taskwould be equal to digging a hole in water.In response to this dilemma, The Creditors

Network has created a system that helps chil-dren’s products manufacturers maintain onlinechannel and brand control. MAPP Trap, a propri-etary search engine, automatically monitors theinternet to find advertised-price violations. Thesystem not only identifies violations, but it then“traps” the links to those violations as images foruse in policy enforcement. Additionally, and per-haps more important, MAPP Trap provides thetrue identity of the eMerchants so manufacturersknow who to contact for policy enforcement. To get started with the service, MAPP Trap

users simply provide a document with their prod-uct list, the prices they’d like monitored, and anaccount list for cross-referencing. The informa-tion gets uploaded into our system and the search-es begin. Based on user feedback from an extend-ed beta-testing period, users can view the searchresults anytime by logging into their online, pass-

word-protected accounts where they can seeeither standard or customized reports. Users canview search results from the past 24 hours, thepast week, or the past month. A Top 10 MerchantViolator and Top 10 Product Violation pageallows companies to get a quick start. In order to assist users in the enforcement of

MAPP, all MAPP Trap reports are exportable. Userscan easily create reports for a specific merchant,export the information to Excel, and then email thereports along with whatever policy points they needto communicate. Because MAPP policies must becreated unilaterally by each manufacturer, there areno boilerplate letters or emails. And very important-ly, in order to protect themselves from claims of col-lusion, manufacturers instituting MAPP shouldnever confer with their competitors. Lastly, in orderto avoid potential disputes and/or litigation, retailaccounts need to be treated equally.“MAPP Trap allows us to monitor violations

and correct them with a minimum of time andtrouble,” says Lea Culliton, president of HABAUSA, who has been using MAPP Trap since itslaunch in November. “It provides a convenientlocation to collect, view, and act on this informa-tion in one organized place, and the additionalinformation The Creditors Network provides tohelp us contact violators is invaluable.” The Creditors Network is the service that

ASTRA, CTA, JPMA, NSSEA, and TIA manu-facturers and distributors use to grow and keeptheir businesses financially fit. For more informa-tion on the organization or on its MAPP Trapservice visit www.creditorsnetwork.com.

Ron Solomon, founder and CEO of The CreditorsNetwork, developed MAPP Trap service. He’s theformer CEO and founder of Swingset Press, whichrecently licensed its products to Schylling Toys.

CONTROL YOUR BRAND WITH MAPP TRAP


BY RON SOLOMON, THE CREDITORS NETWORK

Fashion, sports, video games, apps, online games, and socialmedia—with all the activities a kid has to choose from, is itany wonder they seem to be outgrowing traditional toys at anearlier age? These factors add tothe challenges of selling products

across any category in the toy industry.However, the competition is especially fiercein the doll category. And for all the competi-tion, it is a category that is enjoying a surge insales—thanks in large part to innovativetwists on the classic category. These changeshave allowed some toymakers to defy theodds by engaging and retaining older girls.

Fashion Dolls“What’s trending in fashion dolls is manu-

facturers thinking outside of the box on styleand theme,” says Jay Foreman, president ofThe Bridge Direct. “Whoever would havethought that girls would go for dolls that essentially look like monsters?”

But girls did in a huge way. Mattel’s Monster High brand continuesto enjoy phenomenal success among fashion dolls and within the dollcategory in general. (Needless to say, its success has spawned a few imi-tators along the way.) The brand has actually expanded a shrinkingdemographic by bringing older girls back into the doll play pattern.“Monster High has struck a chord with fans for its rich storytelling andunique aesthetic—based on the universal truth that everyone has timeswhen they feel like they don’t fit in,” says Michael Shore, Mattel’s vice-president of global consumer insights. By launching the franchise acrossmultiple categories from doll and publishing to apparel, accessories, andcosmetics, Mattel provides the older girl multiple ways to discover thebrand. Moreover, the brand is supported by extensive online promotion.“Social media offers Monster High fans the opportunity to remainengaged with the brand by further exploring the rich storytelling, as wellas contributing to the storytelling themselves,” says Shore. “Fans cancreate and design their own characters, story settings, and story exten-sions and proudly share them with other Monster High fans.”

Mattel also utilizes social media to reach out to fans of the originalfashion doll Barbie, providing them with new ways to connect with theiconic doll. New for Barbie in 2013 will be the Barbie Digital Dress, a

doll that allows girls to customize Barbie’sdress with digital graphics such as hearts andstars, or explore the draw and design func-tion—combining fashion with technology.

Creating your own style is the thinkingbehind Spin Master’s La Dee Da dolls as well.“In our La Dee Da fashion dolls, girls can trulyexpress themselves through four teen fashiondesigners,” says Cristy Collins, Spin Master’ssenior marketing director. “It’s making the ordi-nary extraordinary and celebrating what makesevery girl unique.” She agrees that it is possibleto reach the older girl by offering them “newideas, new formats, and dolls that inspire themand connect with them emotionally.”

Possibly the most unique offering in thiscategory will be rolled out this year by The

Bridge Direct: Pinkie Cooper, a fashion doll with the head of a dog.“We’re taking the trend of thinking outside of the box one step further,”says The Bridge’s Foreman. “Pinkie Cooper is fashion doll play. It’s justprojecting a girl’s personality to a new characterization.”

Clearly, supernatural properties work well in this category. To wit,Jakks Pacific’s Winx Club line, based on the hit Nickelodeon series, is ahot seller right now. “A media presence definitely drives a girl’s aware-ness and her requests for a toy,” says Lisa Whitaker, vice-president ofmarketing at Jakks Pacific. “Something like Winx that’s on every day islike a half hour commercial.”

Media exposure certainly is key to the appeal of teen idol dolls such asHasbro’s One Direction line. There too, the tween is brought back into thefashion doll market. “To keep kids interested in the doll category as theyage can be accomplished by keeping ideas fresh and on trend,” saysMichelle Paolino, vice-president of global brand marketing at Hasbro.“We recognized early the popularity of One Direction and believed thedoll line would be a draw across all age categories. Older children playwith the dolls differently than young ones but they remain an important

COMPETITION HEATS UP IN THE DOLL CATEGORY


BY CHRISTINE SULLIVAN

Pictured here is Mattel’s Monster High Scaris Cityof Fright Travel Collection. Shown from the left isFrankie Stein, Rochelle Goyle, and Clawdeen Wolf.

part of kids’ lives and the growing-up process.” Also worth noting is the entry of Famosa’s

Nancy, a 17-inch tall fashion doll, a transitionaldoll if you will, whose larger size facilitatessmaller hands being able to dress it.

Small DollsWhat they lack in size, small dolls make up for

in volume. Collectibility and pretend play are theappeal of this category. Jakks’ Whitaker recallsthe strategy of the original launch of Littlest PetShop more than two decades ago. “The prospectof being able to own a whole collection is oftenwhat got a little girl very interested in this brand,”she says. Today Hasbro’s Littlest Pet Shop strivesto remain relevant with its fans with the introduc-tion of new line extensions, an app from Gameloftenabling kids to take virtual versions of their col-lections anywhere, and an animated series airingon The Hub TV network. Bill Nichols, president of Blip Toys, creators

of the successful Squinkies, anticipates a repeathit with Palace Pets, which is a licensed exten-sion of the Disney Princess brand. Due out thisfall, the 2.5-inch pet dolls correspond and coor-dinate with the Disney Princess dolls. ButNichols says, “They don’t necessarily have tohave the doll to want the pet.” Spin Master will also be presenting a new

line of small dolls this fall: Kawaii Crush—thedolls that allow girls to share the happiness allaround them. “We will be supporting this with arobust 360-degree marketing campaign,” saysCollins. “It includes a TV campaign, interactivewebsite, digital web campaigns, retail displays,as well as social media feeds through Facebook,Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest.” Spin Master’sexisting La Dee Da fashion doll line will alsoreceive this broad scope of support.

Keeping brands foremost in the mind of kidsis essential. Blip’s Nichols agrees. “You need asmuch reinforcing as you can get, so televisionshows and commercials are important, alongwith social media and websites, because kids arelooking at that,” he says. “But at the end of theday, the product needs to be relevant to them.” Pinypon from Famosa, which is based in

Spain, has enjoyed much global success.Distribution in the U.S. started last year andthe line has held its own in this competitivemarket. Children like it because they canchange the doll’s expressions and customize itslook. “It’s not just about roleplay anymore,”says Ed Young, general manager of FamosaUSA. “It’s about empowerment, creation, cus-tomization, and construction.”

Baby DollsAs private label baby dolls continue to grab

larger shares of this sub-category, manufacturersseek new approaches to regain lost ground. Generally moms and grandmas are the ones

to select their children’s first dolls. Hence,Mattel markets its Little Mommy dolls to care-givers. Suitable for girls as young as 18 months,the dolls are designed for nurturing play. One of the most successful dolls in nurturing

play for fall 2012 was Just Play’s Doc McStuffinsTime for Your Checkup Doll. It is based on theDisney Junior animated series Doc McStuffins.The show is about a girl who heals toys out of herbackyard clinic. Just Play declined to have the2013 lineup featured in this issue. However, it isexpected that this doll as well as the rest of JustPlay’s Doc McStuffins line will expand in 2013.Nostalgia also affects a mom’s choice in

dolls. That certainly is a factor in the successfulrelaunch of Hasbro’s Baby Alive, which will

feature three new dolls for 2013. Jakks Pacific’s line of Cabbage Patch Kids

certainly tugs at the hearts of today’s parents andgrandparents who will fondly remember the1980s craze. Just about everyone has a storyabout how they tracked one down decades ago.Today’s line from Jakks features classic CabbagePatch Kids as well as updates for today’s girls.Famosa introduced its Nenuco baby doll

line to the U.S. last fall and so far the receptionhas been strong, according to the company.“Nenuco brings a freshness to the baby dollcategory,” says Young. Freshness seems to be the right approach

for all types of dolls. Spin Master’s Collinssays, “The doll category in general is fiercelycompetitive, yet there’s room for growth in allthree [aspects of the category—fashion, col-lectible, and baby dolls].” Blip’s Nichols concurs that there’s still

opportunity. However, “kids move on veryquickly with toys,” he says. “So if you have anestablished brand, you need to reinvent thatbrand every year so it stays relevant.”Truer words were never spoken and it’s a

rule that applies to the doll category and thetoy industry overall.


Palace Pets, from Blip Toys, will expand on theDisney Princess brand. These pets correspondwith a Disney Princess. However, the princessisn’t neccessary for the Pet Palace play pattern.


DOLLS BY CHRISTINE SULLIVAN

The competition is heating up in the doll category. A broad range of new dolls will be introduced this year withinthe baby doll, fashion doll, and small doll segments. These offerings reach girls starting at birth as moms andgrandmothers purchase baby dolls, and it spans into the tween years as Mattel reaches older girls once againwith its successful Monster High brand. Here is a sampling of what will be on shelf in 2013.

JAKKS PACIFICJakks Pacific’s Tollytots division offers

My First Disney Princess Ariel. This tod-dler version of The Little Mermaid isaimed at ages 2 –5. Rooted hair, extraclothes, and accessories make it fun forhair and fashion play. The line alsoincludes a toddler Prince Eric, Mulan,Rapunzel, Merida, and Cinderella.Tollytots is also introducing a bath-timeversion of Ariel with waterproof hair and atail that lights up when wet.

THE BRIDGEPinkie Cooper, from The Bridge Direct, is the fashion

doll with a dog’s head. It will be rolling out in 30 countriesin 2013. “We expect girls will stretch their imagination andthink of Pinkie as a girl,” says The Bridge’s Jay Foreman.“It’s been going on in entertainment for years as there havebeen a plethora of entertainment properties featuring talk-ing animals with human properties. In fact, Pinkie will evenhave her own pet dog to dress up and pamper.”

BLIP TOYSBlip Toys introduces Palace Pets.

This small doll—or, more accuratelysmall pet—line is connected to theDisney Princess brand of fashiondolls. Both Disney pets and dollsshare a similar design palette. Thepets are 2.5 inches high and all featurelarge bushy tails, which are designedfor hair play. The line will alsoinclude a remote control plush puppythat sings, dances, and bows.

PLAYHUTBy day, they’re popular girls at school, but at night they

morph into powerful vampires. Mystixx Vampires are 11-inchfashion dolls, exclusive to Toys “R” Us, that transform fromco-eds to vampires simply by turning their heads and switch-

ing their wigs. The four dollsthat make up Playhut’s lineare Talin, Siva, Azra, andKalani. The set includes adoll with two distinct facesand two complete outfits withshoes, accessories, and wigs.


MATTELMonster High Ghouls Alive features creepy

cool lights and sounds for each doll. FrankieStein’s skull, rib cage, and bolts light up with elec-trifying sounds; Spectra Vondergeist glows bluethrough a translucent body and makes ghostlynoises; and Clawdeen Wolf tilts her head back,closes her eyes, and howls at the moon. Rolling outthis spring from Mattel, the Monster High GhoulsAlive is part of the Monster High brand.

SPIN MASTERKawaii Crush, from Spin

Master, is a lifestyle brand of smalldolls that includes dress-up sets, acustom car, sleepover set, shoppingkiosk mini playsets, and a largemall playset. In addition, there is aBFF Value Pack, which comeswith two dolls, two sleeping bags,and 30-plus accessories. The linewill be available in August.

COROLLECorolle’s Mon Bébé Classique

Dodo is a 14-inch soft-body doll thatwears a grey one-piece and soft pinkjacket. It comes with a blanket andsnugglie for cuddling, along with asmall book on how to care forbaby. This doll, as wellas all dolls fromCorolle, features alight vanilla scent.

FAMOSAKids can create their own Pinypon Friends,

then play with the playsets. Faces, outfits,accessories, and hairstyles are interchangeable.A Pinypon ski chalet is also available. “Themagic of Pinypon is watching a child pick oneup for the first time and seeing the pride theyfeel after creating their own figures,” says EdYoung, general manager of Famosa USA.Shown here is the Fun in the Snow Playset.

HASBROThe Baby Alive brand, from Hasbro, contin-ues to deliver realistic baby moments andnurturing play for toddlers. Kids will beable to feed Baby Alive Yummy Treat BabyDoll by placing the cookie or ice creamcone to its mouth. The doll in turn licks the

sweet. Other new offerings in the line thisyear include Make Me Better Baby,Baby Alive Party Baby, and BabyAlive Kicks and Cuddles (shown).

A n overcast sky couldn’t darken the mood at the openingof the 39th annual Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair onJanuary 7 at the Hong Kong Convention and ExhibitionCenter in Wan Chai. Moods were as bright as the colorsof the costumed characters and the hundreds of thou-

sands of toys on display. The combination of lower inventories cominginto 2013 and the growing importance and presence of buyers fromemerging markets all contributed to the buoyant mood as the fairopened. This was enhanced by predictions from exhibitors and showmanagement that Hong Kong exports could rise about five percent in2013 over the previous year. Given some slowness in certain marketsegments and the challenges faced by the rise of apps and tablets, aswell as declines in certain markets around the world, the prospect ofeven a modest increase was greeted with enthusiasm. In addition to the Toys & Games Fair, the Convention Centre also

played host to three other concurrent shows: Hong Kong BabyProducts Fair, the Hong Kong International Stationery Fair, and theHong Kong International Licensing Show. All of the shows reported atotal buyer attendance of more than 100,000, up seven percent over2012, and reinforcing the shows’ position as the largest in Asia. Thecurrent Convention Centre, which has expanded several times since itopened in 1997, was filled to capacity with some exhibitors spillingover into additional space.The Toys & Games Fair featured more than 1,900 exhibitors from 41

countries and regions, and there were an increased number of buyingmissions from around the world, creating a packed hall on the first daysof the fair. Buyers came from more than 120 countries and regions.“[Buyer] participation from mainland China, Korea, Singapore,Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Cambodia in the Asia-Pacific region,along with Columbia and the Czech Republic, registered the most sig-nificant increases,” says Benjamin Chau, Hong Kong TradeDevelopment Council (HKTDC) deputy executive director. According to the HKTDC, producers of the shows, the commitment

to making the show easy to use and relevant to its attendees remains aprimary objective. This year the organizers significantly expanded theBrand Name Gallery, with more than 120 different internationally knownbrands, including Dragon Models, showcasing extraordinary Batman

and Mickey Mouse figures; Welly Die-Cast, showcasing a broad rangeof play and collectible die-cast vehicles; and Eastcolight, showcasingadvanced robotics. According to these companies, traffic was up, andthey were seeing increased orders and expansion into new markets.Other product zones included Educational Toys and Games; Electronic

and Remote Control Toys; Outdoor and Sporting Items; Soft Toys andDolls; and others related to packaging, testing, and component parts.The show also introduced a new area this year called the Small-

Order Zone, a section of the show devoted to manufacturers who werespecifically trying to attract buyers interested in placing smaller orders.The area was set up specifically to help these buyers with pricing andminimum orders. This area was highly trafficked during the shows, withthe HKTDC reporting more than 6,000 buyer inquiries for informationfrom the U.S., Europe, Japan, and emerging markets.

MANUFACTURERS RESPOND POSITIVELYIn interviews with a variety of manufacturers, all said that they were

pleased with the traffic at the fair and the opportunities for developingbusiness. Dutch game company Identity Games International had alreadysold its Boom Boom Balloon game into 35 countries and had inked a dis-tribution deal with Spin Master before the show opened. Look for thegame to be hitting the U.S. later this year.Blue Box reported strong international response to its Watch Over

Me Dream Station, an innovative, interactive infant product, accordingto May Chan, senior brand manager. It is developed with a five-phasesleep program that Chan says was designed to provide the most com-fortable sleep environment for children, automatically responding tothe different, natural stages of sleep for the child. This was just oneexample of the technologically advanced infant and baby products fea-tured at the fair—an area of growing interest for buyers in emergingmarkets looking for higher-end products. Maksco Toy, a company with a more than 50-year history of making

water blasters, introduced its first electronic toy, an augmented realityblaster that works with an iPhone or Android phone or an iPod touch.While the interface will be familiar, the programming is more sophisticat-ed than has been seen in other comparable items, and the company saysthat the next generation, due out later this year, will use Bluetooth, mak-

STRONG START AT THIS YEAR’SHONG KONG TOYS & GAMES FAIR


BY CHRISTOPHER BYRNE

ing it possible to play across a variety of platforms. Toyeast, Ltd., set up a battlefield at the fair to showcase its smartphone-

controlled tanks, and it quickly became a destination for big kids whowanted a turn at battle.Yet despite the sophistication of electronics and an emphasis on what

are being called i-toys, traditional toys remained strong for many manu-facturers. Preschool learning toys, ride-ons, sports toys, and especiallydiverse roleplay items underscored the strengths of the traditional toybusiness in the contemporary market. Manufacturers noted that deliveringoutstanding quality and good margin for retailers remained key objectivesand what buyers were primarily looking for.

A COMMITMENT TO KNOWLEDGE BUILDINGAn integral part of the shows continues to be the seminar program. A

two-day licensing conference concurrent with the show attracted morethan 1,000 participants. The Toys & Games Fair also hosted a very well-attended seminar on

new chemical requirements for toys for both the EU and the U.S.Manufacturers who need to be on top of these changes, which will contin-ue through this year and into 2014, got an in-depth introduction to the var-ious requirements for toys and toy components. On the opening day, a session on so-called “kidult” toys addressed

the expanding market for toys that are bought by adults for themselves.

This complemented a new section on the show floor called “KidultWorld,” which showcased diverse products ranging from puzzles toconstruction to sophisticated toy guns. While popular in various partsof the world, according to the exhibitors, the realistic replicas wouldnot meet U.S. standards for toy guns. Toy industry veterans Neil Friedman (formerly of Mattel and Toys “R”

Us) and Marty Abrams of iStar Entertainment, along with Tim Kimber,president of PlaSmart, and Josh Lorezel, senior vice-president of ZingToys, participated in a panel discussion on the U.S. toy market, includingtrends in product, branding, licensing, and retailing. Of particular interestwas the growth in the online market and the opportunities it presents toenter the U.S. market. The panelists also addressed the growing marketfor the “kidult” products, with Lorezel of Zing talking about the expand-ed appeal of Zing’s foam-dart bows to older kids and Abrams discussingthe trend toward fan-based merchandise, such as the products that iStarproduces under the One Direction license. Kimber discussed how prod-ucts like his Doodle Art, which started in the 1970s in record stores, hasfound an expanded audience outside the traditional toy industry. In fact, if one had to distill any one theme out of the fairs, it is that play

is—or at least can be—a lifelong activity and that identifying and address-ing the growing opportunities for new products, new markets, and newchannels of distribution are what keeps the industry vibrant—as vibrant asthe city of Hong Kong itself, the perfect setting for this dynamic show.


Identity Games’ Boom Boom Balloon game hasbeen sold into 35 countries. Spin Master signed a

distribution deal with the company just beforethe Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair opened. Look

for the item to be in stores later this year.

Dragon Models showcasedBatman and Mickey Mouse

figures in the Brand Name Gallery.Buyers were filing into the hall as the

Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair opened.

Monsters University is the prequel to the 2001Disney/Pixar film Monsters, Inc. In this film, moviego-ers are reunited with Mike Wazowski (voiced by BillyCrystal) and James “Sulley” Sullivan (voiced by JohnGoodman). The pair may have been friends in the 2001

film, but this prequel takes them back to their Monsters University days dur-ing a time when these mismatched students couldn’t stand each other. As thefilm unfolds they work out their differences to become best friends.

This family friendly film, which is expected in theaters on Friday,June 21, is a key initiative for Disney/Pixar and its licensees this year.Although it’s been more than a decade between films, the characters,most notably Mike and Sulley, are familiar to today’s kids and parents.The brand continues to reach families through its presence at themeparks and resorts, the movie airs frequently on Disney Channel as wellas on affiliate stations around the world, and the original DVD is still forsale, according to Josh Silverman, executive vice-president of globallicensing for Disney Consumer Products.

To kick off this new Monsters University initiative, the original,Monsters, Inc., was re-released in theaters in 3-D on December 19. It’salso available on Collector’s Edition Blu-ray and on Ultimate Collector’sEdition Blu-ray 3-D on February 19. That was the first step in the aware-

ness campaign. The next steps kick off this spring with a product-specif-ic marketing campaign that launches at retail around May 10. SpinMaster, the master toy licensee, will start its TV ad campaign on June24—the Monday after the film opens. In addition, Spin Master will workwith Disney on all digital and social media promotions, according toRachel Griffin, Spin Master’s director of global communications.

Fisher-Price is another key partner. “The Fisher-Price line will be sup-ported with a comprehensive marketing campaign highlighted by a kid-tar-geted TV commercial for the Imaginext Scare Floor Playset,” says MikePisors, senior marketing manager for Fisher-Price Friends. “The line willalso be touted throughout Fisher-Price’s extensive social media outlets andPR channels. In addition, we are finalizing a partnership with other MonstersUniversity licensees on a cross-category program that will roll out this year.”

Disney Publishing Worldwide plans to unveil a print program includingfour Monsters University titles and a special interest magazine, which isexpected to hit retail outlets this spring. The Monsters, Inc. StorybookDeluxe app launched on December 17 and a Monsters UniversityStorybook app will be available in conjunction with the release of the film.

Both Spin Master and Fisher-Price will be rolling product out in wavesto match the movie release and the subsequent DVD and digital downloadreleases, whose dates have yet to be determined.

DISNEY & PARTNERS LAUNCH MONSTERS UNIVERSITY INITIATIVE


BY NANCY LOMBARDI

Key Items in the Monsters University Product LineSpin Master is the global master toy licensee for Monsters University. The product line is targeted for boys ages 4–6. The Roll-A-Scare Monsters figures have a surprise

pop-up activation. Inside each pack kids will discover a student ID card that springs the monster open. There are 12 characters to collect in total. In addition tothe figures, the Roll-A-Scare Toxic Race Playset lets kids roll, pop, and scare. Each Roll-A-Scare Playset comes with an exclusive Sulley figure to race. The MonstersUniversity Sulley Monster Mask is 100 percent kid powered. As a user’s jaw opens, closes, or moves side to side, the Sulley Monster Mask’s eyebrows and lips move too.

My Scare Pal Sulley comes to life when kids squeeze its belly. It features three modes of play: scary mode, tickle mode, and sleepy mode. To switch between itsdifferent modes, just give it a little shake. Watch as Sulley comes to life when its eyebrows move up and down and mouth opens. It also comes loaded with multiplesounds and key phrases straight from the movie.

