Jump to: 

• What is butter slime?
• Ingredients for butter slime
• How to make butter slime
• Fun ways to play with butter slime
• How to store butter slime
• Common questions and how to fix butter slime

Whether you're a seasoned slime parent or completely new to the world of stretchy crafts, this step-by-step guide will show you how to make butter slime that’s soft, satisfying and far less likely to get stuck in the carpet.

From the ingredients you'll need to fun ways to play with it, here's everything you need to know about making butter slime at home – including how to fix it if it turns out too wet or too hard.

• Find more slime recipes here! 

What is butter slime?

Butter slime is a softer, stretchier type of slime that’s made by adding soft clay into a basic slime recipe. Unlike traditional slime, butter slime doesn’t drip through your fingers – it’s more mouldable, silky and satisfying to play with.

It’s a big hit with children who love sensory play or get frustrated with regular slime sticking to everything. It even spreads like real butter (hence the name) – and yes, your kids will definitely test that theory!

Ingredients for butter slime

You don’t need any special kits to make butter slime – just a few simple craft ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

• ½ cup of white PVA glue (children’s craft glue or CE-marked glue works best)
• ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/3 cup shaving foam (optional for fluffiness)
• ¼ cup water
• Slime activator (or a contact lens solution that contains boric acid)
• 1 cup soft modelling clay (look for ‘soft air-dry clay’ or foam clay – not standard air-dry clay)
• Food colouring (optional)
• Mixing bowl and spoon

Top tip: Choose yellow clay if your kids want that buttery look – or let them pick their favourite colour for rainbow variations.

How to make butter slime

Making butter slime takes around 15 minutes, and it's a great hands-on craft for a rainy afternoon. Here's how:

1. Make your slime base

In a large bowl, mix your PVA glue, water, bicarbonate of soda, and shaving foam (if using) until smooth. Add a few drops of food colouring now, if desired.

2. Add the slime activator

Slowly add your activator, 1 teaspoon at a time, mixing well between each addition. Keep going until the mixture starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl and becomes less sticky.

3. Knead your slime

Take the slime out of the bowl and knead it with clean hands until it firms up and becomes stretchy.

5. Add the modelling clay

Now for the fun bit! Take equal parts slime and soft clay and knead them together until fully combined. This will take a few minutes – the more your child squishes and stretches, the better the texture gets.

Fun ways to play with butter slime

Once your butter slime is ready, there are loads of ways to get creative:

• Slice it like butter – use plastic utensils to test the “spread test”
• Create shapes – it holds its shape more than traditional slime
• Stretch challenge – see how far your kids can stretch it without breaking
• Add scents or glitter – just make sure it's safe and age-appropriate

It's also ideal for calming sensory play. Pop it in a tray and let your little ones explore the squish and stretch without screens.

How to store butter slime

To keep your butter slime soft and stretchy for as long as possible:

• Store in an airtight container at room temperature
• Avoid direct sunlight or heat
• If it starts to dry out, knead in a drop of water or lotion to revive it

Butter slime can last up to a week (sometimes longer), depending on how it's played with.

Common questions and how to fix butter slime

Q. Why is my butter slime too sticky or wet?

A. Try adding a tiny bit more activator – just a few drops at a time. Knead well between additions.

Q. How do I fix hard butter slime?

A. If it’s too stiff, knead in a small amount of water or a dab of body lotion to soften it again.

Q. Does butter slime dry out?

A. Yes, eventually – but storing it in a sealed tub helps extend its life.

Q. Can I use any clay?

A. No – for butter slime to work, it must be soft foam or modelling clay. Regular air-dry clay will make it crumbly.

Making butter slime at home is a brilliant, low-cost activity that doubles as a sensory treat. It’s smoother, more manageable and more mouldable than traditional slime – and let’s face it, anything that makes less mess on your sofa gets a thumbs-up from us.

Read more: 

• 8 of the best slime-making kits to buy your child in 2025
• How to make slime at home: Easy recipe guide
• Is slime safe? What you need to know

It’s an easy activity that doubles as a mini science lesson – perfect for curious young minds!

How does this floating egg experiment work?

The floating egg experiment is all about density. Density is how much “stuff” (or mass) is packed into a certain space (volume). An object will float if it’s less dense than the liquid it’s placed in, and it will sink if it’s denser.

When you first place an egg in plain tap water, it usually sinks because the egg is denser than the water. But when you add salt to the water, you increase the water’s density. This means the water becomes “heavier” compared to the egg.

If you add enough salt, the water’s density becomes greater than the egg’s, and the egg will float.

How to explain it to kids

Here’s a simple way for parents to explain it:

• “Think of it like this: the egg is trying to float, but the water isn’t strong enough to hold it up at first.”
• “When we add salt, it makes the water stronger – like giving it a superpower to hold up the egg!”
• “The more salt we add, the stronger the water becomes, and the egg will start to float!”

It’s a great way to teach kids about how some things can change if you add or take away something else – like turning plain water into salty water that’s better at holding up the egg.

What you’ll need

1. One raw egg
2. A clear glass or cup
3. Tap water
4. Salt
5. A spoon for stirring

Floating egg experiment instructions

1. Fill the glass or cup with tap water – about three-quarters full.
2. Gently place the egg in the water. Watch what happens!
3. Add salt to the water, one spoonful at a time, and stir well after each spoonful.
4. Keep adding salt and stirring until you see the egg start to float.

Fun variations to try

1. Use different liquids (like sugar water or fizzy water) to see if the egg floats or sinks.
2. Try fresh eggs and older eggs – do they behave the same?
3. Try warm water versus cold water and see if the egg sinks or floats differently.
4. Predict and record your results like real scientists!

Read more: 

• Fun kids party games for all ages
• 20 easy science experiments for kids
• Best science kits for kids: telescopes, terrariums and more

• Jump to our list of the best books for 1-year-olds

The best baby books for 1-year-olds will have simple text, bright and engaging colourful illustrations, and some kind of interactive element that will spark curiosity and encourage interaction.

We've included classic lift-the-flap books, books with pull and pull mechanisms or tactile textures, noisy books and a few with a hidden mirror in too — all elements that will really capture your 1-year-old's attention.

Our selection of the best books for 1-year-olds is all parent-approved by our Top Testers Club. Our community told us what their favourite books to read to their babies were, and we rounded up the best options. From simple stories to sensory adventures, you'll find the best book for your 1-year-old below.

Looking for books for older readers? Check out our parent-recommended guides for books for 2 year olds, 3 year olds and 4 year olds. You can also find award-winning books from our annual MadeForMums Toy Awards.

Best books for 1-year-olds at a glance

• Best first lift-the-flap book for 1-year-olds: Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell, £7.99 £4 at Amazon (Save £3.99 or 50%)
• Best tactile book for 1-year-olds: That's Not My... Series by Fiona Watt, from £6.99 at Waterstones
• Best lift-the-flap book series for 1-year-olds: Where's Spot? Series by Eric Hill, £7.99 £4 at The Works (Save £3.99 or 50%)
• Best noisy books for 1-year-olds: Usbourne Sound Books, £51.96 £28.69 for a 4 Books Collection at Amazon (Save £23.27 or 45%)
• Best touch and sound book for 1-year-olds: Don't Tickle the... Series by Sam Taplin, from £6 at Amazon
• Best peekaboo book for 1 year olds: Peekaboo... Series by Camilla Reid, £7.99 £4.50 for Peekaboo Dog at Amazon (Save £3.49 or 44%)
• Best silicone texture book for 1-year-olds: Never Touch A... Series by Rosie Greening, £5.99 for Never Touch A Dragon at Amazon
• Best robust lift-the-flap book for 1-year-olds: Felt Flaps Where's Mr/Mrs Series by Ingela P Arrhenius, £34.95 £18.49 for a 5 Books Collection at Amazon (Save £16.46 or 47%)
• Best book with moving parts for 1-year-olds: Campbell Busy Books by Louise Forshaw, from £6.99 at Amazon
• Best bedtime book for 1-year-olds: Baby Touch: Night-Night, £7.99 £7.35 at Amazon (Save 64p or 8%)

Best books for 1-year-olds

1. Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell, £7.99

Best first lift-the-flap book for 1-year-olds

A must-have for any child's bookshelf, Dear Zoo is a classic for a reason. It's filled with favourite zoo animals that young children will have great fun finding by lifting the flaps, and is illustrated with bright and bold artwork.

Parents love how engaging Dear Zoo is for their 1 year olds, parent tester Yvonne said "it's so much fun for little hands to engage with, lifting the flaps" and parent tester Abbie told us "it's interactive with flaps, but also simple to understand and great for tackling first words."

Plus, it's a board book and made with thick card pages, so it's durable and can withstand many years of reading (and potential baby bashes!). Parent tester Charlene said, "Dear Zoo is my top recommendation for 1-year-olds and is still a strong favourite in our household. It's engaging, fun and hard-wearing."

