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:
Speed Rally ProBuilder® PredorX Turbo SRA by MEGA BRANDS
 This is a great build for the Rally Racing fan. Each Speed Rally ProBuilder PredorX Turbo SRA comes in collectible tin packaging for storage and display. Each car includes rubber wheels, a removable spoiler, an opening bonnet (hood) and alternative suspension adjustment. “Each set includes a 125-plus-piece ProBuilder construction, which offers a challenging build and detailed styling,” Carine Sroujian, marketing and communications supervisor for Mega Brands, told TDmonthly. This product received the 2007 Oppenheim Best Toy Award, Gold Seal.
4/18/2007 (Price: $14.99; Age: 8 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
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Plasma Dragons™ by MEGA BRANDS
 Kids can now add three new figures to their Plasma Dragons collection. Plasma Dragons Series IV now offers Golgorath, Hydracc and Gorgonoaw. Children can hatch the eggs of these new Dragons and unleash the creatures from their gooey plasma pouches. “Each dragon comes in nine easy-to-assemble pieces [and] is fully poseable as well as interchangeable with other plasma dragons and dinosaurs to create innovative new creatures,” Carine Sroujian, marketing and communications supervisor for Mega Brands, told TDmonthly. This product was included in the iParenting Media Award Spring 2007 Best Products Call. Launch date: January 2007.
4/18/2007 (Price: $4.99; Age: 6 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
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Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta WIGGLE by HUNK-TA-BUNK-TA® MUSIC
 The first of two volumes, this album features 12 imaginative songs for toddlers. Activities are paired to each song and can be downloaded from the website to help teach valuable skills to toddlers and their care-providers. Titles include “Pajarito” (Little Bird) and "The Ticklebug,” and sing-able lyrics and memorable melodies help curious toddlers get their wiggles out and begin to explore the world. “Songs on this CD can help build important development skills when played and used by parents and care-providers with young children,” Katherine Dines of Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta Music told TDmonthly. This product received iParenting Media and iParenting Media "Hot" Awards for 2007. Launch date: January 2007.
4/18/2007 (Price: $15.99; Age: 1 to 3) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
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Collage Machine by PROTOZONE
 Collage Machine helps users create amazing new pictures with photos from either an included library of more than 500 images or their own collection. Kids can shape and manipulate the images, draw on them, and layer, overlap and fade them. Then, they simply save and print creations for framing, sending to others or adding physical elements. “Kids can start creating beautiful pictures immediately and continue to create in different ways for hours as they explore all the functions and capabilities of the program. Collage Machine can be used in many different ways — [to] enhance a homework project … for scrapbooking [or] making birthday or greeting cards; the possibilities are endless,” James Metcalfe of ProtoZone told TDmonthly. This product received a Parents' Choice Silver Honor Award for Spring 2007 and the Children’s Technology Review‘s Editor’s Choice Award for February 2007. Launch date: November 2006.
4/18/2007 (Price: $24.95; Age: 5 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
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Gazillion JumBubbler by FUNRISE INC.
 This revolutionary bubble machine comes with 32 oz. of The One and Only Gazillion Bubble solution. Kids simply switch it on and watch in amazement as the JumBubbler blows colorful MEGA bubbles. It is great for parties and requires eight AA batteries (not included).
— ”The JumBubbler provides continuous bubble-blowing action with a flick of a switch. It’s unique due to the fact it blows huge bubbles and provides children and adults alike with hours of bubble fun,” Kathy Hawk of Funrise told TDmonthly. This product won a 2007 Best Product iParenting Media Award.
THIS PRODUCT HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED (6.11.10)
4/18/2007 (Price: $19.99; Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
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Play Music Together DVD by IPLAYMUSIC INC.
 With this DVD, kids can learn guitar and sing with their whole family. It features simple lessons that make it fun and easy to play songs on guitar right away, and includes entertaining segments with the playful puppet “Capo,” who dances and sings along with the music, encouraging younger children to do the same. Preschoolers develop an understanding and appreciation of musical elements while parents and caregivers play along and join the fun. The product “includes iPod-formatted videos, so you can easily ... take them with you to learn and play anytime, anywhere,” CEO Quincy Carroll of iPlayMusic Inc. told TDmonthly. This product received a 2007 Parents’ Choice Approved Award. Launch date: April 2006.
4/18/2007 (Price: $19.95; Age: 1 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
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New World Necklace Kit by FASHION ANGELS
 With this kit, girls can create six colorful beaded necklaces featuring fimo pendants and a rainbow of glass beads. “The beading tray and cool tote are all reusable,” Sarah Koth, manager of trade shows and exhibitions for Fashion Angels, told TDmonthly. This product received a 2007 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Best Toy Award. Launch date: January 2007.
4/18/2007 (Price: $12.00; Age: 8 and up) ENTER FASHION ANGELS TOYSHOW [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
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Asthma Friendly Puppy Dog by KIDS PREFERRED INC.
 This soft 12” floppy dog comes in two color schemes: pink-and-white spotted and blue-and-white spotted. It features a special fabric that reduces the risk of allergens and is large enough for cuddling, yet lightweight so that little ones can hug it and take it with them. This product was an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio 2007 Gold Award Winner and received the BabyZone Award.
4/18/2007 (Price: $18.00; Age: All Ages) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Toss Your Cookies by GAMEWRIGHT
 Hungry for fun? Look no further than this outrageously delicious game of quick cookie collecting. Players try to gather five of the same cookie by following the dice actions: Pass cookie cards to your neighbor, swap them with an opponent, or steal the milk card. But watch out — half-eaten cookies will spoil your set. And rolling a "Toss All" will bring an all-out cookie-flinging frenzy. The goal is to be the first to get five of a kind plus the milk card. “A die is used to pass the cards/cookies around to match them, rather than just flipping cards over to match them,” Cara Newbitt of Aigner Associates told TDmonthly. This game received a 2007 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award. Launch date: March 2007.
4/13/2007 (Price: $11.99; Age: 8 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Three of a Crime by GAMEWRIGHT
 A gang of thieves has just been nabbed, but only three members actually committed the crime. Using keen eyes, quick thinking and deduction, players must try to figure out who's part of the guilty trio. Was it Loose-Eye Lenny, Kid Cassidy and Pencil Top? Or was it Louie St. Louis, Jonny Cortex and No Neck Nick? The first to name the right three suspects is the master sleuth. “This is a great whodunit game and is perfect if you only have a short amount of time, as the playing time is only about 15 minutes,” Cara Newbitt of Aigner Associates told TDmonthly. This game received a 2007 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award. Launch date: January 2007.
4/13/2007 (Price: $9.99; Age: 8 and up) [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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