Step2 Toys Named #1 in "Buzzillions Reviewers' Choice Awards"

STREETSBORO, OHIO - April 1, 2009 — Step2 children's toys are the favorite brand for fun toys that foster creative play, according to hundreds of grandparents, working parents and families across the country taking part in the Buzzillions Reviewers' Choice Awards. Receiving an unprecedented 55 honors, the Step2 toys were noted for their high-quality, creativity and innovation.

The Step2 Company, LLC, is the nation's largest preschool and toddler toy manufacturer, famous for its signature play kitchens, outdoor and ride-on toys, and craft tables and easels. With headquarters in Streetsboro, Ohio, Step2 is an American toy company making 90 percent of its toys in three US-based factories. Step2 is the largest rotational molder of plastics in the world and distributes its toys in 70 countries worldwide.

Winners of the Buzzillions Reviewers' Choice™ Awards are selected based on the opinions of real consumers who have purchased and used the product and posted their opinions on Buzzillions.com, the Web's premier hub for customer reviews. Buzzillions is the only product review site that categorizes its reviews by "user personality" so that consumers can get ratings and reviews from people just like them.

"Most product awards are judged by a small group of industry experts," said Andy Chen, CEO of Buzzillions. "The Buzzillions Reviewers' Choice Awards are unique in that they are judged by the people, for the people. It speaks volumes for Step2 to be recognized by the toughest judges of all — their customers."

The Step2 Company was honored with 21 2008 Buzzillions Reviewers' Choice Award Winners and 34 2008 Buzzillions Reviewer's Choice Award Finalists for their toddler toys and children's furniture. Additionally, 23 of these awards were for the best "overall" product in their nominated category.

"At Step2, we pride ourselves on making innovative toys that foster creativity for children and are a good value for families. We care about what our consumers are saying about our products and take all feedback into consideration," said Scott Levin, CEO for The Step2 Company. "We think it's fantastic that Buzzillions.com offers such a unique venue for people to share their opinion online and are grateful to be honored with these awards."

The Step2 Company received the following Buzzillions Reviewers' Choice Awards:

Art Master Activity Desk: Art Storage & Tables - Best Overall
Soft & Sturdy Blocks: Building Sets, Blocks & Materials - Best Overall
Soft & Sturdy Deluxe Blocks: Building Sets, Blocks & Materials — Best for Parents of Two or More Children
Lift & Hide Bookcase Storage Chest: Children's Bedroom Furniture - for Budget Shoppers, Mid-range Shoppers and Best Overall
Pirate Ship: Doll Accessories - for Parents of Two or More Children
Flip Doodle Easel Desk: Learning & Activities - for Grandparents
24" Playmats - 1 pack (4 Total Playmats): Learning & Activities - for Working Parents
Outdoor Storage Bench: Patio Benches - Best Overall
Naturally Playful Welcome Home Playhouse: Play Houses & Furniture - for First-Time Parents, Grandparents, Parents of Two or More Children, Stay-at-Home Parents, Working Parents and Best Overall
Naturally Playful Adventure Lodge Play Center: Playsets - Best Overall
Par 3 Mini Golf Course: Toy Sports - Best Overall
Deluxe Canyon Road Train Track Table: Toy Trains - for Parents of Two or More Children and Best Overall
Naturally Playful Sand & Water Activity Center: Water Toys - Best Overall
Up & Down Roller Coaster: Youth Push Ride-on Toys — Best Overall

The following products are Buzzillions Reviewers' Choice Award Finalists:

Creative Projects Table: Art Storage & Tables - Overall
Dream Castle Convertible Bed: Children's Bedroom Furniture - Overall
Racing Room Combo: Children's Bedroom Furniture — Overall and Mid-range Shoppers
Dream Castle Convertible Bed: Children's Bedroom Furniture - for Mid-range and Budget Shoppers
Fire Engine Toddler Bed: Children's Bedroom Furniture - for Mid-range Shoppers and Budget Shoppers Pirate Ship: Doll Accessories — Overall and Stay-At-Home-Parents
Sand & Water Cart: Floats, Toys & Games - Overall
Flip & Doodle Easel Desk: Learning & Activities — Overall and for Stay-At Home-Parents 24" Playmats — 1 pack (4 Total Playmats): Learning Activities, for First-Time Parents and Parents of Two or More Children
Naturally Playful Picnic Table: Play Houses & Furniture — Overall and Stay-at-Home Parents
Naturally Playful Storybook Cottage Playhouse: Play Houses & Furniture — Overall, Stay-at-Home and Parents of Two or More Children and First time Parents
Naturally Playful Neat and Tidy Cottage: Play Houses & Furniture — For Working Parents, Stay-At-Home-Parents, and First-Time Parents
Play Shade Deluxe Bouncer: Play Houses & Furniture - For Parents of Two or More Children
Fold & Store Slide: Playsets - Overall
Naturally Playful Big Folding Slide: Playsets - Overall
Naturally Playful Look-out Treehouse: Playsets - Overall
Deluxe Canyon Road Train Track Table: Toy Trains - for Stay-at-Home Parents
WaterWheel Play Table: Water Toys - Overall
Push-Around Buggy: Youth Push Ride-On Toys - Overall

In addition to providing innovative toys, The Step2 Company is also dedicated to providing parents and child care professionals access to learn and share information about the importance of creative play. CreativePlayPlus.com is a ground breaking blog launched from an alliance between the Step2 Company and the renowned Schubert Center for Child Studies. The site offers a variety of topics related to play and provides visitors with relevant news stories, expert research, articles and other blogs that center around the topic of play.

For more information on Step2 products visit www.step2.com. For a full list of winners visit Buzzillions Reviewers' Choice Award Announcement.

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, gardening aids 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. Step2, in partnership with Case Western Reserve University's Schubert Center for Child Studies, sponsors CreativePlayPlus.com, an online resource to provide parents with the latest research on creative play and child development. Visit www.creativeplayplus.com for more information on this partnered initiative. Visit www.step2.com, www.infantino.com and www.thinkativity.com to learn more about The Step2 Company brands.

About the Buzzillions® Reviewers' Choice™ Awards
Buzzillions Reviewers' Choice Awards are selected utilizing a special algorithm that ranks products reviewed by consumers in the calendar year of 2008. This algorithm incorporates star ratings, number of reviews and the reliability of the reviewers (reviews by "Verified Buyers" are given more weight). The #1-ranked product is awarded "Reviewers' Choice Winner" status. The #2 - #5-ranked products are awarded "Reviewers' Choice Finalist" status. Buzzillions.com, which has nearly five million reviews, is a one-stop product research site for consumers, providing reviews and recommendations from real product users for more than 700,000 products in thousands of categories, including consumer electronics, apparel, sporting goods, health & beauty and home & garden.

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

Lisa Brogan, CURRENT
lbrogan@currentlm.com; 310-854-8278