MadeForMums Toy Awards 2018: winners announced
Our huge team of child judges (helped by some rather over-excited grown-ups) have been testing HUNDREDS of toys – and now we can reveal the winners of our MadeForMums Toy Awards 2018...
It's taken over 500 child judges, 8 weeks of home-testing, 14 celebrity judges, a shortlisting marathon – and a mountain of batteries – but we've finally got there! We're thrilled to announce the toys that have won our MadeForMums Toy Awards 2018.
We have chosen Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in each of our 35 different award categories.
And our judges have also picked out 5 very special toys to receive an Editor's Choice award.
Here are the MadeForMums Toy Awards 2018 winning toys...
BEST ACTIVITY CENTRE
GOLD: Oribel Portaplay Convertible Activity Centre Forest Friends, £145
SILVER: Infantino Sit, Spin & Stand Entertainer, £99
BRONZE: Skip Hop Explore & More Jumpscape Foldaway Jumper, £140
FINALIST: Jane Formula Kid Babywalker
BEST BABY ACTIVITY MAT
GOLD: Tiny Love Into the Forest Gemini Deluxe, £59.99
SILVER: Fisher-Price Deluxe Kick & Play Piano Gym, £44.99
BRONZE: Perfectly Padded Playmat, £65, and Skip Hop Vibrant Village Smart Lights Activity Gym, £90
FINALIST: Taf Toys Musical Newborn Cosy Gym
BEST ART/CRAFT TOY
GOLD: Dessineo 'Painting by Stencils' Animals, £9.99
SILVER: Fuzzikins Cottontail Cottage, £19.99
BRONZE: Crayola Dough Hairstylist Playset, £18
FINALISTS: Aquadoodle Super Rainbow Deluxe, Dessineo 'Painting by Numbers' Jungle Animals, Stib Inspirational Mini Colouring Pencils, Aquabeads Magical Unicorn Set, Glam Goo Deluxe Pack and Gel-A-Peel Fashion Maker Station
BEST BABY SLEEP-AID TOY
GOLD: SweetDreamers Ewan Deluxe, £39.99
SILVER: Grofriends Light and Sound Sleep Aid, £34.99
BRONZE: First Dreams Baby Bear, £24.99
BEST BABY TOY (0-6 MONTHS)
GOLD: Lamaze Flapping Fiona, £14.99
SILVER: Petit Collage Organic Bunny Activity Toy, £20
BRONZE: Kid's Concept Edvin Music Box, £27.90 and Twiddle Ons, £8.99
FINALIST: Yummirings
BEST BABY TOY (6-12 MONTHS)
GOLD: Skip Hop Explore & More Follow Bee Crawl Toy, £30
SILVER: Gund Flora the Animated Bunny, £42
BRONZE: Infantino Sensory Textured Multi Ball Set, £13.99
FINALISTS: Rosa & Bo Nesting Babies, Fisher-Price Dance & Groove Rocket, Baby Clementino Unicorn, and Yummikeys
BEST BALANCE BIKE
GOLD: Strider 14X Sport Balance/Pedal Bike, £180
SILVER: Kiddimoto Super Junior Max, £79.99
BRONZE: Chicco Balance Bike, £34.99 and Pinto by Black Mountain Bikes, £329
BEST BATH TOY
GOLD: Bloopies, £14.99
SILVER: Waddle Bobbers, £15
BRONZE: Toomies Turtle Bath Salon, £19.99 and Tobar Clockwork Mermaid, £3.60
FINALISTS: Skip Hop Paddle & Go Owl, Wishy, Water Babies Bath Book 1-2-3 Bubba in the Sea, Cuddleduck, and Water Babies Splash Mirror
BEST BOARD GAME
GOLD: Make n Break, £19.99
SILVER: FReNeTiC, £22.99
BRONZE: Hamster Race, £24.99 and Outfoxed, £17.49
FINALISTS: Break Free, Trumping Trudy, EPHEMERIS Game of Astronomical strategy, SNOT IT, and Pass Gass
BEST COLLECTIBLES
GOLD: Playfoam Pals Wild Friends, £3
SILVER: Fingerlings BFF, £14.99
BRONZE: Hatchimals CollEGGtibles Season 3, £2.99 to £24.99, and Hasbro’s Lost Kitties, £4.99
FINALISTS: Beaker Creatures Liquid Reactor Super Lab, Cry Babies Magic Tears and Unicorn Squidgies
BEST CONSTRUCTION TOY
GOLD: Learning Resources City Engineering & Design Set, £24
