2026 Toy of the Year winners announced
The toy industry rolled out the purple carpet tonight at the 2026 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards, also known as the “Oscars” of the toy industry, which honored the most creative and innovative toys and games of the year. The TOTY Awards program and gala raised over $1 million in support of The Toy Foundation (TTF), the philanthropic arm of The Toy Association, which unites the philanthropy of the toy industry to deliver play to millions of children in need.
With the theme “Champions of Play,” nearly 800 toy and play professionals came together at Pier Sixty in New York City to toast excellence in toys, games, innovation, and philanthropy.
The awards
Primal Hatch (Spin Master Ltd.), an interactive T. rex that hatches from an egg and can be trained by kids, earned the evening’s top honors, taking home the prestigious “Toy of the Year” award. Primal Hatch also won in the “Action Figure of the Year” category. The Pokémon Trading Card Game: Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box (The Pokémon Company International), which celebrates the return of the Mega Evolution Pokémon to the globally popular TCG with new artwork and collectible components, took home the “People’s Choice” award for pulling in the most online votes from consumers.
In addition to the Toy of the Year and People’s Choice awards, TOTY Awards were handed out in 16 categories and given to the following:
- Primal Hatch (Spin Master Ltd.): Action Figure of the Year
- Wigglitz (ZB Designs): Collectible of the Year
- LEGO Jurassic World Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus rex Set (LEGO Systems, Inc.): Construction Toy of the Year
- ChompSaw (Chompshop, Inc.): Creative Toy of the Year
- American Girl Disney Moana Collection (Mattel, Inc.): Doll of the Year
- My Robotic Pet: Coding Chameleon (Thames & Kosmos): Educational Toy of the Year
- Exploding Kittens: The Board Game (Exploding Kittens, Inc.): Game of the Year
- Play Tab (Fat Brain Toy Co.): Infant/Toddler Toy of the Year
- LEGO Game Boy (LEGO Systems, Inc.): Kidult Toy of the Year
- Bluey (BBC Studios): License of the Year
- PoppinColorz Galactic Color Bubble Machine (South Beach Bubbles): Outdoor Toy of the Year
- Bluey Supermarket Playset (Moose Toys LLC): Playset of the Year
- Disney Stitch Ultimate Stitch Interactive Feature Plush (Just Play LLC): Plush Toy of the Year
- Mini Farmstand Sorting Set (Learning Resources, Inc.): Preschool Toy of the Year
- Anywhere Sports - Silent Basketball (Thin Air Brands LLC): Specialty Toy of the Year
- BRIO World Pull Back Train Set (Ravensburger North America, Inc.): Vehicle of the Year
During the evening, Melissa and Doug Bernstein, founders of Melissa & Doug, and Isaac Larian, founder & CEO of MGA Entertainment, were celebrated with their formal inductions into the esteemed Toy Industry Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame’s posthumous inductee, Stanley Weston, inventor of the G.I. Joe action figure and founder of Leisure Concepts, was also honored. Toy Industry Hall of Fame inductees are showcased in a state-of-the-art exhibit at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York.
Help expand The Toy Foundation’s work
Proceeds from the TOTY Awards will help expand The Toy Foundation’s work to increase toy distributions worldwide, fund more grants that bring play into children’s hospitals, and strengthen natural disaster response efforts. There are immediate opportunities to make an impact, including by participating in the Foundation’s online auction (open through February 17), which features specially curated offerings ranging from family-fun adventures to relaxing getaways, and making a cash donation online.
“The TOTY Awards celebration is a powerful reminder of the impact play has in children’s lives,” said Pamela Mastrota, executive director of The Toy Foundation. “Congratulations to this year’s winners and finalists for raising the bar on what it means to deliver meaningful, imaginative play experiences, and to the toy community for collectively raising more than $1 million to support The Toy Foundation’s mission. We are proud to channel the industry’s incredible passion for play into creating a momentous impact on children in need.”
Click here for more information about the TOTY Awards voting and selection process.
Source: Press Release The Toy Foundation