www.toynews-online.biz Toddler treats
In our second focus on the pre-school sector in 2011, manufacturers are now looking ahead to big new launches and extensions of existing ranges for next year. ToyNews highlights what’s on offer…
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SECTOR GUIDE PRE-SCHOOL 65
Laugh & Learn remains a major focus throughout spring. Joining the new Apptivity Case, the Click n Learn Remote solves the problem of broken remote controls with a baby friendly version including lights, buttons, sounds and music. Also new to the range, Puppy’s Piano comes with two modes of play introducing babies to colours, numbers, animals and first words in a take along format. Favourites Say Please Tea Set and Animal Pals Book continue to receive support into the New Year. Topzy Tumblers also have a number of
new introductions for spring. Tubtime Tumblers and Tubtime Tumblin’ Boat bring tumbling fun to bathtime and join the key play-set, Twirlin’ Tumblin’ Fun Park. New addition to the Little People line, the Play n Stow Garage combines toddler vehicle play with storage for the Wheelies vehicles. Transforming into a two storey garage with turntable, car wash, garage and ramp, the play-set can hold up to 15 Wheelies vehicles and comes with a Tow Truck. Key play-set Stand n Play Rampway continues to be a focus, along with the Zoo Talkers and classics such as the Racin’ Ramps Garage, Happy Sounds Home and Animal Sounds Farm. Dino Tech and DC Superfriends remain key focuses in the Imaginext range, as well as established favourites Space, City and Ocean.
Moving into licensed products, and 2012 will see the continued roll out of Fisher-Price’s Thomas & Friends collection. The popular pre-school property will see a raft of new character engines at varying price points for both Take n Play and Trackmaster throughout spring, as well as some new and refreshed play-sets. For the youngest Thomas fans, there will be chunky new engines, Push Along Friends and Talking Engines, as well as a new play-set. The Knapford Key Play-set introduces
pre-schoolers to shapes and colours as they play, and includes Thomas and Percy engines, a set of three keys and a pop-out Fat Controller. Moving on, and the Octonauts collection welcomes new characters and plush items, while the Octopod Play-set will continue to be a major focus heading into 2012. Pre-schoolers will be able to help their heroes explore the undersea world with an Octopod slide and rescue tools. Dora the Explorer will receive TV support for the spring with the new Dive and Swim Mermaid Dora, while there will also be new introductions for in the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Handy Manny
collections, as well as more from the Fisher-Price core line.
Hasbro’s Playskool brand kicks off its partnership with Sesame Workshop with a new line of toys, headed up by Let’s Rock Elmo. Dressed in a concert-style t-shirt, Elmo comes with a microphone and two instruments – a tambourine and a drum set. Also in the Sesame Street line is Count n Crunch Cookie Monster: kids get to feed cookies to the character and watch as it counts out loud. The toy’s foot can also be pressed to make it giggle. Moving on, and Hasbro will continue
to grow the In the Night Garden Goodnight Friends range with the addition of Upsy Daisy. The toy comes with a light, storybook and removable nightdress and slipper accessories. Kids can also bring the Ninky Nonk train to life with a new vehicle made up of five differently shaped carriages.
Other Hasbro pre-school lines will include the classic Play-Doh and new Poppin’ Park. New Play-Doh play-sets include the Twirl n
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Top Pizza Shop, the Flip n Serve Breakfast set and the Story Time Castle. There are also some play-sets featuring the Sesame Street characters, such as Elmo’s Colour Mixer. Finally, the Poppin’ Park range aims to get children active with ball play. Busy Ball Popper, Pound n Pop Carnival (which includes lights and music) and Roll n Pop Express (which encourages crawling as it pops out three coloured balls as baby pushes it along) are all available.
The Cars 2 line of five building sets features old and new characters, plus key scenes from the film. Price points range from the entry level £12.99 for Agent Mater, up to the top end of £49.99 for The Pit Stop. The Lego Duplo brand’s latest Bricks & More sets are suitable for ages 18
months plus, offering an early introduction to creative building. The sets can extend existing collections, while Play with Letters and Play with Numbers add a learning dimension. Other themed sets include Police,
Farm and three Winnie the Pooh skus, combining building and role-play.
NOVEMBER 2011
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