SILVER: Magformers Sky Track Play Set, £69.99
BRONZE: Geomag Mechanics Gravity Up and Down Set, £69.99 and ENGINO Jurassic Earth, £44.99
FINALISTS: Geomag Mechanics Motor System, Clicformers Speed Wheel Set, and Magicube Freebuilding Set
BEST DOLL
GOLD: Cry Babies, £29.99
SILVER: Carousel Precious Newborn Emmi, £12
BRONZE: Hasbro Baby Alive Potty Dance Baby Doll, £49.99 and Baby Annabell Interactive Doll, £54.99
FINALISTS: Tiny Treasures Baby Doll with Closed Eyes, DesignaFriend Arianna Doll and One Dear World Multicultural Dolls Set
BEST EDUCATIONAL/LEARNING TOY
GOLD: Mysteries in Time, from £7.95
SILVER: Magformers Creator Set, £79.99
BRONZE: BrainBox Under the Sea, £11.99 and Flights of Fancy Pond Dipping Kit, £12
FINALISTS: Orchard Toys Dinosaur Lotto, Little Tikes STEM Jr Wonder Lab, Rainbow Colours Giant Piano Mat, GOULA Educational Wooden Calendar Clock, Max Mindpower, Numbalee and LeapStart 3D
BEST HEIRLOOM TOY
GOLD: Le Toy Van Cherry Tree Hall Doll’s House, £199.95
SILVER: KidKraft Adventure Town Railway Set & Table, £209.95
BRONZE: Silver Cross Hand Made Doll's Pram, £400
BEST INTERACTIVE TOY
GOLD: VTech Myla the Magical Make-up Unicorn, £49.99
SILVER: John Adams Soggy Doggy's Friends, £14.99
BRONZE: Untamed by Fingerlings, £16.99, and Robo Alive Dinosaur, £15
FINALISTS: Gund My Magical Light & Sound Unicorn
BEST OUTDOOR TOY
GOLD: Rollplay Nighthawk, £169.99
SILVER: Plum Glide Nest Swing, £119.99
BRONZE: Little Tikes Fun Zone Tumblin' Tower, £279.99
FINALISTS: Plum 10ft Space Zone II Evolution Springsafe Trampoline & Enclosure, Viper Go Kart, and TP Summer Lodge Wooden Playhouse
BEST PLAYSET
GOLD: Paw Patrol Ultimate Rescue Fire Truck, £69.99
SILVER: VTech Toot-Toot Friends Kingdom Pirate Ship, £39.99
BRONZE: Playmobil Aquarium, £49.99 and Carousel Wooden 15 in 1 Playset, £20
FINALISTS: Sylvanian Families Grand Department Store Gift Set, Super Zings Series 2 Kaboom City Police Station Playset, Puppy Dog Pals Dog House Playset, Zimpli Kids Gelli Worlds Dino Pack, and My Fairy Garden Fairy Light Garden
BEST PORTABLE/TRAVEL TOY
GOLD: VTech Kidizoom Duo 5.0, £54.99
SILVER: Lexicon Go!, £9.99
BRONZE: Keeping Bizzy Roll up Bizzy Mat, £9.99 and KURIO Connect 7" Tablet, £99.99
FINALISTS: Taf Toys Laptop Activity Centre, Zinc Flyte, Rush Hour, Dry-erase Bizzy Book, Roll-Up Chalk and Travel Draw Mat
BEST PUZZLE
GOLD: Usborne The World: Atlas & Jigsaw, £9.99
SILVER: A Day at the Farm - Schleich Puzzle and Play, £8.99 and Mattel Thomas & Friends Tile Playset, £19.99
BRONZE: Orchard Toys Look and Find Number Jigsaw, £8
BEST RIDE-ON TOY
GOLD: ScuttleBug, £25
SILVER: Little Tikes Magical Unicorn Carriage, £119.99
BRONZE: Kid's Concept Bo the Rocking Moose, £139.90
BEST ROBOT TOY
GOLD: Spin Master Toys Boxer, £79.99
SILVER: HEXBUG Robot Wars Arena, £79.99
BRONZE: Clementoni Coding Lab RoboMaker, £69.99
FINALIST: PJ Masks Lights & Sounds Robot
BEST SCIENCE TOY
GOLD: Science Mad Chemistry Lab, £34.99
SILVER: Little Tikes STEM Junior Wonder Lab, £99.99
BRONZE: AugmentifyIt Elements: the Periodic Table of Me, £9.99
FINALIST: Project Mc2 Perfume Science Kit and My Living World Window Bird Feeder
GOLD: GraviTrax Starter Set, £49.99
SILVER: Meccano Ferrari, £39.99
BRONZE: Engino STEM Heroes Greenhouse, £79.99
FINALISTS: Tech Will Save Us Electro Hero Kit, Kano Pixel Kit
