2019 Toy of the Year Award Finalists Unveiled

The Toy Association has unveiled the 123 finalists for the prestigious 2019 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards.  Which are known as the “Oscars” of the toy industry, the TOTY Awards program recognizes the top toy, game, and licenses in the industry, and supports children in need by serving as a critical fundraiser for The Toy Foundation.

Disney have picked up plenty of nominations for their toys including Disney Doorables, Kessel Run Millennium Falcon, Avengers Hero Inventor Kit, Marvel Legends Series Infinity Gauntlet Articulated Electronic Fist and many more.

Finalists were announced this morning by prominent online influencers who serve as TOTY Ambassadors. Between now and January 6, families can visit www.ToyAwards.org to vote for their favorite playthings in each of the 17 categories, including Action Figure of the Year, Innovative Toy of the Year, and Collectible of the Year.

“If you’re wondering what to get the kids and ‘kidadults’ in your life this holiday season, this year’s TOTY finalists are the hottest toys and games on the market. Whether you are looking for a doll, a board game, or the latest youth electronics, you’ll find great gift ideas for children of all ages. Every one of the TOTY finalists has been carefully screened by judges for its outstanding ability to deliver joy and wonder, while facilitating key developmental benefits of play,” said Steve Pasierb, The Toy Association’s president & CEO.

“Importantly, the TOTY Awards program supports The Toy Foundation’s important mission focused on serving children in need – whether they are living in foster care, impoverished, dealing with a traumatic or life-threatening illness, or facing other adversities,” added Pasierb.

The finalists were selected from more than 550 nominees submitted by over 200 companies of all sizes. Nineteen judges, including toy and play experts, retailers, academics, and journalists, reviewed and ranked the products in specific categories relevant to their areas of expertise. The judges then participated in a live discussion to determine the finalists in each category. They considered each product’s creativity, design, play value, and marketing.

One winner in each category, as well as the coveted “Toy of the Year” award winner and the “People’s Choice” winner (based solely on consumer votes), will be announced at the TOTY Awards gala to be held on Friday, February 15, 2019 at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City. The celebration will kick-off the 116^th North American International Toy Fair and will include the induction of toy industry trailblazers into the esteemed Toy Industry Hall of Fame.

The TOTY Awards gala is open to industry stakeholders only. Tickets for the event will be available for purchase on December 3. Proceeds from the event will provide critical funding to The Toy Foundation, which partners with generous toy companies throughout the year to bring brand-new toys to children in need.

See the finalists in each category below.

ACTION FIGURE OF THE YEAR
Toys that include action figures

• DJ Bumblebee (Hasbro, Inc.)
• Mattel Jurassic World™ Dinosaur Action Figures (Mattel, Inc.)
• Pokémon 4.5″ Battle Feature Figures (Wicked Cool Toys)
• Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Deluxe Ninja Action Figure Assortment (Playmates Toys)
• Stikbot Monsters (Zing)
• Treasure X (Moose Toys)
• WWE® Sound Slammers™ Figures (Mattel, Inc.)

COLLECTIBLE OF THE YEAR
Toys that compose a set and can be collected in multiples; can include novelty playthings, miniature versions of existing lines, licensed collectibles, etc.

• Beaker Creatures™ (Learning Resources)
• Disney Doorables (Moose Toys)
• LEGO® Harry Potter™ and Fantastic Beasts™ Minifigure Series (LEGO Systems, Inc.)
• L.O.L. Surprise! Eye Spy Series (MGA Entertainment)
• Lost Kitties Blind Box Multipack Assortment (Hasbro, Inc.)
• Pikmi Pops: Pikmi Flips (Moose Toys)
• Polly Pocket (Mattel, Inc.)
• Twisty Petz (Spin Master)

CONSTRUCTION TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys that include building and engineering sets

• Gears! Gears! Gears! Machines in Motion (Learning Resources)
• GeoSmart Flip Bot (SMART Toys and Games, Inc.)
• GraviTrax Starter Set (Ravensburger)
• Kessel Run Millennium Falcon™ (LEGO Systems, Inc.)
• LEGO® Harry Potter™ Great Hall™ (LEGO Systems, Inc.)
• Marbleocity Triple Play Archimedes Screw (PlayMonster)
• Snap Circuits BRIC: Structures (Elenco)