The Scare Off Sulley Feature Plush has five modes of play. Using sound and lightdetection technology, Sulley is able to sense the environment and change play modes tomatch the present surroundings. Kids can start their Scare Training with lessons from Sulley.Scream loud enough and Sulley will fall backwards in fear. Scare Off Sulley delivers ScareTraining, Speed Scare, Scare ‘O Meter, Room Guard, and the Scare Off Challenge features.

Fisher-Price has the rights to produce Monsters University-licensed products within itsImaginext brand of preschool playsets (North America only). This extensive line lets kidsrecreate the world of Disney/Pixar’s Monsters University with a variety of figure packs, vehi-cles, and playsets such as the items listed below:

• Basic Figure Assortment • Deluxe Figure Assortment • Vehicles • Scare Games Playset • University Row Playset • Scare Floor Playset

A scene from Disney/Pixar’sMonsters University

featuring Mike Wazowski(voiced by Billy Crystal).

Toys & FamilyEntertainment EXCLUSIVE

State of the Specialty Toy Industry


The economy remains a top concern as we assess the state of the specialty toy industry as 2013 unfolds. This sentiment is, ofcourse, reflected into the overall toy industry—and consumer products in general—as most of the world’s major economiescontinue to struggle. In addition, shifting consumer habits are forcing the specialty industry to take a hard look at innovatingthe classics to offer a point of difference from the mass market. Those interviewed all cited tablets and mobile devices—withtheir accompanying apps—as well as the rise of price-comparison online shopping as two of the largest shifts in consumer

behavior that are impacting the specialty toy market. However, that impact doesn’t have to be negative as these manufacturers, listed belowin alphabetical order, reveal how each is navigating change with positive results.

BY NANCY LOMBARDI

ALEX TOYSJANET SIMON,VICE-PRESIDENT OF

MARKETING

How are you keeping today’s kids engagedin classic arts & crafts products? DIY (Do It Yourself) is as popular today as

it ever was. Kids love to express their creativ-ity, and personalizing and making thingsyourself is empowering and fun. We are con-sistently bringing products to the market thatare trendy and allow kids to make their ownversions of styles they see in fashion maga-zines. Everything from art materials to scrap-booking to classics such as sewing, knitting,or creating with Shrinky Dinks are all avail-able in Alex’s wide product range.

What can specialty retailers do to engageand retain customers as online shoppingcontinues to rise? Specialty stores need to provide an in-store

experience to consumers that they cannot getwhen shopping on the internet. Consumers willhappily visit local stores and, within that envi-ronment, pay for products and experiencesthey find valuable. The best retailers providegreat customer service. Their stores are ener-getic and well merchandised, making it excit-ing for consumers to be there and interact.

Specialty retailers will need to provide morethan just a place to shop; they need to becomea destination for many reasons. Activity days,birthday parties, community sponsorships, andengaged consumer relationships are key. Thereare numerous ways for stores to market withsocial media, local community websites, andwithin their local area for little to no money.Keeping their name and image upfront withcontinued outreach and offering a variety ofexperiences is very important.

BANANAGRAMSRENA NATHANSON,CEO

How do you keep today’s tech-savvyfamilies interested in classic games? As a family-owned company that develops

and markets all of our games in-house, weknow firsthand about the changing householddynamics in the digital age. We strive to creategames that are equally fun for parents and kidsto play with and that encourage families toreturn to the table for quality, non-digital fun.While we know that kids spend a fair amountof time in the digital realm, we also know thateveryone in the family values a chance to trulyunplug and connect with each other around thetable—even if it’s just for a few minutes while

dinner is warming up. We’ve seen a real resur-gence of interest in this kind of game play, par-ticularly with parents of the younger set whofind great value in Appletters and Pairs inPears as a refreshing change from the gamesthat blink, beep, and frazzle. However, we do understand the power of

social media and technology, and we useFacebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and more toengage with our fans on an ongoing basis.

What challenges do you see for consumersin 2013 that could divert their attentionaway from the toy industry?With more and more toy and game options

featuring app components, consumers arebeing drawn away from quality products thatfoster creativity, literacy, critical thinking, andtrue social interaction. We strive to offer mod-ern classic games that grow along with chil-dren and help them to thrive in many develop-mental areas. There’s a place for digital prod-ucts, and they do have their benefits, but webelieve that good, playable toys and games—sans bells and whistles—play a critical role inchildren’s development.

What markets are providing the mostgrowth for your company?We are looking to the college market at the

moment. It seems that age demographic has

rediscovered the joy of traditional game play-ing. The home-schooling network is alsoproving to be a huge growth area for us. Alsowe have been receiving some very positivefeedback on all our games from special needseducators and therapists.

BLUE ORANGE GAMESJULIEN MAYOT,PRESIDENT

What challenges aresmall businessesfacing as we enter 2013?

As a company making classic style, tangi-ble board games, we need to constantly beinnovative to counter the time spent on smartphones and tablets. The more people spend onthese devices, the more we want to developproducts that shift attention away from tech-nology, at least for an hour.

Small businesses need to keep working tobuild a community. Interact. Feel. Put a realsmile on kids’ faces and maintain this advan-tage that cannot be found in large businesses.

How are you keeping today’s tech-savvykids and parents engaged in your products?

The more we see tablets and iPhonesinvade our everyday lives, the more we areinspired to create products that bring peopleface to face for quality time together.Electronic games are mostly played individu-ally, so every opportunity to interact with agood game needs to be encouraged.

Tech-savvy kids also need to go play base-ball and see friends. They need to develop allaspects of their personalities and their socialskills, which unfortunately is not something

best achieved with an iPhone. Social interac-tion, following directions, cooperation, fair-ness, and grace all need to be part of kids every-day lives and games play a big role in learningall those skills. Simple yet catchy concepts withhuge play value seem to attract players the mostnowadays. To keep families engaged, wedesign games to be easy to learn and ready toplay right out of the box with minimal set up.We know people are short on attention andtime; that’s why most of our games have a fast,exciting pace with a lot of opportunity to win,so you’ll want to play again and again.

What challenges do you see for Americanconsumers in 2013? Do you see any signsthat consumer confidence is rising?

We have the opportunity to speak with fam-ilies often. We do this during focus groups,consumer shows, and the many play days wehost at our retailers’ stores. It seems that finan-cial struggles are still an everyday issue formany Americans, though it is hard for us to tellsince we sell inexpensive entertainment.

Sales of board games have remained rela-tively stable, maybe because consumers arechoosing more carefully what they buy orthey are buying more durable products. Boardgames are a one-time, low-cost purchase andcan be enjoyed again and again. For $15, youcan buy a fun game that will entertain a wholefamily for hours.

CLOUD BLINDA SUH, CEO

What challenges are small businesses facing? I can’t say what other small businesses are

faced with but for us, it’s dealing with coun-

terfeit products. We felt an onslaught of themin 2012 and we are hoping with our efforts inour IP protection, we are able to ward themoff in 2013. Though all companies are con-cerned with their brand image, the impact iseven greater for a small business. Counterfeitproducts misrepresent a brand and, moreimportantly, raise concerns regarding theinherent safety issues they present. It is vital-ly important to small business to have a strongprogram in place to secure IP protection.

How important are specialty retailersin explaining the value in yourproduct to consumers?

It’s very important. Specialty retail storeshelp keep the brand elevated. We are able totest new product launches in our specialtychannels and get more personal feedbackfrom consumers through our retailers.

FABER-CASTELLHEATHER LAMBERT-SHEMO,BRAND MANAGER, CHILDREN’SPRODUCTS

What keepstoday’s familiesengaged in arts & crafts activities?

Hands-on creative experiences are criticalto children’s development. There is a move-ment spreading highlighting the importanceof childhood creativity and its relationshipwith the ability for children to grow into cre-ative problem solvers and innovators.Technology is wonderful but there should bebalance in children’s lives. Without creativethinkers and innovation, technology will notevolve. By designing products that are rele-



Jennifer Coleman

[email protected] • 212-590-2100

www.yugioh.com

©1996 Kazuki Takahashi ©2011 NAS • TV TOKYO

Untitled-1 1 1/16/2013 2:29:11 PM

vant to today’s kids, Faber-Castell andCreativity for Kids keep parents and kidsengaged in arts and craft products. Whengiven the opportunity, kids love to create andwe don’t see this changing anytime soon.

What challenges is the toy industry facingglobally? What markets are offering themost growth for Faber-Castell?

We foresee a weak economy and the contin-uing shift of consumer-buying behaviors frombrick-and-mortar stores to online. Within ourglobal Faber-Castell company, we have identi-fied tremendous opportunities for our productsin the toy channel in markets outside the U.S.These markets include Europe and Asia-Pacific.

GREEN TOYSROBERT VON GOEBEN,CO-FOUNDER

What challenges are small businessesfacing as we enter 2013?

Small businesses are faced with manychallenges—especially with an uncertaineconomy and unpredictable consumer spend-ing habits. In our case, the recession hasactually helped drive the interest in “Made inthe U.S.A.” goods. We see that our cus-tomers are interested in buying goods thatsupport the domestic economy and employU.S. citizens for patriotic reasons.

We also see that many small businessescontinue to overspend and rely heavily onoutside investors with the constant need toprovide updates regarding sales growth andforecasts. At Green Toys, we’ve been self-funded since our founding, which has offeredus a considerable competitive advantage.

How has the attitude toward “green” toyschanged over the years? Do you feel thatconsumers understand the importance andimpact on the environment?

The eco-friendly toy category is now oneof the fastest growing areas in children’sproducts. Concern about global warmingand its impact on how we live are drivinginnovation in the toy category and thereforehas increased consumer demand in “green”toys. Following the trend with organic foodproducts, consumers want to know what isin the products they buy and what they aremade from. Consumers are savvy and willno longer tolerate products made fromambiguous materials. As such, companiesthat offer eco-friendly products are almostby definition required to provide clarityaround the materials they are made from—especially when it comes to children’s prod-ucts. In a sense, the sustainable materialsare a core component to the value proposi-tion. The result is that consumers knowwhat they’re buying when they purchase aneco-friendly toy.

How important are specialty retailersin explaining the value in yourproduct to consumers?

When we established the company in2007, it was important for us to partner withalternative retail channels including special-ty stores. This strategy has proven to be quiteeffective for us; in fact Green Toys can befound in more than 2,500 specialty storesnationwide. We align ourselves with specificretail partners who have the same core val-ues and cater to “green-minded” consumerslooking for a quality product made here inthe U.S. Our rep partners were all selected

because of their experience and success sell-ing to specialty trade. Each group does anoutstanding job of helping our retail partnersunderstand what makes Green Toys unique.

INTERNATIONALPLAYTHINGSDAVID SHAPIRO, VICE-PRESIDENT

OF MARKETING AND PRODUCT

DEVELOPMENT

How do youkeep today’stech-savvy families interested in the classicplay offered by International Playthings?

Children need a chance to play with toys thatallow them to explore their own creativity. Thatis why International Playthings continues tooffer timeless products that feature imaginativeplay. These toys provide the foundation fromwhich children will learn and grow.

What challenges do you seefor the toy industry in 2013?

The challenging economy is still a largesource of concern for members of the toy indus-try. In addition, interactive devices are becom-ing a larger part of children’s play patterns. AtInternational Playthings we focus on gainingconsumer attention by continuing to offer qual-ity products that are reasonably priced.

LEARNING RESOURCESRICK WOLDENBERG, CEO

What new things is Learning Resourcesdoing to engage educators in 2013? Howcan specialty retailers work more closely



with educatorsto get theappropriate

products into the hands of kids, especiallythose with special needs?

At Learning Resources, our goal is toprovide both educators and parents withinnovative, hands-on games and toys thatsupport cognitive growth and skill develop-ment and are equally appropriate in theclassroom and the home. For 2013, we havealigned our products to key areas that edu-cators are focused on such as STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering, andMath), the Common Core State Standards(CCSS), and special needs. We’re alsooffering bonus online content for all of ournew products so that parents can take thelearning begun in the classroom and extendit into the home.

Specialty retailers can work more close-ly with educators by highlighting the prod-ucts they offer for children with differentlearning styles, including those childrenwith special needs. In addition, educatorswill support parents with product recom-mendations so that children can continuethe learning process at home with locally-sourced educational toys. The home-schoolconnection is extremely important for stu-dents, and can be a great source of businessfor our specialty retailers.

Do you see any signs that consumerconfidence is rising?

The uncertain economy was a drag onthe specialty toy market in 2012 but spend-ing on education remains a priority.Consumer confidence seems to be rising aswe start 2013 but consumers will not spend

freely until they see growth in the economy.Even in a down economy, parents alwayswant the best for their children. They arecommitted to investing in toys and gameswith educational value that not only satisfya child’s need for fun but help to better pre-pare them for the future.

MANHATTANTOYMIKE KLEIN,PRESIDENT AND CEO

How has social media changed the wayManhattan Toy interacts with consumers?

The way consumers shop and make buy-ing decisions has always been, in part, asocial endeavor. In the toy industry, whatbetter way to discover quality toys whilereceiving guidance about purchasing deci-sions than to turn to your local specialtyretailer, manufacturer, and trusted experts,who you can now access and communicatewith through social media networks.Beyond that, a brand or local business canuse social media to engage with these con-sumers and actively listen to their needs,concerns, and feedback.

What challenges do you see for consumersin 2013 that could divert their attentionaway from the specialty toy industry?

While the economy will still be on peo-ple’s minds, I think many people are adjust-ing to this “new normal.” I think as long asmanufacturers continue to offer unique,innovative product, specialty retailers willwant to offer their customers something theycan’t get in the mass market.

PATCH PRODUCTSBRIAN MAXWELL, PRESIDENT

How has social mediachanged the way Patchinteracts with consumers?

Social media is an incredible tool thatbridges the gap between businesses andconsumers in a way that wasn’t previouslypossible. It provides us with an opportunityto have an ongoing dialog with current con-sumers and a chance to reach out to poten-tial new consumers.

We love the multiple purposes affordedby social media. We use it to share the lat-est about industry news, product awards,and new additions to our product lines morequickly and more efficiently than everbefore. We use it to do giveaways that getconsumers excited about our brand. We useit to gauge consumer interest and trends.

Additionally, for both manufacturers andretailers alike, social media humanizesthem to the public. Consumers like knowingthere are people they can relate to that arebehind the scenes of their favorite toy com-pany or toy store.

What challenges do you see for consumersin 2013 that could divert their attentionaway from the toy industry?

Probably the biggest challenge is thechanging landscape of entertainment.Entertainment options available to chil-dren—and adults—have never been so var-ied, so numerous, and so accessible. Inaddition to construction toys, dolls, andboard games, also available to children aretelevision programs, video games, and



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Over 100 New 2013 IntroductionsAmerican Intl. Toy FairFeb 10 -13 | Booth 1637 Jacob Javits Conv. Ctr. | New York, NY

NEW for 2013 Flowers TOOBS®

Consisting of: Rose, Daffodil, Sunflower,Bird of Paradise, Orchid, Lotus, Hibiscus, Tulip

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Figures range in size from 1.5” to 3”

Untitled-1 1 1/17/2013 11:03:55 AM

tablets chock-full of child-friendly apps.The mobile device, and its increasing offer-ings of apps designed for children, is per-haps the biggest hurdle the toy industryfaces. This can be addressed in a couple ofways: by producing the highest qualityhands-on, non-digital toys and games andemphasizing the irreplaceable nature ofthese items that aid with all-important dex-terity, fine motor skills, and cognitivedevelopment. And secondly, by findingways to supplement or complement non-digital play with digital play possibilities.

RAVENSBURGER, USATHOMAS KAEPPLER, CEO

How is Ravensburgerevolving to keep up withchanging consumer tastes?

With the exception ofbuilding sets as a super category in NPD’sconsumer panel, most other super cate-gories in toys have been trending downwardover the past couple of years. Besides thetoy market being affected by the economy,we attribute that trend to the influence ofsmartphones and tablets and the accompa-nying apps offered for these products.These items divert buying power and inter-est from traditional toys. We believe thatapplying the latest developments in thesmartphone and tablet markets—such asaugmented reality with traditional toys—enhances play patterns and the experiencethat consumers have with our toys. Welaunched an extremely successful line ofAugmented Reality Puzzles in 2012 and areactively working on getting other concepts

to market that integrate technology into ourproducts in a meaningful way.

What challenges do you see for U.Sconsumers in 2013? What challenges isthe toy market facing globally—especiallyacross Europe? What areas of theworld are offering the most growthoptions for Ravensburger?

The biggest challenges for the toy indus-try in 2013 remain the economy and sus-tained job growth. Without economicgrowth there won’t be any new jobs.Consumers with no—or greatly reduced—household income have other things toworry about than shopping for toys.

Our core markets for traditional toys inEurope remain stagnant. Some marketssuch as Spain and France have been downsignificantly as of the end of November2012. Despite the negative developments inthe market and an overall challenging econ-omy, Ravensburger will continue to grow in2013. We’re seeing the biggest long-termpotential for growth in eastern Europe andnon-European countries.

SCHYLLINGSTEPHEN MEDINA, SALES

MANAGER, SPECIALTY

TOYS & GIFTS

How are youkeeping today’s familiesengaged in your products?

Parents and grandparents remember thejoy of playing with certain toys during theirown childhood and want their children toexperience a similar joy. Brands such as

Brio, Erector, and Schylling Classics con-tinue to retail well and prove hands-on toysremain an important part of balanced play.

Our marketing approach is to have par-ents and children experience a quality toyon the specialty store floor. The ASTRANeighborhood Toy Store Day andAmerican Express’ Small BusinessSaturday are important yearly events thatremind families that there are other playoptions in addition to tech devices. Also, itis encouraging to see the continuingnational campaigns combating childhoodobesity and inactiveness. Knowing thatspecialty toys are creating healthier andhappier kids should offer a sense of pridefor everyone involved in our industry.

What challenges do you see for Americanconsumers in 2013? Do you see any signsthat consumer confidence is rising?

A major challenge for American con-sumers is to realize that time spent withtheir child is priceless and keeping thingssimple is what’s best for their family.Shopping solely based on lowest price,driving an extra 10 miles to save $2 on anitem, and frantically chasing down unavail-able popular holiday toys will take awayfrom the quality play time every childneeds with their parent. An easy familyvisit to a neighborhood specialty toy storewill result in a positive shopping experi-ence and the purchase of great products.

Consumer confidence is rising, but thelessons of the past are still prevalent whenmaking purchasing decisions. Successfulspecialty businesses add to consumer confi-dence by providing quality customer serv-ice and encouraging repeat loyal business.



Toy Fair 2013


Barbie brings ballet back to the spotlight asKristyn Farraday in the direct-to-DVD/Blu-Raymovie Barbie in the Pink Shoes. The Barbie inThe Pink Shoes Barbie as Kristyn Farraday 2-in-1 doll captures Kristyn’s transformation witha pirouette-style fashion change that twirlsfrom purple and blue to a pink and red dancingcostume. Also included are a rose tiara andsparking pink shoes. Barbie in the PinkShoes Barbie as Giselle and OdetteFeature Dolls are dressed in the colorthemes and icons from the correspon-ding ballets Giselle and Swan Lakeand feature articulated legs. Push thedoll down into a pile and watch as thedoll performs a fast entrechat. Each dollcomes with a girl-sized princess tiara. Thesedolls are for ages 3 and up. New Monster High dolls for 2013 include the

Monster High Scaris doll assortment and the Monster HighGhouls Alive doll assortment. The new Ghouls Alive dollsmagnify each ghouls signature freaky flaw through lightsand sounds. Frankie Stein’s skull, rib cage, and bolts lightup with sounds; Spectra Vondergeist glows blue throughher translucent body and makes ghostly noises; andClawdeen Wolf’s head tilts back and her eyes close as she howls. The dollsare for ages 6 and up.The Polly Pocket Wall Party Tree House utilizes 3M Command Strips

to hang the toy tree house without wall damage. It features multiple lev-els, a trap door, basket lift, bedroom with two hanging sleeping bags, andspeedy slide that can be moved to connect the Tree House to other WallParty playsets. It also features Stick ‘n’ Play toy pieces that stick intoplace with suction cups. Polly Pocket is for ages 4 and up. The Toy Story Zing ‘Ems Playset and Figure Assortment are all-new

two-inch figures that feature speedy, stunt-infused action. They featureunique bobble shapes and wheels that allow kids to knock, crash, and

spin them. Then watch as the characters set themselvesright side up again. Zing ‘Ems include 20 figures andare sold in packs of two. The Toy Story Zing ‘EmsRocket Rumble Playset, stationed on Pizza Planet,pits Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and the gang in a bat-

tle against the Evil Emperor Zurg. It features alauncher and obstacles such as an asteroid field. Spinshotz top-like toys deliver the perform-

ance and action of Hot Wheels to disc-shapedspinners, which also have the ability to speed, accel-erate, and fly through obstacles. Place Spinshotz on

the included base, wind the T-spin handle, place thehandle on top, and push the red button to launch.Each two-pack set comes with a pair of Spinshotzdiscs, including a super rotator Spinshotz top and astunt top designed for speed, endurance, and accel-

eration. There are 24 packs currently in the line. They arefor ages 5 and up.

Among Mattel’s new skill-and-action games is theAngry Birds Space Game, a hands-on version of the app

game that lets players build, blast, and lift-off within a space-themed edition. The object of the game is to build and knockdown structures indicated on the playing cards, featuringspace-themed characters and elements. The includedasteroid and pig space helmet offer gamers additional

point-earning opportunities while space mission cards provide four lev-els of difficulty including new freestyle. It includes two birds, two pigs,a space helmet, construction pieces (blocks and asteroid), one launcher,and 40 cards. The game is for ages 5 and up.The all-new WWE Power Slammers are an exaggerated figures line

that can attach to each other or to a battling accessory to create life-likewrestling action. They connect by their arms or legs as kids rotate acrank on the back of each figure to activate the grappling, leg locks,and rumbling bashing. Each Power Slammers features one of threefighting styles so when they’re locked together will produce differentwrestling combinations.

above: Monster High Ghouls Alivebelow: WWE Power Slammers

COMPILED BY JENNIFER LYNCH AND LAURIE LEAHEY

The following companies represent a sampling of what will be on display at the Jacob JavitsConvention Center in New York City during this year’s Toy Fair.

Mattel

Untitled-1 1 1/16/2013 3:14:47 PM

Toy Fair 2013


Hasbro’s Playskool Rocktivity line, whichincludes a piano, tambourine, microphone andmore, encourages babies to move, learn, and playwith music that mom will also enjoy. With the Mix‘N Crawl DJ Ball, which features digitally re-cre-ated pop tunes such as “Get the Party Started” and“Hey Ya,” ages 6 months and up can slide, toggle,and push buttons to change rhythms as lights flashto the beat. Close the mini mix station into a bright-ly colored ball for baby to crawl and chase after. It requires two AAbatteries, which are included. Baby can sing along to a digitally recre-ated version of “Born This Way” and other songs using the Shake ‘NGroove Microphone (pictured). When baby tilts the mic, the tempo andlights change in response to baby’s movements. It is for ages 18months and up and requires three AAA batteries, which are included.

The Baby Alive line will deliver new offerings for girls ages 3 and upthis spring. Girls can feed their Baby Alive Yummy Treat Baby an icecream cone and strawberry frosted cookie by holding the food to thedoll’s mouth. Then celebrate baby’s birthday with the Baby Alive PartyBaby, complete with a birthday hat and pink party tutu. Squeeze thedoll’s belly to make it blow a noisemaker. The doll also drinks from itsbottle and requires diaper changes. Girls can also play mommy with thefirst line of small Baby Alive dolls, Baby Alive Kicks & CuddlesNewborns. Each doll holds a mini accessory in its hand that can bepulled to make the doll gently kick its legs.

The Easy-Bake brand celebrates its 50th anniversary this spring withthe Easy-Bake Ultimate Oven. It features a large bakingchamber, treats designed for today’s generation of bakers,and a heating element that doesn’t require a light bulb.Little chefs ages 8 and up can bake an extended menu thatincludes cookies, red velvet cupcakes, checker cakes, pizza,pretzels, cinnamon twists, and brownie sticks. It comes witha baking pan, cupcake pan, spatula, storage drawer, andmixes to make 12 mini cookies and 12 mini red velvet cup-cakes complete with frosting and sprinkles. Adult participa-tion and electricity required. The additional Easy-Bake

Ultimate Oven Trends assortment offers all of theingredients and tools needed to make two of thehottest baking trends: cake pops and whoopie pies.