Available from: Amazon, The Works and Waterstones

2. That's Not My... Series by Fiona Watt, from £6.99

Best tactile book for 1-year-olds

From puppies and bunnies to dinosaurs and even tractors, the That's Not My... series has over 50 titles to choose from, and each one proves to be engaging and captivating for 1-year-old babies and beyond.

The books really stand out for their tactile and interactive elements that really appeal to young children. As you turn each page, babies will explore the bright and colourful illustrations as well as the fuzzy, smooth and soft tactile patches on each page.

Plus, they're robustly made to withstand little hands. Parent tester Kathika said, "We love any lift-the-flap books, especially the That's Not My... collection because it's so interactive and most importantly, the flaps are made of fabric and they're so secure, so can't be ripped apart!"

Parent tester Chelle also said, "My little one loves the textures of the That's Not My range," and parent tester Vanessa agreed, "We love the That's Not My book range as the books have different textures and my little one likes to feel them."

Available from: Amazon, Waterstones

3. Where's Spot? series by Eric Hill, £7.99

Best lift-the-flap book series for 1-year-olds

Where's Spot?, the original Spot book, was the first ever lift-the-flap book published, and since then, the adventures of the adorable dog Spot have been captivating generations of babies.

It has simple, playful text that will encourage little ones to respond, and the bright and colourful images are hugely engaging. Plus, babies and toddlers will delight in joining the hunt and trying to lift the flaps to find the lovable and cheeky pup.

Parent tester Ellie said this is one of her favourites to read to her 1-year-old: "It's engaging with lift the flaps, and it's short enough to keep their interest."

This board book is well-built with toddler-proof flaps, so it should last through many readings as your baby grows up. There's also a whole range of Spot books to choose from — our particular favourites are Spot's Birthday Party and Spot Goes to School.

Available from: The Works, Amazon, Waterstones and Mamas & Papas

4. Usborne Sound Books, from £7.99

Best noisy books for 1-year-olds

Books with sound elements are always going to be huge hits for babies, and none more so than the collection of sound books from Usborne. This series of books features sounds from a true variety of different places, including vehicles, animals, cities, and even a building site.

Parent tester Kellie told us they love the Usborne sound books: "our sons very much loved books where you could press sounds that connected with the images, they really engaged in these" and parent tester Willow said, "my 1 year old loves the sound books, his favourite is the Farm Sounds one at the minute."

These books, and their accompanying sounds, really help to bring the story to life for young children as they get to press the buttons and hear hens clucking or trucks beeping. Plus, the books are illustrated with adorable and colourful scenes, and the simple text is great to read along to.

Available from: Amazon, Waterstones

5. Don't Tickle the... Series by Sam Taplin, £12.99

Best touch and sound book for 1-year-olds

If you want a fun and engaging book that will make your baby giggle, then definitely try the Don't Tickle series. Combining tactile, touchy-feely patches and cute sounds, this hilarious book will delight young babies and toddlers alike. Babies won't be able to resist tickling the patches and will then hear the penguin, cow, or dragon make their sounds.

Our parent testers told us their kids really enjoyed these books. Parent tester Sara said, "My daughters loved Don't Tickle the Crocodile. Lots of tickling fun with animal noises," and parent tester Stephanie told us, "My little boy's favourite book was Don't Tickle the Hippo! Animal sounds made him giggle, and he loved the touch and feel animals."

There are over 20 books to discover in the series, so you can try and resist tickling a shark, monkey, dinosaur, and even a unicorn!

Available from: Amazon, The Works, Waterstones

6. Peekaboo series by Camilla Reid, £7.99

— Best peekaboo book for 1-year-olds

We know that babies love to play peekaboo, so they will love this novelty book series with easy-to-use peekaboo sliders. Parent tester Jayne told us, "My boys LOVE the Peekaboo books by Camilla Reid! We make up stories about the characters on the pages, but the Peekaboo aspect is brilliant!"

Each book in the Peekaboo series, from Peekaboo Dog and Peekaboo Lion to Peekaboo Moon and Peekaboo Sun, features 10 sliders that babies can push, pull or turn, plus there's a surprise mirror at the end. Alongside the fun, interactive elements is a fun rhyming text to ensure that this book will keep babies captivated and engaged.

Available from: Amazon, Waterstones

7. Never Touch A... Series by Rosie Greening, £7.99

Best silicone texture book for 1-year-olds

Any book with interactive elements is sure to be a winner with babies, and the Never Touch A... series is packed with innovative silicone touch points that provide an engaging and tactile reading experience. Alongside this, in each book are engaging, funny rhymes and warm, vivid illustrations that will captivate young children.

There are plenty of titles to choose from, so you can read all about how you should never touch a snake, panda, koala, tiger, dragon, dinosaur, or even an axolotl!

Available from: Waterstones, Amazon

8. Felt Flaps Where's Mr/Mrs Series by Ingela P Arrhenius, £6.99

Best robust lift-the-flap book for 1-year-olds

The Felt Flaps series is perfect for babies who like to interact with their books and play with the flaps. Our parent testers loved these books as they're not only beautifully illustrated and crafted, but they're incredibly durable and tough, so are able to withstand enthusiastic reading by babies and toddlers.

Parent tester Natalie said "this series is good as the flaps are fabric so don't rip" and parent tester Rebecca told us "for books they can interact with, my 1 year old loved flipping through his Where's Mrs T-Rex book (I love these because he can't rip the felt!)".

The bright, retro artwork will engage babies, and the interactive flaps will be sure to captivate them. Plus, there are a lot of editions to choose from, including seasonal titles and collaborations with the National Trust, such as Where's Mr Puffin? and Where's Mrs Bee?

Available from: Amazon, Waterstones, Mamas & Papas, Superdrug

9. Campbell Busy Books by Louise Forshaw, £6.99

Best book with moving parts for 1-year-olds

With plenty to see, explore and most importantly, push, pull, slide and turn, the Busy Books will captivate babies, sparking their curiosity and interest. The board books are durable and filled with bright and colourful illustrations alongside a gentle, rhyming text.

There are plenty to choose from in the series too — babies will have fun exploring a busy airport, farm, beach, garden, park and many more.

Available from: Amazon, Waterstones

10. Baby Touch: Night-Night, £7.99

Best bedtime book for 1-year-olds

Perfect for soothing your baby before bedtime, this touch-and-feel book allows your baby to say 'night night' to all the animals, plants and vehicles before drifting off to sleep themselves. Combining calm and gentle text, tactile patches and peepo holes, this comforting book is the perfect bedtime book for 1-year-olds.

Plus, the colours cleverly fade from light to dark throughout the book, signalling that it's nighttime and time for baby to go to sleep.

You can also check out the other titles in the Baby Touch series.

Available from: Amazon, Waterstones

Read more...

• Easy last-minute World Book Day costume ideas
• Best bedtime stories for kids
• Best baby toys for 6-12 months
• Best baby activity mats
• Best books for 2 year olds
• Best books for 3 year olds
• Best books for 4 year olds

This no-cook playdough recipe comes together in about 10 minutes using simple ingredients you’ve probably already got at home.

There’s no cream of tartar needed, and zero faff – making it a brilliant simple playdough recipe for toddlers, preschoolers, and even older kids who love to get stuck in.

One batch makes enough for a huge squishy ball of dough or up to 12 smaller ones, you can colour any way you like, and it stays soft and lasts for ages.

Looking for more fun activities ? Discover 30 fun and easy air dry clay ideas including coasters, jewellery, stars, pots, ornaments, vases and more.  To keep the fun going try our 50 cute and simple Mehndi designs for kids to try and easy painting ideas for kids to keep your little ones entertained.

It’s ideal if you're after a homemade playdough recipe that’s mess-free and actually works.

Ready to get started? Scroll down for our quick playdough recipe – or jump straight to the fun colour and scent variations below:

Make playdough in a microwave | No cook playdough recipe | Playdough recipe without cream of tartar | Playdough recipe without salt | Plaudough recipe without food colouring | Fun playdough variations

How to make playdough

Ingredients you will need:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• ½ cup salt (65g)
• 1 cup water (240ml)
• 1 cup any type of white flour (130g)
• Food colouring (optional)

Step-by-step instructions

1. Place all of the ingredients except the flour and food colouring in a non-stick saucepan (if you want your playdough to be all one colour, you can add the food colouring in too, or follow our steps later if you want your playdough balls in different colours)
2. Put the saucepan on the hob over a low heat and mix well
3. Remove the saucepan from the hob and add in the flour
4. Put the saucepan back on the hob over a low heat and stir continuously and the thick should begin to thicken
5. Keep stirring until the mixture has a firm (and hard to stir) texture of soft dough, then place the dough onto a plate or hard surface
6. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then knead until you have a big ball of dough
7. If you haven't added the food colouring yet, divide the big ball into smaller, separate balls
8. Add a few drops of your chosen colour to the ball and knead until the colour is well spread (tip: it's easier if you make a little hollow space in the ball, let a few drops fall in the middle of it, then work the colour through)
9. Repeat with your other dough balls

Common playdough FAQ

How to make playdough recipe in a microwave

1. Place all of the ingredients mentioned above in a plastic container and cook for 1 1/2 minutes
2. Stir, then microwave for 1 more minute
3. Follow the recipe above from step 6

How to make this playdough recipe without cooking

1. Place the flour, vegetable oil, cream of tartar and salt into a bowl
2. Boil 1 cup of water and add the food colouring to the water
3. Gradually add the coloured water to the dry ingredients, stirring as you go until it thickens to a sticky, firm dough. Tip: go slowly, you might not need all of the water
4. Follow the recipe above from step 6, making sure you knead well until all the stickiness is gone

How to make playdough without cream of tartar

Instead of the cream of tartar, you will need 3 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar. You will also need ¼ cup (22g) salt (instead of ½ cup) and only ¾ cup (180ml) water (instead of 1 cup). To make it:

1. Add the liquid ingredients to a saucepan over a medium heat
2. Slowly add the salt and flour, mixing continuously until it starts to form a ball
3. Remove from the pan and allow to cool
4. Once cool, knead really well (it will feel sticky at first)

Note: It's the preservative quality of cream of tartar that means our playdough recipe lasts for so long, so if you make it without the cream of tartar, it won't stay 'fresh' for more than a couple of weeks.

