Lamaze Announces New Toys Designed to Stimulate and Reward Baby

February 2003- Today's parents are more involved with their babies than ever before, helping their little ones to discover the world through interaction and play. Learning Curve's award-winning Lamaze brand of infant development toys announces a completely redesigned line for 2003, featuring a wide range of products that make it even more fun for baby to learn and discover his surroundings. To commemorate the relaunch of this best-selling infant brand, Learning Curve is also sponsoring a valuable promotion, kicking off in March of 2003, where one lucky Lamaze customer will instantly win a $50,000 Savings Bond.

As one of the first developmental infant brands, Lamaze created an age-graded system of toys specifically designed to foster baby's development when it launched in 1996. The 2003 Lamaze line builds upon this infant development expertise with the launch of two new categories, Activity Gyms and Mobiles. In addition, the well-loved Lamaze classics have been updated with new, stimulating contemporary fabrics, texture, baby-friendly scent, and even Softronics™-rewarding electronic lights and sounds-to appeal even more to the developmental and entertainment needs of babies and parents.

Having garnered over 100 awards through the years, Lamaze builds upon their core philosophy introducing more quality, developmental offerings with contemporary updates for 2003.

Mobile Magic by Lamaze!
Extend all the developmental benefits and fun of Lamaze toys into the nursery with the all- new Mobile Collection.

• Shine on Me Musical Mobile: Brighten up the nursery with this cheerful mobile! Mobile attaches to the crib and features a sun face with soft rays and adorable bug, butterfly and bird characters, which are angled to smile down at baby. The characters spin as the arms rotate for maximum visual stimulation. The Shine on Me Musical Mobile is the only mobile on the market that features three different music styles to fit the three key infant activities: Jumping Jazz for play time, Latin Lullaby for sleepy time and Classical for cozy time. Plus, it even features a remote control so caregivers can start and stop the mobile without disturbing baby! SRP: $49.99. Ages Birth and up.



• Jungle Friends Changing Table Mobile: keep baby entertained and stimulated while he's being changed with this innovative mobile. The adorable jungle-themed characters, including a lion, monkey, and giraffe are angled to smile down at baby and move up and down to music! Clamps onto changing table or crib rails…and it can even be used with portable cribs to take a piece of home wherever baby goes! SRP: $29.99. Ages Birth and up.

It's Never Too Early to Go to the Gym!
Expand baby's world of fun with this great collection of Lamaze Activity Gyms. This year, Lamaze introduces three new gyms featuring something for every usage occasion and consumer price point. The exclusive Lamaze Drop & Pop feature allows the gyms to unfold quickly for instant play and fold back up, with the play surface on the inside, to keep the play mat clean. Each gym contains Lamaze's signature developmental features and activities, making these gyms not only fun, but valuable for baby's developmental needs as well!

• Drop, Pop & Go Gym: Pet-themed portable mini-activity gym has 10 fun developmental features with unique textures to stimulate baby, including corduroy and satin fabrics. The three hanging toys include a squeaker bird with crinkle wings, rattle kitty, and jingling dog! Also includes outside pocket for storing baby essentials on the go. SRP: $39.99. Ages Birth and up.



• 2-in-1 Gym: This 2-in-1 reversible activity gym is the only one of its kind. The innovative design includes two sides: the black, white and red high contrast side to stimulate newborns and the colorful and brightly patterned side for older babies! Activity gym features 13 developmental activities, including a bee with satin wings, peek-a-boo tethered bug, squeaker firefly, and soft sun rays. For added fun and visual stimulation, there are even three hanging toys, including a crinkling flower, rattling frog, and sun with mirror! SRP: $59.99. Ages Birth and up.



• Gentle Vibrations Deluxe Turtle Gym: Adorable turtle-themed activity gym is both soothing and stimulating for baby, with 20 developmental activities built right in! The colorful, extra thick mat has a soft cuddly turtle head, musical starfish and peek-a-boo tactile features. The mat features a soothing vibrating motion, which helps to calm baby. It also includes crinkles, corduroy, and rattles to entertain baby. Hanging toys include a squeaking fish and dolphin, and a rattling sea horse and octopus. The ultimate gift for a special newborn! SRP: $79.99. Ages Birth and up.

Reward Baby with Softronics!
Lamaze takes its developmental toys to a whole new level with the addition of Softronics . Rewarding electronic lights, sounds, and motion have been added to toys with traditional play patterns to appeal to baby's senses and help teach essential developmental skills.

