Information about Dr. Toy's Children's Products Awards Programs
This section is for companies interested in learning how to submit toys and/or products for review by Dr. Toy.


New Submissions

There are three award programs held by Dr. Toy each year. Any company with product or products suitable for consideration in Dr. Toy's Award Programs is invited to do the following:

  • Send Dr. Toy a press kit and catalog along with a cover letter, or send an email and your website address.
  • If Dr. Toy agrees the product (s) should be evaluated you will be sent an application and further instructions. Do not send the product (s) ahead of time. There is no guarantee of selection. No materials are returned. If not evaluated and included in one of the programs, it will be donated to a needy children's program.
  • A limited number of products that fit a lengthy set of criteria are selected. To assist us in considering your product, please follow all the instructions on this application. 

If you are uncertain, send a query via fax to 510-540-0171 or via email to:

Thank you for your interest, understanding and  response to our programs!


Dr. Toy's Schedule for Best Product's Awards Programs 2000

1. Best Classic Toys Program: January 24 - March 17 (deadline for submitting all products). Reviews in March with final report released in time for NAEYC's "Week of Young Child" (April 9 - 15) and "Turn off the TV" weeks. This program seeks the most outstanding products available for ten years of more.

2. Best Vacation Products Program: April 3 - May 19 (deadline for submitting all products). Reviews in May with final report released before June 16, in time for summer vacation promotion. This program seeks most useful products for after school activities, travel and leisure time fun.

3. 100 Best Children's Products Program: June 26 - August 25 (deadline for submitting all products). Reviews in September. Final report is released before October 1st for the Fall/Holiday features. This program seeks to recognize the outstanding new learning and developmental skills products of the year (includes products that promote creativity, education, and physicality, as well as other aspects that assist children with language, other skills, and emotional and social development). Review website for previous award programs and more information.

Graphic Files

If you would like to have your award-winning product photo on our website it is necessary for you to attach a JPEG or GIF  file (300x300 pixels max, please) and send it to Dr. Toy's webmaster. Your image will appear best at 72 DPI resolution and it should total 50k in size - or less. With any of the current image manipulation programs available now, 50k is a reasonable size.  Our goal is to have the award page to load quickly. In order to best draw attention to your product and so that the award images will be consistent, your image preferably will have a white default background. Please send your company's image via email to our Webmaster at . If you must send by conventional mail, copy your image file to a 1.44 MB PC formatted diskette and clearly write your company name, phone number and the product name on the disk. Send to the Institute below. All imagery - by email or other means - must be received by Dr. Toy no later than May 19th (for the Best Vacation Products Program - 2000).

A few more technical points regarding graphics, please note:
1. JPEGs or GIFs are the only file types that will be accepted.
2. Files must be saved at 72 DPI with at least one dimension measuring 300 pixels.
3. Files must be in RGB mode. CMYK files will not be accepted.
4. Multiple images must be sent separately attached to separate emails.
5. Please indicate in your first mailing what is being sent. Also, p-l-e-a-s-e write the 
the following information clearly on the disc label, if sending via US mail.

  • product name
  • company name
  • phone number
  • file name

(JPEG's and GIF's AT 72 DPI provide the smallest size files. Small files transfer most successfully through email. Files larger than 50K are not manageable!  JPEGs work great for full color photos whereas GIFs are better for graphic oriented work with large swatches of non-graduated color)

Non-electronic images (illustrations, drawings, B/W or color photos/prints):

If you prefer you may send these to Dr. Toy:
PLEASE LABEL CLEARLY on the illustration(s):

  • company name
  • phone number
  • product name

and send via overnight mail.

Text Files

Plain ASCII, (best) or a common word processing format (MS Word or Word Perfect: Win 95/98 for PC) You can send text to us via email. If you are using Macintosh, please save your MS Word or other word processing files to PC format (an option generally available on any of today's word processing applications). All texts - by email or other means - must be received by Dr. Toy no later than May 19th (for the Best Vacation Products Program - 2000). If you are snail-mailing a file generated via Macintosh, save it as a MS Word file for PC onto a (PC-formatted) diskette and mail by the 15th. 

All entries should be submitted to  

Dr. Toy, c/o Institute for Childhood Resources, 268 Bush St., San Francisco, CA 94104. 


1996 - 2000 Contest award winners.

If you have won an award from Dr. Toy, you are entitled to display the Dr. Toy Award Seal logo on your web site and promotional materials. The Award Seal indicates to parents right away that this is a quality product. Imagery from all of our Awards programs  - 1996 through 2000 - for your web page are provided here. See list below. On most PC's, use your right mouse button to select image, choose a folder, and then click to 'save image as' a GIF file.

If you need further information about Dr.Toy's Award Winner's graphics, or to or to order self-adhesive seals, contact Harpreet at Proper Publishing via (501) 843-2901.  For anything else, email us at  


Award Winners Graphics for advertising, packaging or display on your website:

The following black and white media files are available for download:

100 Best Children's Products, Dr. Toy WINNER - GIF Format

2000 Best Classic Toys - GIF Format
2000 Best Vacation Products - GIF Format

1999 Best Classic Toys - GIF Format
1999 Best Vacation Products - GIF Format

1998 100 Best Children's Products - GIF Format
1998 Best Classic Toys - GIF Format
1998 Best Vacation Products - GIF Format

1997 Best Classic Toys - GIF format
1997 Best Children's Vacation Products - GIF format
1997 100 Best Children's Products - TIF Format
1997 100 Best Children's Products - GIF Format
1997 10 Best Toys - GIF Format
1997 10 Best Games - GIF Format
1997 10 Best Socially-Responsible - GIF Format
1997 10 Best Educational - GIF Format
1997 10 Best Software - GIF Format
1997 10 Best Audio/Video - GIF Format
1997 10 Best Creative - GIF Format
1997 10 Best Active - GIF Format

1996 100 Best Children's Products - GIF format
1996 100 Best Children's Products - TIF format
1996 Best Children's Vacation Products - GIF format
1996 Best Children's Vacation Products - TIF format