A handsome wooden parking garage with working elevator to lift vehicles up to the two level garage with ramps for coming down. Comes with three small vehicles and has a heliport with little helicopter up on top. This is larger than the older garage from Hape. There are miles of pretend play waiting to happen. Great for developing pretend stories

Age: Preschool. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

An eye catching yellow birdie with black and white striped legs and red and white polka-dotted wings. Dangle this in the stroller or use it for early tracking and lap games. It makes a soft chirping sound as it bounces and the wings have crinkle sound. It comes with a black and white ring on top for hanging it in plain sight and has two rings attached to a leg that baby will eventually like grasping. With stitched features and short ribbon tabbies to finger, this is a perfect choice for shower gift or visiting the new baby.

Age: Infants. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

This craft kit involves macrame-type weaving with thick color cords that produce showy results that kids can enjoy wearing with pride. It comes with eight colors, buckles, stickers, scissors, glue, and clear instructions. There are enough supplies to make eight bracelets. A fun kit for play dates or sleep-over craft fun. Marked for 7 & up, but we think most kids of seven will need lots of help getting started and finishing up. We'd say it's a better choice for 8-9's.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Stephanie wants to be a superstar. She works out in her rehearsal studio with a revolving platform. She has a guitar, keyboard, and microphone. For dancing she has a ballet bar and mirror and before she goes on stage she puts on her make-up at a dressing table. A 198-piece set with one mini-figure. 5-12

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Handsomely packaged in a roundish cardboard carrying case, this 100-piece puzzle has three levels with distinct scenes: a country highway, a city roadway and city street jammed with vehicles and traffic light. There are buses, taxi, firetruck, garbage truck, as well as farm and passenger vehicles.   They say 5-8. We think 5-6 will need a lot of help and the upper range will enjoy this more.

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Handsomely packaged in a sturdy cardboard carrying case, this big 100-piece puzzle is challenging. The pieces are not overly large and there are lots of creatures in the sea. The horizon will offer good starting point clues, as will the bigger fish in the sea. They say 5-8. We think 5-6 will need a lot of help and the upper range will enjoy this more.

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Cows, ducks, hens, tractors and farmer's hat and boots are easy to match on these wooden dominos. Turn them over and play a traditional match the dots domino game. Finished in smooth natural wood these are basic gear that will be used for naming and knowing as well as for matching, stacking, or collapsing games. 28 pieces. 

SNAP: Introduce the playing pieces by finding all the cows as a first game, finding all the sheep as another game...etc. Playing a traditional game of dominoes can wait. Knowing and naming and matching builds the readiness for the old-fashioined game. These are nice for stacking and lining up, too.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool. Award Year: 2013.

Four cardboard puzzles come in this carry-all cardboard case. Each features a racing scene with multi-ethnic drivers. The four puzzles have 6, 9, 12, or 16 pieces, each in its own plastic baggie. They need to be kept separated. Naturally, they get progressively harder, so you may want to put the harder ones away and introduce them gradually. 3-5

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2013.

Four cardboard puzzles come in this carry-all cardboard case. Each features a little veterinarian at work in her office, caring for animals and doing her computer entries. The four puzzles have 6, 9, 12, or 16 pieces, each in its own plastic baggie. They need to be kept separated. Naturally, they get progressively harder, so you may want to put the harder ones away and introduce them gradually. 3-5

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2013.

Four pastel teething keys on a yellow ring that babies can chew, shake and manipulate. They make a nice clattering sound and are made from 100% recycled plastic in the USA. They contain no BPA, phthalates, or PVC. Infants

Age: Infants. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.