HABA Wins Family Fun's 21st Annual T.O.Y. Awards! {Henry HABA Strong's Armor and Expedition Dino Review & Giveaway}

Once in a while I see polls or awards noting such-and-such actress is the sexiest woman alive or whoever brand car has been rated the most-loved by parents, and I roll my eyes as I wonder who comes up with these things. After all, isn't sexiness a subjective feature? And how was that car picked above all others? I don't remember being asked my opinion!

On the other hand, when the experts in all things entertaining declare that they have tested over 300 toys with kids of all ages and have named the very best, then I know that the winners of Family Fun's 21st Annual T.O.Y. Awards must actually be pretty darn good.

Which is why I wasn't all that surprised to hear that one of our all-time favorite brands, HABA, has taken home not one but two of those awards. We have long known that their products are high quality, durable, educational and extremely awesome, so hearing that Henry HABA Strong's Armor and Expedition Dino have been recognized as two of the very best toys of the year is truly giving credit where credit is due.

Founded in Germany back in 1938, HABA has been bringing amazing, award-winning products to children ever since. Unmatched in their selection of unique, high quality toys, games, gifts and furniture, they offer the whimsical and innovative toys for babies, toddlers and beyond that reflect their European values of staying playful and environmentally-friendly.

And when it comes to playful, is there a child around that wouldn't be thrilled to participate in the exciting make-believe fun of dressing up in Henry HABA Strong's Armor?

Thanks to the adjustable fastener on the belt, this armor can be easily put on and off by any little knights, as well as fitting those of multiple sizes. With elastic on the shoulders for comfort and a chest protector showing a fiery dragon right on the front, it only takes a minute to slip on this colorful, durable outfit and be transformed into character.

The only thing that makes it better? Adding any of the adorable matching accessories (such as the helmet, mace, sword, or shield) to truly bring your pretend play into medieval times.

As I had suspected, Big Sister E and Little Sister B were beyond thrilled to see Henry HABA Strong's Armor, Helmet and Sword and began to incorporate being a knight into just about any imaginative tale they would weave. Princesses and knights, knights and dragons, knights at the grocery store... you get the picture.

Designed for ages 3 - 6, Henry HABA Strong's Armor, Helmet and Sword have led to adventures and battles of all kinds that have been brave and exciting (and safe). The cotton/polyester fabric has proven strong and tough, the helmet flips open and shut just like a real knight and the sword is plenty rugged... without actually imparting any risk.

En garde!

Retailing for $32.99 for the Armor and between $9.99 - $22.99 for the accessories, I can see why Family Fun declared these pieces perfect for exciting make-believe and ideal for boys and girls who love role play.

When my kids aren't busy defending their kingdom from dragons and bad guys, they've been having a great time extending their love of dinosaurs to the next level by playing Expedition Dino. The whole family can easily get in on the action, as this game is for ages 4+ and can be played with 2 - 5 players.

While most board games resemble one another, it was immediately apparent that Expedition Dino was going to be different simply based on the 3D aspects of it. How could kids not be excited to play a game that starts with a tower of boulders and a hammer and chisel?

Using a combination of skill and luck, players take turns "excavating" petrified bones from the rocks in an effort to collect the most before the hidden dinosaur topples over and ends the game.

Although we had to keep glancing at the instructions during our first round or two of play (to keep track of what the different spaces on the board represented or what each player could choose to do next), this game quickly proved to be a whole lot of fun for everyone!

Retailing for $35.99, Expedition Dino provides a unique way to build cognitive thinking, practice motor skills and keep kids interested (one game only lasts around 15 minutes) and wanting to play time and again. It's a must-have for family game nights for years to come!

Offering children's products ranging from infants to big kids, we have been a fan of HABA ever since our first introduction... so having the recognition from Family Fun that this brand knows all that there is to know about providing fun and learning for all ages feels like a perfect fit. Congratulations, HABA!

And, thanks to their generosity, two people will soon have a taste of the award-winning entertainment that HABA can provide, because...

One lucky person will win a Henry HABA-Strong's Sword and one lucky person will win a Henry HABA-Strong's Sword AND an Expedition Dino game!

(Enter with the Rafflecopter form below. If you have any questions or problems entering, there is a video tutorial found here that can help.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you to HABA for providing an Expedition Dino game and Henry HABA Strong's Armor pieces for me to review as well as for two lucky giveaway winners. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.