Winner:JOINT GOLD - Best Toy Design 3-5 Years
Who:AVDAR
What:The Kingdom Block Set
Why:
Part of AVDAR’s Once Upon A Time collection, the Kingdom block set comes with an impressive 75 handcrafted pieces inspired by characters and kingdoms from fairytales including a dragon and a little ghost! Each piece is painted with safe non-toxic water-based paint in beautiful soft colours, and is designed to spark imagination, storytelling and creative play. The set is tailored for children 3-5 and encourages them to build freely, creating a unique and engaging experience each time they play.
"This has been a huge hit with our children. It has sparked hours of imaginative play, with castles, kingdoms, and all sorts of magical adventures coming to life. I love how open-ended it is, encouraging creativity, storytelling, and problem-solving while keeping them entertained for ages. It's one of those toys they come back to again and again."
"This is no ordinary set of blocks, even the colours feel magical, love that every element can be involved in play, including the storage tray and cloth."
"The set looks beautiful when packed in its tray and there are so many possible stories for children to tell with the pieces. I love the unique range of pieces too, and that they could be interpreted any way a child sees fit. The little ghost is adorable!"
Winner:JOINT GOLD - Best Toy Design 3-5 Years
Who:Pocket Towns
What:Pocket Cafe Collection
Why:
True experimental play meets beautifully considered craftsmanship in Pocket Town’s Cafe collection. The judges were excited by the interior-led aesthetic of these wooden role-play settings, made to fit within a modern home without disrupting it, and to be loved by children and parents alike. The panel loved the thoughtful and fun details like the adorable matcha set with removable lids and straws, every piece made with premium materials like birchwood, and built to last.
"Pocket Towns has to be one of my favourite discoveries from the event. It's so thoughtfully designed, creating a space where children can genuinely feel like they're running a real coffee shop or café. Café and restaurant role play is one of the most-loved games in our house so I know my kids would absolutely adore playing in it. It's the kind of setup that sparks endless imagination, social play, and storytelling."
"A truly fresh take on role play toys, the little cafe set up is absolutely stunning! The colours are gorgeous and all the little pieces are so considered and fun."
"These are a far cry from the grubby-feeling plastic monstrosities of the past, they would actually fit within the home without feeling like an eye-sore!"
Winner:JOINT SILVER - Best Toy Design 3-5 Years
Who:TP Toys
What:Buttercup Wooden Cottage
Why:
Buttercup Cottage starts as single-storey, but with its fully modular range of accessories you can build the playhouse set up of their dreams; perhaps add a raised deck with a slide, double or single swing arm, or a mud kitchen. Our judges loved how many different configurations you could create, so that whatever play style suits your kids, you can create the perfect space for them to create memories they’ll keep forever.
"The Buttercup Wooden Cottage looks absolutely beautiful and feels like every child's dream. I can genuinely imagine my kids spending hours and hours playing in it, whatever the season, creating new stories and adventures every time. I love toys that encourage open-ended, imaginative play, and the craftsmanship and thoughtful details really make this feel like a special heirloom piece that could be loved for years to come."
Winner: JOINT SILVER - Best Toy Design 3-5 Years
Who:CONNETIX
What:48 Piece Pastel Portal Pack
Why:
CONNETIX made waves with our judges with their Pastel Portal pack. The panel loved that these colourful magnetic tiles encourage open-ended and imaginative play across different ages 3+, so the whole family can play together and create imaginary worlds. The Smart-Spin magnets allow kids to really push their creative thinking with overlapping pieces and layered designs. Judges loved that kids would be able to learn about spatial thinking, problem solving, balance, gravity and magnetism all while being freely creative.
"We absolutely love the CONNETIX 48 Piece Pastel Portals Pack. It's become part of our evening routine, and we find ourselves reaching for it almost every night before bed. I love how open-ended it is—there's no right or wrong way to play, so the children come up with something different every time. Even better, it keeps multiple ages engaged, which is no easy feat in our house! It's one of those toys that really grows with your children and sparks endless creativity and imagination."
