As every year, I'm in Nuremberg at the world's largest toy fair. Here, around
3,000 manufacturers exhibit over a million products. Of these, 120,000 are new products. Traditionally, the ToyAward is presented on the opening day. This year, 422 manufacturers submitted a total of 772 toys. A jury consisting of 16 experts (including industry insiders, educationalists and specialised journalists) selected the winning products. They focussed on originality, safety, potential for success in retail, comprehensibility of the product concept, workmanship and fun to play with. The ToyAward is divided into five categories: Four of them are sorted by age and the fifth category honours an innovative start-up. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to take my own photos of the products on site. However, the pictures and videos provided to me are not as bad as I expected.
The winner in this category is "1.2.3 Aqua" from Playmobil. A water game in which water is set in motion by cranking and small boats and figures sail along a canal. Toddlers can playfully train their fine motor skills. In addition to the basic set, extensions are available to expand your water park. The jury said of the game: "In addition to the high-quality design, the intuitive functionality of the game should also be emphasised." According to our buyers, we will be adding "1.2.3 Aqua" from Playmobil to our range soon.
For three to six-year-olds, the "Knight's Castle Ball Track" from Gollnest & Kiesel wins the race. The modular ball track made of lightweight wooden elements has the look of a colourful fortress. Simple plug-in connections allow the young knights to put together their own customised castle. The jury justified its choice as follows: "This allows the lords of the castle to train their motor skills and their sense of three-dimensional space." Unfortunately, we will probably not be able to include this marble run in our range. However, you can find more marble runs here.
The ToyAward in the SchoolKids category goes to "Balloon Puncher" from the manufacturer Silverlit. This toy focuses on fun and action. First you can attach a balloon to a moving body, then it's time to get down to business. You can fight with your opponent using a remote control. The aim is to burst your opponent's balloon. "The mix of balloon-placement game and technology as well as the funny concept make "Balloon Puncher" an entertaining game", is the verdict of the expert jury. The Silverlit brand is already well represented in our catalogue. You will soon be able to find this game in our range too.
In this category, a board game from Cranio Creations came up trumps: the "Mystery House. Adventure in a Box". The game is distributed in Germany by Schmidt Spiele. In this three-dimensional game, you build your own escape room in your living room. Each player can take it in turns to take a look inside the mysterious house and search for clues. If you find something, you can use a companion app for your smartphone or tablet to unlock various items that will help you solve the puzzle. The jury praised the endless gameplay in particular. Whether we will be able to offer this game is still up in the air. However, we are doing our best.
