Sep 19, 2013

Dr. Toy Announces 100 Best Children’s Products of 2013

As a natural, on-going part of our work as parents, teachers, early childhood specialists, and others involved with children at home or elsewhere, we observe children at play. With our eyes we see what works…and what doesn’t hold up under tough testing – the normal barrage of active, inquisitive, and resourceful babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and older children. This guide is now offered to complement your observations and to help you in selecting the right products to enhance your child’s play and learning.

We make buying decisions based on lasting play value and product applicability to find a good balance of children’s active, creative, and educational experiences. We can depend on the durability and versatility of such items as blocks, construction toys, games, puppets, and transportation toys. They stimulate the imagination, engage the player, have value, and hold up over time. We want to apply these standards to all of the play product choices we make. We often hear consumers describe their experience of making a purchase, but shortly after giving little Suzy or Johnny the product it falls apart – a frustrating and often expensive experience. Products that do not meet safety standards can be dangerous, and cause harm to children. We want to avoid these problems and as always strive for excellence. Dr. Toy spends a great deal of time reviewing a large quantity of varied products created by myriad manufacturers and designers the world over. She makes sure the final selections match the extensive criteria for excellence.

Certainly age grading, name recognition, company dependability, versatility of design, and place of purchase are factors to obtain the right product.

Another aspect you can depend on is a warranty. Rising costs for products require everyone to be wise consumers to get extra lasting value. Certainly durable products, properly designed, and developmentally correct, are worth the money. Children’s positive reactions are worth our care in selection. Dr. Toy utilizes a complicated set of objective and subjective criteria to evaluate toys and other products.

Some questions to ask are:

Is this product worth the price?

Does it have lasting “play value”?

Is it appropriate?

Is it fun?

Does it meet safety standards?

Dr. Toy is pleased to have the opportunity to share her years of play and toy experiences with all parents, teachers and other consumers to assist them in their own selection process to match the child’s age and interests.

This timely report features information about l00 wonderful new toys and children’s products from large and small companies. The toys and products selected meet Dr. Toy’s high standards for design, durability, price, quality, safety, and value.

Dr. Toy reminds parents and teachers, “Let’s not forget that “play is children’s work” and ‘should be respected and understood by all adults. We should be thinking: What products or ‘tools for play’ can we obtain to provide wholesome experiences for our children and provide plenty of positive and meaningful play interactions.”

Dr. Toy’s Smart Play/Smart Toys: How to Raise a Child with a High P.Q.(Play Quotient) was written for new parents, and others who care about children, and is available in toy, book stores or online. Dr. Toy invites consumers to take the time to describe play and product experiences, and ask questions about toys and products.

Following are examples of award-winning toys and products and the companies that grouped in selected categories of “smart” play. You can find out more about each product by assigned codes that designate types of products.

Ten Best Active Products – Bigjigs Toy (Around the World Train Set), Brand 44 (Slackers 90′ Eagle Series Zipline), Diggin Active (Soccer Challenge), Exploracize (My First Math Ball Numbers & Shapes), Ezyroller (EzyDrifter), GeoPalz (iBitz), JumpSport® (JumpSport® iBounce™ Kids Trampoline Videos), Rubbabu (Golf Set), Strider Sports (Strider St No-Pedal Balance Bike), Tangle Creations (Tangle NightBall).

Ten Best Audio/Video Tapes/CDs – 3D Magic Factory (GiggleBellies Sweet Songs & Lullabies), Hap-Pal Music (Fun with Math, Music, and Movement), Jazz for Babies Ltd (5 Album Instrumental-Themed Set), Learning Station (Action! Fun! Dance!), Mighty Sky (Mighty Sky), Mother Company (Ruby’s Studio: The Friendship Show), Music Together (Hello, Everyone!), NCircle Entertainment (WordWorld: Word Play), Rhythm Tree (Rhythm Tree Music & DVD Package), Super Simple Learning (Super Simple Songs – Video Collection).