How to make playdough without salt

You will need:

• 2 cups (255g) flour
• ½ cup (200ml) vegetable oil
• Food colouring
• Water

To make it:

1. Put the flour in a large bowl, add the oil and mix well
2. Fill a small glass with water and add a drop or 2 of food colouring
3. Pour the coloured water into the bowl a little at a time
4. Keep stirring and adding water until you have a soft dough

Note: As with the recipe directly above, this version won't stay 'fresh' for more than a couple of weeks as it has no cream of tartar.

How to make coloured playdough without food colouring

Warning — it might be faffy and messy! If you don't have food colouring, you can juice vegetables to make a homemade version. Beetroot juice makes a lovely pink, and carrot juice a strong orange. To make the playdough without food colouring, repeat the steps but substitute the food colouring for the juiced vegetables.

Playdough fun variations

• Shiny dough: Add a few drops of glycerine to the mixture.
• Aromatherapy dough: Add 2 to 3 drops of lavender (relaxing) or peppermint (invigorating) essential oils
• Textured, sensory dough: Knead in rice or split peas
• Fruity sensory dough: Divide your dough into several balls and add different fruit juices and zests; smell and compare
• ‘Mud’ playdough: Add brown food colouring, or instead of food colouring, add brown paint or 2 tbsp coffee grounds
• Glitter dough: Just add glitter!

Pics: Getty

Read more:

• How to make slime
• Indoor games to play with your toddler
• How to make eggbox flowers
• How to make an (almost) mess-free rainbow with cotton wool balls 

Whether you need an Easter bonnet for a boy or girl, our 7 bonnet ideas are easy-to-make and feature a guide detailing how to make each one, plus links to buy everything you need if you don't already have it at home.

Most of our bonnets are really easy to make with our step-by-step instructions, but we've also included an extra-special Hot Air Balloon option which looks fantastic, but takes slightly more effort, if you fancy the challenge.

Make these easy Easter crafts with your kids at home — including paper plate chicks, loo roll bunnies, felt Easter eggs and much more! Discover our 15 easy Easter crafts for kids guide.

Here's our pick of the best easy Easter bonnet ideas for boys and girls for 2025

Bunny Rabbit Easter Bonnet | Hatching Chick Easter Bonnet | Giant Carrot Easter Bonnet | Floral Easter Bonnet with DIY Flowers | Giant Daffodil Bonnet | Grassy-Topped Chick's Nest Easter Bonnet | Hot Air Balloon Bonnet

1. Bunny Rabbit Easter Bonnet

What you'll need

• Bonnet (£3.59)
• PVA Glue (£4.49 for a 2 pack)
• Cotton wool balls (£1.90)
• Googly eyes (£3.09 for 200)
• Pink pipe cleaners (£1.99 for 100 assorted colours)
• Pink card (£4.95 for a pack of 50 assorted colours of card)
• White card (£4.39 for 50)
• Green card (£4.95 for a pack of 50 assorted colours of card)
• Scissors (£3.99 for a 4 pack)
• Easter stickers (£1.99) or decorations (£7.99)

How to make it

1. Cover the top of the bonnet with PVA glue
2. Stick cotton wool balls all over the top of the bonnet, leave the brim of the bonnet free
3. Cut out a bunny nose from pink card
4. Stick on googly eyes, the bunny nose and pipe cleaner whiskers
5. Cut out a bunny ears shape from white and pink card and stick together
6. Stick the bunny ears on the top of the hat
7. Cut out leaves from the green card
8. Stick the green card leaves onto the rim of the bonnet with PVA glue
9. Stick Easter stickers or decorations on top of the leaves

2. Hatching Chick Easter Bonnet

What you'll need

• Yellow bonnet (£3.59)
• PVA Glue (£4.49 for a 2 pack)
• Yellow tissue paper or crepe paper (£3.99)
• 2 paper plates (£3.99)
• Sticky tape (£4.99 for a pack of 6)
• Googly eyes (£3.09 for 200)
• Yellow felt/card (£4.95 for a pack of 50 assorted colours of card)
• Orange felt/card (£4.95 for a pack of 50 assorted colours of card)
• Scissors (£3.99 for a 4 pack)
• Easter stickers (£1.99) or decorations (£7.99)

How to make it

1. Cover the top of the bonnet in PVA glue
2. Stick yellow tissue paper or crepe paper onto the bonnet until the top is covered
3. Place two paper plates together and tape the top halves together
4. Cut one of the plates in half horizontally with a zig-zag edge
5. Spread glue on the top of the bonnet and open the 2 plates wide enough to place them over the hat and stick them in place
6. Glue two googly eyes onto the bonnet
7. Glue the other paper plate section that you cut out earlier underneath the googly eyes
8. Cut out chick wings from the yellow felt/card and glue them to either side of the hat
9. Cut out a beak from the orange felt/card and glue it to the front above the beak
10. Decorate with Easter-themed decorations/flowers/pom poms around the rim of the hat

3. Giant Carrot Easter Bonnet

What you'll need

• 4 pieces of A4 orange card(£4.95 for a pack of 50 assorted colours of card)
• Alternatively, 4 pieces of white card and orange paint
• Sticky tape (£4.99 for a pack of 6)
• Green tissue paper or card (£4.95 for a pack of 50 assorted colours of card)
• Orange tissue paper or card (£4.95 for a pack of 50 assorted colours of card)
• Scissors (£3.99 for a 4 pack)
• Green and orange pipe cleaners (£1.99 for 100 assorted colours)
• Short strip of elastic string (£2.79)
• Easter stickers (£1.99) or decorations (£7.99)

How to make it

1. Tape the 4 pieces of orange card together to make a large rectangle sheet of card (or paint 4 pieces of white card orange then leave to dry and tape together)
2. Roll the card up into a cone shape (make sure it fits your child's head!)
3. Secure the cone in place with tape or staples
4. Cut off any excess at the bottom
5. Cut the green tissue paper or card into 2cm-wide strips
6. Staple or glue the green strips and green pipe cleaners around the rim of the cone
7. Cut the orange tissue paper or card into thin strips
8. Staple or glue the orange strips and pipe cleaners to the top of the cone
9. Measure how much elastic you'll need to run under your child's chin, then cut and stick to either side of the rim of the cone
10. Decorate the cone with Easter-themed decorations or stickers

4. Floral Easter Bonnet with DIY paper flowers

What you'll need

• White crepe paper (£1.35)
• Thin elastic band (£2.79)
• Scissors (£3.99 for a 4 pack)
• Felt tip pens in different colours (£5 for 24 Crayola)
• A bonnet (£3.99)
• Glue (£4.49 for a 2 pack)

How to make it

1. Make the paper flowers by creating 2cm folds in white crepe paper, turning over for each fold
2. Tie the middle of the folded paper with a thin elastic band
3. Use scissors to round-out the edges of the paper
4. Colour just the edges of the paper with a felt tip pen
5. Pull apart the folded edges
6. Repeat, using different colour felt tip pens to create different coloured flowers
7. Glue the flowers onto a bonnet

5. Giant Daffodil Easter bonnet

What you'll need

• Paper/card
• Scissors (£3.99 for a 4 pack)
• Yellow card (£4.95 for a pack of 50 assorted colours of card)
• Pen/pencil
• A bonnet (£3.59)
• PVA Glue (£4.49 for a 2 pack)
• Orange tissue paper (£1.75)

How to make it

1. Create a large, petal template out of paper/card
2. Lay the template onto yellow card and draw around it to make 14 yellow petals
3. Apply glue to the centre of the hat and glue on the orange tissue paper
4. Cut off any excess so the orange paper only covers the crown of the hat
5. Glue 7 of the petals around the rim of the hat, sticking them to the base of the crown
6. Slightly bend the next 7 petals and glue them in between the other petals
7. Optional: glue another 7 smaller petals on top to add even more definition

6. Grassy-Topped Chick's Nest Easter Bonnet

What you'll need

• A bonnet (£3.59)
• Yellow card (£4.95 for a pack of 50 assorted colours of card)
• Scissors (£3.99 for a 4 pack)
• Sticky tape (£4.99 for a pack of 6)
• Green tissue paper (£1.75)
• Mini nests or twigs (£3.99 for 4 nests)
• Mini Easter chicks and/or mini eggs (£4.89 for 12 chicks)
• Yellow feathers
• A Bow (fabric, ribbon or tissue paper)
• Optional: Easter stickers (£1.99) or decorations (£7.99)

How to make it

1. Cut yellow card to a length that will wrap in a circle around the crown of your bonnet, with its top edge a little higher than the top of the hat
2. Tape it into place
3. Cut green tissue paper into thin strips and place it on top of the hat within the yellow card
4. Add the mini nests/twigs onto the green tissue paper and place the eggs/chicks on it
5. Add yellow feathers around the rim of the nest
6. Add a bow to the brim of the hat
7. Optional: Add some Easter-themed decorations/stickers around the sides of the yellow card

A brilliant bonnet that takes slightly more effort...

