HAVE A LOOK AT OUR 2022 MADEFORMUMS TOY AWARDS WINNERS!

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Toy Awards don't come any tougher and more rigorous than this. The 2021 MadeForMums Toy Awards have involved nearly 600 child testers and their parents, a zillion batteries, a shortlisting marathon and untold long days – and nights! – of judging, finalising, collating scores and debating. And, after a short towel-down, we're now thrilled to announce the amazing toys that have won our MadeForMums Toy Awards 2021!

We have chosen Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in each of our 44 different award categories. And our judges have also picked out 10 very special toys to receive a coveted Editor's Choice awards.

What kind of toys got the highest scores from our judges this year?

Interactive, 'wow' toys that light up, cause a thrill or make you laugh are still hugely popular. But this year many of MadeForMums’ child testers also picked ‘slower’, less showy toys – often with no electronics or batteries.

And, given the current focus on eco-friendliness, our testers’ parents were delighted to see so many new toys that are sustainable, recyclable and stand the test of time. We're also really pleased to see this shift towards eco-friendliness – from toys that put sustainability front and centre to toys that have more recyclable elements, less packaging (or boxes that become part of the toy) and string ties instead of plastic ones.

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Here are the winners of the MadeForMums Toy Awards 2021...

Editor’s choice awards

BEST FOR ECO-CREATIVITY: Planet Junko Zoomer Kit, £36.99

Planet Junko zoomer kit with logo
I liked going into the recycling box and getting ideas for vehicles and trying to make them. It is one of the best toys I have ever had
Luka, 8

Age: 6+ | Available from: Planet Junko and Amazon

BEST FOR DOLL THRILLS: Kindi Kids Poppi Pearl Bubble N Sing, £29.99

Kindi kids Poppi pearl bubble n sing with logo
It blows so many bubbles! Addie loves trying to pop them. She has a big smile on her face every time she plays with her doll. She loves the songs, too
Anna, mum of Addie, 3

Age: 3+ | Available from: Smyths Toys, The Entertainer and Argos

BEST FOR BOARD GAME ORIGINALITY: Exploding Kittens: A Game of Cat and Mouth, £24.99

Exploding Kittens: A Game of Cat and Mouth
I love how you can flick the paws with the balls in it. There's no other toy like this! It's a really fun game that I could play with all my family
Rosie, 8

Age: 7+ | Available from: Amazon

BEST FOR WANNABE VLOGGERS: Little Tikes Tobi 2 Director’s Camera, £69.99

little tikes Tobi 2 director's camera with logo
I love it. I can pretend I am a movie star and take pictures of my family and things I like. It's fun and makes me happy
Jordan, 6

Age: 6+ | Available from: Amazon

BEST FOR XMAS WOW FACTOR: Barbie Dreamhouse Playset, £309.99

barbie dream house Playset with logo

It’s so massive and fun. It’s so funny when the toilet flushes. The lights are pretty. I want to play with it forever
Zadie, 4

Age: 3+ | Available from: Smyths Toys

BEST FOR LITTLE SURPRISES: Golden Bear Funlockets Secret Fairy Musical Jewellery Box, £24.99

Funlockets Secret Fairy Musical Jewellery Box with logo
I love the dancing fairy, the music and all the surprises; it’s so much fun!
Amberlily, 5

Age: 5+ | Available from: Smyths Toys and Littlewoods

BEST FOR FIDGETY FINGERS: HGL Pushpoppers, £3.99

pushpoppers with logo

Honestly, one of the best fidget toys around. My daughter absolutely loved these and takes them to school as they help her calm down
Jasmine, mum of Ariana Joy, 5

Age: 3+ | Available from: Gift Giant, Amazon and Claire’s

BEST FOR LAUGHS: Squeakee the Balloon Dino, £79.99

Squeakee the balloon dino with logo
I love Squeakee so much. He's just so funny. He has really good dance moves. Sometimes he farts! I like squeaking his bone to make him follow me
Rowan, 7

Age: 5+ | Available from: Character and Amazon

BEST FOR CUDDLES: Bluey Jumbo Plush, £19.99

Bluey Jumbo plush with logo
Bluey comes with us everywhere. He's well made and quite big, so great for bedtime cuddles and going down the slide in the garden
Maeve, mum of Arlo, 3

Age: 3+ | Available from: Smyths Toys and Argos

BEST FOR CREATIVE PLAY: Learning Resources Design & Drill Bolt Buddies Fire Truck, £38

Design & Drill Bolt Buddies Fire Truck with logo
Casper's face lit up when he saw it. He kept saying, 'This is so cool!' while building it and playing with it. The box turning into a scene is genius
Robyn, mum of Casper, 4

Age: 3+ | Available from: Amazon and John Lewis


Best wooden toy

over £40 section header

GOLD: Peppa Pig Peppa’s Wooden Playhouse, £79.99

peppa pig playhouse with logo
Look, look, it’s just like Peppa’s house! And George has left his scooter on the floor! Wow, a telescope! Peppa, George! Your bath is ready!
Finley, 4

Age: 3+ | Available from: Character and Smyths Toys

Melissa and Doug ice cream scoop, hape fire station and my 1st years animal ark with logos

SILVER: Melissa & Doug Scoop & Serve Ice Cream Counter, £42.99 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Smyths Toys and Amazon

