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:

Billy Brown and the Mystery Package by GIDDIO LLC

The story follows the adventures of Billy Brown — a big, talking, friendly bear — and his best friend little Emma, as they explore to figure out the correct addressee of a mysterious, unmarked package. The CD features full-cast voice acting, sound effects and music that hearken to old-time radio dramas. Other varieties are available in the Billy Brown series. This item is a 2007 Dr. Toy Best Products Award winner. 5/8/2008 (Price: $10.99; Age: 3 to 7) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Billy Brown Goes Hiking by GIDDIO LLC

This story follows Billy Brown — a big, friendly, talking bear — and his friend Emma as their hike into the woods is interrupted by a family caught in the rapids, struggling to survive. The CD features full-cast voice acting, sound effects and music that hearken to old-time radio dramas. Other varieties are available in the Billy Brown series. This item is a 2007 Creative Child Magazine Seal of Excellence Award winner. 5/8/2008 (Price: $10.99; Age: 3 to 7) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Billy Brown and the Frog Tunnel by GIDDIO LLC

The CD features full-cast voice acting, sound effects and music that hearken to old-time radio dramas. The story follows the adventures of Billy Brown — a big, talking, friendly bear — and his best friend little Emma. Other varieties are available in the Billy Brown series. This item is an iParenting Media Award winner. 5/1/2008 (Price: $10.99; Age: 3 to 7) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Scribble Puzzle ABC's – Zoo Friends by SCRIBBLE MATS

The puzzle features 24 big, chunky pieces and four non-toxic crayons. The puzzle’s draw-and-wipe surface allows kids to draw again and again, letting their imagination flourish. The puzzle is available in six varieties and measures 12-1/2" X 15" when assembled. This item is a 2007 Dr. Toy Best Product Award winner. “Scribble Puzzles keep the imagination and energy going!” Arlene Tucker of Scribble Mats told TDmonthly. “The color on- wipe off signature surface allows a child to create with crayon till infinity.” Launch date: Fall 2007. 5/1/2008 (Price: $5.00; Age: 4 to 11) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Nana Star and the Moonman by ee publishing & productions, llc

Nana Star is ready to bring a lost baby star back home to the heavens, but the world has gone to bed and she feels alone and afraid until a new friend, the Moonman, promises that he’s watching over her, even when she can’t see him. A reassuring message about friendship and faith shines through this second book in the Nana Star series in terms easily appreciated by little listeners who don’t like the dark or feeling lonely. Written by Elizabeth Sills and Elena Patrice and illustrated by Linda Saker, this book was a bronze medal winner in the 2008 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards. 5/1/2008 (Price: $15.95; Age: 4 to 8) ENTER ee publishing & productions, llc TOYSHOW [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Rub a Dub Pirates of the Tub by ALEX-PANLINE USA INC.

This 38-piece, phthalate-free set includes foam pieces that stick to the wall, letting kids build pirate ships and islands. It also includes three pirate squirters and a suction-cup mesh bag for drying and storage. This item is a Creative Child Magazine Preferred Choice Award winner and an iParenting Media Award winner.
— “Alex has … pirate ships — we sell at least one of those every day,” Pam Horwitz, manager of Mr. Toad’s Toy Company in Naples, Fla., told TDmonthly in March 2008.
— “[We] carry a lot of Alex — they sell best. They all fly out the door,” Susan Blanton, owner of Pufferbellies in Staunton, Va., told TDmonthly in March 2008.
— More than 7 percent of 40 retailers who spoke with TDmonthly in March 2008 singled out Alex’s pirate ship as their stores’ best-selling bath toy. 4/30/2008 (Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

"Swing, Dance and Sing" DVD with Bonus CD Sampler by THE SWINGSET MAMAS

This DVD contains a collection of favorite Swingset Mamas songs brought to life by imaginative sets, costumed characters, whimsical animation and graphics, and 35 real-life kids who extend the fun for children at home. From getting dressed yourself to being awed by nature's smallest creatures, the songs celebrate the daily rhythms and wonders of growing up. Genres range from folk-rock-blues to calypso, hip-hop and zydeco. “The Swingset Mamas blend terrific musicianship and heartfelt parenting tips with their signature style ranging from rock to reggae. The Mamas infuse their playful, inspiring tunes with their own mom-tested wisdom — providing musical strategies to making everyday activities fun,” Marlowe Bechmann of the Swingset Mamas told TDmonthly. This product received a 2008 Parents’ Choice Fun Stuff Award and a 2008 iParenting Media Award for Best Home Video/DVD Product. Launch date: January 8, 2008. 4/21/2008 (Price: $12.98; Age: 1 to 8) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

SLIDER™ the Unscooter™ by IDEA MILL LLC

The freestyle vehicle features 3-wheel steering, action-decks and dual hand brakes, designed to propel riders without requiring feet to touch the ground. The highly maneuverable vehicle is extremely easy to learn and ride, and comes in a variety of colors, including red, pink, black and blue. This product received a 2008 NAPPA Honors award. Launch date: February 2008.
— “Sliders are doing great,” remarked Terri Bracken, owner of Earth Explorer Toys in Zionsville, Ind., discussing her best-selling ride-on toys in spring 2009.
— Four of 60 retailers listed scooters as their best selling ride-ons in March 2009. 4/18/2008 (Age: 3 to 101) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Spintastik for the Family by SELLERS PUBLISHING INC.

Designed to help families designate chores in a fun and creative way, this set includes a 32-page guidebook, a colorful, two-sided magnetic wheel with a spinner, 32 chore, reward and blank magnet pieces that fit onto the wheel, and an erasable pen. The guidebook gives suggestions for assigning chores, and once a child has finished his chore — such as “fold laundry” or “clear table” on one side of the spinner, he can spin for a reward — “pick a movie” or “earn a buck,” for example — on the other side. This product received a 2007 Teachers’ Choice Award from Learning Magazine, a 2006 iParenting Media Award and a 2006 Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Award. 4/11/2008 (Price: $19.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Snack & Play Travel Tray by STAR KIDS PRODUCTS

Snack & Play Travel Tray is made of soft, durable, 100-percent nylon. It buckles around the child and fits most car and booster seats. Snack & Play Travel Tray has two side pockets for storage and easy reach, plus a 2" wall to stop toys, food and other items from falling off the tray. It has won a number of awards, including iParenting Media and NAPPA awards. 4/7/2008 (Price: $20.99) [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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