• Sing & Spin Bugs: a put-in/pull-out toy with a twist! Engaging bug characters spin on colorful plastic flower base while "Ring Around the Rosie" plays. Spinning characters entice baby to play and encourage interaction. The flower base features crinkly fabric petals while sound encourages exploration and rewards hand-eye coordination! SRP: $24.99. Ages 6 months and up.



• Touch & Kick Butterfly: get ready to kick up a storm! This adorable butterfly, attaches to the side of the crib-or can be easily detached for use outside the crib-and helps baby develop hand-eye and foot-eye coordination while strengthening little leg and arm muscles. Lights and percussion sounds respond to baby's touch or kick and encourage exploration. Fun textures and knots add to the experience! SRP: $19.99. Ages 3 months and up.



• Lights & Sound Crawl Along: encourage baby's crawling with colorful lights, lively music, giggles and dog and cat sounds! The cylindrical design encourages baby to follow the Crawl Along as it rolls across the floor. Cute characters and stimulating Lamaze Softronics will bolster your baby's need for speed! SRP: $24.99. Ages 6 months and up.

Classics with a Twist
Lamaze, known for their award-winning, developmental toys, takes infant play to the next level in 2003. This year's line combines classic play patterns with the signature Lamaze twist of developmental and fashion forward patterns, colors, textures and interactive features such as scent, water and music!

• Pull & Play Knot Block: hand-held rattle helps baby to develop fine motor skills and encourages two-handed play. The six free sliding cords with fun shapes like stars and rings encourage baby to hold, pull, and chew! SRP: $12.99. Ages 3 months & up.



• So Soft Busy Beads: keeps baby busy, with bright fabrics and engaging soft bead characters, including a sun, bunny, cat, and dog, along with six additional beads for added fun! Soft, non-skid base keeps So Soft Busy Beads conveniently in place during play. SRP: $19.99. Ages 6 months and up.



• Multi-Sensory Stacking Rings: the added texture of satin and sherpa fabrics, bright cheerful colors and stimulating green apple scent give this award-winning stacking toy even more developmental appeal. There are knotties at the top of the pole for more interactive fun! SRP: $19.99. Ages 6 months and up.



• Musical Inchworm: this updated favorite is not only squeezable and lovable, it is also stimulating to baby's senses with its rattles, squeaks, crinkles and jingles. The Musical Inchworm plays "If You're Happy and You Know it Clap Your Hands!" and features a ruler on its underside allowing it to measure baby up to 24 inches! The fun knottie legs are also easy to grasp for little hands! Inchworm SRP: $14.99. Ages Birth and up.



• My First Fishbowl: Best selling Fishbowl adds another dimension of visual and tactile stimulation by adding water-filled, see-through sides with floating mini sea creatures. Foster endless amazement with four fish friends that encourage put-in and take-out play! SRP: $19.99. Ages 6 months and up.

Play and Grow with Me
These delightful new friends join the best-selling and award-winning line that includes Puppytunes and Octotunes! The Lamaze Play and Grow™ line features soft plush collections designed to encourage learning through play and develop imagination, discovery, social and emotional skills. Each item in the Lamaze Play and Grow line includes a link for on the go fun!

• Freddie the Firefly: Freddie features a peek-a-boo mirror and busy wings to keep baby stimulated. The clinking rings, tethered ladybug teether and knotted antennae are a great way to tantalize baby's senses! SRP: $11.99. Ages birth and up.



• Gill the Guppie: Gill has colorful and textured fins, chime sounds, busy beads, and even a peek-a-boo feature. The teether fins and ribbon tail are great for chewing, especially when baby is teething! SRP: $11.99. Ages birth and up.



• Trotter the Pony: Trotter has a peek-a-boo saddle and sounds in each hoof! His sea-saw legs encourage two-handed play and he also has a satin tail. SRP: $11.99. Ages birth and up.



• Allie the Cat: Pull her tail and Allie purrs just like the real thing! Allie's paws crinkle and have a rattle and clinking rings for added developmental discoveries and fun. SRP: $11.99. Ages birth and up.



• Giggle Pets Collection: Get ready to giggle along with baby and his new friends in this adorable collection of fun soft rattle characters that giggle when they are jiggled! Each cute character features a peek-a-boo mirror and squeaker. Plus, the easy-to-hold shapes of the funny friends make them perfect for little hands! Collection includes Cat, Dog & Lamb. SRP: $8.99. Ages Birth and up.

For more information, visit the company's consumer website at www.learningcurve.com or call 800.704.8697.