Best toys / Worst toys - Reviews to help decide on Christmas lists!

[Moomin]

Dd1 is changing her mind every 5 mins about what she might ask Santa for this year - and dd2 is only 2 so I really can't decide for her- I'm thinking maybe a toy garage and cars.

So how about posting what have been real favourites in your house and played for forever, and those that you shelled out for and were a complete waste of money, esp toys that have been popular in recent years?

In our house:
Best
Lego, megablocks, craft stuff, dolls prams/buggies, cooker set, aquadraw

Worst
Styling 'heads' (like Girls World), character dolls, 'pretend' computers, over-complicated board games, buckaroo

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Hi! This thread is a little out of date. If you're looking for toy recommendations, take a peek at our roundup of the best toys for Christmas - as chosen by Mumsnetters. MNHQ

worst - operation game, really crappola

DD has a big wooden kitchen and every child who comes to the house (under 5) plays with it all the time. It's the biggest hit ever.

DD pleaded for a Dora House last year. I was horrified to realise that for the price it had no furniture and that all the 'matching' furniture was equally plasticy, nasty and expensive. And didn't DO stuff. And it takes up loads of room.

Agree that Buckaroo sucks! Mousetrap - too many pieces and set up time. Leap pad is a brill idea but DS prefers normal books.

Hits have included

Wooden blocks
Crayola mess free sets
Aquadraw
Postman pats balancing game
Any game by orchard (and we have many of them lol)
Vsmile Pocket
Craft bits and bobs from ELC
Moon Sand

Good to hear about the wooden kitchen as I was thinking of getting dd one for christmas this year.

In the past we hae had buckaroo operation and mouse trap. All were awful!

Good ones; Megablocks and Lego, craft items, I lurve Orchard games, dolls pram, thomas trainset, Jitterbugs games from ELC, tea sets, books etc...

I am sure there are lots more that we have loved!

Oh forgot to add on the rubbish toys- Disney Princess pop-up castle. Takes up LOADS of room, ended up being a dumping ground for toys. This year moved it to garden shed and brought it out on a couple of hot days which was better. And cannot for the life of me 'pop' it down. It's impossible!

Another load of crap - various 'sets' of different castles/Balamory houses/Angelina theatre, etc., where there are different rooms and little figures and fiddly props that get lost and the sets take up loads of room.

Another winner - Play food and tea-sets