Hasbro will revamp its classic games this year,offering new looks and ways to play. The ClassicMonopoly Game will be updated this spring witha new look and a new token voted on by fans. Atthe same time the game will retire one of the cur-rent tokens. But before this happens, fans can get

the limited-edition Classic Monopoly Golden Token Edition Game,which includes the eight current tokens, the five potential new playingpieces, and a “golden” token. Also new is Monopoly Hotels, based onthe EA app game. Lights and movement take over Twister with TwisterRave Stickz, Hoopz, and Skip-It. Flip, spin, or skip through the levels tomake all the iconic Twister colors light up at once. With Twister RaveRingz, players snap and clap to make the Ringz change color. TwisterRave Dance gives girls another way to master dance moves or continuethat experience online at PlayTwister.com.

Hasbro will amp up the Beyblade brand with the addition of newSpark FX treatments this spring, including Beyblade Electro Wheelzand Electro Spark Battlers. Spark FX LED-colored lights make topsflash and light up when they collide. New, special edition Beyblade:Metal Fury Hyperblades battling tops will feature more metal andmore customization. The Hyper-Strike Battle Set features twoHyperblades battling tops and an exclusive stadium in Spark FXtranslucent orange. Each Beyblade product, for age 8 and up, includes

a collector code for online battles onwww.BeybladeBattles.com.

News toys inspired by G.I. Joe: Retaliation, hittingtheaters March 29, will include 3.75- and 10-inch actionfigures and detailed vehicles. New roleplay toys includemasks, swords, and blasters, such as G.I. Joe Snake EyesNinja Gear and G.I. Joe Battle Kata Blaster. Hasbro is alsointroducing two new brand expressions—G.I. Joe MicroForce, a line of collectible micro-sized G.I. Joe and Cobra bat-tle action figures, and KRE-O G.I. Joe building sets.

Hasbro

Shake ‘N Groove Microphone


Toy Fair 2013

The LEGO Duplo Toddler Build andPull Along lets kids 1.5 and up explore,play, and create with extra-large Duplobricks. This collection of 15 brightly col-ored bricks and elements includes a pull-along wagon, decals, and assorted extra-large bricks. All extra-large elements arefully compatible with standard Duplobricks and elements.Two new Duplo Read and Builds

include A Fairy Tale and Peekaboo Jungle.Children 1.5 and up listen and build alongwith the storybook adventures of eitherPrince Jake, Princess Rose, and Jed the friendly dragon or iconic jun-gle animals. A Fairy Tale comes with 15 pieces, and Peekaboo Junglecomes with 13 pieces.The LEGO Blue Suitcase, for ages 4 and up, features a gas station

theme. The 146 colorful elements fit into a handy case complete with asorting function. Kids can build vehicles and fill them up at the gas station.The set includes two minifigures and a building instruction booklet.New building sets in the LEGO Friends line include Andrea’s

Bedroom. It comes with 75 pieces, including a vanity with stool, mir-ror, and accessories. It is for ages 5 and up. Kids 5 and up can buildEmma’s Sports Car with the set’s 159 pieces. Accessories include acamera, picnic accessories, and Emma’s cat. Downtown Bakery is a253-piece set that lets kids 6 and up build a bake shop with sign,canopy, outdoor display, and food accessories. The Heartlake City Poolcomes with 423 pieces, including a changing roomand shower, diving board, snack bar, table andchairs, lounge chairs, hot tub, and lots of realisticaccessories. It is for ages 6 and up. And a newLEGO Friends Advent Calendar, for ages 5 andup, helps kids count down to Christmas and build aholiday scene of Stephanie going to the Christmasmarket. It comes with 213 pieces, includingStephanie and Lily minifigures.

The new LEGO Chima line includes theUltimate Speedor Tournament set. Deep inthe lion territory of Chima, the tribes aregathering for the tournament. Attach Lavaland Cragger onto the Speedorz, then pullthe rip cord to speed through the lion’smouth and release the CHI. Fly up theramp, hit the CHI tower, and release evenmore CHI. Attach the power-upz to makethe Speedorz wider for additional battlingpower. The 246-piece set includes twominifigures, four weapons, two Speedorz,two rip cords, two power-upz, a ramp, two

fire cones, 12 CHI, and 10 game cards. A 211-piece Legends of ChimaLEGO game will also be available. Players roll the buildable dice, thentake their animals to the desert, jungle, and mountains to battle for theCHI. The first player to collect eight CHI wins the game. Both Chimaproducts are for ages 7 and up.New in the LEGO Super Heroes line is The Bat vs. Bane: Tumbler

Chase. Bust through the road barricades in the Bane Tumbler with hid-den dual flick missiles and flame exhaust. Then swoop down in TheBat and winch Commissioner Gordon to safety with the rescue rope.The 367-piece set includes three minifigures: Batman, Bane, andPolice Commisioner Gordon. It is for ages 6 and up.LEGO’s Lone Ranger building sets include the Stagecoach Escape.

Launch the baggage off the back of the wagon, then jump onto the gallop-ing horses and detach them from the wagon to help the Lone Ranger and

Tonto chase the outlaws. The 279-piece set includesfive minifigures with weapons and accessories: the

Lone Ranger, Tonto, Red Harrington, and two ban-dits: Jesus and Barret.The 113-piece The Lord of the Rings The

Wizard Battle set is for ages 8 and up. Recreatethe battle between Gandalf and Saruman at theTower of Orthanc. Gandalf the Grey and Sarumanminifigures are included.LEGO Duplo Toddler Build and Pull Along

LEGO Friends Heartlake City Pool

LEGO

Untitled-1 1 1/23/2013 9:01:03 AM


Toy Fair 2013

The Jakks Pacific Monsuno toy line continuesto grow in 2013 with the addition of more than 100collectible transforming monster figures. The toyline will offer easy-to-learn, action-packed gameplay that is tightly integrated with season two ofthe animated series Monsuno Combat Chaos.

In 2013, Jakks brings magical slugs to life withthe new Slugterra toy line based on the animatedseries Slugterra, a sci-fi, action-comedy adventureseries airing on Disney XD. The new line includes1.5-inch collectible slug figures, weapons, and transforming darts thatresemble slugs and open on impact.

The Smurfs head back to the big screen in 2013. Based on the live-action film The Smurfs 2, Jakks will celebrate the film’s release with anew lineup of collectible figures, plush, fashion dolls, andplaysets. Also in 2013, Jakks will introduce a new platform calledSmurfs Micro World, a line of highly detailed one-inch figures andplaysets with connecting platforms. The Smurfs Micro World featuresSmurfette, Pirate Smurf, Brainy Smurf, and more.

In 2013, Winx Club is introduced to its newest powers Harmonixand Sirenix. Jakks Pacific will bring the new powers to life with anall-new line of dolls and roleplay products inspired by the animat-ed series airing on Nickelodeon. In spring, thedolls will sparkle in their Harmonix fashions,and in fall, they will make a splash in Sirenixfashions that feature color-change hair.

Cabbage Patch Kids celebrates its 30thanniversary in 2013. To mark the occasion forthe iconic toy brand, Jakks will introduceCabbage Patch Kids in party-themed fashionswith brightly colored hair streaks as well as thenostalgic baby powder scent.

This spring, girls can join Tinker Bell andfriends on a tropical vacation in Palm Tree Covewith an all-new 4.5-inch doll line and playsets.

Featuring pool- and beach-inspired fashions andaccessories, Disney Fairies fans can dress and re-dress Tinker Bell and Silver Mist with the TropicalVacation Fashion dolls. Additionally, girls canexplore the sand dunes of Palm Tree Cove withRosetta’s Beach Buggy, taste delectable treats atTink’s Tikki Treats Stand, and twirl down thewater slide into Tink’s Pixie Paradise Pool. Eachvehicle and playset comes with a 4.5-inch doll.

CDI, a division of Jakks Pacific, brings icon-ic superheroes and villains to life with 31-inch figures that includeseven points of articulation and highly detailed features. Available thisspring, collectors can purchase an all-new MegaForce Red PowerRanger, and in fall, DC Comics fans can collect both the Man of Steeland a new variation of the Dark Knight.

Maui Toys, a division of Jakks Pacific and the company behind SkyBall, introduces a new toy that flies and bounces. Sky Bouncer hashigh-bouncing technology that allows it to fly through the air andbounce off walls and floors.

The Ultimate Spider-Man Pinball Game by Moose Mountain, adivision of Jakks Pacific, features electronic lights, sound effects, andLCD scoring. Launch a ball into action and watch as it ricochets off the

bumpers and obstacles. Rack up points as theLCD scoreboard records the scores.

The Fisher-Price Little People Sing-AlongScoot ‘n Ride from Moose Mountain is a ride-onthat includes an echo microphone to sing along tothree nursery rhymes: “ABCs,” “The Wheels onthe Bus,” and “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”

In 2013, Kids Only, a division of Jakks Pacific,will introduce the Friendship Seat with seating fortwo, built-in cup holders, and inlaid charactergraphics. Kids Only will also release Original BigWheel Racers featuring children’s propertiesincluding Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Winx Club Deluxe Harmonix Dolls

Tink’s PixieParadise Pool

Jakks Pacific

Toy Fair 2013


With Spin Master’s Cool Baker Donut Maker nobaking is required. Just add water to the mix andplace in the fridge for 15 minutes. Decorate threedonuts with chocolate and pink vanilla icing usinga drizzle or rosette icing tip and add rainbow sprin-kles. It is for ages 6 and up, launching this fall.Aquadoodle will introduce two new products this

fall for ages 2 and up including the AquadoodleVelvet Book. It combines the fun of Velvet Art withreusable coloring fun. It will be available in DisneyPrincess-, Minnie Bow-tique-, and Sesame Street-licensed themes.Zip Bandz fully functional zipper bracelets will add an assortment

of One Direction Zip Bandz this spring, featuring different colors andcharms. Attach several bands together to form belts, necklaces,anklets, and more. They are for ages 8 and up.With the new Doctor Dreadful Werewolf Feeding Frenzy, for ages

5 and up, create disgustingly edible treats such as gushing eyeballs,dripping blood fangs, squirmy ear bugs, and a magically growingwerewolf tongue. Each Organ Grinder playset includes a Werewolf,two ear molds, one stir stick, and two packets of food. New Nano Speed Riderz are the smallest and

fastest Nano Speed motorcycles. Pull them backand let them go. Perform gravity defying stuntsor save the city from total meltdown with theMoto Meltdown Trackset. Knock the hazardousbarrels off the motorized elevator by launchingyour Nano Speed Rider into mid air. One NanoSpeed Rider is included. There are six differentmotorcycles to collect. They are for ages 6 and up. The Spy Gear line is expanding this fall with the

Lazer Defense Network. Set up your receivers any-where so that if anyone passes, an alarm will go off. Also new to theline are Sonic Sphere Distracters, a Spike Mic Launcher, Stealth ComWalkie Talkies, Tri Cam Video Watch, and Panosphere 360 Spy Cam. With Spin Master’s new Boom Boom Balloon game, roll the die

and carefully push in a stick until it clicks. Watch as the balloon

squishes, squeezes, and stretches. If the balloongoes “Boom!” you’re out. It is for ages 7 and up,available this fall. Spin Master is also expandingits game line this fall with Don’t Take My Word,Storage Wars (based on the A&E series), HedbanzAct Up, and Logo Party Edition.Half pillow, half superhero, with Pillow Kapow

kids can slide their arms into the pillow’s extend-able sleeves and instantly transform into one oftheir favorite superheroes (Batman, Spider-Man,

or WWE characters). They are for ages 3 and up.The La Dee Da fashion line is adding new collections for 2013. In the

Fairytale Dance collection, the La Dee Da girls are getting ready for theschool dance and find inspiration in their favorite fairytales: the FrogPrince (Dee), Little Red Riding Hood (Sloane), Rapunzel (Cyanne), andthe Snow Queen (Tylie). Each doll comes with a clutch, hair accessory,

hairbrush, and a pair of shoes. Other new La Dee Da col-lections include the Garden Tea Party, Juicy Crush, andmore. They are for ages 5 and up.And launching this fall, from the world of La Dee Da

comes Dee.I.Y., a new line of fashion-forward DIYactivities. The line will include kits such as the Dee-signPortfolio, Style-letto (pictured), and Kick-Buttons JewelryJar. Each activity is inspired by Dee and her friends,allowing girls to play out the fantasy of being a designer. Kawaii Crush is a new line of dolls featuring characters

that each express her own fashion, lifestyle, and accessories.In the Pet Crush collection, each Animal Love mini doll

(Bunny, Panda, Kitty, Owl, Monkey, and Penguin)comes with two fashionable outfits, one Animal Lovepet, and an outfit for their pet. The line will also includea range of large dolls, mini playsets and vehicles, and

more, available this August. New Air Hogs for 2013 include the Air Hogs Elite Helix X4, Air

Hogs Hover Assault Eject, Air Hogs Hyperactives 5, Air HogsMegaBlast, and Air Hogs O.R.B.

Spin MaSter

Kawaii CrushBunny Pet Crush

Dee.I.Y.Style-letto

Toy Fair 2013


ravenSburger

Ravensburger is debuting a new line of science activity kits called Science X. The debut line includes 10 total kits,available in three different sized versions: mini, midi, and maxi. In the CSI: Crime Scene Investigations kit, Germanforensic biologist Dr. Mark Benecke provides tips to help young investigators learn how to use scientific methods toexamine clues. It is for ages 8 and up. In the Electronics and Circuitry kit, young scientists ages 10 and up take oneight different science activities including how to make an alarm, construct a loudspeaker, assemble a reading lampand a flashlight, and create and send Morse Code messages.

New in the 216-piece 3D Building Sets line, which lets kids piece together some of the world’s most recognizablestructures, are Windmill, Taipei 101 Tower, and Leaning Tower of Pisa. Like Ravensburger’s puzzleball line, the 3D Building Sets feature pre-cision-cut flat and hinged pieces that snap into place. Once complete, the structures stand up to 18 inches tall.

New Thomas & Friends puzzles for 2013 include Birthday Surprise, a 72-piece 3-D puzzleball for ages 6 and up, Right On Time, a 60-piece2-D puzzle with movable clock hands, and Farm Days, an 80-piece 2-D puzzle packaged in an easy-to-seal pouch for ages 4 and up.

Make ‘n’ Break Party Break is a new party-themed addition of the Make ‘n’ Break game. Players complete four different game variations,including building according to the description of team members and building blindfolded.

Saban brandSCelebrating the 20th anniversary of Power Rangers, Saban Brands will introduce the newest

Power Rangers Megaforce series this year alongside new product from licensees. With the DeluxeGosei Great Megazord from Bandai, Power Rangers can use their cards to summon the Gosei GreatMegazord to help stop evil. There are three ways to play: Morph into five separate Zords; Morph togetherinto Megazord mode; Or morph into unique combinations with items in the ZordBuilder collection. Mega Blokswill offer buildable characters from the series including Gosei Great Megazord, which features LED light-upblocks and real sounds; a buildable articulated Lion Zord with working launcher; and Megaforce Blind PackFigures (Series 1) with poseable figure designs and one secret race chase figure.

Saban is currently developing its Julius Jr. series, which follows the imaginative adventures of the monkeyJulius Jr. and his friends as they make inventions out of everyday objects that come to life in a box that turns into a magical playhouse. The seriesis based on the company’s Paul Frank property and its main character Julius.

Saban repurchased Digimon, a franchise it also brought to American audiences in the 1990s. Digimon explores a digital world where power-ful creatures known as Digimon, or digital monsters, battle for supremacy.

The company is also in the process of reintroducing the Popples franchise with new characters and merchandise. Plans are also underway toreenergize the brand for today’s multimedia-savvy audiences. Saban also reintroduced a variety of new gaming titles, including My Pet Monster.

Saban is building its digital capability to create online and mobile extensions of its brands. It plans to expand the recently acquired proper-ty Zui, a collection of curated, kid-friendly online content that also operates KidZui, a downloadable browser for kid-safe internet experiencesand more than six million websites, online videos, pictures, and games. Saban Brands also acquired The Playforge, a leading free-to-play mobilegames developer and publisher (Zombie Farm). Saban plans to extend current and future free-to-play mobile games developed by The Playforgeinto licensing, merchandising, and media opportunities. Saban Brands Media Solutions, a new division of the company, will work to attract thoseinterested in reaching the audiences for these and other Saban digital properties.

Gosei GreatMegazord from

Bandai

Toy Fair 2013


Warner Bros. consumer ProducTs

For the anticipated summer blockbuster Man of Steel, master toylicensee Mattel will unveil a robust toy line including action figures,playsets, and collectible figures, including its Movie Masters line. Alsosupporting the franchise are global partners LEGO (construction sets)and Rubie’s Costume Co. (costumes and accessories) along withThinkway Toys (roleplay toys and more), Jakks Pacific (collectible fig-ures and novelty toys), and Cardinal Industries (games and puzzles).

The all-new Warner Bros. Animation series Beware the Batman will besupported by new toy lines. The comedy-action series Teen Titans Go!willbe accompanied by a character-driven toy line. Master toy partners Matteland Fisher-Price will continue expanding the Batman and the DC SuperFriends lines this year, which include products inspired by the classicBatman TV series.

WBCP and its partners will roll out toy lines to support the classicLooney Tunes and The Looney Tunes Show with product from licenseesincluding master toy partner The Bridge Direct, Rubie’s, and EMTEC.Scooby-Doo will be supported by master toy partner The Character Group,Pressman Toy, and others. Tom and Jerry will be supported by master toypartner Jazwares, set to debut a new line for the all-new animated seriesThe Tom and Jerry Show, coming soon to Cartoon Network.

The Big Bang Theory has also inspired toy products and collectiblesfor its fan base from partners such as Ripple Junction (character plushand Soft Kitty-themed toys), Cardinal Industries, Funko, Mezco, andCryptozoic Entertainment.

Following the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, co-master toy partners The Bridge Direct and Vivid Group are set to unveilnew characters to their collec-tion of figures, and NewZealand-based WETAWorkshop will continue toroll out an array of authenticfilm prop replicas and col-lectibles. Global licenseeLEGO will also offer a range ofnew construction sets inspired byThe Hobbit film trilogy.

The Wish FacTory

New additions to The Wish Factory’s One Direction(1D) line launching this spring include new themed iPhonecases. The 1D Light Up iPhone Case features a hard plas-tic case for iPhone 4 and 4S models that lights up andchanges colors for calls, texts, and emails. Batteries areincluded. The 1D Striped Customizable Case is a rubbercase that comes with five different mix and match stripes,each featuring a different 1D member, fans can use to cre-ate their own unique 1D design. Customize even more withthe Striped Case Refills, which feature special packs exclu-sive to each band member. Refill packs are sold separately.Cases are for ages 6 and up.

The Wish Factory will also launch a line of Carly RaeJepsen-licensed merchandise for spring. The “Call MeMaybe” Singing Doll features the singer’s signaturebrown hair and trendy outfits and sings Jepsen’s hit sin-gle. The “Call Me Maybe” Singing Toy Microphone alsolets fans sing along to the hit single with or without back-ground tracks.

New in the Pop Grrl line are Pop Grrl Urban AnimalsPlush Headphones, featuring popular animal-inspiredheadphone designs including Tiger, Cheetah, and Zebra.They are adjustable and lightweight with high-quality, full-range stereo sound. Pop Grrl Urban Animals PlushSpeakers also offer high-quality, full-range stereo sound inZebra, Tiger, or Pink Cheetah designs.

Pop Grrl Bon Bon Bags are fashionable everyday bagsavailable in a variety of designs, including round, rectan-gular, heart-shaped, and square in six different colors. Theunique shapes are specialized to carry coins, makeup, cellphones, and pencils.

Combining classic wayfarer and aviator styles, Shadezare customizable sunglasses. Pick lenses, frames, andstems and snap them together to create a custom look.Patterns, mirrored lenses, and licensed options are com-ing soon. Each piece is sold separately.

The Hobbit figures assortment


Toy Fair 2013

GOldie internatiOnal

Goldie International’s Super Mario LargeCollector’s Plush Assortment features a 12-inchMario, a 12-inch Luigi, and an 11.5-inch Yoshi. Eachcharacter is detailed in its classic attire. They are forages 3 and up.

The Mario Kart Die-Cast Collection features fivecharacters from the world of Mario Kart racing. TheMario Kart die-cast five-pack series one set includesMario, Yoshi, Luigi, Donkey Kong, and Peach. Theyare for ages 3 and up.

Kids can control their own Mario Kart Small RadioControl Assortment. The karts include a 1:24th scaleMario, Luigi, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, or Toad with a con-troller. Rechargeable batteries are included with theracer, but three AA batteries are alsorequired and not included. Hook up thecontroller to the racer to charge it.They are for ages 8 and up.

Goldie is also producing alarger 1:8th scale RadioControl Donkey Kong in amatching brown racer withcontroller. A 9.6-volt batterycharger and a nine-volt bat-tery for the controller are includ-ed. It is for ages 8 and up.

The Mario Kart PullbackRacers assortment includes Mario, Yoshi, Luigi,Donkey Kong, and Toad. These pullback racers are fullyassembled and ready to race without batteries. Simplypull back and let them go. They are for ages 3 and up.

Goldie is bringing Pac-Man to life with Pac-Mansmall plush with sound. The assortment includesPac-Man and Ghost. Activate each character’s retrosound effects by pressing down on their heads. Theyare for ages 3 and up.

1:8th scale Radio ControlDonkey Kong

Blue OranGe GamesBlue Orange Games is launching new titles for 2013, including Ooga Booga,

a comical memory game in which players must memorize and recite a chain ofancient words and gestures using visual cues, without leaving anything out. The50 cards are contained in a travel-friendly, durable tin. It is for three to six play-ers ages 7 and up.

In Flash, players race to complete eight challenges of dice combinations andrack up the most points. It’s for two to six players ages 7 and up.

Nada is a game of chance and visual skill. Roll the 12dice and quickly scan the array for matching symbolsbetween the orange and white dice. The first person tocall a match gets to grab all the dice with that symbol.If there are no matches, shout “Nada” to collect all thedice. It’s for two to six players ages 7 and up.

For younger players, ages 3 and up, KeeKee theRocking Monkey helps develop dexterity and bal-

ance. KeeKee’s big act is juggling while balancing on agiant banana. The object of the game is to keep KeeKeebalanced by moving and placing KeeKee’s juggling balls in

the right place. This game is crafted from 100-percent sustain-able wood. It is for two to six players.

Additional new titles include Built It, a collection of three wooden aviationmodel construction toys; 20 Express; and Zimbbos, a wooden game of balancingelephants for ages 3 and up that has been redesigned for 2013.

KeeKee theRocking Monkey

GundNow available from Gund is Hi-Ya! Magnus, an ultra-soft multi-tex-

tured plush ninja dragon. Hi-Ya! Magnus is 12 inchestall and says 10 different phrases, such as “I call thismove the broccoli slicer. Hi-ya!” Three AAA batter-ies are included.The four-inch Itty Bitty Birthday Boo and Itty Bitty

Jogging Suit Boo are the latest releases in Gund’s line ofBoo–The World’s Cutest Dog ultra-soft plush.

Gund has also released a 15-inch ultra-softplush Sesame Street Super Grover. This plush is for

ages 1 and up. Hi-Ya! Magnus

Toy Fair 2013


douglas

Douglas’ Flower Doodle Ruffle Tote is acolorful tote that features ruffles and a daisyappliqué on a yellow pin-dot bib. Patternsand fabrics are coordinated on the eight-inch-wide bag.

The newest additions of baby jungle catsplush include Chillin’ Cheetah Cub, PancakeTiger Cub, Silky White Tiger Cub, andSpatter Leopard Cub. Each has soft fur with detailed markings. They comein laying and pounce poses. Each is 12-inches long.

New wildlife plush include 11-inch Almond Black Bear, 11-inch AputPolar Bear, 10-inch Atka Wolf, seven-inch Bristles Hedgehog, 11-inch CookiePanda, 11-inch Delila Fawn, 18-inch Furbo Fox, 10-inch Legend Snowy Owl,10-inch Samantha Skunk, 18-inch Smoke Wolf, 16-inch Tip Toes Raccoon,and seven-inch Zip Road Runner. They are available this March.

spirograph

The Original Spirograph Design Set features the iconic wheels andrings of the original, reengineered and updated. The kit features a travel-friendly collectors tin with a snap-in storage tray. The Spirograph gearswork with the two retractable ballpoint pens, included in the set, as wellas with most standard pens, markers, and pencils. The new Spiro-Puttyholds the Spirograph pieces securely on the paper without puncturingholes in the paper. Also included are seven Spirograph Precision Wheels,a Spirograph Precision Ring, a Spirograph Precision Rack, .025 ounces ofSpiro-Putty, a 24-page design pad, and a full-color design guide.

