Fresh ideas for tried-and-true toys

Retro, green and interactive were the buzz words at the 2008 International Toy Fair in New York last month. The Smurfs are celebrating their 50th anniversary, the classic Pound Puppies are back and Rubik's cubes are still hot.

More and more plush manufacturers are tying their products in to an interactive Web world, each one a little bit different than the next.

Green products popped up all over the place, from dominos made of rubber wood to eco-friendly packaging, plush made from soy and much more. This scope also included plush centered on the themes of endangered and even extinct animals.

Manufacturers stressed safety, lead-free products and sustainable products that grow with the child, making them a better value for parents.

Okiedog's ride-on fropper has a spring system so kids bounce while they ride; it also folds completely for easy transport and storage, $69.99. It's distributed by International Playthings, (800) 631-1272.

Block Mates from Guidecraft are designed to extend playtime fun with blocks. Farm animals, one of three kits, has fun-hued pieces to create five animals or to mix and match, creating something completely original, $25, (800) 524-3555.

Idbids (pronounced iddy biddies) Scout, Lola, and Waverly teach kids how small steps can make a difference. Each kit, $49.99, comes with a toy, cinch sack, book and field guide, all made from organic, recycled or eco-friendly materials, (877) 443-2437.

Building Blocks Cordoba is one of more than 400 SKUs Haba debuted at Toy Fair. The 16-piece set, $40, has rattles, bells, mirrors and a prism made of beech wood in a soft palette of spring-like colors, (315) 685-6660.

Stack, Flap n' Tumble from Yookidoo, distributed by International Playthings, has five stacking pieces that make a tunnel to drop balls down. As the ball drops, the wings on each piece flap, $25, (800) 631-1272.

Twilight Ladybug joins Cloud B's lineup of sleep friends, $30. The ladybug has seven constellations, (310) 781-3833.

Ryan 28, larger, and Ryan 18 are new activity centers from K's Kids, distributed by Ohio Art. Ryan 28 has 28 activities from peek-a-boo, rattles and textures to bead play, mirrors and more, $109, (800) 641-6226.

Big Eye Dummies debuted six plush characters including Slicka, shown. Each 12” plush comes with two sets of interchangeable eyes and mouths that Velcro to the face, $25, (212) 260-0525.

The 26-piece 3D tree puzzle from Creatively Yours, $24.99, features the alphabet and numbers to inspire learning as well as fun for kids 3 years old and up, (949) 361-3838.

Hansa's Quagga is an extinct subspecies of the plains zebra. Looking like a cross between a zebra and a brown horse, this animal is sure to inspire thoughtful questions and learning, (877) 365-4060.

The Noah's Ark table and chair set, $199, from KidKraft, has a table with ends that look like an ark and chairs with penguins, walrus, hippos and alligators in a soft-hued palette, (800) 933-0771.

Intellitoys'Smart-e-bear is a soft, plush bear with built-in software that reads stories, plays music or games. Parents can buy and download more content from the Web. The 13” plush are distributed by Kids Preferred, (732) 274-1144.

The musical plush elephant and teddy bear from North American Bear Co., $25 each, not only play a soothing lullaby but their heads also sway gently to the soft music, (773) 247-9860.

The classic Pound Puppies are back. The new line features five assortments including the 13” class Pound Puppies, shown, which comes with a DVD from the animated show of the 80s, (904) 321-0114.

Delta debuted a kid-sized furniture collection for Wall-E, it's new licensee for the Pixar movie debuting this summer. The furniture incorporates a scrolling message display on the back of the chairs so kids can customize them, (212) 736-7000.

Plan Toys' Animal Domino has 28 wooden tiles with seven animals. These eco-friendly toys are made in Thailand from recycled rubber wood with soy and water-based inks, $20, (866) 517-7526.