Archive for the ‘Toys’ Category

Our children are quite literally a mirror to ourselves. Every action we carry out, our children watch with interest and soon enough begin to copy our movements and actions. Toddlers can often become frustrated as safety conscious parents try to protect their children from harm by removing items such as hot cups which could burn little fingers or plates which could break and be sharp and hazardous. Anything of significant danger is placed high up out of our children’s reach, our children still watch what we do with fascination whether they can reach or not… They later try to emulate us as we carry out the everyday chores such as make a cup of tea or load the washing!

One way in which to encourage role play without quashing our children’s desire to copy our actions through removal of dangerous items, is to offer infants, toddlers and children alternative items which are child friendly and safe to be played with.

The ELC Spotty Tea Set is available in either blue or pink, including four saucers, four cups, four small teaspoons, a teapot (and lid), a milk jug and sugar pot (with lid). Ideally, setting this tea set upon a toddler sized table offers your child the chance to role play without having to reach onto high surfaces or worse, play upon the floor. After all, our children see us at tables with cups and saucers, therefore we should offer them the chance to do the same! Why not setup a Family Tea Party or even a Teddy Bear’s Tea Party?

Available from the Early Learning Centre (www.elc.co.uk) the ‘Spotty Tea Set’ retails at only £8.00 and offers hours of educational, life skill based fun for tots and children.

Suitable from three years upwards, Bending Buddies are small toys which are crafted from wood and fully flexible.  In the centre of the bending buddy is a wooden cube, the cube has slits cut into each side which allow the arms, legs and head to be moved back, forth, left, right, up, and down.

These flexible friends vary in design, colour and animal. This toy is ideal for travelling as its small and light. It could also be a perfect ‘party bag’ filler!

Bending Buddies are available for only £1.30 from www.thewoodentoy.co.uk, this is a bargain price for hours of fun!

Suitable from twelve months and over, The Magnetic Train from Brio is an excellent learning stimulus for toddlers and children. The two main carriages for the train (each of which is 9cm in length) connect together using magnetism and then each wooden block is also magnetic and can be placed in any order the child pleases upon the carriages, encouraging and developing stacking techniques. The train  also has moving wheels making it an ideal ‘push along’ toy for toddlers.

From a toddlers point of view, this product seems almost magical at first, the concept of things being able to stick together with what seems to feel like an invisible force fascinates little ones for hours on end. Without realising it, your child is beginning to develop an understanding of Physical Science without intention. Magnetism for children can be investigated further, exploring the carriages facing upwards or downwards and the alternating forces of magnetism.

The Magnetic Train by Brio uses child safe magnetic blocks, the magnetic elements are encased safely within each block (of which there are eleven in total).

Children are free to choose different combinations of stacking and connecting blocks to create a range of trains, building hand-eye coordination and sequencing skills whilst having fun through play.

Brio, the manufacturers of ‘The Magnetic Train’ are based in Sweden. Brio creates toys which are known for quality, workmanship and robustness. Brio is the World’s largest Wooden Toy manufacturer. Wooden toys are durable and long lasting thus are often passed down from generation to generation over time. Brio produces products to stimulate learning and fulfil the key aspect of development which is to have fun.

Mums Baby Magazine road tested this product with a fifteen month old, he enjoyed clicking the two carriages of the train together and was fascinated by the ‘magic magnetism’. He managed to sit and piece parts together to create simple combinations of blocks, he has since gone back to this toy over and over each time doing something different whether it be to ‘pull along’ the train or to simply build towers with the blocks, The Magnetic Train seems to have captured both his imagination and his concentration.

The Brio Magnetic Train is a fun, mentally stimulating and visually pleasing product which is robust and safe to use. One thing we do suggest upon purchasing this product, is to have some sort of box or container to keep the parts in as not to loose any pieces whilst you store this item.

Available from www.hellobabydirect.co.uk for only £12.99, The Brio Magnetic Train is quite literally ‘chuffing awesome’.