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Building, making and creating with construction toys showed the testers all about cause and effect, hand eye coordination and many more skills. Using building blocks and all the other construction toys plays a huge part in any child’s fine motor skill development.

WINNER

Car Trax Turntable

By: H Grossman

Age: 3 years+

RRP: £11.99

Car Trax Turnaround Trax Set. Turnaround Trax has a flexible racing track that’s easy to assemble with a lifting bridge and turntable. Includes one car.

More information at: www.ozbozz.co.uk

Available from: Smyths, Amazon, Argos

What the testers said “We loved it! Was not expecting the car to be so fast and the turntable was a nice surprise”

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Java Plane

By: Java Toy

Age: 3 years+

RRP: £6.50

Java is currently used as educational material in several nurseries and schools all over Hungary.  Every toy comes with its own booklet, including pictures and guidelines to some common constructions. This set has full instructions to make the plane but Java also like to encourage creativity.

More information at: www.javatoy.co.uk

Available from: www.javatoy.co.uk

What the testers said “We are Java fans having seen their construction toys before, my little boy loved making the plane with his father”

Outdoor toys are so important to a child’s development.  Being outdoors means the play can be bigger, more energetic and sometimes more messy!  Let’s see what the testers praised…

WINNER

Fish n’ Splash Water Table

By: Little Tikes

Age: 2-6 years

RRP: £49.99

There’s nothing like a day of fishing and now little anglers can have so much fun catching and counting colourful little pond swimmers right in their backyard. There’s lots of filling, pouring ad splashing extras to make water pay so much more fun.

More information at: www.littletikes.co.uk

Available from: Debenhams, Asda

What the testers said “We had the table in the garden when the grandparents were here, everyone (including Grandad!) had such a fun time! Lots of chat, giggles and learning too”

HIGHLY COMMENDED

LeapBand

By: LeapFrog

Age: 4-7 years

RRP: £29.99

Discover the only activity tracker made for kids that encourages active play and healthy habits with 50 fun challenges and a free Petathlon Games app

More information at: www.leafrog.co.uk/leapband

Available from: Toys R Us, Smyths, the Entertainer

What the testers said “The Leap Band itself is attractive, well made and very strong. The strap should outlast the product which is a benefit. The technology included is good for a children’s product.”

Many of our testers are of preschool age and so we are able to have toys tested by many little hands and minds, often in a range of settings too, not just at home.

WINNER

LeapPad Platinum

By: LeapFrog

Age: 3-9 years

RRP: £99.99

The new edition to the number one LeapPad family, LeapPad Platinum is the most durable LeapPad tablet yet.  Offering kids safe content, a seven inch high resolution, multi-touch capacity screen and fast processor, the LeapPad Platinum hosts over 800 age appropriate, educator approved games, some of which automatically adjust to suit the child’s learning level.

More information at: www.leapfrog.com

Available from: The Entertainer, Smyths, Toys R Us

What the testers said “It held their attention for as long as they were allowed to play with it, I love the time limit feature!”

HIGHLY COMMENDED

My Friend Freddy Bear

By: Vivid Toy Group

Age: 2-5 years

RRP: £39.99

My Friend Freddy Bear is the bear who really knows you.  Specifically designed for preschoolers, My Friend Freddy Bear is an interactive bear with a difference, whose activities develop as the child grows up. Freddy Bear works via an app and will incorporate personal details into the things he says.

More information at: www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk

Available from: Argos, Smyths, Toys R Us

What the testers said “My son had so much fun with this! He was delighted at first just to cuddle and play with the bear but when he realised everything else it did he was absolutely enthralled and played with it for at least 40 minutes continuously which is a lot for him.”

The imaginative play category is always full of a whole plethora of different toys, kits, games and novelties, we enjoy seeing whether the children agree with the adults on what’s fun.

WINNER

VTech Baby Toot Toot Drivers Garage

By: VTech Electronics

Age: 1-5 years

RRP: £49.99

An interactive garage with cute tow truck and three floors of interactive play.  Four electronic locations play tunes, phrases and songs, plus they teach colours, numbers and road safety.

