Games & toys

Set up your stumps ready for a great game of cricket. Olivia Coates reviews.

Fun and games guaranteed over the festive period with The Very Merry Christmas Game from Rascals, writes Anne Coates.

At home it's more fun to explore STEM education topics when you have the right equipment. We have tried out the new Discovery Kids Digital Walkie Talkies with a 3km range and the Discovery Kids 40mm Astronomical Telescope and they make great presents.

Zapf Creation® has come up with a fabulous addition to the BABY Born® family – a big sister. She arrived in the Coates household with much fanfare and joyous anticipation. 

They're the new kids on the block – Bratz Instapets inspired by their spirit animals. We were sent Jade to review and Harriet Coates was delighted.

Lucky Voice has developed the ultimate Karaoke App. We tried it out together with the Lucky Voice Karaoke Kit. The children at Harriet's end of term party were delighted.

Christine Mayle tried out the Galt two-in-one Playnest and baby Matthew tried out both options.

Creative, messy play is great when you are at home and can cater for spillages and the like but what about when you are at friends' houses or restaurants? Olivia Coates reviews the Revell MyArts Sand Shaker and found it perfect for taking out and about.

Tomy Colour Discovery Hot Air Balloon is reviewed by Ian Robinson with his two-year-old daughter.

Tomy's Jumbo Jamboree is a great musical toy to explore with small children from 12 months old, writes Ian Robinson.

Project Mc2 is back on Netflix and coincides with British Science week which runs from 11 to 20 March, 2016. The dolls based on the programme's characters feature in a new presentation with experiments for young scientists to perform at home. Harriet has always favoured Adrienne Attoms and was delighted to try out her volcanic experiment, writes Anne Coates,

Laura Chambers  was delighted when she reviewed the Frozen Aquadoodle from Tomy – perfect entertainment for her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Isabella.

The LeapPad Platinum has become a great favourite for Harriet as Anne Coates explains in her review.

Nothing beats a board game for getting the whole family engaged over the festive season and University Games has a range to suit all ages including Pointless, Chicken Charades, Smart Ass and 5 Second Rule.

It's a pencil, a crayon and a water colour – STABILO's Woody 3-in-1 sets are perfect to bring out the creativity in a child (or adult). Harriet and Anne Coates tried them out.

Daniel Manning reviews BingoSaurus – the ultimate dinosaur bingo game which can be played on two levels.

Anne Coates is gearing up for Christmas with the LEGO® City Advent Calendar.

Faber-Castell has a range of art materials for young artists. Harriet tried out the Connector Paint Box, the Colourful Grip Crayons and the Ocean Adventure Creative Craft Set as Anne Coates reports.