7. Hot Air Balloon Bonnet

What you'll need

• A balloon (£4.99 for 60)
• Newspaper
• PVA Glue (£4.49 for a 2 pack)
• Green tissue paper (£1.75)
• Green paint (£2.95)
• Sticky tape (£4.99 for a pack of 6)
• A bow
• Small wicker basket (£2.99)
• Red tissue paper (£1.75)
• Decorative Easter eggs (£2.99)
• Hot glue gun
• A bonnet (£3.59)
• Easter-themed decorations (£7.99)

How to make it

1. Inflate the balloon and tie together
2. Glue ripped-up newspaper to the inflated balloon until it's completely covered
3. Glue green tissue paper to cover the papier-mâché balloon
4. Cover the balloon with green paint
5. Once dry, tape a bow to the middle of the hot air balloon
6. Stick red tissue paper to the inside of a wicker basket
7. Shred green tissue paper
8. Add the shredded tissue paper and decorative Easter eggs to the basket
9. Using a hot glue gun, stick the papier-mâché balloon to the handle of the basket
10. Using the hot glue gun, glue more shredded green tissue paper and Easter-themed decorations to the rim of the bonnet
11. Glue the bottom of the wicker basket to the top of the bonnet

Read more:

• Easter egg hunt clues to download and print
• Easter egg basket templates to print and make
• Step-by-step Easter bunny face paint
• Step-by-step Easter chick face paint

Just because you have children, it doesn’t mean your whole house has to resemble a soft play centre. In fact, a recent study shows that too many toys can actually be bad for both parents and children, having a negative effect on mental health, creating clutter in your brain and even slowing cognitive development.

If you’re fed up of hearing “I’ve got nothing to play with” or “I’m bored” even though your child has hundreds of toys, you'll also be pleased to hear that the same study found having fewer toys encourages children to play more creatively¹ and with a greater focus due to being less distracted.

Plus, when toys are organised clearly and in a way that a child can access themselves they're less likely to need your input to start playing well or feel like they are overwhelmed by choice.

It can be hard to know where to start with a big toy declutter though, and it can often feel like an overwhelming task, so we spoke to professional organiser Katrina Hassan founder of Spark Joy London, about how to streamline your kids' toys and keep them that way, as well as how to set up a successful Montessori-style toy rotation system.

How to declutter kids' toys

Take it one step at a time

You don't have to get all the toys out in one go and bombard yourself with decisions that will leave you feeling stressed and overloaded. Instead take it in stages starting with a Marie Kondo-style systematic sort. "Depending on how young your children are (under 10 is ideal) you can complete a wave 1 joy check for them," says Katrina. "Go through items when they’re not there and pass on / recycle any items that you know don't spark joy for them anymore.

"As a general rule, never say goodbye to an item your child will miss. You don’t want to abuse their trust. If you feel like your child will ask where something is, it's better to involve them in the decision making process for these items."

Show your children decluttering is fun

"KonMari™ is a positive process," says Katrina. "Instead of focusing on how much we want to get rid of, the focus is on the items we want to keep in our lives which we love, the things that ‘spark joy’. For children, I call this process the ‘happy check’.

"Don’t be disheartened if they don’t want to part with things at first, just be consistent in providing the opportunity for them to complete ‘happy checks’ on their toys, posing the question ‘does this item make me happy?’. Use this time as a chance to teach your child that there are children less fortunate whom they may wish to pass on some items to. Try to involve them in the visit to the charity shop, as it’s beneficial for children to see the ‘exit strategy’ in operation."

Break the job down into subcategories

If you don't have much time on your hands, it's a good idea to take on one category a day. Doing this will also help you to see if your child has a glut of one type of toy and help you organise them more successfully once you've decluttered. Katrina suggests decluttering and sorting by following this list:

1. Duplo
2. Lego
3. Trains & track
4. Marble Run
5. Magnetic Tiles
6. Puzzles & Games
7. Animals & Figures
8. Building blocks
9. Baby toys
10. Vehicles
11. Soft toys
12. Large toys
13. Electronic toys
14. Dress up
15. Beach toys
16. Outdoor toys/sports gear
17. Random!
18. Miscellaneous - party bag toot & unsubcatergorisable tat!

Decide how many toys is right for your family and stick to it

"Each parent has to decide on their own target number of toys, which best fits the needs of their child(ren) and the ability to give each item a home," says Katrina. "Having a designated space for toys is ideal and this places a limit on how many your child is able to keep.

If more toys enter the house via birthday presents, family members or hand-me-downs, it's important to remember how many toys you decided to keep in the first declutter and throw out old toys to accommodate any news ones and maintain the equilibrium.

"Be extremely mindful about what you allow to enter your home in the future. Use birthdays and Christmas as a prompt to revisit the category of toys to see if there is anything your child wishes to pass on," says Katrina.

Overcome your barriers to decluttering

If you've tried to declutter before but found the process stressful then it's time to work out what's stopping you and why. Common barriers include thinking your kids will need something in the future, fear of hurting someone's feelings if it was a gift, being sentimental about items, guilt at spending money on something that hasn't been used and unrealistically thinking you'll get round to selling unwanted toys.

"Positive decluttering is all about rooting yourself to the present moment and aligning this with your vision for the future," says Katrina. "In the KonMari Method of tidying, sentimental items are saved until the very end of the process because that is when your decision-making toolkit and confidence has been refined. By asking yourself ‘does this spark joy in my child?’ over and over again, you will feel empowered to make confident decisions about sentimental items when that times comes."

"When it comes to gifts, let go of any sense of obligation or guilt – it’s now your choice about whether this item deserves a space in your home. And let’s be honest, how many times have the people who gifted your child the item actually asked to see the item they bought them at a later date?" says Katrina.

And, if you've got a pile of toys "to sell" gathering dust in the corner or cluttering up a room, then it's time to assess how valuable they actually are to you. "When you come across an item you to intend to sell, consider how much money you make an hour in your professional life," says Katrina. "Apply this value to how much time it takes to post the item on a website, follow up on messages from potential buyers, packing the item up, taking it to the post office etc. Does the money you gain from selling the item equate to how much money you would make in your professional life? If it does, then go ahead and sell it! If it doesn’t, think twice. Your personal time is valuable too!"

Get unwanted toys out the house straightaway

If children see a sneaky pile of toys in a corner that wasn't there before, they'll be at them in minutes and before you know it you'll be back to square one. Make sure toys are taken straight to recycling or charity as soon as you've decided they aren't staying.

"Charity shops always welcome toys, especially Fara, Oxfam and Barnado's" says Katrina. "Try connecting with local mums in your area’s WhatsApp group. You can also try using Olio or NextDoor to pass on items. Other options include local schools, hospitals, churches and your local fire station (they accept cuddly toys to give to children who have been involved in a fire or incident)."

Invest in practical storage

Once you have the toys you want to keep it's important to have a dedicated space to store them. Piles of toys in one cupboard, box or basket won't encourage children to play nicely as they can't see what they have. It's a much better idea to have some sort of unit or space to display them that also makes it easy for you and your child to put them away afterwards.

"Your child is entitled to have their own space to store their things, where they are undisturbed from the daily activities of the household," says Katrina. "You can’t go wrong with a KALLAX unit from Ikea!" says Katrina.

Consider setting up a Montessori-style toy rotation system

"After reading Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne, I understood just how overwhelmed children can be when they have too many toys staring back at them," says Katrina. "He advises having no more than 12 toys out at one time. Why? Because children love novelty. Whenever we switch over toys, their interest is renewed, creating a new sense of excitement around playing. It will feel like Christmas when you bring out items from rotation storage!"

How to set-up a toy rotation system

A toy rotation system, favoured by the Montessori Method, involves storing some toys away out of sight from children and only having a select number of toys out at one time.

Every week/ month/ whatever frequency works for you and your child, you swap over the toys and choose a new box to replace the current ones. Toys need to be put into categories first to ensure this works, usually in clear plastic or labelled boxes with, for example, animals and small world figures in one box and building bricks in another.

