Step2

Here at Step2, we pride ourselves in manufacturing quality toys that will receive recognition based on their durability, creative play value, and fun designs. Over the years, many of our great products have received numerous awards. When choosing a toy for your little one, it is important to find out which toys have won different awards.

Some of the awards that you will find when searching through the quality products are:

• iParenting Media Awards: Recognizes the top products for kids and parents. The products are reviewed by childcare facilities and parents. The products are judged upon quality, durability, and play value. The Creative Projects Table, Fun Flow Sink, and Fresh Market Kitchen have received this award.
• Top Pick, Today’s Parent Magazine: Today’s Parent Magazine comes out with a list of top picks for toddler toys during the holidays to make shopping easier for parents! The Creative Projects Table and Easy Steer Sportster received this award.
• 3-Star (highest) Rating, Canadian Toy Testing Council: Each year, hundreds of toys are selected and tested by Canadian children in an everyday setting. The children assess the design, function, durability and play value of the toys. There are three different types of ratings: Three Stars, Two Starts, One Star, Novelty, or Not Recommended. The Creative Projects Table, Neat & Tidy Cottage, Par 3 Mini Golf Course, Puppet Theater, Naturally Playful Lookout Treehouse, Push Around Buggy, All Star Sports Climber, 50’s Diner, LifeStyle Grand Walk-In Kitchen, and LifeStyle Dream Kitchen have received the 3-Star Rating.
• Seal of Approval, The National Parenting Center: Toys are selected through an eight week process where parents, children, and educators examine the nominees. The judges fill out questionnaires based on the desirability, sturdiness, stimulation, and other essential characteristics about the quality of the product. The Creative Projects Table, Puppet Theater, Sand & Water Transportation Station have received this award.
• Platinum Award and Gold Award Oppenheim Toy Portfolio: This review of children’s products is conducted by child development experts, Joanne Oppenheim and her daughter, Stephanie Oppenheim. Toys from infants through later school years are judged. Toys with the Platinum Award are the most innovative and engaging products of the year.  The Pin Pals Bowling Set, Push Around Taxi, Twist & Fold Gym, Neighborhood Fun Center, and Grill & Play Patio Café have received the Platinum Award. The Gold Award is given to outstanding new products that enhance the lives of children.  The Gourmet Café Kitchen, Whisper Ride Buggy, Grill & Play Patio Café, and All-Star Sports Climber have received the Gold Award.
• Reviewers’ Choice Award, Buzzillions: A survey is sent out to people who have purchased the nominated products.  Products in each category are then ranked by star ratings and number of reviews. The Playmats 24 x 24 inch, Naturally Playful Adventure Lodge Play Center, Par 3 Mini Golf Course, Lift & Hide Bookcase Storage Chest, Deluxe Canyon Road Train & Track Table, Art Master Activity Desk, Naturally Playful Sand & Water Activity Center, Naturally Playful Welcome Home Playhouse, Outdoor Storage Bench, and Up & Down Roller Coaster have received this award.
• Best Toys of the Year, Parents Magazine: This is a list of amazing toys presented toward the end of the year to help gift givers shop stress free during the holiday and become familiar with the hottest toys of the year. The Par 3 Mini Golf Course, 50’s Diner, and All Around Easel for Two have received this award.
• AblePlay Award: AblePlay is a website that provides information about toys for children with special needs.  The website was created so that consumers can make the best decisions about toys to purchase for children with special needs. The way toys are chosen to be on the website is through a toy rating system. The rating system that AblePlay goes by focuses on cognitive, sensory, communications, and physical abilities of children.   Products are rated on a scale from 1-5 based on these categories.  The Deluxe Canyon Road Train & Track Table, Fun Flow Play Sink, Sand & Water Transportation Station, and WaterWheel Play Table have received this award.
• 10 Best Active Products and 100 Best Children’s Products, Dr. Toy:  Dr. Toy, Stevanne Auerbach, PhD, is an expert on children’s toys.  She gives a unique and original review of each child’s product she assesses.  Many parents, teachers, and toy consumers refer to Dr. Toy’s advice and guidance when it comes to making a selection for a toy. The Puppet Theater has won both of these this award.
• Best New Outdoor Toy, 2009, UK Toy Fair: This fair is the only event dedicated to toy, game, and hobby exhibitions in the UK. The Skyward Summit has won this award.
• T.O.Y. (Toy of the Year) Award, Family Fun Magazine: FamilyFun recruits dozens of families to test more than 250 play toys. Based on their feedback of the products, there are ten winners chosen each year along with twenty other toys that deserve honorable mention! The Real Projects Workshop, 50’s Diner, and Extreme Coaster have received this award.
• All-Star Holiday Toys, Toy Wishes Magazine:  This award is presented in December and the products are chosen through online voting. This program honors the favorite toys of the year. The 50’s Diner has won this award.
• Recommended Toys, Parents Choice Foundation: This organization is the one of the oldest nonprofit authorities that reviews the quality of children’s toys and media. Parents Choice Foundation reviews toys that help children to grow. The 50’s Diner and LifeStyle Grand Walk-In Kitchen have received this award.

Have you purchased any of the award winning toys from this list?

Toys”R”Us recently published the 2011 edition of the Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids as part of a collaboration with actress Eva Longoria, whose sister Liza was born with developmental disabilities. This guide includes toys that will help with the development of fine motor skills, social skills, self-esteem, creativity, thinking, hearing, language skills, visual skills, and tactile skills.  Featured in the guide are the Sports-tastic Activity Center and the Whisper Ride Buggy.

The Sports-tastic Acitivity Center was included because it features a “close-to-the-ground design, mini slide, low steps and easy-grasp handles to help children who have gravitational insecurities grow in ability, while the built-in basketball hoop and baseball help increase core strength as children sit and play.”

The Whisper Ride Buggy was included because “the deep seat well provides additional stability and promotes an upright sitting position to strengthen upper-body muscles, while straddle seating offers extra support for leg separation.”

These toys, and all the toys featured in this guide, were selected based on research from the National Lekotek Center, a nonprofit organization that evaluates all of the toys featured in the Guide.