Children at Anderson Twp. school help select top toy of 2012

ANDERSON TWP., Ohio - Over the next few weeks, parents across the country will be asking themselves the same question: What does my kid want this holiday season?

Balancing “need” with “want” when confronted with rows of video games, dolls, radio-controlled vehicles, digital gadgets and gizmos at department stores and specialty toy shops will be enough to make parents wave the proverbial white flag.

Rest easy, Tri-State parents. The people at The Goddard School in Anderson Township are helping to cure this seasonal dilemma with their annual toy test.

Every year The Goddard School puts toys to the test in its Preschooler-Approved Toy Test. The Anderson Township location was one of only 20 Goddard Schools selected nationwide to help decide this year’s top 10 toys.

Toy manufacturers from across the country submitted nearly a hundred toys to be reviewed by a team of early childhood education experts at Goddard Systems, Inc. (GSI), franchisor of The Goddard School. The 20 toy finalists were then poked and prodded (and possibly banged and dropped) by Anderson Township children ranging in age from infants to 6 year olds.

The children’s votes were tallied and the Top 10 Toys for 2012 were selected.

• Gymini® Move ‘N Play (Tiny Love)
• My First Tool Kit (Earlyears)
• Dr. Doctor (B. Toys)
• Large Play Set On the Farm (HABA)
• Jungle Jingles (B. Toys)
• Bubber Smart Shapes Kit (WABA Fun)
• Neon Wooden Building Blocks (CitiBlocs)
• Kaleido Gears (Quercetti)
• Candy Construction (Learning Resources)
• Poppin Hoppies (University Games)

According to people at The Goddard School, the school wanted to maintain its mission of playful learning so the children tested toys that encouraged them to use their imaginations, piqued their creativity and invited them to explore.

“The children absolutely loved playing and experimenting with all of the toys and weren’t shy about telling us what they liked and didn’t like,” Mark Reinhart, owner of The Goddard School in Anderson Township said. “We know parents and grandparents want to buy toys for their children that are fun, but also have some learning value to them. Learning through play is at the core of our curriculum, so we were thrilled to be a part of this year’s Toy Test.”

Families across the country now have the opportunity to cast their vote for the top toy of this holiday season. Voting for the favorite Goddard School Preschooler-Approved Toy began Nov. 15 and will go until Dec. 3.

The toy that receives the most votes by Dec. 3, 2012 will be announced as the 2012 winner and GSI will donate 100 of the winning toy to Toys for Tots.

To cast your vote for the top toy of 2012 and to learn more information about the process, go to www.goddardschools.com/toys .

For more information on The Goddard School, visit www.goddardschool.com .