Although fun, I didn’t think this was mentally stimulating for the children – and I don’t think it would keep their interest for long, or that it’s something they’d choose to play over and over again. I fear Pig goes Pop may end up at the back of the games cupboard.

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.

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.

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!

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.

A fantastic game that’s suitable for even young children, with a little adult support. We also loved that the kids started to make up their own rules and versions of the game after a while – suggesting this is one that will be pulled out of the games cupboard for many years to come.

Dragonology is an excellent choice for a child with a good imagination and long attention span. It is well made, interesting to play and great fun. A refreshing change from your average TV character themed toy and beautifully made to boot!

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.

Bubble Buster is a great idea, but if you could just buy the wands it would be preferable (and much cheaper). The children loved the fact that the wands pinged when a bubble was burst and had lots of fun, but Mummy was just thinking how pricey over £10 is for two plastic wands and a bubble blower which died on first use.

This is a simple card game that if played enough will probably teach children the basic facts about countries of the world. In our house, it will probably get most play in the run-up to exams, as it’s not really great for playing with children of different ages. Still, if you’re looking for a nice quality game that’s more educational than snap this is probably the one for you.

Eric Carle’s ABC Game is a nice visual way to have fun with the alphabet (and some strange animals). However at £14 I would have expected the pieces to have been a bit more substantial and robust. The whole thing looks so lovely it’s a shame it’s been let down somewhat by ‘cheap’ counters and a spinner than only just spins.

Travel Brain Benders are just so darn infuriating. That’s about it really. They made us angry. I wouldn’t mind, but the ones we were testing were at the ‘easy’ end of the tricky spectrum!

A classic board game, with all sorts of educational benefits. Well made, well presented and at a very reasonable price.