The Original Spirograph Deluxe Set features a high-quality, durable carrying case with snap-instorage and a built-in drawing surface. Itincludes 19 Spirograph Precision Wheels,two Spirograph Precision Rings, aSpirograph Precision Rack, threeretractable ballpoint pens, 20 sheets ofdesign paper, and a full-color design guide.This set also comes with .053 ounces ofthe new, reusable Spiro-Putty.

B Kids

New from B Kids, a division of Blue Box Toys, is theSplash ‘n Slide Waterpark Wonder, making bathtime funfor ages 1 and up. A water slide and spinning water wheelkeep young hands active in the tub. It also features sturdyconstruction, moving action parts, and characters. Alsonew to the bath line are Splash ‘n Scrub Pals, bath com-panions that break out in dirty ink splotches in warmwater, but the dirt disappears in a matter of seconds as thewater cools down. Launching this spring, they are for ages8 months and up.

In B Kids’ wooden line, the Tap ‘n Tilt Roller Rackhelps foster early shape, color, and size differentiationskills in toddlers ages 18 months and up. It features softplastic edges and vibrant colors with stripes to engage

baby. It also includes alight-up ball, whichbaby can tap throughthe holes then watchand listen as it rollsdown the track.

The PoundingShape Bench alsohelps foster shaperecognition, colors,and size differentia-

tion skills as baby taps the shapes through the holes usingthe soft, wooden hammer. It is for ages 1 and up.

The Sorting Cube is a wooden play cube that encour-ages the development of motor skills and enhances learn-ing through discovery. It includes a mixture of blockshapes such as a cylinder, star, triangle, cube, heart, andcross sign. It is for ages 2 and up.

With the See ‘n Spin Alphabet Rack, toddlers ages 1and up can learn the letters of the alphabet using the two-sided blocks, which feature letters and simple shapes fordevelopment skills.

Tap ‘n Tilt Roller Rack

Flower Doodle Ruffle Tote

Toy Fair 2013


young scienTisTs club

Scholastic’s Clifford the Big Red Dog will guide kids in threenew Young Scientists Club science kits. In Big Red Dog BubbleScience, Emily Elizabeth guides young scientists through experi-ments, such as water bubbles, bubble sculptures, and more, in acolorful 20-page manual. Other kits include Clifford the Big RedDog Rainbow Science and Clifford the Big Red Dog KitchenScience. The kits are for ages 3 and up and include a colorful labtray, measuring cup, test tubes, pipette, and funnel.

Also new for 2013 are twonew The Magic School Buskits. In The Magic SchoolBus Weather Lab, Ms.Frizzle and her studentsguide young scientists asthey explore the weather. InThe Magic School BusExplore The Wonders OfNature kit, Ms. Frizzle and her class guide kids as they make abug house, cast an animal track, create a papier-mache ant, andmore. These Magic School Bus kits are for ages 5 and up.

HedsTrom

Hedstrom is moving into new markets with a core focus on prod-uct for children ages 2–8. The Hedstrom Hopper is a durable vinylexercise ball for ages 3 and up. Easy to inflate, Hoppers can bedeflated to a smaller size for convenient storage. They are availablein licensed and non-licensed assortments.

Hedstrom’s line of Sensory Ball toys for ages 6 months and upoffers different shapes, sizes, and textures to stimulate baby’s sens-es. These toys help to refine motor skills, while also offering mas-sage stimulation for little ones.

Hedstrom’s Training Camp accessories are perfect for little ath-letes looking to practice their sports skills indoors or outdoors.Training Camp products are for ages 3 and up.

Wibbly Buddies are squishy rub-ber collectible characters that lightup when squeezed. Available inlicensed and non-licensed assort-ments, they are for ages 3 and up.

Pogo Hops are balance exercisedisks for kids inspired by the retrotoy of the 1980s. They are for ages6 and up.

Poof-slinky

In addition to the OriginalSlinky, pictured here, the Slinkylineup now includes new products such as Light Up Slinky; GiantSlinky; and Color Metal Slinky, which comes in a variety of freshcolors. Slinky products are for ages 5 and up.

Sno-Markers, part of the Ideal brand, turn snow into a child’sblank canvas. Mix warm water with the Sno-Marker color packet inthe Sno-Marker squeeze bottle, squeeze, spray, and decorate. Sno-Markers come with a twist-off cap so they can be reused. A flip-upnozzle prevents leaks and spills. They are for ages 5 and up.

The Poof Pro Gold Mini Sport Pack is a sport set for ages 5 andup. With miniature foam versions of the balls used in popular sports,the set encourages active yet safe play.

Wicked cool ToysScanimalz, from Wicked Cool Toys, combines cuddly toys,

technology, and games. Consumers can download the free iOSor Android Scanimalz app to scan the QR codes on aScanimalz’s belly to play games, track their collections, earnpoints, and work their way up the leader board. Each Scanimalzhas different abilities and point value powers within each game,and there are many ways to collect points. Kids can also learnthe Scanimalz story. Series one of Scanimalz will launch inspring 2013. There will be 32 new styles in the first year. Rarestyles will also be included. Scanimalz are for ages 3 and up.

Magic School Bus Weather Lab


Toy Fair 2013

DemDacoAlligator is the newest addition to Nat&Jules By

Demdaco’s Mellow Fellows line. Mellow Fellows are13-inch soft and floppy plush. Available in fourstyles—Alligator, Hippo, Elephant, and Monkey,each features a uniquely defined texture and colorpalette. They are for ages birth and up. New to the Domers line is Giraffe. Domers are a col-

lection of 10-inch plush characters with a distinct shapeand squeezable likeness. They are available in eightstyles: Owl, Panda, Giraffe, Pig, Cow, Elephant,Alligator, and Monkey. They are for ages birth and up.The Bow Wow Boutique Yorkshire Terrier

Wristlet is the latest in the line of miniature plushcouture companions. They are all adorned with high-fashion bows and accessories and equipped with apetite leash that makes a wristlet for girls of all ages.The six-inch plush is available in six styles: YellowLabrador, Chocolate Labrador, Pug, YorkshireTerrier, Beagle, and Poodle. They are for ages new-born and up. The Discovery

Peek A Boo Toy isan interactivekoala that squeaksand crinkles. Iteasily attaches tostrollers, car seats,and cribs. Theseven-inch activitytoy includes a mir-ror, teether, andrings. It is for agesbirth and up. The nine-inch Mistletoe Pugster sings and dances

to the Justin Bieber song “Mistletoe.” It is for ages3 and up.

Thinkway ToysThinkway Toys is offering new Despicable Me 2 talking fig-

ures and plush, for ages 4 and up, this spring. The eight-inchTalking Dave and Stuart figures feature moving heads andeyes and poseable arms with soft skin upper bodies. Pushthe button to hear their voices and sound effects. Theposeable and articulated 11-inch Talking Gru talks withthe press of a button. Gru also features a body that turns

from side to side and moving arms and head. Itincludes a display stand. Press the button on Talking Tim the Minion

to hear it speak with sound effects. The nine-inchfigure also features a moving head and eyes as well

as poseable arms with a soft skin upper body.Agnes’s Unicorn is a soft, huggable plush unicorn fea-

turing “clip, clop” hoof sounds and effects. Its horn lightsup in various colors. It is 14 inches tall.

Bedtime Agnes Doll is a soft-bodied plush featuringembroidered facial features, a button that activates voice

and sound effects, and slippers that light up in multiple colors.

Talking Tim the Minion

Bachmann TrainsBased on the Chuggington TV series, Bachmann Trains is launching a

new line of HO-scale Chuggington electric locomotives, rolling stock, andaccessories. Kids can join their favorite Chuggington characters Brewster,

Wilson, and Koko as they roll around thetracks. Chuggington cars include a

box car, low-sided wagon,flat wagon, hopper, andpassenger carriage. Theline also includes Vee, thedepot dispatcher, to help

keep all theChuggers on schedule.

DiscoveryPeek A Boo

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Toy Fair 2013


mOOse tOysMoose Toys’ The Trash Pack is set to

introduce Ultimate Fighting Trashies(UFTs). Kids choose their Trashiefighter, load it into the spin bin, wind itup, and battle other UFTs. Series 3 ofThe Trash Pack launched at mass retail-ers in December.

Moose will expand its MicroChargers this spring with the CrashTrack, which will let kids race and crash their cars.Additional new track sets will also be introduced through-out the year, including a new expansion pack that lets kidsconfigure new track designs. Micro Chargers is a line of fastmicro vehicles that race at scale speeds of 600 MPH.

Gelarti, a line of reusable gel stickers that kids create,will make its debut at mass retailers this year after a Toys“R” Us exclusive in 2012. New Gelarti SKUs will alsolaunch for fall.

Blingles, the gem stickers that let girls create trendybling for their accessories, will introduce new themesincluding Dazzling Butterflies, Glitter Rock, and OceanGlitz. Moose will also introduce the Blingles Jewelry Packthis spring, which includes all the tools needed to createjeweled stickers and accessories. A new brand in the arts &crafts category will also launch this year.

plAsmArtWith PlaSmart, Inc.’s The Original DoodleArt, kids ages 8 and up can

create color-it-yourself posters. Originally launched in 1972, PlaSmart isbringing back the craze that lasted through the 1980s. Choose from five24-inch by 34-inch poster designs and two mini kits each with four 11-inch by 14-inch posters. Poster themes include flowers, jungle, butter-flies, prehistoric, and fairy tales.

Scribble Down kits are on-the-go activity packs. Kids ages 4 and upcan scribble colorful transfers onto themed backgrounds. Each featuresillustrations by artist Clinton Banbury. Design themes include enchant-ed castle, woodland fairies, wild adventures, pirate adventure, dinosaurencounter, and fairy cake factory.

Launching this year is Squashed, a new family game created byChitag Young Inventor Challenge winner Nicholas Metzler at age 16.Two to four players take turns rolling the die to strategically elimi-nate other players by “squashing” one pawn at a time. Or players can

flip the cube for a total wipeout. Be the last pawn onthe Squashed cube to win.

Threadz are new hooking and weav-ing looms for girls 6 and up. Choose

from three kits—beanie, scarf, or purse—to weave and wear in just two hours. Kits

feature the latest yarns in various col-ors. Girls ages 6–9 may need some helpfrom a parent getting started, accordingto the company.

AmrApur OverseAs

From Amrapur Overseas comes Zeenie Dollz, the line of powerful, stylish 12-inch eco-warrior dolls. Each Zeenie pos-sesses a secret identity and unique eco-power that protects the Earth. The Zeenie Dollz launch begins with Zennia, the lim-ited-edition first doll in the series and the protector of our planet.

Evee is the Protector of the Skies; Kazumi is the Guardian of the Polar Regions; Lina is the Defender of theRainforest; Yana is the Protector of the Oceans; and Sini is the Rescuer of Abused Animals. The series focuses onthe various environmental issues affecting our planet and teaches kids how to help to make a difference. Zeenie Dollzare made of 100 percent sustainable and recyclable materials. The dolls will be targeted toward young girls andtweens. A portion of every Zeenie Dollz sale will be given to the World Wildlife Fund.

Zennia


Toy Fair 2013

Bigjigs toysBigjigs Toys will introduce the Around the World Train Set for ages

3 and up. This 73-piece train set features iconic buildings and objectsfrom around the world including Big Ben, The Eiffel Tower, TheStatue of Liberty, The Sydney Opera House, and the EgyptianPyramids. Bigjigs Toys will commemorate the classic FlyingScotsman locomotive with a 38-piece train set featuring its iconicsteam engine and carriages, wooden train track, decorative accessories,and a retro ticket office. This set is for ages 3 and up. Bigjigs Toys has added to its comprehensive range of jigsaw

puzzles, which includesmy first puzzles, educa-tional puzzles, floor puz-zles, and more.Fashionistas can mix andmatch outfits with theDressing Boy and GirlPuzzles (pictured). Madefrom high-quality wood,the chunky lift-out pieces fit easily in little hands, helping devel-op motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

entertainment one

Entertainment One (eOne) is continu-ing the expansion of its preschool prop-erty Peppa Pig with new toys from itsmaster toy licensee Fisher-Price. MuddyPuddles Bathtime Peppa from Fisher-

Price, launching this fall, includes a Peppa figure, a Georgesquirter, washing brush, and 6.5-inch by 2.5-inch piggy bathtub thatsuctions to tub walls. Use the George squirter or brush to cleanPeppa. Peppa’s muddy spots disappear in warm water. Water strainsfrom the bottom of the Piggy tub. It is for ages 3 and up. Bedtime Peppa is a cuddly 10-inch Peppa doll ready for bedtime

with pajamas and a blanket. Lay Peppa down to hear a sweet lulla-by, nighttime phrases, and piggy snores. Tilt Peppa in the uprightposition for wake-up sayings, a morning song, phrases, giggles, andoinks. The doll’s cheeks will softly glow as Peppa speaks and sings.It is for ages 3 and up.Candlewick Press will also release two new picture books, for

ages 2–5, for 2013. Each book comes with a coloring poster foradded play. Peppa Pig and the Muddy Puddles will launch in April.Peppa Pig and the Busy Day at School will launch in June.

Bedtime Peppa

tosyTosy’s mRobo is a one-of-a-kind gadget that fuses

a high-quality portable speaker with a dancing robot.Once the music starts, the mRobo transforms into afull-body dancing robot with signature moves.

Tosy will also showcase DiscoRobo. Oncethe music starts, DiscoRobo responds to the

music and dances along whileexpressing lively emotions.The latest beat detection tech-nology allows for smooth andrhythmic movement.Both products will launch at

retail this summer.mRobo

Cardinal industriesCardinal Industries will introduce two new The Big Bang

Theory-licensed games this year: Rocks Paper Scissors LizardSpock Dice Game and The Big Bang Theory Ultimate UltimateParty Game.A new expanded deal with Mattel has granted Cardinal the rights

to produce some of Mattel’s classic games such as Toss Across, Tip-It, and Rebound. Some games will be co-branded with licenses tointroduce them to a new generation. Cardinal will also work withHasbro to bring brands such as Mr. Potato Head and Play-Doh intonew categories such as puzzles. Cardinal will relaunch its Big Ben Puzzle line in a new series

that will feature new and noteworthy artists. Cardinal has alsoacquired Puzz 3-D, a line of three-dimensional puzzles known fortheir detailed replication of renowned icons.

Toy Fair 2013


EndlEss GAMEs

Korner’d from Endless Games is a patternrecognition game. Each four-colored piececan only fit in one intersection on the gamegrid. Be the first to play your three pieces towin. Korner’d is also a challenging activityfor anyone on the Autism Spectrum. For thisreason, Endless Games has teamed up withAutism Speaks and will donate proceeds fromthis game to Autism research.

BrEr rABBit toys

Brer Rabbit Toys will introduce new spe-cialty sport toys designed to enhance kids’experience by capturing their developmentalskills and stages as they play and grow. Allproducts include a Hip Hop GrowDevelopment Guide, which offers a guide to theage grading and levels of development stages chil-dren should achieve while playing with each toy. The line includesa badminton set, seven-foot and 14-foot jump ropes, playgroundball, catchers set, and bowling set.

tEch 4 Kids

With Tech 4 Kids’ 3D Magic, each creativity station provides aninnovative design opportunity to generate 3-D art. Using a smartphone or tablet, launch thefree Magna Color app andscan a completed Magic AppStencil to see the creationcome to life and jump off thescreen. Complete and scandifferent design templates tobuild virtual 3-D habitatswith multiple characters thatinteract with you and each other or use your finger to create yourown 3-D interactive AR animated characters. The kit includes aspecial magnetic drawing studio with screen sweeper, fourUnderWater World app-enhanced stencils, four colored Magic Dotpens, 160 pieces of 3D Magic Dots in four colors, one pair of 3-Dglasses, and a free Magna Color app download. It is for ages 4 andup, available this fall.

Tech 4 Kids’ new Tek Recon blasters bring video game-qualitymulti-player battles and team play to the real world with featuressuch as high-performance rapid-fire triggers with real recoil kick-back, reusable ammo capacity, and long blasting distance withmodifiable shooting modes. The optional smart phone enhancedfeatures include Reality/Digital Convergence, Heads-up Display,downloadable upgrades, a flashlight for night vision, and more.

MGA EntErtAinMEnt

Under the campaign banner “Unleash Your Passion,” MGAEntertainment’s Bratz dolls (Cloe, Jade, Sasha, and Yasmin) will

increase in size fromtheir original 10-inchscale to a taller 12-inch frame, allowingfor a wider array offashion design oppor-tunities as well asenhanced articulationfor added play.

To help introducethe next generation

of Bratz dolls, a special “Real Bratz” campaign will showcasegirls that exemplify the dolls’ commitment to taking charge andseeking positive change. In addition to saluting “Real Bratz”girls who demonstrate such Bratz-defining characteristics as aca-demic excellence and dedication to their friends, family, andcommunity, the campaign will also honor women who are lead-ers in such fields as business, politics, and entertainment to helpinspire and encourage today’s generation of girls to continue tomove the world forward.

3D Magic

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Toy Fair 2013

asa produCTsThe Mobo Mini from Asa

Products is a small luxury three-wheeled cruiser for children ages2.5–5. It increases physical activitywhile the steering system aids inkey development for hand-eyecoordination and musclestrength. It features sturdymaterial, a comfortable seat,and chainless chassis to pre-vent injuries to small fingers orsnagged clothing. The Mobo Mini’s adjustable frame will alsogrow with a child.

Also available is the 2-in-1 Mobo Tot cruiser for ages 2–5.It features an adjustable parental push bar that aids in thedevelopment of motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Thedetachable push bar is waist-high and features a comfortablefoam grip. A foot rest with a gripping surface allows riders toavoid spinning when pushed. Customized decals, which areincluded, will allow children to express their creativity.

Beginagain ToysBeginAgain Toys’ Earthworm Racers are for ages 18 months and

up. Available this spring, the seven-inch long bendable, stretchable,twistable racers are made from eco-friendlyhardwoods and non-toxic, child-safe stains.They are available in multiple colors.

RubberNubber Vehicles, for ages18 months and up, are mixed mediavehicles that encourage kids to playactively and aid in the develop-ment of fine motor skills. They aremade from eco-friendly rubber woodwith child-safe wood stains and natural rubber. The tactile driver ismade from natural rubber.

The Green Ring Characters, for ages 6 months and up, featuredual materials for two stages of play. Pop the character ring off forsoft teething and grabbing or snap them together for grabbing andfine motor play. They are made in the USA from GreenDot corn-starch bio resin and maple wood. They are 100 percent compostable.Green Ring Characters will be available in a range of colors andstyles this summer.

RubberNubberCar

ComiCimagesUnder a licensing agreement with Vamplets, LLC, Comic

Images has produced a line of six plush characters for TheNightmare Nursery of Gloomvania. The diapered demons are10 inches tall, have enormous heads, tiny bodies, and offerlots of opportunity for hair and fashion play.

Triple eighTWith the Wipeout Dry Erase

Helmet from Triple Eight, kids cancustomize their own inspireddesigns on helmets that are certi-fied for safety protection for rollersports, including biking, skate-boarding, roller skating, andscooters. Made for ages 3–11, the Wipeout Dry Erase Helmet is avail-able in black, white, pink, hot pink, neon green, and neon orange. Itcomes with five dry erase non-toxic markers in assorted neon colorsand a stencil kit with eight shapes. These helmets comply with U.S.CPSC and ASTM safety standards for bike helmets, skateboarding,and trick roller skating.

2-in-1 Mobo Tot

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Toy Fair 2013

ZoobIes

Zoobies’ Sidekix isa new line of col-lectible plush toys thatgo from six-inch ani-mals to soft balls withjust a zip. They alsohave magnets inside,so they can latch onto metal things, and they come with a plasticclip to be clasped to backpacks. The new Sidekix line is based onthe characters from Animal Jam, National Geographic’s onlineanimal world for ages 5–11. Each Sidekix comes with a hangtagoffering free memberships, tokens, and/or special website codes.

Dragon-I Toys

Dragon-I Toys 2013 lineupincludes a wide selection of kid-favorite brands, such as MoshiMonsters. Kids can build their ownMoshi Monsters Glumps with theBlobimals Glumpimals set. The setcomes with 60 grams of putty andplastic accessories. Once theGlump is built, watch it flattenovernight. Then, pick out acces-

sories, roll the putty back up, and start all over again. The set is available inBruiser, Fabio, Freakface, Mustachio, Pirate Pong, and Podge.


Playmates toysHearts For Hearts Girls is a charitable doll line and fashion collection for ages 6–12 that features

authentically dressed and lifelike dolls that represent girls from around the world. The line hasexpanded for 2013 to now include a doll named Shola, representing the country of Afghanistan, andMosi, representing the Native American region in Arizona.

New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) toys include Flingers Deluxe Action Figures that throwout projectiles, such as sewer lids, pizza pie discs, Bo Staffs, and Sais weapons. Kids load the differentprojectiles into the backpacks of each figure, roll the figures across a hard surface, and watch as the con-tents of the backpacks fling out. The figures include Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael.

The Pop-Up Pizza Playset Anchovy Alley looks like a pizza box and opens to reveal a subwayscene that stands 18 inches tall. The set includes a portable pizza oven that flings pizzas, floor traps,a sewer cover, and an abandoned subway tunnel. The playset is compatible with most Turtles basicaction figures, sold separately. Both TMNT products are for ages 4 and up.

Pop-Up Pizza Playset

Anchovy Alley


Toy Fair 2013

international PlaythingsInternational Playthings LLC (IPL) has partnered with the NICI Corporation to distribute its plush toys and accessories in the U.S. and

Canada. IPL will introduce NICI’s White World winter collection to the U.S. for the holiday season. This collection features a polar bear, seal,and a wide range of complementing accessories. IPL will also launch the North American NICI website www.nici-world.com inOctober, which will feature the latest NICI products available throughout the year.

IPL has added new themes to its Imaginetics line for ages 3 and up. Make a Monster contains one play board and two mag-net sheets with 33 individual magnets. Day at the Beach contains one play board and two magnet sheets with 51individual magnets. Construction contains one play board and one magnet sheet with 17 magnets. Treehouse,which features the owl family, contains one play board and one magnet sheet with 33 individual magnets.

IPL’s mic-o-mic construction kits, for ages 5 and up, are designed for novice builders and collectors.With the Large Tow Truck kit (pictured), hook up smaller vehicles and tow them along. The kit has 78parts, 21 clips, 38 pins, and an assembly tool. Large Truck is the most complex kit in the collectionwith 99 parts, 56 clips, 112 pins, and an assembly tool. Additional new kits in the line include MediumSports Car, Medium Train, Medium Tractor, Medium Jet Plane, Small Tow Truck, Small Chopper, SmallDump Truck, and Small Jet Plane. All mic-o-mic kits include spare clips and pins.

KlutzKlutz’s Make Clay Charms, for ages 8 and up, features simple step-by-step

instructions for more than 30 different designs, including fruit, animals, sweets,monsters, and more. Make charms with the clay, bake them, add shine with Klutz’sspecially formulated glaze, and then attach your creations to the included bracelet.

With Star Wars Thumb Doodles, use the four inkpads (blue, black, green, andbrown), black marker, and dual-tipped colored pencil (green and red) to makethumbprint versions of Star Wars characters. The kit includes step-by-stepinstructions to make Star Wars Clones and Battle Droids, Ewoks and Wookies,Jedi, and Jabba the Hutt. It will be available in March for ages 8 and up.

Dot Jewelry comes with pre-cut paper pieces in assorted colors and coordi-nating patterns. Follow the step-by-step instructions to make everything fromone-strand bracelets to statement necklaces. The exclu-sive two-in-one tool picks up dots and crimps the cordends securely to finish each piece of jewelry.

The Book of Impossible Objects, by Pat Murphy andthe Scientists of Klutz Labs, demonstrates how typicalobjects can work like magic using science, from themathematically amazing Möbius strip (a band of paperwith only one side) to cardstock acrobats with balance toa color-changing spinning top.

Party animalParty Animal’s

NFL Teenymatesare one-inch offi-cially licensedNFL figures forkids and collectorsages 4 and up.Each foil bag packcomes with tworandom quarter-backs and twopuzzle pieces.

There are 32 NFL quarterbacks (plus three rare fig-ures: a throwback quarterback, a metallic goldquarterback, and a glow-in-the-dark quarterback)and 35 double-sided puzzle pieces to collect. Thedouble-sided puzzle pieces allow kids to put togeth-er either a collector’s mini poster featuring all 32quarterbacks or a football field display.


GamewriGhtIn Gamewright’s IOTA, players add cards to a grid, making sure that color, shape, and

number are either all the same or all different across the line. As the grid expands so dothe possibilities. This pocket-sized game comes with 66 cards and instructions. It is fortwo to four players ages 8 and up.

