Bananagrams, a fast-paced family word game, was named  “Game of the Year’’ at the 2009 Toy Fair (along with 8 other major toy industry awards). It comes packaged inside a banana-shaped yellow pouch, which (in addition to being eye-catching) keeps it compact and perfect for travel. Players race against each other to build crossword grids and use all their letter tiles. There's no turn-taking to be found here—it all happens at once and it’s a race to the finish. This is one of my family's favorites and truly appeals to kids of all ages!