Looking for the best baby toys on the market, need inspiration for a first birthday or a Christening gift or looking ahead to Christmas? Here are the best ten toys available according to busy Mum of two in Hampshire, Joanna Hurley. 

1. For little babies what can be better than the fantastic Tino 100% cotton cuddly comfort rabbits in colours to suit both sexes, handmade from fairtade toymakers . You will want to snuggle it too and absorb its lovely smell. Suitable from birth, so Father Christmas will have it ready for all those December babies.

2. For those tots nearly, or just on their feet the Baby First Drive must be an unbeatable Christmas or birthday pressie with steering wheel, beeper, gear stick and mirror. This walker can also be used as an stationary activity centre so if your toddler isn’t quite on their feet they can still use, play and enjoy it until they are ready to take on the household formula- one track.

3. Another favourite wooden toy are the ladybird and duck push-alongs. These brightly coloured push-along toys can easily be taken out and about to entertain the little ones while you browse the supermarket shelves, suitable from 12 months and only £7.99 so an ideal, great value cheap first walking toy.

4. A two year old wanting a bit of a challenge, should ask Father Christmas for the wooden Pintoy Construction Vehicle. A 26 piece construction set can be turned into a car, boat, crane or digger or whatever else your little one decides to create, superb value at £14.99, you could say a four in one. This toy will start to allow your child to develop and concentrate on the finer motor skills and will be enjoyed for several years as construction and building skills develop.

5. Moving along to our 3 year olds, how about wooden cutting fruit and vegetable sets? All children adore being able to do or copy what Mummy and Daddy does each day. These sets come in a lovely wooden box with safe kids knife and board included. They can play cook to their hearts content and get a real sense of achievement that they can actually cut a fruit of vegetable in half by themselves.

6. The Bigjigs Tea for Two set was one of the most popular wooden play food sets in 2008. Who can argue wth all those clever parents!!!

7. All children love a torch, Manhattan Toy lighting bugs are torches with a difference, choose from a soft and furry pink and purple dragonfly girls torch, a cute bee torch or perhaps a green blue beetle torch for boys. These torches turn themselves off which will help save on batteries. As we all know our little ones often forget to turn toys off. A great, inexpensive children’s present at just £7.99.

8. The top gift for older children has to be the terrificly educational Teifoc castle kits, with real mini terracotta bricks, mortar and trowel. The castles come in 3 sizes so can be purchased to suit whatever budget you have.These kit’s can be used again and again so if your little boy or girl doesn’t want to keep their first creation they can dissolve the mortar in water and start again. You can purchase additional mortar and a spare trowel so help can be given or two children can build together.

9. You can’t go wrong with a Face Painting kit for kids. All children love dressing up and creating characters. Finish off their creations with some safe children’s skin paint. 

10. My final top ten stocking filler choice this year has to be the fantastic colour changing ducks. A little plastic duck that changes colour in warm water.

This article is by Joanna Hurley – Tish Tash Toys Agent in Fleet. All the toys are part of the wonderful collection from www.tishtashtoys. More self-employed representatives/agents needed all areas. Great job to work around the kids, decide when and where you work, and how many hours your work and how much you earn. The sky’s the limit!! See www.tishtashtoys.com