Suitable from age 3+ the drum looks like a traditional old fashioned toy. The kind of thing you imagine would’ve been found under the Christmas tree in years gone by. The drum is made from metal/tin and is very lightweight but also felt a little flimsier than I expected. Ethan couldn’t wait to open the box and start playing.

We chose the Vintage Musical Elephant Pull Toy as it only had a minimal amount of plastic, and we chose well. It’s the first toy our daughter engaged with and actually tried to grab. The ’soothing melody’ seems to soothe her, but doesn’t quite do the job for us parents.

Another soft toy (sigh) I’ll add that to the toy mountain. This one will be easy to spot as its bright orange. The toddler sees it: cue ‘Big & Small’ shrieks of delight….

The Pink horse skipping rope is is a lovely skipping rope, that feels much more solid than the usual plastic sets I’ve seen in this price range. The price is very reasonable, at under £5 and it’s ethically made too.

This heatable duck from Farm Toys is so soft and cuddly, I couldn’t help giving it a cuddle the moment I opened it! And Rosemary was also very taken by its softness and cuddliness, but also noticed that it was very heavy (for a three-year-old). There were clear instructions on the tag, cook on full power for about 2 minutes and you’re set!

Got a Toy Story fan in the family? Buy this. Even though the Buzz Lightyear Sky Board isn’t too sturdy, we have really enjoyed playing with this toy – I thought it was a simple idea that worked really well. I think a Sky Board would be a great beach or park toy for Buzz Lightyear fans, just don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t last the whole summer.

The Tomy Micropet is possibly the most annoying toy that has ever graced our house. Mia smuggled them in her suitcase to take on holiday with us and one started to ’sing’ at baggage check! The airport staff did not raise a smile. The children did love them, though, it has to be said.

The Lego minifigures are great quality and very affordable, but even so, I can see this range becoming VERY expensive very quickly if you keep getting duplicates – there are websites available that tell you the bar codes of the different figures if you want to cheat but even having looked at those I know the odds of me remembering what we’re looking for when I’m at the checkout in Tesco are pretty remote. A bit disappointing, for us, despite the quality of the toy itself, which is fine.

Set in the wonderful seaside world of Sunnysands, where the sun always shines and characters abound, this gently amusing programme reaches parts no other children’s TV programme can quite reach. It’s unique charm is the way it manages to bring nostalgia up-to-date and dispense liberal quantities of feel-good factor.

It’s a simple yet engaging educational toy which unlike others has proven to be consistently popular. It can be used for under two year olds although they will need help with the stacking activity. Two year olds will enjoy using it as a stacking toy or exploring the handy shapes and colours. It’s sturdy and will last for more than just one child’s use.

As a toy, we have very few complaints about the Playmobil Vet’s Car, but this would be better described as a 4×4 vehicle rather than a “vet’s” car. We were expecting animals, so we were disappointed!

The Nerf Maverick dart gun is just the most fun EVER, and I’m amazed you can get a Nerf this good for under £10. Having said that, I’d recommend spending the extra £4.99 to get a spare pack of 20 Nerf darts, because you will inevitably end up losing some down the back of the sofa.

Little Croc’s Purse is a gorgeous little book that explores the issues of honesty and generosity in a fun, cute way. The illustrations are lovely, and Flea still regularly asks to read this story a couple of months after it first came into the house.

I think the Playmobil Easter Egg is a fantastic alternative to chocolate eggs if you know children will be receiving their share of chocolate from other people. There are a good set of choices that should please all kids, and the plastic egg can be used as a moneybox afterwards, making the whole thing remarkably good value for money at £7.99

I was really excited when I saw the Battle Strikers game. I have seen it advertised on TV and I thought that it looked like loads of fun. The big box includes a game zone, magic finger controller and a turbo launcher that you use to launch your strikers into the game. The aim of Battle Strikers is to know out your partner’s striker and be crowned King of the battle!

The Diva Dice game is a great learning tool, which provides fun and family entertainment at a great price. We had loads of fun and I think the fact this is portable means it’s the sort of game we’d take on holiday or to relatives’ houses – it even comes in its own bag.

