UNLOCK SPRING LEARNING: THE TOY ASSOCIATION™'S NEW STEAM ACCREDITED TOY LIST OFFERS 25 ENGAGING TOYS FOR KIDS

NEW YORK, March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Toy Association™ today unveiled its "STEAM Accredited Spring into Learning Toy List," which includes 25 officially accredited STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) toys that will help kids learn through play. With 62 percent of U.S. parents¹ now considering how their toy purchases can help foster key STEAM concepts, this list (shown below) features a variety of hands-on building sets as well as imagination-fueled activity sets that invite kids to explore natural sciences, engineering, and more. 

"STEAM learning is the gateway to nurturing creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in children," said Adrienne Appell, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association. "STEAM toys can serve as powerful tools, transforming learning into an immersive and joyful experience where young minds can explore, experiment, and innovate."

Each featured product has passed a rigorous evaluation process to earn an official "STEAM Stamp of Approval," and meets the strict criteria established in The Toy Association's STEAM Toy Assessment Framework, developed in partnership with The Good Play Guide™. The toys were first tested by children under professional observation, before being evaluated by The Good Play Guide, which uses a scientifically proven toy evaluation method backed by Dr. Amanda Gummer, who has a PhD in neuropsychology and more than 20 years of experience working with kids and families.

"These accredited STEAM toys help children develop age-appropriate skills, equipping them to make the most of 21st century opportunities, and foster their curiosity in the world around them," said Gummer.

The "STEAM Accredited Spring into Learning Toy List" includes the following products (listed alphabetically):                                        

The Toy Association's STEAM toy accreditation program was launched in 2021 in partnership with the Good Play Guide, following years of research to identify and detail specific characteristics of a good STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) toy for various age groups. Consumers can shop the list of STEAM-approved products available on Amazon on the official STEAM Accredited Toys Storefront. To learn more about The Toy Association's ongoing STEAM initiative, visit toyassociation.org/STEAM or contact steam@toyassociation.org.

About The Toy Association™   toyassociation.org / thegeniusofplay.org / playsafe.org

Founded in 1916, The Toy Association™, Inc. is the not-for-profit trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The Toy Association leads the health and growth of the U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of $98.2 billion, and its roughly 900 members drive the annual $38.2 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Toy Association serves as the industry's voice on the developmental benefits of play and promotes play's positive impact on childhood development to consumers and media. The organization has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, government, consumers, and industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play.

As a global leader, The Toy Association produces the world-renowned Toy Fair New York and Toy Fair Dallas; advocates on behalf of members around the world; sustains the Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises America's widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety standard.

About the Good Play Guide™       www.goodplayguide.com 

The Good Play Guide™ is the official accreditation body for the STEAM Accreditation Program. Founded by Dr. Amanda Gummer, who has a PhD in neuropsychology and over 20 years of experience working with children and families, the Good Play Guide uses a scientifically proven method to evaluate toys. Every toy submitted for evaluation is firstly tested by the important people – children. While the children play, they are observed by professionals who have been trained to carry out research with children in a robust and ethically responsible way. The toys are then evaluated by the Good Play Guide's team of experts to ensure they meet the strict criteria set in The Toy Association's "STEAM Toy Assessment Framework."

¹ 2023 Toy Association survey of 1,000 U.S. parents conducted by Wakefield Research

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SOURCE The Toy Association