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Award Winning Toys

How They choose:

"Companies submit products to us all year long. Our editors review the submissions, weeding out products that are unsafe, unsound or obviously unworthy.

Promising products are then kid tested by families nationwide. Finally, these results are considered by the experts as part of the overall evaluation of the product.

Unlike publications that rely exclusively on the judgment of kid-testers, our reviews take kid-tester's response to a product as one of the many factors to be considered, along with educational and play value, safety, age appropriateness, and other factors.

Why not rely just on kid-testers? What would the results be of kid-testing in a supermarket? Your basket might be full of heavily advertised convenience foods and candy and ice cream, but low on nutritional balance. We want to make sure your basket for play is also balanced, so our reviews give you the opinion of our editorial staff, informed by kid-testers.

At the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio we don't take ads or entry fees from companies we review. Some guides charge companies to list their product: we don't. Most magazines rely on advertising from the very companies they review: we never have. We can tell it like it is, because we don't have to worry about companies pulling their ads. You can trust our kid, parent, and educator tested picks."

Criteria they use in evaluating products:

2007 Oppenheim Award Winning Toys:

Infant

	Lamaze Clap With Me Monkey - By: RC2 / Learning Curve A purple-and-yellow monkey with geometric patterns and a jolly smile is ready to play and make music with. Squeeze Monkey’s hand and you hear the familiar tune, “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands!” Now, clap Monkey’s hands or it stops making music. A playful way to learn about cause and effect.  Age: Infant
	ActiviTot Developmental Baby Gym - By: Tiny Love We’ve seen a lot of so-called tummy-time products for infants. This one is a gem. An oversized, pear-shaped mat that pops open, has bright graphics, and is fitted out with disks that toys and arches clamp into. There are toys to hang on the arches for baby to bat at, and a mat that inflates for baby to lie on, tummy-side down. A mirror with music box can also be placed for baby to enjoy her own smiling face. Bigger than anything this company has done before, and our parent testers loved it. Not as portable as the original but still got high marks. Select either Tropic Isle or Sun Garden motif. Age: Infant
	Amazing Baby Developmental Blanket Teether - By: Kids Preferred One of our favorite new toys of the year. Not really a blanket, this is about 12" of flat bear with crinkle body. It has chewy teether hands, easy-to-grab rings on its feet, and interesting patterns on its patchwork body. A variety of textures include plush head, satin foot, and velvety velour back. Age: Infant
	Amazing Baby Sound Balls - By: Kids Preferred Three baseball-sized, brightly patterned fabric balls come packaged together in a see-through tote. A black-and-white ball with colorful swirls crinkles, an orange velour ball with stitched stars jingles, and a multicolored ball with bold patterns chimes. A classic toy for sensory exploration and active play. Age: Infant, Toddler
	Cuddle Pups Puppets - By: Manhattan Toy You’ll love the feel of these extremely soft velour puppets that are ideal for playing tracking games with your baby. Bring home either the pink Butterfly, blue Monkey, or green Frog. Age: Infant, Toddler
	NooBoo Symphonic Baby Stacker - By: Manhattan Toy We tested a lot of fabric stackers this year but most were unforgiving—they didn’t move easily on the post. These pleasingly soft patterned, textured, easy-to-grasp rings (they look almost like flowers) are fun to explore—they also activate “magical” sounds when stacked (although they don’t always work 100% of the time). A good parent/child toy. Age: Infant
	Toss the Taggies - By: Taggies A big fabric ball with multiple patterns, ribbon taggies to grab, and a wonderful jingle inside is one of the best toys of the season. It’s covered with soft velour but slightly under stuffed to make it easier to grasp. Age: Infant, Toddler
Toddler:
	Amazing Baby Sound Balls - By: Kids Preferred Three baseball-sized, brightly patterned fabric balls come packaged together in a see-through tote. A black-and-white ball with colorful swirls crinkles, an orange velour ball with stitched stars jingles, and a multicolored ball with bold patterns chimes. A classic toy for sensory exploration and active play. Age: Infant, Toddler
	Cosmo Club - By: Mary Meyer Select any one of these soft velour animals with stitched features. We especially love the giraffe and the moose. Just right to fill the bill as a first huggable for your toddler. Tip Top Giraffe are Orange and Blue Giraffes, with embroidered eyes, colorful horns, feet and muzzles, with colorful embroidered body trim and colorful mane and tail-tip. Age: Toddler
	Cuddle Pups Puppets - By: Manhattan Toy You’ll love the feel of these extremely soft velour puppets that are ideal for playing tracking games with your baby. Bring home either the pink Butterfly, blue Monkey, or green Frog. Age: Infant, Toddler
