Are you ready to shop for fun, exciting toys for children? Are you tired of searching the big box stores, trying to find the hottest toys that are part of the latest craze? Worried that once these toys are bought that they may end up at the bottom of the toy box six months from now?

Growing Tree Toys can help! We are happy to announce our list of the Top Specialty Toys for the 2009 Holiday Season – a list full of fun, educational toys that are sure to remain a hit with kids long after the excitement of the holidays is over. Shopping for toys during the holidays can be a very daunting task, which is why we have taken some of the “guess work” out of toy shopping with this top toy list. Plus, even if you stray from the list and purchase one of the other thousands of toys on the website, www.growingtreetoys.com, you can feel confident that you are getting a quality toy that children will love!

With almost 30 years of experience selecting and selling toys, Growing Tree Toys knows what goes into quality playthings and is quite skilled at choosing fun, educational toys for kids. While children may be engrossed in the latest trends or hottest toy craze, adults can feel confident that a toy purchased from Growing Tree Toys will lead to inspired, imaginative play, providing a top-quality product at a fair price with amazing play value for children.

Although we feel all of our products are “top toys” and will make any child happy, these toys are some of the favorites for the 2009 holiday season. Growing Tree Toys has hand-selected these products, as well as all their products, in order to ensure the highest of quality and the best of educational fun for children both young and old! The Growing Tree Toys 2009 Top Toy List features:

Infant

1. Sophie the Giraffe – An all natural, rubber teething toy for young ones. While this toy has been around for decades in Europe, Sophie is new to us this year!
2. Gentle Giraffe Toy – This sweet plush giraffe is the perfect way to calm a fussy baby and send her off to a restful sleep.
3. GBaby Blocks Set – A reintroduction of a gone too-soon favorite! These large size magnetic blocks, available in multiple sizes and styles, are a great “building” toy for young ones.

Toddler

1. Educo Wooden Alphabet Abacus – It’s never too early to learn the ABC’s and 123’s, and this sturdy, colorful abacus is a great introduction to the classic learning activity.
2. Color Roller Toy – This primary-colored version of the push toy makes a colorful design as kids walk along. Some classics always stick around!
3. Tidoo Lutin Bright Baby Doll – This sweet baby doll is not only colorful and cuddly, but she can hop into the bath with toddlers too.

Preschooler/Young School Age Children

1. Playmobil Pyramid – Hidden treasures, mummies, mysteries … this exciting Pyramid play set has everything inquisitive and imaginative minds could want!
2. Chimp and Zee Silly Socks Game – While adults think laundry is a chore, kids will love diving into laundry with this cute matching game for preschoolers.
3. Calico Critters Cozy Cottage – Calico Critters are just so darn cute, they need a cute, complete cottage in which to live too!
4. Dodge Tag Game – Kids love to play dodge ball in gym class, and now they can bring the fun home with this cool adaption of the favorite game.
5. 3-in-1 Indoor Sports Set – Whether kids love soccer, hockey, or knee hockey, this all-in-one, indoor sports set will score big!
6. Twinkle Tiara Sticky Mosaics Kit – Kids can be queen for a day and share their cute crowns with friends with this crafty, creative sticky art kit!
7. Automoblox – Whether kids like sports cars or SUV’s, these wooden car sets are great for building unique cars and revving up the imaginative engines.
8. EzyRoller Ride On Toy – Ride on toys are nothing new, but the sleek look and design of the EzyRoller will have kids out on the pavement – pronto!

Older School Age Children

1. Dangerous Book for Boys Chemistry Science Kit – Explore an exciting side of chemistry with this cool science kit based on the popular book.
2. 6 in 1 Educational Solar Kit – Learning about alternative energy has never been so much fun, thanks to this cool kit that will have kids building models and exploring solar energy!
3. Uglydolls – These dolls are so cute, they’re ugly! Uglydolls are the cool collectible dolls with fun colors and designs that will have kids loving their “ugliness!”
4. Friends 4Ever Bracelet Kit – A craft kit that celebrates friendship, kids will love to make colorful bracelets to wear and share with friends.
5. Yamslam Game – This game is a slam dunk with kids! With some strategy and a little luck, kids can be victorious in this game of chips – but they won’t care who wins because they will be having too much fun!
6. Crosswise Game – From the makers of the award-winning Qwirkle, this game challenges kids to think strategically as they try to score 3-in-a-row, all without earning points for their opponents! Fun for the whole family!

So, whether you are looking for girls or boys, young or old, Growing Tree Toys has the perfect toy for any child on your list. Be sure to check out www.growingtreetoys.com for the latest and greatest toys this holiday season! Happy shopping!

“Designed to help parents and caregivers of all achievements and backgrounds make informed decisions about which new products are right for their children, the Parents’ Choice Awards is the nation’s oldest nonprofit program created to recognize quality children’s media.” This program honors quality material for children in categories such as our favorite – toys! But, who are these wonderful toy testers you ask? Parents’ Choice Award panel members include educators, scientists, performing artists, librarians, parents, and kids themselves!

When the awards were handed out, Growing Tree Toys was proud to discover that 12 of our popular toys were among the honorees this year! Drum roll please … the winners by age are:

9 months

Nothing makes a splash at bath time like the Fill n Flow Spout Bath Toy from Yookidoo Toys – the automatic play spout that no baby can resist! Let the imaginative water run wild with this flowing spout as baby turns a propeller, creates a shower, and plays “peek-a-boo” with a floating friend without wasting a drop of water. Just like a real spout, the control of this Fill n Flow Spout Bath Toy is controlled with the push of a button.

