BEST TOYS for 2019: Independent Consumer Group, Announces Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Awards on www.toyportfolio.com

    NEW YORK, NY, November 01, 2019 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The independent consumer organization, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, launches their annual awards today for the most outstanding toys of 2019 on their website, www.toyportfolio.com. Co-founder Stephanie Oppenheim will appear on NBC's TODAY Show on November 8th, 2019.

"While there are many outstanding toys on our top list this year for all ages, it was not a year of great innovation in Toyland," notes child development expert and co-founder Joanne Oppenheim. "Perhaps because of the contraction in the marketplace, toy makers are playing it safe with variations on known winners."

Trends to Watch (Good and Bad):

Retro Toys Are Back. Whether it's Spin Art, Pinball Machines or Colorforms, we saw a real push for retro toys that were enjoyed by many parents when they were kids. Some with a twist for a new generation – like Monopoly for Millennials.

Unicorns are Everywhere. Each year there's one animal that captures the imagination of toy makers. This year is absolutely the year of the unicorn. You'll find it on all types of toys for every age group.

The final frontier. Space was a huge theme in both pretend settings, games and puzzles this year. And happily many featured both men and women in space including Playmobil's Mars Mission and Mattel's Astronaut Barbie.

Blind Reveal Novelty Toys. So that you'll always be "buying more" many toy companies have jumped on the blind reveal toy packaging. These novelty toys can be both fun and disappointing (if you don't get what you're looking for) and not big on lasting play value.

Coding continues to be a theme. Toys geared to teaching kids the concept of coding continue to be a strong trend - some are more successfully than others.

STEM toys are everywhere and for all ages. We found, however, that a STEM label is no guarantee of real learning content.

Gender Neutral Marketing. Toyland has finally moved away from the boy or girl aisle concept. One of the best trends of the year is the acknowledgment that both genders benefit from a wide range of playthings.

Games and Puzzles. Once again these are the toys that got the highest marks from our testers. Parents and kids are both looking for non-electronic ways of connecting as a family.

The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Awards are given to the most outstanding and innovative products of the year. Other notable awards: the Gold Seal Award is given to highly recommended products; Blue Chip Award honors classic products; and the Special Needs Adaptable Product Award recognizes toys most appropriate for kids with special needs. Complete reviews of all winners are online at www.toyportfolio.com.

To arrange an interview, please email [email protected].

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