An award-winning middle school product encompasses several key factors that contribute to its recognition and effectiveness. This year, The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023 is focusing on products and services that help middle school & high school aged kids in the following ways:
- Educational Value: An award-winning middle school or high school product should have a strong educational foundation. It should align with the curriculum and learning objectives of middle school students, providing valuable content and fostering their academic growth. The product should engage students, stimulate their critical thinking skills, and promote deep understanding of the subject matter.
- Pedagogical Approach: The product should employ effective teaching methods and instructional strategies that cater to the learning needs and preferences of middle school and high school students. It should incorporate research-based practices and innovative approaches to enhance student engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes. The product should be adaptable and flexible, allowing for differentiation and addressing diverse learning styles and abilities.
- Content Quality: The content within the product should be accurate, up-to-date, and relevant to the targeted middle school and high school audience. It should be presented in a clear and engaging manner, with appropriate depth and breadth for the grade level. The content should foster conceptual understanding, provide real-world connections, and encourage critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Interactive and Engaging: An award-winning middle school or high school product should incorporate interactive and engaging features that captivate students’ interest and maintain their motivation. This could include interactive simulations, multimedia elements, gamification, hands-on activities, virtual experiments, and opportunities for collaborative learning. Interactive components should be purposeful and enhance the learning experience rather than being merely superficial.
- User-Friendly Interface: The product’s user interface should be intuitive, easy to navigate, and visually appealing. It should be designed with middle school or high school students in mind, ensuring that they can access and interact with the content seamlessly. Clear instructions, well-organized materials, and user-friendly tools contribute to a positive user experience.
- Assessment and Feedback: An award-winning middle school and high school product should incorporate effective assessment strategies to monitor students’ progress and provide meaningful feedback. It should offer various types of assessments, including formative and summative assessments, to evaluate students’ understanding and growth. The product should provide timely and constructive feedback that supports students’ learning and helps them improve their performance.
- Innovation and Impact: Award-winning middle school and high school products often demonstrate innovation and creativity in their design, content delivery, or pedagogical approach. They push boundaries, introduce novel concepts, or offer unique solutions to educational challenges. Additionally, an award-winning product should have a proven track record of making a positive impact on student learning, as evidenced by research, testimonials, or usage data.
- Usability and Accessibility: The product should be accessible to a wide range of learners, including students with diverse abilities, learning styles, and language backgrounds. It should be inclusive, providing accommodations and support for students with special needs or English language learners. The product should also be compatible with various devices and platforms to ensure broad access and usability.
These characteristics collectively contribute to the quality, effectiveness, and impact of an award-winning middle school and high school product.
All of winners of The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023 match one or more of these categories that we believe are essential to a child’s development. NOTE: Winners are listed alphabetically.
A Classic Christmas by GLP Music – Twelve tracks of Christmas favorites in classical arrangements for guitar, recorder, cello, violin and flute, featuring Grammy winner Michael Barry. Also a bonus track, Nat King Cole’s Christmas Song, performed by the Nat King Cole Generation Hope Summer Strings. A portion of proceeds will be donated to Nat King Cole Generation Hope to support its mission to provide music education to children with the greatest need and fewest resources.
GLP Music introduces children to world languages and cultures through music. Since winning the Latin Grammy for Best Latin Children’s Album in 2014, GLP Music has become a leading name in children’s world music. You can check out all the GLP Music releases here.
https://www.glpmusic.nyc/apiaceri
A Classic Christmas by GLP Music won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
All-in-One Homeschool Curriculum – This award-winning digital solution for K-12 homeschooling is our favorite homeschool curriculum we’ve ever reviewed. Their curriculum is comprehensive and provides everything you need to educate your child from the comfort of your own home. With engaging lessons, interactive activities, and teaching guides for parents, it is the most cost-effective way to a fantastic education for your kids. For just $29.99 per grade (when on sale), it is a fantastic solution for parents that are looking for a complete curriculum without breaking the bank. The course work can be completed on a computer, tablet or by printing the lessons for your student. Learn more at https://www.onlinehomeschoolcurriculum.com.