JOINT BRONZE: Hape Fire Station, £75 (above, top right) | Age: 3+ | Available from: Smyths Toys and Amazon

JOINT BRONZE: My 1st Years Animal Ark, £45 (above, bottom right) | Age: 12 months+ | Available from: My 1st Years

under £40 section header

GOLD: Woody Treasures Wooden Tumbling Tower, £13.99

woody treasures tumbling tower with logo
I love the colours. It's exciting waiting to see which character is next and trying to find the best block to take out and make sure it still stands
Andy, 6

Age: 4+ | Available from: Woody Treasures and Amazon

ELC stacking train and Jaques of London bus with logo

SILVER: Early Learning Centre Wooden Stacking Train, £26 |Age: 12 months+ | Available from: Early Learning Centre and Boots

BRONZE: Jaques of London Wooden London Bus, £21.99 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Jaques of London and Amazon

Shortlisted: Wooden Learning Clock


Best doll

GOLD: DesignaFriend Mermaid Doll, £35

DesignaFriend Mermaid Doll with logo
I love her magic colourful hair, her pretty clothes and the bracelet she gave to me. I want to play with her all the time
Matilda, 5

Age: 3+ | Available from: Argos

LOL tweens, cry babies dressy and sindy with logos

SILVER: LOL Surprise! Tweens Fashion Doll, £19.99 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Smyths Toys and John Lewis

JOINT BRONZE: Cry Babies Dressy, £29.99 (above, top right) | Age: 18 months+ | Available from: Smyths Toys, Very and Argos

JOINT BRONZE: Ballet Studio Sindy, £24.99 (above, bottom right) | Age: 3+ | Available from: Argos

Shortlisted: Barbie Extra Doll, Tiny Treasures Giggle Doll, Baby Born Magic Doll


Best playset

Best over £50 header

GOLD: Thomas & Friends Trains & Cranes Super Tower, £104.99

Thomas & Friends Trains & Cranes Playset with logo
It is huge! And loaded with so many fun features, like the turntable, crane and stop and start switches – well worth the price
Ijeoma, mum of Joel, 3

Age: 3+ | Available from: Smyths Toys and Argos

Barbie Cast Clinic, Shleich Volcano and Playmobil Zoo

SILVER: Barbie Fast Cast Clinic, £69.99 | Age: 4+ | Available from: Argos

JOINT BRONZE: Schleich Volcano Expedition Base Camp, £99.99 (above, top right) | Age: 4+ | Available from: Schleich and Smyths Toys

JOINT BRONZE: Playmobil 70341 Family Fun Large Zoo, £59.99 (above, bottom right) | Age: 4+ | Available from: Playmobil and Smyths Toys

Shortlisted: Schleich Horse Club Adventures with Car & Trailer, Wizarding World Magical Mini Hogwarts Castle, LOL Surprise! OMG Remix 4-in-1 Plane

Best under £50 header

GOLD: Hape Railway Bucket Builder Set, £49

Hape Bucket Builder set with logo
It uses the storage box as part of the track! Ella loves playing with the crane, lifting vehicles and dropping them down the small slide
Siobhan, mum of Ella, 3

Age: 3+ | Available from: Yes Bebe and Amazon

Schleich Expedition Base camp, Sylvaniian Families Amusement Park, Bing Playhouse with logo

SILVER: Schleich Wild Life Ranger Adventure Station, £49.99 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Schleich and Smyths Toys

JOINT BRONZE: Sylvanian Families Baby Amusement Park, £49.99 (above, top right) | Age: 4+ | Available from: Argos and Smyths Toys

JOINT BRONZE: Golden Bear Bing’s House Playset, £44.99 (above, bottom right) | Age: 12 months+ | Available from: The Bing Store and Next

Shortlisted: Happyland London Bus, Magic Box T-Racers Eagle Jump, Magic Box T-Racers Turbo Crane Playset, Squishville Mall, Paw Patrol Movie True Metal Total City Rescue Playset


Best art and craft toy or kit

best for 3 years +

JOINT GOLD: Kinetic Sand Sandisfactory, £14.99

Kinetic Sand Sandisfactory
I really like the bit where you put the sand in a cube, cut it in half and it changes to a rainbow in the middle!
Alanna, 5

Age: 3+ | Available from: Smyths Toys and Amazon

JOINT GOLD: Carddies the Card People to Colour and Go, £8.99

carddies with gold award logo
I like colouring in the characters and picking names for them. It's good they can stand up by themselves when I play with them
Mollie, 6

Age: 3 to 10 | Available from: Mama Brown and Amazon

play doh oven set and fuzzikins homemaker

SILVER: Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Rising Cake Oven Playset, £25 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Argos and Amazon

BRONZE: Fuzzikins Homemakers Family Home, £19.99 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Smyths Toys and Bargain Max

Shortlisted: Super Sand Case, Magicolour, Melissa & Doug Paw Patrol Wooden Tabletop Art Centre, Crayola Paint-sation Table Top Easel

best for 5 years +

GOLD: Magical Fairy Fun, £11.99

magical fairy fun with gold logo
I like the box and it’s so creative. Daddy had to help me a bit making the fairies but it was fun. They have nice dresses!
Roselyn, 6

