|
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio
The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio was founded in 1989 as the only independent consumer review of children's media. They test and review products for children year-round and send the best of these products on to families of testers for further evaluation.
The testers come from varied backgrounds and lifestyles. When consumers see the Oppenheim award seals on products, they can be assured that they are "award-winning" because they were selected by a noted expert in child development, children's literature, and education, and further tested by the most objective panel of judges - kids.
top
Family Fun Magazine’s #1 Toy of the Year
FamilyFun Magazine Dubs Karito Kids® Dolls As the 2007 “Number One” Toy Of The Year
It is a testament to the high-quality of Karito Kids World Collection that they made the 16th annual FamilyFun Toy of the Year (T.O.Y.) Awards list in their flagship year. But it’s even more impressive that after extensive testing of more than 200 toys – by invitation only – Karito Kids was crowned with the #1 spot. According to parent company KidsGive co-founder, Laura Rangel, “We are so absolutely thrilled around here you have no idea. This company and product began as a dream from my business partner, Lisa and I, so to see it become a reality is phenomenal. Now add this amazing award and we are overjoyed.”
Published by Disney Publishing Worldwide, FamilyFun is the nation’s largest magazine targeting
families with children ages 3 to 12 years old, with a rate base of 2 million and an audience of 4.8
million. Here’s why FamilyFun awarded Karito Kids with the Toy of the Year Award, as described in the November issue, which hits newsstands October 9th:
“Our testers were instantly drawn to the beautiful true-to-life faces of the Karito Kids World Collection — stylish yet sweet girls from China, Italy, Kenya, the United States, and Mexico. But once they read about each 21-inch-tall doll, her country, and her particular passion (soccer, fashion, panda bears) in the included adventure books, they were truly smitten. A bonus: 'tweens can go online to direct 3 percent of their doll's retail price to a children's charity.”
About FamilyFun Magazine’s Toy of the Year Award Program
For 16 years, FamilyFun has turned to legions of kids to pick the winners of its Toy of the Year
(T.O.Y.) Awards, and its pint-size pundits have had a great run predicting the holiday gifts other kids will love.
But there was always one question they just couldn't answer: What would a parent think of these toys? So this year FamilyFun broadened its toy-testing procedures. It put dozens of kids and their parents to work -- building Lego models, hosting doll tea parties, piloting radio-controlled helicopters, and more.
Also this year, rather than accepting submissions from anyone who wanted to pay a fee and enter, the magazine’s editors thoroughly scoped out strong products at the 2007 American International Toy Fair and invited 200 to participate in testing. The toys that emerged as winners were the ones that got raves from everyone in the family. And that's got FamilyFun confident these toys will bring holiday joy to everyone in yours.
top
National Parenting Center’s 2007 Seal of Approval
Karito Kids® Dolls Are Honored With A 2007 National Parenting Center Seal Of Approval
Here is what The National Parenting Center has to say about Karito Kids World Collection of dolls and books:
“In the world of dolls there are various segments or categories. When it comes to large vinyl preteen girl dolls there is American Girl® and then there is everyone else. A tough field to crack but according to our testers, there is a new player in town. These very pretty girl dolls are from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Reviewers noted that they are clearly girls with a good fashion sense, accessible and appropriate. Each doll also comes with her very own mystery book that liberally sprinkles in facts about each doll's country. Some younger testers will not appreciate the book as much as their older siblings as they are written well, but for the higher end of elementary school. Finally, with every Karito doll sold Plan USA, a global children's charity, receives a donation.”
The National Parenting Center was founded in July of 1989 with the intention of providing the most comprehensive and responsible parenting advice to parents everywhere. The advice provided is furnished by some of the world's most respected authorities in the field of child rearing and development.
The National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval program was created in 1990 as an adjunct to TNPC's support services. It identifies the finest products and services being marketed to the parent/child audience. From educational and entertainment products and equipment to travel destinations, the consumer oriented testing process solicits evaluations from parents and their children. This award signifies to other parents that their peers have acknowledged a product's quality and desirability based on a wide variety of determining factors.
top
2007 iParentingMedia Outstanding Products Awards
Karito Kids® Dolls Receive Five 2007 iParentingMedia Outstanding Products Awards
Here’s what some of the iParenting reviewers said were the positive characteristics of the
Karito Kids Dolls and Books:
Karito Kids Dolls & Books – KidsGive - Karito Kids is a new line of international dolls and books that makes a difference. When children play with the 21" dolls and read their part-fact, part-fiction books they'll learn about how girls in other countries live. When each doll and book is purchased, the child will enter a special authentication code onto the website, which allows the child to donate 3 percent of the purchase price to a children's charity Plan USA. Finally, they can play interactive games on the website, and the virtual currency they win become real money by KidsGive in which the child directs the donation to their favorite cause. Award category: Toys & Games.
Comments from the reviewers:
- She is so realistic she can really be like a best friend a child could share her secrets with.
- The attention to detail in making the clothes is amazing. Thumbs up!
- The books are great. Not only was the book entertaining it is a good teaching tool...learning about different places and cultures.