CREATIVE TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys that allow kids to build an/or make items that are unique to them

• Antsy Pants Build & Play Kit (Beach House Group)
• Avengers Hero Inventor Kit (littleBits)
• Building Bricks Play N Store Table (KidKraft)
• Cool Maker KumiKreator (Spin Master)
• Rock And Roll It Spectrum Drum (MukikiM LLC)
• Sew + Glow (Tech Will Save Us)
• The Big Engineering Makerspace (Thames & Kosmos)

DOLL OF THE YEAR
Toys that include baby, toddler, and fashion dolls

• Barbie® Ibtihaj Muhammad Doll (Mattel, Inc.)
• Barbie® Robotics Engineer Doll (Mattel, Inc.)
• Cry Babies (IMC Toys)
• DreamWorks Spirit Riding Free Deluxe Spirit Walking Horse (Just Play/Universal Brand Development)
• Hairdorables (Just Play)
• L.O.L. Surprise! Eye Spy Under Wraps (MGA Entertainment)
• Marvel Rising Secret Warriors Doll Assortment (Hasbro, Inc.)
• My Friend Fancy Nancy™ Doll (JAKKS Pacific)

GAME OF THE YEAR
Children’s board, card, electronic, or other physical game formats or puzzles

• Disney Villainous™ Game by Wonder Forge (Ravensburger)
• Dr. Biscuits’ Radical Road Trip (Barry and Jason Games & Entertainment)
• Fryin Flyin Donuts (Maya Toys)
• Monster Match (North Star Games)
• Relative Insanity (PlayMonster)
• Unstable Unicorns (TeeTurtle, LLC)
• Voice Originals: When in Rome (Sensible Object)

INFANT/TODDLER TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys that are developed for ages 0-3

• Dolce Baby Aardvark (Magformers LLC)
• Fisher-Price® Laugh & Learn® Smart Learning Home™ (Mattel, Inc.)
• Grippies® Shakers – 30 Piece Set (Guidecraft)
• HEXBUG Cuddlebots Garden Carousel (HEXBUG)
• Kid O Hudson Glow Rattle (PlayMonster)
• Learning Friends 100 Words Book™ (LeapFrog)
• Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog (Learning Resources)

INNOVATIVE TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys that utilize innovative design, technology, or manufacturing processes to enhance play value

• Botley™ the Coding Robot Activity Set (Learning Resources)
• Harry Potter™ Wizard Training™ (JAKKS Pacific)
• K’NEX Thrill Rides Bionic Blast™ Roller Coaster Building Set (K’NEX, a division of Basic Fun!)
• Legend Kit (Infento)
• Marvel Legends Series Infinity Gauntlet Articulated Electronic Fist (Hasbro, Inc.)
• Mystery Flying Snitch (Wow! Stuff)
• Sensors Alive: Bring Physics to Life! (Thames & Kosmos)

LICENSE OF THE YEAR
Character or property that has had success spreading its brand throughout the industry

• Hatchimals (Spin Master)
• Hot Wheels (Mattel, Inc.)
• Jurassic World™ Fallen Kingdom (Universal Brand Development)
• L.O.L. Surprise! (MGA Entertainment)
• Marvel Black Panther™ (The Walt Disney Company)
• Peppa Pig (Entertainment One)
• PJ Masks (Entertainment One)

OUTDOOR TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys that are designed for outdoor play, including ride-ons

• Glove-A-Bubbles (Zing)
• MorfBoard™ (JAKKS Pacific)
• Nickelodeon Automatic Slime Drencher (JAKKS Pacific)
• Razor Turbo Jetts Electric Heel Wheels (Razor USA, LLC)
• Rollplay Nighthawk Ride-On (Rollplay)
• Watermelon Smash (Yulu)
• X-Shot™ Flying Bug Attack (ZURU)

