The Few, The Proud…The Award-Winning Toys

Who Made the Cut This Year?

Thousands of products are introduced to the toy industry every year, but only a limited number are good enough, playable enough and innovative enough to garner an award.

In addition to issuing TDmonthly Awards, TDmonthly Magazine regularly asks manufacturers to present their award winners to our readers so that retailers can quickly identify products with great potential and manufacturers can learn and be inspired by others' successes. Here are the most recent responses:

ZipBin® Street Racer by NEAT-OH! INTERNATIONAL LLC

ZipBin Street Racer is a backpack that looks like and is shaped like a race car. Unzipped, it becomes a city street with drivable roadways. When play is done, the Playscape™ becomes a backpack in a zip, capturing the toys inside for easy cleanup. This set includes two die-cast cars. It received a 2008 Seal of Excellence award from Creative Child Magazine. Launch date: 2009. 5/22/2009 (Price: $19.95; Age: 3 to 10) ENTER NEAT-OH! INTERNATIONAL LLC TOYSHOW [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Giant Evolution Timeline Play Mat by CHARLIE'S PLAYHOUSE LLC

This 18'-long Giant Evolution Timeline Play Mat displays 600 million years of evolution with weird ancient creatures, fun facts and activities. It collapses to the size of a coffee-table book. The mat is lightweight, durable and environmentally friendly. It was named one of Dr. Toy's 10 Most Socially Responsible Products of 2009. 5/21/2009 (Price: $49.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

CitiBlocs by CITIBLOCS LLC

PatchWord™ by KNIGHTWEAVER GAMES LLC

In this fast-paced word game for two to five players, players trade two-sided letter cards between elegant wood racks, to create words, or steal them from each other. It may be used for family game nights as well as in educational settings. Game play takes 30 to 45 minutes. "PatchWord employs a unique game mechanic using cards with different letters on the inside vs. the outside, which trains logic, memory and sequencing skills, as well as spelling and vocabulary skills," Daniel Weaver, founder of Knightweaver Games, told TDmonthly. This product has won the following awards: 2009 Dr. Toy Best Vacation Children's Products; and 2009 Game of the Year for Educational Word Game from Creative Child Magazine. Launch date: January 29, 2009. 5/19/2009 (Price: $19.99; Age: 7 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Patchwork™ by KNIGHTWEAVER GAMES LLC

Patchwork is a fast-paced logic game for two to five players designed to build logic, memory and patterning skills in a fun setting. Players trade colorful, two-sided cards between elegant wood racks to create sets, or steal them from each other. Game play takes 20 to 30 minutes. "The game employs a totally unique game mechanic that is easy to learn, fun to play and teach[es] logic, memory and sequencing skills," Daniel Weaver, founder of Knightweaver Games, told TDmonthly. This product has received the following awards: 2009 Dr. Toy Best Vacation Children's Products; 2009 Seal of Excellence for Kid's Strategy Game from Creative Child Magazine; and 2009 Outstanding Products iParenting Media Award. Launch date: January 29, 2009.
— "It is an engaging game that encourages player to think logically while trading card with other players.  You have to use logic, memory and create pattern sets to win the game," said Angel Stahl of Angel's Toy Barn in Greensburg, Pa., who especially liked this game at the 2009 ASTRA Marketplace. 5/19/2009 (Price: $19.99; Age: 5 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Dozy Dolphin On The Go by CLOUD B

Dozy Dolphin On The Go helps re-create sleep time routines by bringing familiar soothing sounds while away from home. Dozy Dolphin’s peaceful, water-based sounds are designed to take a child on a tranquil journey while effortlessly transforming unknown surroundings to a more familiar environment. Tucked inside Dozy Dolphin is a removable sound machine that plays fun sounds for play time and soothing sounds for sleep time. Dozy Dolphin On The Go is made from eco-friendly bamboo fabric. "It needs no plugs and comes with multiple soothing sounds with two timer options. All Cloud B products are made in consultation with our advisory board made up of pediatricians, sleep specialists and child experts," Emily Chae, marketing associate for Cloud B, told TDmonthly. This product received a a 2009 NAPPA Honors award. Launch date: May 2009. 5/19/2009 (Price: $23; Age: All Ages) ENTER CLOUD B TOYSHOW [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

BABY ABUELITA- ABUELO PANCHO by BABY ABUELITA PRODUCTIONS

This 17" musical plush grandfather doll sings traditional Spanish language lullabies and nursery rhymes. It has received the following awards: 2009 Finalist in the Distinguished Achievement Awards Program, K-5 Teacher’s Aide Category; iParenting Media Awards - 2008 Best Product Award; and Creative Child Magazine: 2008 Toy Of The Year Award(Musical Dolls For Kids category) and 2008 Preferred Choice Award (Plush Toys category). Launch date: 2006. 5/19/2009 (Price: $24.99; Age: 2 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Baby Abuelita-Abuela Rosa by BABY ABUELITA PRODUCTIONS

Baby Abuelita-Abuelita Rosa, is a musical 17" plush grandmother doll that sings traditional Spanish language lullabies and nursery rhymes. It received a 2008 Best Product Award from iParenting Media, and was a 2009 finalist in the Distinguished Achievement Awards Program, K-5 Teacher’s Aide Category. "Baby Abuelita products are transgenerational and appeal to young and old alike," Ryan Stevens, director of operations at Baby Abuelita Productions, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2006. 5/19/2009 (Price: $24.99; Age: 2 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

KABOOST Deluxe - Charcoal by KABOOST CORP.

KABOOST Deluxe is a portable chair booster that raises the height of a chair so that little kids can sit like big kids at the table. KABOOST Deluxe simply snaps on underneath a four-legged chair in seconds and raises the height of the chair. "This way you can use a regular chair in your home for your child to sit on, just like everybody else in the family," Mignon Teeple, director of operations at KABOOST Corp., told TDmonthly. KABOOST Deluxe comes with a travel bag for easy take-a-long on outings and travel. KABOOST has received the following awards: Kind + Jugend Innovation Award 2008; Baby Innovation Award 2008; Creative Child Magazine, Top Choice Award 2008; The National Parenting Center 2008: Moms Best Award 2008; and iParenting Media Award 2007. Launch date: 2008. 5/19/2009 (Price: $41.95; Age: 2 to 6) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Little Uglys Babo by PRETTY UGLY LLC

Babo is best friends with Wage...and the cookie jar. But once he gets to know you and the kinds of snacks you keep around the house, he will focus mostly on the snacks! Little Ugly Babo is 7" tall and won 2006 Toy of the Year Award, Oppenheim best Toy Award and the 2006 Parent's Choice Approved Award. 5/14/2009 (Price: $10.00; Age: All Ages) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

To view more products and learn more about each award, please click on the following links: TDmonthly Awards, Dr. Toy, iParenting Media Awards, TIA T.O.T.Y., ASTRA, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, The National Parenting Center, Family Review Center, Parents' Choice Awards, Canadian Toy Testing Council, Mr. Dad, The Toy Man Product Guide, Teachers' Choice Awards, NAPPA, Toy Wishes Ultimate Toy Awards and MAJOR FUN. You can also access TDmonthly's review sections to see which products earned 5 TD stars.

And to learn more about how award winners are chosen, read What Makes an Award-Winning Toy.

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