• ASTRA 2018 not only hosts workshops and learning sessions but provides a Marketplace for vendors and retailers. During the trade show, vendors – like Lulu Junior – will present their products to retailers. This is how Lulu Junior kits end up in toy stores around the country!
• Astra, a new character from season 3, is a supremely confident space plane, a member from astra's galaxy wings. 5-Inch scale transforming figure. Transforms from plane to robot in 10 steps.
• ASTRA is a community made up of neighborhood toy stores, toy manufacturers, toy sales representatives and industry service providers committed to changing the world through the power of play. To join as a member, update your profile or access your member benefits, please login or create a.
• The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association unveiled its 2018 Best Toys for Kids award winners today. “ASTRA’s Best Toys for Kids award program is different from other top toy lists because it reflects the collective expertise of hundreds of toy retailers who know toys inside out,” said Kimberly Mosley, President of ASTRA.

07/19/2018

ASTRA retailers nationwide choose 17 specialty toys in 16 categories as the year’s top picks

The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association unveiled its 2018 Best Toys for Kids award winners today. “ASTRA’s Best Toys for Kids award program is different from other top toy lists because it reflects the collective expertise of hundreds of toy retailers who know toys inside out,” said Kimberly Mosley, President of ASTRA. “The list of winners is a well-balanced representation of the fun, top-quality, high play value products consumers can find in locally-owned neighborhood toy stores around the country.”

April 1, 2020: Kimberly Mosley Show Cancellation Memo April 1, 2020: A Note from ASTRA's President, Kimberly Mosley Show Cancellation Memo More View Archive.

The Best Toys for Kids program was created by ASTRA to help its retailer members attract media coverage and customers to their stores during the all-important fourth quarter. The association provides 300 free, professionally designed, four-color 2018 Best Toys brochures to member retailers for use in their holiday marketing.

“The Best Toys for Kids awards program is one more way to differentiate the outstanding value of specialty toys and to differentiate ASTRA stores,” said Mosley. “We encourage specialty retailers to use this program to educate their customers and sell more toys.”

For more information about the 2018 Best Toys for Kids award-winning toys, and to order additional Best Toys brochures, visit besttoys.astratoy.org.

The 2018 Best Toys for Kids award winners are:

Active Play

Stomp Rocket Stunt Planes

D&L Company

Bots

Kids First Coding & Robotics

Thames & Kosmos

Classic Play Under 7

BRIO Railway Starter Set

Ravenburger North America

Classic Play 7+

Liquid Glass Thinking Putty

Crazy Aaron’s

Constructive Play

GraviTrax

Ravensburger North America

Creative Play Under 7

Create with Clay Dinosaurs

Faber-Castell USA

Creative Play 7+

Rock and Roll It SpecDrum

MukikiM Toys

Early Play (Infant)

Dimpl

Fat Brain Toy Co.

Early Play (Toddler)

Kullerbu Construction Site Set

HABA

Game Night

ITZI, TENZI

Game Play Under 7

Gnomes at Night

Peaceable Kingdom – A MindWare Brand

Game Strategy

Photosynthesis

Blue Orange Games

Logic

Astra Toy Association

Turing Tumble

Turing Tumble LLC

Pretend Play (Fantasy)

Folkmanis Mouse in Pumpkin

Folkmanis Puppets

Pretend Play (Fantasy)

Rose Gold Wings & Tutu Set

Creative Education of Canada

Pretend Play (Role)

Aquarium

PLAYMOBIL

Scientific Play

Snap Circuits BRIC: Structures

ELENCO

Founded in 1992, ASTRA is an international not-for-profit trade organization that develops and supports a membership of independent retailers, manufacturers and sales representatives in the toy industry. Inspired to change the world through the power of play, ASTRA is a community of dedicated professionals committed to providing children with healthy, quality play materials that have a high play value and are designed with a focus on what the child can do, rather than what the toy can do. Through certification programs, educational resources and networking opportunities, ASTRA equips and empowers members to make a positive impact on the economy and culture of the communities they serve. For more information, visit astratoy.org.

Sue Warfield, CPE
Interim President

Sue Warfield has been in the both the Retail and Toy Business for over 30 years. What began as a part-time retail job turned into a passion for retail. While attending college, she worked part time for the then Dayton’s Department Store Chain. Though her “career” path had been International Trade, when she got her first great job in her field of study, she realized that as each day was coming to a close, she was looking forward to going to her part-time sales job at Dayton’s – which for some reason, she had never given up. Answering an ad to become an assistant manager at a hobby and craft store, she got the job...and that was it. Retail and sales were where she wanted to be.

Over the ensuing years, Sue worked for 2 major, independently owned, retail chains based in the Minneapols/St. Paul area and worked through the ranks to include store management, training, buying, and ultimately, director of retail operations. In 1990 she started her own retail consulting firm, Retail Specialties, and worked with clients around the US, developing training programs and working to improve their day to day operations. She entered the world of toy representation in 1995 and retail store ownership in 1999 when she and her husband opened a northwoods furnishings and décor store. She joined ASTRA in 2000 and has been an active member ever since, serving on the Board for 7 years, including chair. Her most recent work contributions have been with Hotaling Imports, a long term ASTRA Member, and serving as chair of the ASTRA Membership Committee.

Sue started her position as Director of Member Relations in August of 2014. She and her husband have 3 grown children and live in the northern Minnesota town of Ely, MN – gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Contact Sue
(312) 222-0984
swarfield@astratoy.org

Astra Toy Show 2020

Dee Marsden
Marketing and Communications Manager

Originally from outside of Chicago, Dee grew up hosting her own news broadcasts recorded on cassette tapes and publishing issues of marker-scribbled newspapers. Her passion for people, their stories, and the power of communication to connect with others took her to Boston, where she graduated from the Boston University College of Communication.
Shortly after graduation, Dee pursued a job offer in Boston to develop, lead and implement collaborative learning opportunities among university students while building a donor base to support her work. From facilitating weekly small group discussions to organizing and leading large-scale cross-cultural service trips to building out donor campaigns, the role gave Dee the opportunity to get to know to know the stories of hundreds of students representing diverse ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds - and an outlet for sharing these stories.
In 2013, Dee moved to Chicago and joined the ASTRA team. As the Associate Manager, Marketing and Communications, she is responsible for overseeing the marketing and communication strategy for the organization, including the annual Marketplace & Academy trade show and conference. She also manages the national Neighborhood Toy Store Day initiative.
Outside of work, Dee enjoys spending time with her husband Eric, exploring the many diverse neighborhoods of Chicago, and discovering local coffee shops.

Contact Dee
(312) 222-0984
dmarsden@astratoy.org

Nicole Peavy
Technical Project and Support Coordinator

Nicole joined the ASTRA team in July 2018 as the Office Administrator and brings a decade of experience in office administration. She previously worked as an administrative assistant for a number of Chicago-area school districts including the Waukegan, Zion and Grayslake school districts. Nicole also brings 12 years of community outreach experience, including founding Pure Love International, a non-profit centering around community and mentorship outreach.
When Nicole is not at the office keeping the day-to-day operations running at ASTRA HQ or working on her degree in Business and Organizational Leadership, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, writing and playing music and event planning.

Contact Nicole
(312) 222-0984
npeavy@astratoy.org