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The Answers to All Your Questions About GH's Best Toy Awards

Photo credit: Ortal Isaac
Photo credit: Ortal Isaac

From Good Housekeeping

What is the Good Housekeeping Institute looking for when choosing its Best Toy Awards?

There are thousands of toys in the marketplace. Our goal is to highlight the best toys of the year — toys that are safe, well-designed, and well–constructed; inspire a child's imagination and creativity; foster problem-solving skills; encourage social play; build skills (whether fine-motor, gross motor, math, science, artistic, or other); and are just plain fun.


How are Good Housekeeping's Best Toy Awards tested?

After looking at all toy launches during the year and selecting those that seem to have the most play potential, the engineers at the Good Housekeeping Institute evaluate these award contenders for safety by reviewing company data and using a Drop Tester to ensure the toys won't shatter into small pieces that can become a choking hazard for young children. We then, over a two-week period, bring dozens of kids into our labs so they can test toy toys for the "fun factor." They (or if they are too young, their parent or babysitter or GHI staff) fill out toy evaluation forms. We also keep track of anecdotal testing notes, as well as look at which toys children return to over and over during the course of a day.


How can I submit toys to be reviewed for the Toy Awards?

Please fill out the submission form here.

If you have any questions, please reach out to GHToyAwards@hearst.com.


What are release date requirements for toys to be considered?

Toys must have been introduced during the past year (for the November 2020 Awards, toys should have been introduced from January 2020 on). If, for some reason, a toy was not yet available to review in time for testing the previous year, toys from June 2019 on are acceptable for potential review.


What are the age requirements for toys to be considered?

Toys should be suitable for children younger than 13 years old.


Are there any safety requirements for the toys?

To be considered, toys must adhere to the latest guidelines set forth by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). We will verify compliance of such by requesting conformance to ASTM testing standards.


Is there a deadline for submission?

Please submit all entries by May 15, 2020. Samples will be requested in early June for arrival by June 19, 2020.


How many samples will need to be provided?

A minimum of two samples will be requested if a toy is selected for consideration. In most cases, three to five samples will be required, especially with such toys as arts and crafts kits, for which additional supplies may be requested, as more than 100 kids will help in our evaluation.

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