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 Disney Princess Role Play Tent is pretty and girlie, but at £29.99 I thought it was rather an expensive purchase for something that my daughter only ended up having a passing interest in, and which was so easy to damage. I was very disappointed in the fabric material and found the assembly awkward and frustrating.

The Royal Quoits set from Aspace is an engaging and educational (if you make the children keep score) game, whose appeal crossed all the age rages from 3 years to 66 years. Its simplicity is part of its appeal and it is totally engrossing. We keep coming back to this and have had great fun in the good weather with it. We are planning to take it camping with us. Thoroughly recommended.

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.

The Mighty World Complete Emergency Response set is a cute, contemporary play set that’s probably ideal for children who are just starting to play with this sort of toy – I can imagine most kids of 4 upwards already have a police car and fire engine – I know it’s really an ambulance but it’s red, so Flea insists it has to be a fire engine. At almost £50, it’s not cheap, but it is nicely made, and should provide many hours of happy play.

A really nice set with lots of play potential and a cute, contemporary feel, but I do query the deisgn of the figures and the wisdom of showing stuff on the box that children won’t be able to mimic. I love the range of accessories, and I think it’s got lots of play potential to justify the pretty hefty price , but perhaps some of the dozens of small pieces (the cutlery in particular) are a bit too teeny and destined to be lost down the back of the sofa. Overall, the Mighty World base camp is a really nice play set for over 3s, but not amazing.

I’ve seen these scooters around in the smarter parts of London and I’ve definitely noticed the Yummy Mummy brigade at Flea’s school regularly pull them out of the back of their 4×4s. I always assumed they were just another scooter, until we got our hands on one of the new green Mini Micro Scooters.

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.

I do think this is needlessly expensive, but if your child is a Toy Story fan, then having the same packaging as is used in the film might be worth it. But I’ve been surprised by just how much my four year old loves these toy soldiers, and just how much use they’ve got, so even at £12, they are pretty good value.

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’s a nice set as a starter for 4 year olds, but it’s a bit limited so I’d buy two – and a base board.

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.

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’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.

The Playmobil Family Camper is of my favourite sets of Playmobil because it encourages kids to role play within family situations, and it’s really flexible in how kids can play. Great value for money considering all the accessories included within it, and it has stood up to a month’s play without anything breaking off or looking worn. Thoroughly recommended. Just don’t pick it up from above.

I love the way this set brings the story to life. On more than one occasion I’ve seen Little S acting out the story on his own. He particularly enjoys saying, ‘chinny, chin, chin’ and acting out the part where the wolf goes down the chimney into the boiling water, although I’m not sure if that’s a good thing! My children have already had lots of enjoyment out of this toy. It would make a lovely gift for young
children but consider buying a proper book to go with it.

My little boy has no complains about the Transformers Power Bot, he’s played with it non-stop since Christmas. I think it’s a really impressive product which has thoroughly entertained our little boy, and also has a lot of potential for future play. Well made, robust and excellent value for money, it’s one to snap up.

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.

Fantastic! My three daughters (ages 4, 5 and 7) love pretending to be mum to their very own baby girl. But unlike like a real baby, you can turn her off when the crying gets to be a bit much.

It’s a big thumbs up for ELC Extreme Marble Madness from us. Great for little imaginations and learning basic engineering skills. Ethan loved it so much he played with it for a full hour and a half non-stop. I’m sure it’ll be a favourite in this household for a long while.

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.

The Noah’s Ark is a really nice, quality floor toy that would make an excellent present and you’re also helping a good cause when buying this toy. It kept my son entertained for ages. The Noah and wife figures even have magnets on their bottom and the top of the Noah’s Ark toy is magnetised so you can have all the animals inside and the people on top and act out a stormy sea scene!

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.

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!

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.

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.

The Woolworths Vampire Costume is a budget buy with a lot for your money, but by no means the most spectacular costume I’ve seen and the quality is very disappointing. The pointy-eared headpiece and the cape are definitely the highlights of the set. But that’s only if you can persuade your toddler to keep them on!

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 can’t think of any little girl who wouldn’t want one of these fluffy, original creations, the Halloween Pumpkin Tutu is the perfect present for any Princess or pumpkin worth their tutu and you’ll struggle to get them dressed into anything else!

Sure, the Kiddymania Medieval Princess Outfit is a little pricy, but the quality shows. I think this is well worth the money. If you have a little one like mine, with an active imagination, then this costume will be a big hit. I’m going to mention the quality again because I think this dress is exceptional – it looks like it will withstand some pretty serious Medieval play.

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.

If you’re looking for a high-quality costume that won’t fall to bits, the Kids Army US Pilot Jumpsuit is for you. And it doesn’t hurt that my son looked completely, utterly adorable in it. Highly recommended.

The Kiddymania Dinosaur Dressing Up Outfit is something kids can play in for several years, which is a rarity among Halloween costumes. Little S can also testify that this is a GREAT costume for perfecting your roar in!

The M&S Pirate Skeleton Kids Halloween Outfit looks great once it’s on, but it is a little bit fiddly, and the fabric was definitely thinner on this than the other two outfits we tested. This is also definitely a party outfit, not a going out outfit – it’s thin and it’s October – who’s wearing cropped trousers at this time of year? Lunatics, that’s who.

The Disney Peter Pan Outfit is a bit more expensive but something your child should get lots of use out of. Younger children will need help getting the trousers on. Buy a size up, and you’ll get more wear – it’s easy enough to roll up the trousers around the waist if they’re too long.

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 Pirate Island Superset is a nice addition to a pirate Playmobil collection, but the base is a little limiting. I’m also possibly weirdly liberal, but I found it kind of amazing how many weapons two pirates need – daggers, swords, guns and a cannon?

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.

The Playmobil Playground Set is a really great toy that’s perfectly pitched for children aged 4 and 5, who enjoy pretend play around schools, playtime, making friends. There are some lovely items, and the quality is very impressive, with each piece strong enough for robust handling by pre-schoolers.

For us, the Playmobil Expedition Ship would be an expensive set as it’s mostly used as a bath toy – and there are far cheaper bath toys around! But if you have a child who is keen on boats and fixing things, this is a nice set, which is fairly robust and has some nice details.

The Playmobil Take Along Knights Battle Chest is one of the more disappointing Playmobil sets and I personally wouldn’t recommend it. I think it’s quite small – I’ve seen much nicer wooden castles, which you could play with using Playmobil or other figures, and which would probably last longer and stand up to a bit more rough handling.

The Playmobil Ambulance is a great value set considering how much play value it has. Nice and sturdy, and it really encourages imaginative play. As an added bonus, it introduces the idea of kids getting knocked off bicycles, so we’ve been chatting about road safety, too. Totally recommend this one.

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.

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