Upstart Kids’ Choice Toy Awards 2020
After inviting toy companies from around New Zealand to send in their best toys, Upstart magazine’s readership (kiwi kids aged 5 - 14 years) voted to award 7 category winners and one Upstart Kids’ Choice Toy of the Year award winner for 2020.
2020 Award Category Finalists
2020 Award Category Winners
The finalists in this category were toys that use innovative technology or design to enhance their fun!
Tech KidiZoom Action Cam HD
Overwhelmingly Kiwi kids’ favourite toy of 2020, the VTech KidiZoom Action Cam HD is both fun and functional.
Whether you’re an aspiring YouTuber, or want to capture cool tricks or fun times with your friends, the awesome visual effects, wide-angle lens, accessories and high definition video and photo capture make the VTech KidiZoom Action Cam HD the ultimate tech toy.
As well as being crowned the Upstart Kids’ Choice Toy of the Year, the VTech KidiZoom Action Cam HD also won the Upstart Kids’ Choice Innovative / Tech Toy of the Year Award.
They aim, splash, shoot and entertain! Finalists were toys that are designed primarily for outdoor play.
NERF Ultra One Blaster
Experience extreme distance, accuracy, and speed with the Nerf Ultra blasters!
The Nerf Ultra One motorised blaster has a high-capacity 25-dart drum and comes with 25 Nerf darts. Firing over 2 dozen darts up to 25 metres allowed the Nerf Ultra One blaster to blow away the competition and be voted the best outdoor toy of 2020!
Toy Tester comments...
“I own lots of Nerf blasters, but this one is the coolest yet! The special darts go so far!”
“It’s got the longest range I’ve seen in ages and it’s got a good amount of darts. Best toy of the year!”
Toys that encourage children to develop, strengthen and integrate skills across science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
4M STEAM Exploration Range
Whether you use the 4M STEAM Exploration Kits to create crystals or test out magnetic fields, they make learning about science and engineering so much fun. So much so that Upstarters voted them the best educational / STEAM toy of 2020.
Toy Tester comments…
“When we made a pencil float, it was like being a magician… but with science!” – NIKAU, 10
“I liked all the pretty crystals we made. Some even glowed in the dark.” – SCARLETT, 8
Toys that compose a set and are designed to be collected in multiples. Finalists included toys that had novelty playthings, miniature versions of existing lines, licensed collectibles, etc.
5 Surprise Toy Mini Brands Capsules
All your favourite toys from Nickelodeon, ZURU, Rubik’s, Crayola and more have been made mini.
With 5 mystery miniature toys or accessories in every capsule and over 60 miniatures to collect, Kiwi kids voted 5 Surprise Toy Mini Brands Capsules the best collectables toy of 2020.
Toy Tester comments…
“It’s like they used a shrink ray on my favourite toys!” – ANGUS, 10
“They’re cool because they have things boys and girls will like.” – EMMA, 9
Games for families and children’s (ages 4 - 14) games including board, card, electronic or other physical game formats.
Note: video or app games do not qualify
The #UpsideDownChallenge Game
The world turns upside down when you put on the #UpsideDownChallenge Game goggles.
Simple tasks like writing your name, high-fiving a friend and pouring water from one glass to another become hilariously challenging. No wonder Upstart readers voted this the 2020 game of the year!
Toy tester comments…
“Make sure you have a towel! I poured water everywhere except the glass I was meant to fill!” – GEORGIA, 10
“Even after we finished playing the game, we played with the glasses lots. They are funny to walk around wearing.” – KEELAN, 9
Toys that allow kids to build and/or make items that are unique to them.
Spriograph Box Design Set
Kids have been using Spirograph’s interlocking gears and wheels to create twisting, turning, spiral shapes for generations... and Kiwi kids still think that it’s great – voting the Spirograph Box Design Set the best creative toy of 2020.
Toy Tester comments…
“I liked how you didn’t know what pattern the shape was going make you draw until you started drawing. It was a fun surprise.” – ANNABEL, 8
“It had so many cool colours and shapes to use. This was my favourite toy.” – HUNTA, 6
Toys that include fashion dolls or are made of fabric and stuffed with soft filling, including toys with interactive or electronic features.
Vtech HOPE the Rainbow Husky
Hope is the perfect plush friend for aspiring vets! Hope isn’t feeling well and needs you to look after her.
Hope’s magical stethoscope translates her barks to find out what she wants and needs.
Using other accessories like Hope’s syringe, thermometer, bone treat and recovery collar also add to the fun... inspiring Upstarters to vote Hope the best doll / plush toy of 2020.
Toy tester comments…
“She is so fluffy and so cute! Even though she’s a robot, I loved hugging her!” – ELLA, 9
“Hope has so many sensors that it took us ages to work them all out. It made her fun for ages.” – HARPER, 8