2020 TOTY Awards

They’re often considered to be the “Oscars” of the toy industry, and on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020, the next Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards will be distributed at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City as Toy Fair New York gets underway. After carefully examining hundreds of nominees, a panel of industry experts determined this year’s finalists in 16 categories. One winner in each category, along with the consumer-chosen People’s Choice award and the overall Toy of the Year Award will be presented in February. Now it’s your chance to vote for your favorites.

– Here are the nominees for Innovative Toy of the Year! –

Honoring toys that utilize innovative design, technology, or manufacturing processes to enhance play value.

2020 TOTY Awards

comicam the Instant Comic Camera (Hangzhou Rulei Technology)

Comicam is an instant camera that uses low cost inkless thermal printing. Kids can add frames and filters to their photos to make comic strips that can be colored.
Ages: 4+, $49.99
Buy now at comicam


2020 TOTY Awards

Toy Insider 2019 Holiday Gift Guide Top Holiday ToysHarry Potter Invisibility Cloak (Wow! Stuff)

Budding Wizards and Muggles can appear to disappear. Using the cloak’s green screen technology and the free Wow! Stuff app, wearers can recreate the excitement of the invisibility illusion from the Harry Potter films.
Ages: 6+, $59.99-$69.99
Buy now on Amazon | Toy Insider Holiday Gift Guide Winner


2020 TOTY Awards

Hot Wheels id Smart Track Kit (Mattel)

Hot Wheels id is a unique system of play that blends the exhilaration of Hot Wheels racing with a safe, connected platform of creativity, experimentation and competition. With the starter kit, kids can build and conquer more than 50 challenges with reconfigurable track pieces, and record racing stats in the companion app.
Ages: 8+, $179.99
Buy now on Amazon


Hot Wheels TechMods

Hot Wheels TechMods (Mattel)

The Hot Wheels TechMods Accelo GT is the first buildable R/C car that’s also a video game. Kids and adults can build their own race car with the easy-to-assemble kit. The companion app allows players to drive the car with their smart device, or use their car as a physical controller to play in-app mini-games. Players can also level up and mod their car in Treasure Hunt mode.
Ages: 8+, $49.99
Buy now on Amazon


2020 TOTY Awards

Toy Insider 2019 Holiday Gift Guide Top Holiday Toys

RockIt Twist (LeapFrog)

This gaming system features buttons, spinners, sliders, and switches with preloaded games that teach kids literacy, math, problem-solving, science, and creativity. Kids can also play with three digital pets. Additional game packs sold separately.
Ages: 4+, $59.99
Buy now on Amazon | Toy Insider Holiday Gift Guide Winner


2020 TOTY Awards

Toy Insider 2019 Holiday Gift Guide Top Holiday Toys

Shashibo (The Shapeshifting Box) by Fun in Motion

This magnetic transformation puzzle is powered by 36 rare Earth magnets and transforms into more than 70 shapes. Each 3-inch Shashibo cube features four art designs, creating a kaleidoscope effect when kids open the cube and create shapes.
Ages: 8+, $19.99
Buy now on Amazon | Toy Insider Holiday Gift Guide Winner


2020 TOTY Awards

tori Explorer Pack (Bandai Namco Entertainment)

Tori uses Mirror Play technology to bring kids’ creations, such as pages of a coloring book, to be instantly reflected in the supported apps. Kids can also use their tori wand, catapult, or spacecraft over the tori board to use the physical pieces to mirror moves within the apps.
Ages: 6+, $169.99
Buy now on Amazon


– VOTE NOW! –

TOTY-2020-VOTE

Public voting for the 2020 TOTY Awards is open to consumers, retailers, media, and members of The Toy Association through Jan. 5. For full details, rules, and additional information, please visit toyawards.org. Proceeds from the annual event benefit The Toy Foundation in its efforts to bring joy and comfort to children in need through the experience of toys and play.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.

archivearrow-chevron-downarrow-chevron-left-greyarrow-chevron-leftarrow-chevron-rightarrow-fatarrow-left-blackarrow-left-whitearrow-right-blackarrow-rightarrow-roundedbookscalendarcaret-downclose-whiteclosedocumenteditorial-archiveeyefacebook-squarefacebookfilesgifthamburgerheadinghearthomeinstagram-squareinstagramlatestlinkedin-squarelinkedinmailmedia-inquiresmessagenewsopen-boxpagination-leftpagination-rightpauseplayprintproduct-archiverecent-productssearchsharesort-filterspotifysunteamtiktoktime_purpletimetrendingtvtwitter-squaretwitteryoutube