	iPlay Zoom Around Garage - By: International Playthings Our 21⁄2 year old tester loved the levels of this multilevel garage and the elevator—his mom loved that the set comes with four cars (easier to share that way!) The chunky plastic cars can ride up the elevator and roll down the chutes and ramps with sound effects and flashing lights (not too loud). A fun setting for dramatic play. Cars can be played with separately or linked together with magnetic connectors. They say 1 & up—we’d say more like 18 mos. & up. Age: Toddler
	Jumbo Jungle Animals - By: Learning Resources Perfect props for pretend, a set of five jungle animals—a 13" giraffe, an elephant, a lion, a tiger, and a gorilla. Handsomely finished with realistic colors. Little hands will find lots of ways to use these with and without blocks. 2 & up. Age: Toddler, Preschool
	Kiddy Connects - By: Edushape A plastic jar comes loaded with 36 ball-shaped connectors with short arms that fit together in patterns or random shapes. A fun way to develop dexterity, color words, and even beginning counting skills, along with problem solving, as tots figure out how to fit the arms together. 2 1⁄2 & up. Age: Toddler
	Latitude Enfant Grannimals Collection - By: Latitude Enfant Done in knitted fabric and stitched features, these are an unusual collection of machine washable soft dolls that are gender neutral. A real departure from the usual plush. Choose Lucien the rabbit, Mona the cow, Sasha the cat, Marie the mouse. The medium and large arrive in a special box that might well turn into a bed. The mini and giant come sans box. PLATINUM AWARD ’06. New characters (available in only the smaller size) include Lou the wolf, Leon the Pig, Theo the Bear, Hugo the Hedgehog. Also new and extremely cute, parent/child pairs Celestine and Celeste (cats), and Justin and Justine (dogs) and Emile and Emilien (mice). Age: Toddler
	Lego Duplo Zoo - By: Lego The latest in the themed sets in the Duplo line, this comes with a sheet of eyes that you can add to the blocks to create your own animals (of course with a toddler, you’ll need to help with this). Our testers really enjoyed placing the eyes on with help! Parents loved the green storage case. Age: Toddler
	Little People Lil' Movers Airplane - By: Fisher-Price Load the chunky Little People on and off through the top of the jolly looking white plane with licks of blue, red and green. Little People will not fit in the door/ramp, but not to worry; they fit through the open roof. There’s a female pilot and two passengers that bounce up and down as kids push the plane along the floor. Push the pilot down in her seat and the music begins, a short little tune that is not too intrusive. A red handle makes it easier to “fly” the plane in the air. A toddler size prop for pretend. They say 1& up. We’d say more like 18 months & up. Age: Toddler
	Mini EduBlocks - By: Edushape These peg-top blocks are bigger than Lego Quatros or giant-size Mega Bloks, and they are softer and more pliable. This makes them quieter and easier to manipulate for beginners. They come in four shapes and colors, and are ideal for making big constructions. They say 6 mos., we’d say more like 18 mos. Age: Toddler
	My First Quatro Set - By: Lego Twos used to graduate to Lego Duplo bricks, but now there’s a bigger brick (twice the size of Duplo and four times the size of standard Lego). This set comes with 20 pieces but here, “more is better,” so we even suggest starting with the Large Quatro Bucket. Platinum Award 2005. 1 & Up. Age: Toddler
	Smushy Elephant - By: North American Bear Co. You’ve heard of the three bears? How about three adorable pachyderms? In creamy white with pink or blue satin ribbons or powder blue, these fuzz-free huggables have high and low plush, turned up trunks, and floppy ears, and come in a 25", 17", or 11" cuddly soft armful. Very lovable! Age: Toddler
	Toss the Taggies - By: Taggies A big fabric ball with multiple patterns, ribbon taggies to grab, and a wonderful jingle inside is one of the best toys of the season. It’s covered with soft velour but slightly under stuffed to make it easier to grasp. Age: Infant, Toddler
	Triple Track Tower - Playskool Three little cars race down three parallel tracks that are like a giant slide. They can roll free, or be operated with the push of a button that also gives the sound effects of speeding vehicles. Kids can also turn the lever and stop them at the bottom. Good for repetitive action and dramatic play. Since the slides go straight down there is less tracking, or interest, than the typical ball runs with twist-and-turn action. 2 & up. Age: Toddler
Preschool Years:
	100 Hoops - By: LeapFrog Hang this electronic counting hoop on a doorknob, drawer, or chair. Set the counter to count by ones. For older kids, set it to count by 2s, 5s, 10s, or backwards and they are ready to start shooting baskets. Kids can set a goal and the payoff comes with special music. Counts in English or Spanish and, even better, it also has a volume control. 3 & up, up, up. Age: Preschool, Early School Years