BEST SCOOTER
GOLD: Ozbozz My First Scooter, £19.99
SILVER: Globber Evo Comfort, £89.99
BRONZE: Xootz E Scooter, £79.99
BEST SOFT TOY
GOLD: Fingerlings Hugs, £29.99
SILVER: Zuru Rainbocorns, £24.99
BRONZE: Posh Paws Christopher Robin Collection Winnie the Pooh, £14.99
FINALISTS: Carebears Medium Plush, Fips: Worry Eater Kids, Sweet Pups, and Toilet Train BING
BEST STOCKING FILLER
GOLD: HGL Unicorn Poo, £1.99
SILVER: Mix up Clay, £4.99
BRONZE: Play Dirt Bugs in a Jar, £7.99
BEST SUSTAINABLE TOY
GOLD: Toy Box Club, from £25
SILVER: Meegos, £12.99
BRONZE: Petit Collage Safari Wooden Puzzle + Play, £28
FINALIST: Cuddle+kind dolls
BEST TECH/CODING TOY
GOLD: John Adams Power Tracks, £29.99
SILVER: Learning Resources Botley the Coding Robot, £79
BRONZE: Clementoni Mind Designer, £49.99
FINALIST: Kano Computer Kit Complete
BEST TEETHING TOY
GOLD: Sophie la Girafe, £14.99
SILVER: Matchstick Money Dancing Monkey Teether, £14.95
BRONZE: Bubba the Whale Teething and Bath Toy, £8.99
FINALIST: Yummirings
BEST TODDLER TOY
GOLD: LEGO Duplo Farm Adventures, £54.99
SILVER: Toomies Sora Pic n Pop, £19.99
BRONZE: Petit Collage Peek-a-Boo House, £25 and LeapBuilders Phonics House, £34.99
FINALISTS: Infantino Cruise Around Activity Elephant, Le Toy Van Petit Activity Cube, VTech Pop-a-Ball Pop & Play Tower, PLAYMOBIL Pirate Ship, Learning Resources Smart Sounds Play House, Inflatable Peppa Pig Night Light with Clock, Learning Resources Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog, and Water Babies Bath Book 1-2-3 Bubba in the Sea
BEST TOY FOR ACTIVE PLAY
GOLD: Hauck Ride on 1-2-3, £49.99
SILVER: Chicco Goal League, £24.99
BRONZE: Fisher-Price Bright Beats Dance & Move BeatBo, £42.99
FINALISTS: Nerf Laser Ops Pro Alphapoint Blaster and Peppa's Interactive Playmat
BEST TOY FOR PRETEND PLAY
GOLD: TP Muddy Madness Wooden Mud Kitchen, £149.99
SILVER: Addo Play Busy Me Electronic Cash Register, £29.99
BRONZE: KidKraft Farm to Table Kitchen, £229.95
FINALISTS: Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Servin' Up Fun Food Truck, Little Tikes Shop 'n Learn Smart Checkout and KidKraft Teeny House
BEST TOY FOR ROLE PLAY
GOLD: Le Toy Van Doctor’s Set, £39.95
SILVER: Orchard Toys Money Match Cafe, £12.50
BRONZE: Fiesta Crafts Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Hand and Finger Puppet Set, £24.99 and Toyrific X Factor Microphone Speaker XF2, £24.99
BEST TOY VEHICLE
GOLD: John Deere Build a Johnny Tractor, £24.99
SILVER: Carousel Pick It Up Recycling Truck, £14
BRONZE: PLAYMOBIL Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, £39.99
FINALISTS: Hot Wheels DRX Monster X-Terrain Drone and Kid's Concept Truck Aiden
BEST WOODEN TOY
GOLD: Carousel Wooden Train Set, £13
SILVER: MURO, £195
BRONZE: BRIO Smart Tech Engine Set with Action Tunnels, £89.99, and My 1st Years Personalised Colourful Wooden Xylophone Toy, £22
FINALISTS: Petit Collage Wooden Ferris Wheel and Petit Collage Bunny Wooden Stacking Toy
EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARDS
Awarded to the toys our judges picked out as having something particularly special. Clockwise from top left, they are:
- HEXBUG Robot Wars Arena, £79.99: chosen by Helen, MadeForMums Deputy Editor, who thinks this remote-controlled game is the best fun – and may just have taken it home to commence battle with her 3 boys...