In Monster Café, players play cards to seat hungry monsters around tables filled with suchrevolting refreshments as Roasted Roadkill, Boiled Brains, and Stinky Sock Stew. But the mon-sters are extremely picky eaters. Feed them what they fancy or else they may take a bite outof your score. Also make sure to avoid the lemon sorbet. The game comes with 76 cards andinstructions in English and Spanish. Monster Café is for two to four players ages 8 and up.

That’s It! is a fast-paced party game. Draw a topic card and then race to shout out answers until someone says the exact word written on thecard. Get the most right to win. The game comes with 200 cards, 12 tokens, and instructions. It is for three or more players ages 10 and up.


Toy Fair 2013

lEarninG rEsourcEsNew to Learning Resources’ New Sproutsline is the Ring It Up! My Very OwnCash Register. It features a coin slide,pop-open cash drawer, and chunky but-tons and includes five number coins. Hide-n-Go Fish is a play fish bowl fea-

turing vinyl flaps over the opening so kidscan’t see what they are fishing for. It

includes nine toy fish in three different colorsand sizes. The fish snap together like pop

beads for fine motor practice and play. Hide-n-Go Moo features a miniature barn

that kids reach into to identify barnyard animals by touch. It also fea-tures vinyl flaps over the opening. Match the adult animals to the babyanimals for extended play. It includes eight animals such as cows,ducks, horses, and pigs.

Smart Snacks Shape Sorting Cupcakes encourages shape and coloridentification and helps build fine motor skills. The eight two-part cup-cakes pull apart to reveal a circle, square, triangle, rectangle, oval, hexa-gon, star, and heart. Match the shapes to put them back together. Thenmatch the shape to the pan bottom. All products are for ages 2 and up.

GrEEn toysThe Green Toys Rocket is a red and blue toy spacecraft that

features a main booster, three auxiliary fin boosters, and twoastronauts wearing molded spacesuits, helmets, and dual-tankbackpacks. A large door flips down to double as a set of stepsinto the main cavity, while the detachable nose cone capsule hasits own door that opens to reveal buttons, dials, and the signa-ture Green Toys eight-track. It is for ages 2 and up.

The Green Toys Ferry Boat is an eco-friendly teal andwhite, two-story vessel made for bathtub or pool time fun. Usethe slide-out ramp to load up the ferry’s bottom level, whichaccommodates up to four Green Toys Mini Vehicles orFastbacks. The open top deck features two small benches oneach side as well as eleven windows looking down into themain level. It comes with two MiniFastbacks and a detachablehull for easy cleaning. It isfor ages 3 and up.

The Green Toys Tractorfeatures chunky, go-anywheretires and a detachable rear trailer.Metal axles and external coatings make itrust- and chip-proof.

Green Toys Tractor

Ring It Up!

orb FactoryWith Orb Factory’s Curiosity Kits Lava Rock

Volcano, kids 6–13 can use plaster and paint toturn a domed base into a realistic volcano. Adda tube, funnel, and squeeze bottle to control thesize and timing of the eruptions. Create thechemical mixture with vinegar and baking soda,then add fake gravel and red coloring to makefoaming lava.

Kids 5 and up can create a PlushCraft Purr-fect Pillow by followinga simple numbered legend. Use the stylus to punch the pink and purplefabric and add the eyes and kitten nose. The kit contains glitter andstandard fabric pieces.

ElEncoWith Elenco’s

Snap CircuitsLight, kids cancreate 175 differ-ent projects using55 parts alongwith a colorfulpicture manual.Projects feature a strobe light, color-changing LED, andglow-in-the dark fans. Watch your iPod or other MP3 play-er play music through Snap Circuits Light.


Basic FunBasic Fun, in a licensed partnership with Fisher-Price, will relaunch the View-Master brand this

fall. This toy has a 70-year history and will feature a fresh new look, smoother operation, and 3-D images that are 50 percent larger and brighter. Licenses include Despicable Me 2, Star Wars,Spider-Man, Hello Kitty, and Discovery Kids.

Basic Fun will also expand its line of Fisher-Price Classics with the addition of the Play Deskand The Puffalumps. Originally launched in 1972, the Fisher-Price Play Desk lets children playand learn using letters along with activity cards to spell and use first words. Chalk and an eraserare included. The Puffalumps, known as “lovable lumps of snuggly stuff,” was a popular toy linein the 1980s. The new Puffalumps collection will be available in both 16-inch and 10-inch sizes.

Basic Fun, in partnership with Hasbro, is launching more electronic games including Simon. The classic electronic memory game is backwith a sleeker look and enhanced features. Simon challenges one or more players to memorize the hypnotic lights and sound sequences. MiniBop it! XT is the pocket-sized version of the game featuring all six of Bop it! XT’s commands: bop it, flick it, pull it, twist it, spin it, and shakeit. There are four skill levels to unlock. New mini electronic board games feature Monopoly, Candy Land, and Trouble. These electronic take-along games combine real board games with electronics at a lower price point.


Toy Fair 2013

peaceaBle KinGdom

In Peaceable Kingdom’s cooperative game What’s It?, flip thedoodle card, flip the timer, then guess what the pre-printed doodlelooks like. If you guesslike the other players,everyone wins. It is fortwo to six players ages8 and up.In The Great Cheese

Chase, players worktogether to move thethree mice up the path and into the attic for a cheese party. But if thecat pounces on a mouse on the path, the mouse goes back to start andthe climb up begins again. Get all three mice to the attic before thecat and everyone wins. It is for two to six players ages 5 and up. Buzz!–The Bizzy Buzzy Beat-The-Bear Board Game is a race to

collect nectar drops and beat the bear to the hive. Roll the die, moveyour bears, and if you can do it before the bear gets to the hive, every-one wins. It is for two to four players ages 5 and up. Peaceable Kingdom’s Sticker Activity Poster Books are large

posters that include themed stickers to create scenes. New stylesinclude 3D Alien Attack. Use the 40 3-D stickers to decorate theposter scene then slide on the included 3-D glasses to see the scenein 3-D. With Glow-In-The-Dark Glowing Fairies, use the 70 glow-in-the-dark stickers in the forest poster scene, then turn off the lightsand watch the fairies fly.

BRiaRpatch

Based on the Cartoon Network animated series Adventure Time, Briarpatch is introducing a lineup that includesgames, puzzles, travel-sized games, and Wonder Tubes featuring the characters Jake, Finn, and Marceline. TheEpic Gassy Jake Game adds an audible “gassy” twist to the game of hot potato.For The Jim Henson Company’s Pajanimals, Briarpatch will offer games and puzzles, including the Pajanimals

My First Adventure Game and My Growth Chart Puzzle (pictured).The company continues its partnership for Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer and Bubble Guppies with the intro-

duction of games and Wonder Tubes for both properties this year. Briarpatch will also introduce product featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in time for the holidays.

R&R Games

R&R Games will launchPluckin’ Pairs. In this game, play-ers have 90 seconds to pluck fivepopular pairs from the random

images on the table. Matchother players’ pairings to

gain points. The more youmatch, the more you score. It is

for ages 10 and up.Hey Froggy! is another new game for ages 10 and up. The

frogs have gathered for a race at the old watering hole but withlimited lily pads and plenty of frogs, they pile up on top of eachother. To reach the finish line, move the right frogs to the top ofthe piles to match your cards. The more you match, the fartheryou jump. Eat flies to get more chances to jump. The first play-er across the finish line wins.In Spectaculum, players will determine the paths on which

four travelling shows journey through an entire kingdom. Withyour money, sponsor entertainers with only one goal: gainingeven more money. The game is for ages 8 and up.Another new game is Qin, based on colonizing Chinese hin-

terlands by finding provinces and absorbing remote villagesinto empires. Players also build pagodas as a sign of theirauthority. The first to build all his pagodas wins the game. Qinis for ages 8 and up.


all things EqualFollowing All Things Equal’s launch of the Awkward Family Photos

board game, based on the popular website of the same name, theAwkward Family Photos Card Game combines creative, open-endedquestions with all-new cringeworthy photos featuring funny family por-traits, unfortunate hairstyles, weddings, holidays, and babies. If youknow your fellow players well enough and can impress them with youranswers, you’ll get the last laugh.

Display your family’s awkwardness with the official AwkwardFamily Photos Picture Frame Kit. The frame is made in the USA from100-percent recycled game boards. The kit includes a frame, stickeredplaques, and more.

Wooky EntErtainmEntWooky Entertainment’s Design Masters is a line of sketch-

book kits for car lovers.Kids 7 and up can createprecision-technical draw-ings from detailed stencilsheets of car bodies andparts, such as mags, spoil-ers, bumpers, emblems,and more. The FordMotor Company is a newlicensee. New DesignMasters small sketchbookkits include Ford FocusRS500, Ford Boss 302, and Ford Street Racer. Each kit contains30 sketch pages, more than 35 stencils, three illustrated inspira-tion sheets, more than 140 stickers, and colorinstructions. Large sketchbook kits include Ford F-150 SVTRaptor and Ford GT. Each comes with 30 sketch pages, morethan 50 stencils, two illustrated inspiration sheets, more than250 stickers, and color instructions.

Block Crayon is a creative brand for children 18 months andup that combines coloring and block building. New for 2013is Block Crayon Color & Stow: Pony Stable. The kit features astable-shaped tote with a pink and lavender color scheme andbarn-shaped top with nubs that double as a sturdy building basefor construction projects. The inside of the stable roof holds 15feet of heavy-duty illustrated paper with pony and stablescenes. It comes with 10 sculpted block crayons.

Artzooka kits, designed for children 5 and up, contain thenecessary components to complete a range of creative projectsas well as a challenge that can be accomplished using everydayhousehold supplies. Among the new kits for 2013 are SurpriseMatch Box, which lets kids create their own mini puppets thatdouble as secret compartments for tiny treasures. The kitincludes three “match” boxes, a sticker sheet, a sheet of card-board accessories, and instructions.

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Kidz BoPKidz Bop and Church &

Dwight’s Arm & Hammerbrand are teaming up to releasea Kidz Bop-branded line ofmusical Toothtunes toothbrush-es that feature Kidz Bop music.Product is expected to launch inmass market and drug storesthis quarter. The latest album of the Kidz Bop audio series, Kidz Bop 23,was released last month.Kidz Bop and LeapFrog are expanding their relationship by distribut-

ing downloadable content though LeapFrog’s new digital app center. Thisfollows a Target holiday exclusive—a co-branded Kidz Bop LeapPad 2. Imperial Toy will continue to offer the Kidz Bop Pop Star toy line

throughout 2013.Sakar is expanding the brand into the youth electronic category with

the launch of karaoke machines, headphones, earbuds, speakers, anddocking stations. Product will continue to roll out in the U.S. and Canadathroughout the year.Spotify launched the first-ever Spotify app created specifically for kids

and families, Kidz Bop Boombox. Kidz Bop is curating all music playlistsfor the app, which includes three categories of music for different agegroups including Preschool (ages 2–4), Kidz (ages 5–9), and The Boom(ages 10 and up).


Toy Fair 2013

sCholastiCIn conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Scholastic’s

Clifford the Big Red Dog, partners will offer new Cliffordproduct, including Douglas (two new Clifford Valentine’sDay plush), Andrews Blaine (bookmarks, book lights, andgame pads), A&A Global Industries (plush and foam balls),and Young Scientists Club (three new Clifford science kits forages 3 and up). Goosebumps will extend its reach with four new

Halloween costumes and six masks from Gemmy, includingthe characters Slappy and Curly.The Young Scientists Club will release two new science

kits for The Magic School Bus, including the Weather Labkit and the Exploring the Wonders of Nature kit.Briarpatch is also releasing new games based on the I

Spy seek-and-find franchise with I Spy Treasure Hunt,launching in August.Kids Station will release all-new Scholastic-branded

educational science and 3-D paper science toys and kits.

Fox Consumer ProduCtsTwentieth Century Fox Consumer Products (FCP) will expand product lines for its popular properties such as The Simpsons, New Girl, Sons

of Anarchy, and for the upcoming 3-D CG action-adventure comedy Epic (from the creators of Ice Age and Rio). Epic’s master toy partner DreamInternational Limited will unveil an all-new toy line this month. Dream will capture many of Epic’s memorable characters through a line ofdetailed figures and plush that will hit shelves in May. Fox has also tapped Maisto to showcase diecast motorcycle models based on the FX series Sons of Anarchy. The models will be available at

retail early this year, replicating the bikes featured on the show. For fans of the comedy series New Girl, Pressman Toy is launching the New Girl Trivia Board Game. In the game, two to six players answer

trivia questions, fill in the blanks in a funny sing-along, and play multiple rounds to learn more about each other.

Douglas Clifford plush assortment


cJ ProDucts

CJ Products, manu-facturer of Pillow Pets-branded products, isadding two new charac-ters to its line of plushfoldable stuffed ani-mals. 18-inch Mike andSulley from Disney/Pixar’sMonsters, Inc. are now available. To coincide with the re-release of Finding Nemo in theaters and on Blu-Ray/DVD,Pillow Pets is also launching a Nemo foldable plush.

Mike and Sully Pillow Pets

Discovery communications

Bendon Publishing will featureDiscovery Communication’s AnimalPlanet coloring and activity books aswell as flash cards. H.I.S. is also offer-ing an Animal Planet-branded car seat,stroller toys, neck pillows, travel blan-kets, and bath toys.

Poof-Slinky will feature DiscoveryChannel’s Mythbusters Science kits,which follow a trial-and-error hands-on format, allowing kids to “bust” myths related to everything from avia-tion to air pressure. Wonderforge will also feature Mythbusters: The Game.


Toy Fair 2013

educatIonaL InsIghtsEducational Insights’ Nancy B’s

Science Club is a new line of sci-ence tools. Each comes with an 18-plus page keepsake journal packed with kid-friendly activities. The line is supported bythe Nancy B’s Science Club website andhas partnered with famous scientists fromaround the world. Two products from theline include Moonscope andSkygazer’s Activity Journal andCrime Solver Scope and ForensicActivity Journal. The Moonscopeand Skygazer’s Activity Journal, now available, fea-tures a magnifying MoonScope with all-glass eyepieces,finder scope, moon filter, tripod with built-in red LED lightto read in the dark, and a 22-page astronomy activities jour-nal. Two AA batteries are required but not included. New to the GeoSafari line are GeoSafari Jr. Animal

Eye Viewers. Choose from three different Animal EyeViewers. Slip on the Shark Eye Viewer and use the rear-view mirrors to get around. But look out for blind spots—sharks can’t see directly in front of themselves. Viewersare for ages 4 and up.Shelby’s Snack Shack Game is a number and counting

game. Shelby buried bones on the beach and needs helpcollecting them. Help collect the most bones to win. Butwatch out—spin a sneaky seagull and lose bones or getsidetracked chewing a flip flop and miss a turn. It’s for twoto four players ages 4 and up. It includes a colorful gameboard, one Shelby Squeezer, 40 Bones, four bowls, onedouble game spinner, and game guide.Even Steven’s Odd! is a two- to four-player, fast-

paced, dice-rolling race. The first player to win 10 dicechallenges wins the game. It includes 24 dice, 40 leveledchallenge cards, four dice holders, and game guide. It isfor ages 7 and up.

Moonscope

FoLkmanIsFolkmanis’ Alpaca puppet features an ultra-soft micro fiber plush body

that feels like the fleece coat of an actual Alpaca. Sculpted fabric enhances the ethereal look of Folkmanis’ Sky Dragon

puppet with a movable mouth, forelegs, and velvet wings. The Goose puppet features big blue eyes, a movable beak, and a two-

handed wing design. The white body has feathery wings, long legs, andwebbed feet.

With the Monkey in Barrel puppet, pull the mon-key down into the soft microfiber barrel and the bar-

rel lid closes. Pop the monkey back out for aplayful surprise.

The Baby Sea Otter puppet is aflexible and easy-to-animate puppet.Make the otter groom its soft fur andwhiskers for added fun.

Feathery tan and grey plushmimic the soft feathers of theScreech Owl. With the hiddenrod on the puppet, turn its headto fix its watchful eyes.

Insect LoreInsect Lore’s new Bug Hedz are

lightweight, high-quality face maskssporting larger-than-life bug features.The masks feature a soft, built-inswim goggle-style interior for com-fort. The interior holds the mask awayfrom kids’ faces, allowing plenty ofair to circulate. The Velcro strap pro-vides an adjustable fit for all sizes.They are available in three styles:Green Beetle, Red Ant, and Yellow Hornet (pictured).

Sky Dragon


Diggin Active

Diggin Active’s Tough Sports line feaures soft foam balls designed to look tough and hard, such as the DestroyerFootball that is armor-plated or the Rock Playground Ball that looks like a steel-strapped boulder. Also in the line is theStriker Iron Clad Soccer Ball. They are for ages 5 and up.

The JumpSmart Jr. Electronic Trampoline is an indoor mini trampoline that features a five-in-one multi-gamesound system. The five games included are bounce counting, silly sounds, musical statues, bounce along, and mem-

ory match. It features a sewn padded cover using a new Stretch Tech system for added safety. It is easy to assemblewith no threading required. The webbing is reinforced and stitched to the bounce mat. The mat will be centrally

aligned and bounce weight is equally distributed. Three AA batteries are required but not included. It for ages 1and up and holds a maximum weight of 44 pounds.

JumpSmart Jr.Electronic Trampoline


Toy Fair 2013

pBS KidS

Licensee Be Amazing Toys is expanding the PBS Kids science toy line with new products. TheGrowing Gators Science Kit lets kids utilize the superabsorbent polymer Water Jelly Crystals tomake four gators grow up to 10 inches and then shrink back to their original size. The kit introduceschildren ages 4 and up to chemistry and contains 20 easy-to-follow experiments that use the scien-tific method. The Snow Explosions kit transforms the non-toxic chemical sodium polyacrylate into safe Insta-

Snow powder. Utilizing the chemical properties in Insta-Snow, this kit contains 20 easy-to-followactivities for ages 4 and up to conduct science experiments. It includes 40 grams of Insta-Snow, fivegrams of Fake Ice, a petri dish, plastic scoop, a baby soda bottle cap, cups, a pipette, instructions,and Young Scientist cards for added learning. Following the instructions with the help of a parent, kids can make snow, fake snowballs, color-ful snow mountains, winter decorations, and more. The Test Tube Adventures kit transforms simple soda bottles into baby soda bottles. Using the baby soda bottles, the kit features 20 activi-

ties that use the scientific method to explore color, the environment, the science of soda bottles, and more. The kit, for ages 4 and up, comescomplete with baby soda bottles, a baby soda bottle rack, styrofoam beads, fizzers, and Young Scientist cards. Kits include detailed explanations into the science behind each experiment, ideas for extending the experiment, and a “wow” factor surprise

for kids to keep them engaged, guessing, and learning. Activities can be modified to meet each child’s abilities and backgrounds. The YoungScientist cards use simple words and illustrations to ensure a complete understanding of the experiment.

aeromax

The Aeromax My 1st Career Gear line, for ages 3–5,will add four new products to the line starting nextmonth, including My 1st Career Gear Zookeeper, whichfeatures a parrot peeking out of the top pocket andarm patches and pocket squares illustrating vari-ous roles of a zookeeper. A matching green safarihat to complete the look is sold separately. The My 1st Career Gear Builder (pictured) fea-

tures a bright yellow top with orange stripes and detailssuch as a tool belt, pencil, and name badge. A matchingyellow construction helmet is sold separately.Also new to the line are My 1st Career Gear Pit Crewand Conductor costumes. Each detailed My 1st CareerGear shirt slips on easily and fastens at the front with asimple hook and loop closure. One size fits most.

The haywire Group

The Haywire Group is turning its focusto the novelty and gift category with a newline of quirky games. For moustache andbacon lovers ages 6 and up, the Bucket ofMoustaches and Bucket of Bacon gamesputs a twist on the classic barrel of mon-keys game. Players take turns trying tomake a chain of moustaches or bacon, and

when the chain drops, their turn ends. Gamescome with 12 plastic moustaches or strips of bacon. Ha! Ha! Moustache and Everybody Loves Bacon! playing

cards, for ages 6 and up, make up themed decks of 54 plastic-coated cards. The Everybody Loves Bacon! Deck featuresbacon-shaped cards.


Hog Wild toySHog Wild Toys will introduce Click

Shots, a line of collectible vehicles thatcombine collectible coins with battlegame play. The vehicles use patentedclip-shot firing technology so kids caneasily aim, click, and send their vehi-cles flying. To play, kids select theirvehicle—the Cruncher. Players then put four collectible coins facedown in front of them and take turns aiming and launching theirCrunchers. When the Cruncher nears their opponent’s coins, the mag-netic attraction captures the coin. If either player hits their opponent’sblowout coin the game is over and the player with the most coins wins.

SilverlitSilverlit’s digital Monster RokLienz characters, featured

on the Monster RokLienz app for iPad, let kids stage their ownconcerts, select costumes for their monsters, and pick a venueto perform, while also rocking out to a unique blend of musicthat kids can customize. The characters will be available asthree-inch collectible electronic, music-making figures. Whenthe figures come in contact with their digital counterparts,they will interact with a virtual band to play on the iPad in 4-D Rock Mode. RokLienz collectibles work with or without aniDevice, but the combination of the figure on the iDeviceunlocks new songs, new sets, new costumes, new band mem-bers, and new game power ups. The figures are also light-con-trolled and trigger the sensors with the ambient light in anyroom or by using the light from the iDevice. Eight RokLienzcharacters will launch this fall for ages 5 and up. Silverlit will also introduce the Mercedes Benz SLS

AMG this fall. The vehicle brings the classic connectionbetween driving and listening to music to toy form with anR/C radio. Using their own iTunes Library, kids 8 and up canplay their favorite songs with two approaches in one car.Play music from an iDevice while you drive the vehicle orstream music through high quality speakers in the car as adisplay item. Unique Gull-wing doors open remotely from asmart device allowing the music to stream through internalspeakers. Lights flash with the beat of the music for customlight shows or using pre-configured patterns. Full gesturecontrol lets users have full control of the car with a simpletilt of the controller. It also features hobby-grade steering,

variable speeds for real-feelracing, and Mercedessound effects. Also avail-able only on iPhone, force

feedback delivers a rumble ofthe engine that increases as thecar goes faster. The app is freefor download with purchase.

Cuddle BarnTalking and Poking Tom and Ben plush, for

ages 3 and up, are the newest additions to CuddleBarn’s app-inspired Talking Friends collection ofplush characters. Updated with an all-new action-reaction component, Talking and Poking Tom andBen combine talkback and “poke me” features. Tomand Ben repeat back messages spoken to them andreact to the touch of a hand. Touch Tom’s tummy,forehead, feet, or tail or poke Ben’s forehead, jaw,tummy, or feet to hear each character howl or cry intheir signature voice. Batteries are included. They willbe available this fall. Now available for Valentine’s Day is Bikini Barb, a bikini-wearing

plush gorilla that sings and dances to its own rendition of LMFAO’s “I’mSexy and I Know It,” and Romeo, the plush critter who sings and dancesto the classic song “Love Machine.” Romeo wears a black tuxedo andred tie and carries plush roses and chocolates. Batteries are included.Also available is the Mother Goose storytelling plush for ages 3 and up.

Mother Goose reads five classic nursery rhymes: Jack & Jill, HickoryDickory Dock, Little Bo Peep, Humpty Dumpty, and Twinkle, TwinkleLittle Star. Mother Goose wears a blue hat and scarf with tiny glasses andholds a book of rhymes. Batteries are included.

