NEW YORK--Nov. 28, 2001--If road-testing cars makes perfect sense, why not toys? Recently, the Great American Toy Test, now in its 22nd year, asked more than 16,000 children between the ages of two and 12 years old to "road-test" toys for three weeks in more than 100 day-care and after-school centers around the country. This year, the Great American Toy Test teamed up with eBay to make the winning toys easily accessible on eBay for parents and other gift-givers. The toys, submitted by more than 96 major toy manufacturers, are currently available for bidding and buying on eBay (www.ebay.com), home to the world's broadest selection of this year's top-selling toys.
"When searching for the best toys to buy this holiday season, you can't beat recommendations from the kids themselves," said Jim Griffith, eBay ambassador. "That is why eBay has devoted a special area on the site to feature the top 20 winners of the Great American Toy Test and has made it especially easy for holiday shoppers to buy them."
The criteria used to test the toys were: quality, durability, ease of assembly, maintenance, short-term interest, long-term interest, educational value, safety, and just plain old fun.
"This year's test really proved that kids love toys that spark their imaginations," said Tom Vacar of the Great American Toy Test. "Kids today have similar interests as kids 50 years ago. It's just that they're a lot more technologically savvy, so it is interesting to see that the winners of this year's test ran the gamut from `hi-tech' to 'no-tech.'"
The winning toys selection also seems to reflect the nation's current political climate and embrace of patriotism. The children expressed a renewed interest in rescue-themed toys as evidenced by their high ranking of the Police Officer Outfit playset by Small Miracles on the Great American Toy Test list.
For those toy aficionados out there who don't want to settle for just one or two toys from the Great American Toy Test list, a complete set of winning toys (and the batteries to run them) will be available on eBay from December 6th to December 13th as part of eBay's "Greatest Gift of All" online catalog. The best part of buying this set is that all of the proceeds from the sale will benefit "Auction for America," eBay's online charity effort to help those affected by September 11th.
The top 20 winners of the Great American Toy Test 2001 are as follows:
- Miracle Moves Baby by Mattel. For ages 3 and up; $49.99
- Jumbo Music Block by Neurosmith. For ages 18 mos. and up; $59.99
- Deluxe Alpha Desk by Today's Kids. For ages 2 to 5; $49.99
- Phonics Firefly by Educational Insights. For ages 3 to 6; 34.95
- Castle Marbleworks by Discovery Toys. For ages 3 to 6; $35.99
- Crawl 'N' Cruise by Fisher-Price. For ages 6 mos. and up; $39.99
- Learning Drum by Leapfrog. For ages 6 mos. and up; $19.99
- Kitchen Play Set by Battat. For ages 3 and up; $25.00
- Spin Driver by Sport Fun. For ages 18 mos. and up; $39.99
- Pixter by Fisher-Price. For ages 5 and up; $39.99
- Tony Hawk Skateboard by Tyco R/C. For ages 5 and up; $59.99
- Scan 'N' Count Cash Register by Fisher-Price. For ages 3 and up; $39.99
- Police Officer Outfit by Small Miracles / Learning Curve. For ages 3 to 8; $30.00
- Loving Family Home & Stable by Fisher-Price. For ages 2 and up; $54.99
- Imagination Desk by Leapfrog. For ages 3 and up; $44.99
- My First Leap Pad by Leapfrog. For ages 3 and up; $39.99
- Leap Pad Learning System by Leapfrog. For ages 4 and up; $54.99
- Arthur's First Grade CD-ROM by The Learning Company. For ages 5 to 7; $19.99
- Arthur's Second Grade CD-ROM by The Learning Company. For ages 6 to 8; $19.99
- Cluefinders Search & Solve CD-ROM by the learning company. For ages 7 to 10; 24.99
"As you can see, kids respond to fun toys that lead to interesting play regardless of whether they are technologically advanced like the Leap Pod Learning System by Leapfrog or whether they are toys that encourage imaginative or make-believe play like the Kitchen Play Set by Battat," added Vacar.
Toys that have scored well over the years in the Great American Toy Test include such classics as Flexiblocks, Radio Flyer Wagons, Tonka Toys, LEGO and Duplo Blocks, Barbie dolls, Brio Toys, Etch-a-Sketch, and Play-Doh. Because they have proved consistently popular with generation after generation of youngsters, they have been made a part of the Great American Toy Test Hall of Fame.
About the Great American Toy Test
The Great American Toy Test, now in its 22nd year, is the oldest and largest toy test in the nation. The Great American Toy Test has long been a well-respected program that tells parents which toys are going to be this year's hottest, top-sellers. Each toy maker supplies the Great American Toy Test with dozens of copies of each toy. Kids two years to 12 years old in day-care and after-school programs across the nation play with the toys for three weeks while their teachers observe. The toys are graded by the adults and kids on various criteria such as quality, durability, ease of assembly, maintenance, short-term interest, long-term interest, educational value, safety and fun.
About eBay
eBay is The World's Online Marketplace(TM). Founded in 1995, eBay created a powerful platform for the sale of goods and services by a passionate community of individuals and businesses. On any given day, there are millions of items across thousands of categories for sale on eBay, as well as on Half.com, eBay's site dedicated to fixed price trading. eBay enables trade on a local, national and international basis with customized sites in markets around the world.
