Children's toys from 2 to 4 years.

Ride on Push bikes: Gross motor skills develop and energy is expended.

Trampoline: Excellent exercise, strengthens muscles, assists balance, helps develop the all important vestibular system. Also mobilises lymph for cleansing. As children's toys, trampolines should keep their popularity for years. Stick to the safety recommendations of the manufacturer.

Bath toys: Pouring water from one container to another container is fun.

Bean bags and balls: These help with hand eye coordination and there are many games they can be used for. Soft, big balls are ideal at this age.

Sandpit, sand, sand toys: The feel of different things is important for understanding and development and children can enjoy playing with toys, getting used to textures as well as playing outside all at the same time.

Big interlocking blocks: Pattern building games.

Beads: Stringing big beads is fun and good for assisting the fine motor skills. Colour identification and usage too.

Colouring, painting, play-dough: Mixing colours with textures gives a grounding in how things work together.

Cds, cassettes, limited videos: Nursery rhymes for memory development. Many recorded ones include activities to cater for kinesthetic and tactile learners as well.

Puzzles up to 24 pieces: Great for hand eye co-ordination as well as seeing the picture appear. Some may repeat building the same puzzle over and over just for the fun of it.

Push toys: This is the age where frantic activity is beginning to build. At this age, ‘the cheaper the better’ may be a good motto. Some of the wire toys one can buy at the roadside fit that bill and they are hardy. Blackboard and chalk: Great fun as he/she can keep the happy elements and rub out the rest. Avoids having drifts of scribbled on papers adorning floors and furniture.

Jungle gym: Preferably with a swing.

Imagination games, dressing up: Just the beginning of establishing image and play-play changing character. Enables children to identify with hero characters. Remember to show worthwhile heroes, not just the ones on tv wrestling shows or un-real girlie videos.

3 to 4 years:

Tricycle: Balance comes into play here more so than on a ride-on. Also develops co-ordination and muscle strength.

Trampoline: Excellent exercise, strengthens muscles, assists balance, helps develop the all important vestibular system. Also mobilises lymph for cleansing. Stick to the safety regulations of the manufacturer.

Bath toys: Water babies are great to wash in the bath

Balls: For kicking and catching or just plain bouncing.

Baby dolls: Baby dolls are a special way to bring across the bonding process with and value of a real baby.

Sandpit, sand, sand toys:

Small interlocking blocks:

Colouring, painting, play-dough: Stimulates creativity, develops sense of colour, shape and size. Feeling textures is also important.

Board games: Simple games help with concentration and developing patience.

Cds, cassettes, limited videos:

Puzzles: 24 pieces and over.

Simple storybooks: There is nothing like making up your own mental visual pictures while a story is being read, better than too many videos which are two dimensional. Cookbooks with toddler recipes: As you clean up you can spell words such as c-u-p spells cup.

Blackboard and chalk: For creative expression, this children's toy can be used for years to practise writing as well as games such as 'Hangman' or 'Tic tac toe'. Use the chalks to draw hopscotch shapes on driveways or paving.

Jungle gym: With a swing and slide as well as climbing. Stick to the safety regulations of the manufacturer.

Imagination games, dressing up:

Tools, toolbench, dolls, dollhouse, cars:

Big beads, stringing shapes, finger paints:

Spiritual development: It is always important to explain and reinforce by repetition. Keep your eyes open for special sales on children toys.