BABY & PRE-SCHOOL

We've got 100s of great baby toys, toddler toys and pre-school toys. But if you need help picking, scroll down for our handy baby and toddler present guide. It's got specially selected toys for each age group and top tips from the real experts - parents!

 

Buying toys for kids aged 0-6 months

Sam (mum of Lucy aged 5 months) says:

"Lucy's favourite baby toy is her squeaky giraffe. It makes a funny noise, it's easy for her to hold and she likes to chew on it which is great for teething.

"Lucy also loves her play gym. This toy is good for her development because it's really engaging and stimulating. It has different textures, plays music and there are things she can rattle. I buy toys that are good value for money because Lucy grows out of things so quickly that I'm constantly replacing them to meet her needs."

Children aged 0 - 6 months will often:

• Reach out for objects - they can usually hold things at about five months
• Enjoy making new and different sounds
• Start to lift their heads to see the world around them

Top toys for babies aged 0-6 months:

 

Buying toys for kids aged 6-12 months

Olga (mum of Finn aged 10 months) says:

"I buy Finn baby toys that are fun, stimulating and educational – he loves anything that plays music. His favourite toy is a little piano because it plays tunes and lights up when the keys are pressed. It's perfect for his little fingers and is great for developing fine motor skills.

"I recently bought Finn Elefun Busy Ball Popper which keeps him entertained for hours. It's really colourful, interactive and helps develop hand-eye coordination skills."

Children aged 6 - 12 months will often:

• Develop better hand-eye coordination
• Sit without help, crawl and pull themselves upright
• Respond to your voice and their own name, and say words like momma and dada

Top toys for babies aged 6-12 months:

 

Buying toys for kids aged 12-18 months

Chanel (mum of Emerson aged 15 months) says:

"Emerson loves cars, trucks, diggers, vehicles - basically anything with wheels that he can push along. He's just started walking and particularly likes his ride-on which helps with his balance and stability.

"He also enjoys playing with building blocks which are great for developing fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. I usually buy toys that are durable because he's a typical boy and likes to throw things."

Children aged 12 - 18 months will often:

• Start to take an interest in words, say words and understand them better
• Build with bricks and express their creativity
• Feed themselves as their coordination improves

Top toys for toddlers aged 12-18 months:

 

Buying toys for kids aged 18-36 months

Kristine (mum of Jessica aged three) says:

"Jessica's favourite toy is her art easel because she loves drawing and colouring. It's great for developing fine motor skills and helps her to be creative. She gets a lot of use out of it so it was great value for money.

"Jessica also likes playing with dolls and dressing up in fancy dress outfits, both of which are good for encouraging imaginative role-play."

Children aged 18 - 36 months will often:

• Learn to kick or throw a ball
• Start to put words together and talk in short sentences
• Hold a crayon and use it properly

Top toys for toddlers aged 18-36 months:

 

Buying toys for kids aged 3-5 years

Laura-Ann (mum of Kara aged 3 1/2) says:

"The best toy I've ever brought Kara is a wooden kitchen. She loves pretending to cook like mummy, so it's great for imaginative role play and helps her learn about different types of food. Kara also loves whizzing around on her scooter which encourages her to get out and about.

"I like buying traditional wooden toys because they are good quality and can be passed down generations (I still have some of my mum's old toys). They aren't noisy either which is good for my own sanity!"

Children aged 3 - 5 years will often:

• Start to talk well in sentences and develop their communication skills
• Draw people as their creativity flourishes
• Start to use a knife and fork with increased coordination

Top toys for kids aged 3-5: