STREETSBORO, OHIO — July 22, 2008 — The Step2 Company®, the nation's largest manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys and famous for its signature play kitchens, houses, ride on toys and outdoor toys, has earned yet another prestigious award for its line of products. Step2's Sand & Water Cart has been recognized by Dr. Toy as one of the "Best Play and Learn Products."

Dr. Toy's Best Play and Learn Product Awards were designed 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, stimulating toys and products for children.

"As a childhood specialist for 40 years I have seen the continuous, essential need for more year-round resources for consumers to identify and choose the most appropriate, safe, engaging and developmental products for all children." Says Dr. Toy. "I chose to recognize Step2's Sand & Water Cart because it is a developmentally friendly, safe and affordable product that is also convenient, unique and versatile for indoor or outdoor use."

The Step2 Sand & Water Cart is new this summer to the Step2 family of outdoor toys. This best-selling item is easy for parents to move with its cart-on-wheels, while the raised sandbox play area helps keep kids' clothes dry and their shoes sand-free. A protective lid keeps debris and water out and the underneath shelf can be used to store additional outside games or as a place to let wet toys dry. The cart also comes equipped with a tilt-able umbrella to provide shade during hours of outdoor enjoyment.

Step2 makes durable, well-made, stylish children's toys that promote role-modeling, motor skills, creative play development and, most importantly, provide hours of fun for children. Step2 puts all of their toys through rigorous safety testing and produces the highest quality products for families, with over 90 percent of manufacturing taking place in the United States.

"The Step2 Company is committed to creating toys that provide hours of safe, fun imaginative play and development for children," said Step2 CEO Scott Levin. "We are thrilled to be honored as one of Dr. Toy's best products."

"Dr. Toy's Best Products for Summer 2008" were selected as award winning products and carefully chosen from among the hundreds reviewed by using extensive criteria developed over many years. Among the criteria used are: 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.

Complete information about the Step2 Sand & Water Cart and other products are included in the full report available at drtoy.com. Winning products are manufactured by new, small and large companies from around the world.

About the Step2 Company
The Step2 Company is a family company with brands including Step2, Infantino, and Thinkativity that foster learning and development through creative play in children from birth to school-age years. Step2, based in Streetsboro, Ohio, is the largest American manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys and the world's largest rotational molder of children's and home products, including children's play kitchens, playhouses, outdoor toys and ride on toys, as well as home products such as mailboxes, outdoor furniture and trash cans. Infantino, headquartered in San Diego, Calif. is a leading designer and international distributor of innovative and original infant, toddler, and preschool products. Featuring fashion-forward designs, the popular product lines include classic creative baby toys and puzzles, innovative soft baby carriers, and simple, no-fuss baby travel systems. New Jersey-based Thinkativity is a leading innovator of electronic and early learning toys promoting inventive play patterns through original musical compositions and stories that inspire children to explore, play and learn. Visit Step2.com and Infantino.com to learn more about the Step2 Company brands.

About Dr. Toy
Dr. Toy's Guide, the world's first website to provide information on the best in toys and educational products, offers year-round, award-winning toy and children's product information plus timely articles, useful resources, links and much more. Over the years 3,000 toys and children's products have been selected for awards by Dr. Toy. These items are displayed with product descriptions and images, and company contact information.

This award-winning site is a free public service provided by The Institute for Childhood Resources, a not-for-profit organization. Dr. Toy provides children, parents, teachers, grandparents and other adults with important year-round information about Dr. Toy award winning products. These include toys, dolls, games, puzzles, books, software, CDs, audio and video discs and tapes, creative materials, construction toys, and much more!

CONTACT:
Dotti Franks, Vice President Marketing Communications
dfranks@step2.net; 330-656-0440
Margaux Vega, Current Lifestyle Marketing
mvega@currentlm.com ; 415-449-0126

STREETSBORO, OHIO — July 24, 2008 — The Step2 Company®, the nation's largest manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys and famous for its signature play kitchens, playhouses, ride on toys and outdoor toys, has earned yet another prestigious nod for its line of products. AblePlay™, a toy rating system and Web site that assists consumers in selecting the best toys for children with special needs, has recognized the Step2 Fun Flow Play Sink and Step2 Sand & Water Cart with high ratings.

The AblePlay rating seal provides an at-a-glance understanding of a toy's appropriateness for children with disabilities in four key areas: physical, sensory, communicative and/or cognitive — in order to help parents and professionals get more customized information. Products are given a rating from 1 to 5 stars, with 5 being the highest.

"It can be a challenge for parents of special needs children to choose the right toy that is safe and also fun for their child," says Sarah Paweni, director of the National Lekotek® Center, a division of Anixter Center, the leading nonprofit authority on play for children with disabilities and founders of the AblePlay rating system. "Step2's Fun Flow Play Sink and Sand & Water Cart both scored well in all four of our evaluation categories making them great choices for the families that look to our ratings for guidance."

The Fun Flow Play Sink, which features a battery-powered pump that keeps water flowing through the goose-neck faucet, comes with a strainer, water wheel, cup and funnel for the full water play experience. Additionally, the built-in timer on the faucet saves battery power allowing for hours of excitement.

Similarly, Step2's Sand & Water Cart, their new raised sandbox and water table, offers elevated play for children ages 2+. Two front wheels and handle help easily move sand cart from one place to another while accessories such as boats, cups and a UV-resistant umbrella all add to the fun.

"We are so proud of the great marks our Step2 toys continue to receive in the AblePlay testing program," said Step2 CEO, Scott Levin. "It is indeed an honor to achieve this recognition of our high quality toys that foster development and learning for all children."

Step2 makes durable, well-made, stylish children's toys that promote role-modeling, motor skills, creative play development and, most importantly, fun for children. Step2 puts all of their toys through rigorous safety testing and produces the highest quality products for families, with over 90% of manufacturing taking place in the United States.

For more information, view Step2's AblePlay ratings at ableplay.org.

About AblePlay™ Lekotek® and Anixter Center.
The National Lekotek® Center provides play-based services, support and information to children with special needs and their families in resource and play centers that are found nationally. Lekotek is a division of Anixter Center, a not-for-profit organization in Chicago that enhances the ability of individuals living with or at risk of disabilities to live, learn, work and play in the community. Anixter Center recently was named the 13th-largest charitable organization in Chicago by Crain's Chicago Business. People served by Lekotek include children with a range of disabilities such as Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, cognitive and/or development delays or chronic medical conditions, and their families. Lekotek, based in Chicago, Illinois, is the U.S. headquarters and the administrative and training center for the nationwide network of thirty-five (35) Lekotek centers in seven (7) states (Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia). For more information about Anixter Center, visit the Anixter Website

CONTACT:
Dotti Franks, Vice President Marketing Communications
dfranks@step2.net; 330-656-0440

Margaux Vega, Current Lifestyle Marketing
mvega@currentlm.com ; 415-449-0126