All-in-One Homeschool Curriculum won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
ALO Comfort Aloe Vera + Watermelon + Peach Drink – ALO Comfort is a plant-based aloe vera juice drink with real aloe vera combined with watermelon and peach juice refreshing flavor. ALO drink is a NON-GMO, Gluten Free, Vegan jucie drink for all ages. You can see all their drink options here.
https://alodrink.com/alo-original/alo-comfort/
Apple Valley Natural Soap – Apple Valley Natural Soap uses nutrient dense natural ingredients in all their products, which benefits and rejuvenates hair, face & body. AVNS crafts products for the whole family, from gentle and nourishing soaps for little ones, to products & soaps which help with skin issues, plus products which help restore & rejuvenate skin. Examples of these products include their Calendula Castile Soap, perfect for sensitive skin and little ones; AVNS Organic Herbal Salve, an amazing multi-purpose salve which helps with all types of skin issues; AVNS Natural Sugar Cookie Lip Balm (kids and adults love it), AVNS Signature Soap – Symphony, and their new Rejuvenating Face Serum. Really, something for everyone in the family.
https://www.applevalleynaturalsoap.com
Apple Valley Natural Soap won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Artisana Organics Hazelnut Cacao Spread – Want a guilt-free spread that’s tasty too? Artisana Organics Hazelnut Cacao Spread is just that. Pure ingredients, no palm oil ever, and only sweetened with coconut sugar. Arisana Organics selects the best quality, ethically sourced, to offer an exceptional true-nature-taste. And hazelnuts are the first ingredient in this spread. Artisana is R.A.W and C.L.E.A.N certified by the Clean Food Certified Project. Their facility is peanut and soy free. Snack time just got better.
To see all their food offerings, click here.
Artisana Organics Hazelnut Cacao Spread won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Bookshop.org – Bookshop.org connects readers with independent booksellers all over the world, helping local bookstores thrive in the digital age. Bookshop.org’s revolving lists of curated book picks include dedicated landing pages for both Kids and Young Adult readers with expert-selected recommendations for readers 1 to 18 years old, and beyond. Book lovers can order online from any of 1800+ local bookstores they want to support, with the full profit from purchase sent directly to the bookstore. If no bookstore is selected, profits will go directly into Bookshop.org’s profit pool, split between all the bookshops. Bookshop.org’s mission is to preserve bookstores as community hubs that foster culture, curiosity, and a love of reading, giving young readers the opportunity to discover new books and immerse themselves in the illuminating world of literature. As a certified B Corp, Bookshop.org gives over 80% of its profit margin to independent bookstores and has raised over $26 million for independent bookstores in the US since launching in 2020.
Bookshop.org won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Doodle & Draw Line from Crayola – It’s time to level up with new detail-oriented tools from the Doodle & Draw line – perfect for adding extra features and refinement to tween artists and doodlers alike. This brand-new line is perfect for any beginner artist: including Fine Point and Ultra Fine Point Doodle Markers for the most intricate of details – Dual-Ended Doodle Markers to create both thick and thin lines – Color Change Doodle Markers to create beautiful layers of colors, and Sketch & Shade Doodle Pencils, ideal for standing out against light and dark paper. It’s perfect gift as a set or can be gifted individually as stocking stuffers. Suggested retail price $9.99.
https://shop.crayola.com/brands/doodle-and-draw
Doodle & Draw Line from Crayola won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Earth Mama Organics Eczema Cream – Earth Mama’s cruelty-free Eczema Cream is formulated to temporarily protect and help relieve minor skin irritation, no matter the cause — eczema, a random rash, a run-in with a bug that likes to bite, or a recent tousle with poison oak, ivy or sumac. It contains organic rooibos and black cumin seed, plus a generous dose of organic colloidal oatmeal for immediate therapeutic itch relief that does no harm. You won’t find any steroids, petrolatum, fragrance, or harsh artificial preservatives — like phenoxyethanol, sodium benzoate or potassium sorbate — that are no friends to sensitive, already-angry skin. Perfect for the whole family! Safe for babies, toddlers, children, adults and pregnant/breastfeeding women. Awarded the Seal of Acceptance by the National Eczema Association for passing the association’s rigid standards.
https://earthmamaorganics.com/products/eczema-cream
Earth Mama Organics won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Earth Mama Organics, Organic Elderberry Immune Tea – In today’s world, immune support is the new self-care. Organic Elderberry Immune Tea is tart and fruity, and packed with precisely blended herbs that support your immune system. When you’re feeling the effects of the season, it’s time to steep a cup of Elderberry Immune Tea. It’s also carefully formulated for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and any adult or kid with an immune system in need of some TLC. 100% Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth, Non-GMO Project Verified, and Certified Kosher.
https://earthmamaorganics.com/products/organic-elderberry-immune-tea
Earth Mama Organics won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Everyone Power Risnse – Power Rinse clarifying cleanser from Everyone thoroughly removes excess buildup while gently detangling hair. Use it in place of or before shampoo after swimming, football practice, outdoor fun or anytime your teen’s hair needs a deep clean. A powerful blend of four AHA fruit acids removes oil, dirt, pollutants, hard water buildup, chlorine and perspiration. A hint of apple cider vinegar helps balance and refresh the scalp. Quinoa protein helps smooth strands while carrot seed extract nourishes and strengthens hair. Made without artificial fragrances, SLES, sulfates, silicones, phthalates, parabens or gluten, it’s also safe for all hair types, especially textured and color-treated hair.
https://www.eoproducts.com/products/power-rinse
Everyone Power Risnse won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Family Pastimes Co-operative Games ™ – For over 50 years their co-op games have been praised for helping people of all ages develop the skills to play, work and learn together. That’s their slogan: Play Together Not Against Each Other!
