Canadian Toy Testing Council Top Picks

The Canadian Toy Testing Council has just released their top picks for 2008. Best Toys and Children’s Books and safety was top of mind. New for this year, the toy companies were required to provide a statement ensuring that the toys being tested have been manufactured under the proper rules and regulations through the product safety bureau.

The results are based on testing hundreds of toys that are representative of those being offered on the market. Children test the toys in everyday settings, to assess design, function, durability and play value.

Here is the Top 10 Children’s Choices for Best Toys 2008:

– The Balancing Bug Stacker, for ages 6-12 months, a set of six colourful bug characters with smiley faces that stack together with magnets. Made by Learning Curve Toys, they can also rattle.

– The Ultimate Family Wagon from Radio Flyer Inc., a bright red covered wagon with two moveable seats that can be folded down to act as a table.

– The Grand Walk-In Kitchen. At a suggested retail price of $349.99, it is the most expensive best pick of 2008. Produced by Step 2 Corp., the miniature walk-in kitchen set is highly durable and very detailed, right down to its stainless steel-look fridge and stove.

– The least expensive best pick, at $12.99, is the Shrek 3-D Memory Matchup from MGA Entertainment, where characters from the Shrek movies come to life in a game designed to improve memory recall.

– Word Launch by Leap Frog. An interactive learning toy for children three to six years old that plugs into any TV to teach children letters and sounds.

– The Eye Clops, a hand-held electronic eye that also plugs into a television and magnifies images up to 200 times their actual size. Children can see up close the tiny hairs on their arms or the colours on the wings of a housefly. Made by Jakks Pacific Inc.

– Orb Factory's Sticky Mosaics My Jungle Adventure, a different take on paint-by-numbers that uses colourful sticky foam pieces to paint a picture on numbered squares and improve dexterity.

– The Made You Look Keesdrow Deluxe game from Klutz Pywacket Co. It's an activity book filled with puzzles and games.

– Lego Canada Inc.'s Technic Snow Mobile, a 33-piece construction set that can be used to build a snow machine or a bulldozer.
A full report of all the toys can be found here: http://www.toy-testing.org/CTTCmm.htm

The Council rates each toy, awarding Three Stars, Two Stars, One Star, Novelty or Not Recommended.

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