TOTY Awards (Toy of the Year) : Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards fully embraces the passion and creativity of the toy industry in the USA and its commitment to bring smiles to millions of kids. The TOTY voting process typically includes input not only from consumers, but also members of the Association, retailers and journalists. There are rules regarding who can qualify which you can read on their website. The submissions contain detailed explanations about the product’s play value, creativity/originality, application of new technology, creative manufacturing processes, adherence to safety standards, etc.; commentary on how the product is meeting marketplace expectations; and details of outstanding, unusual and/or creative execution of artwork, product/package design, promotional strategy and execution.

Below are additional Toy Award possibilities:

Mom's Choice Award : The Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA) evaluates products and services created for children and families. The program is globally recognized for establishing the benchmark of excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. The organization is based in the United States and has reviewed thousands of entries from more than 18 countries.

Mensa International / American MENSA : Mensa Parenting for High Potential. "Hot Product" / The MENSA society’s Parenting for High Potential

WTS Toy Review : WTS 5-Star Certified Rating.  What the Stuff Toy Review has been developed to provide readers (moms and dads, manufacturers and commercial buyers) with product reviews and buyers guides for both ordinary and unusual products available on the market for babies through teens. All items found here are reviewed and evaluated by our product specialist team, and you can rest assured that you will find honest and interesting information about each product.

Mom's Best Award : As a mom, or expectant mom, the Mom's Best Award provides you with an objective way of determining the "best" products available today on the market for prenatal, infant, toddler, children, tweens, teens, and for dads, and grandparents. Products meeting a certain criteria established by MBA are evaluated by real moms and childcare experts are recognized and earn the distinguished Mom's Best Award or Moms Best Literary Gold Award.

Play on Words Award (PAL Awards) : Established by respected speech and language expert Sherry Artemenko, the PAL Award recognizes exceptional toys, games and books that, through their design, content, quality, and character, promote play that advances language. PAL winners in the hands of kids spark fun and creative play with lots of talk! Products, chosen on the basis of over 30 years practical child development experience, are complemented by coaching in thoughtful reviews, showing parents how to best use each toy, game or book to build language.

Parent-Tested Parent-Approved (PTPA) Seal of Approval / The PTPA Media™ Seal :

Consumers trust peer recommendations above all else. That is the very foundation of the PTPA Awards Program. Real families providing real endorsements through real life testing. PTPA provides an authentic means to discover, appraise and promote new products designed to enrich family living. Through PTPA’s growing community of over 50,000 families, you can rest assured that your product will be objectively tested by your target audience. Through parent profiles completed on the PTPA site, PTPA finds the right tester for your product.

The Toy Man Seal of Approval : they have been dedicated to advancing work on the convergence of product development with marketing of innovative educational and consumer-based products. In working toward this goal they provide an unbiased and credible method of accurate product recognition. This is accomplished by use of The Toy Man® Seal of Approval validation, and exclusive awards in addition to multiple other ongoing services they provide.

The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval : The National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval program is an independent testing procedure conducted to judge a variety of products introduced and marketed to the parent/child consumer market.   The National Parenting Center was founded in July of 1989 with the intention of providing the most comprehensive and responsible parenting advice to parents everywhere. The advice provided is furnished by some of the world's most respected authorities in the field of child rearing and development. The National Parenting Center has been authorized to dispense this valuable information, which has been provided by these experts, to as many parents as possible through whatever means possible. To that end, The National Parenting Center created and maintains interactive systems allowing parents to access the expert panel. Additionally, parents may obtain the advice of the experts through written transcripts, letters, brochures, newsletters, the Internet, etc.

FAO SCHWARZ Toy Auditions Winner (they had this back in 2006; not sure if they still do this)

Creative Child Magazine Seal Of Excellence Award : Creative Child Magazine's Awards Program is unique in that all products submitted are reviewed by moms, music educators and early education professionals. Products are not reviewed by any one person. They are reviewed by many people-the very people who purchase them.

Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal : Educator, parent & kid testing goes into each product considered for an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award. They don't accept ads or charge "review fees" from manufacturers or publishers, so you know you're always getting independent opinions. They have awards for the best toys, books, videos, and audio for kids.

Dr. Toy Best Children's Products Awards  - Dr. Toy’s Best Children’s Products Awards were developed by noted child development authority, Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D. – Dr. Toy – as a service to consumers who want to purchase safe, affordable, educationally oriented, and stimulating toys and products for children. Dr Toy assists consumers to identify the most appropriate, engaging learning and developmental products. Products are carefully selected from among many hundreds Dr. Auerbach reviews at toy fairs, catalogs and through many sources, and by using extensive criteria developed over many years (including safety, age-appropriateness, design, durability, play value, cultural and ethnic diversity, transition from home to school, educational value, learning skills, creativity, understanding community and world, good value for price, and, naturally, fun).

Scholastic Instructor Magazine. Teacher's Pick

Parent's Choice Award

Hot Media for Educators, Edutopia Magazine / George Lucas Educational Foundation’s Edutopia Magazine

iParenting Media Award, Greatest Products, Toys & Games Category

Mr. Dad Gold Seal of Approval

Tillywig Laugh Out Loud Award

If you know any more toy or game awards, please let us know.