INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY
Contact: Leigh A. Poirier, Executive Director
613-228-3155
TOY-RIFFIC!
THE CANADIAN TOY TESTING COUNCIL
ANNOUNCES THE TOP TOYS OF THE YEAR
OTTAWA – November 12, 2003 – Here’s Toy-riffic news! The Canadian Toy Testing Council (CTTC), the leading authority on toys in Canada, has announced the top children’s toys--and books--for this year.
Toys for babies, toys for tweens and toys for teens--choosing good toys can be overwhelming.
“We’ve done the testing and evaluation on hundreds of new toys so that families can make informed choices,” said Leigh Poirier, CTTC Executive Director. “The CTTC award-winning toys are tops in quality and fun!”
The Canadian Toy Testing Council is a non-profit organization with over 50 years of learning through play. The Council tests toys and provides the results to Canadian families, rating the toys for durability, safety, design, function, ease of assembly, battery consumption and overall play value.
“We are the oldest independent toy evaluation organization in Canada, with the most intensive testing program. From the beginning, the Canadian Toy Testing Council has done the leg-work for the consumer. The hundreds of toys we test each year are evaluated and played with by Canadian children in actual home environments,” said Ms. Poirier. Over 1,000 kids, ages three months to sixteen years, test toys for the Council on an ongoing basis.
“The CTTC is also pleased to announce this year’s Great Books for Children,” Ms. Poirier said. This is the third year that the Council has asked its member families to read Canadian books and have children choose their favourites.
Children from the Council announced the CTTC/ENERGIZER BATTERY-OPERATED TOY OF THE YEAR as well as the CHILDREN’S CHOICE AWARD winning toys, and presented the BEST BET AWARD winning toys at its annual press conference, held in the Drawing Room of the Chateau Laurier hotel in Ottawa. The complete 2004 TOY REPORT has again been made available to Canadian consumers via the Internet on the Canadian Toy Testing Council’s website (www.toy-testing.org).
Parents seeking the award-winning toys should check the Canadian Toy Testing Council’s website for its listing of CTTC’s Retail Partners. These are toy stores that are committed to carrying quality toys. In addition, CTTC’s award-winning toys will be auctioned on eBay at www.ebay.ca under the eBay name “besttoytestingcharity,” from November 12-19.
The following award-winning toys are presented by age; prices may vary from retail outlet to retail outlet, or at web stores. The Canadian Toy Testing Council’s award-winning toys are:
3 + TEACHING CASH REGISTER (PRETEND & PLAY),
# LSP 2690-C / LER 2690 (Learning Resources), $65-75
1. 0.5 - 2 yrs STEP & PLAY PIANO, # 79029-9963 (Fisher-Price Canada Inc.), $140-150
2. 2.5 + GEOTRAX RAIL & ROAD SYSTEM (Tracktown Railway),
# B1836-0910 (Fisher-Price Canada Inc.), $60-70
3. 3 + BABY BORN THREE WHEEL JOGGER STROLLER, # 797170 (Zapf-Creation (U.S.) Inc.), $95-100
4. 5 + EXPLORER GLOBE, # 80610 (Leap Frog), $165-200
5. 5 + MIDGE & BABY (HAPPY FAMILY), # 56663 (Mattel Canada Inc.), $25-35
6 5 + ZOO TYCOON, # X08-46770 (Microsoft Canada Inc.), $45-50
5 + ZOO TYCOON MARINE MANIA, # X08-90491 (Micorosoft Canada Inc.), $35-40
7. 5 + COOL ROOM CATCHERS, CLIKITS, # 7518 (Lego Canada Inc.), $10-15
6 + LET'S PARTY, CLIKITS, # 7522 (Lego Canada Inc.), $25-30
6 - 8 yrs COOL ROOM DÉCOR, CLIKITS, # 7517 (Lego Canada Inc.), $10-15
6 - 8 yrs PILLOW DÉCOR N MORE, CLIKITS, # 7520 (Lego Canada Inc.), $25-30