When I was asked to review a book entitled “Toilet Trivia” with my children, I was a little apprehensive about what this would be like! However from the moment I opened it we were in stitches and amazement. For example – did you know that in Australia you can’t wear hot-pink trousers past 4 o’clock on a Sunday or that in France it’s against the law to die unless you’ve already purchased a cemetery plot?! (Like what are they going to do – sue you?! Haha)

The Jojo Maman Bebe animal cubes are a really good value for money set – the design really is gorgeous, and the addition of the patterns and numbers mean that these can be used for education as well as fun as your little one gets older – a great idea.

This bright and colourful imaginative toy is a great way to help children with their hand eye coordination while also having fun and being creative. It’s just what I’m looking for when buying stocking fillers – not too expensive, no batteries or small parts. This sort of thing is a win win for me and we thoroughly enjoyed it!

These handkerchiefs from the Nappy Laundry are really bright and funky and feature numbers (sums) or the alphabet. They are ‘child’ sized and made from a nice robust cotton. A really nice idea and environmentally friendly (how many packets of tissues do we get through in a week?)

These Travelling Souk wooden earth worms for babies look lovely. I’m a sucker for nice wooden toys and would probably have a houseful of them, if I could afford it. And it’s nice to get a toy for a baby that does something other than rattle, squeak or make some kind of annoying noise!

If you’re looking for a reasonably priced stocking filler or present for a young baby, this is a great option – bright, colourful and gorgeously tactile, and able to be used on prams, cots and baby gyms. A fab toy and I like toys that seem ‘educational’ not just cute.

So hands up who never went to an all nighter? Well if you didn’t here’s your chance to grab a bit of old school rave-style and party in your front room and for the rest of us, it’s time to embarrass yourself in front of your kids and throw some shapes like it’s 1992…or whenever it was.

I liked the way you could make so many bubbles at once and the the small dish that you fill with bubble mix in was really easy to use. You dip the front of the gun in the dish and then point it and press the trigger. Loads of bubbles come out. I was so impressed with this. We were amazed that something that just blows out bubbles can be so much fun. We had a great time with it all afternoon.

We do absolutely love these new Chan Pie Gnon teethers from Vulli as toys and people have commented on how cool they are. They are definitely worth having, but as teethers we prefer Sophie the Giraffe, mainly as its legs and head are a lot easier for her to get in her mouth

As a mum who is always on the look out for toys that are not branded and are ‘home made’ I was thrilled with the Creative Charlie jewellery making kit. I loved so many things: the ethos of the company and the fact that they have obviously taken time to source quality items being the two main ones. The beads were made by woman’s cooperative; the labels are biodegradable; the shipping packaging recycled. If you’re looking for a great ethical gift idea then look no further.

This is a lovely, offbeat way to spend an afternoon, and I think if you add some pretty pens and stickers, this charming vintage-style book makes a perfect gift. It’s a refreshing change from branded and character-led Disney books. It’s also a big hit with girls of all ages – my eight year old loves it, but many of my friends with younger kids are big fans, too.

A classic game that is hard to beat, if all players are in the right mood (and no one’s had a curry the night before). Adults and teenagers seem to tire of it more quickly than younger children, at least in this house. It’s longevity probably means it’s a game most toy cupboards shouldn’t be without.

The My First Lacing Tools set is a lovely present for a young child, and one that gives you a lot of toy for your money. It’s going to get lots of play, and is robust enough to still be around for the next child.

Bambini beads make a lovely gift for children aged 3 and above, and I’d buy them for boys or girls, which is a refreshing change. It’s an educational toy, but so much fun to play with, too! Great value for money and it’s so popular in our house.

A good looking traditional toy drum which is fun to play with but would probably benefit from being a little sturdier. We will only use it for occasional play.

Mr Potato Head is a lovely, simple toy at a great price that keeps pre-schoolers entertained for a long time, and I’m sure it encourages motor skills and helps them learn the words for various body parts, if you worry about that sort of thing.

