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1997
| 1998 | 1999
| 2000 | 2001
| 2002|
2003 |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** |
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Best Bet Awards are given out once a year. A toy is voted a Best Bet Award by our Evaluator Members who have been extensively trained in the toy standards the Council has designed for toy evaluation. As these individuals are extremely skilled they are the best judges as to whether a possible Best Bet toy is: 1) innovative in design, 2) excellent in function and durability, and 3) has sustaining play value. Best Bet Stickers are also offered to toy manufacturers who have received this award.
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Active Play
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All-in-One Wagon Model #4134, Little Tikes Company, Ages 1.5-2.5 |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Wagon ho! This large, extremely durable plastic wagon lived up to its name and featured a detachable sun roof that doubled as a play or picnic table. Two children could ride in the wagon; in addition, one seat was situated over a handy storage compartment. While assembly was not speedy--written as well as visual instructions would have been appreciated--once together, this wagon was a great asset to family transport, and kids loved to ride in it. NOTE: 23 kg (50 lbs) maximum child's weight. |
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Nerf Vortex
Mega Howler |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** A howling success! This toy was meant to be thrown like a medium-sized football, but it had a foam tail attached, plus plastic holes that caused the toy to make whistling sounds while in the air. The toy travelled well through the air and soon became a favourite for play at school, beach or backyard, especially in groups. Its soft construction meant this toy provided lots of fun, safe active play. |
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Dragonfly Stunt Racer
Model #33077, Toymax Inc., Ages 8+ |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Dazzling dragonfly! The cool look, design and performance of this stylin' dragonfly-shaped racer had remote control vehicle fans abuzz. The x-wing design of the vehicle allowed it to raise up, down or flip as it zoomed along, and this car really worked well. Kids found the hand controls easy to use, and each car came with a rechargeable 9.6-Volt battery pack. This vehicle could do a multitude of stunts as promised. NOTE: Frequent recharging may be required, as battery required three hours to charge and play lasts approximately 15+ minutes.
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Imaginative Play
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Uptown
Baby & Outfit/Booties
Model #100570 & 100580, Manhattan Toy Company, Ages 1+ |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** A
real softie! This cheerful, soft cloth baby doll encouraged lots of
nurturing play by little ones. Kids loved this doll's simple design
and enjoyed putting on and taking off the clothes fastened by Velcro.
The soft, slightly weighted body of this doll was hugged and cuddled
by both boys and girls. A charming doll. NOTE: Manufacturer recommends
surface clean only, but samples machine washed well using gentle cycle.
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Camping
Kit
Model #77811, Fisher-Price Canada, Ages 3+ |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Compact camp companion! This ingenious little camping toy made of durable plastic kept young campers happily occupied with its many components. Assembled, it looked and operated like a lantern (with a working light and nature sounds); taken apart, it offered a variety of imaginative play. Kids loved the fact that each piece became a different type of camping equipment--a cook stove, a canteen, a frying pan, a mess plate, a pocket knife, a lamp, etc. Younger children needed assistance reassembling the lantern, but the "cheat sheet" on the bottom of the toy helped show the order. Fun for the great outdoors! NOTE: Two "AA" batteries and one PR4 light bulb required; auto shut-off after 15 minutes. |
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Apples
to Apples Junior Edition
Model #7750, Out of the Box Publishing, Ages 7+ (Northern Games) |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Here
comes the judge! Kids had loads of fun playing this junior edition of
the lively card game, which lived up to its billing as "the game
of funny comparisons". Four to 10 players were dealt cards, with
one player acting as the judge. If the judge's card said "tiny",
for example, then the other players had to pick a card from their hand
that best matched the description, like "lady bugs" or "a
fairy". The judge then had to decide which one s/he thought was
best. There was lots of laughter as the "matching" cards were
revealed; kids wanted to play again and again, which helped to strengthen
their strategy, reading and thinking skills. Great family game. NOTE:
Reading required.
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Funny
Bunny
Model #215584, Ravensburger, Ages 5-10 (Pierre Belvédère) |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Hop
to it! This was a fun and simple game for two to four players that had
a hilarious surprise element. Each game included a moulded plastic hill
made of lightweight plastic, on which players must move their bunny
pawns (all the same colour) according to cards played. However, when
the carrot at the top of the hill was turned, bunny holes would appear
on the hill--and bunny pawns would disappear! The holes appeared randomly,
so the disappearing acts were completely unexpected. Great fun for all.
