FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Toy of the Year Finalists Featured on Amazon

New York, NY | November 13, 2018 – The Toy Foundation (TTF) announced today that the 2019 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Award finalists are available online at Amazon (amazon.com/toty) through February 2019, providing shoppers with unique access to a comprehensive list of the hottest toys of the season curated by toy and play experts.

Frequently referred to as the “Oscars” of the toy industry, The Toy of the Year Awards program annually recognizes the top toys of the year, from classic board games to innovative tech toys. Shoppers can trust that these are some of the hottest toys for children of all ages, as they’ve been vetted by the esteemed industry awards program and backed by Amazon.

The TOTY Awards program supports the work of The Toy Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the North American toy industry, and serves as a critical fundraiser to enable TTF to provide joy and comfort to millions of children in need. TOTY finalist companies have donated funds to the Foundation in support of a research-based program that will explore the role of play in trauma-informed care for pediatric hospital patients and their families.

“The generous spirit of the toy industry is alive and well this holiday season! Thanks to the support of the TOTY finalist companies and all our donors throughout the year, we are able to bring the joy of play to children who are sick, suffering, or otherwise in need,” said Jean Butler, executive director at The Toy Foundation. “Specifically, funding from the TOTY program will help TTF further an initiative with Nemours Children’s Health System, as we work together to develop a new hospital program that will support and comfort sick children.”

This year’s TOTY finalists were reviewed and ranked by 19 expert judges, who considered each product’s creativity, design, play value, and marketing, before narrowing the field of more than 500 nominees to a slate of 123 finalists. Winners will be announced in February 2019.

Voting for TOTY 2019 is now open; winners will be announced during a celebration in New York City on February 15, 2019. To view the full slate of finalists, visit www.ToyAwards.org.

ABOUT THE TOY FOUNDATION           www.toyfoundation.org
The Toy Foundation (TTF) is a 501(c)3 children’s charity whose mission is to provide joy and comfort to children in need through the experience of toys and play.  TTF serves children who are coping with serious illness, enduring temporary home placements in the foster care system, suffering from abuse or neglect, experiencing separation from a deployed military parent, or dealing with devastating natural disasters. To date, TTF’s signature program, The Toy Bank, has provided more than $200 million in toys to 25 million children in need around the globe, thanks to its generous toy donors.