Age: 6+ | Available from: Present Mill and Amazon

Fiesta Crafts 3D mask and Planet Junko Epic Cereal Box Creations with logos

SILVER: Fiesta Crafts 3D Mask Card Craft, £7.99 | Age: 5+| Available from: Fiesta Crafts and Amazon

BRONZE: Planet Junko Epic Cereal Box Creations, £14.99 | Age: 6 to 12 | Available from: Planet Junko (quote MUMS10 for a 10% discount) and Amazon

Shortlisted: Fab Dab Do T-Shirt Printing Kit, TOMY Maché Magic


Best science/STEM toy or kit

GOLD: Clementoni/Science Museum Mechanics Junior Moving Animals, £24.99

Clementoni moving animals set with logo
Wow, my animal moves! I really love the bright colours and putting it together. I want to make a different one now!
Summaya, 8

Age: 6+ | Available from: The Entertainer, Hamleys and The Science Museum

Popular Science Kit, Augmentify Dinosaur with logos

SILVER: Popular Science Climate Science Kit, £19.99 | Age: 5+ | Available from: Amazon

BRONZE: AugmentifyIt Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures Augmented Reality Quiz Game, £12.99 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Amazon

Shortlisted: Science Mad 5 in 1 Weather Station, Galaxy Slime Play, Planet Junko Zoomer Kit


Best toy vehicle

JOINT GOLD: Playmobil City Action Fire Ladder Unit with Extendable Ladder, £62.99

playmobil fire engine with logo
I love the lights and the fire engine noises. I like how the ladder goes up and down. I want to play with it every day!
Arabella, 4

Age: 4+ | Available from: Playmobil and Amazon

JOINT GOLD: LOL Surprise! OMG Remix 4 in 1 Plane, £92.99

lol surprise plane with logo
It’s so cool how it turns into a car and a singing booth! I like the lights that you turn on so it shows up in the dark. I can’t wait to show my friends
Georgie, 7

Age: 6+ | Available from: Smyths Toys and Amazon

cookie time and playtrains with logo

SILVER: Woody Treasures Classic London Vehicle Set, £14.99 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Woody Treasures and Amazon

BRONZE: Playtrains Flash the Local Express R/C Battery Train Set, £49.99 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Hornby and Argos

Shortlisted: Chunkies London Bus


Best bath toy

GOLD: Bburago BB Junior Splash n Play Submarine Projector, £9.99

Bburago BB Junior Splash nPlay Submarine Projector with logo
The idea behind it is so original! Bella clapped her hands and pointed at all of the animals in the lights. She loved that she could turn it on herself
Anna, mum of Bella, 20 months

Age: 18 months+ | Available from: Amazon

BestBathToys Silver and Bronze with logos

SILVER: Early Learning Centre Bath Time Tea Party Set, £18 | Age: 18 months+ | Available from: Early Learning Centre and The Entertainer

JOINT BRONZE: Matchstick Monkey Bathtime Wobblers, £12.99 (above, top right) | Age: 12 months+ | Available from: Matchstick Monkey

JOINT BRONZE: Toomies Bubble n Bake Bathtime Kitchen, £19.99 (above, bottom right) | Age: 18 months+ | Available from: Smyths Toys and Argos

Shortlisted: Cuddledry Cuddleduck, Matchstick Monkey Bathtime Slide Set, Paw Patrol Gelli Bath


Best board game

4 years + section header

GOLD: Orchard Toys Dino Snore-Us, £10.75

Orchard Toy Dino Snore-Us with logo

I love my game – it’s really fun. I like the dinosaurs and counting out the spaces, and I’m excited and nervous for waking the dinosaur up!
Avana, 5

Age: 4 to 7 | Available from: Orchard Toys and Amazon

Ubongu, Rush to Recycle, Dream Catcher with logos

SILVER: Ubongo Junior, £20 | Age: 5+ | Available from: Thames & Kosmos

JOINT BRONZE: Dream Catcher, £18.99 (above, top right) | Age: 4+ | Available from: Zatu Games

JOINT BRONZE: Petit Collage Rush to Recycle, £14 (above, bottom right) | Age: 4 to 8 | Available from: Amazon

Shortlisted: Magic Oven

6 years+ header

GOLD: Flip Over Frog, £12

flip over frog game with logo
The best thing is keeping my frog colour secret and using the snake tiles to beat Mum! It's fun pretending to be a different colour to trick other players
Finlay, 7

Age: 6+ | Available from: Hub Games and Amazon

Blank and Upside Down Challenge games with logos

SILVER: Blank, £12 | Age: 6+ | Available from: Hub Games

BRONZE: #UpsideDown Challenge Game, £24.99 | Age: 7+ | Available from: Smyths Toys and Argos

Shortlisted: Exploding Minions, Poetry For Neanderthals, Detective Charlie, Hedbanz

8 years + header

GOLD: The Sock Game, £19.99

the Sock Game with logo
I like finding the objects as quickly as possible. I like the different rules like getting 2 points or having your hand in the sock to start. It's fun for all ages
Maisie, 9

Age: 8+ | Available from: Amazon and The Sock Game

uproar ticket to ride and 5 second rule and logos

SILVER: UpRoar!, £11.99 | Age: 8+ | Available from: Amazon and McMiller

JOINT BRONZE: 5 Second Rule Core Classic Buzzer, £19.99 (above, top right) | Age: 10+ | Available from: Smyths Toys

