Avance North Texas Toy Contest

The Avance North Texas Toy Contest is held annually in April after PCEP participants have learned about the importance of play in their children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. Each family creates a toy designed to help their children develop essential skills for school readiness. This project is also meant to bring family members closer as they work together to create the toy.

The contest begins with a public exhibition of all the toys. A winning toy from each school is then selected to advance to a second round, which is judged by a panel of community partners. Criteria for judging include educational value, creativity, safety, originality, presentation, size, and age-appropriateness. Judges also consider the presentation of the possibilities sheet, detailing all the educational concepts that the toy may address.

The top five winners are awarded a scholarship for a class at a community college, paid for by AVANCE.