Top Toys for 2012 revealed

You’ll have seen a fair few top ten toy lists (or excellent eights, terrific 12’s etc) over the past couple of months, all of them from the big players in the UK toy market. Today, Online toy directory, Toy Shop UK, published the results for their 2012 Independent Toy Awards. Gathering opinion from the nations smaller toy retailers on what they think will be relieving wallets of mums and dads this Yule these smaller shops are most certainly amongst the best place to make the call on what’s set to be hot.  They asked over 900 retailers to compile these results and Toy Shop UK founder Michael Hawkins told us: ” Our impartiality guarantees that we publish a list that is as honest and transparent as you can realistically get. If anyone’s qualified to comment on great toys, it’s independent retailers. They are the ones on the sharpest end of the toy industry – and we have always taken great pride in championing them whenever and wherever we can.” Michael goes on to explain: “The thing I love most about our awards is that – through no planning or influence – the winners lists tends to be full of toys that have tons of play value, are realistically priced and possess an underlying educational or creative slant.” – So without further ado, here are the Gold medal winners, head over HERE for the best of the rest.

 

The 2012 Independent Toy Award Gold Winners are

BABY – First Steps Baby Walker

COLLECTABLE – Trash Pack Street Sweeper

CREATIVE – Ark DIY Triqo

CONSTRUCTION – HEXBUG Nano Hive Habitat Set

DOLLS – Baby Stella

ECO – Multi Fun Flower Bead Fun

EDUCATIONAL – Bananagrams

ELECTRONIC – VTech InnoTab 2

GAME – Rory’s Story Cubes: Voyages

LICENSED – Mike The Knight Deluxe Glendragon Castle

OUTDOORUnion Jack Kurve Balance Bike (Kiddimoto)

VEHICLES – Corgi Construction Playset
ROLE PLAY – Uptown Espresso Kitchen
SOFT – Soft Play Food (Haba)
WOODEN – Figure of Eight Train Set (Bigjigs)

 

About Peter Jenkinson

Toyologist Pete Jenkinson regularly writes about toys in national newspapers like The Sun and The Mail. This super-dad has an unmatched passion and dedication for trying and testing the latest, coolest and most interesting offerings from the world of toys.

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