Mrs. Pinkelmeyer Plush, Singing Doll has won the coveted Dr. Toy award. Dr. Toy’s Best Vacation Children’s Products Awards were developed by noted child development authority, Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D. (a.k.a. Dr. Toy), as a service to consumers who desire to purchase safe, affordable, educationally-oriented, and stimulating toys and play products for children for vacation time at home or on the road.

“As a childhood specialist for 40 years,” says Dr. Toy, “I have seen the continuous, essential need for more year-round resources for consumers to identify and choose the most appropriate products for all children.”

Dr. Toy reports that in the years the innovative on-line magazine, Dr. Toy’s Guide, has been available, “thousands of visitors daily from around the world have accessed its information.” It was the first web site to evaluate toys and children’s products. The report is being released, according to Dr. Toy, to “encourage parents and teachers to focus on the value of play during the summer as essential to the overall learning process.”

Dr. Toy’s Best Vacation Children’s Products are carefully chosen, using extensive criteria she has developed over many years, from among hundreds she has reviewed at toy fairs, in catalogs, and through many other sources. The criteria she uses includes: safety, age-appropriateness, design, durability, lasting play value, cultural and ethnic diversity, good transition from home to school, educational value, learning skills, creativity, improvement in the understanding of the community and the world, good value for price, and, naturally, fun.

“It is such a great honor to be given this award by Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D, a true leader and innovator in the toy industry, says Jennifer Kelman creator of the indelible Mrs. Pinkelmeyer.

Dr. Auerbach, a long-time resident of San Francisco, originally from New York City, lived in Washington, DC, while working for the Department of Education where she approved the first proposal for “Sesame Street” and established the first day care center for children of federal employees. In San Francisco, she established the San Francisco International Toy Museum, the world’s first “hands-on” toy museum visited by over 50,000 children. She is the author of 15 books (including The Toy Chest, Toys for a Lifetime, The Whole Child, and Choosing Child Care) and hundreds of articles on toys and play, and is the only Ph.D. in Child Development evaluating toys and children’s products with extensive training, background, and over 40 years of experience evaluating, writing and speaking about toys and children’s products. Dr. Auerbach is trained in child development, education, child psychology and special education. She is an educator, consultant, parent, and playful grandparent.

About Mrs. Pinkelmeyer
Entrepreneur and Author Jennifer Kelman, created Mrs. Pinkelmeyer™, Silliest, Warmest Know-It-All™, from Poppingham, England and her furry brown dog, Moopus McGlinden™. Jennifer, who has a Master’s degree in Social Work from New York University, was inspired to create Mrs. Pinkelmeyer after caring for her nephew when his parents were away. Little Henry was suffering from separation anxiety and in a quick thinking move Ms. Kelman imagined the playful and lovable Mrs. Pinkelmeyer who came to the rescue. Ms. Kelman has created a line of products that includes dolls, music, temporary tattoos and a children’s book series based on Mrs. Pinkelmeyer and Moopus McGlinden. As an unintended consequence, Mrs. Pinkelmeyer is also touching the lives of seniors and those with special needs. Mrs. Pinkelmeyer warms the hearts of all that know her.