Festive Fun
The six on-trend toys to look out for this Christmas. • Ravensburger Space Puzzle (£39.99) The board game and puzzle revolution is in full flow, with sales at levels last year not seen since the Eighties. Our rediscovered love of these foldout wonders doesn’t mean we aren’t still expecting innovation, and with that in mind this ingenious design poses a doublelayered appeal – first construct the 3D solar system, then take the time to learn about all its mastery and magnificence.
up ice cream!
• Kinetic Sand Scents (£12.99) When kinetic sand came along it moved the notion of these little grains from outside to indoors, all the while providing for kids (and adults alike) a rather satisfying – and generally unexpected – sensory experience by which these grains can slip through your fingers with all the same pleasure as the real stuff, yet zero mess.
There’s nothing wrong with the concept here, nor the brand’s admirable longevity, although while the Joker and Batman are renowned for their trademark gas guzzlers, many may struggle to name Superman’s famous road vehicle!
Now the proposition has been stepped up somewhat with a new scented version, bringing to life creations, and stimulating almost endless offers of serving
• Scalextric Batman editions (£39.99) An electricitydriven staple of so many Christmases, Scalextric have cottoned onto the film franchise game by hooking up two big deals in producing two notable sets: Batman v Superman (available at John Lewis only), and Batman v The Joker.
• GraviTrax PRO Starter Set (£65.00) To prove beyond any real doubt how far some of our toy choices have regressed this year, why not break out the marbles?! The difference here, of course, being that while in the past it was perhaps a quick game of Ker-plunk, now you have full-on ‘build your own’ systems such as GraviTrax completely transforming the landscape. These futuristic columns, corridors and cages provide a
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myriad of pathways into which you can take your marble on its very own festive rollercoaster of fun! • Kaloo, My First Doll (£19.99) The prospect of a doll for Christmas will always have the potential to divide parents. From pretty and cute in one camp, to scary and sinister in the other, the reality is our little ones love to have a buddy to carry around, and the new range of Kaloo dolls are certainly expected to be one of the big Christmas list dwellers this year. • UNO 50th Anniversary Edition (£19.95) Unlikely to sell out, UNO has nonetheless emerged as one of the best festive family games. Simple to play, sociable, quick, great fun for kids and adults alike, and with more twists and turns than an afternoon in the maze at Hampton Court, UNO may just be the secret antidote to periods of turkey-induced festive malaise!
