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Debra Aaron from ZZ Toys & Kites in Fernandina Beach, Florida

“Arrowcopters (1) are a great toy for old-fashioned, wholesome fun. They are made by a small, family company, Arrowcopter Inc., in Hollister, California. The copter is launched by a rubber band into the air; it rises about 200 feet and then sails right back to the launcher. Kids get exercise and fresh air, and no batteries are required. The item retails for $4, and it’s extremely durable.

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“In Florida, we have all year to be outside, so kites (2) are very popular here. I love kites because they foster family time, exercise and outdoor fun. I especially like the ones from New Tech because they are good quality and will fly almost anywhere. There is a variety of styles. The company is very knowledgeable and helpful.”

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Leslie Ansted from Toy Harbor in Traverse City, Michigan

“We got in a new game around Christmas time that has become very popular. It’s called P.U.! The Guessing Game of Smells (3) from the company Unknown Games. It’s a board game in which players have to get through the different places in Odorville, like the farm, beach, restaurant, garbage dump, candle shop and carnival. The game comes with scratch-and-sniff cards that have odors like skunk, manure, peppermint, BBQ sauce and popcorn. Players have to identify the smells to get around the board.

“I think the game appeals to boys of a certain age who enjoy potty humor and other obnoxious odors. I bought it for my grandson, and he loved it.”

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Theresa McLaren from Humboldt State University Natural History Museum in Arcata, California

“The Rainbow Maker (4) from Kikkerland is a cool product. It attaches to a window with a suction cup. The sun powers the gears inside of it and causes the attached crystal to turn. This creates a rainbow effect all over the room. It’s really pretty. We’ve had one in the window of the museum for quite a while and it gets a lot of attention. It’s a product that appeals to people of all ages.”

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Mary Fitzgerald from Belle E. Buttons in Yorktown, Indiana

“One item we’ve been selling like crazy is the Original Spinner Toy (5) from Spinner Toys and Gifts. It’s a piece of twisted wire with a large bead on it. When you push the bead up, the pieces of holographic paper spin around and look really cool. It’s just a little impulse item that I keep at the counter, but I swear I’ve been selling one to every customer that comes in. Adults love it just as much as kids. It’s mesmerizing. When my rep showed it to me, I must have sat there and stared at it for 10 minutes!

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“The Bobble Baton (6) from Fundex Games is a good seller. Instead of the traditional metal, this baton is made out of flexible plastic. There are rubber knobs on both ends, and streamers on one of the ends. Kids can twirl it, bend it, shake it or bounce it, and they won’t get hurt.

“I think parents like the Bobble Baton because they’re trying to get their kids to become more active. Plus, this is a fun spin-off of the traditional batons that they remember from their childhoods.

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“We saw Bilibo (7), which is distributed by Kid O, at Toy Fair this year. We had a feeling it was going to be a big seller, and we were right. It is a colored plastic shell that looks sort of like a big bowl, and kids can use it for just about anything. They can sit in it, spin it, put it on their heads, go sledding with it, take it in the pool. It’s a great, open-ended play toy.

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“Crocodile Creek (8) makes some nice rubber playground balls. They are brightly colored and have different animals on them like dogs, dinosaurs and horses. They retail for $8; there are cheaper ones available, but I think people are willing to pay more because the balls from Crocodile Creek are such good quality. Some of those other outdoor balls are so flimsy; these are made out of a thick rubber that is easy to grip.”

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Scott Thorne from Castle Perilous Games and Books in Carbondale, Illinois

“Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot (9) from Playroom Entertainment is a fun card game for adults and kids. Players have to eliminate other bunnies while protecting their own. Players collect carrots along the way; one of them is the magic carrot. The player with that carrot wins.

“The game comes with a starter deck and there are expansion decks, too, which is great. After they’ve played, customers will come back and buy two or three of the expansion decks at once.

“We have a local gaming convention, and a representative from Playroom Entertainment held a demo of the game. Everyone loved it. I think people really enjoy the name: Killer Bunnies. It just sounds like fun.

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“The Settlers of Catan (10) is a board game that was invented by Klaus Teuber and first published in Germany. It gained popularity beyond Europe, and is now available all over the world. In the United States, it is published by Mayfair Games. It has won a number of awards, both nationally and internationally.

“Each tile on the board generates a resource, such as stone, sheep, wheat, brick or wood. Players collect resources and then trade those in to build settlements, roads and villages. The more a player builds, the more points he gets.”