Attach this fabric-framed toy to the crib rail for soothing music and soft colorful lights. There are no moving figures inside the see through window. All the animals are rather static and have big eyes that look out as the music box plays. The best part is the unusual electronic music. It is not the usual tinny variety. It begins with birds chirping and meadow sounds followed by several piano sound tracks. It comes loaded with four tunes including the Minuet in G and Hush Little Baby. Happily, it is designed with a volume control as well as lights that go fast or slow and turn the light features on and off. As an added value, you can attach you mp3 player to add more music.  Eventually baby can push the ladybug on the frame to activate it. For starters, you will be the one to push the buttons on top that are well out of baby's reach. The photo does not do the product justice.

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

Ideal for early tracking games with newborns, this bold black and white rattle has a quiet sound and a high contrast face that will grab baby's attention. Research shows that infants are visually attracted to the eyes on faces. This clever little plaything has big eyes and a smiling little face. It has an easy to grasp ring and the whole toy is soft enough for young babies. One side is done in short velour like plush and the back is done in silky satin. A small bunch of short green ribbons are clutched in the panda's hand, that will tickle little cheeks or toes as you use this for early social lap games. For starters you will be moving this from side to side for baby to focus on. Before long, it will be a safe choice for baby to grasp. It is soft enough so that it will not hurt even if baby hits herself in the face with her still unrefined hand movements. This is the kind of soft toy for those early months when baby is still getting control of such seemingly simple eye hand movements. Unfortunately it is a surface wash only, but it's not the kind of toy that baby will be handing independently for a while. Newborn and up.

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

A marvelous Diva fabric 8" chime ball with a jolly jingle safe inside and plenty of surface textures to explore. There are colorful satin knotties, textured loop to hold, a crinkle velour patch, ribbon tabs and furry no-shed fringe. Each segment of the ball has a different fabric--high contrast black and white, velour with stars and another with hot pink splotches, silvery dots, and corded lavender velour.A perfect toy for first social games. Rolling the ball back and forth or crawling after it.

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

A marvelous Cute As a Button fabric 8" chime ball with a jolly jingle safe inside and plenty of surface textures to explore. There are colorful satin knotties, textured loop to hold, a crinkle velour patch, ribbon tabs and felt fringe. Each segment of the ball has a different fabric - printed velour with stripes and another with dots, another with cotton knit stripes and others with corded and dotted velour.

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

Frog is one of three 10-inch Comfort Cuddly toys. His body is green checked cotton with licks of orange calico checks, blue feet and a bold patterned tummy. His features are stitched for safety and his eyes sit high like two bumps on top of his soft as silk velour head. Like the other Cuddly Blankies, this is an unstuffed doll that is easy to clutch. It is not really a blanky in the traditional sense, but it just may become a comfort toy that kids like to hold onto as they rest. It makes no sounds, but there is plenty for eyes to see and textures for little hands to explore. Also see O is for Owl and L is for Lion Cuddly Blanky toys. Infants 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: Infants. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Owl is adorable with its big eyes, ribbon tufted ears, and brightly patterned wings and body. Like the other Cuddly Blankies, this is a 10-inch unstuffed doll that is easy to clutch. It is not really a blanky in the traditional sense, but it just may become a comfort toy that kids like to hold onto as they rest. It makes no sounds, but there is plenty for eyes to see and textures for little hands to explore. Also see L is for Lion and F is for Frog Cuddly Blanky toys. Infants 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: Infants. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Unlike most musical toys with keys that turn, this 10-inch pink plush Mama Hippo has a sweet little calico checked baby on her back winds up to make music.  Baby hippo turns slowly as it plays Brahms Lullaby with true music box sounds rather than electronic sounds--a real plus. It has several textures that range from short plush, smooth cotton with a lively print pattern and a short satin ribbon tail. This is one of a new line of musicals from the Smarty Kid line. Also new, see W is for Whale Mama-Baby Action Musical. The G is for Giraffe plays the Alphabet Song has a neck that turns.  It is cute but a bit top heavy and topples over more often than not. Infants. Surface washable only.  The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements.  We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

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

An eye-catching first doll with a quiet little jingle inside. Elf Grenadine is just nine and half inches and dressed in non-removable velour-like and knit fabrics. Her face is vinyl with painted on features. Grenadine is done up in bright red with licks of orange and white stripes and a jaunty orange hat.  If you prefer more pastel tones, look for Elf Apricot with a light pink body, hot pink hat and apricot arms and trim. Either of these makes a cozy choice for baby to explore and for you to use for lap time games. 

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

Newest in a line of well made play mats, and this one is better than most. Tiny Love was the company that introduced play mats with crossbars and tends to do them better. This big new mat is no exception. It has bold animal graphics that can be enjoyed for tummy time. The cross bars can actually slide on a mechanism that allow you to change their position with ease. The designers have not put a lot of "stuff" on the mat that would be unpleasant for baby to lie on. Soft animal toys and rattle rings attach to the bars and can be slid down to the corners or above for gazing. There is a good-sized unbreakable mirror that will slide down for tummy time looking. The musical attachment plays electronic sounds that are less annoying than most and there is also a not-too-bright-light mechanism that changes color when the sound is turned on. Happily there is a volume control and the mat can be enjoyed with the sounds and lights turned off completely, too. 

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

Covered in a soft terry cloth like material, these colorful fabric balls have stitched on features and knotties that baby can grab and probably chew on. There are lots of zany looking choices in many color combinations and in two sizes. One is a little bigger than a baseball the other is slightly bigger than a softball. All are soft, washable and have a nice rattle sound. Use them with infants for tracking. The bold black and white eyes will catch their attention--and the sound will not startle. Older infants will like crawling after them and for early social games of roly-poly. Preschoolers will find these easy and soft enough for learning to catch and throw. All Ages.

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