The Toyboxshop - Recommended toys

	1-MICRO SCOOTER Age : Mini 2½ -5y \| Maxi 5-10y Price : Mini £49.95 \| Maxi £89.95 Mini and Maxi Micro Scooters can be labelled “best scooters ever”. I have witnessed them used all over the streets of London and Paris : escape is not an option! Easy to ride, quick to get used to, these three-wheelers will be enjoyed daily and still last a good few years thanks to their amazing quality. Well worth the money.
	2- PUPPETS Age : 1-Adult Price : £7.99 - £29.99 The Puppet Company never ceases to impress. Characters freshly extracted from nursery rhymes and fairy tales, animals, massive birds covering the whole arm… even crazy creatures clearly inspired by Sesame Street : the puppets are a definite best-seller for all ages. I have sold them repeatedly for toddlers and adults alike, and they always went down a treat. Colourful and fun. Good times.
	3- MR POTATO HEAD Age : 2-4y Price : £7.99 This one is a classic. You cannot go wrong with Mr Potato Head. What you get is a great character – a potato! – and various colourful bits to stick in him, making this toy some sort of a 3D puzzle. Its popularity is now more intense than ever thanks to the Toy Story movie trilogy in which Mr Potato Head heavily features. Every child should have one ( I never had one, and am a sad man as a result ).
	4- SOPHIE THE GIRAFFE Age : 0+ Price : £12.99 Sophie la girafe. Well, at least I had that one… about 25 years ago! Put it simply : the French Sophie is the best toy you could offer as gift to a newborn baby. You will then witness Sophie go straight in the mouth where she will be teethed on, chewed on, and on top of that Sophie also squeaks when pressed and easily bends. Babies also get a great pet companion in the bargain. Joy.
	5- DJECO ARTS AND CRAFT RANGE Age : 4-Adult Price : £5.99 - £19.99 All sets are very creative, extremely well-made, beautifully illustrated by renowned French professionals and packaged in the most ideal way to make them gifts to cherish. From origami to watercolour workshops, also including cards on which to stitch jewellery, coloured sand activities and stamps & stencils sets to create stories and stir the imagination. My personal favourite.
	6- AUTOMOBLOX CARS Age : 3-5y Price : £8.99 - £24.99 Coming at us from the United States, these appealing wooden puzzle cars of which every single bit can come apart can also be combined with each other to create long mutant vehicles. The same can be done with the big versions which also contain shape matching activities that will add even more educational value to the fun.
	7- LANKY CATS Age : 3+ Price : £9.99 These cats are so cute your heart could melt just watching them. Their big bright eyes and facial expression make them utterly adorable. They have been a constant favourite in The Toybox since the beginning and are definitely here to stay. Ideal for cat lovers of any age! A pack of them have permanent residence by the counter, so you can come admire them at any time.
	8- WALL STICKERS All ages Price : £11.99 - £19.99 From Djeco, who provide us with the fantastic art range mentioned above, come these practical and gorgeous room decorations. Not only can they be peeled off extremely easily, their design is also so impressive that one pack is enough to create a very special atmosphere in any room. Adults will be wowed by the “Poem Tree” while children will be delighted with cute animals, pirates and princesses.
	9- PLAYDOH Age : 3-5y Price : £3.99 - £17.99 Another classic that has stood the test of decades! This modeling dough is available as simple assortments of pots, but the fun really gets going with the various machines that will send the children’s imagination and creativity spinning : the Burger Builder, Ice Cream Parlour and the more compact Fun Factory will all provide hours of great fun. A definite winner.
	10- AIR HOCKEY Age : 5-Adult Price : £24.99 How I wish I had been given these when I was younger! Short of having the real bulky versions of the classics, these nice wooden 20”x10” versions are the best way ever to solid fun. Judging by the feedback I have had from my customers, I can most definitely recommend them if you wish to please someone with an unexpected gift that will ensure good times!
	11- CARPENTER’S BELT Age : 2-5y Price : £12.99 Filled with wooden tools so children can imagine themselves the master craftsmen of the house, this belt is one of the constant best-sellers I have had in the shop since day one. If you are looking for a great quality present for a two or three year old child, this toy is by far the best way to go.
	12- MAGNETS IN TIN Age : 5-7y Price : £13.99 A favourite amongst my local regulars for birthday presents and special treats! The tins contain four playscenes and figures to dress up with magnets. The princess themed tin is always a big hit, but there are also many other themes available in the range, such as “World Traveller”, “Fairy Tales”, ”Robots” and “Ballerinas”. An inspired reinvention of the traditional dress-up dolls.
	13- WOODEN MUSIC SET Age : 1-4y Price : £13.99 This is a set that will allow any toddler to get even noisier – assuming this can be done : two castanets, two handbells and a xylophone. The music set is a no-brainer : colourful, wooden, it will delight all children as they learn to create notes and songs on the good old classic xylophone.
	14- PINK BASKET TEA SET Age : 3-6y Price : £15.99 There are times in life when you have to give in to the pinkness. Think pink! This is a metal tea set, which means : unbreakable! It contains 19 pieces including plates, tea cups, spoons, a tea pot… everything down to the napkins, and all stored in a wonderfully PINK basket. Perfect for role play to stimulate children’s imagination.
	15- GROOVY GIRLS Age : 2-6y Price : £12.99 The Groovies are very popular dolls in The Toybox! Available in a myriad of different hair styles and skin colours, these soft dolls with a big smile can be dressed-up with the various sets of clothes available in the range. Although most of them look like contemporary-looking girls, there are also princesses, mermaids and fairies; plenty to choose from. Groovy!
	16- POP-UP TOY Age : 1y Price : £7.99 Four coloured wooden characters with smiley faces can be pressed down the holes in the wooden box where they reside. This will cause them to jump out, which is somehow a whole world of fun to a one year old child. This toy helps teaching colour recognition and the characters are totally safe for the little toddler to put in his mouth and teethe on. A fun and inexpensive good quality toy that is quite ideal as a first birthday present!
	17- MARBLE RUN Age : 5-10y Price : £12.99 - £29.99 Three sizes for degrees of enjoyment! The 24 piece kit, the more elaborate 48 piece kit and the massive 62 piece kit that includes wheels and other exciting parts. Each set contains a lot of marbles and, all sets being compatible, the marble run can be expanded over time to form one monstrously huge device. The marble run is an all-time classic : its play value is assured!
	18- UMBRELLAS Age : 5-15y Price : £15.99 Yes, Umbrellas! I know, you would not normally expect an umbrella to feature on a “recommended toys” list, but this gorgeous stuff is going to redefine expectations in a heartbeat. Made out of bamboo, the Djeco umbrellas – yes, Djeco strikes again! – are simply stunning to look at and make great decorations on top of being real waterproof umbrellas.
	19- MAGIC Age : 7+ Price : £10.99 Many people tend to struggle when choosing presents for an older child, but the Magic box is here to resolve the issue! Teaching the basics of magic through a booklet and everything needed to perform twelve magic tricks, this kit shall excite the most blasé of children. The Spy Science secret message kit and various robot-making sets from the same range are also huge hits. See? Hope is still among us!
	20- FAIRY BEAD BOX Age : 3-8y Price : £9.99 Last but not least on the list of must-haves, the fairy bead box that I have seen flying off shelves steadily for years. Filled with laces, charms, and beautifully painted wooden beads of various shapes, this box has everything needed for hours of jewellery making, and it all comes packed in the nicest box. About the best toy you could find for just under a tenner, and always a big success!