Barnes & Noble unveiled its "2013 Best Toys of the Season" list Tuesday, which provides parents with a shopping guide for the top educational toys and books for children of any age.
The annual list breaks down the educational toy market by age, price point, and category. What's the best learning game for a 5-year-old? Try the LeapPad 2 Power, a kid-friendly tablet. Want a brainteaser for an 8-year-old that's under $25? The Perplexus Original puzzle is perfect.
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"Barnes & Noble is a place of discovery for families and our 'Best Toys of the Season' list is a great tool to help parents and gift-givers choose quality toys," Kathleen Campisano, the bookseller's vice president of toys and games, said in a statement. "We offer the leading selection of educational toys and games, and our customers can browse in three distinct ways — by brand, by category, and by age — in an environment that highlights fun and engaging learning products. It all happens at Barnes & Noble this holiday season; we truly have something for everyone on your list and we pride ourselves on the depth and breadth of the selection we uniquely curate."
A recent Barnes & Noble consumer survey revealed that 85 percent of parents and adults are more likely to buy a toy that's billed as "educational" for their children during the holidays.
"Families shopping for educational toys and games have a ton of options for fun and engaging play, from building sets and crafting kits to games, puzzles and more," Adrienne Appell, toy trend specialist with the Toy Industry Association, said in a statement. "Barnes and Noble’s list is a great resource for shoppers as they navigate through the store, and will help them select the perfect building, creating and learning toys for all the children on their holiday shopping list."
Here's Barnes & Noble's list of Best Toys of the Season:
Ages 0-2
For Preschoolers: Fisher-Price School Days Play Desk
For Bedtime: Twinkles to Go, from Cloud B
For New Baby: Sophie Giraffe Teether, from Vulli
For Little Hands: Wheeeels, from B Line
For Early Learning: Musical Rainbow Tea Party, from LeapFrog
Hot Pick: Big Hugs Elmo, from Hasbro
Ages 3-5
For Learning: LeapPad 2 Power, from LeapFrog
For Little Caped Crusaders: Imaginext Batcave, from Fisher-Price
For Building Fun: Crazy Fort, from Everest
For Little Puzzlers: Flower Princess 36-Piece Floor Puzzle, from Crocodile Creek
For Emergent Readers: Alphabet Puzzle Pairs, from eeBoo
Hot Pick: Flutterbye Flying Fairy, from Spin Master
Ages 6-8
For Safe Keeping: Password Journal, from Mattel
For Budding Fashion Designers: Rainbow Knitting Kit, from Bead Bazaar
For Those Who Love a Challenge: Perplexus, from Spin Master
For Animal Lovers: Animal Care Station, from Playmobil
For Accessorizing: Fashion Headbands, from Creativity for Kids
Hot Pick: Zoom Pets Zoomer Dalmatian, from Spin Master
Ages 9-12
For Crafting & Sharing: Deluxe Magic Loom, from Quality Innovations
For Tech Toy Fun: AquaBot, from Innovation First
For Aspiring Artists: Spirograph, from Kahootz
For Adventures in Building: MineCraft, from LEGO
For Star Wars Fanatics: Star Wars Mandalorian Speeder, from LEGO
Hot Pick: GO Mario Kart 7 Slot Car Set, from Carrera
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