An update of a classic; a multi-armed ball that infants can easily grab.  This one is done in a short no-shed plush and felt-like finish. A smiling honey bear's head sits on top and plump paws with different patterns are attached on the side. Inside the arms of the ball is a fabric bee. Pull it out and it vibrates as it goes back into place. A quiet jingle bell is safely hidden inside.  A good choice for sitting-up babies.

Age: Infants. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

A wonderfully designed set of four stacking cups with amusing faces clipped to the side. Use them for nesting, stacking, pouring and sprinkling. Each of the cups has sprinkling holes that make them ideal for experimenting with in the bathtub. They are wider than most stacking cups and easier to grasp by the rims or faces. Also, thanks to the holes in the bottom they are safe and will not pose a hazard that solid cups can do. They are also of unusual sizes; the tallest being the inside one and almost transparent for looking through. The bottom cup is 4 inches wide and the set stacks to 6 inches high.  These will also make good beach toys for sifting sand or water. 6 months-2years. 

SNAP: Big and easy to handle cups that empower kids to stack, nest and best of all use for fun in the tub.

Age: Infants, Toddlers. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Here's a little setting that will be enjoyed as a baby grows from crawling to toddling and even beyond. A soon-to-be three spent a happy time testing all the bells and whistles of the Activity Garden. It is not so much about gardening as it is about making things happen. There are doors to open and close and window with built-in ball run and shutters for games of peek-a-boo. The doorbell has a three buttons that activate three pleasing sounds. A crawl through archway will be fun for active play. There is a mailbox shape, movable bugs to slide, pictures to click, and a detachable three-language phone with buttons that say the numerals baby presses in English, French or Spanish. This is a wonderfully inviting play setting with a terrific variety of activities for fine and gross motor skills. You can convert the four-walled setting into an open one, but we found it is less stabile in the opened positions. This does require assembly, but it went together with relative ease.  It is a big toy, almost 34 by 25 inches.  If you have the room it will be used for a reasonably long time.

SNAP: A good choice for active play that can be enjoyed by children with physical challenges, even if they can not stand. A variety of play modes here that empower kids to make things move and sound.

Age: Infants, Toddlers. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

A new activity floor mat for infants done in autumnal colors of green, orange and brown. The cross bars are covered in fabric and can hold any three of the five little fabric critters that come with the mat. There's a jingly owl, a bird that tweets, a mirrored apple, a rattle birdie, and a nutty squirrel for gazing or batting at. The arms have additional loops for hanging other toys. The mat itself has a nice tree top graphic and leaves appliquéd that will not make the surface bumpy or lumpy to lie on. There's a pillow for tummy time that can be velcroed in place and a flat mirror that comes out when you want to launder the mat. All in all, a solid choice for basic gear. Newborns & up.

Age: Infants. Award Year: 2012.

Ten sturdy cardboard blocks to stack or nest in size order. They are illustrated with baby faces, each with a distinctive expression. There is a space to slip in a photo of your baby, as well. Our eight-month old tester loved examining the babies and their adorable faces. She also liked knocking down the stacks we built for her and peek a boo games we played by nesting one block over another. 8 months & up.

Age: Infants, Toddlers. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

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.

An adorable huggable with many textures and patterns for a sitting up baby to investigate. Hot pink with licks of high contrast black and white and lavender, this smiling bunny has a round body so it can sit up without help. It has stitched features and a body with many eye-catching patterns. Its long floppy ears are lined in satin and they have tabs of ribbons and plush knotties for little fingers to explore. Turn it around and there's a surprising silky pom-pom puff of a tail. A good choice for sitting up babies and young toddlers. Unlike the Cute as a button Cuddly Lion which is machine washable, the Diva Bunny is only surface cleanable.

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

For the youngest little sluggers in the making, here is a small royal blue and tan bear with no stuffing. It's made of velvety velour with a small tan head topped with a baseball cap. Infants.

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

An adorable huggable with many textures and patterns for a sitting up baby to investigate. Bright yellow with a round body, this happy faced lion has stitched features and a body with stripes, dots, and knitted surfaces. Its mane has tabs of felt, ribbon and plush knotties for little fingers to explore. Even the pads of its paws have a surprising satiny feel. Machine washable. A good choice for sitting up babies and young toddlers.

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