Mercedes BenzSLS AMG

Click Shots Crunchers and coins

Talking andPoking Tom


Toy Fair 2013

BandaiBandai will launch a line of Pac-Man toys this fall in support of Pac-Man

and the Ghostly Adventures, premiering September 7 on Disney XD. Pac PanicBattle Spinner Action Figures will feature removable bases that transform fig-ures into battling, spinning tops. They will be available as single packs or Goodvs. Evil two-packs. The Pac Panic Battle Arena, sold separately, will include anexclusive Pac Panic Battle Spinner Action Figure. The Pac-Man and theGhostly Adventures Talk’n Chomp’n Pac, a 12-inch feature plush, brings Pac-Man to life with signature phrases, sounds, and mouth-chomping action. Allproducts currently in the line are for ages 4 and up.Bandai America and Saban Brands are celebrating the 20th

anniversary of Power Rangers this year with the all-newPower Rangers Megaforce TV series and inspired toy line.Kids can harness the power of the Gosei, the ultimate sym-bol of good, and unlock the secrets of the cards with thePower Rangers Deluxe Gosei Morpher. Access super-human strength, hi-tech weapons, and massive Zord vehi-cles by inserting special power cards into the Morpher. TheMorpher features flashing lights and includes 10 cards thatunlock 10 phrases and sounds. Collect additional cards tounlock more phrases or download the Power Rangers CardScanner App on your smartphone for a deeper experience.With the 2013 Power Rangers Zord Builder collection,which includes Megazords, Zord Vehicles, and ZordCycles, kids can build the same Zords and Megazordsfrom the series or an infinite number of their own Zord cre-ations using the system’s universal connection point. The Ben 10 Omni-Net Omnitrix features technology that enables it to

interactively play with the latest media formats, including iPad, iPhone,Bandai’s Ben 10 website, or the included 40-minute DVD. Kids can use theOmnitrix to wirelessly control special features in the Ben 10 App or videogame. It also reacts to the output of these media devices and comes to lifeto play 12 different alien voices or 20 sound effects as it vibrates and lightsup. Emulate Ben 10 with the all-new Omnitrix Shuffle, which when shakensays 10 random alien voices. Attach the included alien mini figure to hearonly that aliens’ voice when activated. To control the other nine voices, col-lect select basic figures containing a compatible mini figure.

Tiny loveTiny Love’s Magical Night projection mobile is a crib

mobile, projector, music box, and toddler nightlight all inone. It features a contemporary design in earth tones. Forages birth–5 months, the Magical Night mobile is a musi-cal crib mobile that plays nine tunes in three musical cate-

gories for up to 30 con-tinuous minutes. A rotat-ing canopy features dan-gling animals. It alsoprojects friendly animalimages on the canopy.When baby learns to situp, parents can removethe canopy and baby canstill enjoy his favoritemusic while the musicbox projects the animal

images on the ceiling. In the third stage, parents canremove the music box from the crib. The canopy can bereattached and the unit becomes a tabletop nightlight thatprojects stars on the ceiling.

Deluxe GoseiMorpher

SchyllingSchylling’s newest ride-on Bouncy

Buggy helps little ones ages 18–36months develop balance and coordina-tion while enjoying bouncing fun.Bouncy Buggy adjusts by inflat-ing and deflating air capacity toaccommodate changes inweight. It’s made of strong,latex-free vinyl and is easily cleanedwith soap and water. Use of a hand or foot pump (notincluded) is recommended for filling. It is available inthree colors (red, blue, and pink) and averages 12 inchestall by 19 inches long when inflated.


Patch ProductsPatch Products’ new Planet Sock Monkey plush doll line,

for ages 8 and up, features six playful sock monkey charac-ters—Ima Bananerd (nerd), Eaton Dedd (zombie), LongSock Silver (pirate), Magenta Beetsch (punk girl), M.O.N.K.(hip hop musician), and Star Harmonkey (pop singer). Each10-inch knit sock monkey is clothed in its signature style,features a unique accessory, and includes a collector’s pin.This series is available for a limited time. Patch Products created a new line of preschool toys called

Mirari (the Latin word for wonder). The Mirari myPad is a9.5-inch durable play tablet that features 20 colorful light-upimages and 40 sounds andphrases activated by the arrowbuttons. Pushing each buttonwill activate two differentsounds such as the sound of atrain or the phrase, “Balls areround!” It is for ages 12 monthsand up. Busy Buddy is a 9.5-inch toy featuring six removableshape-sorting and color-match-ing gears. Once all of the gearshave been correctly placed, they will move around with theturn of the knob, encouraging hands-on exploration and dis-covery. Busy Buddy’s eyes also blink and its ears wigglewhen the gears move. Additional toys in the Mirari lineinclude the Roll & Return Ball, Wee Keys, Pop! Pop! Piano,Zig-Zag Xylo, and Drum-Dee-Dum.New games from Patch include Shizzle, Go Oink!, Chain

Letters, Banana-pult, Dirty Jobs, and Flash & Furious. In thedice game Shizzle, toss a one-of-a-kind, multi-colored diceinto the innovative Twist & Tumble Dice Cup, twist, andwatch the dice tumble out. Each die has six different colorsof pips and a face with each of the six ranks. The goal is tocreate a line of color or number matches to either gain pointsor make your opponents lose points. It is for ages 8 and up.

FamosaFamosa’s Pinypon Fairies

assortment come apart to swapoutfits, accessories, hairstyles,and wings to create a cus-tomized Pinypon Fairy. EachPinypon Fairy comes with amagical unicorn friend. They

will be available this spring. The Pinypon Snow Collection includes a SkiChalet, a Car & Tow with Pinypon Friends & Pets in winter gear, and the SkiLodge. The collection lets girls take Pinypon Friends on a ski adventure wherethey can ice skate, ski, ride a snow mobile, build a snowman, and warm up inthe Ski Lodge. The collection also includes Fun in the Snow figures assort-ment and figures and pet gift set. The collection will launch this fall. Pinyponis for ages 3 and up.New in the Nenuco baby doll line for this fall are Happy Hiccups, Rock to

Sleep, and Snow Baby. Happy Hiccups has hiccups that won’t go away. Tomake the hiccups go away, shout “Boo” or blow on Happy Hiccups to make thedoll laugh. It is for ages 4 and up. Girls ages 3 and up can help Rock to Sleepgo to bed by rocking the doll. A lullaby plays as the doll coos and its eyes blinkclosed. Rock to Sleep will then wake up and giggle and coo. Snow Baby, forages 4 and up, includes a warm fuzzy pink hat and matching sunglasses for girlsand their doll. It also comes with a handbag, cell phone, thermos, and girl-sizedearmuffs. Put the “magic” glasses on Snow Baby, and watch as the doll’s skinchanges colors to a tan. These dolls are all 16.5 inches tall. The Nancy Goes for a Stroll with Baby Sister Set features a 17-inch

Nancy doll and baby sister doll. The set includes a stroller, with a secretstorage compartment, that converts to a baby carrier. It also includesNancy’s pet rabbit Princess, a backpack, hairbrush, mirror, and changingaccessories. Little girls can help Nancy feed her baby sister with the feedingaccessories or give Princess the rabbit some food. The Nancy Pink SportsAssortment includes Ballerina, Skier, and Equestrian dolls. Ballerina Nancycomes with a detailed pink leotard, dance skirt, tights, leg warmers, balletslippers, and headband. With the Nancy World Travelers assortment, girlscan pretend to shop with Nancy in London, walk the runway in New York,and enjoy a pastry in Paris. The doll comes with a secret diary with a keywhere Nancy can write about her trips.

Pinypon Ski Lodge


Toy Fair 2013

The Bridge direcTThe Bridge Direct’s line of Flying Heroes, for ages 4 and up, features iconic

superhero characters, including Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, Wolverine,Thor, Hulk, and Captain America. With a quick pull from the launcher, super-heroes launch into the air and take flight. The line will be available this fall.With Looney Tunes Show Tornado Taz talking plush, kids ages 3 and up can

activate Taz’s funny sayings and actions by squeezing the trigger points on Taz’shand, foot, nose, and tongue. When both the foot and hand are squeezed together,Taz shakes and spins just like in the cartoons.The Bridge Direct is launching a new fashion doll line called Pinkie Cooper

and the Jet Set Pets for ages 4 and up. Based on a concept from Carter Bryant,designer of the original Bratz, Pinkie Cooper takes girls on a globe-trotting adven-ture as she and her fashionable pals vacation and shop all over the world. The2013 collection features dolls, pet figures, and fashion accessories.With Power Rangers Megaforce Battle Buddies, kids 3 and up can recreate

their favorite Power Rangers battles. Each buddy features more than 10 battlesounds and Megaforce phrases.A collection of Smurf Shoulder Buddies wearable figures, for ages 4 and up, will

feature favorite characters from the upcoming The Smurfs 2 film, hitting the screenthis July. Each Smurfs Shoulder Buddies comes with a Smurftastic Collector’s Cardas well as a Magical Coin to help it stay securely in place on shoulders, hats, back-packs, and more. The collection includes three characters: Classic Smurf, Smurfette,and Papa Smurf. For the second

installment of TheHobbit, new movie-based figures androleplay toys will beadded to the currenttoy line. Figures will fea-ture 12 points of articulationand replicate the facial features, clothing, weapons, and accessories of thefilm’s characters. New additions in the 3.75-inch series include Radagast,Bofur, Nori, Ori, Dori, Gloin, Oin, Bifur, Bombur, Azog, and Yazneg. In thesix-inch scale, new figures include Azog, Bolg, and Radagast. An updatedSting Sword will also give young fans, ages 4 and up, a new way to recreatethe film’s battle scenes.

PlanToysPlanToys’ Curvy Click Clack will appeal to

kids 3 and up as they watch the glass marblesride the curves and wind down the tracks with a“click-clack” noise. The tracks feature speedbumps to keep the marbles on track, withgrooves at the base to provide a place to holdthem. Marbles are made in the U.S. of recycledlead-free glass.Children 2 and up can learn basic hand signs

and improve their mathematic skills with theHand Sign Number kit. Each block card has twosides featuring hand signs, grooved based num-bers to encourage dragging and writing, andbasic Braille numbers with dimple details. Withbright colors and easy gripping, the block cardsalso help children with color blindness and par-tial blindness.Marble Run Deluxe, for ages 3 and up, is a

colored 30-piece set featuring glass marbles thatspiral and hop down the track made fromPlanWood. Marbles are made in the U.S. ofrecycled lead-free glass. The Rocking Alligator, for ages 2 and up,

features a stable rocker base with foot rests andhandle bars.

The Hobbit figure assortment

Curvy Click Clack


alex ToysAlex Toy’s Très Chic line focuses on the trend of

French fashion. With the Très Chic Charm Jewelry kit,girls 8 and up can make their own haute couture earrings,charm bracelets, and more, using pendant frames, metal

charms, stickers, achain necklace, tassels,ribbon, sticky gems,jewelry findings, andeasy-to-follow instruc-tions. Girls 6 and up cancreate outfits with theTrès Chic DesignerLook Book. It includes a49-page hardcoverscrapbook, scissors,

sticky gems, stickers, stencils, glue stick, glitter glue,paper, frames and shapes, ribbons, and instructions.Additional items in the line include the Très Chic Create aStyle Board, Très Chic Glitter & Glam Tattoos, and TrèsChic Lacelets.

Girls ages 6 and up can also indulge their inner divaswith Alex’s Beauty & Spa Collections. With the Mix &Makeup Bubble Bath Gel, choose from six fizzy tints oradd glitter to make your own colors of bubble bath gel. Itcomes with five cupcake-shaped bottles to store your gelcreations and 60 stickers to decorate the bottles. Other newproducts in the line include Mix & Makeup Nail Sparkle,Super Mani Pedi Party, and Sparkle Tattoo Parlor Peace &Love and Cool Glam.

New additions to the Dylan’s Candy Bar-branded lineinclude Sweet Glitter Nails and Color & Sparkle Tattoos.With the Sweet Glitter Nails set, paint your nails, thenadd glitter and sweet stickers. Stick on the appliques andfile to your nail shape. No drying time is required. Color& Sparkle Tattoos include more than 130 designs featur-ing cupcakes, candy, and lollipops.

auroraAurora’s YooHoo & Friends plush line, which is based on animals (includ-

ing rare and endangered animals), is expanding with more than 25 new styles.Each YooHoo & Friends makes a secret sound when squeezed and all newhangtags describe each YooHoo character in detail.

Aurora’s all-new Gumdrops line features 12 characters named after sweettreats including Peanut Butter Bon Bon, Snickerdoodle, Lolly Pop, FortuneCookie, Mud Pie, Apple Strudel, Whipped Cream, Popsicle, Caramel, GingerSnap, Rainbow Jelly Drop, and Roly Poly Pudding. Each five-inch colorfulcharacter includes a custom hangtag and features signature glasses, bigeyes and soft, shiny materials.

The squeezably soft Sherbet Bunny collection isavailable in four colorful styles including BerryOrange, Cotton Candy, Lime Delight, and BerryRaspberry. They are 14 inches tall and bean filled.

Aurora’s Miyoni line (pictured), which fea-tures the world’s most popular jungle anddomestic animals, has all-new, realistic whiteand brown bunnies available in two sizes,eight- and 10-inches tall.

CrayolaCrayola’s new Washable Sidewalk Chalk is the first side-

walk chalk featuring 48 classic Crayola crayon colors, includ-ing Carnation Pink, Sepia, Granny Smith Apple, and Scarlet.A new anti-roll shape prevents chalk from rolling away andthe wide sides allow kids to draw thick lines. It’s now avail-able in 12-, 16-, and 48-count varieties. It is for ages 4 and up.

Crayola Outdoor Colored Bubbles Big Wand creates giantbubbles in bright colors such as purple pizzazz and fuchsia.The angled wand design maximizes the use of the bubblesolution. The colored solution will leave temporary marks onskin, clothing, and outdoor surfaces. Color rubs off skin, can be launderedfrom clothing, and will spray away from most outdoor surfaces such as drive-ways and sidewalks. It’s available in a single 6.5-ounce bottle with wand or atwo-pack, which includes two different colored 6.5-ounce bottles with wand.It is now available for ages 5 and up.


Toy Fair 2013

SmarT ToyS and GameSSmart Toys and Games, Inc., has launched its first cogni-

tive-building game with Bunny PeekaBoo. Sturdy woodenblocks and rabbit characters help children develop spatial per-ception skills with this 3-D puzzle. The game also features 60challenges to help prepare kids 2–5 for more complex single-player logic games.In the single-player logic game Vikings, players ages 6 and

up rotate a variety of puzzle pieces built into the board to nav-igate ships out of the storm. It includes a game board, fourViking ships, nine rotating puzzle pieces, and a booklet with48 challenges. The newest edition of the SmartGames IQ series is IQ Link.

Players ages 8 and up work to fit 36 colorful, fun-shaped puz-zle pieces into the 24 free spaces on the game board. This trav-el-sized game includes 120 challenges.The new Back 2 Back single-player logic game features a

unique grid-shaped vertical puzzle game board. Players ages 7and up attempt to fill both sides of the grid with 11 colorful,varied puzzle pieces. The game features a travel case and abooklet with 60 challenges. Tangoes Brainiac Edition is a more challenging version of

Smart Toys and Games’ Tangoes. It includes two sets of play-ing pieces in green and red providing dozens of new puzzlesand solutions. Players ages 7 and up can challenge friends orplay alone to test their visual perception skills as they match thepuzzle pieces to images on the cards.

Also newly designed for 2013 isTangoes Jr., designed specifically forpreschoolers. It includes seven largemagnetic pieces, 12 double-sided puz-zle cards offering two levels of play, anda large playing surface to help youngchildren build visual perception, prob-lem solving, and teamwork skills. Itcomes with a booklet with 100 extra puz-

zles to challenge children who master the puzzle cards.

Cra-Z-arTWith Cra-Z-Art’s newest

line of the Lite Brix SuperLight Building System, set tohit retail this summer, girls 6 and up can use the light-up brick build-ing sets to illuminate mini mansions, candy shops, salons, a fashionrunway, ice cream shop sets, and more. Each set includes accessoriesand mini figures as well as LED light-up bricks that cycle through fourcolors, translucent pieces, and a battery pack. Connector pieces attachthe Lite Brix to each other so the models can be built on differentangles. Lite Brix are compatible with other major brick building sys-tems. Three AA or AAA batteries are required but not included.

Tara ToyTara Toy is expanding its

arts and crafts kits with DisneyJunior’s Doc McStuffins andSofia the First. With the DocMcStuffins Big Book ofBoo-Boos Activity Set, kidscan find and diagnose whatis wrong with their own toys.The set includes a 30-pagesparkly Book of Boo-Boosjust like Doc’s, two self-inking stamps, three sheets of colorful stick-ers, and five markers. And with the Stick-On Styles Doctor BagActivity, kids can design their own doctor bag with colorful stick-onfabric embellishments and characters. All stickers are made withsparkly details or fabric. The set includes a fabric doctor bag and morethan 20 stickers.In the Sofia the First line, girls can use the included markers to

design a tiara and necklace just like Sophia’s with the Color It!Tiara and Necklace kit. Or use the Color ’n Style BackpackActivity kit to color and design a Sofia the First backpack withmarkers and sparkly gem stickers.


duneCraftWith DuneCraft’s new Notchsters 3-D puzzles, pop out the pieces and connect them with the

included notches to build Rockin Dinos, Pretty Princesses, Sea Friends, Playful Pets, MysticalMagical Monsters, and Awesome Aliens.New Flower Fountains let kids grow more than 20 different kinds of wildflowers. The two-

packs contain more than 3,000 seeds that sprout in a week. The LED Light Cubes, which include 15 micro LEDs, feature red lights to promote flowering and

blue lights to foster foliage. Both lights work together for overall growth. The light cubes plug intoany USB port. New styles include the Tropical Jungle and Carnivorous Creations.

Cloud b

Cloud B’s Twilight Turtle Tunes is now availablewith a sound option using Bluetooth technology.Using a new free Twilight Turtle Tunes appprovided by Cloud B, parents can choosefrom a preset library of melodies and soundsthat can be mixed and matched to createcustomized mixes to play through TwilightTurtle Tunes’ speaker box. A premium app willoffer the basics plus the option to access personal music libraries to create mixes. ViaBluetooth, the melody and twilight effect can be programmed for up to 24 hours. For thosewithout access to Bluetooth, Twilight Turtle Tunes comes with one default melody thatcan be set for 45 minutes. Like the original, the new Twilight Turtle Tunes glows in blue,amber, and green and projects the constellations. In the Bluetooth version, the colorschange every five seconds. It will be available this spring. The new Tranquil Crab glows in a sunset orange color as it plays a Hawaiian-themed

jingle. It features a 23-minute sleep timer with auto shut-off. Three AAA batteries arerequired and included. With Twilight Carz, kids can play with the cars, which feature fully functioning wheels,

during the day, then be lulled to sleep by the cars’ light projections at night. Projectionsare set to a 45-minute timer and ensure complete darkness during the child’s sleep. Modelsinclude Red Lightning (now available), which projects lightning bolts with illuminatingheadlights and taillights, and Pink Hearts (available this spring), which projects hearts andstars in blue and red LED colors. Three AAA batteries are included.Other new Cloud B characters include Tranquil Starfish, Firefly Frog, Glow

Cuddles, and Disney Baby Dreamy Stars in Minnie Mouse and Dumbo versions.

CorolleCorolle’s Babipouce Pink Happiness

features a pillow-soft body and face del-icately scented with vanilla for sensoryappeal to captivate newborns.Babicorolle dolls are machine washable. The perfect first baby doll for ages

18 months and up, the 12-inch BébéCalin Pink Star is dressed in soft pants,a patterned shirt, and sweater. It featuresa soft beanbag body. The 14-inch Coquette Blonde for ages

3 and up (pictured) features a printeddress, matching sweater, andpink Mary Janes. Coquette’slong blonde hair can bestyled and shampooed forhair play. New to LesChéries dolls line, Chloéau Palais Royal is dressedfor a Parisian party, com-plete with a gold velvetdress, faux fur jacket, and

leopard print flats and purse.Chloé is 13 inches tall and forages 4 and up.

Twilight CarzPink Hearts


Toy Fair 2013

national sporting goodsNational Sporting Goods’ YBike Evolve four-in-one trike trans-

forms from a classic pedal trike to a three-wheel balance bike to atwo-wheel balance bike to a two-wheelpedal bike. It is designed for ages 2–5 todevelop balance and coordination. To changefrom one form to another, add or remove wheelsand pedals and change a rear axle.The new YBike GLX three-wheeled scooter,

for ages 3 and up, features neon colors,new wheels, new grips, and a new blackanodized handlebar. Like the originalGLX, the YBike GLX Pro offers the stabili-ty of three wheels but with added features suchas an adjustable handle bar, new fiber reinforced riding deck, anddual core urethane wheels designed for ages 6–10.The new YBike Explorer, a three-wheeled pedal-powered go-kart,

has been updated for 2013 along with a new black and green versionadded to the assortment. It is for ages 5 and up.

Wild republiCStarting with four styles (the Shark Express,

Big Cat Express, Dino Express, and ElephantExpress), Wild Republic’s battery-operatedanimal trains are packaged as sets of three

animals that chug around a snap-together train track. One larg-er-sized animal acts as the chief engine and pulls along twoother smaller-sized replicas or species. Each set can be mixedand matched and added for an expanded animal-themed trans-portation play system. Wild Republic will unveil an expansion to its Audubon Bird

line, licensed through the National Audubon Society, with newplush clasp purses. The purses will not feature the authentic bird-calls (provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology) of the originalplush. The purses are also an extension to Wild Republic’s exist-ing dogs, cats, dinosaurs, and other animal clasp purses. Last year, Wild Republic introduced all-new materials and

fabrics to its Cuddlekins plush line. This year, it will add newspecies to the line along with new Cuddlekins Minis. NewCuddlekins species include a wolverine, wild boar, white alliga-tor, binturong, lynx, cobra, iguana, three-toed sloth, orangutan,jellyfish, and more.The Sweet & Sassy line will introduce new patterned plush,

adding hearts, peace signs, and poke-a-dot patterns to colorfulfrogs, chimps, dolphins, seals, owls, birds, and more.Wild Republic’s Nature Tubes themed miniature play fig-

urines have also undergone a new design, featuring updatedgraphics and unique color palettes to better differentiatebetween the assortments of play pieces inside. The back ofeach tube’s packaging becomes a play mat for use with thefigures. The packaging is reusable as a storage piece and acarrying case.

GLX Pro

Dino Express

Kid ConstruCtionsWearables by Kid Constructions

has a new collection of the creativeconstructible toys with all-new acces-sories that bring the vehicles to lifewith sights and sounds. Featuringmultiple die-cut corrugated pieces,Wearables offer construction playthat transforms into roleplay as chil-dren create, construct, and wear theircreations. Kids can become a firefighter when they step into theirone-of-kind fire truck, featuring flashing lights, real-life sirens, anda sliding ladder. Sirens and lights are sold separately. Or kids cancustomize their own racecar, whimsical dragon featuring a three-footwingspan, or a set of butterfly wings (available in a single or doublepack). Wearables are for ages 5 and up and made in the U.S. of eco-friendly, biodegradable materials.


the Jim henSon companyTOMY International, Pajanimals’ global master toy licensee, will expand its product line in 2013 to include Snuggle Buddies; a Bedtime Routine

Board, which helps little ones transition from play time to bedtime; and the Apollo Goodnight Projector, which features a spinning starry night lightshow and lullaby theme from the show. NCircle Entertainment, which holds home entertainment rights in the U.S. and Canada, is releasing newDVD titles including Pajanimals Playdate, which launched last month. Additional Pajanimals licensees with new product include Briarpatch(games/puzzles), Running Press (publishing), California Costumes (infant/toddler Halloween costumes), and more.

Internationally, the series currently airs in Australia (ABC2’s Goodnight Block) and New Zealand (TV2 Network). The first DVD launchedin October followed by the introduction of small and large plush assortment and a story mat (TOMY). Henson has licensed all episodes of theseries to Disney for France, Italy, Benelux, Central and Eastern Europe, Israel, Turkey, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. TOMY willexpand its distribution into these markets following the series’ launch in those territories.

Acting as Dinosaur Train’s master toy licensee, TOMY will also expand the InterAction Figure line, which uses Smart Talk Technology to bringthe show’s characters to life. InterAction Keenan will feature more than 40 dinosaur sounds and phrases that react and respond to other InterActiondinos and the new Extreme InterAction Sonny. Sonny features spinning neck action and says more than 50 dino sounds and phrases. Also new arecollectible hatching eggs. Wind up the egg and the dinosaurs walk out. They are available as Buddy, Shiny, Tiny, and Spikey.

Internationally, Dinosaur Train is expanding with new broadcast partners and licensing launches in key territories. Nickelodeon & ViacomConsumer Products signed on as the property’s UK merchandising agent. This spring TOMY will introduce its line of toys

in the UK, and UK publishing partner Puffin will release a new line of books. Other recently appointed Dinosaur Trainlicensees include Shok ID (soft toys for France), Babel (publishing for Portugal), and iPlay (musical CDs forPortugal). Henson has also appointed licensing agent Megalicense for Russia and all of CIS, and C-Trade,Ltd., as the toy licensee for those regions. Licensing agency Lizenzwerft was also signed for Germany.

Henson is celebrating Fraggle Rock’s 30th anniversary this year. Thirty brands, designers, and prod-ucts will join the Dance Your Cares Away Fraggle Fun by offering unique products to commemorate theyear, including Fraggle Rock String Dolls (Kamibashi), a Facebook game (Farmarama), a Fraggle Rock

music app (Genera), and high-end Fraggle Rock collector OPUS book (Insight Editions).

oregon ScientiFicOregon Scientific will introduce an

upgraded version of the seven-inchWi-Fi-enabled MEEP! Tablet, featur-ing an updated design, new features,upgraded hardware, new dedicated content, more robust communi-ty and educational elements, and more. New MEEP! accessorieswill also launch later this year.

