A bright colored ball has a quiet chime inside. It has multiple patterns and six easy-to-grab loops. Several of the loops have rings that can be fingered and that make a quiet clacking sound. Attach it to the stroller with the black and white plastic loop that baby will enjoy grasping. This is a perfect little toy for all the senses. It will attract newborns gaze and then be ideal for reaching out and touching, hearing and tasting. It's bound to grow on as baby begins to crawl and can chase it. Newborn and up.

Age: Infants. Award Year: 2011.

An appealing puzzle board with four athletes playing a different sport. There is a basketball player, one for baseball, soccer and football. Each puzzle is cut into four chunky pieced. Lift the pieces out of the board and the background is color-coded. It also has a few of the details found on the puzzle pieces. But it is not one-on-one matching, so kids have to look a little closer. A good choice for developing problem solving skills as well as dexterity, language, and color concepts. A nicely crafted wooden puzzle that will keep your preschooler challenged. They say 2 & up. We suspect older twos will do better with this. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: . Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

A cheerful looking puzzle with four small puzzles, each cut into four chunky pieced. There's a cute orange cat, a bunny, a dog and a yellow duck. Lift the pieces out and the background is color-coded and has a few of the details found on the puzzle pieces. But it is not one-on-one matching, so kids have to look a little closer. Also a good choice for developing dexterity and language and color concepts.  A nicely crafted wooden puzzle that will keep your preschooler challenged. They say 2 & up. We suspect older twos will do better with this. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

There are six two-piece puzzles in this wooden puzzle board. Each has a bright graphic that is totally distinctive from the others. Lift out the pieces and the graphic (with a name label) is also in the tray for one-on-one matching. They make a Rainbow Fairy puzzle as well. The fairies are two-piece puzzles, but we prefer the real world vehicles for this age group. This is a fun toy for visual discrimination as well as developing dexterity and language. The storage case is well designed to preserve the integrity of the puzzle pieces. Made from wood from sustainable forests. 18 months & up. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

We have to admit when we first saw this collection, we thought it was the product of young toy designers having their way with making an edgy line of dolls that would really appeal to the older doll collector. We were wrong. The line has captured the attention of older school aged/tweens. It makes sense given the "twilightization" of america's pop culture at the moment. The dolls are all related to monsters we know and love.  There is Frankie Stein, Holt Hyde, Ghoulia Yelps, Abbey Bominable, Clawdeen Wolf, Cleo de Nile (you know the daughter of the Mummy). You get the idea. Each doll has a backstory and there own issues in high school. For example, Cleo de Nile is described as: "a princess but she's not a mean ghoul. This has allowed her to establish genuine relationships with fellow students who can 'Let Cleo be Cleo' even when 'her imperial bossiness' forgets that at Monster High she's just one of the ghouls." 

Our toy testers really loved the Hydration Bed set that comes with Lagoona.  Some will find this line ridiculous, after listening to our testers we know that they like the silliness of it all. While each of the dolls are dressed in over-the-top outfits, the focus is not on their sexuality but on their character. We like that! We also were thrilled that there were boy dolls in this collection as well.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years, Tweens. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Smaller than a lot of electronic characters, this is still some smart Cookie! Squeeze his tummy and he sings a song; well actually he hums. The faster you squeeze the louder he sings. But listen. You will need to recognize the song so that you squeeze at the right beat to make recognizable songs happen. This is a reasonably priced novelty toy that might also be useful for kids who need to strengthen their hands in physical therapy. This guy is a little harder to activate than the Sing-a-ma-jigs. But if you are a Sesame Street fan, it is probably going to have more appeal. Another version featuring Elmo is also available. They say 18 months & up, we'd say more like really strong twos.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

One, Two, Three! There are three cookies to feed Cookie Monster. Squeeze his foot and Cookie will not only eat--he will burp, say thank-you, or ask for more. Want to do it again? Of course you do, if you are a toddler. But where are the cookies? Check the backpack. Magic! There's not much counting involved, but this is a fun toy with repetitive actions that reward toddlers by making things happen. A fun toy for beginning pretend play. This is not one of those huggable dolls. Since it has so much action, it has a mechanism inside that makes it pretty unhuggable. That said, Cookie is pretty sweet. Comes loaded with batteries, but it will eat up 4 "AA" at a time. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.18 months & up.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Turn the dial to see the "album covers" change faces. This is a rather chunky handful for toddlers, but they will like the repetitive action and the pay-off of making things happen. Everytime the dial is tuned the face that appears says a few words. Elmo, Big Bird, and Ernie appear and each of them sings, as well. A nice stocking stuffer and novelty for under $10. 18 months & up. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Slide the phone open and you see who is on the phone. It might be Oscar or Ernie or Abby Cadabby. Push a button and the character says one of the three numbers on that line and then rings. This is a pretty big phone, but what with the sliding, button pushing and face changes, it will be interesting for beginning pretend play. A fun prop and just the right size for a stocking stuffer surprise. 18 months and up. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Seems the school bus has shrunk a little, but it's still one of those perennial favorites. This season it has been updated for the Sesame Street gang. But it only comes with two characters, Count Von Count is the driver and Elmo is there with his backpack. If you want more passengers, that will be extra, please. It can hold three figures and since loading and unloading passengers is so much a part of the fun, we suggest you bring them home with the bus. Passengers can get on through the door or the open roof top. To open the door, press the purple button on the hood. No batteries needed for this roll and play vehicle. They say 18 months & up, we think it will be enjoyed more by 2's and up. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.