Each year, the arrival of Toy Fair brings a crazy cavalcade of kid confections, amidst which there are a few gems that might merit making room in your toy closet. Those special few were singled out at the coinciding 11th Annual Toy of the Year Awards, sponsored by the Toy Industry Association. Here are four of the most worthy winners. Note, we have not personally given most of these a test drive (though maybe we will now):
2011 Toys of the Year:
Overall Toy of the Year (and Preschool Toy of the Year): The Sing-a-Ma-Jigs
More than cute if quirky little dolls, each of these four Sing-A-Ma-Jigs has three modes of play: press their hand and they chatter, squeeze their bellies and they sing their own song. Most compelling of all, bring 2 or more of them together, and they harmonize with each other – a lovely way to introduce some key musical concepts to children. From Mattel; $13 each.
Activity Toy of the Year: Crayola Color Wonder Sound Studio
Recognized for inspiring creative play through different forms of activity, this year’s Activity award pick is an interactive coloring pad, from Crayola, that lets kids choose from 60 different sound effects that they can place anywhere on any Color Wonder coloring page. Kids can therefore develop a huge array of sound combinations to support their artistry, which play back when they color (i.e. they can color a dinosaur… and hear it roar). The Interactive Drawing Base comes with 6 sound icon cards (for a total of 60 sounds), 5 Color Wonder Mini Markers, 12 pages of pre-printed Color Wonder art and 6 sheets of blank Color Wonder Paper. From $21 to $35
Crayola Color Wonder Sound Studio on Amazon.com
Game of the Year: Scrabble Flash
This year’s stand-out among board, card, CD-ROM or electronic games is an electronic twist on a classic. Find words in a “flash” by using the interactive SmartLink tiles to build your words – they’ll flash and beep with each word you make. To keep things moving much more quickly than the original Scrabble, turns are automatically timed, and with each turn you your score will be displayed with the maximum points possible. You can play individually, or in different competitive versions. From Hasbro; $29.99
Scrabble Flash at HasbroToyShop.com
Specialty Toy of the Year: HEXBUG Nano Habitat Set
Recognizing an outstanding toy distributed primarily through specialty toy retailers, the year’s award went to HEXBUG® Nano Habitat Set by Innovation First Labs, Inc. The HEXBUG Nano is a miniature robotic bug that moves fast and flips over, like a real bug, based on a high vibration. Kids can register their Nanos online (each comes with an exclusive access code that lets them track their collection, play games, and learn about real science). They are all the rage, especially with young boys – and this Habitat Set creates new possibilities for play, with curved, straight and hexagonal pieces that interconnect to create your favorite form of bugland.
Nano Habitat Set at Target.com
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