Toys and Games - Reviews and News

My children are spoiled when it comes to playthings. They have a playstation, Wii fit and Xbox 360 along with bicycles, a garden trampoline and their most recent outdoor toy which is a really nice wooden playset.

As the weather has begun to improve they’ve begun to migrate from the computer games to the real outdoor games so over dinner last night I conducted an informal poll to find out which was the most popular plaything with my three under sevens (two girls and one boy).

The results were quite surprising with the wooden playset (which is equipped with a swing slide) coming out on top, followed by the trampoline then the Wii fit. I daresay these results were largely influenced by the fact that they had just spent a noisy hour having fun on their new swing and slide.

So if you are trying to decide between a computer game or a good piece of outdoor play equipment - I recommend you choose the latter. Your children will love it.

Who can remember having a pedal car as a child? I certainly can. It was one of my favourite playthings, right up until I was simply too big to fit into it any more.

Isn’t it funny how, in the age of the computer with flight simulators and sophisticated computer games, many of these old-school playthings are becoming popular once again. Many parents are moving away from the techno-toys, instead choosing more traditional playthings that they enjoyed as a child.

Pedal cars are one of those toys from days-gone-by that are becoming increasingly popular once again. They are a great enticement to get the children away from their computers and out of the house to engage in a little active, energetic pedalling.

If you are looking for something that is a little bit different for a toddler then a pedal car could be just the thing. And you don’t need to worry about rising fuel prices!

Everybody likes to spend time in the water, especially the children. It is obviously good for them to learn to swim and to gain confidence in and around water, but our British weather means that it is often just too cold for them to spend much time outdoors and wet.

Wetsuits used to be used almost exclusively by scuba divers. The neoprene, from which they were made, was stiff and uncomfortable and they were prohibitively expensive. Luckily wetsuits have changed and there are now some excellent, top quality wet suits in all sizes that are very affordable.

A wetsuit works by keeping a thin layer of water sandwiched between the wearers body and the neoprene suit. This is warmed by the body, providing an insulating layer which keeps the wearer warm, as long as the water doesn’t leak out. It is therefore important to ensure that the wetsuit fits tightly, especially at the cuffs around the legs and arms.

The shortie wetsuit allows greater mobility by having short legs and arms. This makes them ideal for water based actitivities where mobility is important. It also makes the shortie wetsuit highly suitable for children, enabling them to keep warm in the water, to run about and to play games.

Equipping your children, and yourselves, with a few wet suits from H2Ofun will enable them, and you, to spend more time outdoors, playing in water. They are also a great way to prevent sunburn without having to keep applying sun-tan lotion!

This story from the BBC (No Outdoor Play Hurts Children) reports a worrying trend wherein parental anxiety coupled with increasingly popular sedentary activities, such as watching TV and playing computer games, are adversely affecting children’s health.

Play England is a project that has been established to promote play activities, to raise awareness of the importance of play and the provision of suitable play facilities and strategies. The fact that this project exists is indicative of how important this issue has become.

Outdoor play activities can make a significant contribution to a childs development. Children will begin to climb even before they can walk. Providing infants with safe outdoor play equipment which encourages them to climb and to discover their own physical capabilities aids the development of their psycho-motor and cognitive skills. When toddlers begin to walk they benefit from opportunities to develop their walking skills through balancing. Ladders, climbing frames, treehouses and other forms of outdoor play equipment can help them to develop their physical confidence.

As toddlers grow they need to encounter increasingly demanding challenges which will stretch their capabilities and help them to develop their physical skills. Slides, swings, ladders, trampolines and other garden and park play equipment can make a powerful contribution towards this development. Variety is crucial in ensuring that a child does not become bored by a challenge which is either too easy or too hard.

When children are very young they will need fairly close supervision from an adult. But as a child grows this requirement quickly diminishes and it becomes increasingly important that children are given the freedom to explore their capabilities in relation to the physical world around them. It is also important that they get the opportunity to interact with other youngsters of the same age. Appropriate outdoor play facilities can provide an ideal environment for children to learn through exploration and discovery and for them to share their experiences. It is up to the parent or guardian to facilitate their creative play by providing a safe environment for them to play in along with adequately stimulating and challenging props and outdoor play equipment.

This story from the BBC (No Outdoor Play Hurts Children) reports a worrying trend wherein parental anxiety coupled with increasingly popular sedentary activities, such as watching TV and playing computer games, are adversely affecting children’s health.

Play England is a project that has been established to promote play activities, to raise awareness of the importance of play and the provision of suitable play facilities and strategies. The fact that this project exists is indicative of how important this issue has become.

Outdoor play activities can make a significant contribution to a childs development. Children will begin to climb even before they can walk. Providing infants with safe outdoor play equipment which encourages them to climb and to discover their own physical capabilities aids the development of their psycho-motor and cognitive skills. When toddlers begin to walk they benefit from opportunities to develop their walking skills through balancing. Ladders, climbing frames, treehouses and other forms of outdoor play equipment can help them to develop their physical confidence.

As toddlers grow they need to encounter increasingly demanding challenges which will stretch their capabilities and help them to develop their physical skills. Slides, swings, ladders, trampolines and other garden and park play equipment can make a powerful contribution towards this development. Variety is crucial in ensuring that a child does not become bored by a challenge which is either too easy or too hard.

When children are very young they will need fairly close supervision from an adult. But as a child grows this requirement quickly diminishes and it becomes increasingly important that children are given the freedom to explore their capabilities in relation to the physical world around them. It is also important that they get the opportunity to interact with other youngsters of the same age. Appropriate outdoor play facilities can provide an ideal environment for children to learn through exploration and discovery and for them to share their experiences. It is up to the parent or guardian to facilitate their creative play by providing a safe environment for them to play in along with adequately stimulating and challenging props and outdoor play equipment.

This story from the BBC (No Outdoor Play Hurts Children) reports a worrying trend wherein parental anxiety coupled with increasingly popular sedentary activities, such as watching TV and playing computer games, are adversely affecting children’s health.

Play England is a project that has been established to promote play activities, to raise awareness of the importance of play and the provision of suitable play facilities and strategies. The fact that this project exists is indicative of how important this issue has become.

Outdoor play activities can make a significant contribution to a childs development. Children will begin to climb even before they can walk. Providing infants with safe outdoor play equipment which encourages them to climb and to discover their own physical capabilities aids the development of their psycho-motor and cognitive skills. When toddlers begin to walk they benefit from opportunities to develop their walking skills through balancing. Ladders, climbing frames, treehouses and other forms of outdoor play equipment can help them to develop their physical confidence.

As toddlers grow they need to encounter increasingly demanding challenges which will stretch their capabilities and help them to develop their physical skills. Slides, swings, ladders, trampolines and other garden and park play equipment can make a powerful contribution towards this development. Variety is crucial in ensuring that a child does not become bored by a challenge which is either too easy or too hard.

When children are very young they will need fairly close supervision from an adult. But as a child grows this requirement quickly diminishes and it becomes increasingly important that children are given the freedom to explore their capabilities in relation to the physical world around them. It is also important that they get the opportunity to interact with other youngsters of the same age. Appropriate outdoor play facilities can provide an ideal environment for children to learn through exploration and discovery and for them to share their experiences. It is up to the parent or guardian to facilitate their creative play by providing a safe environment for them to play in along with adequately stimulating and challenging props and outdoor play equipment.