Posted by
Rob on Monday, December 1st 2008
As you know, your shopping blog is always on the lookout for Christmas gift ideas, so I’ve been looking through the “Dream List” of the TRA (Toy Retailers’ Association) which they publish every year to promote this Christmas’s must have toys.
As usual, some I agree with and some I don’t. The main thing to me about a toy for kids is that they should be able to do something with it and interact rather than just sitting looking at it.
So here are my top 3 for this year.
3 - The recycling truck from Playmobil
At about £30 it’s a brightly coloured truck that kids can push about to their hearts’ content, and we all know how much kids like pushing cars and trucks around the floor. Complete with two jolly dustmen and three brightly coloured bins, this is the perfect Christmas gift for the junior recycler and will give your kids an early start into the green scene.

© Teletubbies
2 - Dance with me Teletubbies
For fans of Tinky Winky, Dipsy, La La and Po, and if you don’t know who they are, what desert island are you from?
For about £35 you can choose your Teletubby (all four are available), put him on the floor and turn him on and he’ll dance and jiggle about in time to the music. Your child won’t be able to resist dancing along, and it would be special fun for kids’ parties to occupy them all for half an hour. Kids love dancing and kids love Teletubbies, so this is one great Christmas gift that Santa should be putting on his Christmas gift list for kids.

© Bob the Builder
And - wait for it - my number 1 Christmas gift is …….
1 - Bob the builder interactive construction playset.
At about £50, this great little toy can provide hours of endless fun for Bob the Builder fans. It comes with Tumbler, Scoop and Muck along with Bob himself of course, and there are lots of things to move and fix. This playset detects when something is moved and plays an appropriate noise or sound clip, and kids can mix “cement”, use the working crane or even raise the truck on the vehicle lift. You’ll get no peace on Christmas day with one of these, but your kids will love it!
Rob