Chicago – Today VTech announced four products are finalists for 2018 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards from The Toy Association. The GearZooz™ Roll & Roar Animal Train™ and Pop-a-Balls™ Push & Pop Bulldozer™ are finalists in the infant/toddler category. The Storytime Rhymes Sheep™ is a finalist in the plush category and the Go! Go! Smart Wheels^® Race & Play Adventure Park™ is a finalist in the playset category. The winners will be announced at the annual awards ceremony held on February 16, 2018.

"We are incredibly honored to be recognized by The Toy Association, which reviews hundreds of the best new toys," said William To, President, VTech Electronics North America. "It's a testament to our strong product line-up that four of our new toys stood out above the rest and have been selected as Toy of the Year finalists."

The winners of the TOTY Awards will be selected by ballots cast by consumers, toy retailers, media and Toy Association members. Consumers can vote for their favorite playthings of the year at www.ToyAwards.org now through January 5, 2018.

VTech's TOTY finalists can be found at www.vtechkids.com and include:

• Pop-a-Balls™ Push & Pop Bulldozer™: Pop, drop and watch children stroll along with the Pop-a-Balls Push & Pop Bulldozer! This delightful bulldozer encourages movement and motor skills in little builders when the colorful balls pop up through the smoke stack, into the scoop bucket and back again. Load the balls into the bulldozer, start pushing the handle and watch the bulldozer come to life with poppin' balls and fun sounds! Kids can also sit and play with the bulldozer by pressing the four colorful number buttons to learn colors, numbers, construction objects and listen to music. (Ages 12-36 months; US$24.99)
• GearZooz™ Roll & Roar Animal Train™: All aboard the learning express with the GearZooz Roll & Roar Animal Train. Kids can customize the train by mixing and matching the 15 included gears while strengthening their fine motor skills. Four adorable Smart Gear™ animals can board the train and add to the excitement with fun songs, playful phrases and animal sounds. Press the buttons to listen to different musical instruments or answer kid-friendly quiz questions. Then, pull the string or push the train to watch the gears spin and move together to experience cause and effect relationships. (Ages 1½ - 4 years; MSRP: US$29.99)
• Storytime Rhymes Sheep™: Share a story with a cuddly friend. In soothing mode, the sheep plays calming lullabies and two relaxing stories to help your child fall asleep. In playtime mode, the sheep recites two engaging stories and plays upbeat songs that encourage little ones to sing-along. The star in the center of the sheep's tummy lights up to the rhythm of the music. The timer mode will power off the sheep after 15 or 30 minutes, so parents don't have to worry about turning it off. A nursery rhymes board book is included so children can follow along with the stories. (Ages Birth +; MSRP: US$24.99)
• Go! Go! Smart Wheels^® Race & Play Adventure Park™: Go for a ride with Gavin the Go-Kart on the Go! Go! Smart Wheels Race & Play Adventure Park. Crank Gavin up the hill and see him navigate down the track into the catapult launcher. Then, launch the Go-Kart to the top of the playset by releasing the catapult and watch as he races down the track, around the 360 degree loop and off the jump ramp! The park includes a Ferris wheel that spins, a tumble-down carnival game and a swinging gate to strengthen motor skills. Featuring SmartPoint® technology, Gavin responds to all four SmartPoint locations with fun sounds, phrases, three sing-along songs and six melodies. On your mark, get set, go! (Ages 1-5 years, MSRP: US$39.99)

About VTech

VTech is a world leader in age-appropriate and developmental stage-based electronic learning products for children. As a pioneer in the learning toy category, VTech develops high-quality, innovative educational products that enrich children's development and make learning fun. With a rich 40 year history, VTech has not only established itself as a learning authority but also consistently remains at the forefront of innovation with multiple award-winning products, including prestigious Toy of the Year (TOTY) Award winners. The company also has a broad range of award-winning infant, toddler and preschool products available in 31 different languages worldwide, with more than 100 new products introduced every year. In order to further strengthen VTech's position as a learning authority, the company's Expert Panel, with esteemed experts in reading, language arts, science, math, and child development, consult on new product introductions.

VTech Electronics North America, L.L.C. is based in Arlington Heights, Illinois. VTech Electronics Limited is headquartered in Hong Kong with distribution globally.

For more information about VTech's electronic learning products, visit www.VTechKids.com, www.facebook.com/VTechtoys on Facebook or follow @VTechToys on Twitter.

About The Toy Association

www.toyassociation.org / www.thegeniusofplay.org / www.playsafe.org
Founded in 1916, The Toy Association™, Inc. is the not-for-profit trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The Toy Association leads the health and growth of the U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of $107.5 billion, and its 950+ members drive the annual $26.5 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Toy Association serves as the industry's voice on the developmental benefits of play, and promotes play's positive impact on childhood development to consumers and media. The organization has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, government, consumers, and industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play.

As a global leader, The Toy Association produces the world-renowned North American International Toy Fair and Fall Toy Preview; advocates on behalf of members around the world; sustains the Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises America's widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety standard.