The Few, The Proud…The Award-Winning Toys
Who Made the Cut This Year?
By Alison Marek and Julie L. Jones
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:
Mini Excavator by SABMATT CORPORATION
 The Mini Excavator is made of precut pieces of wood that are designed for easy assembly. The product is created to teach the technology of the same machines seen in the construction site. No batteries are required. It was honored in the 2008 Creative Play Awards. Launch date: 2008. 4/27/2009 (Price: $25; Age: 8 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Happy Fun Dough by FOR MY KIDS LLC
 This soft, pliable, moldable dough is made from water, flour, salt, cream of tartar, canola oil and citric acid. The company uses colors that are made using only all-natural plant and vegetable extracts; no artificial colors or chemicals are used. The Super Mega Fun Pack contains one 4-oz. container of each of the colors (natural, brown, green, orange, pink and yellow) and a little rolling pin in a reusuable cotton bag. "When Happy Fun Dough has come to the end of its long and fruitful life, just put it on your compost pile and reuse or recycle the cute tin container," Christine Stewart, owner of For My Kids, told TDmonthly. This product received Dr. Toy's Best Classic Toys of 2009 award. Launch date: November 2008. 4/27/2009 (Price: $29.99; Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Paintable Barn by IMAGINATION BOX CO.
 This paintable barn has hand-drawn graphics inside and out and is made from sturdy, double-walled corrugated board (45-percent post-consumer recycled materials), which makes it durable and 100-percent recyclable. Easy to assemble, it comes with a starter set of eight non-toxic washable watercolors and works with other watercolors, markers or crayons. The product is made in the USA and measures 24" W x 21" D x 15" H when assembled. It received a 2009 Creative Child Magazine Top Toy/Product of the Year Award. 4/22/2009 (Price: $29.95; Age: 4 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Boikido Eco-friendly Wooden Tina the Turtle by BOIKIDO
 Winner of 2009 Creative Child Seal of Excellence Award!
This environmental friendly wooden turtle is made of wood from FSC monitored source, painted with water based paints, packaged in a box made of recycled materials and printed with soy bean ink. Parents and gift givers will be proud to have made an environmental friendly purchase. This whimsically painted Tina The Turtle is happy to help kids to figure out how things fit together. Just the right size for little hands, the three colorful pieces of Tina’s shell nest inside each other – a terrific activity to improve motor skills and get your tiny tot thinking. Tested to meet European and U.S. safety standards. 3/25/2009 (Price: $21.99; Age: 1 and up) ENTER BOIKIDO TOYSHOW [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Boikido Wooden Marine Maze by BOIKIDO
 Winner of Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award 2009! Building hand-eye coordination is an exciting part of being a toddler. Designed for children 18 months and older, this unique and colorful bead maze features a nautical theme, with two wire bead coasters and a maze – featuring a fun whale and boat to spur your little one’s imagination. Children love to play with these toys in doctors’ offices and waiting rooms – now you can have one at home. Tested to meet European and U.S. safety standards. 3/25/2009 (Price: $34.99; Age: 1 and up) ENTER BOIKIDO TOYSHOW [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
mark-my-time Bright Digital Bookmark by MARK-MY-TIME LLC
 These digital timing bookmarks allow kids to track their nightly reading homework minutes for school or for the summer library reading programs. The bookmark now includes a 60-second timer for fluency checks. "Its unique, patented design allows for both count-up and count-down timing and removes the dreaded, 'Am I done yet?' from the nightly homework routine. The bookmark's price point makes it an ideal add-on sale for the specialty retail market," Owner Maureen Farinella of Mark-My-Time told TDmonthly. It has received the following awards: iParenting Media, National Parenting Center, Mr. Dad, Teachers' Choice, Family Review Center, Creative Child Magazine, and Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom. Launch date: February 17, 2009. 3/12/2009 (Price: $8.95; Age: 6 and up) ENTER MARK-MY-TIME LLC TOYSHOW [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Lubies™ Pig by ROCKET USA
 Pig Lubie is just like its traditional counterpart; pink and round, but smaller and softer. The Lubies collection received a 2009 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award. Launch date: 2009. 3/12/2009 (Price: $9.99; Age: All Ages) ENTER ROCKET USA TOYSHOW [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Lubies™ Lion by ROCKET USA
 Lion Lubie sports a cute and peaceful face. Have this Lubie be the king of the plush jungle. The Lubies collection received a 2009 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award. Launch date: 2009. 3/10/2009 (Price: $9.99; Age: All Ages) ENTER ROCKET USA TOYSHOW [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Tanya by MARU & FRIENDS LLC
 This 21" vinyl play doll wears a knit sweater and leather boots and comes with a certificate of authenticity. It was sculpted by Dianna Effner and has childlike facial features. Tanya comes with a "Forever Friends" storybook written by Maritza Gutierrrez and illustrated by Rhiannon Cunag. The doll received a 2009 DOTY award. 2/26/2009 (Price: $110.00; Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Happy Twins™ Boy by MARU & FRIENDS LLC
 This 21" soft vinyl doll is designed by Angela Harris and comes with a certificate of authenticity. It has a cloth body and wears a gingham jumper and matching hat. It also comes with a 10" plush sheep toy. A twin girl, in pink, is also available. This product received a 2009 DOTY award. 2/26/2009 (Price: $135.00) [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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