29.03.2024

2018 TOTY Nominations Now Open with New Award Categories Announced

Twenty-five judges, including toy and play experts, retailers, inventors, academics and journalists, will use an online form to review, comment on and rank hundreds of submitted products in specific categories that are relevant to their areas of expertise.

Nominations for the 2018 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards are now open.

They will consider each product’s creativity and originality; design and quality; play value; and marketing and promotion before meeting in person to discuss and determine the roster of finalists.

The Toy Association has announced that nominations are now open for the 2018 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards. Toy companies, inventors and other industry representatives are invited to submit their toys, games and licenses for consideration across a total of 17 TOTY categories through September 20.

“The TOTY Awards celebrate the collective toy industry’s most creative and innovative toys and games that deliver the incredible benefits of play to children of all ages,” says Ken Seiter, vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association. “We are proud to continue this time-honored tradition, and look forward to announcing the big winners at our gala in February 2018!”

Finalists will be announced to media, bloggers and industry professionals at Play Fair’s new media preview event, to be held Friday, November 3, the night before Play Fair opens to the general public. At that time, voting will open for retailers, media, Toy Association members and consumers at ToyAwards.org and remain open through January 5, 2018.

One winner in each category, as well as the People’s Choice award (based solely on consumer votes) and the overall Toy of the Year winner (chosen by a panel of experts), will be announced at the TOTY Awards ceremony on Friday, February 16 at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York.              

The TOTY 2018 categories include:

Action Figure of the Year Toys that include action figures

Creative Toy of the Year Toys that allow kids to build and/or make items that are unique to them

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.

Construction Toy of the Year Toys that include building & engineering sets

Doll of the Year Toys that include baby, toddler and fashion dolls

Game of the Year Children’s board, card, electronic or other physical game formats and puzzles

Infant/Toddler Toy of the Year (new category) Toys that are developed for ages 0-3

Innovative Toy of the Year Toys that utilize innovative design, technology or manufacturing processes to enhance play value

License of the Year Character or property that has had success spreading its brand throughout the industry

Outdoor Toy of the Year Toys that are designed for outdoor play, including ride-ons

Playset of the Year (new category) Toys that are designed to work together to enact some action or event

Plush of the Year (new category) Toys that are made of fabric and stuffed with cotton or similar filling

Preschool Toy of the Year (new category) Toys that are developed for ages 3-5

Rookie of the Year A new company (created within the last 2 years) that has brought to market an outstanding toy

Specialty Toy of the Year (new description includes “not sold at mass”)Toys that are distributed through specialty retailers and are not sold at mass

Tech Toy of the Year Physical toys that are electronic or interact with a smartphone, tablet or gaming device

Vehicle of the Year Toys that are powered or non-powered vehicles, and their playsets / accessories

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