Each year, the Tillywig Awards Program delivers to consumers, retailers, and the media information on the best children’s products, parenting products, and educational products available in today’s marketplace. Star Kids Products is excited to announce that our Snack & Play™ Travel Tray won the 2015 Brain Child Award.
Tillywig’s reviews span products that include toys, games, mobile apps, maternity, baby, parenting, music, video, books, clothing & furniture, health, safety, and a host of other child-related items, both digital and physical.
Awards are given on the basis of group tests, the primary purpose of which is to evaluate the quality, efficacy, entertainment value, or educational value of the products submitted to us by manufacturers.
In order to be selected as a Tillywig award winner, a product submitted to us must be determined by our testing team to have high entertainment and/or educational value. When assessing these values, our focus is on evaluating many factors, including:
Ease of First Use
Clear, easy-to-understand instructions and product design are key factors in creating a positive initial experience.
Replay Value
It was fun the first time out, but will it be equally or even more enjoyable over a period of weeks, months…years?
Quality/Appearance
Does it look and feel well-made? Is it something retailers would be proud to have on their shelves, a parent would be proud to give as a gift? Is it, from all appearances, built to last?
Social Interaction/Fun Factor
Products that effectively promote a high level of face-to-face playful interaction receive a high rating from us. If participants laughed out loud, so much the better!
Creativity
Does it inspire creativity during use/play? Does this product actively fuel the imagination?
Thought Processes/Motor Skills
Does it encourage new ways of thinking or promote physical development?
Weighting of Criteria
The degree to which we consider some of the above criteria depends, in part, on what we feel the product presents itself to be. If it appears to be an educational product, then we will more heavily weigh factors relating to learning and development. If a product presents itself as a family or party game, we will more heavily weigh factors relating to social interaction and playfulness. If the packaging and instructions seem to be communicating one thing, and the product turns out to be quite another, then the product will not be selected for a Tillywig award.
During the evaluation process, products are used by a number of testers in an observed focus group format. In our final evaluation of any product, comments from observers are integrated with feedback from testers. Our testers and observers come from all walks of life and a broad range of ages.
