From electronic toys to multimedia toys, right through to family games, we’ve been busy reviewing some fantastic products to keep the family entertained. Keep reading to find out which toys and games have been crowned as winners in this year’s Mums Choice Awards.
Best Electronic Toys:
As technology advances, toys are getting smarter and smarter. Appealing to all ages, these types of toys are not only hugely entertaining, they’re also a great learning tool, too. All electronic toys will help to sharpen a child’s understanding of technology, but there are also lots of electronic learning toys appearing on the market, specifically designed to make learning fun. This super competitive category was a tough one to judge, but the results are in and we are pleased to announce the winners as:
- Gold – Toniebox (RRP £69.95); Tonies (RRP £14.99); Creative-Tonies RRP £11.99) by tonies®
About the product: “The Toniebox is an innovative audio device that allows children to interact with stories and songs like never before. Simply place the Tonie character on top of the speaker, and the content related to that character begins to play. The clever box of audio fun offers little ones the chance to listen to the many classics available in the range. Parents can even record and create their own parent-approved content via the free Tonie-App, and play this back to their kids using special versions of the Tonies called Creative-Tonies.”
What our tester said: “My family and I really love this concept – it’s so original! I particularly like the Creative Tonies. What a wonderful idea being able to upload your own stories and messages when you’re away from home! We’ll definitely be growing our Tonies collection this Christmas”
- Silver – Peppa’s Phonic Alphabet (RRP £20) by Trends UK
- Joint Bronze – Cat Junior Power Tracks Friends Train Set (RRP £24.99) by Funrise UK
- Joint Bronze – Botley 2.0 the Coding Robot Activity Set (RRP £85) by Learning Resources
Best Multimedia Toys:
Combining different media formats, including audio, images, animation, and video, the sky’s the limit with the latest multimedia toys! So, if you’re looking for a fun toy for creative kids, we’ve got just the toy for you! After much deliberation, this year’s Best Multimedia Toy has been named as:
- Gold – HUE Animation Studio (RRP £41.63 + VAT) by HUE
About the product: “HUE Animation Studio is a starter kit for budding movie makers aged 8-13. It includes HUE Animation, easy-to-use stop-motion software, HUE HD USB camera (with built-in microphone) and a 60-page book full of tips and ideas. This fantastic value, highly creative and educational toy will bring hours of pleasure to young film directors who, with the click of a button, can animate anything from a favourite toy, LEGO figures, clay creations or 2D drawings.”
What our tester said: “This is a great concept! My nine-year-old daughter went completely nuts over creating animated videos with the HUE Animation Studio! It was easy for her to navigate the programme easily; I was able to just leave her to it and she had created her first masterpiece within a couple of hours. I particularly like the fact that this product links to the National Curriculum, supporting my daughter’s literacy and strengthening her IT skills. This is well worth the money – I’d definitely recommend it!”
Best Family Games:
In 2020, family games are more popular than ever before! Offering a fantastic way to bring the family together for some light-hearted entertainment, there is no better way to shake of the stress and decompress! There was some strong competition in this category, but we are delighted to announce that the winners are as follows:
- Gold – Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza (RRP £10.99) by Blue Orange
About the product: “Keep these five crazy words in mind. As soon as there is a match between a card and a spoken word, race against each other to slap your hand on the central pile of cards. The last one to do so must take them all. Be quick to be the first to get rid of all of your cards. This is a high octane, rowdy cousin to Slap Jack and Irish Snap, and it’s filled to the brim with hand slapping mayhem!”
What our tester said: “My eight-year-old took to the game straight away and loved it! My six-year-old took a few rounds but got there and enjoyed it too. In fact, we all enjoyed the game! This is a game that we would buy as a gift now that we know how good it is. I really like the handy easy-close box!”
- Silver – Telestrations (RRP £24.99) by The OP
- Bronze – Pensilly (RRP £19.99) by Character Options
- Highly Commended – Munchin’ Monkey (RRP £19.99) by John Adams Leisure Ltd.