The toys you have chosen to be out for your kids to play with shouldn't just remain in a box but be on display and easy to access so they can clearly see them. Open box storage is best for this.

The key to a successful toy rotation is sticking to it and being strict about the schedule – it won't work if you allow your children to constantly ask for new boxes. Tips for making it a success include writing on the diary when a changeover of toys is due to take place and telling children exactly how long they have left with the current toys before they go away for a while.

The system won't work for everyone as you'll need a storage space that children don't see/ have access to such as the loft, a cellar or a garage in order to store the boxes of toys not in the current rotation.

References:

1. The influence of the number of toys in the environment on toddlers, Carly Dauch, Michelle Imwalle, Brooke Ocasio, Alexia E. Metz, Infant Behavior and Development Vol. 50, February 2018

Pics: Getty Images

• Jump to our list of easy, last-minute World Book Day Costume ideas for 2025

Our no-sew costumes can be made using things you'll probably already have at home (or could quickly order online). We've even included ideas for re-purposing costumes you may already have – including pirate, witch and skeleton outfits, animal, fairy and ballerina costumes and princess dresses.

And, of course, if your child really doesn't like dressing up, there are plenty of ideas for 'costumes' where the main character in the book wears regular, everyday clothes – so all your child will need to do is hold a prop or maybe just brandish a copy of the book.

For each of our World Book Day costume ideas, we've listed out what you'll need to create it, including props and clothes (and a link to buy the book, if you don't have it already). Plus, where we can, we’ve included a pic of a child in the costume, as shared by one of the brilliant parents in our MadeForMums community, so you can get an idea of the finished 'look' you're after.

Here's our pick of easy, last-minute World Book Day Costume ideas you can put together super-quick...

1. Superworm

What you'll need:

• Pink clothes
• Pink cape or pink material to wear as a cape (optional)
• Pink headband — use paper and a pen to draw 2 big worm eyes to stick to the headband
• Or a pink towel/ blanket rolled up and decorated with paper eyes, plus any green/ garden-inspired outfit underneath.

Buy Superworm

2. Mr Bump

What you'll need:

• Blue top and trousers
• Bandage (if you have one) or toilet roll (if you don’t) to wind around your child's head and middle

We've also got a brilliant idea for dressing up as Mr Strong – see idea number 36.

Buy Mr Bump

3. What the LadyBird Heard

What you'll need:

• Red dress or skirt and top (decorate by adding circles of black paper for spots)
• Fairy wings
• Headband — use black pipe cleaners and red pom poms to stick to the headband for antennae

Buy What the Ladybird Heard

4. Paddington

What you'll need:

• Red hat
• Blue coat or blue clothes
• Red socks
• Suitcase (optional)

Buy Paddington

5. Mr Twit from The Twits

What you'll need:

• A fake beard (buy one online or make one with dark brown wool)
• Dark, messy clothes
• A paintbrush and pot

Buy The Twits

6. Dog Man

What you'll need:

• A blue t-shirt and blue cap plus jeans and brown shoes
• Fake ears (make using any brown material)
• Gold paper
• Face paint (if you want to add a dog face)

Buy Dog Man

7. Witch from Room on the Broom

What you'll need:

• Red top
• Dark coloured trousers or skirt
• Black cape
• Witch's hat and broomstick, if you have them
• Wand made from yellow card on a stick
• Toy cat (optional)

Buy Room on the Broom

8. Supertato

What you'll need:

• Black belt with cardboard S stuck on the buckle
• Brown clothes
• Mask (band of black paper with eye holes cut out)
• Red material/shirt for cape
• Play veg

Buy Supertato

9. Gangsta Granny

What you'll need:

• Bandit eye mask (or paint one on with black face paint). Or glasses – to make some, see these downloadable step-by-step instructions
• Pink or mauve jumper or cardie
• White shirt with 'Granny style’ collar
• Skirt
• Slippers
• Tights – preferably too big, so they can wrinkle around the ankles
• Sack-style bag filled with scrumpled up paper (so it's not too heavy)
• A headscarf (with rollers in the hair) or, if you're feeling creative a granny wig – see these downloadable step-by-step instructions

Buy Gangsta Granny

10. Burglar Bill

What you'll need:

• Stripey jumper
• Flat cap
• Bandit eye mask (often comes with superhero costume) or draw one on with face paint
• Swag bag filled with crumpled-up paper (or cuddly toy!)

Buy Burglar Bill

11. Little Miss Sunshine

What you'll need:

• Yellow t-shirt or jumper
• Cardboard
• Yellow paint and a black pen
• Yellow wool for the hair plus some red ribbon for the ties

Buy Little Miss Sunshine

12. Alice in Wonderland

What you'll need:

• Blue dress
• White apron/pinny
• Hair bow

Buy Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

13. Princess Pearl from Zog and the Flying Doctors

What you'll need:

• Red dress
• Doctor's coat from play kit
• Doctor's bag/ play stethoscope

Buy Zog and The Flying Doctors

14. Sparkle Boy

What you’ll need:

• Tutu
• Top and jeans
• Bead necklace
• Sparkly nail varnish

Buy Sparkle Boy

15. Harry Potter/Hermione Granger

What you'll need:

• Black cape (often comes with Halloween dressing-up costumes)
• White shirt
• Normal school trousers/skirt
• Stick (for a wand)
• Stripey tie or scarf
• For Harry only: glasses – use the downloadable glasses template from the Gangsta Granny costume, above, and colour them black
• For Harry only: red face paint or lip pencil to draw on his forehead scar

Buy Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

16. A Smed or a Smoo

What you'll need:

• Red or blue clothes
• Red or blue face paint
• Green wig or washable, spray-on hair dye (optional)
• A paper cup — paint it red or blue, cut the bottom out and attach to string

Buy The Smeds and The Smoos

17. Charlie Bucket from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

What you'll need:

• Scruffy clothes or an old jumper/cardigan
• A golden ticket – use some yellow card or cut out a section of a yellow cereal box, then write 'Golden Ticket' on the reverse side

We've also got a brilliant idea for dressing up as Charlie's Golden Ticket – see idea number 29.

Buy Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

18. Tom from Beast Quest

What you'll need:

• Brown trousers and oversized blue t-shirt you can turn into a tunic
• Laces to add to V cut into t-shirt
• Black belt
• Cardboard and brown/ grey paint to make shield and sword

Buy Beast Quest Series 1

19. A unicorn from the 'That's Not My Unicorn...'

What you'll need:

• White or light-coloured top
• Tutu or bright skirt
• Tights
• Unicorn headband if you have one (or you can make a horn using rolled-up card and attach it to a regular headband)

Buy That's not My Unicorn... 

20. Peter Rabbit

What you'll need:

• Blue jacket
• Brown trousers
• Face paint or eyebrow pencil – to draw on bunny whiskers
• Bunny ears – made with cardboard and taped to a headband
• Bag of carrots (optional)

Buy The Complete Adventures of Peter Rabbit

21. Wally from Where's Wally?

What you'll need:

• Stripey hat
• Stripey top
• Stripey socks or tights — if you have them
• Round glasses — use the downloadable glasses template from the Gangsta Granny costume, above, and colour them black

Buy Where's Wally?

22. Owen Grady from Lego Jurassic World

What you'll need:

• Checked shirt or plain shirt
• Gilet
• Walking/ desert boots
• Jeans

Buy Owen's Guide to Survival

23. Bella Broomstick

What you'll need:

• Long black dress (or black top and black skirt)
• Green belt
• Green stars (can be made from cutting green felt or card and attaching to the skirt)
• Witch's hat and broomstick, if you have them

Buy Bella Broomstick: Halloween Havoc

More witch costume ideas...

