We are honored to share that Genius Games has been selected as a Top 3 finalist in the STEM category of the 2026 ASTRA Play Awards for our Pond Slider Turtle Jigsaw Puzzle – 4FT Double Sided Floor Puzzle – 100-Piece Scientifically Accurate Educational Puzzle for Kids. ASTRA says this year’s program includes 36 finalists across 12 categories, making this recognition especially meaningful to us.
The ASTRA Play Awards are especially meaningful because they are designed to highlight standout products within the specialty toy community. The program is an award voted on exclusively by retailers. Voting opened last April 15 and closes April 30 on the ASTRA website.
We are grateful to ASTRA for this recognition and thankful to the retailers who support educational play, science learning, and products that spark wonder in kids and families. Being named a finalist in the STEM Category is an exciting milestone for our team, and we are thrilled to see the Pond Slider Turtle puzzle recognized alongside so many thoughtful and inspiring products.
If you are an ASTRA retailer, we would be honored to have your support during the voting period.
At Genius Games, we believe that science is awe-inspiring, beautiful, and deeply important. That mission shapes every product we create, and this puzzle is a wonderful example of that approach in action. The Pond Slider Turtle puzzle is a large-format, double-sided floor puzzle designed to help children explore both the beauty of an animal and the science behind it. On one side, kids build a vibrant pond slider turtle illustration. On the other, they discover a scientifically accurate anatomy view that encourages curiosity, observation, and learning through play. It is a 4-foot, 100-piece, scientifically accurate educational puzzle for kids illustrated by Mesa Schumacher, a Certified Medical Illustrator from Johns Hopkins University, reflecting the care and scientific integrity built into the design.