New to the Smart Globe line, the Smart Globe Horizon will fea-ture cross-platform capabilities between the Globe and tablets.

Fremont DieFremont Die’s NFL Game Day

offers board game play that teachesthe rules of NFL football. The metallicgame board resembles a realistic NFLfield including hash marks, score-board, and fans in the stands. Playerscan customize the end zones to featuretheir favorite teams with magnetizedlogos from all 32 NFL teams. Game play is determined through theexchange of cards reflecting offense, defense, and special teams plays.


Toy Fair 2013

haba

Haba’s newest line of educational-themed toysincludes four peg games among a colorful cat-alog of activity games to encourage little fin-gers and curious minds to learn simple lessons through play.My First Play World City: Fire Brigade (pictured), for ages 18 months, is a 14-pieceset featuring a fold-out fire station with handle. Chunky fire-themed play pieces aremade of beechwood.

Haba will also bring back the Götz doll line made of crafted vinyl play dolls andartist dolls. For spring, Haba will introduce the 13-inch Muffin doll and its counter-parts eight-inch Mini Muffin and 16.5-inch Maxi Muffin. A second line of dolls, 13-inch Aquinis, will feature a unique waterproof vinyl design. The dolls can also drinkand use the potty. Cosy Aquinis are a softer version that can be cuddled and bathed.The line will also include the 18-inch standing, poseable Precious Day dolls.

VtechVTech’s new InnoTab 2S Wi-Fi

Learning App Tablet, for ages 3–9, fea-tures a tilt sensor, photo viewer, video andMP3 player, e-reader, art studio, micro-phone, and more. It offers a secure wire-less connection to VTech’s LearningLodge Navigator where kids can browseand download hundreds of games,ebooks, music, videos, and apps. Childrencan pick their favorite content and sendtheir wish list to mom or dad’s email.Parents can also track their child’sprogress on a variety of educational mile-stones and lessons. Cartridges withlicensed characters (sold separately)teach essential skills in reading, logic,and creativity.

Switch & Go Dinos, for ages 3–8, trans-form from a dinosaur to a vehicle and back.In dinosaur mode, sound effect buttons emitrealistic dinosaur sounds and phrases thatprovide facts about each dino. New dinosinclude Jagger the T-Rex, Blister theVelociraptor, and more.

For ages 6–36 months, Cody the SmartCub (pictured) and Cora the Smart Cub

introduce everyday routines andphrases, such as morning greet-ings and bedtime music. Use

VTech’s Learning LodgeNavigator to personalizethe smart cub with baby’sname, favorite stories, andmore or to download 130melodies, 20 stories, andadditional activities.

LittLe KidsLittle Kids will introduce Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT)-themed bubble and water toys. The TMNT Bubble Solution with wandincludes eight ounces of bubbles and features Leonardo, Raphael,Michelangelo, and Donatello. Blow tons of bubbles with the GiantBubble Wand, which features Leonardo emerging from the sewer pipe.It includes six ounces of bubbles. The Bubble Launcher blasts bubblesinto the air when kids pull the string located on Michelangelo’s back tolaunch the bubble wand from his pizza. It includes four ounces of bub-bles. No batteries are required. TMNT water toys include the soft andsqueezable water squirters, available in all characters, and the TMNTShell Water Blaster, which allows kids to transform into their favorite

turtle with a backpack design that easily slides on and adjusts. Pull back on the han-dle and pump to spray a steady stream of water more than 15 feet. Shells hold 33ounces of water. TMNT toys are for ages 3 and up.

Little Kids’ new bubble brand Fubbles will feature products such as the Fubbles NoSpill Bubble Guitar. The guitar features three kid-friendly music buttons that play threedifferent rhythms. The bubble feature can be turned on or off for play with or without bub-bles. The sound can also be turned off. It includes four ounces of bubbles and requires fourAA batteries. It’s for ages 3 and up.


HapeNew additions will be added to the Hape collection

for ages birth and up, including Hape signature bambootoys, Quadrilla wooden marble runs, and Beleduc.

Scoot-Around is a new foot-powered four-wheelerthat keeps tiny feet in motion.

Four new brightly colored Push Pull Toys, made withFSC-certified wood, will be added to the current collec-tion, including Elephant, Zebra, Crocodile, and Giraffe.

A new range of Qubes grab-and-go gifts, for ages 1and up, will be packaged with a signature Hape cordedhandle. Options include dinosaur, jungle, farm, andunder the sea figures as well as city planner blocks,numbers and colors, and lacing vehicles.

There are five new Early Explorer toys, including azoo-themed Watch Me Grow Chart, chunky LittleSailboat, Little Ship, and two new building sets. Thecolored wooden pieces are available in the 42-pieceBasic Builder Set and the 62-piece Master Builder Set.Both include an ideas book.

Four additions to Hape’s play food range include aset of crêpes, realistic sushi selection, homemade pizzawith “toasted” felt pizza edges and a wood-handled pan,and a tea set for two.

There are eight new Quadrilla marble run sets. Birchand rubber wood pieces fit together to create high-speedraceways for kids 4 and up.

Uncle Milton

Uncle Milton’s In My Roomoffers new in-room experiencesincluding Wild Walls, WallFriends, and Light Show DJ. TheFireworks Light Show offersnew lights, sounds, and fire-work-like experiences to light upthe walls of any room.

Uncle Milton will launch thenew Marvel Science toy line,which brings the science ofsuperheroes to life with science-based activities.

New products will be addedto existing lines including Star Wars Science, Nat Geo WILD, NationalGeographic, and John Deere.

Uncle Milton’s Ant Farm will also add a full line of live habitat products.

Disney interactiveDisney Interactive’s new Disney Infinity video game will allow players to

experience a combination of structured and open-world play starring charactersfrom Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios. Players will place real-worldinteractive figures—characters, power discs, and landmark pieces—on adevice called the Infinity Base to activate original story-driven adventures inthe game worlds of Monsters University, Pirates of the Caribbean, and TheIncredibles. As players advance through each adventure, they will collect char-acters, vehicles, upgrades, gadgets, and more. They can then choose to savethem in their virtual Toy Boxand use them to create one-of-a-kind Disney adventures fea-turing any combination ofcharacters, environments, anditems across franchises.

Wild Wall Sharks

Sushi Selection


Toy Fair 2013

GoliaTh GameS

Don’t Panic, a popular party game in Australia,England, and France, will hit shelves in America in2013. How fast can you name five things in an airport?How about eight rock stars? Flick the spinner to see howmany items you have to name before the clock runs out.Pick your team wisely because you never know whatcategory will come up next.Gooey Louie is the newest addition to Goliath’s skill-

and-action game line. Putyour finger upLouie’s nose and tryto pick a winner. Ifyou pick the wronggooey, Louie’s eyeswill pop, he’ll flip hislid, and his brains flyout. Gooey Louie isfor ages 5 and up.Wordsearch Jr. will

launch this year as asequel to the Wordsearch! gamelaunched in 2011. There are three levels of play: match-ing patterns, words with pictures, and word-only chal-lenges that grow with the child.

Goliath is expanding its Domino Rally line withCrazy Factory and Fortress Attack, both of which con-tain new tricks and stunts. Also added for 2013 are fournew low-priced sets that round out the line.Create a magical sci-fi show using your smartphone

or iPod Touch with Holografx. Upload your picture andbecome part of the show by turning yourself into a holo-gram. This mix of new technology and the classic magicset comes with 20 tricks and 30 minutes of holographicillusions that you create.

ZinG ToyS

Zing’s Sky Ripperz are bungee-launched rock-ets that can fly more than 250 feet high. Attach thelauncher to the launch hook, pull the tab, and let it soarwith a flick of the wrist. The rocket makes a whistle-scream sound as it flies. Sky Ripperz are forages 8 and up.ZoomZooka is a blaster that shoots air

and water. As a high-powered air launcher, itblasts rockets, a plane, and suction-cupdarts more than 50 feet. As a quick-fillwater blaster, it shoots a stream of watermore than 50 feet. It is for ages 6 and up.Zing’s Z-Curve Bow is getting a

makeover. Decked out in pink, purple,and sparkles, the new Air Huntress offers the same high-perform-ance play value in a flashy new appearance. As girls aspire to be thenext Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games or Merida fromBrave, the Air Huntress Z-Curve Bow offers a safe, realistic intro-duction to the sport of archery. The Air Huntress launches soft-foamammo more than 125 feet. It comes with two far-flying foam Z-Arrows and one suction cup Zartz. Hook the ammo into the loadingzone, line up the shot, and let go. It is for ages 8 and up.

U.S. GameS

In U.S. Games’ Sloop Card Game, playerscapture, build, and steal to collect the mostcards. Every round brings new cards andcombinations, and Special Action Cards andSupercharged Cards add strategy to Sloop.The game comes with 122 cards (10 of eachnumbered card plus two Wild Cards), six col-ored build markers, 12 numbered build coun-ters, and illustrated instructions. The game isfor two to six players, ages 8 and up.

Air HuntressZ-Curve Bow


WoWopoliS

Wowopolis’ Sushi Stax, for ages 7and up, is a new fast-paced game thatcombines the fun of stacking withthe challenge of using chopsticks.Players race to build and balance a variety of sushi towers usingonly chopsticks or tongs to lift each piece and following a variety ofsushi stack configurations on the different cards.

Sound It! Found It! Junior is a patent-pending two-in-one boardgame created by a team of game designers that includes a certifiedspeech pathologist. Designed to entertain and educate kids ages 3and up, the game features 72 cards and six giant scene boards. Aplayer draws a card and other players guess what’s on it by imitat-ing the sound it makes. Once the sound is identified, find the objectthat makes it in one of six preschool-friendly illustrated scenes,including Around the Farm, A Day at the Zoo, and Out on the Street.

ridemakerzRidemakerz will expand its line of Xtreme Customz with new

body styles and stand-alone accessory kits for ages 5 and up. WithXtreme Customz starter kits, kids can build and customize their own1:48th scale vehicle. New vehicles available this spring include IronMan and Ford Mustang GT. Vehicles currently available includeSpider-Man, Batman, Chevy Corvette C6RS, Dodge Viper GTS,Chevy Camaro SS, and Ridemakerz Street Patrol police car andCommander truck.

Extreme Customz Swap Sets, two 1:48th scale vehicle kits, con-tain two bodies and two four-mode adjustable chassis plus two four-piece sets of reversible rims, two four-piece sets of tires, two spoil-ers, two two-piece sets of side pipes, and two exclusive accessories.New vehicles in the set for spring include Batman and The Joker. Setsnow available include Chevy Corvette C6RS and Dodge Viper GTS,Spider-Man and Venom, and Ridemakerz Street Patrol police car andCommander truck. Each kit includes a set of mix-and-match partsranging from flame side pipes to bat wings to supercharged engines.All parts are interchangeable across body styles. Each XtremeCustomz vehicle also features a four-mode adjustable chassis so kidscan customize the way they cruise. Choose from Race, Jacked,Lifted, and Off-Road.

New accessory kits, available this spring, are Mix N Match partsranging from flame side pipes to bat wings to supercharged engines.All parts are interchangeable across body styles and fit 1:48th scalevehicles. Themes include Street Cruisin’, Commander Strike, FlightPlan, Dragster Race, Turbo Race, and Muscle Race.

Xtreme Customz XL kits include one 1:18th scale ride bodyalong with two four-piece sets of rims, one four-piece set of tires,

a spoiler, a two-piece set ofside pipes, and engine.Vehicles in this set includeSpider-Man, Chevy CorvetteC6R, and Dodge Viper SRT-10. XL accessories are notcompatible with XtremeCustomz 1:48th scale Ridez.

Smart-trikeSmart-Trike’s all-new

Smart-Trike 4-in-1 Dreamfeatures exclusive TouchSteering technology thatenables parents to maneuverthe trike safely and easily withthe slightest touch. The Dreamhas built-in suspension,shock-absorbing wheels, extraseat padding, a handlebarclutch that converts the steering from parent-controlled steer to kid-controlled steer, and fold-in pedals to prevent injury to baby’s feetduring early riding stages. Accessories such as a play phone and bot-tle holder are also included. The Dream grows with a child throughfour life stages: parent-controlled trike (10 months), guided trike (18months), training trike (24 months), and classic trike (30–36 months).Other Smart-Trikes include the Smart-Trike 4-in-1 Safari with TouchSteering in various colors and patterns, the Smart-Trike 4-in-1Recliner Stroller, and the Smart-Trike 4-in-1 Elite.


Toy Fair 2013

k’nEXThe K’NEX Super

Mario Cannon Building Setbrings the game of SuperMario to life as Mario andLuigi battle Bullet Bill. Theset includes buildableMario and Luigi figures, aBullet Bill figure and can-non with firing action, awarp pipe, finish flag panels, and a special elevator rod with multi-ple jump panels to move Mario and Luigi between the levels. Coinsand a Star Coin are also included. It is for ages 8 and up.

New to the K’NEX Thrill Rides series is the Phoenix FuryCoaster, featuring more than 20 feet of expansive track. Use morethan 620 pieces to build an authentic-style roller coaster that spansmore than 3.5 feet in length. Color-coded instructions are includedalong with alternate model instructions available for download. Thecoaster is for ages 9 and up.

K’NEX teamed with Hasbro to update the classic Tinkertoy linefor a new generation. With the Tinkertoy Transit Set, builders ages 3and up can create a train, garage, bridge, and more. The set includes150 durable, plastic pieces including spools, straight rods, bendablerods, wheels, eyes, two buildable figures, and more. The newlyredesigned Tinkertoy pieces snap together and stay together forlong-lasting play. A colorful guide provides a variety of ideas for allbuilding skill levels. The set, which is now available, comes in asturdy box with lid for easy storage and portability.

The K’NEX Pac-Man Maze Assortment Series One, for ages 7and up, includes mazes from Pac-World and the Netherworld.Each set comes with a character and element from the new TVshow Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, including Pac,Cylindria, Spiral, and Sir Cumference.

The K’NEX Monster Jam construction line features buildableversions of the most popular Monster Jam trucks, such as GraveDigger, Maximum Destruction, Monster Mutt, Mohawk Warrior,and more. Sets also include accessories. They are for ages 5 and up.

ThinkFunThinkFun’s newest games include Hello

Sunshine!—Hide and Seek Learning Game. Children 18months and up play hide and seek with Sunshine,

a plush toy, while being introduced to position-al concepts such as in, on top, below,

next to, and more.The popular Swish

game is now available foryounger players. Kids 5 andup race to find “swishies,”

two or more cards layered sothat every shape fits into its matching

outline. Mentally flip, rotate, and stack thetransparent cards to make as many swishes as you can.

In WordARound, players race to be the first to deci-pher and shout out the word on each WordARound card.If you’re the first, you win that card. Collect the mostcards and win the game. It is for ages 10 and up.

PlayWoW

PlayWow’s Pretty Princess Vanityfeatures a built-in mirror and threeplastic beauty accessories as well asa pink and purple inflatable seat. Itis for ages 3 and up.

The Soft Sports Soccer Set fea-tures Lenny the Lion and bright col-ors. It can be used inside or out-side. It includes one inflatable soc-cer ball and is for ages 1.5 and up.

With the Jungle Book GiantPeek N’ Learn Tunnel, kids can go on

adventures with Mowgli, Shere Khan, and Baloo. Itincludes three windows for peek-a-boo fun. It can beused inside or outside and comes with a pump to inflatethe tunnel. It is for ages 3 and up.

Super Mario CannonBuilding Set

Pretty PrincessVanity


Mega BlokSWith the MEGA Bloks

Hot Wheels collection,new for fall 2013, boys canbuild and collect their favorite Hot Wheelsvehicles, and even customize their own cre-ations. The product line includes launchers and each set fea-tures a collectible Team Hot Wheels micro action figure.

MEGA Bloks’ First Builders line will expand this fall witha broader range of products and a focus on introducing moregirls products. MEGA Bloks First Builders Billy BeatsDancing Piano sounds just like a real piano with transparentkeys that light up, move, and dance to the beat. It features aremovable cap to store the blocks inside. MEGA Bloks FirstBuilders Safari Train, available this spring, features real trainsound effects. It also features five safari animals and a build-able train with four blocks. It is compatible with all FirstBuilders toys and can be combined with Farm Pals.

MEGA Bloks Classic and Pink Jeep Ride-Ons will launchthis fall. The ride-ons make real mechanical sounds andinclude 10 Jeep-colored blocks that store under the seat. TheJeeps can also be used as push toys and walkers.

MEGA Bloks Barbie launched in December. From the Build ‘nStyle Fashion Boutique, complete with clothes and accessories,to the Build ’n Style Luxury Mansion featuring eight rooms tocreate and customize, MEGA Bloks Barbie lets girls build, design,and decorate each Barbie playset. Every set comes with a differ-ent MEGA Bloks Barbie mini-fashion figure. There are 19 mini-fashion figures to collect and each can be dressed and styled.

Building on the success of The Smurfs and in anticipation ofThe Smurfs 2, hitting the screen this July, MEGA Bloks Smurfs willintroduce new products including buildable Smurfs complement-ed by new artwork and packaging. Kids can also collect and com-bine Smurfette’s House, new for fall, with other Smurf playsets.

MEGA Bloks Dora’s House comes with a large Dora dufflebag and Dora the Explorer and Boots mini figures. It will beavailable this fall.

Zydeco StudioSZydeco Studios’ Floppets

are wearable characters youcan attach to fingers, back-packs, flip flops, shoe laces,and more. Each Floppet has aversatile connector and Velcrotethers, which can be linked toother Floppets to create wristbands, rings, anklets, and necklaces.

Charmlets is the newest line of Floppets, featuring a variety ofdesigns including Skullettes and Cupcake Floppets. Also part of theassortment are hearts, unicorns, sweet treats, and more.

FlopJox Floppets feature sports-themed characters including abaseball, basketball, hockey puck, football, soccer ball, and more.

Munchkin Monsters is another new line, which features nine mon-ster characters complete with antennas, ghoulish grins, and silly eyes.

Charmlets

PlayhutPlayhut will add more themes to its Mystixx fashion doll line in

2013 with Mystixx Zombies, Mystixx Grimm, new MystixxVampires, and Mystixx Mysfits. The 11-inch Mystixx dolls eachcome with two faces. With a turn of the head, the doll transforms

from an everyday girl into a zombie,Grimm forest creature, or vampire.Each doll comes with two outfits,shoes, and accessories, including twointerchangeable wigs. They are forages 6 and up, launching this spring.Playhut will also introduce new mix-and-match small three-inch dolls withits new collectible Mystixx Mysfits

line. The dolls will feature hair, hats, heads, torsos, and legs that canpop off and be reconfigured. Two looks will be included for eachdoll. The line will also include the Mystixx Mysfits portable tinplayset, which will include a unique Mysfits doll with extra hair anda sofa for the doll to lounge on. The line is for ages 4 and up,launching this fall.


Toy Fair 2013

iNterActive tOy cONcepts

Interactive Toy Concepts’ Light Stars bring animation right into achild’s bedroom, allowing them to project and control their favoritecharacters on their walls. Power Rangers can do battle on the ceiling.Spider-Man can swing across the bedroomwall. Each Light Star features multiplemoving animations that allow eachcharacter to perform signature moves.

Wheelz are new adrenaline-fueledracers. This series of custom-designedtreads ramp up to more than 500 scaleMPH in your hand. Squeeze the hubs to get theRPMs, then put the rubber on the ground andwatch your Wheelz take off.

The HeliQuad Series are four-channel flyingstunt-copters designed for precise control and stabil-ity. From mini indoor stunt flyers to outdoor quad control, the HeliQuadSeries has something for every R/C flight enthusiast.

NeAt-Oh!The Neat-Oh! Barbie Clutch with Black Box has pink

woven designs on the front and a dressing room forBarbie inside. Kids can also keep their Barbie dollsorganized with the Barbie Fab Case. Both products arefor ages 3 and up.

The Picnic Lunch Box & Placemats replace brownlunch bags. There are six themes: cat, dog, pig, cow,zebra, and frog. Unzip the lunch box to find your lunch

and a small placemat that lays flat andwipes clean with a damp cloth.

New Neat-Oh! HotWheels ZipBins include theDrift Racer backpack thatunzips into a two-lane dragstrip with winding cityscapebackground. The backpack’shandle acts as the car’s spoil-er. An authentic Hot Wheelscar is included. The Jump

Case is a racing-themed casethat provides storage for favorite Hot Wheels cars with abuilt-in pocket. The case zips shut to transport the carswherever kids go. Cars are not included.

Two LEGO Friends ZipBins include the HeartlakeWristlet, which provides six pockets for storing and car-rying LEGO Friends figures, and the Heartlake PlaceStorage Case, which stores and carries toys and somecompleted LEGO Friends sets. Both items unzip to reveala flat play surface.

The LEGO Star Wars ZipBin Death Star TransformingToybox includes pockets for up to six minifigures. It canhold 1,000 LEGO bricks and unzips into a flat surface foreasy play. LEGO bricks are not included.

The LEGO Chima ZipBin Battle Case unzips flat forboth play and display with interior graphics. LEGOChima toys are not included.

OhiO ArtOhio Art’s nanoblock is a micro-sized building block

system with its smallest pieces a mere four by four by fivemillimeters. The nanoverse is expanding with new addi-tions to the sites-to-see series, mini figure assortments,and deluxe series. New sets include nanoblock BigBen, nanoblock Chrysler Building, nanoblockMustang, and Hello Kitty nanoblock. Each setis for ages 8 and up.

Bottle Brainz perform stunts rightbefore your eyes. Bottle Brainz have asecret compartment under the capwhere kids find the brain and storesecret items. Kids can also repurpose plas-tic bottle caps with the four stickers that come witheach Bottle Brainz. Also included with each Bottle Brainz is a stunt cap,a brain eraser, and a carabiner. Bottle Brainz are for ages 4 and up.

nanoblock Big Ben

Barbie Fab Case


ZobMondoBased on the PBS series, Zobmondo’s Peep

and the Big Wide World Cooperative Gameencourages players to work together to collect themost red, yellow, and blue objects for Chirp’sspring art show, which Raccoon keeps burying.The game is for ages 3 and up.In The Santa Claus Game, for ages 3 and up,

kids get to play out the role of Santa and give awaygifts while participating in various activities, suchas singing a holiday song or twirling like asnowflake as they move around the game board.In Bucket Blast, buckets, beanbags, and water

come together to create 15 party games in one.This versatile game, for ages 6 and up, keeps theaction moving as players toss, run, balance, chase,strategize, and team up for points and laughs. GoZone Games are

quick-to-learn, easy-to-play portable dicegames based on sportssuch as golf, football,basketball, and racing.The games are for ages6 and up. Don’t Make Me

Laugh will have players ages 5 and up perform-ing silly commands, such as “Act like an out ofcontrol sprinkler.” Players will act alone orsometimes collaborate as a group. In the end,everyone gives and receives special awards. Deal Breaker is a new party game that poses

funny questions and scenarios about what couldbe the deal breaker to securing a second or thirddate, such as “You have been on a few good datesand realize that your partner’s hair isn’t real.” Thegame is for ages 16 and up.

WonderWorld

Wonderworld’s Handy Doctor Set offers kids the tools to recreate a doctor’s visit. Thered doctor’s bag comes with an eco-friendly wooden stethoscope, tongue depressor, bloodpressure pump, reflex hammer, and more. It is for ages 3 and up, available this spring. The Two-Way Flipper is the newest addition to Wonderworld’s line of Wonder Trix

Tracks, which lets kids create their own marble racetracks using a special connectingsystem. The flipper attaches anywhere on the track to send marbles rolling in a differ-ent direction. It is for ages 3 and up, available this spring. For babies 1 and up learning to walk, the bright red Wonder Walker features

Wonderworld’s patent safety components, storage space, and a painted bunny andbear on either side of the walker. It is available this spring.Ages 12–18 months can create their own jungle beats by themselves or with

friends with the Fun Safari Collection. The collection includes the Safari TambourineSet, Safari Duo Drum, and Safari Xylophone, which feature zebra, monkey, giraffe,and lion designs. Also part of the collection is the Safari Beads play gym, anenhanced version of the classic toy featuring vibrant colors and an animal theme. Thecollection is available this spring.New Smart Gear Balance Bikes for ages 2 and up launch this spring. The red Fire

Rescue Bike features bold graphics while the Flower Power Bike has a floral theme withmulti-colored pastel stripes. Smart Gear Balance Bikes feature Pneumatic rubber tireswith extra-long tube valves as well as rubberized handle bar grips for easy steering.Cushioned leatherette seats give kids comfortable support as the spoke-less disk wheelsprevent little feet from getting caught. Seats adjust to five height positions.