24. The Worst Witch: add a toy cat and a (messy) broomstick 25.  The Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz: accessorise with green face paint and an evil cackle 26. The cover star of That's Not My...Witch: she has green hair, if you fancy having a go with some washable, spray-on hair dye 27. The witch from The Apprentice Witch: colourful jacket or cardie over black witch's dress (or black skirt); hair in a ponytail; broom 28. Madame Olympia from Which Witch?: add a spot of make-up to get her super-glam look Pic: Tara B

29. Zog

What you'll need:

• Orange top
• Orange or beige pants
• Old orange clothing or fabric you can cut up and glue/stitch to the top to make wings
• Yellow/orange card to create a Zog-shaped mask with ears and a horn, plus a star you can stick to the chest
• Orange shoes or slippers (optional)

Buy Zog

30. A Roman from Horrible Histories Rotten Romans

What you'll need:

• White or plain t-shirt
• Colourful sheet to drape over and blet to keep in place
• Any loose trousers
• Leaf crown and cuffs made from foil (optional)

Buy Rotten Romans

31. Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family

What you'll need:

• A dark dress
• A white collar — use a school shirt underneath the dress
• Black tights
• Black shoes or boots
• Black lipstick or face paint (optional)

Buy The Addams Family: Story of the Movie

32. Billionaire Boy

What you'll need:

• Grey or dark trousers
• Big white top
• A wallet full of money (make fake notes with paper or use Monopoly money)
• For a more fun idea — if you've got time — you can stick the fake money onto the top (as shown in the middle picture above)

Buy Billionaire Boy

33.  Tracy Beaker

What you'll need:

• Red stripey top
• Messy dark hair (use washable spray-on hair dye or a wig, if your child's hair isn't the right colour)
• Sleeveless denim jacket (optional)

Buy The Story of Tracy Beaker

34. Dear Zoo

What you'll need:

• Yellow/ beige clothes or lion outfit from dressing up box
• Furry material or ears on a headband for mane
• Cardboard, red paint and string for cage (optional)

Buy Dear Zoo

35. The Snail and the Whale

What you'll need:

• Black T-shirt
• White fabric paint to draw on the snail trail message
• Toy snail to glue or pin onto the shoulder of the T-shirt (optional)
• Stuffed whale toy (optional)

Buy The Snail and the Whale

36. Elmer the Elephant

What you'll need:

• Bright coloured top
• An elephant mask: to make this, stick squares of coloured paper on 1 side of 3 paper plates, then sticking the plates together in a line, cut  holes for the eyes in the centre plate, trim the side plates into ear shapes
• White paper or card, cut into tusk shapes and attached to the mask
• Brown paper or card, folded accordion-style, for the trunk (optional)

Buy Elmer

37. Charlie Bucket's Golden Ticket

What you’ll need:

• An old pillowcase
• Gold paint (or pick a yellow pillowcase!)
• Fabric/maker pen for writing words

Buy Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

38. Happy Birthday, Blue Kangaroo

What you'll need:

• Pink clothes
• Pink ribbon in hair
• Blue kangaroo toy (optional)

Buy Happy Birthday, Blue Kangaroo

39. Mr Bean

What you'll need:

• Grey or black school trousers
• Tweed blazer
• White shirt
• Tie, preferably red

Buy Mr Bean's Entertaining Escapades

40. Matilda

What you'll need:

• A dress, preferably blue
• White cardigan (optional)
• Red hair ribbon (if possible)
• White socks
• Black shoes
• Small pile of books

Buy Matilda

41. Aliens Love Underpants

What you'll need:

• Underpants worn over trousers
• Green clothing
• Alien antennae or headband (optional)
• Spaceship made from cardboard and tin foil (optional)

Buy Aliens Love Underpants

42. The Cat In The Hat

What you'll need:

• Black leggings
• Black T-shirt
• White gloves
• Red scarf
• Stripey hat – you can make this using a tube of white card and then adding a rim and painting on red stripes
• Whiskers – drawn on with an eye pencil or face paints

We've also got a simple costume idea for dressing up as Thing 1 and/or Thing 2 — see idea number 74

Buy The Cat in the Hat

43. The Man on the Moon (A Day in the Life of Bob)

What you'll need:

• White onesie (you can get astronaut-themed ones online)
• Blow-up alien or alien toy

Buy The Man on the Moon

44. Mr Strong

What you'll need:

• Red top
• Red trousers
• Green hat
• Cardboard box covered in red paper with black eyes and mouth drawn on one side and holes made for head, arms and legs

Buy Mr Strong

45. Percy Jackson and the Olympians

What you'll need:

• Orange t-shirt
• Black marker pen to draw on symbol (or draw on card and stick on)
• Cardboard and gold paint to create shield and sword
• Blue trousers

Buy Percy Jackson books

46. George’s Marvellous Medicine

What you'll need:

• Red top
• Spoon covered in tin foil
• Old shampoo bottle with ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’ label

Buy George’s Marvellous Medicine

47. One of the Ten Little Pirates

What you’ll need:

• Stripey T-shirt
• Jeans
• Pirate hat made from cardboard or a bandana

Buy 10 Little Pirates

More pirate costume ideas

If you've got a pirate outfit, your child could dress up as: 48. The pirate from The Troll (see picture) 49. Captain Hook from Peter Pan (you can get cheap hooks from online fancy dress shops) 50. One of the pirates from Pirates Love Underpants: just remember the underpants, too! 51. One of the girl pirates from The Night Pirates Pic: Jessica H

52. Noddy

What you'll need:

• Red top
• Blue shorts and socks
• Yellow fabric to knot around the neck
• Blue bobble hat (or you can make a more pointy blue felt hat)
• Red cheeks – use blusher or red face paint

Buy Noddy: Toyland Detective

53. Interstellar Cinderella

What you'll need:

• Cardboard box ‘jetpack’
• A tool (e.g. toy spanner) or tool box
• Goggles
• Ordinary clothes

Buy Interstellar Cinderella

54. Jack and the Beanstalk

What you'll need:

• Shirt
• Light brown trousers
• Crown (optional)
• Beanstalk made from a painted cardboard tube and green leaves cut out of cardboard

Buy Jack and the Beanstalk

55. Morrigan Crow from the Nevermoor series

What you'll need:

• Black dress or skirt and top
• Red hairband
• Black boots
• Umbrella

Buy Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

56. Willie from Goodnight Mister Tom

What you'll need:

• Flat cap
• Dark coat or plain-coloured sweater
• Small box (Willie's gas mask box) tied with string to hang from your child's shoulder (optional)

Buy Goodnight Mister Tom

57. Madeline

What you'll need:

• White blouse or shirt
• Blue pinafore or dress
• White socks
• Black school shoes
• Red tie or scarf
• Straw hat (optional)

Buy Madeline

58. Harry from Harry and His Bucketful of Dinosaurs

What you'll need:

• Normal clothes – with dinosaur details, if possible
• Small bucket containing toy dinosaurs

Buy Harry & His Bucketful of Dinosaurs

59. Fantastic Mr Fox

What you'll need:

• Jacket/blazer, waistcoat and plain trousers
• Colourful scarf/bow tie
• Fox head (if you're feeling creative), made from cardboard or papier mâché, with milk bottle tops for eyes and pipe cleaners for the whiskers
• Alternatively, use cardboard to make fox ears to attach to a headband, or a fox eye mask or face-paint some foxy whiskers
• Brown scarf – attach at the waist for a tail or make a fox tail using orange wool

Buy Fantastic Mr Fox

60. Mrs Fox from Fantastic Mr Fox

What you'll need:

• Dress and cardigan
• Old hair band
• Faux fur to attach to the headband

Buy Fantastic Mr Fox

61. The Very Hungry Caterpillar

What you'll need:

• Green card and red card
• Sparkly green paper to decorate
• String
• Feathers

Buy The Very Hungry Caterpillar

62. The Very Hungry Caterpillar – part two

What you'll need:

• An old sheet, painted in butterfly colours
• Ordinary clothes
• Butterfly eye mask (optional)

Buy The Very Hungry Caterpillar

63. Snow White

What you'll need:

• A white shirt
• A long skirt
• Blue hair ribbon
• A red apple

Buy Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

64. Jonah And The Whale

What you'll need:

• Wig and beard wig – or lots of brown wool
• A white sheet or white T-shirt and trousers
• A large scarf – to make a sash
• A whale, made out of a large drinks bottle with googly eyes and big flappy cardboard tail and fins

Buy Jonah and the Whale

65. Daddy Fox from Fox And The Ghost Hunt King

What you'll need:

• Red hoodie
• Plain or white T-shirt
• Some cardboard, paint, scissors and string – for the mask
• A fox soft toy, if you've got one

Buy The Fox and the Ghost King

66. An English dictionary

What you'll need:

• Old T-shirt
• Old leggings
• Fabric/marker pen for writing words

Buy Oxford English Dictionary

67. A Welsh dictionary

What you'll need:

• Large piece of folded card or a cardboard box with 1 side removed
• Coloured pens to decorate it with words from the dictionary (it doesn't have to be a Welsh one!)

Buy the Welsh-English Picture Dictionary for Children

68. Riley from Riley Can Be Anything

What you'll need:

• School blazer or jacket
• White shirt
• Tie

Buy Riley Can Be Anything

69. Oi Frog

What you'll need:

• Green top
• Green skirt and tights or green trousers
• Green frog mask or hat made of cardboard

Buy Oi Frog!

70. Mog

What you'll need:

• Grey top and leggings
• Grey or white socks
• Hairband with grey cardboard cat ears
• Grey scarf tied around waist for a tail

Buy: Mog the Forgetful Cat

Got an animal costume?

Then here's what your child could dress up as... 71. If you've got a donkey costume, dress up as the Wonky Donkey (see picture; add an eye patch too if you have one) 72. Tiger costumes are just the thing for The Tiger Who Came to Tea. For dressing up as Sophie, from the same book, see idea no 120.  73. A dragon costume can become the dragon from Room on the Broom 74. A bear costume can make a bear from That's Not My Bear 75. A monkey costume means your child can be the little monkey in Monkey Puzzle 76. Have a mouse costume? Dress up as Maisy from the Maisy Mouse series Pic: Lindsey Gaut

77.  The Boy In The Dress

What you'll need:

• A dress
• A football

Buy The Boy in the Dress

78. Pippi Longstocking

What you'll need:

• Blue dress or dungarees
• Red T-shirt or bits of fabric, glued on like patches
• Stripey tights
• Hair in piglet plaits – you can plait in some thin, bendy wire to make them really stick out sideways

Buy Pippi Longstocking Goes Abroad

79. A Roman from Rotten Romans

What you'll need:

• A white sheet, wrapped like a toga (check out this WikiHow). And do put something under it, like a long-sleeved top and leggings, or it could get chilly!

