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:
Rumblies Garret Garbage Truck by MANHATTAN TOY
 Garret Garbage Truck features blinking lights and clicking wheels. He also has a retractable tail pipe. Durable, soft construction and materials make this truck suited for indoor play.
Awards: Canadian Toy Testing Council 2-Star Award
7/9/2010 (Price: $24.00; Age: 1 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Rumblies Adam Ambulance by MANHATTAN TOY
 Adam Ambulance features lights that blink and plastic wheels that click when moved. Durable, soft-sided construction and materials make this truck suited for indoor play.
Awards: Canadian Toy Testing Council 2-Star Award; Toy Wishes Top Pick
7/9/2010 (Price: $24.00; Age: 1 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Think-ets Purple Pouch by THINK-A-LOT TOYS
 Think-ets is a little game in a pouch containing tiny treasures from all over the world. The game includes an assortment of 15 miniature trinkets that can be used to tell stories and play memory and strategy games. These Think-ets come in a purple pouch, replacing the previous yellow pouch design.
Awards: 2008 iParenting Media Award; 2008 AblePlay Rating; 2007 The Toy Man Editor's Choice Award; 2007 Creative Child Magazine Seal of Excellence Award
7/8/2010 (Price: $9.99; Age: 8 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Dipe n' Go by DIPE N' GO!
 Dipe n’ Go is a baby changing station designed for an SUV, minivan or hatchback vehicle. It attaches easily to the inside of the hatch and remains stocked with supplies so it is ready when needed. It can be opened safely with one hand, allows parents to avoid unsanitary public restroom changing tables, and is machine washable.
Awards: 2010 Parent Tested Parent Approved; 2010 Mom's Best Award
6/28/2010 (Price: $19.99; Age: 0 to 3) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Kids' Garden by BAREFOOT BOOKS
 With 40 interactive activities and games, Kids’ Garden encourages children to engage with the outdoors and appreciate the green world around them. Each double-sided card has step-by-step instructions with colorful collage artwork.
Awards: 2010 Ippy Award Best Children's Interactive Category
6/25/2010 (Price: $19.99; Age: 6 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Wiggle Giggle Tickle Train by ANNICK PRESS
 A pony in a field moves a child to play giddy-up on her father’s shoulders; a plane high above invites kids to pretend they are birds soaring in the sky. Everyday things, seen here in striking photos, are the catalyst for imaginative play, which is captured in lively illustrations. Short bursts of energetic, rhythmic poetry are designed to inspire preschoolers to create their own fun from what they see around them.
Awards: 2009 First & Best List, Toronto Public Library; 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Award
6/25/2010 (Price: $8.95; Age: 2 to 4) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Why?: The Best Ever Question and Answer Book about Nature, Science and the World around You by OWLKIDS
 Everyday childhood activities, such as an excursion to the park, splashing in the bathtub or fixing a snack in the kitchen, can prompt many questions from young children. This special edition of Why? celebrates the book's 10th anniversary and provides kid-friendly explanations for nearly 100 of the most common questions kids ask. "Each of the questions included in this book was carefully selected from a pool of thousands of questions submitted by real children," Owlkids Marketing Associate Kendal Gerard told TDmonthly.
Awards: 2002 American Association for the Advancement of Science Best Books for Children; 2002 Canadian Toy Testing Council 25 Great Books for Children
6/25/2010 (Price: $19.95; Age: 3 to 7) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
GeoPalz Activity Tracker by GEOPALZ
 GeoPalz is the first decorative activity tracker and online game that allows users to earn points through physical activity. With a simple message of “Walk to Win,” every mile walked counts as one pedpoint and once the points add up, the child can use the points to redeem fun, activity-focused prizes - including basketballs, jump ropes and frisbees. The site also displays a map of the distance the child has walked – showing the specific destinations he/she has reached with their steps.
Awards: Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products - 2010, 2011. Launch date: August 2010
6/25/2010 (Price: $20; Age: 5 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Eye Can Art Sumi-e Painting Kit by BLUE ART BOX LLC
 With the Sumi-e Painting Kit, kids can paint in the Japanese style with watercolor ink, then stamp their creations with a hand-crafted symbol. The kit contains everything needed to make eight paintings and one scroll painting, along with enough extra ink to print dozens more. Easy-to-follow instructions are also included.
Awards: 2008 Parents Choice Award; 2009 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal
6/25/2010 (Price: $24.00; Age: 4 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
"Be Nice" by Leeny and Steve by LEENY TUNES
 All of the songs on "Be Nice" were inspired by Leeny's persuasive, misbehaving, penguin-loving nephew Zak, and the result is an album of irresistible, hilarious, and educational tunes for children and their parents.
Awards: 2008 Parents' Choice Approved Award; 2008 Children's Music Web Award: Best Recording for Preschoolers; 2008 Creative Child Magazine Preferred Choice Award; 2008 Best Music Recommended List for Your Family by Common Sense Media; 2009 Song of the Year nominee by Just Plain Folks Music for "What Have You Done With All the Penguins?!"; 2008 International Songwriting Competition Finalist for "Mammals"
6/25/2010 (Price: $15.00; Age: 1 to 8) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Following are some of the programs represented in TDmonthly.com's section of award winners: Dr.
Toy, iParenting
Media Awards, TIA
T.O.T.Y., Oppenheim
Toy Portfolio, The
National Parenting Center, and Parents'
Choice Awards.
You may also access TDmonthly's review
section to see which products earned 5 TD stars.
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