Great ideas for creative kids' toys this Christmas

FINALLY, Halloween is out of the way and we can move onto my favourite time of the year – Christmas!

Although I am the first to admit I do think Christmas starts way too early these days, we never put decorations up before December, mainly because the clutter drives me a little mad within a number of weeks. I put a few bits up for the Toy Show and after that they start to drift in gradually around the house.

I also think it is OK to start talking about Christmas gifts earlier than December because, obviously, given the times that are in it, we all want to spread the cost of the season across a few months and it’s nice to be organised in time.

We are usually very last-minute shoppers in this house, I find the girls don’t decide on what they want until closer to the time and they change their minds several times, until late November.

Most children know what they want as their main gift so no amount of gift guides targeted at parents is going to change that. Every year though my husband and I delight in getting a few bits from us (usually a family game) and a few bits for their stockings from local or independent Irish shops.

That is what I am going to focus on today, with a little lean on STEM and creative toys for boys and girls, because I know in this house they always go down a treat.

I don’t think I could pick a small handful of things to highlight from Cogs the Brain Shop which is an incredible resource for creative and stimulating toys and games. Some of our favourite family games are from there, including The Genius Square, Quirkle, Rhino Hero, Dobble and 30 Seconds Junior (or 5 Seconds Junior which suits the entire family from aged 4 to 37). The website itself is a joy to navigate with lots of suggestions to pick from if you are stuck for ideas yourself, we have never been disappointed with anything we have purchased from there.

Arckit is like a sophisticated Lego set that is made in Ireland and resembles the little models you would normally associate with architects and building mock-ups. We got three kits last year for our five, seven and nine year-olds and the older two really liked them, it was ever so slightly fiddly for the younger girl.

There are a few different configurations you can make with the one kit and they look really slick once they are finished. We found it especially good for the nine-year-old who loves Lego but the real goal in it for her is the building and not the playing afterwards, like it is for the other girls.

These kits would whet the appetite of those goal-focused children.

Jiminy must be one of my favourite online shops and Sharon is such an advocate for sustainability that, aside from a wonderful selection of toys and games, you can learn a lot from her too. Randomly, the most useful product I purchase over and over from Jiminy is the paper sticky tape, I am never without it!

We have a box of BioBlo which honestly is the simplest toy you could imagine but the box is constantly pulled out here and all sorts of houses and stables are conjured up by all ages – highly recommend! GeoMag is another big hit here, a kit with an array of magnetic shapes that my four-year-old really enjoys. Doctor Ziggs Giant Bubble kits are also very popular in this house, but probably more of a summer purchase than a winter one.

Freddie and Millie is a gorgeous online shop based in Leitrim and aside from the dreamiest collection of toys, from dolls’ house accessories to bikes, Claire has a fabulous selection of eco-friendly and creative toys. A very simple but constantly popular activity in this house is bracelet making and there is a lovely selection of beaded bracelet kits for smaller kids with large beads to make it easier for small hands.

Other highlights include a ‘Make your own Torch’ kit, a ‘Build your own Doorbell’ kit and solar powered origami cars.

Obviously, any article in a paper published in Cork about independently owned toy shops has to mention Joyces and Pinocchio’s. J Joyce & Co on Princess Street is literally a wonderland of beautiful, creative and educational toys; I always give myself about an hour there as there is so much to take in and choose from.

Likewise, Pinocchio’s is equally as beautiful, with its window display alone enough to invoke awe. I know it is sometimes easy to sit at home and order online, as it is the habit many of us have gotten into over the last couple of years, myself included, but its lovely to soak up the Christmas atmosphere by getting out there and into shops to spread whatever support we can give to as many as we can.