Manufacturer's Information: Criteria for testing

The Canadian Toy Testing Council is a national, non-profit organization that has been testing toys since 1952. We do not charge for testing. The results are published on our website www.toy-testing.org. In addition, we present awards to manufacturers (Children's Choice, Best Bet and CTTC/Energizer Battery-Operated Toy of the Year) when we discover extraordinary toys during the course of our testing. Results are published on an ongoing basis and award winners are selected and announced each fall.

The following are the general criteria for having toys tested by the Canadian Toy Testing Council (CTTC):

· Toys we test must be available in Canada, nationally distributed; that is to say, easily attainable through nationwide retail outlets (boutique type specialty toy shops are acceptable, as well as Toys 'R' Us type outlets) or through Canadian based internet sources (i.e. consumers must be able to purchase the product in Canadian dollars and be able to have the item delivered from a Canadian source)

· The Council seeks out toys to test which are new and innovative.

· The Council may request that you send a single sample of your toy so we can determine if it is appropriate for our program. Six samples are required for testing.

· All samples must be donated and should be marked as such. In addition, we ask that the company submitting the samples pay all shipping costs, duties and taxes. Please ensure that arrangements are made to ensure that toys being sent from outside Canada are cleared through Canada Customs.

· Six samples of each toy must be supplied for testing. Please provide the exact name of the toy, the model number, the recommended age range and the Canadian manufacturer’s suggested retail price.

· We do not test prototypes.

· To ensure inclusion in a given year's testing cycle, it is preferred that toys are sent to the Council's office as early as possible.

· Toys are not returned after testing; toys are used when we conduct media interviews, given to charities as donations, or used to generate revenue for ongoing evaluation programs.

· Toys are tested for a period of six to eight weeks in the homes of our specially trained testing families.

· After testing is completed, the CTTC evaluation committee meets to review the testing results and establish a rating for the toy. Three stars is the highest, followed by two stars, one star and not recommended. A "novelty" rating is assigned when the toy has strong potential but limited long-term play value. Each manufacturer is notified of the rating and toy comment that will accompany the toy on www.toy-testing.org.

· If your toy receives a three-star rating, you will be asked to provide a visual of your toy for our website www.toy-testiong.org. In addition, you will be invited to take advantage of our seal program, which allows you to put the Canadian Toy Testing Council's three-star seal on your packaging.

· Toys which receive a three star rating will also be considered for Children’s Choice, Best Bet, and CTTC/Energzier Battery Operated Toy of the Year awards. These awards are presented each fall at our national media conference.

Thank you for your interest in the Canadian Toy Testing Council. If you have a toy that you feel would be of interest to us please contact our office email