The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) selects eighty-five specialty toys in fourteen categories from hundreds of nominations and have named them finalists for ASTRA’s 2020 Best Toys for Kids list.
From this group of finalists, ASTRA member retailers will vote online to select the winning toys that will become “the year’s top picks from America’s play experts” for the 2020 holiday season.
“Best Toys for Kids is the only annual toy list that is compiled by a national network of grassroots play experts who know specialty toys inside out,” notes Kimberly Mosley, President of ASTRA. “Those experts are ASTRA member retailers, and the list represents their collective experience in watching children play with products in their stores, combined with feedback they hear from parents and their own expertise about toys and child development.”
Voting to select the winning products is open. The deadline for ASTRA member retailers to vote is May 10, 2020. Winners will be announced in early July 2020.
ASTRA’s 2020 finalists for the Best Toys for Kids awards program are:
ARTS & CRAFTS
Creatto Light-Up Crafting Kits | Thames & Kosmos
Happy Monsters | DJECO
Make Your Own Tiny Camper | Klutz
Sketch Pals | Boogie Board
Spirograph Scratch and Shimmer Set | PlayMonster
World Colors How to Draw Faces | Faber-Castell USA Premium Children’s Art Products
CLASSIC PLAY
Classic Paddy Teddy Bear | Steiff North America
Kwik Stix | The Pencil Grip, Inc.
Labyrinth | Ravensburger North America, Inc.
My First Train Set | PLAYMOBIL
Palace House | Le Toy Van
Sprite Deluxe | Micro Kickboard
The Cool Tool PLAYmake | The Cool Tool
CONSTRUCTION
Clipstix | Popular Playthings
Mechanics Challenge Strike | Geomagworld
Plus-Plus GO! | Plus-Plus
Terra Kids Cork Boat | HABA USA
EARLY PLAY
Blockaroo | Blue Marble
Mirari SkillDillies | PlayMonster
Petilou Sensory Shapes | Le Toy Van
Shape Factory | Fat Brain Toy Co.
Toniebox | Tonies
ZIPPEE Activity Toy | Möbi
GAMES: 7 AND UNDER
Bear Down! Game | AMIGO Games
Bull’s Eye | Roo Games
Catch of the Day | Epoch Everlasting Play
Drone Home | PlayMonster
Hand Me a Candy Game | eeBoo
SmartGames Froggit | Smart Toys and Games
Tac Tac Jack | FoxMind Games
Throw Throw Burrito | Exploding Kittens/ACD Distribution
GAMES: 8+
BUILDZI | Carma Games
Cover Your Kingdom | Grandpa Beck’s Games
Cupcake Academy | Blue Orange Games
Hues and Cues | Usaopoly | The Op
Letter Jam | Czech Games Edition
Pana Po’o | OUTSET MEDIA CORPORATION
Shipshape | Calliope Games
SmartGames Cube Duel | Smart Toys and Games
The #UpsideDownChallenge Game | Vango Toys
GAMES: TEENS & ADULTS
Mystery House | Asmodee North America
PANDO | Roots Family History
TAG | PlayMonster
Telestrations: Upside Drawn | Usaopoly | The Op
OUTDOOR & ACTIVE PLAY
4Fun ChangeUp | b4adventure
Air Square | MukikiM
AirFort | XM Works Inc.
Birdie Golf | Hog Wild
Capture the Flag REDUX | Starlux Games, LLC
Plum BOWL Freebound Trampoline | b4Adventure
Slackers Adventure Treehouse | b4Adventure
Swingin’ Shoes | Fat Brain Toy Co.
Whippet | Diggin Active, Inc.
PRETEND PLAY
Bird’s Nest Cafe | Tender Leaf Toys
Doctor’s Bag | Le Toy Van
Face Paintoos | PlayMonster
Fun Fan Fryer | Hape International Inc.
Janod Shaving Set | Juratoys US
PRETEND PLAY: DOLLS & FIGURINES
Adventure Tree House | Schleich USA Inc
Fire Eagle | Schleich USA inc
LARGE HORSE STABLE WITH HOUSE AND STABLE | Schleich USA Inc
Little Friends Camper | HABA USA
Mermaid Cove with Illuminated Dome | PLAYMOBIL
SCOOBY-DOO! Mystery Machine | PLAYMOBIL
PRETEND PLAY: VEHICLES
Drive & Blast | Odyssey Toys
Railway Bucket Builder Set | Hape International Inc.
Snap Ships | PlayMonster
PUZZLES: EDUCATIONAL & MANIPULATIVE PLAY
KARMAGAMI (calming sensory toy) | Fun In Motion Toys
Monster Math Scale | Hape International Inc.
STEM Blocks – K25 Super Mega Awesome! Kit | Kontu, Inc.
SumBlox | SumBlox
PUZZLES: JIGSAWS & BRAINTEASERS
Carnovsky Ocean Jigsaw Puzzle | Ginger Fox
Genius Star | MukikiM
My First Rush Hour | ThinkFun
Scratch Off Puzzles | 4D Cityscape Inc.
SmartGames Jack & the Beanstalk Deluxe | Smart Toys and Games
Votes for Women 100 Piece Puzzle | eeBoo
SCIENCE & DISCOVERY
Fuel ‘N Duel Rocket Racers | Be Amazing! Toys
InterActive Human Body | Be Amazing! Toys
KC3: Keypad Coding Robot | Elenco Electronics, Inc.
Mega Cyborg Hand | Thames & Kosmos
Robotics: Smart Machines – HoverBots with BalanceTech | Thames & Kosmos
Smartivity Retroscope | Smartivity
Snap Circuits: MyHome | Elenco Electronics, Inc.
The Amazing Tightrope-Walking Gyrobot | Thames & Kosmos