Astra announces 2013 Best Toys for Kids Awards | Key4Communications |

The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) unveiled its 2013 Best Toys for Kids award winners to day. The list includes 21 winning toys in 13 categories.

“ASTRA retailers are America’s play experts. They know toys inside out and they watch children play with them every day in their stores,” notes Kathleen McHugh, President of ASTRA. “Our Best Toys for Kids award program represents their collective expertise. Moms and dads and grandparents and other toy buyers cannot get this level of objective knowledge about toys
and play in any other top toy list. 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.

Winners are:

Active Play
RingStix Lite by RingStix-System Enterprises
Y'all Ball by Joint Merchant

Classic Play, 0-7 years
Skwish Classic by Manhattan Toy

Classic Play, 8 years or more
Original Spirograph Deluxe Kit by Kahootz Toys

Constructive Play
Q-BA-MAZE 2.0 Mega Stunt Set by MindWare
Squigz by Fat Brain Toy

Creative Arts Play
Potholder PRO by Harrisville Designs
X-treme Sticker Maker Set by Faber-Castell USA

Early Play
Green Toys Seaplane by Green Toys
Tatoo Xylo Roller by Juratoys US Corp (JANOD)

Game Play, 3-7 years
Bunny Peek A Boo by Smart Toys and Games
Zingo! Sight Words, by ThinkFun

Game Play, 8 years or more
Laser Maze by ThinkFun
Timeline Diversity by Asmodee Editions

Just for Fun
Curiosity Kits Pulsar Powerballs by The Orb Factory
Super Magnetic Tidal Wave Thinking, by Crazy Aaron's Puttyworld

Pretend-Doll Play
Calico Critters Supermarket by International Playthings

Pretend-Fantasy Play
Rainbow Fairy Wings with Glitter by Douglas Cuddle Toy

Pretend-Role Play
Cargo and Passenger Aircraft by Playmobil

Scientific Play
Air-Stream Machines by Thames & Kosmos
Snap Circuits SOUND by Elenco Electronics