ASTRA Reveals 2023 Play, Excellence, and Lifetime Achievement Awards Winners

The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) has named the 2023 ASTRA Play Awards winners at ASTRA Marketplace & Academy, currently in full swing in Columbus, Ohio until June 14.

The newly rebranded ASTRA Play Awards selects nominees based on criteria including toy newness, uniqueness, availability, and significance. The following 14 winners have been chosen across a wide range of categories based on industry votes:

Active Play: Anywhere Sports — Trampoline Pong, Thin Air Brands

Arts & Crafts: Inspirational Nature Plant Press, DJECO

Baby/Toddler: Spill Again, Fat Brain Toy Co

Brainteasers: Safari Park Jr., Smart Toys and Games

Building: Dino World XL, Magna-Tiles

Eco: Cheese and Charcuterie Board, PlanToys

Educational: 100 Pics, Countries, Asmodee

Family Games: Sleeping Queens 2 — The Rescue!, Gamewright

Games for Tweens+: Big Potato — Herd Mentality, Gamewright/Big Potato

Plush: Vinnie Banana Slug Macaroon, Douglas Co.

Preschool Games: Indoor Scavenger Hunt, eeBoo

Pretend Play: SmartMax — My First Pirates, Smart Toys and Games

Role Play: Great Pretenders — Green Dragon Set, Creative Education of Canada

Science/STEM: Hydraulic Boxing Bots, Thames & Kosmos

The annual ASTRA Excellence and Lifetime Achievement Awards have also been revealed, and are designed to honor and recognize the outstanding contributions made by members of the specialty toy industry.

Excellence Awards winners include Plan Toys for Manufacturer, Sandra Malott for Sales Representative, Leah Pickering of Kazoodles Toys for Retailer, and Dock Mackie of MarketTime for Young Professional/Rising Star.

Amy Saldanha, owner of Kiddywampus, has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award.

“The ASTRA Play Awards spotlight thought-provoking playthings that are both meaningful in the industry and foster child development through quality play,” says Sue Warfield, President of ASTRA. “This year’s winning list features fun, unique, and premium products children will love and that can be found at neighborhood toy stores across the country.”

For more information on ASTRA’s Play Awards, visit astratoy.org.

About the author

Nadia Velit

Nadia Velit is the Senior Editor at Adventure Media & Events where she writes for The Toy Book, The Toy Insider, and The Pop Insider. As a trusted source for parents and gift-givers and a toy industry expert, Nadia focuses on all things toys and stays on top of all of the hottest trends. She loves to be outside with her chickens and is always ready for a game of giant Jenga or old-fashioned Twister. When she’s not playing with friends and family, you can find her curled up with a Sandra Brown mystery novel or obsessing over The New York Times Spelling Bee although truthfully she would rather be at Hogwarts. Nadia has been featured on CBS, NBC, FOX, and more.