PAL Award Winners – 2017
Exceptional toys, games and books / media that encourage language, spark fun and invite creative play.
PAL Awards
Established by respected speech and language expert Sherry Artemenko, the PAL Award recognizes exceptional toys, games and books that, through their design, content, quality, and character, promote play that advances language. PAL winners in the hands of kids spark fun and creative play with lots of talk!

TOYS
Luvabella by Spin Master
"Love comes to life," surely describes this life-like doll who interacts with little ones. Parents and kids were fascinated with Luvabella's facial...
Pet Place by Wonderhood
I love when I visit a first grade class and they recognize the Wonderhood box and beg to play with me! Their teacher and class choose the Wonderhood...
Town House by Wonderhood
When I walked into a first grade classroom with Wonderhood's 2 newest playsets the kids begged me to pick them for their "smart play" time! Boys and...
Go! Go! Smart Friends Shimmering Seashell Castle by VTech
Pearl and friends rule this 2 1/2 foot wide castle including a sea slide, swing, ballroom, opening seashell and carousel. Mermaid Pearl comes...
LeapStart by LeapFrog
This popular kids' interactive learning system has now expanded its content to be applicable through first grade subjects. LeapStart comes with a...
2-in-1 LeapTop Touch by LeapFrog
This kids' laptop/tablet is twice the fun with five modes for smart play--ABC, 123, Messages, Games and Music. Puppies Scout and Violet tell kids to...
4-in-1 Stroll & Grow Tek Trike by VTech
This cool tech savvy trike takes your child through 4 stages of riding from 9 months to 6 years, from a parent steering the stroller, to training,...
World’s Greatest Magic Show by Thames & Kosmos
Kids 8 and up can indeed put on the world's greatest magic show by following the easy instructions with photographs, adding a little practice and...
Silly Scents Bundle by Crayola
Want to delight your child with a bundle of creative fun? Crayola's Silly Scents wedge and fine markers and twistable crayons and colored pencils...
GAMES
Disney Jr. Mickey and the Roadster Racers Bump ‘N Race Action Game by Wonder Forge
Once the box was open and Mickey, Goofy, Minnie and Donald were spotted on their roadsters, our 3 year-old wouldn't let go of his car. He did...
Krazy Wordz by Ravensburger
Krazy Wordz is definitely "The word game of making sense out of nonsense," as we created a made-up word to match our our task card, like "Insect...
Despicable Me Labyrinth Game by Ravensburger
Players were excited to play the special Despicable Me version of Ravensburger's classic Labyrinth game--younger players because they couldn't help...
Eye ‘N Seek by Blue Orange Games
We opened the box and one of the kids said, "Hey, it's like Spot It!" They know Blue Orange games. Each player gets a fun picture wheel to spin with...
E-I-E-I-GO! by Mindware
Set up the cutest little farm with the barn silo and the barnyard animals--pigs, cows, mice, chicks, sheep and donkeys. Place one die in the silo...
The Rainbow Fish Share and Sparkle Game by Mindware
I can't tell you how many times I used "The Rainbow Fish" book in speech therapy to work on language goals and social language such as sharing,...
Gumball Words by SimplyFun
Who can pass up a gumball machine, especially one that teaches spelling and vocabulary? Parents went, "Wow!" when they opened the box to find the...
Tall Tales by SCS Direct
Kids are great story tellers and "Tall Tales" gets their imaginations going as they reach into the blue fuzzy bag to pick a story character or prop...
Telestrations 8 Player: The Original by USAopoly
Get your marker ready for some thinking, sketching, guessing and laughing out loud as you start up a game of Telestrastions. This game is hilarious!...
BOOKS / MEDIA
Tad’s Get Ready For School Book by LeapFrog
Getting ready for school should always be this much fun! With 12 pages of interactive learning fun from letters, numbers and shapes to feelings and...
Q Wunder TV Show by EQtainment, LLC
EQtainment entertained kids and classrooms while teaching valuable lessons through their game, "Q's Race to the Top." This year they bring us...
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts
I’ve enjoyed reading Rosie Revere, Engineer and Izzy Peck, Architect for many engaging language lessons with kids They love the stories that provide...
I’m Going to Give you a Bear Hug! by Caroline B. Cooney
Books about bears and hugs are popular, especially featured around Valentine’s Day but this one stands out with it’s engaging rhymes filled with...

About The Award
Learn about the application and selection process for the PAL Award.
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203-228-4438
erika@playonwords.com