Like all maddening puzzles, Aquabatics has a simple premise - in this case, get the floaty bits to land on the right spot. By tilting and gently shaking the water-filled disk, you have to get coffee granules into a coffee pot, cola into a cup, golf balls into holes, numbers on a mobile phone, or - best of all - spots on a Dalmatian. Aquabatics cost pound;5.99 each from the Happy Puzzle Company, tel: 0800 376 3728 for a catalogue; website: www.happypuzzle.co.uk If Harry Potter fever is still raging in a young relative, help is at hand. Lego has created the Harry Potter range for six to 12-year-olds. Most expensive is Hogwarts Castle at pound;79.99, which comes with a full set of characters. Hogwarts Express, which costs pound;39.99, has miniature versions of Harry, Hermione and Ron. Cheaper options from the collection include Hagrid’s hut for pound;24.99 and a Hogwarts classroom for pound;8.99. The Lego Harry Potter range is available from major toy outlets.
Still in Potter mode, the Bookube Company has just released its Harry Potter range. Bookubes are ideal for busy hands and dull moments. You simply open up the cubes and twist and turn the blocks to create combinations of text pictures. There are four Potter-themed cubes - Hogwarts, Quidditch, Friends of Harry and The Final Challenge. Each Bookube costs pound;4.99. There’s also the special edition box with Hogwarts and Quidditch cubes, plus secret compartment, for pound;9.99. Bookubes are available from bookshops, or from the Bookube hotline on 01506 821 910.
Also from the Early Learning Centre is the Pocket Piano. For only pound;5, young musicians can create and record their own compositions on the 20cm keyboard, or listen to one of the 20 demo tunes.
Geomag Magnetic Construction sets need no tools, nuts or bolts - just alittle imagination and the patience to see a project through. The construction kits consist of nickel-plated steel connector balls and plastic-coated magnetic rods. Up to 14 rods can be attached to a single ball at a selection of angles. Children can build huge structures which won’t fall down even if they decide to make some major changes. They can also dismantle the most complex of structures in minutes.
Geomag Magnetic Construction is available in five compatible sets, priced pound;4.99 to pound;59.99. For orders, tel: 01285 770 012 or visit www.educationaltoys.co.uk. Also available at selected toy shops.
Can any self-respecting three-year-old cope without Bob the Builder this Christmas? If you’ve managed to avoid the stage shows, you can make amends cheaply with the Bob the Builder pocket scribbler. Write on the front of Bob, and wipe it off with the magic lever at the back. This hand-held Bob costs pound;5 from the Early Learning Centre, tel: 08705 352 352; website: www.elc.co.uk For pound;50, Me Mo Mo could be your new household pet. It looks like a child-friendly version of one of the aliens from the new “Mini adventure“car adverts. Aimed at five to eight-year-olds, Me Mo Mo, from Vtech, not only has a built-in alarm clock, but can be used with an infrared keyboard to play 25 games, puzzles, logic activities, and English and maths exercises. For added entertainment value, it talks, “dances” and sings. Me Mo Mo is available from Argos stores. More details online at www.argos.co.uk or www.vtech.com Minibots are the perfect stocking filler for Robot Wars aficionados. The 4cm models, based on the Robot Wars house robots and competitors, are fitted with friction motors, allowing you to conduct your own front-room showdown. Minibots cost pound;6.99 from toy shops.
Yolanda Brooks
