Great toys for babies, toddlers and littlies!
There are some great toys out there, remember to always shop around for a good bargain, and to buy from a reputable retailer.
Always check that toys comply with safety standards and are age appropriate.
Baby toys 0-12 months From birth this bright baby travel toy that curls around pushchair bar, car seat handle or cot top rail is great fun for baby and the bright colours and patterns encourage visual perception. (From the Garden Friends range, exclusive to Babies “R” Us.)
Playmat ( from birth) Lights and music touch pad, includes five detachable toys and a large sun mirror. suitable from birth. (available from mothercare.com) Textured 'linkies' great for teething and hand eye co ordination. (Available from mothercare) Spinning ball high chair/ table toy. With its strong sicker, baby can bash it and bop it to their hearts content! This wooden multi-activity cube toy is designed to help develop essential early learning skills in children, each face features a different activity including a xylophone and abacus. (from 12 months) (From 12 months) fisher price shape sorter. Great for hand eye co ordination and the beginnings of learning about shapes and colours. Toys for 1 year+ Baby walkers are great for helping young toddlers with balance and those all important first steps. Never leave a child unsupervised! Available from Toys R Us and mothercare Pounding pegs are great fun and help hand eye co ordination. Children can hammer the 8 brightly coloured pegs into the bench then flip to begin again on the other side. Simple yet immensely satisfying. Hammer made from one piece to prevent coming apart with pounding and available at Toys R Us. Building blocks are great fun and perfect for small hands. These are 'Eco pals' blocks and are available from Toys R Us EcoPals is a range of delightful nursery toys made from 100% natural organic fabrics and FSC sourced wood. With no nasty chemicals, dyes or toxins EcoPals soft toys are perfect for protecting baby's sensitive skin, and for older babies the Eco-responsible wood toys are perfect for parents who care about their baby's future and the environment. Toys for 2 years+ Great for active role play games that encourage social development. Your pantry will never be empty with all this delicious 120 piece play food set. Includes boxes, jars, pots and plastic food. Peppa Pig puzzle. Puzzles are a great way to spend time with your toddler. Puzzles encourage creativity,sharing basic skills and learning skills,such as reading and mathematics. Painting encourages children to express themselves artistically. Poster paints, powder paints and paint blocks are available at ELC and all good art shops. When buying paints, make sure they are non toxic and child friendly. for Art ideas look in our 'lets get creative' section. Toys for 3+ Let your child's imagination take over with lots of role play toys. imaginative play doesnt have to be expensive. Get out the saucepans and make a cooker out of a cardboard box and pens! Dressing up is lots of fun. There are lots of outfits available in the leading toys stores, or simply make your own! Great for hand eye co ordination and role play, train tracks are great fun! Ikea do a cheaper version of the famous 'Brio' brand. Great for social development and imaginative play, prams and dolls are great for both boys and girls. Toys for the over 4's Modern youngsters want to see more interactive items nowadays according to the Toy Retailers Association (TRA). The TRA has around 400 members who together account for 75% of toy retailers in the UK. Its independent predictions for this year's most popular toys take into account what consumers are requesting and the latest trends in new products. We asked 9 year old Jack what he thought about techie toys! 
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A voice changer mask inspired by the Doctor Who series is a Dalek Sec Hybrid which features speech and voice changing effects. It has two play buttons. Button 1 activates Dalek question, followed by Dalek Sec Hybrid's reply. Button 2 activates Dalek Voice Changer Function.
The Optimus Prime toy inspired by Transformers The Movie was also a popular toy for children in the 1980's! Optimus Prime is the commander of the main protagonist group in the transformers universes, known as Autobots.
The little insect can take off from any smooth surface, soar, hover, dive-bomb and glide silently through the air.
When it comes to top tech toys, even Mattel's Barbie Girls assortment can connect to a website and play music!
Barbie has lost out in recent years to Bratz, a line of big-headed dolls with scant, trendy clothing and very skinny bodies.
TRA chairman Gary Grant said: "The technological advancements used in many of the toys we reviewed this year were quite amazing and demonstrate how forward thinking manufacturers can be. Responding to the changing demands of children is what makes this industry so innovative."