To learn more about their wide range of games, puzzles and manuals for all ages and situations, view their complete and latest catalog with shopping available for your convenience.
Family Pastimes Co-operative Games ™ won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Frequent Flyer – Frequent Flyer is a family friendly and educational board game where you will challenge your opponents to see who can visit 20 U.S. cities. Every time you fly you earn frequent flyer miles like in real life. Exchange your miles for free flights or upgrades to first class.
https://frequentflyergame.com/product/frequent-flyer-board-game/
Frequent Flyer won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Freshwater Tank Game from kaplancrypto.com – Have you ever dreamed of making your freshwater aquarium? Have you ever wondered what fish you would like to keep, or what fish will go well together? Well, in the Freshwater Tank, now you can. With 155 fish and 100 incidents, see for yourself what fish you would want to have and how to take care of them while having fun with friends and family; you can even create what type of community tank you might desire. So, do you want a goldfish tank, a tropical fish tank, an aggressive cichlid tank, or any other type? That’s up to you. The goal of the game is to become the first person to create a compatible fish tank with 10 fish, but be careful; you might lose some of your fish as you play. So what are you waiting? Set up your aquarium.
2 – 4+ players, ages: 6+, 30 minutes to infinite game play.
Freshwater Tank Game from kaplancrypto.com won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Funsicle Surfin’ Shark Pool Play Inflatable Ride-Ons – The Funsicle Surfin’ Shark Pool Play Ride-Ons are a pair of fun-loving floats that give families an innovative way to play together. These two inflatable ride-ons feature a unique character design and are large enough for older kids and parents to take out on an aquatic adventure. Once on the water, the fun doesn’t stop with games like shark hunt, tag or hide-and-seek. Perfect for taking to the pool, lake or beach, these floats will keep the creative fun and socializing flowing. They include secured grips and floaters attached to each side, ensuring a smooth, safe ride. Inflation and deflation are efficient with the help of the included AirFlate Tool and EasyGrip non-slip air valve. The Funsicle Surfin’ Shark Pool Play Ride-Ons are constructed with a tough DuraSeam double layer and is made from puncture-resistant and non-phthalates material. Hop aboard and these inflatable sharks will show any family a terrific time.
Funsicle Surfin’ Shark Pool Play Ride-Ons won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Glitter Gel Smens – The Glitter Gel Smens® 8 Pack includes 8 of our clickable pens that write in colorful glitter gel ink. Each Glitter Gel Smen® emits its scent through the grip. You will receive 1 each of the 8 scents.
https://scentcoinc.com/products/glittergelsmens-8pack
Glitter Gel Smens won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Hasty Baker from GoChuckle – Hasty Baker is a baking competition themed family card game that’s fun for all ages. Players collect ingredients to finish recipes while sabotaging each other or trying to get ahead. This award-winning 2-6 player game is designed to be fun for young and old, to get families playing together, creating great memories. The simple rules, stellar illustrations, strategic gameplay, and interaction between players make Hasty Baker a game that get’s played over and over again! Kids will have fun learning strategy, math, reading, spelling, and critical thinking without realizing it.
Hasty Baker from GoChuckle won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
HD Coloring Kit from Crayola – Artists can get the perfect, ready-to-display outcome every time with the brand-new HD Coloring Kit. With extremely detailed coloring pages, paired with high-pigmented colored pencils, anyone can create professional art you’ll want to showcase for all to see. Suggested retail price: $19.99.
https://www.amazon.com/Crayola-Coloring-Colored-Pencils-Premium/dp/B0C775W6T3
HD Coloring Kit from Crayola won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Honeybee Life Cycle Specimens from Natura Toys – Introducing the Honey Bee Life Cycle Specimen from Natura. This little wonder has undergone a meticulous process to maintain its clarity and purity. It’s perfect for inspiring curiosity in kids and anyone who loves the natural world. Check it out and let the buzz begin!