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Harold
and the Purple Crayon Game, Model #BP20101, Briarpatch, Ages 4+
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Story
surprise! This innovative storytelling game for two to four players
encouraged kids to use their imaginations. A player would draw a card
and then try to recreate the drawing on the card with the "purple
crayon"--a marker--on the dry erase board supplied with the game.
Then, the player would have to make up a story about the drawing. The
next player had to draw his or her picture and continue the story. Budding
artists had loads of fun while polishing language skills and practicing
drawing. This game was a hit with both younger and older players.
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Lucky
Catch
ISBN 1-88843945-9, Gamewright, Ages 4-7 |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Get
the boot! This fun, delightfully illustrated game played with dice and
tile cards had kids angling to capture fish, treasure or old boots.
Each game included 25 tiles (blowfish, crab, octopus, sea bass, old
boots and treasure chest) as well as two dice and rules. The game was
quite entertaining and could be adapted so younger kids could play a
simplified version. Snagging an old boot actually meant a player lost
points, but kids loved the boots nevertheless. The undersea theme was
a hit; great travel pastime.
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Geosafari
Laptop
Model #EI-8540, Educational Insights, Ages 8+ |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Laptop
for learning! This sleekly designed laptop toy was packed with features
to help kids enjoy, learn and remember useful information (math, science,
social studies and more). The sturdy laptop measured 30 cm x 25 cm and
contained 63 double-sided cards with 126 fun activities. Players could
choose from one player, two player or head-to-head. When lights flashed
beside a certain question, the player entered the answer on the keyboard
and could earn points. Good reading skills required; great for travel
or solitary play. NOTE: Four "AA" batteries required; volume
control and five-minute auto shut-off included.
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MacGregor
Model # 262366, Ravensburger, Ages 8+ (Pierre Belvédère) |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Curses!
This board game for two to four players set in a haunted castle was
a real winner. Four pawns were provided, and one was a ghost; players
had to plot their route out of the castle before the ghostly curse was
transferred by matching the correct key card to a door. Older children
soon developed strategies as they played more often. This game provided
hours of fun, and kids loved its spooky theme.
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Phonics
Firefly
Model #K-2600, Educational Insights, Ages 3-5 |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Fly
into phonics! This appealing electronic toy made of durable plastic
helped children learn their ABCs and more. Each toy featured a colourful
keyboard and seven different games to teach preschoolers the alphabet
and spelling simple three-letter words. The sound was clear, and the
games easy to follow. Auto shut-off and volume control in three levels
provided. The sturdy yet lightweight design made it ideal for travel.
This cheerful toy made phonics fun. NOTE: Four "AA" batteries
required (included).
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Cranium
Model #04001, Cranium Inc., Ages 13+ (Mottro Canada Ltd.) |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Creative
outlet! This board/activity game for team play was a hit with teens
to adults. In addition to advancing around the board in order to reach
Cranium Central, players had to perform creative tasks depending on
the cards drawn-sing songs, do impersonations, unscramble words, guess
definitions, answer true/false or multiple choice questions, do sketch
art, sculpt with clay (included) and more. The game board featured a
colourful, hip design, and the challenges kept players involved and
entertained. NOTE: Canadian edition due out in November 2001.
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Explore
Photo Safari
Model #00012, Patrix Communications, Ages 4+ |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Animal antics! This engaging game for two to four players featured a large, illustrated playing board and 112 animal cards. The object of the game was to be the first player to "photograph" the animals shown on the cards by placing them in their habitats on the playing board. Kids enjoyed the challenge of this game, and learned about geography and animals while playing. The game was designed so younger players used visual clues, while older children used descriptive and geographical clues. This fun, bilingual, educational game took about 25 to 40 minutes to play.
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Developmental Toys
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Sparkling
Symphony Compose 'n Play Orchestra
Model #73767, Fisher-Price Canada, Ages 0.5-3 |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Strike
up the band! This charming electronic toy, made of colourful, durable
plastic, featured five animal band members that played classical music.
Different musical combinations were created as the characters were added
or removed, or buttons pushed. Toddlers found the lights and music to
be very attractive, and loved carrying the animals around for other
imaginative play. While the "voices" setting actually sounded
more like humming, children greatly enjoyed having control over the
sounds being created. NOTE: Three "AA" batteries required;
volume control included.
