The Little Tikes Get Out N Grill is a nicely made toy, and has lots of potential but could use more accessories to enable more role play. My two have already borrowed accessories from their kitchen set to add to the Get Out N Grill. The barbeque would also benefit from having some sound effects. Although the Get Out N Grill will last a long time, I’m now sure how long the children will play with it before being bored, which is a shame as it has potential to be so much more.

Like many households we’re collecting the Toy Story characters in toy form so Flea can re-enact her favourite parts of the films. Flea was really excited to be sent this set, which includes a Woody figure and a Bullseye horse – Woody can sit on the horse, which rears up when you push down on the tail. The toy is really quite straightforward, so I’ll admit the £27 RRP did make me shriek “HOW MUCH????” (Hunt around though, as John Lewis was selling this at under £20 when this review was published).

Everything you need to play is included in the Tailball Lite box – pole, ball, bats and instructions – but to be honest I just thought oh no not another bat and ball game! The idea of tailball is that it’s like tennis, but easier for young children – the lightweight foam ball is slower and easier to hit, especially thanks to the trailing streamers attached to the ball. To play tailball, children hit the ball to each other, and score a point each time the ball hits the ground.

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 Mini Micro bag is a really cute, kid-friendly accessory that I’d recommend if your child is a dedicated user of their Micro Scooter. It’s been designed with little hands in mind, and is practical and well made. Not essential, but a nice extra for summer outings.

The wooden eco helicopter looks lovely – I just wish we had more sun! It was played with a couple of times and then ignored. I can’t help feeling it was a disappointment, considering the price tag, which is just under £20. At that price, it’s an expensive ornament which will spend it’s days on the windowsill waiting for sunshine … alone.

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.

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.

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.

The ELC Twistasaurus would make a great gift for an under three. This dinosaur stacking toy kept Toddler Boy (2.5 years) amused for a fairly long time and even attracted baby Fifi (9 months). It seems a reasonable price for what it is, and I would definitely buy it for others.

Even if you haven’t watched the Handy Manny show on TV, I think the Handy Manny soft tool box is a great unisex toy. It’s well made, and will help children learn the names and functions of different tools, and it’s also small enough for little ones to pick up and carry around with them. Although I will say I’m glad the tools are soft – as BG keeps trying to hit me with the hammer!

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.

“Not another doll?” was my husband’s first response when Melanie the rag doll arrived in our house, but i was actually quite pleased as she was a welcome relief to the mountain of crying plastic dolls strewn across the play room. Melanie comes complete with pretty blond plaited pig tails, pink gingham pyjamas and a giant smile, she’s soft and very cuddly.

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.

Ella is thrilled with My Pal Violet and with the exception of the music options, I am very pleased with this product. My Pal Violet and My Pal Scout (the green version) are very popular and I would recommend My Pal Violet to any family and considering the cost (£15.99), it’s well worth it.

Bubble Buster is a great idea, but if you could just buy the wands it would be preferable (and much cheaper). The children loved the fact that the wands pinged when a bubble was burst and had lots of fun, but Mummy was just thinking how pricey over £10 is for two plastic wands and a bubble blower which died on first use.

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!

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 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.

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.

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!

When I suggested bringing this toy back home after our holiday, my niece and nephew begged to keep it at their house, which shows how much they loved it – maybe one day they’ll get around to playing Connect 4, who knows? Fantastic fun for kids and very flexible, with a lovely nostalgia element.

This set is well made and a great first Playmobil set for young children. However once you have rocked the dinosaur and slid the figures down the slide a few times there is not much else to do. I would buy a couple of different sets in the range to get maximum enjoyment out of it.

A good Christmas or birthday present for your own child, but if your budget is tight they might be a good suggestion to the grandparents!