Disney FamilyFun Magazine Announces 20th Annual Toy of the Year Award Winners

The editors at Disney FamilyFun magazine today announced their 20^th annual Toy of the Year (T.O.Y.) Award winners, which were narrowed down from a pool of more than 300 entries after extensive evaluation by parent and child testers across the country.  Published in FamilyFun’s  November issue, on stands October 18^th, the top 30 toys of the holiday season were selected as T.O.Y. Award winners for their innovation, durability, play value, safety – and, of course, fun factor.  While notable toy manufacturers like Mattel, LEGO, LeapFrog, and Razor made the list, hidden gems from independent, smaller companies are also winners — a hallmark of the FamilyFunawards.

“After compiling all of the feedback from our family testers, it was clear which toys were a hit and are destined to be hot holiday picks this coming season — toys that both kids and parents will love,” said Ann Hallock, Creative Director at FamilyFun.  “The trend for tablet-like toys, and toys with downloadable apps such as LeapPad Explorer, was in full force this year. On the flip side, family games, such as Perplexus Epic and Richard Scarry’s Busytown Busy, Busy Airport Game, continued to be a big hit as families look for low-cost, low-tech ways to have fun together,” she adds.

Top 10 FamilyFun T.O.Y. Award Winners for 2011:

1. Hot Wheels Wall Tracks Starter Set – A classic is taken to new heights — off the floor and onto the wall!  Kids will love having their cars perform stunts on a vertical surface.  Mattel; $30; Ages 4 to 10
2. Meon Deluxe Animation Studio – Budding artists will enjoy exploring the possibilities this innovative art set offers.  Once kids have made an illuminated creation with the glowing strands, they can play one of five games.  Skyrocket Toys ; $35; Ages 5 and up
3. Perplexus Rookie and Perplexus Epic – Two versions of this toy — one for older kids and one for younger — challenge players to navigate a metal ball through a round, 360 degree maze of obstacles.  PlaSmart; $20 Ages 4 to 8, $30 Ages 8 and up
4. Alien Mothership 7065 – This building set is truly out of this world! Space-lovers will delight in constructing an extraterrestrial transport, complete with spooky sound effects.  LEGO; $60; Ages 8 and up
5. Whipple Deluxe Pastry Set – With this sweet craft kit, kids can create confections — play food, necklaces, a jewelry box shaped like a cake — that look good enough to eat. (Just don’t be tempted!) International Playthings; $35; Ages 7 and up
6. Bogo – A modern day pogo stick, Bogo offers an exceptional bounce that’s higher and smoother than young jumpers have ever experienced.  Razor; $90; Ages 6 and up
7. LeapPad Explorer – With this kid-friendly tablet, little ones will enjoy emulating their parents while having fun testing out the device’s art studio, e-books, games, and video functions.  LeapFrog; $100; Ages 4 to 9
8. Richard Scarry’s Busytown Busy, Busy Airport – Favorite characters are ready to visit far-flung lands in this cleverly-designed game, which has players flying round the world and collecting souvenirs.  Wonder Forge; $20; Ages 3 to 7
9. Pirate Ship – Those itching to hit the high seas can get their fix by building and coloring a kid-size cardboard model ship.  Land ho! Box Creations; $40; Ages 3 to 8
10. Head Shotz Twin Battle Pack – Finally, a toy that kids are supposed to wreck! This R/C set pits two robots with interchangeable battle arms against one another. Silverlit; $40; Ages 5 and up

Launching on Android devices this October is FamilyFun’s ToyHopper App, making it easier than ever for busy parents to find the perfect gift, including this year’s T.O.Y. Award winners and hundreds of other toys, books, DVDs, and video games.  Sponsored by LEGO Games and available on the App Store for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and now, Android, each item listed in ToyHopper has been family-tested and hand-picked by FamilyFun editors and can be sorted into shopping lists, shared with friends, and filtered by age, price, type, or theme.

To view all 2011 FamilyFun T.O.Y. Award winners, check out the November issue of Disney FamilyFun magazine on the iPad and on newsstands.  To learn more about FamilyFun, visit FamilyFun.com and Facebook.com/DisneyFamilyFun, or follow @FamilyFun on Twitter.

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