DR. TOY'S BEST CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS 2001 Selected by Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D. (Dr. Toy) |
An Overview of The Best Toys of 2001
Welcome to Dr. Toy’s Guide! To assist you with your gifts giving this holiday and into the new year we have a great selection of new products for you to consider. We have reviewed over two thousand toys and children’s products over this past dozen years. It has been exciting and rewarding to see many new and innovative companies emerging, while many new and interesting improvements have been made among many established companies. Our 2001 products range across many different levels.
There is more to choose from today than ever before. It may also seem that way when you seek the right product for your child. By using Dr. Toy’s Guide, you will find helpful guidance as you look for that perfect product, the one that will benefit your child the most.
Here are a few suggestions:
Play encompasses everything your child does. They need you to play with them. They need to learn simple games, and to have plenty of conversations. They need you to read stories to them, and they need to sing songs, play with puzzles, do crafts, and have fun. Whatever you and your child enjoy doing together is perfect.
Look for creative products to prepare for those times when there is a snow storm or rain fall and children are house-bound. This is the time to bring out those great creative products that have been packed away in storage. Open them on a bad weather day and the storm passes away while children are enjoying something satisfying.
Children can only focus on one toy at a time. Make toys something that you select year round to make their time interesting and challenging. Don't forget the products that help children with their activities, whether they are enjoying active play outdoors, or learning to do yoga or some other kind of physical activity.
Even play with pick-up sticks or marbles is physical and requires dexterity; the smallest activity brings the body into motion. Children like a variety of physical activity, so don’t forget to add hula hoops, balls, and a bean bag toss.
Children also need time to play games, to think, to create, to use their imagination, and to learn strategy and how to figure things out. They need time to create, to play with dolls and puppets, and to use their skills.
These are the products we have looked for this year. We were looking for products with the potential to provide your child with learning and joy. During the next year, your child will have an opportunity to play and experience some of these toys directly. Be sure to look at our online review of toy buying services to find an array of different ways to purchase these products.
If you have a question about a toy, then “Ask Dr. Toy.” If you have an answer or know of the availability of products, help us by looking at our “Ask Dr. Toy” feature and responding. You'll be fascinated with all of the queries that have come in, and we welcome your help as we find answers for all of these questions.
Search through our site, come back often, and have a fun, playful year!
Please be sure to examine a copy of our new book, , that highlights over 50 classic toys from the past as well as the toys of the future. And look for our to help you with ideas from baby to older children, plus 166 great ideas of ways to have fun with your children. What is most important is to have fun together as a family. Have a wonderful time with your child this holiday (and every day in the new year!). Let’s play!
—Dr. Stevanne Auerbach, "Dr.Toy"
ac=Arts & Crafts | ap=Active Product | at=Audio Tape | bg=Board Game |