1 year

A magical island of water fun in baby’s bath time, the Stack n Stream Tub Fountain Bath Toy from Yookidoo Toys is the water-jet powered tub tower that is full of surprises! While is tub toy attaches to the tub bottom, drawing water through the center of the stack, kids can choose any of the 4 interchangeable fountain heads to make a completely unique spray. And, when fountain play is finished, the fountain head attachments can be used as individual floating bath toys!

3 years

Lost socks beware because with the Chimp and Zee Silly Socks Game from Pressman Toy, every sock will have a pair! A matching game like never before, kids will love reaching into the dryer and pulling out silly socks in hopes of finding a match. Washing clothes may be a chore, but folding socks just got a lot more interesting!

Let’s go fishing! The Pretend and Play Fishing Set from Learning Resources Toys has all the supplies kids need to bait and catch friendly fish just like grown ups! Featuring a magnetic fishing rod, 3 magnetic worms, and 3 magnetic fish, this Pretend and Play Fishing Set is sure to attract kids to the pond. This set also includes fish net, an adjustable fishing vest made of plastic, nylon and canvas, and a plastic storage tackle box.

Who better to teach young ones to match colors than their terrific turtle friends? The Turtle Shells Matching Game begins when players create their own color combinations of turtles and the interchangeable shells (there is no correct color combination). One player rolls the colored dice, and if the colors rolled match one of the turtle figurines and his shell, that player gets to look at a memory card. If the memory card also matches the turtle, the player “wins” the card. For 2 to 4 players.

There’s never a dull moment with the KidKraft Activity Center with 3 Stools because there are two cool ways for 3 young ones to play the day away! With everything kids need for an artistic day of play – 3 wooden matching stools, a center triangle-shaped storage bin, and a convenient 2-sided play surface (a smooth surface and a Lego compatible surface) – this Activity Center with 3 Stools will bring playtime off of the floor and into a whole new world!

A necessity for any little carpenter, the Educo Master Carpenter Workbench has all the tools needed to fix anything around the house! When there’s work to be done, this workbench gives young ones the tools to succeed. With a counter that is the perfect size for kids to work, this Master Carpenter Workbench features holes for screwing, hammering and pulling non-stick nails, screws, nuts and bolts. Get building!

With the Sprig Captain Owen Wild Water Explorer Toy from Sprig Toys, kids can pretend to explore the rampaging river using their own, limitless supply of energy and imagination! The Sprig Captain Owen Wild Water Explorer Toy is the rugged, water proof adventure boat that is ready to cut through choppy waters and unexplored territory to uncover a new adventure!

With so many award-winning toys to share, one post just isn’t enough! Check back soon for the 2009 Parents’ Choice Awards Part 2!

Source Citations:
“Parents’ Choice Awards.” Parents-choice.org. November 2, 2009. http://www.parents-choice.org/aboutawards.cfm
“Toys.” Parents-choice.org. November 2, 2009. http://www.parents-choice.org/award.cfm?thePage=toys&p_code=p_toy

The National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) is a respected source for parents and professionals who seek the best children’s products that stand out among hundreds of others. These awards are highly regarded because “NAPPA’s team of independent expert judges and family tester (parents and kids) select the most entertaining, appealing, safe, educational, age-appropriate and enduring products as NAPPA Gold and Honors winner.”

Let us introduce the NAPPA Honors Winners. Drum roll please … the winners are:

Lost socks beware because with the Chimp and Zee Silly Socks Game from Pressman Toy, every sock will have a pair! A matching game like never before, kids will love reaching into the dryer and pulling out silly socks in hopes of finding a match. Washing clothes may be a chore, but folding socks just got a lot more interesting! For 2 to 4 players, ages 3 and up.

A new twist on an old favorite, the S’Match Matching Game from ThinkFun challenges players to match cards by color, number or category. But wait, how you match is determined by the game spinner, adding a twist to what players need to remember! For one or more players, ages 4 and up.

Join the King and Queen for a day of beginner patterns, junior problem-solving and mind-boggling matching. The Clever Castle Game from ThinkFun challenges players to use the clue cards to help seat the King and Queen’s 9 guests – even dragons are invited to this dinner party! Put yourself to the test and out smart this Clever Castle! For 1 player, ages 5 and up.

A completely silly and super funny game, the FlapDoodle Game from Imagination Games is full of nonsensical fun that kids and adults can’t resist. Players must perform silly stunts and answer crazy questions to make their way through the FlapDoodle factory, but watch or Mr. Sourface will slow you down! In the end, kids will be having too much fun to care who wins! For 3 to 6 players, ages 6 and up.

Manic monkeys are going totally bananas at bedtime with the Too Many Monkeys Game from Gamewright! Help poor Primo chase his banana-loving friends out of his house, but watch out because elephants, giraffes and raccoons have joined in the fun too. Players must swap monkey cards in numerical order or collect a wild monkey card to clear the monkeys from Primo’s room. With a game this wild, keep your eyes peeled for the winning move! For 2 to 6 players, ages 6 and up.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see which of our toys will win next year!

Source Citation:
Parenthood.com. October 29, 2009. http://www.parenthood.com/nappa/toys09_games.php