Astra Announces 2014 Best Toys for Kids Award Winners | Key4Communications | News

The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) unveiled its 2014 Best Toys for Kids award winners. The list includes 20 winning toys in 13 categories. This association counts with more than 1,300 members.

"ASTRA retailers are America’s play experts," said Kathleen McHugh, president, ASTRA. "They know toys inside out and they watch children play with them every day in their stores. Our Best Toys for Kids award program represents their collective expertise. It represents the fun, top-quality products with high play value that consumers can find in locally-owned neighborhood toy stores around the country."

The Best Toys for Kids program was created by ASTRA to help its retailer members attract media coverage and customers to their stores during the all-important fourth quarter. McHugh adds,"The Best Toys for Kids awards program is one more way to differentiate the outstanding value of specialty toys. ASTRA's list is chosen by a community of people who care deeply about quality toys. We encourage specialty retailers to use this program to educate their customers and sell more toys."

The winners are:

Active Play
Slack Blox - Brand 44 Colorado
Teeter Popper - Fat Brain Toy Co.

Choose Your Own Category
Sands Alive! Deluxe Set - Play Visions Inc.

Classic Play 0-7 Years
Mini Micro Classic Kickboard Scooter - Micro Kickboard

Classic Play 8+
Simon - Basic Fun, Division of The Bridge Direct, distributed by Schylling

Constructive Play
Architetrix Constructor Set - Hape
Remote Control Machines DLX - Thames & Kosmos

Creative Arts Play
LoopDeLoom, Weaving Loom Kit - Ann Williams
Grow N’ Glow Terrarium - Creativity for Kids

Early Play
pipSquigz - Fat Brain Toy Co.
Roller Derby - Hape

Game Play 3-7 Years
Peek-A-Doodle-Doo - Fat Brain Toy Co.
Robot Turtles - ThinkFun

Game Play 8 Years+
Gravity Maze - ThinkFun

Learning Play
Timeline, American History - Asmodee Editions
KEVA Brain Builders - MW Wholesale/Mindware

Pretend Fantasy Play
Royal Princess Playhouse - International Playthings

Pretend Role Play
Haba Doorway Puppet Theater - Haba USA

Scientific Play
Snap Circuits Motion - Elenco
Glowing Chemistry - Thames & Kosmos