2026 Toy of the Year Award Finalists Unveiled at Chicago Toy & Game Fair

113 Innovative Toys & Games That Will Top Wishlists this Holiday Season!

CHICAGO, Nov. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- "Beautified" slime, a dinosaur that hatches itself out of an egg, and wiggly fidget collectibles are among the 113 innovative finalists for the prestigious 2026 Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Awards, announced today by The Toy Foundation™ (TTF) at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair (CHITAG) in Rosemont, IL. The unveiling of the TOTY finalists, which represent this year's most sought-after toys across 16 categories of play, coincided with CHITAG's first-ever Wishlist Weekend™, a new holiday tradition that encourages families all across the country to play, discover, and start building their wishlists for the holiday season.

"There is no better way to kick off Wishlist Weekend at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair than by sharing this moment of excitement with kids, families, and toy fans of all ages!" said Greg Ahearn, president & CEO of The Toy Association™. "Each TOTY finalist is a testament to the creativity that defines the toy industry, which is always innovating to create products that spark joy, learning, and social connections through play."

Known as the "Oscars of the toy industry," the TOTY Awards celebrate the top toys and games of the year, while serving as a key fundraiser for The Toy Foundation's philanthropic mission to deliver brand-new toys and play opportunities to children when they need it most. All TOTY Award proceeds benefit The Toy Foundation's initiatives, including the Play Fund and Toy Chest programs, which bring the comfort and healing power of play to children in need around the world.

"As we celebrate these outstanding TOTY finalists, we're also championing the cause at the heart of it all: helping children in need experience the comfort and happiness that play provides," added Pamela Mastrota, executive director of The Toy Foundation. "It's inspiring to see the toy community come together to celebrate the power of play – and ensure that children everywhere have access to it."

Between now and January 7, 2026, fans of all ages can visit ToyAwards.org to see what should be on their holiday shopping lists, cast votes for their favorite playthings in each category, and learn more about The Toy Foundation. Winners in each category, as well as the overall Toy of the Year and People's Choice award winners, will be announced in February 2026.

2026 TOTY FINALISTS  Additional details on each finalist is available at ToyAwards.org 

ACTION FIGURE OF THE YEAR Toys that represent a person or fictional character intended for active, imaginative, and narrative-based play.

COLLECTIBLE OF THE YEAR Toys designed for multiple single-item purchases as part of a set or series to collect, such as minis, blind packs, fidget toys, trading cards, impulse/novelty playthings, licensed collectibles, and more.

CONSTRUCTION TOY OF THE YEAR Toys that encourage hands-on building or assembly as the primary play pattern with pieces that interconnect to create models, scenes, or mechanisms that perform an action or tell a story.

CREATIVE TOY OF THE YEAR Toys that inspire self-expression, storytelling, and imaginative and artistic play, including products that let kids create, decorate, and dress up, such as arts & crafts kits, compounds, role-play/dress-up items, and more.

DOLL OF THE YEAR Toys that include baby, toddler, and fashion dolls.

EDUCATIONAL TOY OF THE YEAR While all toys have learning benefits, this category recognizes toys and games specifically designed to meet an educational purpose, such as building a specific skill or teaching a particular subject area, including STEM, literacy, or social-emotional learning.

GAME OF THE YEAR Family and children's games made for players ages 0-14, including board, card, electronic, and other physical game formats, exclusive of games specifically for players ages 14 to adult (strategy, party, or mature-themed as examples), video games, and app games.

INFANT/TODDLER TOY OF THE YEAR Toys specifically developed for babies and toddlers up to age 3. (0-18 months (infant) and 18 months-3 years (toddler), does not include ages 3+.)

KIDULT TOY OF THE YEAR Toys and games developed primarily for consumers ages 14 to adults, including party, strategy, and board games; collector items; craft & model kits; construction sets; and more. These toys are sometimes based on and/or fueled by fandoms, social media, and mature humor.

LICENSE OF THE YEAR An entertainment, celebrity, lifestyle, or social media-driven brand that has achieved notable success through licensed toy lines and brand extensions; or a toy-based IP that has successfully expanded beyond the toy aisle through strategic licensing.

OUTDOOR TOY OF THE YEAR Toys specifically designed for outdoor play, including outdoor-only ride-ons, such as motorized vehicles, bicycles, scooters, wagons; bubble toys; and sports toys.

PLAYSET OF THE YEAR A themed play environment with characters, accessories, and/or interactive features that support storytelling, role play, or action-based play, such as dollhouses, battle arenas, racetracks, settings for action figures, and more. Exclusive of construction-based playsets covered by their own category.

PLUSH TOY OF THE YEAR Toys that are made of fabric and stuffed with soft filling, including plush playthings with interactive or electronic features.

PRESCHOOL TOY OF THE YEAR Toys specifically developed for kids ages 3-5.

SPECIALTY TOY OF THE YEAR Toys promoted and sold almost exclusively through independent retailers (neighborhood toy stores, museum shops, vacation destinations, and similar venues) or in limited quantities online. Voted on exclusively by specialty retailers through Astra.

VEHICLE OF THE YEAR Toy cars, trucks, trains, and other vehicles in all scales, including R/C vehicles and ride-ons made exclusively for indoor use.

For more information about the TOTY Awards voting and selection process, visit ToyAwards.org.

The TOTY Awards gala, taking place Friday, February 13, 2026 in New York City, is open exclusively to toy industry professionals. Tickets for the event  will be available for purchase on November 11; all TOTY proceeds are donated to The Toy Foundation, which partners with generous toy companies throughout the year to bring brand-new toys to children who are sick, at-risk, in foster care, impoverished, or otherwise in need. The TOTY celebration will kick off Toy Fair® 2026  (February 14 to 17) and include the induction of industry trailblazers into the esteemed Toy Industry Hall of Fame .

About The Toy Foundation ™  toyfoundation.orgThe Toy Foundation (TTF) is a 501 (c)(3) children's charity and philanthropic arm of The Toy Association. The uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry for the benefit of all children in need, TTF works with companies across two program areas, Toy Chest and Play Fund, to create a world where every child experiences the comfort, joy, and extraordinary benefits of play. By working together, TTF has delivered the power of play to 36 million children in need worldwide.

SOURCE The Toy Foundation