Toy Guide - Toys for toddlers

Weebly Wobbly Treehouse
Manufacturer Playskool
Age Over 18 months
Price £24.99
iVillage star rating ***
Buy online www.argos.co.uk

Manufacturer/retailer says It's a wacky treehouse where the Weebles can move up and down with lots of opportunity to wobble about.

We say While the Treehouse is a bit pricey, it includes three Weebles plus a few accessories like a little moulded plastic Weeble chair and treasure chest. The two 22-month-old testers couldn't wait to get their hands on it when they first saw it. Once they were shown how the Weebles zoom down the slide, rotate in the crow's nest or disappear into a hole on the upper 'deck' to shoot out the front gate, the Treehouse became a daily diversion. The cutest part of the toy is the 'water' wheel with Weeble seats that makes music when you crank the handle. You can also play tunes by pressing a button on the base. The only minor false notes were the fiddly purple plastic flag and telescope, which do not fit securely into the holes on the Treehouse roof and easily fall out. It comes already loaded with the required three AA batteries.

Animal Flashlights
Manufacturer Little Tikes
Age From 18 months
Price £9.99
iVillage star rating: *****
Buy online www.toysrus.co.uk

Manufacturer says These electronic torches have fun animal sounds! Squeeze the handle and the mouth opens, light comes on and they make an animal sound. Six animal varieties.

We say Another toy that made our mums and especially dads want to be young again. These torches aren't just gorgeous, they are practical too. Little Tikes has thought through the switch on and off handle mechanism to make them failsafe. Our favourite is the hippo.

Laugh & Learn Musical Learning Chair
Manufacturer Fisher Price
Age From 1 year
Price £29.99
iVillage star rating *****
Buy online www.argos.co.uk

Manufacturer says Baby's magical musical chair packed with activities. A clock to teach numbers and counting, a lamp teaches colours and opposites and an activity book teaches animals. When baby sits on the chair, music and fun sound effects are activated.

We say Fisher Price's Laugh & Learn range of toys has won lots of awards and the latest addition to the range is this musical chair. Our mum tester wondered why no-one had though of making a chair that amuses toddlers before. Not only does it teach all sorts of early learning skills, it starts the idea of sitting down in a chair to learn long before that first day at school arrives.

Learning Through Play Rocking Snail
Manufacturer Boots
Age From 18 months
Price £27.00
iVillage star rating *****
Buy online www.boots.co.uk

Manufacturer says Take a rocking ride on this fun and colourful snail.

We say This excellent value rocking snail was an instant hit with our testers because they found it very easy to sit on and ride. The smiley face and plush coils also made sure they treated the snail as a real character. It is quite low to the ground and the wooden base makes it sturdy to ride. It has a crown, which our testers held onto, like a horse's mane.