1. Mighty Mountain Mine Nominated by Germany’s 2017 Top 10 Toys
In May, BVS (the Federal Association of the Spielwaren-retail) officially released its 2017 Top 10 Toys in Germany nomination list. Forty-one toys, including Hape’s Mighty Mountain Mine, were shortlisted out of over 70,000 entrants.
The finely designed Mighty Mountain Mine, with its three, multi-function layers, warning bell, repair station, conveyor belt and waterfall tunnel, is an “edutaining” (educational + entertaining) toy that meets both the needs of children and parents. Because of this, it has been awarded various international prizes, such as the Toy Gold Award in the Preschool Group at Spielwarenmesse, the Educational Toy of the Year award by the Australian Toy Association and the 2017 Best New Toy in the Wooden Toy Category in London.
Hosted by the Federal Association of the Spielwaren-retail (BVS), the Top 10 Toys category has been devoted to selecting the year’s best toys from over 4,000 retailers in Germany for over 10 years. The winners are selected by BVS and an expert jury that includes leading retailers in the toy industry such as Toys "R" Us, Toy Ring and VEDES etc, which makes the result an impartial and credible reference point for all.
2. Quadrilla Space City Wins Bronze Medal for Best Designed Product in 2016
In November 2016, Ningbo Government held the 7th Hefeng Prize Industrial Design Competition, under the theme “Ningbo Design & Design Ningbo”, designed to carry forward industrial design abilities, promote innovative design, strengthen interaction between design and manufacture as well as accelerating the transformation, updating and upgrading of products.
As the largest design & creativity competition hosted by the Ningbo government that adheres to the highest industrial standards, The Hefeng Prize competition has three prize types, including the Best Design Concept, the Best Design for Application and the Best Designed Product, with the latter prize favouring innovative and pioneering products that possess market value and conform to green design concepts. After nearly half a year’s worth of delegating, Hape’s Space City finally won bronze in the Best Designed Product category, and was the only medal-winning toy product in the entire competition.
As a typical STEAM toy, Space City integrates the philosophy of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math together. Building by themselves enables children to become acquainted with the principles of centripetal force, gravity and frictional force. The special design, that includes five height adjusters equal to one block in height, teaches children fundamental math. At the same time, the Quadrilla Marble Run’s artfully assembled free-connected blocks, straight rails, accelerators and colourful marbles allow children to happily explore the mystery of engineering and technology. Space City adds more fun thanks to its “Space City” theme and glow-in-the-dark function.
3. Grasslands Wins Ukraine's 2016 Novelty of the Year Award
Exciting news from Ukraine: The George Luck puzzle Grasslands won the 2016 Novelty of the Year award.
Sponsored by Edipresse Group, voted for by magazine readers, web users, paediatricians and star parents based on their personal experiences of playing, the award is a prestigious one within the Ukraine children’s industry.
Grasslands is a typical George Luck puzzle, with five uniquely designed layers of different grassland animal models: a gorilla, a lion, a hippo, an elephant and a giraffe. The puzzle is popular with experts and parents thanks to its level-by-level, overlapping design that challenges and stimulates children, improving their imaginations and spatial thinking abilities.
Entering the Ukraine in 2000 and headquartered in Switzerland, Edipresse Group has become one of the leading magazine publishers in the Ukraine, publishing over 30 magazines about women’s health, lifestyle and celebrities.
George and Kay Luck, Creators of the George Luck Puzzles: "Kay and I first started making hand cut puzzles for our two children in the 1970s in Martock, England. For almost 40 years we have produced beautiful and unusual wooden puzzles and our customers treasure our workmanship."