Other options include Anthropods, Butterflies and more.
https://www.natura-toys.com/product-page/honeybee-life-cycle
Honeybee Life Cycle Specimens from Natura Toys won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
HUE Animation Studio – HUE Animation Studio is a STEM.org Authenticated™ movie-making starter kit for children aged 7-13.
It contains everything a budding animator needs to create stop motion movies like Missing Link, Pinocchio or Coraline:
– A flexible, HUE HD camera with integrated microphone (available in red, green or blue).
– A 64-page, animation book with instructions, tips and ideas.
– Easy-to-use animation software for Windows and macOS.
– Downloadable storyboards, backgrounds, tutorial videos and music.
Complete beginners can start animating in minutes and bring favorite toys, modeling clay, LEGO®, Stikbots or 2D drawings to life to amaze friends and family. Create dynamic movies with time-lapse, special effects and title credits.
This fun, educational kit fosters creativity, collaboration and critical thinking while bringing hours of enjoyment to young film directors as they learn how to make movie magic.
Perfect for homeschooling, class projects and family fun. $69.95 from Amazon, also available directly from huehd.com.
HUE Animation Studio won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
HUE HD Pro – The HUE HD Pro is a funky, flexible and multifunctional camera recommended by teachers and loved by kids.
Available in a choice of colors: red, green, blue and black, the camera features Full HD 1080p image and video resolution, integrated microphone and LED lights. Simply plug the USB cable into your computer and use the camera with all your favorite apps such as Facetime, Quicktime, Windows or Chrome “Camera” and MS Flip.
It’s perfect for schoolwork and for having fun too – whether you have gamers who are into streaming, teens who want to chat with their friends via Zoom or Discord, or YouTubers, Animators, Instagrammers and TikTokers.
Each HUE HD Pro includes single-user licenses (for Windows and macOS) of HUE Intuition software for recording videos and capturing and annotating images. You’ll find the whole family will want to get involved.
$79.95 from Amazon, also available directly from huehd.com.
HUE HD Pro won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Juice Beauty SPF Sport Sunscreen – A sheer zinc sunscreen that can face any heat wave. 80 min water + sweat resistant, mineral zinc SPF 30 organic ingredients sunscreen made especially for an active outdoor lifestyle. Provides broad-spectrum sun protection with rich organic jojoba and soothing aloe, antioxidants, and vitamins for the ultimate daily protection. For kids to ageless! Eco-values: no chemical sunscreen ingredients (zinc only) + organic ingredients. Made with certified organic ingredients to protect humans, animals and the planet. Sustainable packaging: FSC paper. Recyclable tube. Shipped from a solar powered HQ.
Juice Beauty SPF Sport Sunscreen won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
KidsRead2Kids Presents… Amazing Tales! – Inside the colorful pages of KidsRead2Kids Presents… Amazing Tales, you will find: “Superheroes and role models to help you love reading, writing, and communicating, no matter what learning challenges you may face. Fun story starters, STEM activities, puzzles, and lessons learned from relatable kids who know what it’s like to struggle in school and let you in on their secrets for success. As a lifelong educator, I’d be hard pressed to think of a more positive, proactive, compelling guide for young learners who want to realize their dreams, or will be motivated to realize their dreams, once they’ve gotten hooked on “Amazing Tales!” Parents, teachers, and administrators take note! This book is a must-have for all the young people in your life.” –Dr. Julie M. Wood, Former Director of the Jeanne Chall Reading Lab, Harvard Graduate School of Education.
https://kidsread2kids.com/kidsread2kids-presents-amazing-tales
KidsRead2Kids Presents… Amazing Tales! won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Maple Landmark – Maple Landmark was founded in Lincoln, Vermont, by Mike Rainville. Born from the carpentry trade of his maternal and paternal grandparents, the ability to build something from raw materials was very satisfying and intriguing for him. As a teenager, Mike began selling at craft fairs, selling home décor items and simple games. In the mid 80’s, Mike split his time between college and home to keep orders filled. After graduation, Mike sought to grow the business by developing a healthy mix of wooden products to appeal to a variety of customers. From Cheri Baby Rattles & Stacking Dudes to Housewares & Wind spinners, their 35 local craftspeople make something for everyone. Maple Landmark is also aware of its’ eco-footprint – using locally sourced materials, giving away scrap wood and sawdust to hometown folks, packing orders in shredded outdated office papers, and using solar to power 75% of the factory.
https://www.maplelandmark.com/
Maple Landmark won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Missing Lynx game from One Planet Games, LLC– Rescue endangered animals by traveling the world, gathering information, sharing clues and solving the mystery. The faster you can figure out who is safe and who is not, the sooner the animals can live wild and free. Become a master of deduction and inferencing while navigating whether to share information to gain points or keep it private in the hopes of a bigger pay off. You will be so focused on rescuing the animals you may not even notice how many fascinating new facts you learn about the animals, food sources and habitats along the way. Every game is a new adventure.
