The VTech Kiddizoom VideoCam camcorder is a fantastic idea for families who aren’t happy handing a Flip camera to their kids – at £60 this is considerably cheaper than those cameras, and is designed for the odd bang and bump. The additional special effects and video games make this lots of fun for children.

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 interactive play mode really is quite special for youngsters, but even better is that they can turn Buzz into a regular toy when they’ve had enough of the slightly surreal conversations he engages them in. And even better than that, you can turn off the sounds entirely and Buzz is silent. It’s an expensive toy and not an impulse purchase but for the dedicated Toy Story fan, the Buzz Lightyear toy is a tried and tested recommendation.

A real mixed bag. It’s ideal for the bottom of the age range if you can justify to yourself that playing video games is okay for the under-threes. However, it doesn’t really have enough to keep an active 3 year old interested.

It was really fun playing with the Power Rangers Jungle Fury walkie talkies. I think I will definitely use them again, especially if I want to get fed. Apart from the batteries it was great. Everyone wants a go, even Mum.

If you take this as a toy, then I think younger children of 2+ will have fun pretending to take pictures like Mummy and Daddy. But if you want a camera for kids, there are much better on the market. And if you want a game to keep the kids entertained, buy a Nintendo DS, would be my advice.

We love Bop It! although it does seem to bring out the worst in us. If you do manage to not play this addictive game for a while, the voice saying “Bop It” and your child shouting at it might get on your nerves a bit. The only reason it didn’t score maximum marks was because we missed a couple of the old commands. Combining the two versions would have made it even better.

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.

The Vtech Animal Fun Bounce and Ride Giraffe is a popular toy with both our boys. It has been played with every day. It’s brilliant if you have no outdoor space, or for the winter when you don’t want to go outside!

“Playmobil Pirates is a great, absorbing game for little swashbucklers, with some nice in-game features and extras to discover.”

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!

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.

A massive hit with my animal-obsessed daughter who, for the 3 weeks we’ve had him, has taken him everywhere with her. I do question the price tag though – when she moves on to something else in a couple of months time, it will have been like spending £100 on an ornament for her room. Or am I just being cynical?

The Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo is good fun for little tots with lots of variety for fun, stimulating play. But the novelty soon wore of for us, making it an expensive choice for such short term use.

This toy is big on nostalgia value for us adults, but also has enough features to keep a child entertained. For the price we paid, this is an excellent buy. It has all the features that you would expect from a child’s laptop and, most importantly, it’s STAR WARS!!!

In our house getting hold of a phone is the Holy Grail for babies and toddlers, and this phone does the job. Our 12-month-old plays with it every day, for a few minutes at least, although he doesn’t make use of all the toys features – which makes it rather expensive, especially since the two-year-old would rather talk into a piece of Duplo than into this phone!

My advice would be to buy another game for 3 and 4 year olds, as I think the included game might go over the heads of younger children, so they’ll likely get bored quickly. But if you want a gentler introduction to gaming for children 5+, then this is well worth considering. And buy a power cord and second handset when you buy the console.