ethical toys

Our Toadstool Wishlist

Our Toadstool Wishlist

The Toadstool is an independent toy shop selling a variety of beautiful and educational toys. The Toadstool specialises mainly in Wooden toys and ethical toys, and has some really lovely things which you won’t find on the high street. Over the past year, The Toadstool has been working with several ToadTester bloggers to try out […]

Lanka Kade Alphabet Dinosaur Puzzle from Junior Scholars

Lanka Kade Alphabet Dinosaur Puzzle from Junior Scholars

In case you missed it, I recently posted about our day at the Junior Scholars blogging event in Watford. The children were given the chance to take an item each to review at home. Mr T did not hesitate to make his choice: The Lanka Kade Dinosaur Alphabet Puzzle. This is a wooden Fair Trade […]

Brainbox ABC – Review

Brainbox ABC – Review

We were recently sent ABC from Brainbox games from the Green board game co. This is a ten minute brain challenge game recommended for age 4+, so it was ideal for my 4 year old to test out and he was very excited to get started. The Brainbox ABC box contains a sand timer, 1 […]

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Make Your Own Make Believe: 17 DIY Dress Up Clothes for Imaginative Play

Jumping, climbing and running are all important ways for kids to engage in physical play, which is important for developing gross motors skills and promoting other developmental milestones. However, an equally important means for development is through imaginative play. Imaginative play is essential for children’s social, emotional and cognitive development. This type of play includes […]
Ways to Play with Wooden Railway

Wooden railway is an absolute classic toy – popular in most homes and nurseries. It was a huge hit with my boys particularly when they were younger, and now that N is moving out of the baby stage into the toddler years, we’ve started to reintroduce it again. Wooden railway is really open ended and […]
Great Outdoor Toys that Your Kids will Love

We all know that spending time outside is good for our children. So, many parents try to take their kids to the park or for a bike ride. The problem is there is not always enough time available to do this as much as you would like. So, you have to do what you can […]
How can you extend learning outdoors past the classroom?

When you think of a classroom, what springs to mind? Most likely it is a room, indoors, with desks and chairs facing a whiteboard on the wall. It’s important to remember, however, that this isn’t the only environment that a child can learn in and, as research has shown, it may not be the most […]
Top Tips for Outdoor Play, and the Best Outdoor Toys for Kids with Little Tikes Bring Back The Outdoors

This summer, Little Tikes are celebrating all of the parents and families who encourage kids to get outdoors into the garden or great outdoors, and in a time where indoor screen based activities can be very tempting, or safety concerns can keep kids inside, they’ve brought out some great new ranges to make outdoor play […]
Sensory Stone Play – Fun Activities for Kids

Sensory Stone play should be part of any child’s development, as it encourages new experiences involving the senses. Every stone play offers an opportunity for kids to better understand their shapes through play and mark making. This game enables children to experiment with shapes and patterns while also exploring how to match and find symmetries. […]
Why children need to get outdoors this spring

For the first time in what seems forever, UK residents are awakening to clear blue skies. The birds are singing once again and the first daffodils of the year are making a most welcomed appearance. With spring in the air, we can feel it calling us to get outside and enjoy the beauty of the […]