	Airport Action - By: Lego One of the most satisfying Duplo sets of the year (no matter how old you are). Your preschooler will need a lot of help putting this set together but he will love playing with it! Comes with a plane, airport with tower, and ground crew! Still top rated, last year’s PLATINUM AWARD-winning Fire Station, which can be built as a tower or horizontally. Past winners include: The Big Farm Set, Bob the Builder, and Dora the Explorer sets. We also highly recommend a big bucket for open-ended creations. 3 & up. Age: Preschool, Early School Years
	Air-powered Action Stadium - By: Hasbro Scaled just right for preschoolers to enjoy the fun of playing air hockey complete with a friendly sports announcer and some (but not too many) lights and sounds. Converts into a pinball game that is also not over-the-top frenetic—just on the mark for this age group. 3 & up. Age: Preschool
	Animal Bingo - By: eeBoo Award-winning illustrator Kevin Hawkes designed the graphics on this simple matching game. It is more like a lotto game than bingo, with six animals on each playing board and matching animal chips that players pull from a cloth bag. A game of chance that is good for language development. 3 & up. Age: Preschool, Early School Years
	Bebe Do with Moses Basket - By: Corolle A very special-looking present that comes with a 14" baby doll in a charming pink fabric-lined carrying basket with quilt, toy bunny, bottle, and baby book! There is an African American Bebe Do version but unfortunately not with the basket. Age: Preschool
	Caterpillar Race - By: Edushape Two caterpillars are racing to the finish line. The way they get there is with a roll of the dice, players move the matching piece of the caterpillar’s body forward. Okay, so there are some body integrity issues here, but it’s really fun to play and a fresh new twist on color concepts! Age: Preschool. Call (800) 404-4744.
	Baby Doll Nursery Crib - By: Corolle The perfect accessory for doll play. This nursery looks most like a portable crib done in pink and white. Comes with an activity arch with two dangling toys. Sure to be a pleaser, especially with a new doll inside! Age: Preschool, Early School Years.
	Cranium Hullabaloo DVD Game - By: Cranium Plug this DVD in, put the playing mats on the floor, and let the fun begin! Fun for a party or play date, this is an active game that involves kids in wiggling like an octopus, crawling like a lizard, hopping like a kangaroo. As they move to different colored and shaped playmates, kids may find themselves on the same square as a friend. No problem. It’s not a competitive game. Winning is completely by chance as the caller announces the “Lucky Pad” that three kids may be standing on. With live action video of animals and how they move, this game offers lots of opportunities for active play as well as quick rounds for multiple winners. A delightful adaptation of the original Hullabaloo game. Age: Preschool, Early School Years.
	Dive, Dodge 'n Slide Bouncer: By: Little Tikes The neighborhood that tested this 16' x 7' x 7' bouncer raved. It requires lots of space but delivers a great deal of play value. “Larger kids were able to enjoy it too,” “easy to blow up with built in pump.” Kids have to make their way through the obstacle course and then down one of two red slides. As with any inflatable toy, lots of parental supervision is a must. There are larger inflatables in this line (notably a rock wall that looks like fun, but we are concerned about smaller children climbing and potentially falling awkwardly). 3 & Up. Age: Preschool, Early School Years
	Furreal Friends Butterscotch Pony - By: Hasbro Your child is either going to love Butterscotch or want to run in the opposite direction. Butterscotch is voice activated and will move her head in your direction when you speak to her. She whinnes and snorts and while she doesn't actually move forward, she does make walking sounds when you sit on her (there is an 80 lb. limit). Comes with a carrot and brush. It's fun to feed her as she makes chomping sounds and moves her mouth. She has almost too much hair on her mane but certainly does fill the bill on "hairplay". We usually don't love dolls that do a lot of things--but for kids that love horses, Butterscotch is truly magical. Age: Preschool, Early School Years
	Geotrax All About Trains Motorized Starter Set - By: Fisher-Price A classic 20-piece figure-8 set with 13 pieces of track, motorized engine and trail car, yield sign, crossing sign, gantry with crate, coal loader and crossing gate. Comes with a wonderful live-action DVD. Age: Preschool, Early School Years
	Get Real Gear - By: Aeromax Toys We were impressed with this company’s themed jumpsuits: new for 2007, an astronaut’s white suit and an amazing helmet that comes with audio commands for a “lift off”—really for 4s and up. Past favorites: Jr. Air Force Pilot and Jr. Championship Racer. Come in sizes for kids 3–12. PLATINUM AWARD ’05. They have new gender-specific doctor outfits (not our speed). Age: Preschool, Early School Years
	Goober - By: GUND A pot bellied bear that you’ll just want to hug. He’s two-toned with a really distinctive big nose—very endearing. Still very special, Great Big Creamy Bear (Mary Meyer 36" 5) Remember the oversized bear you always dreamed of winning at the fair? This one is much better, because he’s totally huggable, soft, and delicious! 36" big, this memorable bear will be great to talk to and lean on. PLATINUM AWARD ’06. Age: Preschool