JOINT BRONZE: Ticket to Ride: Europe, £39.99 (above, bottom right | Age: 8+ | Available from: John Lewis and Amazon

Shortlisted: Monopoly Crooked Cash, Word on the Street, Silly Sounds, Kids Against Maturity


Best construction/building toy

GOLD: GraviTrax Obstacle, £79.99

Gravitrax obstacle with logo
I love how this toy is different each time I play with it, depending on what I choose to build. It's really fun and interesting
Harrison, 8

Age: 8 | Available from: Smyths Toys and John Lewis

lego duplo modular playhouse, geomags and laser pegs with logos

JOINT SILVER: LEGO DUPLO Modular Playhouse, £54.99 (above, top left) | Age: 2+ | Available from: Lego and Amazon

JOINT SILVER: Geomag Supercolor 78pcs, £39.99 (above, bottom left) | Age: 5+ | Available from: The Coolshop and Amazon

BRONZE: Laser Pegs Multi Models, from £14.99 | Age: 8+ | Available from: Smyths Toys and Amazon

Shortlisted: SmartMax My First Acrobats, Geomag Magicubes 202 Shapes Wheels


Best balance bike

GOLD: Kinderkraft GOSWIFT, £79.90

kinderkraft goswift balance bike with logo
Absolutely worth the money. Lightweight, stylish, comfortable seat – and a very easy-to-use bell
Lauren, mum to Finley, 3

Age: 3 to 6 | Available from: Kinderkraft and Pramworld

QPlay and Strider balance bikes with logo

SILVER: QPLAY Spark, £49.99 | Age: 2 to 4 | Available from: Smyths Toys

BRONZE: Strider 12 Sport, £119.99 | Age: 18 months to 5 | Available from: Strider Bikes and Amazon

Shortlisted: Ozbozz My First Balance Bike


Best educational/learning toy

best for under 3s section header

GOLD: CoComelon Colour Learning Sheep, £24.99

cocomelon sheep with logo
Eadie loves it. She asks for it a lot and says 'My sheep, my sheep!’ She sings along with it and loves to move it through the different colours
Amanda, mum of Eadie, 2

Age: 12 months+ | Available from: Amazon

Melissa & Doug blues clues house and pinky ponk vehicle and logos

SILVER: Melissa & Doug Blue’s Clues & You! Wooden Take-Along House, £42.99 | Age: 18 months+ | Available from: Amazon

BRONZE: Golden Bear In The Night Garden Pinky Ponk Build And Sort Vehicle, £15.99 | Age: 18 months+ | Available from: Next, Amazon and Argos

Shortlisted: LEGO DUPLO Alphabet Truck, Fabula Toys The Finger Family, Knock Knock! First Words

best for 3 years +

GOLD: Learning Resources MathLink Cubes Numberblocks 1-10 Activity Set, £20

Learning Resources Numberblocks with logo
It’s cool and I can make the shapes out of the cubes and make the bodies of the Numberblocks. It is good for practising my numbers
Lola-May, 4

Age: 3+ | Available from: Amazon and John Lewis

GLTC Alphabet toy and Ocean Adventures in a tin with logos

SILVER: Great Little Trading Company Alphabet Learning Toy, £36 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Great Little Trading Company

BRONZE: Ocean Adventures Wooden Play Set, £11.99 | Age: 4+ | Available from: Present Mill, The Little Crafty Bugs Co and Peartree Collection

Shortlisted: Toniebox by Tonies, Jaques of London Let’s Learn Calendar Clock, Paw Patrol Ryder’s Alphabet Tablet

best for 5 years +

GOLD: Orchard Toys First Times Table Game, £8.50

Orchard toys times table game with logo
You can learn about your times tables whilst using pancakes! Totally would play this again – it’s so much fun
Matilda, 6

Age: 5+ | Available from: Orchard Toys and Amazon

apple twist and exploding volcano with logos

SILVER: Smart Games Apple Twist, £14.99 | Age: 5+ | Available from: Smart Toys and Games and Dotty Hippo

BRONZE: Massive Erupting Volcano, £25 | Age: 8+ | Available from: Thames & Kosmos and Bright Minds

Shortlisted: BrainBox Harry Potter


Best first bike

GOLD: Beehive Toys 16" Vintage Bicycle, £149.99

beehive toys vintage bike with logo
It's really nice to ride. I like the colours and the bell, and I can go quite fast. I think I will ride it all the time
Ted, 7

Age: 4+ | Available from: Beehive Toy Factory and Amazon

Strider bike and Raleigh Molli bike with logos

SILVER: Strider 14X Sport, £154.99 (plus £54.98 for the pedal kit) | Age: 3+ | Available from: Strider

BRONZE: Raleigh Molli, from £210 | Age: 3 to 7 | Available from: Raleigh and Evans Cycles


Best interactive toy

GOLD: Little Tikes My Jam Electric Guitar, £34.99

little tikes electric guitar with logo
I like the noise from the guitar. I like the strumming. It’s very very very fun. It’s the BESTEST guitar EVER!
Ronni, 4

Age: 3+ | Available from: Little Tikes and Smyths Toys

Ny first scalextric and Clementoni Storyteller with logos

SILVER: My First Scalextric, £39.99 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Scalextric and Amazon

BRONZE: Clementoni Story Teller, £24.99 | Age: 3+ | Available from: The Entertainer and Smyths Toys