bo=Book | cd=CD-ROM | co=Construction Toy | cp=Creative Product |
cr=Computer-related | dh=Dollhouse | do=Doll | el=Electronic |
es=Educational Skills Product | fp=Fantasy Play | ho=Hobby | ml=Musical |
mm=Multimedia | no=Novelty | op=Outdoor Play | pl=Plush Toy |
pu=Puppet | pz=Puzzle | sr=Social Responsibility | sw=Software |
tr=Travel | ts=Transportation | ty=Toy | vt=Video Tape |
COMPANY NAME | ITEM | Price | Ages | Phone |
Dinosaur Excavation ae es fp ty | $19.99 | 5-11 | 877-772-2846 | |
Rocking Horse ae cp fp ho ty | $80.00 | 3-5 | 800-666-2539 | |
Baby Songs Silly Songs vt | $12.98 | 0-6 | 847-933-9884 | |
Baby Dolittle Neighborhood Video es ml vt | $15.98 | 1-4 | 800-793-1454 | |
Paint the Wild: Tic-Tac-Toe ae cp bg | $15.00 | 6-12 | 609-936-8807 | |
Phone Station cp fp sr | $36.00 | 3-5 | 800-822-8828 | |
Art Table Set ac cp es | $151.00 | 3-7 | 888-999-2352 | |
Boppy 5-in-1 Fun ae es ty | $45.00 | 1-12 mos | 303-526-2626 | |
Hello Kitty Best Friends' Game bg | $19.99 | 6-12 | 800-232-7427 | |
Muck & Bob ty | $15.00 | 3-5 | 888-274-6869 | |
Wild cg | $11.99 | 8-12 | 800-621-5426 | |
Time to Sing! cd cp ml | $16.99 | 0-6 yrs | 800-262-8052 | |
Fab Fashion Fun Dawn & Friends do sr | $9.99 | 6-8 | 888-350-3296 | |
Lou do | $70.00 | 3-5 | 800-668-4846 | |
Mini Windowsill Garden ac sr | $14.00 | 7-11 | 800-311-8684 | |
Curious Little Ones My Own Band ae ac cp ml ty | $20.00 | 3-5 | 800-584-5487 | |
Time Tutor es sr tr | $27.99 | 5-10 | 800-426-4777 | |
Book of the Seasons ae ac bo | $16.95 | 6-9 | 800-475-4522 | |
GeoSafari Laptop es el | $49.95 | 3-8 | 800-995-4436 | |
KidSafe TV no sr | $24.95 | 3-8 | 888-983-5555 | |
Astronaut Hat ae cs cp fp | $19.80 | 6-10 | 800-553-5673 | |
Pop Smarts bg | $29.99 | 10-12 | 201-386-9465 | |
Magnetic Portfolios es | $34.95 | 6-12 | 800-445-5985 | |
Wiggles ae pl ty | $6.49 | 6 mo-10 yrs | 800-533-6708 | |
Play With Letters Desk cp es el | $29.99 | 3-7 | 800-432-5437 | |
My First Puppets Soft Book bo cp es pl pu | $35.00 | 6-36 mos. | 800-654-8922 | |
Claymania ge | $17.99 | 9-12 | 800-638-7568 | |
Get Real Girl do | $25.00 | 6-12 | 866-474-4747 | |
Golden Pegged Puzzle Books bo cp es pz sr | $12.99 | 2-4 | 800-558-5972 | |
3-D Undersea Jigsaw Puzzle pz | $7.00 | 6-8 | 800-922-1194 | |
Wiggly Giggly Plush ae pl | $18.00 | 6-24 mos | 888-442-6376 | |
Magic Screen Learning Desk ty | $45.99 | 12-36 mos | 800-752-9755 | |
Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta Chants cd es ml tr | $15.99 | 5-12 | 888-663-7122 | |
My Best English Vol. 2 Colors es vt | $16.95 | 12-36 mos | 800-851-7115 | |
Movies in My Mind ae at bg | $19.95 | 5-7 | 800-546-4440 | |
Kidspiration es sw | $69.00 | grades k-3 | 800-877-4292 | |
Amazing Animal Trivia Game bg es | $19.99 | 6-8 | 800-445-8347 | |
KookaZoo Tunnel Gym ae es ty | $29.99 | birth-2 | 770-751-0442 | |
Kids' Learning Network | www.KLNlive.com website | free | 9-12 | 617-542-6500 |
Toddler Alphabet Sing-Along at bo cd | $14.99 | 3-5 | 888-321-5437 | |
Castles, Knights & Unicorns at cd cp fp ml | $14.95 cd | 3-7 | 800-631-2187 | |
Klutz Kwiz es el | $17.95 | 5-10 | 800-737-4123 | |
Math Blaster: Cross Terrain Challenge cd-rom sw | $19.99 | 9-12 | 800-545-7677 | |
Imagination Desk ae ac cp es ml | $44.99 | 3-7 | 800-701-5327 | |
Clue Finders 5th Grade Adventure cd-rom es fp sw | $29.95 | 9-12 | 319-395-0115 | |
Madeline Doll House cp dh | $150.00 | 2-5 | 800-704-8697 | |
BUCO co cp es ty | $79.00 | 3-8 | 800-693-7164 | |
Tick, Tac, Tock! Game bg cp es | $13.95 | 6-8 | 888-800-7893 | |
Bob the Builder--Bob and Lofty Meet the Mice co | $14.99 | 2-6 | 860-763-6606 | |
Cow Starter Set by Toytrain es fp ho | $220.00 | 8-12 | 800-669-0607 | |
The Tic Toc Clocks bo cd | $16.95 | 1-5 | 888-678-5636 | |