	Hokey Pokey Musical Skirt - By: Acting Out Following the success of last year’s Platinum winning Swan Lake Musical Dress ($32 5) and Nutcracker Sugar Plum Musical Skirt ($26 5) that gave little ballerinas an orchestra they could activate as they danced, this season dancers can turn themselves around as they do the Hokey Pokey in a polka-dotted skirt with motion-activated music. All make magical gifts to stir active imaginative performances. 3 & up. Age: Preschool, Early School Years
	Jumbo Jungle Animals - By: Learning Resources Perfect props for pretend, a set of five jungle animals—a 13" giraffe, an elephant, a lion, a tiger, and a gorilla. Handsomely finished with realistic colors. Little hands will find lots of ways to use these with and without blocks. 2 & up. Age: Toddler, Preschool
	Kid-Tough FP3 Player - By: Fisher-Price Parents can download songs and stories to the preloaded player designed for preschoolers. Add your own music or selections from the Fisher-Price Song & Story Content Store. (Software PC compatible only.) In contrast to the Star Station On-the-Go Player (next page), the FP3 has a volume control and limiter to protect young ears! Comes with a 1.4" LCD screen that displays titles and visual icons for pre-readers. 3 & up. Age: Preschool
	Lucky the Incredible Wonder Pup - By: Zizzle “Works right away,” noted our parent tester. Lucky is a two-toned dog that responds to 15 different commands including “speak,” “come here,” “lie down,” and “shake hands.” Very clever and gets high marks for really being well trained. Lucky made such a huge hit with all adults and children who came into our offices that we had trouble getting down to work. Everyone wanted to play with Lucky! Marked 5 & up, we think older fours will love it too!
	Magneatos Intermediate - By: Guidecraft This year we heard tragic news about toddlers who swallowed the small round magnets from sets designed for older children. If you have mixed aged children, this kind of toy will need super supervision! The good news is that there are larger rod and magnet sets designed for younger kids who still mouth their toys.
	My Creative Center - By: Alex You’ll need lots of room for this oversized wooden table (49" x 29.5" d) that eclipses their previous Super Art Table in size. Rounded on one end with a storage container, this table comes with a chalk surface and a paper roller/cutter and two long benches. Done in the same cheerful primary “Maisy-like” color scheme as the other tables in the collection. For a smaller round table with same style, consider My First Table. 3 & up. Age: Preschool, Early School Years.
	Penelope Peapod - By: Penelope Peapod Imagine a drawstring pocketbook made of a basket with fabric top, that opens into a bassinette and has a sweet little doll inside, dressed in a matching romper. Perfect for pretend on the go. Dolls come in various ethnicities, with cotton prints (including our favorite with Pucci-inspired fabric). Age: Preschool
	Ride and Rescue Cozy Coupe - By: Little Tikes A twist on the classic ride-in, comes with firefighter’s handheld gizmo for turning on flashing lights and seven siren sounds built into electronic microphone. Still runs on good old-fashioned foot power! Age: Preschool
	Tea Party Game - By: eeBoo Our three-and-a-half-year-old tester loved the big playing pieces and the tablecloth that add to the pretend part of this simple game. Players use a spinner to collect the pieces of the tea set needed for their party. There are no skills involved in this luck-of-the-draw game. Graphics are beautiful and the game is on target for the preschool set. 3 & up. Age: Preschool
	The Very Books Block Puzzle - By: Mudpuppy Press Nine cubes can be turned to create six different images from several beloved Eric Carle books such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Very Quiet Cricket, The Very Lonely Firefly, and others. These images are painterly.
	Thomas and Friends Load and Sort Recycling Center / Echo Tunnel / Sodor Fire Station - By: RC2 / Learning Curve Three pieces of cargo slide through the Recycling Center and magically drop down the can, paper, or glass chutes and onto a waiting truck. Clever use of technology with a built-in message! Also great fun, Echo Tunnel. Our tester loved speaking into the tunnel and hearing his own words echo back! There are also a train whistle and rackety track sounds that echo as trains run through the small tunnel that fits into any track set-up. One parent noted: “The ability to record one’s voice is so much fun for this age.” Also wonderful, Sights & Sounds Deluxe Fire Station. An alarm activates lights and sounds of the fire crew with their fire truck and fire train. Switches above the doorways turn on lights and sounds, and open the double doors. 3 & up. Age: Preschool, Early School Years
	Trixieville -  By: Manhattan Toy From the makers of Groovy Girls comes Trixieville—a more sophisticated collection of dolls that come with jointed hips and shoulders. First collection: Zayla (redhead), Avena (blonde), and Elonia (brunette) have a modern fairy look. Think Tinker Bell goes Vogue (with wings, of course). The furniture, including the Leafy Lounger and accessories for this line, are equally whimsical and fun. Our only regret is that these are not multicultural fairies. Age: Preschool
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