Buy Rotten Romans

80. Billy from Billy's Bucket

What you'll need:

• Blue top
• Beige pants
• Bright bucket

Buy Billy's Bucket

81. Horrid Henry

What you'll need:

• Blue and yellow striped shirt (you can sometimes find ones with the Horrid Henry logo on, like in our pic above, on second-hand selling sites such as Vinted)
• Blue or dark trousers/jeans
• Trainers

Buy Horrid Henry

82. Percy the Park Keeper

What you'll need:

• Green cap
• Green jumper or shirt
• Stripey braces
• Light-coloured trousers
• Wellington boots

Buy The Rescue Party (one of our favourites from the bestselling Percy the Park Keeper series)

83. Thing 1 and/or Thing 2 from The Cat In The Hat

This is a great one for twins, siblings or friends...

What you'll need:

• Red/orange T-shirt and leggings
• White card – on which you can write 'Thing 1' or 'Thing 2' and then pin it on the T-shirt
• Blue wig or washable, spray-on hair dye (optional)

Buy The Cat in the Hat

Child with red hair?

Then your child could dress up as: 84. Ron Wealsey from the Harry Potter books: wear school uniform with a stripey tie 85. Tintin: gel hair up into a quiff and accessorise with a white toy dog, if you have one  86. Anne of Green Gables: wear a straw hat and a pinafore 87. Annie: wear a red dress and smile a lot! 88. Nancy Drew: carry your detective's notebook 89. Freckleface Strawberry: put hair in low pigtails and make freckles (if your child doesn't have them already) with an eyebrow pencil Pic: Getty

90. Dr Alan Grant from Jurassic Park

What you'll need:

• Beige trousers
• Denim or blue shirt
• Red neck scarf
• Sunglasses
• Hat
• ID pass (optional) made from card and sticky-backed plastic

Buy Jurassic Park

91. Mollie from The Wishing Chair

What you'll need:

There are (at least) 2 options here because different editions of the book have different outfits for Mollie...

• Blue and white stripey T-shirt with blue denim dungarees OR
• Orange spotty dress

Buy The Wishing Chair Collection

92. One of The Midnight Gang

What you'll need:

• PJs
• Pillow
• Balloon (optional)

Buy The Midnight Gang

Got fairy wings?

Then your child could dress up as: 93. Tinkerbell from Peter Pan: in a green dress, if you want to channel the Disney Tinkerbell 94. Puck from A Midsummer Night's Dream: accessorise with a mischievous grin 95. The Blue Fairy from Pinocchio: in a blue dress, obvs 96. The Wicked Fairy from Sleeping Beauty: wear black Pic: Getty

97. Angelina Sprocket

What you'll need:

• Pink dressing gown or adult shirt
• Patches of different coloured material or paper to glue onto dressing gown/shirt as pockets
• Bobbles to put hair in 3 bunches
• Glasses
• Cheese grater (optional)

Buy Angelina Sprocket's Pockets

98. Angelina Ballerina

What you'll need:

• Ballet costume or tutu and pink T-shirt
• Mouse mask or just finger-paint mouse whiskers
• Hair band with paper mouse ears attached

Buy Angelina Ballerina

99. Biff from Dogs Don't Do Ballet

What you'll need:

• Ballet costume or tutu and pink t-shirt
• White or pink tights
• Black and white face paint
• Add cardboard puppy ears on a headband (optional)

Buy Dogs Don't Do Ballet

More tutu costume ideas:

Then your child could dress up as: 100. The Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker 101. Delphie from the Magic Ballerina books: carry some ballet shoes, if you have them, and tell everyone they're magic Pic: Getty

102. Cruella de Vil or one of the 101 Dalmatians puppies

What you'll need:

For a Dalmatian puppy...

• White T-shirt
• Black marker to create spots
• White and black face paint (optional)

For Cruella de Vil...

• A black dress
• A white jacket
• Red or black gloves
• Black or white hair mascara or a wig
• A toy dog

Buy The One Hundred and One Dalmations

103. Queen of Hearts

What you'll need:

• A red or black top and skirt or red or black dress, accessorised with hearts if you have them
• Playing cards, glued together in a wide circle to make a ruff or a hat
• A suitably regal hairstyle

Buy Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

104. Greg from Diary Of A Wimpy Kid

What you'll need:

• White T-shirt
• Black shorts
• Backpack
• Trainers
• White card with Greg's face drawn and cut out (optional)

Buy Diary of a Wimpy Kid

105. Malala

What you'll need:

• A pink headscarf
• A pencil
• A notebook for magical ideas

Buy Malala's Magic Pencil

Got a princess outfit?

Your child could dress up as: 106. Sleeping Beauty: no snoozing in class, mind! 107. Cinderella: glass slippers might be a stretch but you could accessorise with an invitation to the ball 108. The Princess And The Pea: scrunch up some green paper for a pea prop 109. The Princess And The Frog: accessorise wth a toy frog, if you have one 110. Little Princess: make her trademark big yellow pointy crown out of card Pic: Getty

111. Captain Tom Moore

What you'll need:

• Blue shirt
• White scarf or tie
• Multi-coloured paper to make medals and ribbons

Buy Captain Tom Moore (Little People, BIG DREAMS)

112. Amelia Jane

What you'll need:

• 2 bows to make bunches
• Red (ideally patterned) dress
• Patterned tights (don't have to match)
• A little red face paint or blush for the cheeks

Buy The Amelia Jane Collection

113. Sugarlump and The Unicorn

What you'll need:

• White top
• Tutu
• Pink or white tights
• Unicorn headband — make from adding a paper or cardboard horn to a regular headband

Buy Sugarlump and the Unicorn

114. Mona the Vampire

What you'll need:

• Red cardigan
• White shirt
• Black skirt
• White tights
• Purple material for cloak
• Pipe cleaners to section and twist up hair

Buy Mona the Vampire and the Jackpot Disaster

More ideas vampire costume ideas:

Your child could dress up as: 115. Rudolph in The Little Vampire 116. Dracula 117. Ivy in My Sister, The Vampire: accessorise with school books Pic: Getty

118. Stick Man

Pics: Abi Fields and Louise Dzokoto

What you'll need:

• Brown clothes
• A couple of twigs or leaves to hold
• Leaf-shaped scraps of fabric to thread through belt or glue on brown top

Buy Stick Man

119. Betty O'Barley from The Scarecrows' Wedding

What you'll need:

• White dress
• Feathers (to stick on to the dress)
• A hat, preferably straw
• Small bouquet of flowers

Buy The Scarecrows' Wedding

120. Captain Underpants

What you'll need:

• Light-coloured clothes
• A pair of underpants – to go on top
• A red cape or blanket

Buy The Adventures of Captain Underpants

121. Sophie from The BFG

What you'll need:

• Pink dress
• Empty glass or plastic jar
• Piece of paper to write 'Sophie's Dreams' on – and stick to your jar

Buy The BFG

Got a skeleton outfit?

Then your child could dress up as: 122. One of the Funnybones skeletons: add a quirky hat 123. One of the skeleton ancestors in Pixar's Coco 124. The Skeleton Inside You: be a fact book in person! Pic: Getty

125. Goldilocks

What you’ll need:

• Normal clothes
• 3 teddy bears, preferably in different sizes

Buy Goldilocks and the Three Bears

126. The Paper Bag Princess

What you’ll need:

• Large takeaway bag
• Flesh-coloured tights
• Pale pink jumper
• Headband with cardboard crown (optional)

Buy The Paper Bag Princess

127. Isadora Moon

What you'll need:

• Black dress or black shirt and top
• Black and white stripey tights
• Vampire wings
• Bat hairband (optional)

Buy Isadora Moon Meets the Tooth Fairy

128. Sophie from the Tiger who Came to Tea

What you'll need:

• Dark pinafore dress
• Blue/purple shirt
• Pink or purple tights
• Purple ribbon in hair
• Tiger stuffed toy

Buy The Tiger who Came to Tea

129. The Highway Rat

What you'll need:

• White shirt
• Leggings (purple, black, blue)
• Black boots/shoes
• Black cape – or black hoodie/jumper knotted over shoulders
• A pirate hat, if you have one

Buy The Highway Rat

130. Lily Bobtail

What you'll need:

• Headband (add cardboard bunny ears)
• Pink cardie
• Pink/red dress

Buy Lily's Party Time

131. The Jolly Postman

What you'll need:

• Smart trousers (pref navy)
• Smart jumper or blazer (pref navy)
• Shirt and tie
• Smart shoes
• Cap
• Over the shoulder bag
• Some envelopes

Buy The Jolly Postman

132. Lola from Big Hair, Don't Care

What you'll need:

• Pink headband
• Pink vest top
• Shorts
• Trainers

Buy Big Hair Don't Care

And if you've got a bit more time to do a spot of paper mâché...

