Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Announces Annual Platinum Awards on NBC's Today Show

Business Wire, Oct 5, 2005

NEW YORK -- The independent consumer organization Oppenheim Toy Portfolio announces its annual awards today with the publication of the 13th edition of the book, OPPENHEIM TOY PORTFOLIO 2006 Edition: The Best Toys, Books, DVDs & Music for Kids ($12/ISBN 0972105034). Cofounder Stephanie Oppenheim appears this morning on NBC's TODAY Show to launch the book.

"While we are usually very critical of the toy industry, this year we'd give them a solid 'A'. There are strong choices in all categories, rather than one hot toy. Noteworthy trends include: family games, great wooden toys and an overall improvement in the use of technology" notes President Joanne Oppenheim.

The organization's top Platinum Awards are given to the most outstanding products of the year. The award winners in the toy category are:

Infants

Gymini Total Playground Kick & Play (Tiny Love); Bucket Buddies (Infantino); Lamaze Lights & Sounds Barnyard Crawl Toy and Lamaze Whirl & Twirl Jungle (RC2); Press N Go Inchworm (International Playthings); Tutti Frutti Dog (Gund).

Toddlers

Pushing Car and Doll Pram (Haba); Rocking Wobble Whale (Mamas & Papas); Learn Around Playground (LeapFrog); Super Spiral Play Tower (International Playthings); Lego Duplo Thomas Load and Carry Train Set (Lego Systems); Rick the Frog & Friends (Rich Frog); Latitude Enfant Grannimals Collection (Pint Size Productions); Small World Living Wooden Kitchen Appliances (Small World Toys).

Preschoolers

Calico Critters Townhome (International Playthings); Jules and Lili (Corolle); Great Big Creamy Bear (Mary Meyer); Smushy Bear (North American Bear Co.); Cuddly Pals Big Pokey (Gund); Legoville Fire Station (Lego Systems); Magneatos (Guidecraft); Candy Land DVD (Milton Bradley); Read with Me DVD (Fisher-Price/Scholastic);

Super Rolling Art Center (Alex); Automoblox (Automoblox); My First RC Buggies (Kid Galaxy), Shake 'N Go Speedway (Fisher-Price); Endless Adventures Tikes Town Playhouse (Little Tikes); Naturally Playful Welcome Home Playhouse (Step 2); Plasmacar (PlasSmart)

Early School Years

Lego Pirate Ship, Star Wars ARC-170 Starfighter and Wild Hunters (Lego Systems); Flex K'nex (K'nex); Knights' Empire Castle and Grande Mansion (Playmobil); Magbots Scorpion (Mindscope); Quadrilla (HaPe); Ceramic Swirl Art (Alex); EZ 2 Quikrochet Kit (The Bead Shop); Funky Bead Chest (Bead Bazaar); My Star Box (Balitono); Watch It! (Alex); American Girl Elizabeth (American Girl); Only Hearts Club Stable & Ballet Studio (OHC); Backyard Flyer (Kid Galaxy); Castle Keep (Gamewright); DaVinci's Challenge (Briarpatch); Family Fun Game and Whoonu (Cranium); Pandabo (HaPe); Storefront Bingo (eeBoo); Who? What? Where? Jr. (Pazow); ETX 105PE Telescope (Meade); Fly and Leapster L-Max (LeapFrog); Harry Potter LUMOS Book Light (Lightwedge); Power Brain Yo Yo (Hasbro); Wild Adventure Mini Golf (Milton Bradley).

Platinum Awards were also given to the best in children's books, DVDs and music. For more information, visit www.toyportfolio.com.

Founded in 1989 by mother and daughter team, Joanne and Stephanie Oppenheim, the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio does not accept entry fees for reviewing products or take ads from companies. The Oppenheims are contributors to NBC's TODAY Show.