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Take
and Shake Snake
Model #20030, Manhattan Toy Company, Ages 0.5-1 |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Stroller snake! This long, colourful, soft baby toy was terrific to hang from stroller, crib or car seat. The snake featured a bright green head, plus orange, yellow and blue segments; it also had black and white striped "doughnut" like sections. In addition to a rattling sound, there were three detachable Velcro pieces to entertain little ones. Babies loved the look of this friendly snake, which was both appealing and versatile. NOTE: Manufacturer recommends surface wash.
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Arts & Crafts
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Tissue Paper Flowers
ISBN 1-57054-497-2, Klutz Inc., Ages 8+ (Stewart House) |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Flower power plus! This spiral bound book and craft kit had super easy instructions for kids to follow and create gorgeous tissue paper flowers. From the basic pom pom, to fantasy flowers, to realistic looking blooms, children found they could make them all. Each kit included lots of materials--75 sheets of coloured tissue paper, 40 pipe cleaners and templates--as well as illustrated instructions. Kids enjoyed hours of fun making flowers and were thrilled with the results. A perfect activity for the "budding" crafter! |
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Shure
Ballet Studio |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Box of ballet! In this lovely version of paper dolls, children are invited to colour and decorate their own ballet dancers (cardboard cut-outs that do stand). The kits included 10 dolls, six markers, sparkly glue, feathers, tulle, ribbon and confetti to use for decoration. An informative book was included, showing basic ballet positions and providing the stories of famous ballets. The box itself acts as storage and doubles as the ballet studio. Children were caught up in the romance of ballet with this charming craft. |
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Crayola
Rinse-Off Markers and Washable Crayons |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** The art of easy clean-up! These washable markers and crayons did exactly as they promised; not only did they provide vivid colours, they made clean-up a breeze. The eight, non-toxic markers could be easily wiped from children's skin and clothes could be cleaned if washed immediately in the hot wash cycle of the washing machine. Marks left from the 24 crayons could be washed from walls by using soap, water and a sponge. Kids enjoyed using their imaginations freely, and if the art strayed off the paper, it could be washed away. |
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Window Art |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Glass with class! Kids found this window art craft kit to be easy and fun, with fabulous results. Each kit included a 62-page, wire-bound book with numerous designs and plastic sleeves for tracing, plus six squeeze tubes of non-toxic, peel-off colour (black, violet, turquoise, light green, yellow and red). This craft, which involved squirting out colour within the black outlines, could produce simple pictures or complex designs (no paint brush required). Once the designs were dry, kids peeled them off and stuck them on windows or other glass surfaces. This activity was a huge hit with little artists.
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Construction Toys
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Mega
Bloks Transforming Timmy the Smart Truck |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Building big smiles! This very cute toy was a hit with little builders who loved being able to change the vehicle into a talking fire, dump or tow truck. The toy had an "interactive smart base" that recognized the different top portions so that it would react with the proper sounds--over 20 of them. Kids loved the truck, but also enjoyed playing with the extra blocks that were included for dumping and building. This sturdy plastic truck with its big wide eyes and grin was very appealing. Wash with damp cloth only. NOTE: Three "AA" batteries required (included).
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Computer Software, & Games
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Spy Fox Operation Ozone
Model #04-22394J, Humongous Entertainment, Ages 7+ |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Spy tingling! This CD-ROM for Windows and Power Mac captivated kids with its super cool spy theme. Players enjoyed helping Spy Fox as he followed clues to outwit Poodles Galore in order to save the Earth from foul hairspray vapours. Kids had to collect certain objects and barter in order to gather clues, and if they got lost along the way, help was available at the click of the mouse. This software featured catchy Spy Fox music that added to the fun. Extra bonus: No installation; played straight from the CD! |
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Mia
The Search for Grandma's Remedy |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Sparkle and shine! This double Windows/Mac CD-ROM set offered beautiful graphics and an engaging adventure to test early language skills. Kids had to help Mia the mouse get medicine to help her sick grandmother, and along the way players must perform different reading tasks to acquire sparkles (a special kind of mouse currency). Four levels provided; easy to install. Children in kindergarten to Grade 2 will find this software useful and fun, although the game takes a long time to complete (three hours). |
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Clifford
Reading |
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***BEST BET AWARD 2002*** Doggone good! This software featuring the Big Red Dog was a hit with Clifford fans. Players really did practice and learn reading as they played a variety of games at three different levels, involving matching sounds and words, sight word recognition, vocabulary, spelling, phonics, and more. Kids enjoyed creative activities like colouring, and were rewarded with a ticket to a "prize park" when tasks were completed. Parents could track development with the program's Progress Report. Great graphics! NOTE: Playable on both Windows and Power Mac systems. |
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