The Hottest Holiday Gifts For Kids This Year Are Screen-Free

NEW YORK, Oct. 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- As kids across the country begin making their holiday wish list, FamilyFun Magazine has released its 24^th annual Toy of the Year Awards to make holiday gift shopping a little easier for busy parents. FamilyFun, part of the Meredith Parents Network, tapped families across the U.S. to test more than 300 toys for uniqueness, fun, and value. After more than 1,000 hours of play, 20 toys have received the honor of making the Toy of the Year Awards list, including singing pianos, fuzzy disguises, world-transporting playsets, and more.

"The winning toys in this year's award lineup spark creativity and imagination, encouraging kids to generate their own music, art and content," said Elizabeth Shaw, Editor in Chief, FamilyFun. "Screen-based toys and games are at their peak and have their perks, but this year's winners provide offline laughs and memory-making, allowing kids to customize playtime in a more personal and meaningful way."

There's something for the builder, master of disguise, future artist, mini-chef, and even Star Wars fanatic in this year's Toy of the Year Awards. The top 10 FamilyFun Toy of the Year Award winners includes:

1. Yeti In My Spaghetti - This snowman is in a serious pasta fix: remove the wrong noodle and he'll fall into the bowl! This adorable toy has been described as a modern-day version of pick-up sticks. Patch Products; $18; Ages 4 to 10; 2 or more players
2. Minion Singing Sound Pad - Kids communicate Minion-style with three sound modes-singing, laughing, and speaking. Or should we say: Baa! Bop! Bleep! Bye! Boo! Beep! Skyrocket Toys; $15; Ages 4 to 10
3. Shrink & Link Jewelry - Shrinky Dinks flashback! This jewelry kit uses the same pop-it-in-the-oven process to create glam pendants and rings. Klutz; $22; Ages 8 and up
4. Drop Zone Cargo-Release Glider - Kids set up flag targets, load the stunt pigs into the cargo hold, set the release timer, then launch the glider. If the calculations are correct, the porcine projectiles will hit the target. SmartLab Toys; $40; Ages 8 and up
5. Tag the Art Game - Budding artists spin a wheel, flip cards, and roll dice to determine what they'll add to a group piece of art. The set includes pastels, paints, glitter, tissue paper, and more. Who wins? Everyone, when the group declares the masterpiece ready for the fridge door. Tonni-Co; $40; Ages 8 and up
6. Unbored Disguises - As if two beards, five mustaches, four pairs of glasses, tattoos, sideburns, and eyebrows weren't enough, this fantastic box of disguises also includes an old-fashioned monocle. MindWare; $30; Ages 6 and up
7. Star Wars Pictopia - Which Star Wars character called Chewbacca a "walking carpet?" Which Jedi is a Twi'lek? Fans of the intergalactic franchise will be happier than a Wookiee in a wroshyr tree to take on 1,000 trivia questions like these. Wonder Forge; $20; Ages 7 and up
8. Lego City Demolition Site - This 776-piece set was a hit with our Lego-loving testers. Kids will spend hours building the condemned construction site, bringing it down with the wrecking-ball crane, clearing away the rubble, then doing it all again. Lego; $90; Ages 6 and up
9. Geometrics House - Ikea meets Frank Lloyd Wright in a modernist wooden dollhouse. Renovate in seconds by turning its three sturdy pieces, then rearrange the chic furnishings. Hape; $60; Ages 3 to 10
10. Wooden Rotisserie & Grill - Your aspiring pitmasters will love to skewer and sear some tasty BBQ on this tabletop grill set. The 24 pieces include a chicken, assorted vegetables, sauce for basting, and even a few shrimp to throw on the barbie. Melissa & Doug; $50; Ages 3 to 8

To view all 20 FamilyFun Toy of the Year Award winners for 2015, check out the November issue of FamilyFun Magazine in print or on the iPad, or go to Pinterest.com/familyfunmag. To learn more about FamilyFun, please visit familyfunmag.com, Facebook.com/familyfun, or follow @familyfun on Twitter and @familyfunmag on Instagram.

About FamilyFun Magazine
Reaching an audience of more than 4.6 million, FamilyFun Magazine gives parents ideas and inspiration needed to create unforgettable family moments. Part of Meredith Corporation's Parents Network of brands, FamilyFun is a trusted expert on family cooking, vacations, celebrations, play, creative projects, and learning - the full spectrum of fun that enriches the precious time families share. Written for parents with children 3 to 12, FamilyFun is unique in the marketplace, delivering real ideas for - and from - real families.

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SOURCE FamilyFun Magazine

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