https://oneplanetgames.com/products/
Missing Lynx game from One Planet Games, LLC won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Piles! from Lost Boy Entertainment – Piles! is a fast-paced free-for-all with no turns and no time to waste. Don’t fold under pressure. Only the best with the mess will win this race. If you enjoy fun, classic games like Speed and Spoons then you’ll love this easy to learn family game. Age Range: 8 years and up Player Count: 2-8 Players Length of Play: 10 Mins
https://www.lostboyentertain.com/products/piles
Piles! from Lost Boy Entertainment won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Speed Charades by The Game Chef – A fun twist on a family favorite. Players compete head-to-head in a race to act out words for their teams to guess. Starting at the same time, the first team to guess 4 of the 5 words on their card wins the round and scores a point. The team with the most points after ten rounds wins. You can see all their games here.
Speed Charades by The Game Chef won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
SuperMouth System ages 13 and up – Complete – SuperMouth’s dentist-invented system equips teens and adults with the tools to achieve excellent oral health for life and helps combat risk factors associated with oral diseases. Parents can choose between the bare essentials with the SuperMouth Basic System option, the fresh breath-boosting Plus System option, or the Complete System, the ultimate whole-mouth health option. The Complete System cuts no corners and optimizes whole mouth health with every form of protection. This system includes either fluoride with Hydroxamin™ or non-fluoride mouthpaste with four delicious flavors, mouthbrush with up to 13,000 super soft bristles, expanding mouthfloss, which removes more plaque and deposits nano-hydroxyapatite material and vitamins K2 and D3, prebiotic mouthspray to balance pH and freshen breath on-the-go, triple-action mouthcleaner to gently exfoliate the tongue and support helpful bacteria, alcohol-free Hydroxamin™ (nano-hydroxyapatite, vitamin D3 and vitamin K2) mouthwash, augmented reality sticker and more.
SuperMouth System ages 13 and up – Complete won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Target – Target is a fast-paced, award-winning mental math game that is great for kids ages 8 and up, teachers, tutors, and even adults! The goal of the game is simple: use your cards, along with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, to make an equation equal to a target number. With three ways to play and three difficulty levels to choose from, Target can easily be customized for any skill level and is a great way for children and adults to sharpen their problem solving skills, improve their math fluency, and boost their confidence in math!
Target won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
The Hoglet – FIDGET TO FOCUS – A fidget gadget + computer mouse that is beneficial for sensory seekers, helping them to focus while working in front of a computer. The first ever mouse to bring together fun & functionality in one cool wireless mouse!
https://shop.hedgehoghealth.com/products/hoglet-by-hedgehog-health
The Hoglet won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Word Witt – It’s not Boggle and it’s not Scrabble…it is its own fresh new format. Word Witt is easy to learn and a challenging, fast, and
FUN game for the entire family.
Created by parents and supported by educators. Word Witt is a quick and competitive game for building the most important academic skills in school age kids, while keeping word-loving adults engaged and thinking.
Word Witt was designed as a positive way to naturally reinforce phonemic awareness, spelling, word recognition, vocabulary, and mental agility. With playtime of only 1-minute per round, Word Witt provides a lightning-quick opportunity to think, compete, and laugh, while building self-confidence and social skills.
Winning the Oppenheim Gold Seal Award, PALS Top 10 Award, PALS Award, NAPPA Award, Mom’s Choice Award, Creative Child 2021 & 2022 Game of the Year Award, and supported b University of Michigan’s Dyslexia Help.
Word Witt is an excellent resource for any level learner ages 7-107.
Word Witt won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
Wondershare FamiSafe – Wondershare FamiSafe is one of the most reliable parental control apps that lets parents control screen time, track real-time location and detect inappropriate content on their child’s device.
Outstanding features:
1. Monitor your child’s phone activity – know how much time your child spends on specific apps.
2. Keep content safe – help kids avoid inappropriate content.
3. Internet Safety – Protects children from being exposed to inappropriate content on the Internet.
4. Family Location Tracking – Get your child’s real-time location at all times.
Wondershare FamiSafe won the award for The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023.
We hope you enjoyed reading about The Best Middle School Products & The Best High School Products of 2023. Please check back as we will continually add additional products throughout 2023! You can view other Middle School award winners here: https://www.parentspicksawards.com/middle-school-award-winners/ and High School Winners here: https://www.parentspicksawards.com/high-school-award-winners/