Hosted by The Toy Foundation, the TOTY Awards recognize the top toys, games and licenses across 17 categories of play. LM selected some 2022 winners, announced last November.
The wildly successful Squishmallows® plush brand of Jazwares secured the coveted License of the Year Award and the 16-inch Squishmallows nabbed Plush Toy of the Year. Since Squishmallows debuted in 2017, the brand’s vast global audience and multi-generational appeal have led the popular plush to squish through the roof, hitting the 125 million plush sold milestone, in more than 55 countries. Such strong brand recognition has resulted in multiple line extensions, such as HugMees™ and Squishville™, and robust consumer products ranging from apparel and accessories, to home decor and pool floats, and more. On social media, Squishmallows content continues to skyrocket, generating nearly 8.5 billion video views on TikTok, and @squishmallows (and related hashtags) has been tagged in more than one million Instagram posts.
The winner of Outdoor Toy of the Year is Twister SPLASH! by WowWee, which from the last spring is releasing a wave of products inspired by classic titles from the Hasbro Gaming portfolio. The first project is Twister SPLASH! Just like everyone’s favorite Twister game, players of Twister Splash Game follow hand and feet placements directed by the included spinner, but now, the colored spots SPRAY water! Fun for the entire family, Twister Splash Game is a blast for everyone 6+. There will be new SPLASH games based on Hasbro Classic Games in Spring 2023.
Mattel won the Action Figure of the year with Jurassic World™ Super Colossal Gigantosaurus. With this toy, you can live thrilling action and adventure inspired by the new film Jurassic World Dominion. At approximately 12-in high and more than 3 ½ feet long, this Super Colossal Gigantosaurus figure features realistic skin texture and color, articulated arms and legs, extra-wide jaws that can open and close, and it can swallow up to 20 mini dinosaurs!
Moose Toys won the Creative Toy of the Year for Magic Mixies Magical Crystal Ball.
With this toy, kids have the power to create a Magic Mixie and beckon it to the Crystal Ball, using an interactive spellcasting wand. After a flick of the wrist and some very magic words, the Crystal Ball awakens, and real mist fills the sphere. Kids continue the spell as the wand’s lights interact with the Crystal Ball giving the Mixie color, a voice, fortune-telling powers and more. The magic and the fun continue with the Magic Mixie’s four modes of play: Fortune Telling, Spell, Game and Tickling. And when play and the day is done, the Crystal Ball can be switched to Night Light Mode.
The category Preschool Toy of the year has seen the triumph of Crayola, introducing an exciting less-mess art experience with Color & Erase Reusable Mat! The large mat offers enough drawing space for multiple artists, giving kids a giant drawing space for hours of creative and colorful play. The set includes 1 Giant (32” x 23”) Reusable Drawing Mat, 6 Washable Markers, 1 Wipe Cloth.
LEGO won five TOTY awards: Collectible Toy of the Year for The Muppets Collectible Minifigures, a Disney’s Limited-edition of 12 Muppets characters; Construction Toy of the Year forMarvel I am Groot, to build the Groot alien and arrange the cute character to recreate his favorite dance moves, just like in Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy 2 movie; Grown-up Toy of the Year for LEGO Ideas The Office, to recreate an iconic workplace with a display model inspired by the hit mockumentary sitcom; Playset Toy of the Year for Super Mario Adventures with Peach Starter Course, that has many digital tools, for example the figure Peach shows reactions via LCD screens and a speaker, and can connect via Bluetooth with extra figures for social play; Vehicle Toy of the Year for LEGO Technic McLaren Formula 1 Race Car, to enjoy an immersive building experience crafting all the details of this model. Like the real car, this model features a V6 cylinder engine with moving pistons, steering, suspension and differential.
PlayMonster Group conquered the Specialty Toy of the Year category with Ann Williams Craft-tastic Nature Scavenger Hunt Potions. With this kit, every child can go outside and collect magical, natural ingredients, then combine them to create special magic potions! The other winner of this category is Snap Circuits: Green Energy by ELENCO, with over 125 projects and 45 parts to learn the basics of electronics and modern alternative energy.
Curated by Rossella Arena
