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:

WaveLength by PRESSMAN TOY CORP.

Pressman Toy Corporation has signed an agreement with Good Marketing, Inc., for WaveLength. Appropriate for adults and teens, the game includes more than 1,000 pop culture questions about movies, television, music, sports, history, politics, geography, and even household goods. Scores determine, “Are you and your partner on the same WaveLength?” "Invented by Ed Greenberger, a television newscaster, and friend Stan Loveman, WaveLength has been widely popular in Canada. The game has also won several national and International awards, including an iParenting, National Parenting Center, Major Fun, Dr. Toy and Canadian Toy Testing Council’s Best Bet award," Stephanie Meyering, Account Coordinator, G.S. Schwartz & Co., told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2010. 3/10/2010 (Price: $24.99; Age: 13 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Bakugan 7-in-1 Maxus Dragonoid by SPIN MASTER TOYS

Maxus Dragonoid is a combination of 7 Bakugan (1 Bakugan and 6 Bakugan Trap) that unite to form the ultimate monster. The 6 Bakugan Trap that make up Maxus Dragonoid are unique to the Maxus Dragonoid monster and cannot be found in any other Bakugan products. Comes with Grakas Hound, Dark Hound, Grafias, Brachium, Spitarm, SpyderFencer & Neo Dragonoid. All the Bakugan that compose Maxus Dragonoid can also be used individually in the game. 1 Bakugan and 7 Bakugan Traps unite into ONE. 2010 TOTY Award Winner. 2/15/2010 (Price: $39.99; Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Chess: Once A Pawn A Time by NORMAN & GLOBUS INC.

Using the two captivating books included in CHESS: Once A Pawn A Time, this kit is designed to help children enjoy earning and playing chess. The endearing chess characters and story-book style are created to engage them in the game. "This imaginative approach to teaching chess was developed by author Patzi Stewart over her 20 years as a chess teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area. The box opens so that customers can examine the books and understand the uniqueness of this chess product prior to purchase," Rachael Norman, Sales, Norman & Globus, Inc., told TDmonthly. Awards: 2010 Dr. Toy Best Toys Award. Launch date: February 15, 2010. 2/11/2010 (Price: $19.98; Age: 5 to 12) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Pencil Play Pals Pencil Games by WHEHEY PUBLISHING

The Pencil Play Pals love to show kids that making a game is as much fun as playing it. And with some pencils — and a few odds and ends from around the house — this fully illustrated arts and crafts book shows how to make and play 20 of the Pencil Play Pals’ favorites. "Animal characters don’t just star in the Pencil Play Pals books; they write them, too. In 'Pencil Play Pals Pencil Games,' all the Pencil Play Pals animal characters contributed. Their never-before-seen pencil-themed games are really arts and crafts projects children get to play with when finished. Included are 11 pages of cut-out game pieces to get the fun off to a quick start," Simon Chandler, Owner, Whehey Publishing, told TDmonthly. Awards: Preferred Choice Award, Creative Child Magazine; 2009 Family Choice Award, Family Choice Magazine. Launch date: 2009. 2/11/2010 (Price: $16.99; Age: 4 to 10) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Silly Sam Broom by KIDZ DELIGHT

Silly Sam Broom is part of hands-on line of Silly Sam & Friends talking role-play toys. Kids sweep and move the bristles or press the nose to hear one of six random speech and sound effects. Awards: American Baby Toy of the Year, Dr. Toy's 100 Best Children's Products. Launch date: 2002. 2/11/2010 (Price: $12.99; Age: 2 to 4) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Building Thinking Skills® Beginning by THE CRITICAL THINKING CO.

Building Thinking Skills Beginning is designed to provide fun, highly effective and engaging reasoning activities to improve the vocabulary, pre-reading, pre-writing, math, logic, spatial, and auditory processing skills of preschoolers. It teaches children to use organized analysis instead of guesswork to solve problems as it develops critical thinking skills necessary for success in reading, math, writing, and science. The book uses colorful, easy-to-understand activities, sequenced in small steps, many gamelike, and solvable in a short period. "Our thinking approach makes learning fun, motivating and effective. Empowering the mind through critical thinking is one of the best ways to prepare for life's journey," Nile Duppstadt, VP, The Critical Thinking Co., told TDmonthly. Awards: 2009 Teacher's Choice Award for the Family, Learning® Magazine, 2010 Best Products iParenting Media Award, Book category. Launch date: February 5, 2009. 2/11/2010 (Price: $32.99; Age: 3 to 5) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Viking Huscarls - Armored Viking Warriors by WARGAMES FACTORY LLC

These are hard plastic 28mm multi-part figures for wargamers, modelers and collectors. It's the first set in the Hammer of the Gods Dark Ages range and features 24 multi-pose Vikings. Award: 2009 Reader's Choice Award - 2nd Place Tabletop Gaming News. Launch date: October 2009. 2/4/2010 (Price: $19.95; Age: 12 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Geemo by BROOKLYN JUNIOR

Designed by Cas Holman, Geemo is a grabby, stretchy, quirky companion designed to occupy a child's mind as much as his hands. This playful building block for the imagination is sold in Geemanisms (sets) of five. Geemo's flexible, magnetic limbs grab and repel each other in unpredictable ways. As Geemo comes to life in one's hands, he can build, discover, create and imagine with freedom. Awards: Conduit Brave New Design 2005. Launch date: October 2006. Watch Geemo: Top-5 Video, Toy Fair 2010 2/4/2010 (Price: $39.99; Age: 3 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Bilingual Alphabet Flash Cards by SMART PLAY LLC

Bilingual Flash Cards are designed to help children learn all 26 English letters and 27 Spanish letters. Brightly colored illustrations help children recognize letters and identify beginning sounds. There are two convenient ways to play: using in a stand position or carrying anywhere using the handle. Award: 2009 Creative Child Seal of Excellence Award. Launch date: October 2009. 2/4/2010 (Price: $6.99; Age: 3 to 8) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Smart Projector by SMART PLAY LLC

This compact, easy to use projector is designed to provide hours of entertainment and creativity. It teaches how to trace and write the alphabet and numbers (for ages 3 to 4 years). Kids over 4 years can trace and draw 24 animals and write their names in English/Spanish. A bright LED provides a clear image along with long battery life. The size of the image can be adjusted to suit the drawing surface. Awards: 2009 Creative Child Preferred Choice Award. Launch date: October 2009. 2/4/2010 (Price: $24.99; Age: 3 to 8) [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, PTPA Media 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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