Shortlisted: Magic Blanket Babies, The Gruffalo Interactive Plush, Golden Bear Toothbrush and Handwashing Time with Duggee, CoComelon Clever Blocks, Animagic Tiki & Toko


Best jigsaw/puzzle

GOLD: Fiesta Crafts 3D Construction Model, £14.99

Fiesta Crafts 3D with logo
Oh wow! The way the garage doors can slide open is really cool. You can also see everything inside the building from the back!
Leo, 8

Age: 6+ | Available from: Fiesta Crafts and Amazon

Butterfly gear game and Dodo jigsaw with logos

SILVER: Woody Treasures Butterfly Gear Game, £11.99 | Age: 18 months+ | Available from: Woody Treasures and Amazon

BRONZE: Dodo Observation Puzzle World of Animals, £7.99 | Age: 5+ | Available from: Halilit and Amazon

Shortlisted: Puzzly Do! Ocean Friends Dubbl-Puzzl


Best toy for pretend play

JOINT GOLD: LeapFrog Count Along Basket & Scanner, £33.99

leapfrog scanner with logo
I like to to go shopping and buy lots of food for Mummy and Daddy. Lots of BIG BIG food in trolley – beep beep!
Rémy, 2

Age: 2 to 5 | Available from: LeapFrog and Argos

JOINT GOLD: Playhouse Ice Cream Van, £99.99

playhouse ice cream van with logo
I like EVERYTHING. The freezer is the best. I can put all my ice creams in there to stop them melting
Joseph. 5

Age: 5+ | Available from: Uber Kids

growing garden and washing machine with logos

SILVER: Great Little Trading Company Growing Garden Wooden Toy, £68 | Age: 3 to 7 | Available from: Great Little Trading Company

BRONZE: Casdon Electronic Washer, £30 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Selfridges and Argos

Shortlisted: Playhouse Make N Mend Work Bench, LOL Surprise! OMG Remix 4 in 1 Plane Playset


Best toy for role play

GOLD: Casdon Kenwood Mixer, £25

casdon Kenwood with logo
Wow Mummy, I make the best cakes like you!
Zachary, 3

Age: 3+ | Available from: Amazon and Asda

cookie time, Batman and fiesta craft theatre with logos

SILVER: Woody Treasures Cookie Time!, £14.99 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Woody Treasures and Amazon

JOINT BRONZE: Spinmaster Batman Figurine, £11.99 (above, top right)| Age: 3+ | Available from: Smyths Toys

JOINT BRONZE: Fiesta Crafts Pop Up Theatre Production, £21.99 (above, bottom right) | Age: 3 to 9 | Available from: Amazon


Best outdoor toy

GOLD: Xootz BMW X5 Ride On, £249

Xootz BMW with logo
Driving in it and playing the music, and beeping the horn and even going baaaaaackwards... I want to play with it again and again and again!
Arthur, 5

Age: 5+ (12 months+ with remote control) | Available from: Very, Littlewoods and Argos

Stomp Rocket and Waboba Ugly Sweater with logo

SILVER: Stomp Rocket Original, £12.99 | Age: 6+ | Available from: Amazon

BRONZE: Waboba Wingman, £5.99 each | Age: 5+ | Available from: Amazon

Shortlisted: Waboba MoonShine


Best garden toy

GOLD: TP Explorer Metal Climbing Frame Black Edition, £219.99

TP Climbing Frame with logo
I love it! I like climbing to the top and sitting in the den with my best friend
Chloe, 6

Age: 3+ | Available from: TP Toys and Adventure Toys

Smoby garden house and Plum trampoline with logo

SILVER: Smoby Garden House, £299.99 | Age: 4+ | Available from: Argos and Amazon

BRONZE: Plum 4.5 Junior Jungle Trampoline and Enclosure with Sounds, £164.99 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Plum Play and Huggle


Best portable/travel toy

GOLD: MindShot by Digital Detox Kids, £2 each

Mindshot with logo
The activities are so well thought through and Cadhia really enjoyed them. In fact, the whole family got involved!
Seaneen, mum of Cadhia, 8

Age: 6+ | Available from: Digital Detox Kids and selected Waitrose stores

Toniebox, Kidly Bucket and Paddington learning suitcase with logos

SILVER: Toniebox by Tonies, £69.99 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Tonies, Amazon and Kidly

JOINT BRONZE: Kidly Label Foldaway Bucket & Spade Set, £14 (above, top right) | Age: 2+ | Available from: Kidly

JOINT BRONZE: Adventures of Paddington Learning Suitcase, £19.99 (above, bottom right) | Age: 3+ | Available from: John Lewis

Shortlisted: Learning Resources Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog Fidget Friend


Best scooter

GOLD: Maxi Micro Deluxe Foldable LED Scooter, £144.95

MicroScooter Maxi Micro Deluxe Foldable LED Scooter with logos
I love how it moves with you– it's easy to steer. The 1-click fold was a little stiff at first but easy now I’m used to it. The LED lights are really cool
Tillie, 8

Age: 5 to 12 | Available from: MicroScooters and John Lewis

QPlay Mika and Liferyder scooter with logos

SILVER: QPLAY Mika, £39.99 | Age: 2 to 5 | Available from: Smyths Toys

BRONZE: Liferyder Infinity Scooter, £124.99 | Age: 5 to 15 | Available from: Liferyder