Ten Best Building Products- Citiblocs (Doll House Building Set), Dress Up America (Playmags™ Magnetic Blocks), GoldieBlox (Spinning Machine), LaQ USA (Animal World Wild Kingdom), Laser Pegs Ventures (Mythology), LEGO Systems (Toddler Build and Play Cubes), Maykah/Roominate (Deluxe Roominate), MEGA Brands (Barbie Build n’ Play Super Star Stage), K’s Kids(Popbo Blocs Fun Park), Thinkplay (Morphun Advanced Construction 500).

Ten Best Children’s Products – b. dazzle (Candy Scramble Squares® Puzzle), CelebriDucks (Pork Chopper), Gorgeous Products (Boikido Wooden Musical Train), Jay at Play (Tummy Stuffers), Learning Resources (New Sprouts Picnic Set), Makedo™ (Box Props People), Mudpuppy (Deluxe Puzzle Wheels), North Star Games (Clubs), Schoenhut Piano (Schoenhut Ukelule), SmartLab Toys (Demolition Lab: Triple Blast Warehouse), TREND enterprises (Alphabet, Numbers, Colors & Shapes Wipe-Off® Bingo).

Ten Best Creative Products – 4M (Friendship Bracelets), ALEX (Duct Tape Messenger Bag), BooKid Toys Ltd (Sticker Fun), Crorey Creations (My Image Button Maker), Discover w/Dr. Cool (Gemstone Dig Kit), Folkmanis (Red Octopus Puppet), General Pencil (How to Draw Cartoon Animation! Kit), Kiwi Crate (Kiwi Crate), MindWare (Paint-Your-Own Porcelain Bowls and Vases), Seedling New Zealand (Fashion Designer’s Kit).

Ten Best Educational Products – Foreign Languages for Kids (Spanish Vol. 1), FoxMind Games (Smart Cookies), Great Media (Dino Lingo Language Learning Program), Highlights for Children (Which Way USA), Learning Journey (Match It! Spelling), MandarinaKids (Chinese Starter Kit), Real Tooth Fairies (Real Tooth Fairies Book Series), RRKidz (Reading Rainbow App), ToysNTales (Wizarday), Wild Republic (Butterfly Nature Tubes).

Ten Best Games – Blue Orange (Spot It! Party), Eat to Win (FuNutritional Board Game), GameWhys (SkyGarden), Gamewright (Chef Pop de Pop), Griddly Games (Show Me the Kwan), LunchBox Kids (LunchBox Kids Board Game), Patch Products (Chain Letters), Peaceable Kingdom (What’s It?), R&R Games (Pluckin’ Pairs), USAOPOLY (CrossWays).

Ten Best High Technology Products- Artec Educational (Bipedal Walking Robot), Cognitive Kid (Ansel & Clair: Little Green Island), Creative Baby Inc (i-Mat), LeapFrog (LeapPad Ultra), littleBits Electronics (Deluxe Kit), Orbotix (Sphero), Pers (Ice Math Ninja), Ubooly (Ubooly), Virtual Piggy (Virtual Piggy), VTech (InnoTab 3S).

Ten Best Socially Responsible Products – Brushalot (Tooth Fairy Kit), B. toys by Battat (B. TeePee), Jester & Pharley Phund (Jester & Pharley Doll), Just Play (Get Better Checkup Center), Emotional ABC’s (Emotional ABCs), Yogiños (Story of Ganesha), DuneCraft (Mini-Cactus Garden LED Light Cube), Learning Journey (Go Green Recycle Truck), WowToyz (E-Z Crafts Paper Recycling Workshop.

Ten Best Toys- Adora Dolls (BathTime™ Babies), Automoblox (S9 Police Car), Hanz (Hanz Inventor’s Lab), LeapFrog (Read With Me Scout), Learning Resources (New Sprouts Picnic Set), Thames & Kosmos (Gyrobot), Tiny Love (Gymini Super Deluxe), Treasure Bay (Posh Balls), VTech (2-in-1 Shop & Cook Playset), WowWee (ArtSee Studio).