The newest (Spring 2010) toys from Sonic are a collaboration with Sea World and feature 12 cute tot-shaped sea creatures. The tot-shaped toys incorporate the most telling features of the creatures they represent. Well-filled, they sit up nicely, except the squid, which looks like it should be hung up somewhere. The colors are either representative of the real creature or a good choice for the overall effect of the lot and within reason as a sea creature color.

Three of the Deep Sea Tots.

The full set includes:

• scuba tot: a diver in yellow and blue scuba suit, with feet extended from the tot.
• coral reef tot: an orange tot with “polyps” representing the coral reef in general. (It also has feet. ?)
• stingray tot: a gray tot with a fin at each side, and a tail. No stinger.
• octo-tot: a purple tot with eight legs.
• clown fish tot: an orange and white tot with a fin at each side, a tail fin and a dorsal fin on the top.
• angelfish tot: a blue and yellow tot with a fin at each side, a tail fin and a dorsal fin on top.
• pufferfish tot: an orange fish with a fin at each side, a tail fin and covered with soft spikes.
• starfish tot: a purple tot with five legs.
• dolphin tot: a blue tot with a fin at each side, a tail and a dorsal fin on top.
• shark tot: a gray tot with a fin at each side, a tail and a dorsal fin on top. Two teeth showing.
• squid tot: a pinky-purple tot with six tentacles around the bottom edge and two tentacles suspended from the center of the bottom.
• killer whale tot: a black and white tot with a fin at each side, a tail and a dorsal fin on top. Two teeth showing.
• collectors deck: this consists of two-sided fish-shaped cards. Each card includes a representation of one of the tots, the name of the creature, a few interesting facts about the creature represented and a more life-like drawing of the real creatures. All the cards hang from a plastic ring, which also has a hang clip.
• reef concentration game: a set of cards to play concentration with.
• build a Shamu: a kit to put together to create your own Shamu killer whale.

All of the tots come with a hang tag with its name and the name of the series (Sonic Deep-Sea Tots). It also has a sewn-in tag that also has the name of the tot, and the required manufacturer’s information and content/materials

Clown fish and starfish.

All of the toys are very cute and will be desired by any friend of the sea. Sonic has created an artificial shortage by limiting the number of coral reef tots made, but this is the most problematic tot anyway. It has feet. It is orange-ish, and resembles the pufferfish quite a bit. Not having this one will not lessen the enjoyment any past or future marine biologists will get from the other tots. I certainly like mine. (I have eaten more burgers in the last two weeks than in the previous two years.)

Two more Deep Sea Tots.

I recommend these toys far more than the usual kid meal toys, one, because I like fish, and two, because they will open young minds to the creatures in the sea besides sharks and killer whales. And they are really cute.

* * * See cute LEGO Figures. * * *

* * * Learn about collecting Star Wars minifigures. * * *

* * * And then there is Bakugan. * * *

* * * bendaroos. * * *

* * * Find information about cheap kids toys. * * *

* * * Try a usb toy for a new kind of fun. * * *

* * * Read about collecting dog toys. * * *

* * * Read about collecting cat toys. * * *

* * * Read about collecting bird toys. * * *

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