Shortlisted: QPLAY Future, Xootz Scout Tri Scooter, Ozbozz My First Foldable Scooter


Best soft toy

GOLD: Dream Beams, £6.99 each

Beamies World with logo
What a lovely super-soft toy for play and night-time cuddles! The glow-in-the-dark patches are great for children who are scared of the dark
Rachel, mum of Aron, 3

Age: From birth | Available from: The Entertainer

Squishmallows, Scruff a Luvs Cutie and DesignaBear Giraffe with MFM logos

JOINT SILVER: Scruff-a-Luvs Cutie Cuts, £29.99 (above, top left) | Age: 5+ | Available from: Smyths Toys, Argos and Asda

JOINT SILVER: Squishmallows Wave 7, £7.99 each (above, bottom left)| Age: From birth | Available from: Smyths Toys

BRONZE: DesignaBear Colourful Giraffe, £10 | Age: From birth | Available from: Argos

Shortlisted: Soul Mates Mindfulness Story Pillow (Sun), Kissy the Animated Penguin, Golden Bear Musical Statues Dancing Bing Soft Toy, Golden Bear Hey Duggee and Musical Squirrels Soft Toy, The Gruffalo Interactive Plush


Best collectible toy

GOLD: Bloopies Fairies, £17.99 each

bloopies fairies with logo
I liked everything. I liked the fairy lighting up. It was great fun to play with
Octavia, 4

Age: 3 to 6 | Available from: Argos and Smyths Toys

Collectible Toy Silver and Bronze winners

JOINT SILVER: Baby Born Surprise Mini Babies, £8.99 each (above, top left) | Age: 3 to 8 | Available from: Zapf Creation and Tesco

JOINT SILVER: My Squishy Little Dumplings , £14.99 each (above, bottom left) | Age: 3+ | Available from: Smyths Toys and Argos

BRONZE: Magic Box Toys: T-Racers, from £7 each | Age: 3+ | Available from: The Entertainer

Shortlisted: Beamies World, LOL Surprise! Colour Change Lil Sisters, Zoobies Z-Girlz Transforming Collectible Figure and Happitat Accessory, WOW! PODS Marvel


Best stocking filler

GOLD: Pop A Tops, £7.99 each

pop a tots with MFM logo
My brother liked the Martian game – he was very speedy at it. We loved playing these and want to play them at our family games night!
Keiran, 7

Age: 6+ | Available from: Amazon

Pigs in Blankets, Cry Babies, Hexbug Dumpster with logos

SILVER: Orchard Toys Pigs in Blankets Mini Game, £5.35 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Orchard Toys and Jo Jo Maman Bebe

JOINT BRONZE: Cry Babies Magic Tears Dress Me Up, £9.99 each (above, top right) | Age: 3+ | Available from: Argos and Smyths Toys

JOINT BRONZE: Hexbug Junkbots – Dumpster Assortment, £9.99 (above, bottom right) | Age: 3+ | Available from: The Entertainer and Amazon

Shortlisted: Dobble GOSH, LOL Surprise! Colour Change Dolls, Star Baff Bombz, Gund Paw Patrol Movie 6” Plush, Tech Deck 96mm Boards


Best sustainable/ethical toy

GOLD: Build a Bee Hotel, £11.99

build a bee hotel with logo
I loved it! I really enjoyed building the hotel and can't wait to see if any bees come to stay there
Charles, 7

Age: 6+ | Available from: Present Mill and Amazon

Cuddle and Kind and micro scooter green with logos

SILVER: Cuddle + Kind Henry the Bunny, from £60 | Age: From birth | Available from: Cuddle + Kind

BRONZE: Mini Micro Eco Scooter, £79.95 | Age: 2 to 5 | Available from: Micro Scooters and Amazon

Shortlisted: Peppa Pig Eco Plush, Pure Earth Collection Organic Bumblebee Toy


Best toddler ride-on

GOLD: Beehive Toy Bumblebee Ride On, £39.99

beehive toys bumblebee ride on with logo
I am amazed at the quality for the price! It's really solid, and I only had to fit the handlebar with the tools provided and it was ready to go. Brilliant!
Kirstie, mum of Iris, 2

Age: 18 months to 3 years | Available from: The Beehive Toy Factory

Strider with rocking base and Amboss scooter with logos

SILVER: Strider 12 Sport with Rocking Base, £186.98 | Age: 6 months to 5 years | Available from: Strider – balance bike and rocking base sold separately)

BRONZE: Amboss Primo Ride on Scooter, £200 | Age: 1 to 5 | Available from: Bambinista

Shortlisted: Xootz BMW X5 Ride On, My 1st Years Exclusive Colour Way Ride On


Best toddler toy

GOLD: Little Tikes Learn n Play Learning Activity Suitcase, £44.99

little tikes learning suitcase with logo
I like my suitcase and the passport. We had lots of fun and I write my letters and made an elephant, didn't I? Can we play again now?
Hazeema, 3

Age: 2+ | Available from: Amazon

v tech sport, Jaques animal ark and LEGO DUPLO camper van with logo

SILVER: VTech 3 in 1 Sports Centre, £41.99 | Age: 12 months+ | Available from: VTech and Amazon

