A cheerful looking puzzle with four small puzzles, each cut into four chunky pieced. There's a cute orange cat, a bunny, a dog and a yellow duck. Lift the pieces out and the background is color-coded and has a few of the details found on the puzzle pieces. But it is not one-on-one matching, so kids have to look a little closer. Also a good choice for developing dexterity and language and color concepts.  A nicely crafted wooden puzzle that will keep your preschooler challenged. They say 2 & up. We suspect older twos will do better with this. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

There are six two-piece puzzles in this wooden puzzle board. Each has a bright graphic that is totally distinctive from the others. Lift out the pieces and the graphic (with a name label) is also in the tray for one-on-one matching. They make a Rainbow Fairy puzzle as well. The fairies are two-piece puzzles, but we prefer the real world vehicles for this age group. This is a fun toy for visual discrimination as well as developing dexterity and language. The storage case is well designed to preserve the integrity of the puzzle pieces. Made from wood from sustainable forests. 18 months & up. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Smaller than a lot of electronic characters, this is still some smart Cookie! Squeeze his tummy and he sings a song; well actually he hums. The faster you squeeze the louder he sings. But listen. You will need to recognize the song so that you squeeze at the right beat to make recognizable songs happen. This is a reasonably priced novelty toy that might also be useful for kids who need to strengthen their hands in physical therapy. This guy is a little harder to activate than the Sing-a-ma-jigs. But if you are a Sesame Street fan, it is probably going to have more appeal. Another version featuring Elmo is also available. They say 18 months & up, we'd say more like really strong twos.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

One, Two, Three! There are three cookies to feed Cookie Monster. Squeeze his foot and Cookie will not only eat--he will burp, say thank-you, or ask for more. Want to do it again? Of course you do, if you are a toddler. But where are the cookies? Check the backpack. Magic! There's not much counting involved, but this is a fun toy with repetitive actions that reward toddlers by making things happen. A fun toy for beginning pretend play. This is not one of those huggable dolls. Since it has so much action, it has a mechanism inside that makes it pretty unhuggable. That said, Cookie is pretty sweet. Comes loaded with batteries, but it will eat up 4 "AA" at a time. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.18 months & up.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Turn the dial to see the "album covers" change faces. This is a rather chunky handful for toddlers, but they will like the repetitive action and the pay-off of making things happen. Everytime the dial is tuned the face that appears says a few words. Elmo, Big Bird, and Ernie appear and each of them sings, as well. A nice stocking stuffer and novelty for under $10. 18 months & up. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Slide the phone open and you see who is on the phone. It might be Oscar or Ernie or Abby Cadabby. Push a button and the character says one of the three numbers on that line and then rings. This is a pretty big phone, but what with the sliding, button pushing and face changes, it will be interesting for beginning pretend play. A fun prop and just the right size for a stocking stuffer surprise. 18 months and up. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Seems the school bus has shrunk a little, but it's still one of those perennial favorites. This season it has been updated for the Sesame Street gang. But it only comes with two characters, Count Von Count is the driver and Elmo is there with his backpack. If you want more passengers, that will be extra, please. It can hold three figures and since loading and unloading passengers is so much a part of the fun, we suggest you bring them home with the bus. Passengers can get on through the door or the open roof top. To open the door, press the purple button on the hood. No batteries needed for this roll and play vehicle. They say 18 months & up, we think it will be enjoyed more by 2's and up. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Nutty Squirrel rolls along pushing an acorn that turns as Squirrel's bushy tail goes back and forth. This is one pull toy that is not only cute, it was designed with all the right safety features! Unlike so many pull toys with long strings that can be dangerous, this one has a breakaway feature to prevent any accidental choking should the toy be put around a toddler's neck. Unlike some the bead handle at the end is too large to fit into a choke tube or child's mouth. In fact it is easier for a toddler to grasp and pull. This is marked for 18 months and up. Like all pull toys, it is best for tots who are steady on their feet and able to look over their shoulder without tripping. For new walkers start with push toys they can see as they walk forward and then move on to the fun of pull toys like this Nutty  Squirrel.

Age: Toddlers. Award Year: 2011.

An adorable huggable with many textures and patterns for a sitting up baby to investigate. Hot pink with licks of high contrast black and white and lavender, this smiling bunny has a round body so it can sit up without help. It has stitched features and a body with many eye-catching patterns. Its long floppy ears are lined in satin and they have tabs of ribbons and plush knotties for little fingers to explore. Turn it around and there's a surprising silky pom-pom puff of a tail. A good choice for sitting up babies and young toddlers. Unlike the Cute as a button Cuddly Lion which is machine washable, the Diva Bunny is only surface cleanable.

Age: Infants, Toddlers. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

With it's long grey trunk and short legs, this cuddly velour elephant looks like it stepped out of a storybook. In fact it is based on illustrations from the book Monkey See, Money Draw by artist/writer, Alex Beard. With stitched features, this is safe enough for all ages. It feels about he right size for a toddler since it is 20 inches big but light and easy to grab.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.