Ready-Step-Go Roller Skates ae op ty | $14.99 | 1-3 | 800-321-0183 | |
Bug Bingo bg es ty | $14.95 | 3-12 | 888-420-7585 | |
Remmy and the BrainTrain bo cd ml | $16.95 | 4-8 | 607-347-4590 | |
Madacy Kids | Fun with Mommy & Me ae ml vt | $39.98 | 0-5 | 416-756-2800 |
Handy Work pu es cp sr | $10.00 | 3-7 | 800-541-1345 | |
Families of the World Video Series es sr tr vt | $19.95 | 5-11 | 800-888-9681 | |
McWiz Junior bg es | $29.99 | 6-12 | 888-691-2849 | |
Learning Station es ty | $34.99 | 1½-6 | 800-465-6342 | |
DJ Mixer cp ml | $49.99 | 6-10 | 800-222-4685 | |
Wheels on the Bus bg el | $19.99 | 3-6 | 888-836-7025 | |
SquashBlox Castle Set ae co cp fp pl ty | $129.95 | 3-7 | 201-792-5451 | |
Sing With Me Magic Cube ae cp es el ho ml | $39.99 | 2-7 | 800-344-2229 | |
Sunshine Symphony ml pl | $49.99 | 0-36 mos | 800-220-3669 | |
Orchard Books | Why Butterflies Go By on Silent Wings bo sr | $16.95 | 4-10 | 800-242-7737 |
Original San Francisco Toymakers | Yano cp ty es | $59.99 | 3-6 | 650-952-7701 |
Rockit Robot co es ho ty | $24.95 | 10-12 | 800-638-1694 | |
Woodkins do es cp | $15.00 | 3-11 | 800-966-3762 | |
Three for All bg | $25.00 | 10-12 | 800-524-4263 | |
Cool Mad Libs bo es tr | $3.99 | 7-14 | 800-788-6262 | |
Learn in Your Car for Kids at bo cd es tr | $19.95 | 7-12 | 800-748-5804 | |
Classical Board Game bg es | $15.00 | 9-12 | 716-662-7794 | |
Poetry Pals Learning Center bo es pz vt cp | $89.95 | 2-7 | 877-463-6896 | |
Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Jr. bg | $24.99 | 8-12 | 800-800-0298 | |
WordXchange bg es | $28.95 | 10-12 | 514-932-4744 | |
We Sign--ABC, Numbers, Colors, Animals, Rhymes ae es vt | $14.95 | 3-12 | 800-535-8368 | |
Petite Performer Puppet & Props ae cp fp pu | $8.99 pu | 3-12 | 801-544-7899 | |
Yarn Critters ac cp es tr | $12.99 | 7-10 | 800-342-8458 | |
Pentagonia bg es sr | $20.00 | 8-12 | 306-652-1280 | |
Clifford Learning Activities cd-rom es sw sr | $19.95 | 4-6 | 800-724-4718 | |
Same or Different cd-rom es sw | $19.99 | 3-5 | 800-253-0564 | |
Millino 1452 ty | $7.50 | 1-12 mos | 518-273-0726 | |
Boo Boo Buddy no sr | $5.95 | 12 mo-12 yr | 800-346-4655 | |
Toddler ae cd cp es ml | $15.99 | 0-4 yrs | 888-606-6874 | |
You Are A Masterpiece es sr vt | $19.95 | 5-12 | 800-521-5311 | |
Deluxe Feltland Doll House ae co cp do dh | $100.00 | 3-5 | 800-421-4153 | |
Colorations Colored Puffy Paint ac cp es | $12.99 | 3-5 | 800-293-9314 | |
Incredible Shrinky Dinks ac cp es ho ty | $29.99 | 6-9 | 800-622-8339 | |
Spin Driver ty | $39.99 | 18-36 mos | 800-423-2597 | |
Original Tangle with Texture no ty | $16.00 | 0-12 | 888-829-3808 | |
Imagination Playmat el ml ty | $49.99 | 3-24 mos | 800-486-0898 | |
Bob-Builder Build & Learn es el | $24.99 | 2-4 | 800-844-3733 | |
Scrabble Jr Game: Wildlife bg es | $19.95 | 5-8 | 888-876-7659 | |
Me-Mo-Mo es op ty tr | $49.99 | 5-8 | 800-521-2010 | |
Inside-Out Sleep Game ae at ml | $12.95 cd | 3-12 | 805-969-5654 | |
Lego Racers bg | $14.99 | 7-10 | 800-447-2151 | |
Make Your Own Birdhouses ae bo cp sr | $7.95 | 8-12 | 800-234-8791 | |
Totally Extreme Rock Climber ty | $39.99 | 8-12 | 514-344-1250 | |
Good Night, Mr. Night Toy cp do fp pl sr | $19.99 | 3-8 | 800-554-1447 | |
Rock-A-Bye Chou Chou do ty | $34.99 | 3-7 | 800-629-9273 |
ac=Arts & Crafts | ap=Active Product | at=Audio Tape | bg=Board Game |
bo=Book | cd=CD-ROM | co=Construction Toy | cp=Creative Product |
cr=Computer-related | dh=Dollhouse | do=Doll | el=Electronic |
es=Educational Skills Product | fp=Fantasy Play | ho=Hobby | ml=Musical |
mm=Multimedia | no=Novelty | op=Outdoor Play | pl=Plush Toy |
pu=Puppet | pz=Puzzle | sr=Social Responsibility | sw=Software |
tr=Travel | ts=Transportation | ty=Toy | vt=Video Tape |
|
||
Main Page | ||
|
||