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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:
My Pop Soda Shoppe by MY POP SODA
 The My Pop Old Fashioned Soda Shoppe is an environmentally friendly product that can make up to ten liters of soda or seltzer a week. Children can reuse glass seltzer and plastic soda bottles many times. The ingredients can be all natural because users make the soda with ingredients from their own kitchen. Awards: Dr. Toy Best Green Toy Award 2010
8/4/2010 (Price: $65.00; Age: 10 to 12) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Bug's Adventure Series by CREATIVELY CANNY
 Bug takes children on a lively, animated, educational journey, encouraging them to try hard to work through the games and puzzles at hand. Awards: Dr. Toy Best Green Toy Award 2010
8/4/2010 (Price: $8.95; Age: 9 to 12) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Oshi Mat by OSHI MAT LLC
 Oshi Mat is a recyclable, easy to clean, non-toxic foam mat designed for infants. It is made of thermal plastic elastomer (TPE) and is 100-percent PVCSafe and LatexSafe certified. Awards: The Toy Man Q2 Top 10 Award
8/2/2010 (Age: 0 to 2) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Star Wars Luke's Landspeeder by LEGO
 This Star Wars LEGO set includes Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, R2-D2, C-3PO and a sandtrooper. The landspeeder vehicle conceals a secret lightsaber compartment and measures 6" x 2" x 2".
— “We sell an amazing amount of LEGO,” Barbara Fineblum, owner of Barston’s Child’s Play in Baltimore, Md., told TDmonthly in June 2010. Shanna Frieling, owner of Giggles Toy & More in Bozeman, Mont., agreed: “Legos are still the best sellers.”
— In a June 2010 survey of 40 retailers, six named LEGO a top seller for boys ages 4 to 12.
AWARDS: 2010 TDmonthly Top Seller (entire LEGO line)
7/30/2010 (Price: $24.99; Age: 7 to 12) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Sticky Mosaics ® Sweet Dreams by THE ORB FACTORY LIMITED
 Sticky Mosaics bring the fun and excitement of mosaic art home. This package includes peel-and-stick tile sheets in 12 assorted colors and styles, used to create four glow-in-the-dark bedtime projects.
— “They're good for car rides since they stick and you don't lose them, and they don't need any glue,” Gwen Bowden, manager of Doodlehopper for Kids in Springfield, Va., told TDmonthly in June 2010. Bowden estimated the store sells about 30 Sticky Mosaics sets monthly.
— Five of 40 specialty retailers cited Sticky Mosaics as a best-selling product for girls ages 4 to 12 in early summer 2010.
AWARDS: 2010 TDmonthly Top Seller (entire Sticky Mosaics line)
7/29/2010 (Price: $17.00; Age: 6 and up) ENTER THE ORB FACTORY LIMITED TOYSHOW [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Snap Caps® Hair Bows by m3 girl designs LLC
 Snap Caps, the interchangeable, illustrated, magnetic bottle caps, also come on fashion accessories, such as huggers that can be used on hair, boots or ankles, plus hair clips. Snap Caps hair bows are available in red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise and hot pink.
— In a June 2010 survey, Linda Hanzelko of Timmy’s Toy Chest in Lake Mary, Fla., told TDmonthly her store sells 30 to 40 sets of Snap Caps each month.
— Three of 40 retailers names Snap Caps a top seller for girls in early summer 2010.
— Christine Osborne, co-owner of Wonder Works in Charleston, S.C., told TDmonthly in October 2011 that they sell 300-500 Snap Caps each month between their three stores.
AWARDS: 2010 TDmonthly Top Seller (entire Snap Caps line)
7/29/2010 (Price: $9.00; Age: 6 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Calico Critters Deluxe Living Room Set by INTERNATIONAL PLAYTHINGS LLC
 This set for critter families includes more than 40 furniture pieces and accessories, including a light-up fire place complete with tools and fire logs, a comfortable couch, arm chairs, a coffee maker, a telephone, a clock, newspapers and more. Cons: Lots of little pieces that are hard to assemble.
— In late Spring 2011, 4 out of 12 retailers said toys from Calico Critters were their best-selling play sets.
— Calico Critters made the top-10 best-seller list at Totally Thomas Toy Depot in San Diego in July 2010. “We sell a ton of critters and accessories of all sorts, but the Deluxe Living Room Set seems to be on everybody’s list,” President Cynthia Wyatt told TDmonthly. “These precious critters are absolutely irresistible as are the homes and accessories.”
AWARDS: 2010 TDmonthly Top Seller (entire Calico Critters line)
7/28/2010 (Price: $24.99; Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Use Your Words by JEREMY ZMUDA
 This New York-based educator's collection of catchy songs is designed to help kids build the vocabulary to express their feelings and needs. The lyrics were co-written with Lizzie Bicknell, an early childhood specialist. Madeleine Peyroux, Kirk Douglas (the Roots), and Leo Sidran also perform. A portion of proceeds benefits Kids Need a Melody, a nonprofit program that provides music lessons and concerts to kids in need. Awards: Parent's Choice Foundation Audio Award Fall 2010
7/28/2010 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Journey on the Amazon Playzzle by TALICOR / ARISTOPLAY
 Players can join characters Bromley and Cotica on a bilingual journey through the Amazon, learning the names of exotic animals along the way. The game is designed to encourage the development of multi-language, critical thinking and memory skills. The first to reach the ocean wins. "The game board is actually a floor puzzle that you put together before playing the game. This joins the activity of a puzzle and beginner game; both are great for kids just starting to play board games," Todd Jacobs, vice president of Talicor Inc., told TDmonthly.
Awards: 2010 Creative Child Magazine Preferred Choice Award
7/26/2010 (Price: $24.99; Age: 3 to 10) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]
Related Video:
Hannah's Kittens by HANNAH'S KITTENS INC.
 Daisy, Violet and Sweet Pea are luxurious, weighted plush kittens designed to feel like real kittens. Made of fluffy French faux fur and satiny fabrics, they measure 6"-7" long. A portion of proceeds goes to animal rescue and children's literacy charities. Price shown is for the set of three kittens.
AWARDS: 2009 Family Choice Award, 2009 Publisher's Choice Award
7/26/2010 (Price: $245.00; Age: 3 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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