- MURO, £195: chosen by guest judges Laura Hamilton and Amy Lawrence, who were bowled over by this beautifully made wooden toy that you can play with in so many different ways – a real entertainment investment for any child.
- Playmobil Aquarium, £49.99: chosen by Hazelann, MadeForMums Reviews Editor, who singled out its size and the quality of the accessories – and loved the fact that you can add water for full-on splashy fun.
- Baby Alive Potty Dance Baby Doll, £49.99: chosen by Susie, MadeForMums Editorial Director, who was impressed by the very realistic way this doll moves and responds – and her lovely sense of humour.
- Zuru Rainbocorns, £24.99: chosen by Tara, on our MadeForMums editorial team, because it is a great, high-quality combination of unhatching toy, unicorn toy, collectible and soft toy – and she loves the hidden message on the sequin heart.
What are the MadeForMums Toy Awards about?
The MadeForMums Toy Awards are all about celebrating the best in children's toys, from toys for newborns to toys for pre-teens – and all ages, stages and genres in between.
We're known here at MadeForMums for our expert, honest and thorough product reviews, and we've brought those same standards to our Toy Awards – knowing that the award of a winner's badge from us will be recognised both by parents and major retailers as a sign of outstanding quality and play potential.
How were the toys judged?
We want to recognise the great toys that entertain, educate and excite children of all ages and stages, so we divided all our award entries into 35 different categories, shortlisted the very best of them, and then judged all those on their play potential and value for money.
We also created 5 Editor's Choice awards – to showcase the toys that our judges thought had something about them that was particularly special.
Who were the judges?
Of course the best people to rate toys are the children who play with them, so we recruited a panel of over 500 child judges, ranging in age from 12 weeks to 15 years, and set them (and their parents) the arduous task of playing with our toy entries and telling us exactly what they thought of them. And they certainly told us EVERYTHING!
We also had 2 celebrity judging days at MadeForMums HQ, where all the shortlisted toys were tried out by an awesomely influential panel, including:
- Teen YouTube stars Amazing Arabella, JD the Kid, and Channel 4’s 2017 Child Genius star Tray Sean Ben Salmi. Together, they are 3 of the 5 co-hosts of the Youtube channel Team Trouble
- Andy Joyce, the lead presenter of Brainiac Live and producer, director and writer of children’s theatre
- Danny Sebastian, presenter of children's show Junkyard Rescue
- Amy Williams MBE, former skeleton racer and Olympic gold medallist for Team GB, and mum of 1
- Sonali Shah, the former BBC Newsround presenter, and mum of 2
- Laura Hamilton, star of Dancing on Ice and A Place in the Sun, and mum of 2
- Al Ferguson, CEO and founder of The Dad Network, and dad of 1
- Tess and Olivia from the amazingly successful parent-led campaign group Let Toys Be Toys
- Peter Jenkinson, aka the Toyologist, recently seen on Philip Schofield's TV show How to Spend it Well
- Ian Downes, toy industry expert and owner of Start Licensing
- Robert Hutchins, editor of Toy News
- Expert members of the MadeForMums editorial team
Read more...
Authors
Helen is author of the classic advice book Parenting for Dummies and a mum of 3. Before joining MadeForMums, she was Head of Community at Mumsnet and also the Consumer Editor of Mother & Baby.
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