Backyard makes splash

Discount Store News, March 17, 1997 by Laura Liebeck

Backyard fun has come a long way from jump ropes, basketball hoops and lawn sprinklers. Even traditional swing sets and playhouses are bigger, better and more colorful.

Water play, ride-ons, playhouses and preschool sports were in big supply during last months Toy Fair and a focus in the outdoor fun category.

Many of the toys offered children dual-playing opportunities, emphasizing the toy's play value. Flexible Flyer Toys, for example, offered a combination sandbox with toy car racetrack embedded in the lid for dual-playing options, a major theme of Flexible Flyer's toy line for '97. The line also included Cart to Car, a cart that converts to a ride-on vehicle. Slated to retail for $25, Cart to Car is a cousin to the Flip Over Fun line that includes a combo kitchen stove and washing machine, ATM and checkout station, and a sink and vanity.

Little Tikes also had dual-playing in mind with its Sand & Water Castle, a water and sandbox in one. The toy manufacturer also offers Construction Truck Sandbox A Pool, a mega-size sandbox and water toy that looks like a truck bed.

Outdoor toys was a big line for Little Tikes this year with more than eight new products, including three sports introductions (Tournament Golf Set, Drop A Drive Golf Club, and Easy Score Shuffleboard), a number of new ride-ons and Victorian Mansion Can extra-large outdoor play house that should retail for about $430).

In the area of water toys, Little Tikes Water Park Whirlee Sprinkler, at $11 retail, should create some excitement for kids.

Fisher-Price also offered a new sprinkler for '97. Called Crazy Daisy, its a brightly colored daisy flower that sits atop a flexible stem. It sprays water in an unpredictable way, depending on the water pressure from the garden hose. Ohio Art participated in the category with its new sprinkler toy, Splash Off Water Rocket. It attaches to a garden hose and the top blasts off, creating a big splash. Also new was Tonka's Spray 'N Go Fire Nuck, which sprays water in a 360-degree stream; and Ball Spoutin' Fountain by Mattel, an outdoor water toy that shoots colorful balls up to 8 ft. in the air.

Even laser tag games are back in vogue with entries by Tiger Electronics and Toymax.

Outdoor playhouses were again popular this year, with major entries from Fisher-Price (the Backyard Treehouse) and Step2 (Big Red Barn and Welcome Home Playhouse). Stepi2's Big Red Barn is a variation on the traditional playhouse theme, but with a bam, which parents might find more palatable for boys. The barn features a table and two milk bottle stools. It should retail for between $200 and $250, substantially less than the Welcome Home Playhouse, which carries a suggested retail price of $400.

Fisher-Price took the playhouse theme and altered it a bit too this year with its Backyard Treehouse, designed to look like a treehouse. Its features include a flip-down mailbox, chalkboard with chalk and eraser, portable phone and spy hole for spotting visitors. Little Tikes also offers a treehouse play theme, Timbertop Neehouse Climber.

The premier outdoor riding toy at Toy Fair was Little Tikes' Turbo Banking Jet, a foot-to-floor vehicle with rear-wheel steering, permitting the rider to "bank" as he rides.

Backyard sports continues to be a hot toy category with a number of new introductions, particularly in basketball and baseball. In fact, many toy manufacturers that offer basketball games used 1997 as a year to enhance their products. Introductions abounded, including Just Toys, Airzone Tee Ball to Go (a complete 3-in-1 tee ball system that stores in the hollow of the bat for easy storage) and Airzone One-On-One Basketball (a basketball catch game); Little Tikes, Easy Score Shuffleboard (including two sticks, six pucks and one target), Tournament Golf Set (with three greens with hazards, two clubs and five balls) and Drop & Drive Golf Club (a club that holds three balls in its shaft); Playskool's Flash'n Go In-Line Skates (with flashing chaser lights), and Nerf's Head-to-Head sets (including basketball and soccer, plus its Maxforce 2112 line with foam shooters with names such as Electric Eel, Laser Fang, Mad Hornet and Razor Fin.)