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.

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!

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.

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!

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

For enjoyment expressed by the small people, the BBC Audio 3rd and Bird – The Muffin Express and Other Stories CD is the current No. 1. Bigger people might find that it grates. But then again, there aren’t that many children’s CDs that don’t.

It’s Thomas, and small boys will love it. Whilst they probably won’t choose to listen to the BBC Audio Thomas & Friends – The Little Old Engine & Other Stories CD over an actual read of the Thomas books, it could certainly help while away 1 hour and 15 minutes of a long car journey. In my ideal world I’d have bought it together with the books so we could look at the books together and then I think they would be keener to listen to it in the car.

I can’t believe the Aldi Children’s Halloween Costumes were only £5.99 each! Amazing value. I don’t think they’ll last until next Halloween but the girls sure will have fun with them this year.

I’d definitely recommend The Adsa Pumpkin Fancy Dress Outfit if you’re looking for an outfit for a 2 year old or under. You’ll get lots of growing room and it’s certainly cute enough to make your little one the star of the night! I also felt it was great value for money for the price.

The Snazaroo face-paints and Special KX kits are safe and easy to apply and – importantly – wash off easily. We were careful not to get any onto clothes, but I would imagine it would be quite straightforward to remove. And you can perform miracles of healing in a matter of minutes to the fake injuries sustained in an evening’s trick or treating. All in all, these kits are a couple of halloween essentials. Just remind me to disconnect the doorbell.

The Tesco Skeleton Kids Halloween Costume is really great value for money outfit and more substantial than some supermarket offerings. Definitely my favourite from the Tesco range this year.

The Playmobil Go-Kart Race Compact Set is a nice little set, and inexpensive enough to make a good present for a birthday party, as you don’t need any other Playmobil sets to be able to play with this set.

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