JOINT BRONZE: Jaques of London Kids Noah’s Ark Wooden Animal Toy, £19.99 (above, top right)| Age: 3 | Available from: Jaques of London

JOINT BRONZE: LEGO DUPLO Camper Van, £24.99 (above, bottom right)| Age: 2+ | Available from: Lego and John Lewis

Shortlisted: Fisher-Price Thomas & Friends Race & Chase RC, Toomies Jurassic World Spin & Hatch Dino Eggs, Mizzie the Kangaroo Hop Out Mizzie, Woody Treasures Pop up Toy, Playmobil 123 Animal Train


Best trike

GOLD: Beehive Toys Multifunctional 3 in 1 Trike, £89.99

kinderkraft trike with logo
Great value for money, as it can be a trike, a pushalong and a balance bike – with 1 click to change modes. I also love how easy it is to fold and store
Sian, mum of Orla, 2

Age: 18 months to 5 years | Available from: Beehive Toy Factory

Kinderkraft Steiff and Gobber trikes

SILVER: Kinderkraft Tricycle Spinstep, £124.99 | Age: 9 months to 5 years | Available from: Kinderkraft and Pramworld

JOINT BRONZE: Steiff Tiny Tot Classic Trike/Bike, £89.99 (above, top right) | Age: 3+ | Available from: Steiff and Harrods

JOINT BRONZE: Globber by Plum Explorer Trike 2 in 1, £99.99 (above, bottom right) | Age: 2 to 5 | Available from: Globber and Uber Kids

Shortlisted: TP Trike 4 in 1+


Best toy for active play

GOLD: TOMY Active Snap, £4.99

Active Snap with logo
I like that it's easy to play. I like watching Mummy do sit-ups: it was funny – she kept losing. Can I play it at my party with my friends?
Paige, 6

Age: 4+ | Available from: Amazon and Ocado

casdon dyson, air graviton and micro hopper with logos

SILVER: Casdon Dyson Cord-free Vacuum, £22 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Very and Argos

JOINT BRONZE: Air Hogs Gravitor, £24.99 (above, top right)| Age: 4+ | Available from: Smyths Toys and Amazon

JOINT BRONZE: Micro Ride on Air Hopper, £39.95 (above, bottom right) | Age: 18 months+ | Available from: Micro Scooters and Amazon

Shortlisted: Soul Mates Kids Eco Yoga Mat, Plum Junior Ocean Bouncer with Sounds, Nerf Ultra Select


Best toy subscription/rental service

GOLD: The Bike Club with Forme Cubley, £11.99 a month

Bike Club with MFM Toy Awards logo
An excellent idea given the rate that some kids grow: you can swap the bike for another one when they get too big for it!
Laura, mum of Logan, 4

Age: 3+ | Available from: The Bike Club

Grow with me and peas and pod with logo

SILVER: Grow with Me Subscription Box, £29.99 a month | Age: Birth to 18 months | Available from: Grow with Me (quote FIRSTBOX25 for 25% off your 1st box)

BRONZE: Peas and Pod Child Led Activity Box, £20 a month | Age: 3 to 7 | Available from: Peas and Pod

Shortlisted: Bring a Book to Life Box


Best walker or push-along toy

GOLD: Little Bird Told Me Dexter Dog Pushalong, £109.95

dexter dog pushalong with logo
Theo's eyes lit up when he first saw Dexter. He was so excited! He's used him every day to practise walking and he loves giving him a big cuddle
Liey, mum of Theo, 14 months

Age: 12 months+ | Available from: A Little Bird Told Me and Natural Baby Shower

fisher price camper, roundabout walker and trex pushalong with logos

SILVER: Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn 3 in 1 On the Go Camper, £74.99 | Age: 7 months+ | Available from: Smyths Toys and Argos

JOINT BRONZE: MyChild Roundabout 4 in 1 Activity Walker, £99.99 (above, top right) | Age: 6 months+ | Available from: My Child and Argos

JOINT BRONZE: Toomies Jurassic World Pic n Push T Rex, £19.99 (above, bottom right) | Age: 12 months+ | Available from: Amazon and The Entertainer


Best sensory toy

GOLD: Clementoni Soft Clemmy Touch Move & Play Sensory Train, £19.99

soft clemmy sensory train with logo
Willow loved exploring the different textures and patterns. She had lots of fun building the blocks on top of the train. It a very nice little toy
Sarah, mum to Willow, 18 months

Age: 6 months+ | Available from: Smyths Toys, Very and Amazon

petit boum and taf toys tissue box with logos

SILVER: Petit Boum Sensory Bottles, from £9.80 each |Age: 3 months+ | Available from: Petit Boum

BRONZE: Taf Toys Koala Wonder Tissue Box, £19.99 | Age: 9 months+ | Available from: Halilit and Amazon


Best sleep aid toy

from birth section header

GOLD: Zazu Baby Sleep Shusher Bruno, £35

zazu baby sleep shusher bruno with logo
Ada's first reaction was to hug it. Now Bruno's part of her bedtime routine, she falls asleep much more quickly than before: every parent’s dream!
Nina, mum to Ada, 3 months

Age: From birth | Available from: Kidly

jasper the elephant and baby Annabel with logos

SILVER: Jaspar the Dreamy Elephant, £49.99 | Age: From birth | Available from: The Dreamy Elephant Company

