The US Toy Industry Association (TIA) has revealed the 84 finalists for the 2013 Toy of the Year Awards (TOTY), which honor creativity in the children’s play industry. This year’s finalists were selected from nearly 650 nominees and span categories like education, boys, girls, preschool, e-connected and gaming.

The official ToyAwards.org website is open from now through January 13, 2013 and is accepting votes from consumers of all ages. Winners will be selected through the input of the public, retailers (mass and specialty), media and members of the toy industry and will be announced on February 9, 2013 as the kick-off to the 110th American International Toy Fair.

The next inductees into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame, Judith (Judy) Ellis, founder and chair of the first baccalaureate program in Toy Design in the US at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and the late Russ Berrie, former chief executive and chairman of Russ Berrie & Company, will also be recognized for their contributions and service to the toy industry during the awards ceremony.

This year’s nominees include:

BOY TOY OF THE YEAR

Air Hogs Battle Tracker (Spin Master)
HEXBUG Warriors Battling Robots Battle Stadium (Innovation First International)
Hot Wheels Ballistiks (Mattel)
LEGO Ninjago (The LEGO Group)
Nerf N-Strike Elite Hail-Fire blaster (Hasbro)
Skylanders Giants (Activision Publishing)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shellraiser (Playmates Toys)

GIRL TOY OF THE YEAR

Disney Princess Cinderella Magic Lights Dress (Creative Designs International – CDI – a division of JAKKS Pacific)
Doc McStuffins “Time For Your Check-Up” Doll (Just Play)
Furby (Hasbro)
Furreal Friends Baby Butterscotch, My Magical Show Pony (Hasbro)
La Dee Da (Spin Master)
LEGO Friends (LEGO)
Monster High High School (Mattel)

PROPERTY OF THE YEAR

Barbie (Mattel)
Disney Princess-Cinderella (Disney Consumer Products)
LEGO Ninjago (LEGO/ Ninjago)
Marvel’s The Avengers (Disney Consumer Products)
Monster High (Mattel)
Skylanders Giants (Activision Publishing)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Nickelodeon)

GAME OF THE YEAR

Disney Jake and the Never Land Pirates Never Land Challenge Game (Wonder Forge)
Don’t Rock the Boat (Patch Products)
Fibber (Spin Master)
Perplexus Epic (PlaSmart)
Skylanders Giants (Activision Publishing)
Spot It Jr. Animals (Blue Orange Games)
The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game (Educational Insights)

E-CONNECTED TOY OF THE YEAR

Animal Planet Wildlands (Nukotoys)
Furby (Hasbro)
Kurio7 (Techno Source, a division of LF Products)
Life of George (LEGO)
Skylanders Giants (Activision Publishing)
Sphero (Orbotix)
StoryBots Starring You StoryBooks (JibJab Media)

PRESCHOOL TOY OF THE YEAR

Chuggington Die-Cast Railway (Wilson and TOMY)
Disney Princess Songs Palace (Little People by Fisher-Price)
Doc McStuffins “Time For Your Check-Up” Doll (Just Play)
LeapPad2 (LeapFrog Enterprises)
Servin’ Surprises Kitchen & Table (Fisher-Price)
Switch & Go Dinos (VTech Electronics North America)
Symphony in B. (B. toys by Battat)

EDUCATIONAL TOY OF THE YEAR

InnoTab 2  (VTech Electronics North America)
LeapPad2 (LeapFrog Enterprises)
Leapster GS Explorer (LeapFrog Enterprises)
LEGO Architecture (LEGO)
Roll & Play (ThinkFun)
Spectacular Science (Thames & Kosmos)
Zingo! Sight Words (ThinkFun)

A full list of nominees can be found at the Toy Industry Association website.