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Important Advisory:
We are now requiring companies to provide us with documentation that their products have been tested by an independent lab for phthalates and lead.
Please click here for submission requirements for new products. However, as we are not a lab, we will not be independently verifying those
results. Also, with the exception of the 2008 Platinum Toy Awards, toys
submitted for review prior to January 2008 were not tested for lead.
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Instructions
for submitting product to the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio for review.
Contact the Toyportfolio
@ (212) 598-0502 or by email at Webmaster@Toyportfolio.com.
Copyright 1995-2008. Oppenheim Toy Portfolio - All Rights Reserved. Oppenheim Toy Portfolio,
Oppenheim
Toy Portfolio Platinum Award, and Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Blue
Chip Award are Registered Trademarks of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio.
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Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award Winners 2007:
Toys: Late School Years
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Airport
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(
Lego Systems, Inc.
$$79.99$700 pieces
)
You can’t go wrong with any of the new airport/plane sets from Lego—they’re all Lego at its best in terms of design. Really depends on what size plane you want and how much you like helicopters. The Airport set is wonderful, comes with a passenger plane, control tower, and baggage truck. Our testers loved the see-through ramp to the plane and the revolving door. 5–12. The City Airport ($89.99/863 pieces 5) comes with two helicopters, a smaller plane, control tower, and vehicles. Marked 9 & up. Passenger Plane PLATINUM AWARD ($39.99/401 pieces 5) is fun to put together down to the beverage cart, swivel chairs, and cockpit controls. The age label 5–12 is misleading on both this set and the Airport. You’d need to be an experience Lego builder to do this on your own—although we agree that 5s would love to play with this plane after putting it together with a parent. For a chunkier plane, look at Airport Action on page TK. The City Hospital ($49.99/377 pieces 4) also has a lot of play value after it’s built, with building, helicopter, and ambulance. For race fans, you’ll want to bring home the Lego Competition Racers set ($64.99/573 pieces) that features a Ferrari, pit stop, and all the props for race day. 8 & up. (800) 223-8756. Age:
Early School Years,
Late School Years.
Phone: 800 453 4652.
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award
2007
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American Girl Emily
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(
American Girl
$$87$
)
In the American Girl collection of dolls, each comes with a book that introduces girls to a bit of history through stories. Emily is in fact not an American girl, but an English girl, an auburn-haired beauty evacuated during WWII from London, to live with Molly and her family. Still top rated, any number of historic dolls from various times in our history. Last year’s winner was also an English girl, Elizabeth, from a prominent Loyalist family (and best friend of well-known Felicity). She’s 18" tall with long blond hair and blue eyes. PLATINUM AWARD 06. Still top rated, Nellie O’Malley (Samantha’s best friend). PLATINUM AWARD ’05. 7 & up. (800) 845-0005.
Age:
Early School Years,
Late School Years.
Phone: .
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award
2007
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Cast & Paint: Krazy Kars
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(
Skullduggery
$$14.99$
)
“Let’s do another,” and “so neat”—our testers really liked these fun model kits that are easy to do and produce Hot Wheels/Matchbox-scaled cars. Sets come with enough modeling material for four cars (but enough decorations for two). The cars take 30 minutes to set. New kits feature NASCAR winners like Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Kits come with NASCAR decals, paint, and blo-pens (not our favorites), but our testers really were less concerned with the decorating and more intent on making a toy they could really use! (800) 336-7745.
We often complain that there are not a lot of great craft kits for boys. Here are three sets that will be a hit. Age:
Early School Years,
Late School Years.
Phone: .
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award
2007
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Combo King
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(
Gamewright
$$14.99$
)
Our testing family thought this was a kinder, friendlier form of Yahtzee. The cards you draw determine what kind of roll you need to get in order to win the round (e.g., three 5s, two 3s). Some dice challenges invite everyone to compete (e.g, first person to roll a four wins). Not difficult to learn and fun to play. You win chips for winning the rounds (so there is a poker-like element to the game as well); first player to make all their combos is the Combo King. 8 & up but you’ll need an adult. (800) 638-7568. Age:
Late School Years.
Phone: 800-638-7568.
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award
2007
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Cosmic Catch
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(
Hasbro
$$24.99$
)
A great game for the whole family! Everyone wears a different colored band on their hands and the ball then identifies each player by passing it around once. Our favorite game mode is much like Simon Says—the ball calls out the color that it should be passed to next. If you make a mistake, the game is over. There are more challenging games, in which you have to break the “code” the ball has in mind. 7 & up, but will also be enjoyed by older siblings and family members. 2–6 players. (888) 836-7025. Age:
Early School Years,
Late School Years,
Tweens.
Phone: 800-752-9755.
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award
2007
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Doodle Tales
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(
Cranium
$$16.95$
)
Players are shown a picture with a missing image and asked to draw what they think fits best on their secret doodle pad. The judge then redistributes everyone’s drawings and spins the “caption wheel.” All players have to finish captions such as: “While we were on vacation” or “late last night . . .” The judge chooses her favorite creation (very subjective but everyone gets to be the judge!). 8 & up. (877) 272-6486. Age:
Late School Years,
Tweens.
Phone: (877) 272-6486.
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award
2007
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Egyptology Puzzle
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(
Mudpuppy Press
$$11$
)
Based on the book Egyptology from Candlewick, this handsome 100-piece puzzle is smartly designed with good clues in the graphics. If you have a child in the midst of all things Egyptian, this will be a prize! Puzzle image is printed on the metal storage tin. 7 & up. (212) 354-8840. Age:
Early School Years,
Late School Years.
Phone: 212 354-8840.
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award
2007
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Highrise
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(
Fundex
$$29.99$
)
Here is an all-new twist on dominoes—a 3-D game with 36 dominoes stacked on top of each other. Matching is done on two adjoining dominoes below. Easy to learn, quick to play, and fun! Calls for seeing spatial relationships, not just simple matching skills. 8 & up. (800) 486-9787. Age:
Late School Years.
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award
2007
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Hug This Shrug Kit
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(
Fashion Angels Enterprises
$$17.99$
)
Picking up on a big fashion trend, this kit provides clear directions and materials for making a small black shrug as well as a big fashion beaded safety pin for closure. Marked 8 & up, but we’d say more like 10 & up, and then new knitters will need assistance. Flash Dance, anyone? Check out Leg Warminators ($17.99 5), which allow another generation to make their own with very bright colors using a large plastic spool knitter. Still top rated, I Knit this Poncho! ($16 41⁄2). (800) 492-3237. Age:
Late School Years,
Tweens.
Phone: (800) 492-3237.
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award
2007
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Kid Tough Digital Camera
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(
Fisher-Price
$$69.95$
)
Designed for beginners, this digital camera works surprisingly easily. There is a two-eye view finder as well as a small but adequate screen. It’s easy to use with chunky handgrips and big button. Comes with built-in flash, runs on four AA batteries, and you can add a card for extra memory. Compatible with Mac or PC. They say 3 & up, we’d say more like 6 & up. Available in pink or blue. (800) 432-5437.
Age:
Early School Years,
Late School Years.
Phone: 800-432-5437.
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award
2007
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Click
on the links below to view the 2008 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum
Award
Winners. |
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Books
Toys
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