Is your toy, game, or property a contender for the toy industry’s most prestigious awards? Nominations are officially open for the 26th Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Awards, taking place February 13, 2026 at Pier Sixty in New York City. Toy companies, inventors, and other industry representatives are invited to submit their top products and entertainment brands by August 27, 2025 for consideration across 16 categories.

The awards program serves as the main annual fundraiser for The Toy Foundation™ (TTF), the charitable arm of The Toy Association™. All TOTY proceeds, including nomination fees, support TTF in delivering the joy of play to children in need around the world.

Here’s what you need to know about the 2026 TOTY Awards:

• Nominations are open now through Wednesday, August 27.
  
  
• Find the category descriptions, eligibility requirements, nomination criteria, and submission fees here.
  
  
• A nomination committee comprised of play experts, journalists, academics, retailers, and other toy experts will determine the official TOTY 2026 finalists based on each product’s innovation & originality; design & quality; play value/experience; and market success & consumer appeal.
  
  
• Finalists for each category will be announced November 8 with a big reveal at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair (CHITAG) and via a national press release. At that time, voting will open to retailers, media, Toy Association members, and consumers through early January. The Specialty Toy of the Year will be chosen based on votes exclusively from Astra members.
  
  
• A winner for each category, as well as the “People’s Choice” award (based solely on consumer votes at ToyAwards.org) and the coveted overall “Toy of the Year” winner (chosen by a panel of experts), will be announced at the TOTY Awards ceremony on Friday, February 13, 2026.
  
  

As the kick-off party to Toy Fair®, the TOTY Awards honor the “best of the best” in the toy space. The ceremony also honors the lifetime achievements of Toy Industry Hall of Fame inductees, and celebrates the industry’s shared vision to create a world where every child experiences the extraordinary benefits of play.

Questions regarding TOTY nominations may be directed to Janis Zegman, senior marketing project manager at The Toy Association.