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ASTRA offers Best Toys for Kids store kit

By Staff -- Gifts and Dec, 10/23/2009 1:13:00 PM

ASTRA CHICAGO—The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association today unveiled a package of sales tools to help its retailer leverage its Best Toys for Kids list.

The Best Toys for Kids retail support kit includes stickers to affix to packaging; Best Toys for Kids buttons for store staff to wear; small in-store displays promoting Best Toys for Kids; an information sheet with talking points about the program; downloadable press releases for customizing for the store’s local media; and an array of digital resources that retailers can use on their own websites.

“We have been building the Best Toys for Kids brand gradually for a few years now, and this year we’ve taken a huge leap forward,” said Kathleen McHugh, ASTRA president. “Our process for selecting the winners has been refined so that we get more and better input from retailers nationwide at each step along the way. Now Best Toys for Kids has its own look, and now we are giving our members more turn-key ways to use the list to generate traffic to sell more toys.”

In addition, the program is supported by a social media and blogging program to reach consumers and direct them to ASTRA’s member store locator.

Toys picked for the Best Toys for Kids list are made by ASTRA member retailers and include toys suitable for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and older children, and it guides parents to toy selection according to the different types of play the toy promotes, including active play, constructive play, creative play, fantasy and pretend play, game play and investigative play.

The products in this year’s list are:

INFANT PLAY

• Skwish Natural by Manhattan Toy

• Sophie the Giraffe by Calisson

TODDLER PLAY

• Wee Wedgits 30 piece set by Imagability

• Twilight Ladybug by Cloud B

PRETEND – ROLE PLAY

• Tea Set by Green Toy

• Shopping Cart by Melissa & Doug

PRETEND – FANTASY

• Egyptian Pyramid by Playmobil

• Dragon/Knight Reversible Cape & Hood by Creative Education of Canada

CONSTRUCTIVE PLAY

• Automoblox by Manhattan Toy

• Multi-colored Magformers by Rainbow Products

CREATIVE PLAY

• Sticky Mosaics Twinkle Tiaras by Orb Factory

• Create Your Own Pop-up Books by Creativity for Kids

SCIENTIFIC PLAY

• Snap Circuits Green by Elenco

• Power House Green by Thames & Kosmos

ACTIVE PLAY

• PAV Original Djubi by Moonracer

• EzyRoller by EzyRoller Ltd.

GAMES

• Games - 3-7 yrs: Chicky Boom by Blue Orange

• Games – 8 yrs+: Bananagrams by Bananagrams, LLC

JUST FOR FUN

• Collectible Erasers by BC Office

CLASSIC PLAY

• Classic Play – Young: Magnatiles by Valtech! Co.

• Classic Play – Older: Marky Sparky Doinkit Darts by Valtech! Co.

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