We really enjoyed playing with the Meccano Build and Play set, but the playing was perhaps more fun than the building! The end product is great, but it is suited most to children who enjoy construction projects, because it takes a lot of building to get there. We found that when the children have spent that long making it they’re a little reluctant to take it all apart to make one of the other 5 models! Really nice end product though.

The fact that we were all very excited to see that you can also buy trailers and farm equipment for the Britain’s Big Farm radio control tractor probably speaks for itself. This study radio control tractor makes a wonderful first remote control vehicle for children aged three plus. It’s lots of fun, easy to use and the quality means it stands up to lots of indoor and outdoor play.

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!

I’m not sure what to make of this. I really want to like it, I think it’s a brilliant idea, I really do, and the material is really cool. But for my child, it was too much effort for too little reward. I wonder if the smaller cars in the range might be easier to use, because they presumably require less power to work – but I wasn’t sold on the Discover Rig. Sorry.

This wooden fire truck gets four stars for the simple reason that Kai adores it and it is a stunning set, but it loses points for me in that it doesn’t seem robust enough for serious play. Granted, it would look lovely sat safely on a nursery shelf but I’m not a big fan of toys designed to be seen and not played with. It’s already looking a little ‘well loved’, but it is loved which, I guess, is the main thing.

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.

The Toy Story radio-controlled car is a fun toy, and kids will have lots of fun with the car and figures. For parents, I’d say be prepared to help little ones get the hang of the controls and use rechargeable batteries! And I’m not convinced of the quality – it seems fragile and prone to breaking.

A great quality wooden toy that will stand up to a lot of bashing and dropping and whatever else your little monsters can throw at it – and will still look great. But my advice would be to use generic figures and accessories unless you have a hardcore fire engine fan, because the Pintoy ones are pretty expensive.

What do you get the train-mad toddler who’s too young for a train set? This wonderful chunky, mini all-singing, signal-flashing level-crossing barrier-lifting set might be the answer. A perfect first train-set; durable and with lots and lots to keep the most curious toddler interested. Well worth the money.