Every year new toys are introduced, and every year the Toy of the Year Awards are held to honor the best of the best. This year we’ve seen several tried and true toy companies company come away winners, and some surprising newcomers take their place as well. Let’s look at the winners.
2012 Toy of the Year Awards: The Winners Circle
LeapPad Explorer: In total, the LeapPad Explorer received three awards, including the top spot of Toy of the Year. Many expected this toy to take home several awards, because it is truly one of the most innovative toys out there. Basically, it is a Tablet that’s designed specifically for kids. In addition to many educational apps that can be added, it also has a camera, video recover and microphone built in. These tablets are designed for a wide age range, which means that it can grow with the child as they get older. Of course, extra care is made to make it safe and strong for use by kids.
LEGO Ninjago Fire Temple: This category seeks to recognize toys that inspire kids to play creatively in new ways. Both a plot-based activity game and a LEGO set, the LEGO Ninjago Fire Temple offers a wide variety of ways for children to play with it. Initially they’ll create the basic structure. When that’s complete, they can move to help save the world from the evil Lord Garmadon and his army of skeletons. They must construct a Fire Temple, and the ultimate Dojo, and then the battle can finally begin. When split down the middle, the Fire Temple revels the Fire Dragon.
Hot Wheels Wall Tracks: The Boy Toy of the Year 2012 was given to the best toy for boys of any age. The winner, Hot Wheels Wall Tracks, is a great toy that parents love as much as kids. Kids love it for everything they’ve loved about Hot Wheels for decades – there are zipping tracks, fast cars, and lots of excitement. Parents love it because the tracks can be attached to the wall via Command Strips made by 3M. This means less mess on the floor, no marks on the wall, and the toy can be used in smaller spaces.
LeapPad Explorer: LeapFrog, the makers of the LeapPad Explorer, are a company with a strong focus on education, so it’s no surprise that in addition to Toy of the Year 2012, they won the award for Educational Toy of the Year. Similar to an adult Tablet like the iPad, the LeapPad comes with a wide range of curriculum options, and the tablet is able to automatically adjust. As the child improves skills in one particular area, such as reading, the games for that area automatically get harder to ensure the child stays interested and challenged.
Angry Birds Knock on Wood Game: This category is for the best board game, card game, CD-ROM or electronic game. The winner was Angry Birds Knock on Wood Game, which is based off of one of the most downloaded digital apps. The game is a 3-D version of that app that’s played on a table top. There’s a lot of versatility with this game, as it can be played by just one young player, or a large group. It includes catapults, cards, and other interactive features that help to bring the digital app to life for kid.
Fijit Friends Interactive Figures: Given to the best toys of 2012 developed for girls of any age, this years winner is the Fijit Friends Interactive Figures. These fun dolls can do it all, from laughing, dancing, and talking. They are made of pliable, soft, textured skin that’s designed so it can move in lifelike ways. In total there are 4 characters available, and each on has its own unique features. With different colors, different voices, different ears, and even different personalities, there’s one for girls of any taste. Each one has voice recognition software that can comprehend more than 30 phrases and can return with more than 150 jokes and phrases.
Elefun Busy Ball Popper: Recognizing the best toy developed for infants and toddlers of up to 36 months old, this year’s award goes to Elefun Busy Ball Popper. Shaped like an elephant, the ball popper plays upbeat music and includes five balls. Balls can be fed in through his ears or hand, and are then sucked into the toy and popped out from his adorable trunk. The toy is adjustable for different ages as well. For example, the trunk turns 360 degrees and parents can set it at different intervals and levels. With bold primary colors, this is a bright, playful toy.
Hot Wheels Wall Tracks: Hot Wheels Wall Tracks has another win, this time in the most innovative toy category. This award is given to the toy that best combines innovation and play value. While the category had some great contenders, the fact that Hot Wheels has utilized the 3M Command Strip technology is likely what took it over the edge. These tracks can be laid right on the walls of your home, which means they’re out of the way and easy to clean up. When it’s time to take them down, you just pop the tabs and they come off with no damage to your walls.
Rockboard Scooter Mini: This is such a versatile toy that really kids get moving. It can be ridden in two positions and can also be used as kick scooter. It has the patented Rockboard Propulsion Technology and innovative steel power-driven chain that makes it one of the top sellers in its field. Able to hold up to 90 pounds of weight, it can be used by younger and older kids as well. It is based off of the original Rockboard Scooter, but is smaller in size to be a perfect fit for younger kids who want to get moving.
LeapPad Explorer: When a toy cleans up with 3 wins for Toy of the Year 2012, you know you’ve found something special. This toy is an excellent introduction to technology for preschoolers. Kids who’ve seen their parents play with their own tablets get one of their own, but it’s built with preschool kids in mind. The button are easy to push, the touchscreen has every protection possible to ensure that it’s safe to be played with and that it can stand up to rough treatment from kids. With fun and education packed into one toy, there’s no question that it deserves its three wins.
Angry Birds: This award is given not to an individual game but to a brand as a whole. It recognizes the brand that has the greatest success spreading throughout the industry. This years winner is Angry Birds, which started out as an app for iPhone and Android, and became the most downloaded app of all time shortly after it was released. The brand has spread to toys, table top games, video games, and more. Kids are drawn to the action and adventure of the colorful, cute pigs and birds, and each game helps to develop hand-eye coordination.
HEXBUG Nano Hive Habitat Set: Nano is a well-known and respected toy maker, but never have they made something so portable as the HEXBUG Hive Habitat Set. Kids can create their own Nano playground in an infinite number of ways by moving pegs from place to place, and rotating flags on the floor. There are a number of attachment points, and when they have the set perfected, they can incorporate the Nanos. There are ramps, obstacles, a see-saw and a merry-go-ground. One of the best aspects of this toy is how easily it can be folded up and carried or stored once playtime is over.
About the 2012 Toy of the Year Awards
The Toy of the Year Awards go out to the best toys of 2012 in 11 different categories plus 1 toy that is given the coveted Toy of the Year Award. The 77 toys nominated were selected from a nominee list of more than 450 different toys, games, and brands. Toys can be nominated in more than one category, and in fact several of the toys that made the short list of nominated toys were nominated in more than one category.
The winners were chosen by different groups: consumers voting on the website of ToyAwards, retailers (both mass and specialty), media, and members of the toy industry. Each of these ballots are weighed and the best of the bunch is announced. This years awards held some surprises, but it was no surprise that the favorite of the bunch, the LeapPad Explorer, won 3 of the 11 awards.
The awards are organized by the Toy Industry Association, which is a non-profit association for both producers and importers of toys in North America. All told, about 550 companies are members, and they make up approximately 85% of toy sales in the United States.
The Toy Industry Association has a strong focus on safety, as they work with companies who develop new ways to ensure that kids stay safe while they play with their favorite toys. They are also always looking for the latest innovations, so you’ll find that the winners of this years Toy of the Year awards are those that combine safety and innovation.
These awards are a great way for parents and educators to instantly see which of the toys released in the last year are a step above the rest. As we look forward to the 2013 awards, we’re excited to discover the best and most innovative toys that will be coming out this year.
Wanna see more? Check out the hottest new toys from the 2012 Toy Fair
