The ToyAward 2022 winners were announced yesterday at the opening of Spielwarenmesse Digital.

As an important quality seal, the ToyAward enjoys a special prominence in the international toy industry.

The winning innovations were selected by an expert jury based on the criteria of play fun, originality, safety, workmanship & quality, comprehension of product concept, and prospects of retail success.

The winners are:

PRESCHOOL (3-6 YEARS) CATEGORY

Emergency Doctor’s Backpack – Legler

The Emergency Doctor’s Backpack from Legler is a modern interpretation of the classic toy doctor’s bag. Inside the high-quality rucksack are authentic-looking tools for simulating mobile emergency care, from bandages and a stethoscope to a blood pressure monitor and mini-defibrillator. The jury was impressed by the design of the medical kit. They said: “The modern representation of the tools and their largely softwood construction are especially worthy of comment.”

SCHOOLKIDS (6-10 YEARS) CATEGORY

Fabulus Elexus – Hutter Trade GmbH & Co. KG & DUJARDIN

The secrets of chemistry are enchantingly packaged in the Fabulus Elexus set from Hutter Trade GmbH & Co. KG & DUJARDIN. Using the Book of Magical Elixirs, young magicians can conjure up various potions from snail slime and elves’ blood.  And the learning factor been neglected: before doing anything else, all the vials must first be labelled, and in doing so, children learn about the composition of the ingredients and what they do. “The kit has a big play-enjoyment factor and introduces chemistry to children in a fun way,” was the approving comment of the jurors.

TEENAGER & ADULTS (10 YEARS AND OLDER) CATEGORY

echoes – The Audio Mystery Game – Ravensburger

In echoes by Ravensburger, mysterious cases have to be solved with the aid of audio sequences. First, the playing cards are scanned with an app. Using the audio hints that are then played back, the investigators work out how, and in what order, three cards need to be combined to reconstruct the sequence of events. In the view of the jury, “this audio game is ideal for the podcast era, and its aural hints will train players’ concentration”.

STARTUP CATEGORY

Piks – OPPI

OPPI has rethought the world of building bricks. Piks is an innovative set of wooden elements and conical soft rubber blocks, in different colours depending on their height. Their rounded tips create novel challenges for structural design, while the instructions for reproducing the different illustrated designs are colour-coded according to difficulty. The jury praised the way that this toy construction kit “trains children’s motor skills and concentration in equal measure”.

SUSTAINABILITY CATEGORY

Animal Friends – Fischertechnik

In Animal Friends, Fischertechnik has launched a building kit from raw materials that are 50% renewable. Various creatures can be constructed from the kit. Particularly striking are the vivid and abstract colours of the exceptionally stable and versatile models. The jury’s verdict was that “in terms of sustainability, this innovation from Fischertechnik – a well-known manufacturing brand – is sending an important message to the industry”.

There were no nominees, and hence no winners, in the Baby & Infant category this year.

An overview of all the nominees and 2022 winners and details of the jury and the winners from previous years can be found at www.toyaward.com.