Showcase Your Brand with an Ad in the 25th TOTY Awards Program

January 21, 2025 | When children are rushed to the emergency department or admitted for a longer-term hospital stay, they suddenly find themselves in an unfamiliar and scary environment. Incorporating play into their hospital stay – an activity children are familiar with – offers immense comfort, de-escalates fears, and provides a positive distraction. Hospitals depend on donations, such as those from The Toy Foundation™ (TTF), to provide opportunities for play to their pediatric patients.

That’s why the upcoming 25th annual Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Awards, taking place February 28 in New York City, is so important, with event proceeds funding play-focused grants at children’s hospitals to benefit 700,000 children by the end of 2025. With 100% of TOTY proceeds benefitting TTF’s programs to support children in need around the world, toy industry professionals are encouraged to purchase their TOTY tickets today.

During the Awards ceremony, TTF and Presenting Sponsor Mattel will spotlight their work to provide funding to children’s hospitals across the nation, including the impact that the toy community has had on one of TTF’s children’s hospital partners, Maimonides Health in Brooklyn, New York.

TTF recently visited the hospital to speak with its pediatric healthcare providers and a mother whose daughter was hospitalized for pneumonia.

“This is the first time my daughter has been hospitalized. The toys bring a little bit of joy and a little bit of home to the hospital to lift her mood and make her feel more comfortable,” said the mother of the patient.

Over the decades, Maimonides’ approach to pediatric care has increasingly focused on addressing children’s emotional needs. Play is one of the hospital’s more valued tools, and funding from TTF in 2024 allowed Maimonides to create coping bags filled with fidget toys, modeling clay, coloring sheets, and a stuffed animal. Additionally, the hospital produced therapeutic workbooks featuring feelings and emotion worksheets, journaling prompts, and recreational activities.

At the end of 2024, Maimonides reported both the coping bags and workbooks helped reduce patients’ stress and anxiety levels, and made their hospital visit more manageable for both the child and their caregiver.

“Things like play therapy and other therapies that we use help relax the child and make them more comfortable, allowing us as healthcare providers to do our procedures and our examinations with more comfort and ease,” said Dr. Jeffrey Avner, chairman of the department of pediatrics at Maimonides Health.

The pediatric funds available at Maimonides cannot cover the play tools needed to support all their pediatric patients. Continued funding from TTF and other organizations is critical to properly support and comfort their pediatric patients with the power of play.

There will be opportunities to support TTF’s work at the TOTY Awards and throughout Toy Fair®, including cash contributions of any amount, auction bids, and an event sponsorship. With industry participation at every level, there is great opportunity to comfort children through play when they need it most.

To learn more about TTF and its programs, visit ToyFoundation.org or contact TTF staff.