Preschool Games - T.O.Y. Awards
When it comes to choosing the must- have best sellers of preschool games and kid-friendly toys each year, grownups are not required. Each year, over one hundred companies submit toys to Digital Research Incorporated, the independent research firm who runs the great Toy Of the Year program,( T.O.Y.) . They then ask children age 3 to about age 12, to become play testers of preschool games and other newly released products. After more than 30,000 fun hours of play testing, kids compare and vote on their favorite items, anything from educational preschool games to card kits, (always in private so they won’t be influenced by a friend). The DRI company has a policy in which the toys are given a certain category, that way each toy will get an equal chance. This formula, which relies on kid testers and an independent research firm, has been designed so well it has identified the must have toys year after year. Based on the outcome of matching votes, awards are then given to each selection of kid-approved playthings, some become the winners and some finalists. Recommendations are then given to reveal the Top 10 toys of the year. A variety of toys; ( including many preschool games ), the Rescue Hero’s, and the favorite, Tickle Me Elmo; have both been identified as best sellers through this system.
Here’s the scoop on the 2005 T.O.Y. awards: Kids ages 3-4 have chosen the ‘Team Talking Tool Bench’ as the favorite in the play-set category. Playschool created this animated tool bench to be interactive, plus tell jokes. (Price: $35.00)
The three favorite preschool games are: ‘Bamboo Bialo’, where preschoolers use a springboard to flip animal shaped game pieces into color coded rings. ( HaPe $20.00) Then next on the list is ‘Buckaroo’ . (Milton Bradley sells this unpredictable mule for $16.00) Kids take turns loading him up with selected items, only to have him buck at any second and send the equipment flying. Buckaroo became the winner in the preschool games category. The third treasure, ‘Sleepy Princess and the Pea’, takes the princess out of her castle. ( $24.00 by Haba) Using stacking concepts in preschool games has always been a hit with kids, and this toy is no exception. “Making the bed has never been so much fun!”
Preschool games can be learning toys. The winner for this category, Learning Toys, ‘Pretend & Play Trace & Learn Cake.’ (Learning Resources, $25.00) Decals, messages, stamps and don’t forget the candles, are used to decorate this unique message board. The wipe off surface provides many opportunities for creativity.
Look up the T.O.Y. awards for the entire list of winners.