Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Awards for Early School Years 2017

During the early school years kids grow from pre-literate to true readers and writers. They continue to learn through play, using the skills they are learning as they play games, do craft kits, explore art materials, and construction toys. Building toys and art materials help them refine their fine motor skills as well as creativity. Through physical play they continue to gain control of their big motor skills. After hours in a classroom, they seriously need time for running, shouting, and using their seemingly unlimited energy. Playing board games gives them practice with math and logic along with learning that you win and lose some. Working at brain teasers and puzzles they stretch their ability to work at tasks that are not instantaneous. While home and family are still the secure base they depend upon, their social world is expanding as they learn about being one of a group and how to play cooperatively in their classroom and on the playground. Clearly, they need a variety of toys to tool all these important kinds of learning through play.

Here are the best and outstanding toys for Early School Years children that have won an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award for 2017.

Dolls

Barbie’s Dream Horse (Mattel)

Budsies Custom Dolls (Budsies)

Gabriela, Girl of the Year (American Girl)

Logan, First American Girl 18" Boy Doll

Z Yang, American Girl Doll (American Girl)

Lotti Dolls (Lotti)

Games

4 Way Spelldown (Ideal/Alex Brands)

Cha-Cha Chihuahua (Gamewright)

Cobra Paw (Bananagrams)

Go Go Gelato Game (Blue Orange)

Gonuts for donuts! (Gamewright)

Jump’In (Smart Games)

Star Wars Simon (Hasbro)

Let’s Go Code Activity Set (Learning Resources)

Wiggle Waggle Whiskers Game (Educational Insights)

Words on the Street Junior (Educational Insights)

You Do Game (Ann Williams)

Puzzles

Connectagons Modern Art (Hearthsong)

Holiday Parade 64-Piece Puzzle (eeBoo)

Foil Puzzle – Robotics (Mudpuppy)

Tracks

Max Traxxx Flex RC Flexible Track System (Skullduggery)

Zipes Speed Pipes (Neat Oh!)

Pretend Play & Settings

Pharaoh’s Pyramid (Playmobil)

Star Wars BB-8 Adventure Base (Hasbro)

Teaching ATM Bank (Learning Resources)

Construction

3-in-1 LEGO Creator Townhouse (LEGO Systems)

Brackitz Bugz Playpark (Brackitz)

Curved 50 Set (Magformers)

LEGO STAR WARS Series (LEGO Systems)

Log House (Magformers)

Wonderhood Pet Place (Wonderhood)

Crafts

Horizon Just My Style Emoticon Scrapbook (Horizon)

Wooden Robot Kit (Kid Made Modern)

Heart Bowls (Ann Williams)

Heart Keepsake Box (Skullduggery)

Calming Swirl Charms (Creativity for Kids)

High Tech

STAR WARS First Order Stormtrooper Smartwatch with Camera (VTech)

Ultra Dash (Play Monster)