More information at: www.vtech.co.uk

Available at: Amazon, JD Williams, Debenhams

What the testers said “Each child had lots of imaginative play and excitement with this toy.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Slime Baff

By: Zimpli Kids

Age: 3 years +

RRP: £4.99

Make bath time fun with Slime Baff. Turn your water into gooey, oozy slime and let your imagination run wild. Simply Dilute your Slime Baff by adding more water and safely drain away.

More information from: www.zimplikids.com

Available at: Gelicity.co.uk and Amazon

 What the testers said “My kids were a little unsure to begin with, but quickly got stuck in, and had great fun. “

We have adult testers and older children to test this category, allowing for a wider scope of games and puzzles to be tested.

WINNER

Accentuate Plus Film Quotes Expansion Pack

By: Accentuate Games

Age: 16 years+

RRP: 19.99 + £8.99

It’s simple: read a quote from a Quotation card in the accent printed on the Accent card selected; if your team mates guess your accent correctly you win a point.  The trick is to convey the essence of the accent to your teammates, without giving any verbal or visual clues.  Film Quotes Expansion Pack is the new bolt-on featuring 90 iconic lines from famous films to quote in a randomly selected accent

More information at: www.accentuategames.com

Available from: John Lewis, Firebox

What the testers said “Accentuate will provide ongoing fun and is definitely a good laugh!”

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Wild Tiles

By: Bananagrams

The brand new Bananagrams WildTiles game includes six unique monkey WildTiles, putting an all new spin on the original anagram game that drives you Bananas!  Pick up a wild tile and play it as any letter.

More information at: www.bananagrams.com

Available from: John Lewis, Amazon

What the testers said “We enjoy playing word games and they loved competing against each other in this fast paced game.”

It’s become a tradition with the Rainbow Toy Awards now to split the Games & Puzzles category into older and younger as it’s so vast.  Let’s see which games impressed the testers in the younger games – this is birth to 8 years old.

WINNER

Disney Pictopia Trivia Game

By: Esdevium Games

Age: 7 years+

RRP: £19.99

Make family time magical with Disney Pictopia!  Discover playful trivia spanning decades of Disney magic, from the animated classics to to dazzling theme park destinations.  It’s a game of teamwork – with a competitive twist”

More information at: www.esdeviumgames.com

Available from: Argos, Toys R Us, Hamleys

What the testers said “Both of my children play this for around 2-3 hours straight so great play value – I think it is great value for money as it has been played a lot already and will be played with many times in the coming years.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Seagull Spat

By: University Games

 Age: 4 years+

RRP: £19.99

Seagull Splat is the mischievous and hilarious children’s game where players have to dodge the seagull’s poop to stay in the game.  Each player has a set of beach towels and takes turns to  to spin the spinner to fly the seagull over their towels.  In this game of luck the seagull decides if they towels are lucky enough to dodge the poop!

More information at: www.university-games.co.uk

Available from: Tesco, Argos

What the testers said “We found it very funny and a really good, family game”

As an ex-art student this is a personal favourite category of mine, I enjoy hearing how the children have created works of art and worked alongside siblings and parents having lots of crafting fun.

WINNER

Mini Make Cupcakes

By: John Adams Leisure

Age: 6 years+

RRP: £17.99

Mix melted chocolate and biscuit crumbs, then mould and decorate to make gorgeous mini cupcakes.Just melt and mix, no baking required. Wrap your mini cakes, pop in a gift box or display on the pretty cake stand. Includes 25 tools and accessories.

More information at: www.johnadams.co.uk

Available from; Tesco, Asda

What the testers said “It kept my four year old occupied throughout the whole process. She was so proud of herself for making these.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Nutty Putty

By: Gel Innovations t/a Alphabet Pie

Age: 4 years+

RRP: £1.99 – £18.99

Uniquely non drying, non messy, waterproof and glossy. Nutty Putty can be moulded into absolutely anything. It can be baked for permanency, becoming smooth and rubbery.  Educational benefits include developing fine motor skills.  Promoting concentration, imagination and creativity.

More information at: www.alphabetpie.com

Available from: Fenwick, Fun Learning, Wigwam Toys

What the testers said “They loved the concept and playing with the putty and making and creating items, both from the kit and from their imaginations. Occupied them for nearly an hour and they would play with it again. ”