Spielwarenmesse honours six innovative new products with ToyAward

• Prizes presented to winners at PressPreview
• ToyAward ‘Special’ with all finalists in Hall 3A

For six exhibitors, it is an especially successful start to the 72^nd Spielwarenmesse. One day before the official opening of the fair, they were celebrated at the PressPreview for their outstanding product innovations with the presentation of the coveted ToyAward. In the Baby & Infant area, it was the EverEarth 7 in 1 Space Activity Cube from EverEarth Europe that won the day. First place in PreSchool went to the Yummy Bear Scale from Topbright. Clementoni won the prize in the SchoolKids section with the History of Life on Earth experimentation set. In the Teenager & Adults category, victory went to the Miika K.I. robot from Franckh-Kosmos. HoloToyz took the award in the Startup area for its Paw Patrol AR Tattoos & Stickers, while BAVVIC was the winner in the Sustainability section with its Creative Building Blocks.

As an important quality seal, the ToyAward enjoys worldwide recognition. The prizewinning new products were selected by a 13-member international expert jury. They were rated in terms of comprehensibility of the product concept, play enjoyment, originality, safety, potential for commercial success, and production & quality. “The award-winning products thus represent important pointers for the purposes of range selection,” emphasises Christian Ulrich, Spokesperson of the Executive Board at Spielwarenmesse eG. All prizewinners and the nominees can be viewed at the dedicated ToyAward Special Area in Hall 3A. Overview of the winners:

Category: Baby & Infant (0-3 years)

EverEarth 7 in 1 Space Activity Cube, EverEarth Europe

Hours of fun for babies and toddlers are promised by the 7-in-1 Space Activity Cube from EverEarth. There is plenty to discover in this varied activity cube with its rotating and plug-in games and space station with planets, vehicles and an alien figure. It provides training for fine motor skills, concentration and thinking skills. “The design of the Cube really catches the eye – it needs no technology and yet it’s smart,” commented jury members.

Category: PreSchool (3-6 years)

Yummy Bear Scale, Topbright

With the Yummy Bear Scale from Topbright, preschoolers learn their first numbers and the physical concepts of weight and balance. If they place a number of colourful cupcakes on the scales, only the corresponding sum of the numbers balances the weight. In addition, simple maths problems can be solved by balancing the numbers. “What’s impressive about this educationally valuable toy is the intuitive learning and child-appropriate re-working of a well-known principle,” was the jury’s verdict.

Category: SchoolKids (6-10 years)

History of Life on Earth, Clementoni

The History of Life on Earth experiment set from Clementoni reveals millions of years of human history to young scientists. Their own experiments are supplemented with digital content via a smartphone app and information is vividly illustrated by VR elements. Disciplines such as geology, palaeontology, astronomy and botany are taught. “The range of experiments and the entertainment that the kit provides are particularly worth mentioning,” the jury noted.

Category: Teenager & Adults (10 years and older)

Miika K.I., Franckh-Kosmos

Franckh-Kosmos sets a milestone with Miika K.I. Young hobby developers can train the adaptive robot in speech, sounds and gestures. Miika K.I. learns to execute simple commands via an app. Detailed instructions provide background knowledge on artificial intelligence. The expert jury’s summary: “The consistent nature of the concept, its integration into a comic and the ability to specify your own gestures deserve a great deal of praise.”

Category: Startup

Paw Patrol AR Tattoos & Stickers, HoloToyz

The Paw Patrol Augmented Reality Tattoos & Stickers from HoloToyz make dreams come true. Scanned with an app, the cute dog cops Chase, Zuma & Co come to life as 3D animations. Whether as stickers in the room or as tattoos on the skin: in no time at all, the lively characters are whizzing through the children's room. “Remarkably innovative,” in the jury’s view; they also highlighted the thoughtful introduction to new technologies and the straightforward operation of the app.

Category: Sustainability

Creative Building Blocks, BAVVIC

The wooden Creative Buildings Blocks from BAVVIC can be assembled into countless constructions with the help of easy-to-grip silicone connections. As a STEM learning toy, they stimulate interest in technical interrelationships, and their integrative approach makes them particularly suitable for children with sensory integration disorders. The wood for the blocks comes from offcuts from window frame and furniture production. “The tactile feel of the building blocks stands out,” in the assessment of jury members.