6 - 10 yrs TRENDY TOTES TANGERINE, CLIKITS, # 7511 (Lego Canada Inc.), $15-20
8. 7 + BLOKUS, # VER011 (Alary Games), $40-45
9. 7 + BREAK THE SAFE GAME, # B4859 (Mattel Canada Inc.), $25-35
10. 7 + M GEARS MOTORIZED BUILDING SET, # LER 8164 (Learning Resources), $50-65
Best Bets Award Winners (presented by age):
0.25 - 2 yrs DEVELOPLAY ACTIVITY CENTER, # 00243 (Tiny Love), $60-75
0.5 + LEAP START LEARNING TABLE, # 10005 (Leap Frog), $60-70
0.5 + SING & SPIN BUGS, # 97327 (Learning Curve Toys), $45-50
1 - 4 yrs SWEET SOUNDS HOME, # B1831 (Fisher-Price Canada Inc.), $45-55
1.5 - 3 yrs ITTY BITTY BEADING BUGS, # 201310 (Manhattan Toy Company), $35-40
2 + RADIO CONTROL CAR, # 69238 (Chicco), $75-80
2 - 4 yrs PICNIC, # 11024 (Tactic / Alary Games), $30-35
3 + ERGO SOFT COLORED PENCILS (REGULAR, AQUARELL, JUMBO), # 156SB12 (Staedtler-Mars Ltd.), $15-30
3+ PLAYCENTER PLAYGROUND, # 4156 (Little Tikes Company), $1200-1300
3 + BABY BORN MINIWORLD HOUSE AND DOLL SETS, # 766381, 766268, 766299, 766312, 766275 (Zapf-Creation (U.S.) Inc.), $45-50 & $10-15
3 + CHOPPER (LEGO EXPLORE), # 3589 (Lego Canada Inc.), $25-30
3 - 6 yrs PHONICS TILES, # 42400 (Neurosmith), $120-140
4 + SAFARI, # 01198 (Tactic / Alary Games), $35-40
5 + GOBBLET! JUNIOR, # 00110 (Blue Orange Games), $30-35
6 + GAMEBOY ADVANCE: RESCUE HEROES BILLY BLAZES, ISBN # 0 7849 2002 (Vivendi Universal Games), $35-45
6+ THE ANY DAY AUTOGRAPH BOOK, ISBN # 57054-954-0 (Klutz Inc.), $15-20
7 + SIMILARIUS, # 2601260010 (Outset Media), $35-40
8 + TELEPATHS, # 250126009 (Outset Media), $35-40
8 + QUADTRIA - AN ANCIENT MYSTERY, # 801 (Out Of The Box Publishing Inc.), $30-35
8 + OCTILES - AN AMAZING RACE, # 76020 (Out Of The Box Publishing Inc.), $30-35
14 + CRANIUM (ÉDITION QUÉBÉCOISE), # 028128 (Cranium Inc.),
● What? What? What? by Lyn Thomas, illustrated by Dianne Eastman. Maple Tree Press Inc., 2003. ISBN 1-894379-52-7 (paperback), 1-894379-51-9 (bound), Ages 7+
● Ricky by Eric Walters. HarperCollins Publishers Ltd., 2002. ISBN 0-00-639195-8. Ages 9+
● What a Story! by Paul Kropp, illustrated by Loris Lesynksi. Scholastic Canada Ltd., 2002. ISBN 0-7791-1355-1. Ages 6-8
● The Naked Lady written and illustrated by Ian Wallace, Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2002. ISBN 0-7613-1596-9. Ages 5-8
● A Day with Nellie written and illustrated by Marthe Jocelyn.Tundra Books, 2002. ISBN 0-88776-600-5. Ages 2-4
● Ned Mouse Breaks Away by Tim Wynne-Jones, pictures by Dušan Petričić.Groundwood Books, 2003. ISBN 0-88899-474-5. Ages 7-9.
● Marigold’s Wings written and illustrated by Vlasta van Kampen. Key Porter Books, 2002. ISBN 1-55263-468-X. Ages 4+
● Un joli mouton, tout rond, tout rond de Judith Hamel, illustrations de Angélique Depienne. Bouton d’or Acadie, 2002. ISBN 2-9222203-47-6. Ages 2-5
● Le trésor d’Elvis Bozec de Françoise Enguehard, illustrations de Denise Paquette. Bouton d’or Acadie, 2002. SBN 2-922203-43-3. Ages 10+
● Marion et le Nouveau Monde de Michèle Marineau, illustrations de Christine Delezenne. Dominique et Compagnie, 2002. SBN 2-89512-240-7. Ages 8+
● La symphonie du marécage de Nicole Daigle, illustrations de Denise Paquette. Bouton d’or Acadie, 2002. ISBN 2-922203-46-8. Ages 6-8
● Je deviens astronome de Pierre Chastenay. Éditions Michel Quintin, 2002. ISBN 2-89435-197-6. Ages 8+
Toy experts will be available for interviews to discuss this year’s honorees, how they were judged, and what kids will want this year.
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