PLAYSET TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys that are designed to work together to enact some action or event

• Disney•Pixar Cars Super Track Mack Playset (Mattel, Inc.)
• Farm To Table Play Kitchen With EZ Kraft Assembly™ (KidKraft)
• Hidden Temple with T-Rex (PLAYMOBIL)
• L.O.L. Surprise! House (MGA Entertainment)
• LEGO® Creator Expert Roller Coaster (LEGO Systems, Inc.)
• LEGO® Jurassic World™ Indoraptor Rampage at Lockwood Estate (LEGO Systems, Inc.)
• Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 43″ Epic Sewer Lair Playset (Playmates Toys)

PLUSH OF THE YEAR
Toys that are made of fabric and stuffed with cotton or similar filling

• Dolce Afghan Hound (Magformers LLC)
• Fingerlings HUGS (WowWee)
• GUND Flora Bunny Animated Plush (Spin Master)
• Pomsies™ (Skyrocket)
• Rainbocorns (ZURU)
• Rescue Runts (KD Kids)
• Scruff-A-Luvs (Moose Toys)
• Star Wars Ultimate Co-Pilot Chewie (Hasbro, Inc.)

PRESCHOOL TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys that are developed for ages 3-5

• Design & Drill® See Through Creative Workshop (Educational Insights)
• Disney Junior Doc McStuffins Pet Rescue Mobile (Just Play)
• Fisher-Price® Think & Learn Rocktopus™ (Mattel, Inc.)
• Kid Trax Rideamals Scout (Kid Trax)
• LEGO® DUPLO Steam Train (LEGO Systems, Inc.)
• Little Tikes STEM Jr. Wonder Lab (MGA Entertainment)
• Pop Oh Ver Stove Set (Kangaroo Manufacturing Inc.)

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
A new company (created within the last 2 years) that has brought to market an outstanding toy

• Massive Monster Mayhem Bash Weapons (Alpha Group US)
• Match the Baby Puzzles (Banana Panda, Inc.)
• Monsters Lock Box (Tender Leaf Toys)
• Ollyball – The Ultimate Indoor Play Ball! (VICTURY Sports)
• Tic Tac Tongue (Yulu)
• Turing Tumble (Turing Tumble LLC)
• What The Film?! (Lethal Chicken Games)

SPECIALTY TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys primarily distributed through specialty retailers and are not sold at mass

• Betrayal at Cloud City™ (LEGO Systems, Inc.)
• Chickapig (Buffalo Games, LLC)
• GeoSafari® Jr. Talking Telescope™ (Educational Insights)
• GUND Super Pusheenicorn (Spin Master)
• HEXBUG Ring Racer (HEXBUG)
• LEGO® Harry Potter™ Hogwarts™ Castle (LEGO Systems, Inc.)
• Marbles Otrio (Spin Master)
• Pepper Mint in the Great Treehouse Engineering Adventure (Thames & Kosmos)

TECH TOY OF THE YEAR
Physical toys that are electronic or interact with a smartphone, tablet or gaming device

• Arcade1Up (Tastemakers LLC)
• Creative Coder (Tech Will Save Us)
• Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit (Kano)
• Kids First Coding & Robotics (Thames & Kosmos)
• LeapStart® 3D Learning System (LeapFrog)
• Really Rad Robots: MiBro (Moose Toys)
• VEX Balancing Boxing Bot 2-Pack (HEXBUG)

VEHICLE OF THE YEAR
Toys that are powered or non-powered vehicles, and their playsets/accessories

• Automoblox BR100 Hercules (PlayMonster)
• LEGO® Technic® Bugatti Chiron (LEGO Systems, Inc.)
• Nerf Nitro Doubleclutch Inferno Blaster (Hasbro, Inc.)
• PAW Patrol Ultimate Rescue Fire Truck (Spin Master & Nickelodeon)
• Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Turtle Tank (Playmates Toys)
• TerraSect RC (Alpha Group US)
• VEX Robotics OffRoad Truck (HEXBUG)

 

 

What do you think is the Toy of the Year?