Toy Industries of Europe (TIE) the European industry authority on toys, is now accepting entries for its Play for Change Awards 2023, the fourth iteration of the popular awards developed to recognise toys and initiatives that help kids navigate big issues.
These issues include how to become an inclusive society, how to live more sustainably, and how to have the right skills to achieve your potential.
Having partnered with the Play for Change Awards team back in 2021, Products of Change is pleased to be reprising its role as among its panel of expert judges, offering its insight over the Sustainability category.
Catherine Van Reeth, director general of TIE, said: “I almost can’t believe this is already the fourth edition of our awards. I look forward to seeing all those inspiring toys and initiatives and would encourage all visionary toy makers, big and especially small, to throw their hat in the ring.”
Toy companies of all sizes, TIE members and non-members alike, with products or initiatives launched in 2022 and available in Europe are invited to take part in this year’s awards. Toy makers can submit entries in three categories: Diversity & Inclusion, Sustainability, and Life Skills. Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards will be handed out across each category.
The submission period will run until 12 May. The winners will be announced at TIE’s autumn celebration which will be held in Brussels on 19 September.
Last year, Mattel took home the Gold Award in the Sustainability category for its Matchbox ‘Drive toward a better future’ range designed to engage kids in a greener future of driving. Silver went to DanToy of Denmark for its sand and water toys made from plastic recycled from nets, trawls, and rope from the fishing industry, and Bronze was awarded to Juguetes Cayro of Spain for Rubbish Race, a board game that teaches players about the process of recycling and waste.
In the Diversity & Inclusion category, Micki of Sweden took Gold for its Lundby Dollhouse Dolls representative of families of all backgrounds. Spain’s Miniland took Silver for its dolls with hearing aids, and Fundacion Juegaterapia, also of Spain, took Bronze for its Baby Pelones headscarf-wearing dolls without hair that honour kids battling cancer.
In the Life Skills category, the LEGO Group won Gold for its Doom the Gloom collection of mini-games and interactive videos to help kids become good, safe online citizens, Miniland was awarded Silver for Emotions Buddy, a toy with interchangeable parts to help kids learn about their emotions, and Germany’s Fischertechnik took Bronze for its H2 Fuel Cell Car that teaches kids how to use the fuel cell and vehicle to investigate the properties of hydrogen.
