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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:
Pathagon by MARANDA ENTERPRISES LLC.
 In Pathagon, players take turns placing their wooden game pieces on the board in an attempt to build a path from one side of the game board to the other. There is a "trapping" move that allows a player to "trap" and remove one of their opponents game pieces from the board. The first player to complete the path wins. The catch is that the two paths cross. Every move has an offensive and defensive consideration. Pathagon is simple enough to be played by children, strategic enough to engage a true gamer. The rules have been drafted so that there is always a winner, no ties, stalemates, or cat's games. Hand crafted from high quality hardwoods, Pathagon is pretty enough to be left out on the coffee table or bookshelf to be played again and again. Playing time: 10-20 minutes; 2 player game.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys
6/19/2012 (Price: $29.99; Age: 6 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Eternas by MARANDA ENTERPRISES LLC.
 Eternas is a four in a row style game in which the first player to place four bead of their color in a row, either vertically, horizontally or diagonally, wins the game. Conceived around the shape of the circle (the symbol for eternity) Eternas was designed for borderless play. The rules have been drafted so that there is always a winner, no ties, stalemates, or cat's games. Hand crafted from high quality hardwoods, Eternas is pretty enough to be left out on the coffee table or bookshelf to be played again and again. Playing time: 5-10 minutes; 2 player game.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys
6/19/2012 (Price: $29.99; Age: 6 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
LEGO® DUPLO® Creative Sorter by LEGO
 Teach stacking and sorting with a colorful assortment of big LEGO® DUPLO® bricks as children learn to build basic animals.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys
6/19/2012 (Price: $19.99; Age: 2 to 5) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Classic 30 Model Building Set by K'NEX BRANDS
 Kids can build models that move with classic K'NEX pieces. Includes 300+ pieces and ideas to build 30 models like a truck, helicopter and dune buggy. Made in U.S.A.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys
— Dalene Lockhart, owner of Toy Town in Casper, Wyo., told TDmonthly in a May 2013 survey that K'Nex was one of her best-selling construction toy brands.
6/19/2012 (Price: $29.99; Age: 7 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Pieces of History™ Pharaoh's Egypt by FIND IT GAMES
 The Pharaoh's Egypt puzzle captures a significant event of historical relevance in ancient Egypt. Details that define the location or time are vividly portrayed throughout this 300-piece puzzle. Icons depicting the historical theme border the finished puzzle and are hidden within the artwork. A day in the life of the Egyptians along the Nile of Pharaoh’s time becomes a second game once the pieces are in place. Look around the border and deep inside the scene to “find it” – a list of 40 Egyptian items from sandals, sword, necklace, wine jar and pottery, to animals like a cobra, crocodile, leopard, jackals and monkey. Instead of putting the pieces back in the box for another day, consider framing the handsome historic scene. The included key explains the significance of each found object. Puzzle features vibrant artwork from painter Rachel Land and are suitable for framing. Finished puzzle measures 20.75" x 15".
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys, 2012 Dr.Toy Best 20 for $20
6/19/2012 (Price: $13.00; Age: 8 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Hummingbirds Scramble Squares® by b. dazzle, inc.
 Among the most difficult, as well as among the most beautiful Scramble Squares® puzzles, the Hummingbirds Scramble Squares® is a wonderful gift for bird enthusiasts, naturalists, gardeners and for anyone needing a little humility.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys
6/19/2012 (Price: $9.95; Age: 4 and up) ENTER b. dazzle, inc. TOYSHOW [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Hoops! Scramble Squares® by b. dazzle, inc.
 Both men and women are among the amazing athletes whose gravity defying feats, grace, speed and endurance are depicted on this modern basketball Scramble Squares® puzzle.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys
6/19/2012 (Price: $9.95; Age: 4 and up) ENTER b. dazzle, inc. TOYSHOW [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Bears Scramble Squares® by b. dazzle, inc.
 This Bears Scramble Squares® puzzle is not only one of the most popular Scramble Squares® puzzles, it is among the most beautiful. Bears are cute and cuddly as stuffed cloth playmates, but in the wild, bears are extremely powerful and can be very dangerous animals, especially if they are startled by intruders. Bears have no remaining natural enemies, other than humans and one another. One swat from the powerful foreleg of a brown bear or black bear can break the neck of a deer! In spite of their large size and lumbering walk, bears can run very fast, up to 25 miles per hour, which is faster than the world record for humans in the 100 meter sprint.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys
6/19/2012 (Price: $9.95; Age: 4 and up) ENTER b. dazzle, inc. TOYSHOW [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Read All About Me Activity Book by ALEX BRANDS
 Kids can make a colorful book about themselves, their family, friends, school and hobbies. Color, create and bind together the 12 activity sheets to create this unique book. Crayons, markers, glue, glitter, scissors, and 24 additional sheets of construction paper are included.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys
6/19/2012 (Price: $17.95; Age: 5 and up) ENTER ALEX BRANDS TOYSHOW [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
My Sandbox by ALEX BRANDS
 Feeling the sand and moving it to expose the colors underneath stimulates the senses of young children. As their coordination improves, they will find new ways to manipulate the sand. Wooden sandbox comes with 3 tools and a clear acrylic bottom. Use the art on either side of the reversible lid, or your own art to create colorful pictures. Sandbox measures 16' x 12' x 2.75'.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys
6/19/2012 (Price: $39.95; Age: 3 to 5) ENTER ALEX BRANDS TOYSHOW [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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