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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Top toys for 2010 are not just fun, they're educational, too
Most of the choices this year are educational as well as fun, the council's Janet Heatherington says.
"Obviously parents want to have toys that will educate kids and engage them, teach them good social values for example," she said. "The kids, of course, they love just to play. What we found with our award winners this year is it was a great, great combination of educational value and just plain fun."
The battery-operated toy of the year is for babies aged six months to 18 months. It's called Songs 'N Smiles Sillytown and uses stacking blocks and a tumble-down slide.
Created by Fisher-Price, the multicoloured toy includes eight peek-and-pop action blocks and over 16 songs and goofy sounds.
For children less than a year old, there's Playskool-Hasbro's Explore 'N Grow Tumble 'N Twirl Top. The brightly coloured, pump-action toy was a hit with several children at a news conference Monday where the top picks were announced.
For three years and up, reversible costumes for boys and girls got a nod. One goes from dragon to knight, the other turns from Sleeping Beauty to Snow White.
One of the council's Best Bet awards for older kids, in the eight years-plus range, went to How To Draw Funny, a book that gives children tips on making comics. It is one of the quietest toys, allowing budding cartoonists to sit and hone their skills.
Parents asked that some environmentally friendly toys be tested, said Heatherington. "One of our Best Bet picks is a standard sand play set," said Heatherington, describing a pail, digging tools and a sandcastle mould, from The Original Green Toy company.
"What was interesting about it was it was made from recycled plastic."
-- The Canadian Press
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 17, 2009 A8
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