BRONZE: Baby Annabell Sleep Well For Babies, £21.99 | Age: From birth | Available from: Zapf Creation and John Lewis

Shortlisted: Magic Dreamlight Light Up White Unicorn

toddlers + section header

GOLD: CoComelon Sleep Soother, £24.99

cocmelon sleep soother with logo
It’s a quality toy. Arabella loves the lights and sings along to the songs with such excitement! She plays with it every evening and uses it as a pillow
Amy, mum to Arabella, 2

Age: 1 to 4 | Available from: Amazon

soulmates wave and tonies with logos

SILVER: Soul Mates Mindfulness Story Pillow (Wave), £18 | Age: 3+ | Available from: Amazon and Soul Mates

BRONZE: Toniebox by Tonies, £69.99 | Age: 3 to 8 | Available from: Tonies, Smyths Toys and John Lewis


Best baby toy

GOLD: Skip Hop Bandana Buddies Monkey, £18

skip hop bandana baby toy with logo
It’s a great size, and you get a lot of different features. I love the removable teething ring! Lana is totally engrossed. Mega 10/10 over here!
Kayleigh, mum of Lana, 4 months

Age: From birth | Available from: John Lewis and Uberkids

taf toys baby toys with logos

SILVER: Taf Toys Savannah Discovery Cube, £14.99 | Age: From birth | Available from: Halilit

BRONZE: Taf Toys Savannah Tummy Time Book, £16.99 | Age: From birth | Available from: Halilit and Kidly

Shortlisted: Taf Toys Koala Clip-on Pram Book


Best teething toy

GOLD: Sophie la Girafe Teether, £14.99

Sophie la giraffe with logo
Dexter loves Sophie. He gets very excited when he sees her and loves to hear her squeak. It really helps with his teething and with his dexterity skills
Emma, mum of Dexter, 6 months

Age: From birth | Available from: Sophie la Girafe and Smyths Toys

matchstick monkey, natruba daisy and Mini Mizzie with logos

JOINT SILVER: Natruba Daisy Teether Rattle, £17.95 (above, top left) | Age: From birth | Available from: Nibbling and Kidly

JOINT SILVER: Matchstick Monkey Original Teething Toy, £9.99 (above, bottom left) | Age: 3 months+ | Available from: Matchstick Monkey and Next

BRONZE: Mizzie the Kangaroo Mini Mizzie, £9.95 | Age: From birth | Available from: Mizzie the Kangaroo

Shortlisted: Happy Cat Kids Silicone Elephant Teether, Mizzie the Kangaroo Teething Toy


Best baby activity mat/playgym

GOLD: Kinderkraft 4Smart Contrasting Sensory Mat, £64.90

kinderkraft activity mat with logo
It's brilliant. It occupies Lily for the longest time. From the smiles and fascination on her face, I can see she loves it!
Simone, mum of Lily, 4 months

Age: From birth | Available from: Kinderkraft and Pramworld

silver and bronze playmate

SILVER: Taf Toys Savannah 360° Activity Gym, £64.99 | Age: From birth | Available from: Halilit

BRONZE: Tiny Love Boho Chic Luxe Developmental Gymini, £109.99 | Age: From birth | Available from: Tiny Love

Shortlisted: The Little Green Sheep Curved Wooden Baby Play Gym & Charms Set


Best playmat

GOLD: Munchkin & Bear Luxe Padded Play Mat, from £94.95

munchkin and bear playmat with logo
It’s practical, safe, super stylish – and very big. Ottie is very happy rolling around on it. We'll be using this daily!
Emily, mum to Ottilie, 7 months

Age: From birth | Available from: Munchkin & Bear

singing ant playmat with logo

SILVER: The Singing Ant Modern Play Mat, from £67 | Age: From birth | Available from: The Singing Ant

What are the MadeForMums Toy Awards about?

The MadeForMums Toy Awards are all about celebrating the best in children’s toys, from toys for newborns to toys for pre-teens – and all ages, stages and genres in between.

We're known here at MadeForMums for our expert, honest and thorough product reviews, and we’ve brought those same standards to our Toy Awards – knowing that the award of a winner’s badge from us will be recognised both by parents and major retailers as a sign of outstanding quality and play potential.

How were the toys judged?

We want to recognise the great toys that entertain, educate and excite children of all ages and stages, so we divided all our award entries into 44 different categories, tested them rigorously, shortlisted the very best of them, and then judged our shortlist on their play potential and value for money.

We also created 10 Editor’s Choice awards – to showcase the toys that our editors thought had something about them that was particularly special.

Who were the judges?

Of course the best people to rate toys are the children who play with them, so we recruited a panel of over 600 child judges, ranging in age from 12 weeks to 15 years, and set them (and their parents) the arduous task of playing with our toy entries and telling us exactly what they thought of them. And they certainly told us EVERYTHING!

We also had several judging days held at MadeForMums HQ, where all the shortlisted toys were tested, evaluated and scored by the expert members of our MadeForMums Toy team and editorial writers who specialise in product reviews, and helped out by guest judge the Toyologist Peter Jenkinson.

Read more…

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Authors

Helen Brown
Helen BrownHead of Content Delivery

Helen is author of the classic advice book Parenting for Dummies and a mum of 3. Before joining MadeForMums, she was Head of Community at Mumsnet and also the Consumer Editor of Mother & Baby.

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