- What a fabulous idea to combine a doll, book and then incorporate charitable giving, learning about other countries/cultures/way of life and modernize it so kids will want to participate by doing part of this via the computer. The kids actually get to go online and activate their donation themselves, and can even choose which cause. What a great way to get kids reading and involved in their world.
iParenting Media is the premier media company focused on parents. The company uses several media channels to reach its target market of parents, parents-to-be and women: online, print, radio and podcasts. iParenting Media’s Award Program provides a credible and objective method of determining the best products and recognizes those products with its iParenting Media Award. It is dedicated to informing, inspiring and uniting the parenting community it serves via its multiple media platforms of the Internet, syndicated newspaper column, radio show and video.
The goal of iParenting’s awards is to provide the best parenting content and community platform for its members; and expanding sales, building strong customer relationships and increasing branding for its clients. It does this through innovation, responsiveness and a passion to be the best, which leads to its users’ and clients’ satisfaction. It is a team of motivated individuals and its strength is generated from its devotion to its community, its clients, its industry and its employees.
top
2007 NAPPA Gold Awards
Karito Kids World Collection Wins Five 2007 NAPPA Gold Awards
Here is why Karito Kids was named a Gold Award winner in the 2007 National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) Children’s Products competition:
"It's rare that each product in a series wins a NAPPA Gold Award, but Karito Kids culturally diverse dolls truly stood out this year,” says NAPPA Manager Barbara Smith Decker. “Designed to foster cultural appreciation, each of the five beautifully crafted dolls is individually molded to highlight ethnic features. A companion book introduces the ethnic richness of each doll's country and promotes global awareness. Additionally, kids can select one of four causes (health, home, food, livelihood) from Plan, a children’s charity, to which a portion of their doll purchase can be donated, as well as earning additional currency to donate by playing interactive games on the Karito Kids' website."
Karito Kids World Collection received five 2007 Children’s Products Gold Awards in the Toys Category category. Now in its 17th year, NAPPA is a well-known name in industries focused on children’s learning and entertainment. Parents, relatives and other adults working with children – those who want high-quality toys and products that provide “smart fun” and good design, and grow with children’s developmental needs – rely on NAPPA for their holiday and year-round gift-giving.
“NAPPA-winning products meet the most stringent criteria and are judged by nationally recognized industry experts, educators, reviewers and advocates in their fields,” says Decker. “NAPPA has set the industry standard of excellence for nearly two decades and the award is a much-sought honor by manufacturers, artists, authors and product designers. When parents see the NAPPA Gold or Honors seal on winning products, they’re assured of a high quality, fun and educational experience for their children.”
top
Creative Child Seal of Excellence Choice Award
Gia of the Karito Kids World Collection won a Seal of Excellence Award by Creative Child Magazine. Winners are tested and reviewed multiple times by a selection of moms, music educators and early education professionals.
top
Toy Directory Top Toy 2007
Karito Kids Doll and Book Sets is one of only 20 products to receive TDmonthly Magazine's first-ever Top Toy award! Karito Kids has been selected based on several factors: high quality and play value, innovative design or application, popularity and strong sales within specialty retail stores and/or the potential to really impact the market in the coming year.
top
Mr. Dad's Seal of Approval
Karito Kids Dolls were honored with a Mr. Dad Seal of Approval because of their ability to help dads get involved with their children, improve the quality of time fathers and children spend together, and also because of their ability to help dads be better parents.
top
Baby Zone's Amazing Toy Awards
The Karito Kids World Collection won an Amazing Toy Award in the Top Gradeschooler Toys of 2007 category after being tested and approved by real mom and kid judges. One of only ten winners, the dolls were picked because of their age appropriateness, the quality and safety of materials used to produce the collection, and for the dolls ability to broaden kids' social awareness.
top
DOTY - Doll of the Year
Zoe and Gia were proud recipients of 2008 Doll of the Year Industry's Choice Award, given by a panel of Doll Industry experts who narrowed the field from hundreds of entries. DOTY is one of the most prominent events in the doll industry.
top
Informal Education Products/Museum Tour
Selected as one of 28 products, the Karito Kids Dolls and Books Sets made Museum Tour's Informal Education Products List because of the dolls' capacity to encourage sharing, cooperating, helping, problem solving, and empathy. They note that the high-quality, diverse dolls also teach children an important lesson in values and giving.
top
Parents' Choice Foundation
The Karito Kids World Collection won a Parents' Choice Recommended Award after passing the foundations rigorous evaluation process something that 80 percent of entrants fail to do. The Collection was chosen because it respects a child's age, interests and abilities, adheres to universal human values, can help parents and kids connect, and has the ability to teach-- without being preachy.
top
TOTY Specialty Toy Nomination
The Karito Kids World Collection was one of five nominees for this year's TIA Specialty Toy of the Year. Nominations come from a panel of major retailers, TIA board members and toy trade journalists and academics.
top
Toy Insider Hot 20
The Toy Insider placed the Karito Kids Dolls on its Hot 20 Gifts for Holiday 2007, which appeared in the November, 2007 issue of Redbook magazine. The dolls were picked for their ability to develop social and emotional intelligence, school readiness skills, technology and electronic skills and, finally, for their ability to encourage social interaction.
top
Teachers' Choice For the Family Award
Karito Kids' Lulu and Pita were recently honored with a Teachers' Choice Award For the Family in the Toys, Games and Manipulative category. Teachers who are also parents evaluated more than 250 products in their own homes to pick this year's winners. The dolls were winners because they make learning about other countries and cultures fun, and because they bring children a better understanding of world issues and charitable causes.
top
Dolls Award of Excellence Nominee
top |
