I can’t fault the staff at our local Build a Bear store, they were exceptional and made the morning a really fun experience for Flea. She loves her soft toy and so does her cousin. But at £50 apiece, I don’t think she loves it enough to make this value for money. Other experienced parents have told me the way to make Build a Bear Work is to give kids a price limit before you go into the store, and then let them spend it how they choose – so it’s possible to get a bear for £9.99 and an outfit for another £10 or so. And it helps if you buy something at Build a Bear with 2 feet, rather than 4!

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.

Back in the day, learning to use a pogo stick was all about skinned knees and frustration, with days of practice before you managed half a dozen jumps. But kids these days have it so much easier. The bungee bouncer is much easier to use than a traditional pogo stick and did prove to be lots of fun for both my children. Plus it can be used (supervised) indoors – bonus! Maybe a tad on the expensive side for what it is, but if it gets your children outdoors and bouncing then it could be worth the investment. Just don’t expect too much of a challenge.

The Totscar Mercedes SLK 09 electric car looks just like the one mum and dad would drive if we had the money! The boys have had a fantastic time driving up and down the pavement on it. You do need a pretty smooth service to get the best ride and at £299 it is a considerable purchase, but one that would be well used. A real treat for some lucky child.

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.

Rosemary loves the Didicar, even if she does get hurt a lot, and she’ll probably come round to using it properly. It seems very sturdy and I think will last a long time. It’s something she can share when a friend comes round, without arguments (except perhaps who gets to sit in front!). All in all, the Didicar is a good toy and good value for money, but older children may well be better at using it in the right way.

These beautiful activity bricks from Pure Love aren’t something Mums would tend to buy for themselves but the soft feel, quality packaging and organic credentials make them a perfect gift for newborns. They’re a perfect way to introduce little ones to letters and numbers, but they’re pretty enough to put on a shelf away from curious fingers!

The Imajo Organic Classic Softie Rag Doll is a lovely and soft organic rag doll which has become a firm favourite with my daughter – but at £18.95, I think you could find a cheaper rag doll with similar features. However, if organic and ethically sourced toys are for you, the Imajo Organic Classic Softie Rag Doll is a great investment, and perfect for a first doll.

What’s not to like? Lego + Star Wars = little boy’s dream come true. And when Dan saw the size of this Lego Star Wars Tie Defender craft and the number of pieces involved his response was “cool!”. The end product is a rather great looking craft which Dan now has by his bed. He may have even stroked it at some point. We do have quite a lot of Lego and the Lego Star Wars Tie Defender certainly didn’t disappoint.

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 an adult, it’s easy to laugh the slightly formulaic nature of Scooby Doo cartoons – oh look, the alien/monster/witch/robot is really just a person dressed up in a suit. But I think Flea loves knowing that it’s not going to be real in the end – so she can enjoy being scared witless in the meantime. Oh, and the DVD includes a cute little feature showing you how to make your very own Gryphon (in case you’ve forgotten, the Gryphon is half-eagle, half-lion). Ours was rubbish, but we had fun trying.

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.

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.

Lovely quality and design, and lots of fun, these robots will help build fine motor skills and problem-solving. Flea has also enjoyed playing with them imaginatively and they’re sturdy enough to stand up to lots of energetic play, with no small pieces or sharp edges to bother the little ones. A lovely option for children of all ages.

A lovely quality children’s play tent, with bags of retro charm, and brilliant if you have two or more children. If you’ve got a garden you’ll get bags of use out of the Cowboy Print Wigwam – but at this price, you’d want to.

It’s cute. Simple as that, and little ones can’t help but like it. It came really well packaged in a beautiful presentation box, and we enjoyed being able to attach it everywhere and anywhere! Since we have had our Sleepytot, we have seen Sleepytots everywhere – they must be the must have comforter! It’s not surprising though. The Sleepytot comforter is lovely: beautifully made and comes in a fabulous little gift box. Top marks from us.

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 lovely, stylish and beautifully made toy that’s a perfect gift for children who are fond of animals. It’s a great toy for imaginative play, and we loved the attention to detail – the knitted blanket, the mouse’s clothes and even the little pillow are all just lovely.

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.

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!

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?