Testers loved the four silly sound buzzers they could tap when they could answer the riddles in this fast playing word game. The riddle cards give you two clues for naming a sound-alike homonym. Someone plays the game show host and reads a card...i.e. Opposite of fine, a subject in school. First one to know the answer hits the bell and says...course/coarse. It’s a game that requires reading, thinking, and listening. There are two levels of play so younger and older players can play together with appropriate questions. 7- adult

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

Once again Connect 4 has a new look with launchers that make it a new kind of challenge. You no longer just need to get four of your playing pieces in a row; now you need to get them onto the playing board with a launcher. It's a bit like tiddly winks with horizontal as well as vertical dimensions. This is a fast paced game that doesn't make the original game obsolete. It's really a totally different game with more physical action, since players will need to pick up the pieces that miss the board.

Our tester's mom wrote that her eight-year old daughter "was hysterically laughing the whole time (we both were) because it was fast-paced and fun and the game's outcome could change at any time." She says that she loves "games where kids and adults have the same chance of winning." The only problem they had was "when the launchers would shoot the wrong way- sometimes straight up at our faces (perhaps because we were playing on low pile carpeting?)" Her daughter wanted to tell us right away, "what a great game she thought it was....simple, silly and super-fun!"

The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

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

If you liked our 2009 Platinum winner, Scrabble Slam, you are probably going to love the Turbo Slam version even more. Basically this is the same card game with an added electronic device that adds to the tension with its music, sound effects and slam button that is basically a timer. When you hear the turbo sound you must be the first to slam the big button and draw an action card. But wait - that card may have good news or the other kind. Oh, oh! You may end up with more cards (not what you want) or you may get to give some away. The word play itself is more like the game of Upwards than Scrabble. Players get to stack letters cards on top of the the cards on the table to make a new word. The object is to get rid of all your cards. It's a fast actions game with or without the sound effects. We still like the basic card game, but a lot of kids are going to like the electronic Turbo Slammer. 8 & up.

The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

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

Think of a blend of Hot Potato and Bop-it...but here all the game play is done with your feet! What we really liked about the Speed Slider is that you can play the four games at different levels. Our favorite is the speed pass where you kick the speed slider according the numbers or colors it calls out. The game requires players to listen and react.  Unlike a lot of other electronic games, it's a kind machine.  It encourages you - that's a plus.  You can play by yourself to work on your speed and agility or play it in a group.  The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements.  We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

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

A perfect set for best friends to share. It's a set with two scrapbooks plus ribbons, scissors, pens, self-adhesive frames, stencils, flowers, glitter stickers, papers, glue sticks, rhinestones, and everything they need to make two unique books. The hard-covered scrapbooks have 10 pages and 20 layouts to guide beginners in the art of scrapbooking.  This would be fun for a sleep over or day long playdate that best friends often enjoy.   The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements.  We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

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

Our testers gave this badge making kit thumbs up for being fun to do. Comes with supplies for making 10 badges. The badges are easy to assemble--and the set comes with fabric circles that you can decorate with glitter stickers and gems. A good project for a play date. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements.  We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

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

Spiders continue to be "hot" in toyland. Last year we had remote controlled spiders that would spin on the wall. This year, the remote control is old school. The spiders in this new collection from Uncle Milton are voice activated. With a click your fingers or saying something loudly, the spider will take off! Very cool if you're into creepy crawler fun. 

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

From the gang that brought you Rush Hour and other brain teasers, this is a new take on the "if I move it here, and then here" kind of game play that really makes you think! Each card asks you place a combination of grey block pieces, one green disc and one-three green discs on the game board. And,  as you'd expect from the name, you tilt the game board in order to get the green disc into the center hole.  As with all Think Fun games there are several levels of challenges on the 40 challenge cards. 8 & up. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements.  We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

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

Here kids are getting an introduction to reflective properties of light and how different materials affect what we see. The set requires kids to follow step by step instructions for putting the kaleidoscope together. Comes with lots of materials to put in the end piece, but you can also encourage your child to experiment with things from around the house (small buttons, Cheerios, etc.).  Kit says 5 & up--and while a 5 year old will love playing with this toy, they will need your assistance to put it together.   We'd say  more like 8 & up for independent play.  The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements.   We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

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