Best Toys for Early School Years: 2023 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Awards

We are delighted to announce the Best Toys in the Early School Years Category for 2023. These toys have been awarded our top honor, the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award!

Early School Years children like more complex building toys, puzzles, and games. They're also ready to use fine motor skills for crafts. they need toys for social and active play as well as quiet solo time. To read our full review of each toy click through the titles below. You'll find our entire evaluation and shopping information and be sure to read the reviews of our OTP Gold Award Winners, as well.

Dolls

American Girl Create Your Own Doll (Mattel)

Barbie You Can Be Anything Marine Biologist Doll (Mattel)

Paper Dolls: Explorer & Botanist (eeBoo)

Corolle Girls Collection (Corolle)

Vehicles

Hot Wheels Ultimate Garage (Mattel)

Games

Cranium Hullabaloo (Hasbro)

Ravensburger Stomp the Plank (Ravensburger)

Basic Fun Lite Brite Touch (Basic Fun)

Buffalo Games Oh No, Volcano! (Buffalo Games)

Tightrope Game (Mindware)

Chronicle Waffle Topple Game (Ridley's / Chronicle Books)

Bitzee (SpinMaster)

One Two Many Rabbits (Three Archer Games)

Construction Toys

Air Toobz (Fat Brain Toy Co)

Puzzles

Peaceable Kingdom Shiny Triceratops Floor Puzzle (Mindware)

Activities and Crafts

Mindware Paint Your Own Pet Dish (Mindware)

Creativity for Kids The Very Hungry Caterpillar Sticker Suncatchers (Faber-Castell)

Hey Clay Kits (Fat Brain Toys)

Mindware Deluxe Dig It Up! Excavation Kit (MIndware)

Spinmaster Coolmaker PopStyle Bracelet Maker (Spinmaster)

Super Smalls Magic Power Potion Necklace Kit (Super Smalls)