Our Christmas toy awards are the most balanced of their kind. We asked our 801 listers to send us their recommendations for the best toy of the year from 15 categories. These independent toy retailers were free to choose any products they liked. No shortlists were drawn up and suppliers were unable to influence the results.
BABY: Freddie the Firefly by Lamaze (Tomy)
COLLECTABLE: Moshi Monsters from Vivid Imaginations
CREATIVE: Stencils Range from Djeco
CONSTRUCTION: Ninjago from LEGO
DOLLS: Monster High Dolls from Mattel
ECO: Ramp Racer from EverEarth
EDUCATIONAL: InnoTab from VTech
ELECTRONIC: Milky The Bunny from Flair
GAME: Rory's Story Cubes from Coiledspring Games
LICENSED: Octonauts Octopod from Fisher Price
OUTDOOR: Swingball Pro from Mookie
PLAY VEHICLE: Moover Pram from Hippychick
ROLE PLAY: Pretty Kitchen from Millhouse
SOFT: YooHoo & Friends Range from Aurora World
WOODEN: Rail Range from Bigjigs Toys
Some companies stood out as being popular across the board - and none more so than Bigjigs Toys who walked away with the Most Popular Toy Supplier award. As a record of their achievement, they were awarded the first ever Toy Shop UK trophy.
It's only right that we give a shout-out to a number of companies who received significant votes but just missed out on an award this time. They are: Melissa & Doug, Haba, Manhattan Toys, Casdon, Green Board Games, Jellycat, Orchard Toys and Character Options.
"Wow! To say we are over the moon would be an understatement! Being voted as Wooden Toy Category winner AND as overall Toy Supplier of the year means a lot to us. A big thank you to all the customers who voted for us. Without you we would not be here!"
"Aurora is obviously delighted to win the Soft Toy Category in the Independent Toy Awards from Toy Shop UK. Yoohoo & Friends has become the “must have” soft toy of our time. With new characters and themed styles continuously being added to the collection, our expectation for the on-going success of Yoohoo & Friends is beyond doubt."
"We are so pleased to of won the eco-friendly award, as we are a company that is fully committed to offering a range of sustainable products. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of our valued customers for their votes and continued support."
"VTech are delighted to be the winner of the 'Electronic' category in the Independent Toy Awards for the second year running. With this award we can see that consumers are already recognising InnoTab as a top electronic toy. The award means a lot to the VTech team as it shows that we continue to be recognised by independent toy shops."
"We take real pride at Hippychick in selecting toys that stand out for their quality craftsmanship, timeless appeal and lasting play value. It’s wonderful to have the Moover range recognised with such a prestigious award."
"We're thrilled that LEGO Ninjago has won the Construction Category in the Independent Toy Awards. It's a real coup to be recognised in these awards as they are truly independent and therefore a reflection that the brand is still held close to consumer's hearts."
"We are delighted that Freddy the Firefly from our Lamaze range has been recognised for the Independent Toy Awards. We know that our independent partners are just as enthusiastic about the Lamaze range as we are so it's great to receive this award."
"I am delighted that the Pro Swingball has finally got the recognition it deserves. Despite the brand being 40 years old, Mookie are determined to keep developing fresh concepts for Swingball and in the Pro Swingball we have a brand leader."
"We’re thrilled to hear that Milky the Bunny has won the electronic category in the Independent Toy Awards. Thank you to Toy Shop UK for organising these awards and thank you to all our lovely customers who voted for Milky."
"Receiving this award in our first year in the consumer market is testament to our focus on innovative, good value toys that are designed to last. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of our valued customers for their votes and continued support."
"We are delighted that Rory's Story Cubes has won an Independent Toy Award. It means a lot to us to win in such a crowded category - and it’s a testament to the benefits of working with the independent toy trade who are brave and innovative enough to seek and try out new products."
"We're absolutely delighted to have scooped an award for the Octopod Playset in the Licensed Toy category. A huge thank you to everyone who voted for us!"
"We’re delighted to receive an Independent Toy Award in the Creative category. This is definitely a testament of Djeco passion for the creativity and the love we bring to our product. We take this opportunity to thank our amazing creative customers who thought about Djeco for this award."
"We are thrilled that Monster High dolls have been recognised at the Independent Toy Awards. Monster High is a great new property that has really captured the imaginations of girls and we are very excited that they have been recognised with this award."
"We are thrilled to be voted the ‘Best Collectable Toy 2011’ by Toy Shop UK and its members. July NPD shows Moshi is now the No.1 new property in the industry and we have tremendous momentum going into the Christmas season fuelled by a strong and creative product range supported by TV, promotions and Mind Candy’s growing online user base which is now over the 50 million mark."
Collectables ranges including figures, stickers and trading cards.
Genuine eco-friendly wooden toys for kids up to 12 years old.
Sells a wide range of jigsaw puzzles and accessories.
