(Brio $49.99) Gold Seal Award A perfect beginner’s train set with 22-pieces including an engine and two cars with magnetic connections,...

(Janod $49) Platinum Award Pricey--but a most unusual puzzle that becomes a wonderful miniature play setting. Stored in a grandstand box...

(International Playthings $39.99) Platinum Award Built for a large family of Calico Critters, this navy blue seven seater has an open...

(Hape $59.99) Platinum Award A totally modular wooden doll house with geometric units that can be rearranged in endless ways. Rooms...

(Janod $24) Platinum Award A fifteen piece mini-world with small wooden firefighters, dog, traffic light, ladder, flames, helicopter...

(HaPe $149) Platinum Award Our testers live in sunny California, so this is an outdoor/indoor year round pretend prop for them. A...