The Toy Foundation's Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Awards recognize the top toys, games, and licenses across 17 categories of play.
The 2023 product finalists were selected by an independent panel of play experts, journalists, academics, retailers, and other toy experts, who considered each nominated product’s creativity and originality; design and quality; and play value.
On Monday, August 21, 2023, the product category finalists were revealed, and voting was open through November 10. On Monday, November 20, 2023, the winners of the “People’s Choice” awards and “Toy of the Year” award were announced.
The 2023 TOTY Awards voting process includes input from not only consumers, but also members of The Toy Association, retailers, and media.
Who nominated the toys?
Representatives from any toy-related company are eligible to nominate products and/or properties for the TOTY Awards categories.
Submitted nominations contain detailed explanations of the product’s play value, creativity/originality, application of new technology, creative manufacturing processes, commentary on how the product is meeting marketplace expectations, and details of outstanding, unusual and/or creative execution of artwork, product/package design, and promotional strategy.
An unlimited number of products may be submitted per award category, but no more than two products from the same company may appear in an award category on the finalist list.
What criteria must the toys meet?
All 2023 TOTY Awards nominated products must be available at retail in North America on or before November 1, 2023 and must have been introduced to the marketplace within the last two years. The Toy Association requires verification that all TOTY Awards finalist products have been reviewed by an independent third-party testing lab and comply with strict U.S. toy safety standards.
How did these finalists get chosen?
The toys featured on this site are the product finalists chosen from hundreds nominations. Finalists were selected by an independent panel of play experts, journalists, academics, retailers, and other toy experts.
Note for families: It’s very important to pick toys that are age-appropriate for the children who will be playing with them. Several of the TOTY Awards categories have a mix of toys for children of different ages, so please be mindful of the age grade on each product. Visit PlaySafe.org for more information about selecting age-appropriate toys.
The Announcement
The TOTY Awards product finalists were unveiled via a press release on Monday, August 21, 2023.
Category Voting
The category winners, determined by votes from Toy Association members, retailers, media, and consumers, were announced at the TOTY Awards on September 29, 2023 in New York City. View the winner announcement.
Any attempt by finalists to manipulate the voting process by offering compensation in exchange for votes will result in disqualification.
Toy of the Year and People's Choice Award
The overall “Toy of the Year” and “People’s Choice” award winners were announced on November 20, 2023. The Toy of the Year winner is determined by a panel of expert judges; the People’s Choice winner was selected based on votes casted by the public on this website. All results are audited for accuracy, including the judging and voting process.