| There are so many toys for kids on the market these | | | | books, Lego, art centres, drum kits, keyboards, guitars, |
| days; it's difficult making the right choice. At least it can | | | | cash register with plastic money, toy soldiers. |
| be narrowed down a bit now, as a lot of toys come in | | | | 4+ Years. Workbench (to look like dad's) tabletop |
| age groups, the shops are also helping by having boys | | | | cooker, play tables, toy digital cameras and CD players |
| and girls sections, even board games and jigsaw | | | | that actually work, etch a sketch, magnetic letters, play |
| puzzles can be found separate. There are now some | | | | houses and play tents, bikes, skateboards, roller skates, |
| shops that only sell jigsaw puzzles, and the choice is | | | | spirograph. The list is endless. |
| immense. | | | | One of the best shops to go to for babies and |
| Okay let's have a look at some of the age groups, | | | | toddlers toys, is The Early Learning Centre, the kids |
| and a choice selection of what's on offer: | | | | can play while you browse. |
| 0-6 Months Mobiles (these hang on the cot) buggy | | | | Kids and grown ups all love the old classics, especially |
| activity centre, activity mats, cloth books, chime balls, | | | | train sets and Scalextric, these can be built on and |
| teddy bears (check warnings about eyes etc). Of | | | | added to and last for many years, a lot of been |
| course there's the usual rattles, musical teethers. | | | | handed down over the generations, and some have |
| 6-12 Months. Stacking cups, sit and ride boats and cars, | | | | sold for quite a lot of money at auctions, there are |
| baby walkers, activity centres, rocking horses, baby | | | | collectors of all ages. Also worth saving are Matchbox |
| swing for the garden. | | | | and Corgi cars, especially the boxes, also Airfix model |
| 1-2 Years. Shape sorting activity games, tabletop | | | | planes, which you build and paint. |
| sandpits, cars, trains, planes, fairytale castles, | | | | Rocking horses are very hard to get hold of these |
| workshops with plastic tools, little kitchens and | | | | days, and can be very expensive, try avoiding hand |
| supermarkets. | | | | made ones as they sell for hundreds of pounds. Be |
| 2-3 Years. Tricycles, V-Tech alphabet desk, scooter, | | | | careful with plastic ones, as they tend to snap with |
| friction movement toys, shape sorters, dolls and dolls | | | | time and then you get very sharp edges. The first |
| prams, Duplo bricks and characters. | | | | thing that tends to go with the plastic ones is the |
| 3-4 Years. Dolls houses, swings, slides, bubble makers, | | | | saddle. |