Manhattan toyManhattan Toy has launched its imagine i CAN collection. The

line features 28 separate arts & crafts kits, do-it-yourself costumes,puppet kits, games, and more. The line’s Make it Myself kitsinclude Knitting Beginnings, which introduces kids 8 and up toknitting basics, such as casting on, simple stitches, binding off,and pom-pom making. Kids can make headbands, pom-pomrings, and an owl hat. Sweet Sew is a first sewing kit for ages 8

and up. It comes with simple patterns, pre-cut felt shapes, and avariety of beads. The supplies can then be stored in the portable storage tin. Other Makeit Myself Kits include Finger Paint Fun, Pet Rock Pals, Creative Color Sticker Clings,Crafty Eraser Creations, and more.


Toy Fair 2013

TCGTCG continues its partnership with

Fisher-Price. The I-Jig Interactive JigsawPuzzle System lets preschoolers make a puz-zle, play games and music, learn animalnames and sounds, and answer questionsabout the puzzle. Lil’ Snoopy’s Tippin’Treats Game is an action-packed pre-school game that motivates little onesto get up and move. The first one toget all three of Lil’ Snoopy’s bones inhis bowl wins. The Corn Popper Pop ‘N RaceGame teaches basic color and shapes concepts. Theclassic Chatter Phone Chat ‘N Match Game interacts withpreschoolers as they learn numbers and animals.

TCG is also introducing new playmats with the Fisher-Priceand Hot Wheels licenses. With the Fisher-Price Little People PlayMat, kids can “drive” their Little People Wheelies car along themat to iconic Fisher-Price locales such as the farm, zoo, andschool. It includes three Little People Wheelies. The Hot WheelsPlay Mat lets kids “race” their Hot Wheels cars along the matthrough race scenery. It includes three Hot Wheels vehicles.

Through a licensing agreement with Entertainment OneFamily, TCG will create, manufacture, and distribute a line ofgames and puzzles based on the preschool program Peppa Pig.Peppa Pig Tumble & Spin Memory Game is a fast-paced memo-ry game where kids 3 and up spin Peppa Pig, listen to Peppa, andtry to collect playing cards. The spinning Peppa Pig character hasvoice effects and plays the Peppa Pig theme song.

With Magnetic Creations, kids ages 4 and up can mix andmatch more than 40 magnetic play pieces on three different back-grounds. The tin stores all of the pieces. Basic themes includeSilly Faces, Fashion, Fairy, Weather, Horse & Stable, andPenguins. Licenses include Bratz, Build-A-Bear Workshop,Fisher-Price, Kung Fu Panda, Little Tikes, Madagascar 3, MarvelSuper Hero Squad, Peppa Pig, Puss in Boots, and Spider-Man.

PlaymobilPlaymobil’s Volcano with Tyrannosaurus lets kids pretend

to dig for fossils at the prehistoric volcano. The set includestwo figures, two dinosaurs, a volcano and landscape, rocks,trees and flowers, research tools, fossils, and other acces-sories. It is for ages 4–10.

The Large Horse Farm with Paddock has everything kidsneed to house their champion horses. The fenced-in areaallows the horses to graze outdoors, while the four stablesprovide shelter. The set also includes two figures, two hors-es, one foal, cats and kittens, hedgehogs, and prize ribbons.The farm comes with a gated entrance and indoor attic spacefor storing unused saddles, grooming tools, feed, and otheraccessories. The set is for ages 5–10.

The Large Furnished Hotel has a lobby decorated with acheck-in counter, safe, room keys, computer monitor, maga-

zine rack, and more. Thefigures can travelupstairs in the function-ing elevator, then use thekey cards to enter one oftwo rooms. There is acrib with foldable sidesand two bunk beds.Each room also includestwo windows, a bed, aside table, a chair, aphone, a television, aclock, and a bathroom

with shower and toilet. Room 102 also includes a balconywith lounge chair. The hotel café is furnished with a table,chairs, dishes, and silverware as well as a highchair. Thehotel also has a game room with toys. The set includes eightfigures, luggage, a surfboard, a skateboard, plants, and alarge variety of additional accessories. The set can be upgrad-ed with the Playmobil Luxury Hotel Suite, which is sold sep-arately. The Large Furnished Hotel is for ages 4–10.

Large Furnished Hotel

Make

24cake pops

from a REALCAKE

The Ultimate Cake Pops Set is a Toy Of The Year Award Finalist!

Cake Popsmade fromREAL CAKEnot a freeze & eat mixTM

Untitled-1 1 1/23/2013 8:58:19 AM


Toy Fair 2013

reeves

Reeves’ Breyer brand introduces new animals from the World of Tolo. These First Friends char-acters feature Tolo’s signature poseable, clicking arms, legs, and heads. The koala and kangaroorepresent Australia. First Friends animals and figures are safe for teething.

New in the Breyer Horse Crazy line are Horse Crazy Singles Horses, authentically sculptedhorses reimagined in fanciful translucent and frosted colors with glittery manes and tails. There aresix different styles.

The Horse Crazy Truck and Trailer can hold three horses with room for food and gear. Thehinged roof panel allows easy access to the inside. A matching pick-up truck features doors thatopen and close, a drop-down tailgate, and rolling wheels. Horses are not included.

smartLab toysWith SmartLab Toys’

Demolition Lab, kids can con-struct unlimited warehouse-type buildings using morethan 100 walls, spires, beams,panels, and more. Then, try todemolish these structures withstrategically placed detonators,all while learning the scienceof power, force, momentum,and gravity. Expansion packsare also available. The kit is forages 8 and up.

The You-Build-It Headphones have pulsing lights thatsync to the beat of music. Kids build the headphones withstereo speakers and learn about electricity, sound, and tech-nology. No tools are required. It is for ages 8 and up.

The That’s Gross Science Lab features a toilet bowlmixer with real flushing sounds and a lab journal packedwith 30 experiments, including stinky bubbles, fakeboogers, maggot-shaped squishies, and more. The kit is forages 8 and up.

University GamesUniversity Games’ A+ Active Line consists of three games

that involve getting kids out of their seats and moving.Where’s My Lunch? involves kids collecting healthy foods,Step On It requires young children to walk around matchingcolors and shapes, and Make-a-Scene allows kids to strayfrom the traditional tabletop and play a game on the wall.

Kids can feed The Very Hungry Caterpillar in Twirl andToss. Players take turns throwing fruit at the Velcro cater-pillar. The first one done feeding The Very HungryCaterpillar is the winner.

The Spanish-speaking popula-tion in America is continually grow-ing, and includes a number ofAmerican students. For the firsttime, University Games has broughtsome Spanish games, originallyfrom Mexico, to the United States.Everyone, no matter what languagehe or she speaks, will enjoy thesevibrant and creative games, and stu-dents will enjoy a fun way to prac-tice their Spanish skills outside ofthe classroom.

Horse Crazy Truck and Trailer


JAzwAres

Jazwares, Inc., willexpand its licensed linesthis year with toy lines forYo Gabba Gabba! (mastertoy license) and So SoHappy. Both lines willinclude figure and plushstyles. As master toy licenseefor Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time, Jazwares willalso continue its growth pattern worldwide in 2013.Jazwares currently holds toy licenses for Lalaloopsy,One Direction, Plants vs. Zombies, Nicktoons, Hanna-Barbera, Regular Show, and Power Rangers.

sAfAri Ltd.New Safari Ltd. Arctic Bulk Bags fea-

ture Toob figures in 48-piece bags.Each bag contains four of each of thefollowing figures: walrus, harp seal,arctic fox, husky, Inuit, caribou, belugawhale, igloo, snow hare, musher, polarbear, and orca. The hand-painted figuresare 1.5- to three-inches tall and made for ages 3 and up. Other new Bulk Bagsinclude Butterflies and Dino Babies.

Safari Ltd. is expanding its line of dragon replicas for ages 4 and up withGolden Dragon, Thunder Dragon with Drake set, and Twilight Dragon. The SafariLtd. Dragons can also be found in the new Dragons Designer Toob featuring sixdragon miniature figures. This set includes the Forest Dragon, Ice Dragon,Midnight Moon Dragon, Mountain Dragon, Cloud Dragon, and Chinese HornedDragon. These two-inch hand-painted figures are suitable for ages 3 and up.

Additional new products will also be launched across other Safari Ltd. linesincluding Toobs, Good Luck Minis, Historical Collections, Incredible Creatures,Mythical Realms, Safariology, and more.

srM eNtertAiNMeNt

SRM Entertainment has partnered with Tootsie RollIndustries to create a line of food activity toys based on itspopular food brands. SRM Entertainment is introducingtwo new food activity toys: the Tootsie Roll LollipopFactory and the Frozen Tootsie Pop Maker. Using yourfavorite Tootsie Rolls flavors, that you supply, the TootsieRoll Lollipop Factory makes it easy for children to moldand create their own lollipops made from the best-sellingtootsie roll candies. No heat is required. The FrozenTootsie Pop Maker lets kids make a frozen pop version ofthe classic Tootsie Pop. Simply combine your Tootsie Rollcandy with your favorite fruit juice andfreeze them to make great tastingpops. You control the nutri-tion of the juice for end-less customization.

Tootsie Roll Lollipop Factory

So So Happy Ozzie

Golden Dragon

New AdveNtures

New Adventures’ AppVentures is aline of interactive playhouses for digi-tal-savvy kids. The iDollhouse andiFirehouse lets kids transform aniPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch into aninteractive toy. Each set has a play-house, figures, and a carrying case. Justplace the smart device into the doll-house or firehouse and launch the app to begin the play. Kids can customize eachroom using the app menus at the top of the screen. Choose favorite colors to dec-orate the house, upload photos to hang on the walls, water the flowers and watchthem grow, and choose a fire engine, then wash it. Each room is filled with activ-ities from dress-up to dance party to practicing putting out a fire. Using yoursmart device’s camera, scan the dolls’ codes and watch the doll characters appearon the screen for virtual play. AppVentures is for ages 3 and up.

iDollhouse


Toy Fair 2013

adoraAdora is launching an all-new Adora for

2013 with new brand extensions that include200 products with 70 new dolls andaccessories, including FabFairies.These are soft micro plush dolls forages birth and up.FlutterBabies are made of ultra soft

microfiber plush with Gentle Touchvinyl faces. There are three FlutterBabiesdesigns: Bumble Bee, Butterfly, and Lady Bug.The dolls’ shirts and wings are removable formix-and-match play. Each doll is for ages birth and up.SnuggleTime Babies have removable flower hoodies that are made

of ultra soft microfiber plush available in three colors. The dolls have aGentle Touch vinyl head. They are also for ages birth and up.BathTime Babies have an exclusive QuikDri body that allows the dolls

to quickly dry after being played with in water. Each BathTime Baby comeswith its own washcloth and removable animal-themed bathrobe. When youtake off the robe, you’ll see a swimsuit printed on the doll’s body. The dollshave open-and-close eyes and are for ages 1 and up.

teebooFrench toy maker Teeboo announced the addition of the 42-

inch horse Galoo and yellow lab Ruffoo to its Kidoo Petsinteractive plush collection. Kidoo Pets are soft plush toyswith interactive sound sensors. With nine interactive func-tions, the Kidoo Pets show children how to nurture, play, andlove. The nurture functionalities encourage children to takecare of their pet friends. The play functionalities demonstratewhat pets don’t like. And the love functionalities encouragechildren to be patient and loving with their pet. Galoo comeswith a saddle and a carrot, and Ruffoo comes with a bone.

ZometoolZometool consists of primary-colored struts (sticks) that are

shaped to fit into the holes of the Zomeball. Zometool SystemKits are designed for open-ended play. Creator 1 is for ages 6and up. It contains 246 parts (186 struts and 60 nodes) andcomes in a sturdy case. Clear and colorful step-by-step instruc-

tions get kids started while also allowingkids to explore and buildwhatever they want.Zometool Project Kits aremore specific, theme-based,kits. The Crazy Bubbles kitlets kids 6 and up makesquare bubbles, spiral bub-bles, cubic bubbles, andmore. The newest Zometool

line is called The Design Series.

ButterflyFlutterBaby

Galoo

Family Games americaFamily Games America will bring a popular

British line of durable children’s garden kits toNorth America this year. The Little Pals lineincludes garden trowels and spades, wheelbar-rows, watering cans, paint-your-own plantpots, garden markers, buckets, gardeninggloves, and a variety of planting kits. LittlePals is for ages 5 and up.

When registering use this REGISTRATION CODE: TFFEB

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Toy Fair 2013

ChiCCOChicco’s R/C Rocky Truck

Playset is a dump truck that candrive up the ramp and deliverthree little rocks into thebin. The truck canalso drive to theother side of the ramp,and the bin will tip the rocks into theempty truck. It features a four-way remote todrive the truck forward, reverse, left, and right. Itis for ages 3 and up. Four AA and three AAA bat-teries are required but not included.

The R/C Rocky Dozer Playset is a remote-control excavator that drives up the ramp anddelivers three little rocks into the tube. When achild presses the red button on the back of theplayset, the rocks will be tipped out of the tube.It features a four-way remote to drive the vehi-cle forward, reverse, left, and right. It is forages 3 and up. Four AA and three AAA batter-ies are required but not included.

Sky Rider is a ride-on designed to help childrenwith their motor skills. It comes with a propeller thatturns, a lever that moves up and down, and a com-pass that rotates while making a cracking sound. Italso features two modes of use to follow a baby’sgrowth: walker and ride-on. There is a storage com-partment under the seat to store a child’s belongings.Sky Rider is for ages 1 and up.

Crawling Dog and Crawling Cat are animalcharacters designed to help babies developgross motor skills and stimulate audio skills.When a baby pushes the dog or the cat, the ani-mals move along and make a rattling sound.Crawling Dog and Crawling Cat are sold sepa-rately and for ages 6 months and up.

TOMYBeginning in 2013, TOMY International will be the exclusive licensee and

distributor for Pokémon in categories including figures, figure accessories,plush, and more. TOMY’s Pokémon line is anchored by products that inte-grate key play patterns for the brand, which include catching, training, andbattling. Featured introductions include a range of figures, R/C characters,novelty, basic plush, and new battle playsets for Pokémon fans of all ages.

Bring motion-controlled battling to life with TOMY’s Battroborg line ofbattling robots. Battroborg takes players center ring, with two-handed motioncontrolled nunchaku that dictate the robots’ every move. Kids can have one-on-one competitions or large battles of up to 10 robots in the 3-in-1 Battle

Area. 2.4GHz Battroborgs reg-ister every hit and indicatewhen the ultimate battlingchampion has succeeded. EachBattroborgs comes with a 20-minute quick-charger.

Wild Stylz is a small doll linethat features five fashionabledolls, each with a signature colorand pet sidekick, thematic acces-sory sets, a deluxe accessory

case, and two playsets: a photo studio and a salon. All the dolls have long high-quality hair that is easy to brush, and the accessories are easy to use.

TOMY debuts its complete line of Pajanimals toys, based on The JimHenson Company’s TV series Pajanimals, which airs daily on Sprout duringThe Good Night Show and on Saturday mornings on NBC. Key 2013 itemsinclude Snuggle Buddies, a Routine Board to help little ones transition fromplay time to bedtime, and the Apollo Goodnight Projector featuring a spin-ning starry nightlight show and lullaby theme from the show. The Pajanimalsline is for kids ages 1–6.

TOMY has expanded both the classic Chuggington Wooden Railway and theChuggington Die-Cast Railway systems for 2013. Die-Cast Railway introduc-tions feature an exclusive, revolutionary track system that enables kids to buildspiraling train layouts. The Chuggington Wooden Railway adds talking enginesto its line. New items include a rescue-themed playset.

R/C Rocky Truck Playset

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Toy Fair 2013

WoWWee

WowWee’s ArtSeeStudio takes childrenages 3 and up on aninteractive journey ofcolor, sound, andmotion. ArtSee Studiois a visual and innova-tive drawing kit, whichcan transform simpledrawings and paintings on the iPad intoanimated games and activities. The freeapp is available for download in the AppStore. Using the wide range of interactive ArtSeetools, including Stampee, kids can turn a blank can-vas into an explosion of color, sound, movement,games, and activities.

New Robots include Robosapien HD with newfeatures such as mobile compatibility, a full range ofdynamic motion, and highly interactive sensors.Robosapien HD is a multi-functional, thinking, feel-ing robot with attitude and intelligence. Other newrobots include RoboMe and the crazy ZombieBot.

The world of the classic fairytale princesses hasbeen turned upside down in Once Upon a Zombie.The line of six fully articulated 11-inch dolls is basedon a brand new property created by Toon Studio ofBeverly Hills. Toon Studio says that through a non-assert agreement with Disney, it is allowed to use thenames Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty,Little Mermaid, Rapunzel, and Belle.

Sweet Secrets are eight collectible mini dolls thattransform into rings. Each doll contains an iconicimage that represents the magical worlds of the GemCatcher app game. Soar over princess castles or trop-ical seas as you hunt for the mysterious GemCreatures and traverse exciting levels.

KidS PreferredKids Preferred will have a new collection of toys from The

World of Eric Carle. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Bath Gift Setcomes with five colorful squirt toys, including one shaped like the

caterpillar. It is for ages 3 and up. The World of Eric Carle Large

Developmental Ladybug is inspired byCarle’s storybook The Grouchy LadyBug. This soft toy offers education

and activity through numbers,colors, textures, a button flower,

a mirror, molded rings, and a jin-gle bell rattle. It is for agesbirth and up.

ArtSee Studio

The World of Eric Carle LargeDevelopmental Ladybug

Techno SourceTechno Source, a division of LF Products (a Li & Fung compa-

ny), is introducing the new laser tag system Battle Lights. TechnoSource says that Battle Lights is the first laser tag line featuring toyspowered by real and kid-safe lasers. Laser Battle Systems, availablein one-player and two-player sets, include laser blasters and laser-reactive vests that register hits with a glowing mark as well as laser-reactive sniper targets for pre-combat training or taking into the bat-tlefield. Glowing battle damage fades from the vest within a fewminutes so kids can keep on playing.

With the Glow Crazy Clip ‘N Glow, kids use the Glow Crazylight pen to write, draw, and play games on the clipboard’s specialglow surface. The glowing illustrations disappear minutes later. Itcomes with four stencil sheets. The pen and stencils clip to theboard for easy storage and transportation.

National Geographic celebrated its 125th anniversary on January13, and Techno Source will introduce a second series of NationalGeographic 750- and 1,000-piece puzzles. Themes include WorldTravel, Natural Wonders, Monumental Marvels, and In the Wild.The puzzles include bonus content from the National GeographicSociety Archives.

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BY JENNIFER LYNCH

When French nativesJulien Mayot andThierry Denoual found-ed Blue Orange Gamesin 2000, neither had

experience in the toy industry, but what they didhave was a clear mission. “The idea has alwaysbeen to create better designed games while keep-ing [the game] concepts simple,” says Mayot.“That is the essence of Blue Orange.” This,along with the goal of creating games that arefast paced enough to compete with the thrill ofvideo games, led to Gobblet. This fast tic-tac-toestyle game is one that Denoual had been work-ing on. After testing it with family and friends,they realized it was a winner. A few weeks after Blue Orange launched a

small production of the game at local retailersaround San Francisco, a San FranciscoChronicle reporter stumbled upon Gobblet in astore. That led to a full-page article hailing thegame with a four-star rating. It was Gobblet’s(and Blue Orange’s) big break; 3,000 gameswere sold following the article and its first pro-duction sold out a few days later. What further led to the company’s success

was an initial three-month-long road trip acrossthe U.S. in Mayot’s Jeep. For Mayot andDenoual, it was the opportunity to not only bringin national sales but more importantly connectone-on-one with retailers. It’s a model for howBlue Orange conducts business and the road tripis now an annual tradition. Each year, BlueOrange’s team of “Game Gurus” takes a cross-country trip, visiting each of its U.S. retailers. “We recognize that our retailers are our

spokespeople,” says Mayot. “The owners andtheir staff are passionate just like us. We believein the importance of spending time playinggames together. The foundation of this starts intoy stores around the country.”This philosophy is also embodied in the com-

pany’s unique name, derived from the poem“The Earth is Blue like an Orange” by PaulEluard. “The idea symbolizes the type of compa-ny we wanted to create—one that produces realgames that build face-to-face interaction anddown-to-earth moments for busy families,” saysMayot. “The same way Eluard looked at theEarth and saw an orange, you can look at some-thing like a game and see beyond the simplematerial object and appreciate the value andideas behind it.” Just as the company values its retailers, it also

values the opinions of its consumers. Most of itsgame ideas come from these two groups, whichMayot says is a main ingredient in the originalityof its game offerings. In addition to originality,other factors Blue Orange considers when design-ing new games is the ease of play and an all-agesappeal. Spot It!, for example, meets the unique“high fun factor, educational value, and smart

design” criteria Blue Orange has self-imposed.Part of its success has also been in its ability toadapt to different themes for different audiences,says Mayot. Since its launch in 2010, the gamehas been adapted to appeal to sports fans (Spot It!MLB and NHL), literary buffs (Spot It!Signature, a Barnes & Noble exclusive), roadtrippers (Spot It! on the Road), and more. In less than 15 years the Blue Orange prod-

uct catalog has grown to more than 30 gamessold in more than 3,000 specialty stores nation-wide. With an outlook and company culturethat continues to help Blue Orange thrive, 2013looks to be a positive year. In addition to itsgame offerings, this year will mark the intro-duction of construction toys. “The more we seechildren playing on iPhones and tablets, themore motivated we are to bring tactile, sociallyengaging games to the market,” says Mayot.“This feeling is more alive than ever.”

Gobblet

Spot It! Party is the newest party edition of the classic game

Blue Orange Puts Colorful Spin on Games

The New Show for Gifts and GadgetsCOMING TO DALLAS THIS SPRING!

Play. Baby. Juvenile.

Taking place during Dallas KidsWorld Market and attracting buyers from

across the country.

www.dallasmarketcenter.com/pbj

SAVE THE (PLAY) DATE

March 21-22, 2013DALLAS MARKET CENTER

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Industry-Related Trade Shows


CALEND

AROF

EVEN

TS

MARCH3–6 Australian Toy, Hobby, & Nursery Fair toyfair.com.au Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre Melbourne5–7 Playworld Middle East playworldme.com Dubai Int’l Convention & Exhibition Centre Dubai7–10 Halloween & Attractions Show haashow.com America’s Center St. Louis10–13 ToyFest West toyfestwest.com South Point Hotel Las Vegas21–22 PBJ Show dallasmarketcenter.com/pbj Dallas Market Center Dallas25–28 Bologna Children’s Book Fair bookfair.bolognafiere.it Bologna Fair Centre Bologna

APRIL8–11 MIPTV mipworld.com Palais des Festivals Cannes15–17 London Book Fair londonbookfair.co.uk Earls Court London17–18 Kazachok Licensing Forum forumlicence.kazachok.com Halle Freyssinet Paris27–30 Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair hkgiftspremiumfair.com Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre Hong Kong30 TIME TO PLAY SPRING SHOWCASE TIMETOPLAYMAG.COM THE ALTMAN BUILDING NEW YORK CITY

MAY6–8 PlayCon toyassociation.org Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa Scottsdale7–9 All Baby & Child Spring Educational Conference allbabyandchildsec.com South Point Hotel, Casino, & Spa Las Vegas19–22 National Stationery Show nationalstationeryshow.com Jacob Javits Convention Center New York City21–23 Sweets & Snacks Expo sweetsandsnacks.com McCormick Place Chicago30–6/1 BookExpo America bookexpoamerica.com Jacob Javits Convention Center New York City

JUNE11–13 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) e3expo.com Los Angeles Convention Center Los Angeles12–16 Origins Game Fair originsgamefair.com Greater Columbus Convention Center Columbus16–19 ASTRA Marketplace astramarketplace.org TBA Nashville18–20 Licensing International Expo licensingexpo.com Mandalay Bay Convention Center Las Vegas

JULY18–21 Comic-Con International comic-con.org San Diego Convention Center San Diego

AUGUST17–21 New York International Gift Fair nyigf.org Jacob Javits Convention Center New York City

SEPTEMBER26 TIME TO PLAY HOLIDAY SHOWCASE TIMETOPLAYMAG.COM METROPOLITAN PAVILION NEW YORK CITY

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toys & family entertainment, february 2013

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