There are 43 quintillion (that’s 18 zeros) moves possible with a Rubik’s cube, so this isn’t something kids will solve in an afternoon and then leave aside. That makes it great value, and if it keeps the kids occupied while you’re busy making Christmas lunch, so much the better!

I can’t recommend this little bucket of Play-Doh enough, the price is fantastic and it is guaranteed to keep your little ones occupied, really encouraging them to use their imagination. Love it.

The game is really easy to play and loads of fun. It says that it is for 6+ years and I’m thinking that it’s mainly because of the small pieces because both of my little sisters thought it was great too.

These two toys are a great little taster from a company I’m sure I’ll be doing business with in future. Specialist retailers like Farm Toys Online make shopping so much easier; the range of toys is larger and the choices greater. At £6.99 for the dump-truck and £9.99 for the tractor set, prices are competitive as well. I’ll just have to make sure Charlie’s nowhere near the lap-top when I’m browsing.

A brilliant idea with some great tricks in, but let down by a couple of items which are a bit rubbish really. My son does keep it stashed away under his bed now though as his secret hoard!

Works much better than other marble run sets we have tried. Recommended for children aged 3+ it’s brilliant fun for any child that likes construction and to see things go. Strangely addictive, you can occasionally find me ‘improving’ DS’s run when he is at nursery.

For a jigsaw this is excellent. It has large pieces that little hands can manage and is a nice way to teach your child about woodland animals while encouraging dexterity. If I could get over my loathing of jigsaws I am sure this would get a much higher mark.

great toy to use for a short time. If like me, you have a child that doesn’t like tummy time very much this will isn’t quite a miracle but in our house it was enough to keep a lively baby entertained for more minutes than usual, encouraging him to play on their tummy, and (hopefully) help him to strengthen those muscles!

Nappy Duck and Potty Pig is a nice simple book, which shows characters using the potty without pushing the agenda too hard. It seems to have worked for us, as well as being a favourite book to look at (over and over again) Ben is now potty training.

The Baby Whoozit seems to be a perfect toy for a small baby, and one that will probably keep being of interest for a good few months, perhaps even past the crawling stage. There’s lots to explore, it’s beautifully made and a fantastic price. We love it!

The Tomy Guitar Rockstar is loud, unashamed fun. If you have a budding rock star in the family then this is a must. And it’s hard to believe it costs just £5. Amazing!

These 2+ toys make an interesting addition to the repertoire. Ranging from a build-and-play plane (£19.99 on Amazon) to a variety of smaller creatures like the Ladybird and Caterpillar, these kits will sustain the Christmas Day pleasure of unwrapping/unpacking and creating something out of nothing just a little longer.

A lovely quality book with a range of Christmas-themed activities that should fill a few rainy afternoons, and I think it’s always nice to keep Christmas craft projects to use as decorations in future years. Just make sure you have time to sit down with your child to provide help, because it will be needed.

This set of 12 Horrid Henry stories is read with real humour and verve by Miranda Richardson, and Flea could easily follow the story when we were in the car. The humour is pretty broad and generally involves Henry destroying things, which caused Flea to make a noise I’ve never really heard before – but I think it might have been a bona fide “chuckle”. She loves Horrid Henry and now desires nothing more than a set of Horrid Henry stories and a pyjama set for Christmas.

Three excellent additions to the children’s TV stable, theses DVDs mean that you need never again be at the mercy of the CBeebies schedule. Each title is well over an hour long and – with extras – represents great value for money.

I can imagine this Reindeer Poo in a box being a real fun novelty Christmas gift for kids and adults alike. The price is reasonable and the profits made from it’s sale help to Support the Natural History Museum and it’s fantastic research into conserving the biodiversity of our planet.

The Asda Glow in the Dark Skeleton Costume is a cheap outfit that does what it says on the box. It might have been more exciting with a few accessories, but you can always buy those separately. We certainly found it very practical to wear it’s good value for money.

The Woolworth’s Frankenstein Costume is a great value, child-friendly and effective-looking outfit. Its near tantrum-free design is a real winner and whether you’ve got a little monster – or you simply want to make one – this should be a great addition to the halloween chamber of horrors.