Activity Toys International Playthings is set to add new activity toys to multiple lines this year. Decorate Your Own Princess Fairy Wings, part of the Kidoozie line, allows kids ages 3 and up to customize their own set of wings to wear for pretend play. The stretchy shoulder straps fit kids of all sizes, and the included silver and pink glitter stickers are easy for kids to apply and will securely stay in place. The Aquabeads line will expand to include the Beginner’s Studio, which includes 800 jewel and classic beads in 12 colors for kids to create fun bead art. Kids ages 6 and up can select a design template, slide it into place under the template lid, place their beads, and spray with water. Kids can use the star-shaped palette and storage bin to keep all of the pieces in place when they are finished.
Jazwares will expand its line of licensed paper craft activities to include the heroes in a halfshell, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. With the Turtles Lair Deluxe Pack, kids can use more than 90 pieces to fold and build character cutouts of Michelangelo, Raphael, Metalhead, and Splinter. Each paper character stands 4.5 inches tall and features swinging arms and rotating heads. The set also includes five weapons that fit into the Turtles’ hands, two turtle shells, a training dummy, four skateboards, 12 crates, 14 blocks to build the lair, main lair entrance blocks, and six pizza boxes to create the complete TMNT scene.
Fashion Angels will launch a new line of Upcycling kits for tween girls this year. These new kits take two important tween trends—saving the planet and do-it-yourself projects—to the next level with a fashionable approach. Each kit is themed by the material it reclaims to create the projects: T-shirts, plastic bags, plastic bottles, and toys and games. Each Upcycling kit comes with a design guide featuring step-by-step instructions for up to 10 projects, plus ideas to create variations on those projects, making even more unique items. Each kit also includes basic craft materials, such as earring hooks, chains, beads, bracelet wire, and more. With the Upcycling line, kids can turn plastic grocery bags into a wall hanging or a headband, an old Tshirt will become a pillow or a wrap bracelet, a plastic bottle can be transformed into a purse, and old game board pieces can become a statement necklace.
26 • THE TOY BOOK
DECEMBER/JANUARY 2015