While she does fewer tricks than our past award winner Biscuit, Cookie, the latest addition to the Fur Real line of pets, is still very special. Most importantly, she's very huggable. Unlike many dolls in this category, you don't feel all the armature underneath. Cookie barks, she turns her head, she wags her tail, she also whines when you speak to her (voice activated). If a real puppy is not in the cards, this may do the trick. 4 & up. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements.  We did not independently test this toy in a lab.  

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

Choose your favorites from this multi-ethnic group of 8" dolls. Each comes with a sports accessory - a skateboard, soccer ball, ski board, hockey puck, or football. Their fabric bodies have an armature inside that makes them bendable and pose-able and there are magnets in their hands and feet so that they can sort of stick to their sporting equipment. Finding the right spot in a hand to connect to a sports ball can take a few tries, however. They have stitched features and wear sports clothes that do not come off. Finding boy dolls can be challenging and these are especially nice for dramatic play. Also, look for the double-sided Boysterous Extreme Sports Zone ( $30 ). The long green play mat has graphics for a soccer game on one side; flip it over and it has a hump of a bump for the skateboarders to ride on. When they are all done, kids can store the dolls and sporting equipment away in the mat. So, it's a neat setting and a storage container.

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

Ready for the winter weather in great style, this 14" beautiful doll is charming in her red coat,  pink jumper, tights, Ugg-inspired boots, fleece hat and striped scarf. She has blond hair and blue eyes--one of this classic line of dolls that happily look like girls (and are dressed like girls!). A perfect birthday gift for 3s & 4s.

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

Boy dolls are still not too abundant, yet boys and girls both like having boy dolls. This classic Cabbage Patch doll has a soft huggable body and is dressed with khaki chinos a striped buttoned shirt. He has big blue eyes and a pair of dark framed glasses. The glasses, a small extra, just might be a great hit for kids who are also wearing glasses. This is one of a collection of 14" newly refreshed Cabbage Patch dolls.

3 & up.

Age: Preschool. Award Year: 2011.

Take your pick of these 12 charming Cabbage Patch dolls. This newly reintroduced line includes both boys and girls, fair and dark haired, in many skin tones and cute easy on and off clothes. Many come with glasses that are especially pleasing for kids who also wear them. These are 14" soft fabric dolls with their typically silly faces and huggable bodies. 3 & up.

Age: Preschool. Award Year: 2011.

Dressed in shiny vinyl skirts and wearing capes, these Wonder Woman wanna-bes are ready for action. Soft fabric dolls that will probably appeal to little ones with older sibs who are into action figures. These Groovy Girls take off in a new direction.

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

Back in 1993 we gave this pink and yellow monkey our Platinum Award. It's been gone for a while. This season the 17" monkey is back along with an adorable hot pink Knotted Baby Cozy. These are very short plush with a truly velvety feel-the cozy is softer than the 17" monkey. Both have stitched eyes and no doodads that will come off by surprise. Perfect first huggables with long arms, legs, and tails that make them easy to grab hold of and tote about.

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

With a beanbag bottom that helps it sit on its own, this grey and white pooch with stitched features and a huggable body will please toddlers and preschoolers who love an armful. One of a collection of Cozies, the brown and tan monkey and smiling gray and white Dog are about as cute as stuffed animals can be.   Both have long limbs that make them easy to grab and hold and they are floppy  enough to lie down for naptime snuggles.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool. Award Year: 2011.

With a beanbag bottom that helps it sit up, this brown and tan monkey with stitched features and a huggable body will please toddlers and preschoolers who love an armful. One of a collection of Cozies, the monkey and smiling gray and white Dog are about as cute as stuffed animals can be. Both have long limbs that make them easy to grab and hold and they are floppy enough to lie down for naptime snuggles.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool. Award Year: 2011.

Choose Loopy Bunny Pink or Blue, a big floppy 16" white bunny with long soft pink or blue velour-like lined ears and a pink or blue bow. Or, for a gender free version, look for their Tan version with all tan ears and yellow bow. There is also a Loopy Puppy that looks a lot like the Tan bunny, but with shorter ears. Not only are these Loopy dolls an armful, they are each totally cuddly. They are big enough to satisfy toddlers and young preschoolers who like a big doll to fill their arms without much weight. The long ears and legs also make the bunnies especially easy for younger kids to grab hold of as they hug and lug them about. The dolls have stitch features, making them safer than the typical bunnies with metal in their stand up ears that can eventually poke through the fabric. These huggables also come in silky 10" versions with bean bag filling that makes them amazingly easy to pose in many floppy positions. Or bring home a soft unstuffed "cozy" variety for the youngest bunny lover. Our favorites are the big ones that are under-stuffed but pleasing to snuggle.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2011.