133. The Gruffalo

We've put together a how-to video for this papier mache Gruffalo mask, which is super-quick to make – although you'll need to remember to factor in some drying time.

What you'll need:

• PVA glue
• Masking tape
• Cardboard
• Balloon
• Paints and marker pen
• Newspaper
• Tissue paper

Watch the full Make a Gruffalo mask video tutorial

Buy The Gruffalo

134. Aslan from The Chronicles Of Narnia

We've put together a how-to for this easy-to-make papier mache lion mask.

What you'll need:

• PVA glue
• Masking tape
• Cardboard
• Paint and marker pen
• Newspaper
• Balloon

Watch the full Make a Lion mask video tutorial

Buy The Complete Chronicles of Narnia

Additional research by Emily Longman Wall

Read more:

• Is it a cop out to go as a Disney princess on World Book Day?
• Easter egg hunts for all ages: free printable clues
• 10 questions to ask when visiting a primary school

According to Helen Brown, author of Parenting for Dummies: "Your 2 year old is full of energy and curiosity." At this time, your toddler will also start to "pretend more during play, using familiar objects and situations to copy the grown-ups in their lives," says Helen.

She also recommends: "Toys that offer opportunities to explore and repeat, ride-on toys get a big thumbs-up, as do anything that lights up or beeps when you press its buttons. Simple puzzles and construction toys can also come into the mix, now that your child's hand-eye co-ordination is improving."

Above all, though, it's got to be fun: "There's no point a toy having amazing development-boosting potential if it's simply not much fun to play with."

So, to help you decide what to buy your 2 year old we've gone out and reviewed over 20 of the best products, below you'll find products for every occasion and honest feedback from our child testers.

Best toys for 2 year olds at a glance

Best educational toys for 2 year olds

• Leapfrog My 1st Phonics: Spin & Learn, £20
• Early Learning Centre Wooden Stacking Train, £29.99 £17.50
• Musical Hop Out Mizzie Music Box, £24.99

Best outdoor toys and ride-ons for 2 year olds

• Little Tikes CozyCoupe Ride-On, £70
• Kidvelo Rookie 12 Balance Bike, £110
• Micro 4in1 Mini 2 Grow Scooter, £120
• Xootz Big Bumper Car Electric Ride-On, £99
• Marvel Spiderman 6v Light-Up Web Slinger Mini Quad, £80

Best interactive toys for 2 year olds

• Fisher-Price DJ Bouncin' Beats, £34.99
• VTech 3-in1 Sports Centre, £49.99 £37.99

Best travel toys for 2 year olds

• LEGO DUPLO Number Train, £17.99
• Little Fox Quiet Book, £44.95-£49.95

Best role-play toys for 2 year olds

• Toomies Bath Barista, £23.99 £19.99
• LeapFrog Count-along Basket & Scanner, £39.99 £25.99
• LeapFrog Scoop and Learn Ice Cream Cart, £59.99 £39.99

Best soft toys for 2 year olds

• CoComelon Boo Boo JJ from Bandai, £34.99
• iFrodoll Personalised Deep Skin Tone Plush Doll Nevaeh, £16.99
• Stitch FX Disney Puppet, £79.99

What are the best toys for 2 year olds?

Jump to:

• Best educational toys for 2 year olds
• Best outdoor toys and ride-ons for 2 year olds
• Best interactive toys for 2 year olds
• Best travel toys for 2 year olds
• Best role-play toys for 2 year olds
• Best soft toys for 2 year olds

Best educational toys for 2 year olds

1. LeapFrog My 1st Phonics: Spin & Learn, £19.99

Available at: Argos and Amazon

Age suitability: 18 months+ | Best for age: 2+ | Batteries: 3 x AA batteries (included)

This toy has 5 double-sided flip pages featuring colourful images and over 100 words chosen specifically to help toddlers learn language and sounds. Kids can press the 10 light up buttons to explore each picture, learning the word, and highlighted letter sound or they can press the big red button in the middle to see the lights swirl around.

2. Early Learning Centre Wooden Stacking Train, £35.99

Available at: Marks and Spencer

Age suitability: 12 months+ | Best for age: 2+ | Size: L45cm x W10cm x H16cm | Batteries: None

The little wooden engine pulls 2 wagons, all made from FSC-certified wood, that you build from a set of wheels, a flatbed with a stacking pole and 15 stacking blocks – 6 of which have numbers on one side and letters on the other. It’s sturdy, bright and well designed. With all the colours, numbers and letters, it offers lots of stacking and learning opportunities on top of simple push-along train play.

3. Mizzie The Kangaroo Hop Out Music Box, £24.99

Available at: Amazon and Not On The High Street

Age suitability: 18 months+ | Best for age: 2+ | Size: L13cm x W13cm x H14cm | Batteries: None

A retro-style, battery-free jack-in-the-box toy: you wind the lever and, to the tune of Pop Goes the Weasel, out of the tin pops soft and furry Mizzie the kangaroo. It’s a great toy to teach cause and effect, while guaranteeing plenty of giggles too.

Best outdoor toys and ride-ons for 2 year olds

4. Little Tikes Cozy Coupe, £69.99

Available at: Argos

Age suitability: 18 months+ | Best for age: 2 | Size: H41.61cm, W72.72cm, D38.74cm | Batteries: None

The iconic Little Tikes Cozy Coupe now has an update to the tried-and-tested design that has long delighted children. The newer design of the four-wheeled, brightly coloured ride-on car features a friendly face on the front, a parent grab handle on the roof and a removable floor. With the floor inserted, toddlers’ feet are protected while an adult can use the grab handle on top to push the car. Once your child is old enough to propel themselves, parents can remove the floor out and let them enjoy getting about using foot-to-floor power.

The Little Tikes Cozy Coupe also has fun features for more realistic car-themed play, including a working door, clicking ignition switch, beeping horn, and open-and-close petrol cap.

5. Kidvelo Rookie 12 Balance Bike, £130

Available at: Kidvelo

Age suitability: 18 months+ | Best for age: 2+ | Weight: 2.89kg |  Maximum child weight: 30kg | Batteries: None

A balance bike is a great buy for a 2-year-old, allowing them a good couple of years to become a pro at steering and balancing on two wheels before moving on to a ‘proper’ bike with pedals. And we really like this balance bike, with its sturdy frame, 12in wheels and bouncy tyres, because it's very lightweight and super-adjustable.

The saddle height can be fine-tuned between 30cm and 48cm at the pull of a lever and the handlebars can be rotated with an Allen key (included) to alter the reach depending on your child's arm length. There are also angled integrated footrests with non-slip grip riders, a control-improving threadless alloy headseat (a feature more usually seen on adult performance bikes) and – a huge hit with our testers – a little bell. It’s worth knowing that the tyres are air-filled (lovely for smooth riding on any surface, but you'll need a foot pump) and there are no brakes (tricky for a toddler to master but included on some balance bikes).

6. Micro 4in1 Mini 2 Grow Scooter, £120

Available at: Pram World, Kid Collective and Selfridges

Age suitability: 12 months+ | Best for age: 18 months+ | Batteries: 2 x AA batteries (not included)

This Micro Mini Grow Scooter has a 4 different set-ups to grow with your child's development. First it's a parent steered ride on trike for ages 12 months+, then an independent ride on trike for ages 18 months+, then a Micro toddler scooter for kids over 2, and finally a Mini Micro scooter for ages 3-6. All of these phases have light up handlebars and light up wheels.

7. Xootz Big Bumper Car Electric Ride-On, £99.99

Available at: Currys and Very

Age suitability: 18 months+ | Best for age: 5+ | Size: H69cm x W48.7cm x D93cm | Batteries: 1 x 12V (included) plus 3 x AAA (not included)

Bring fairground fun to your living room with the Xootz Big Bumper Car, an electric ride-on designed in the shape of a bumper car. This ride-on can be used in the house or garden, but don’t worry, parents – there is a rubberised bumper to protect your furniture. The ride-on has room for 2 passengers and can be controlled with a steering wheel or a parental remote control.

While this isn’t the smallest of toys, you don’t need a huge area, with the mum of our child tester being surprised at how little space was needed (it can do a full 360° spin on the spot). You will need to charge it first — charging time is up to 8 hours — and the running time is around 45 minutes. It also has flashing lights, plays music and comes with stickers for customisation.

8. Marvel Spider-Man 6v Light-Up Web Slinger Mini Quad, £80

Available at: Argos and Very

Age suitability: 2+ | Best for age: 2.5 | Size: H46.5cm x W65cm x D39.5cm | Batteries: 1 x 6V battery required (included)

Sling web discs with the Marvel Spider-Man 6v Light-Up Web Slinger Mini Quad, a child-sized quad bike decorated with colourful character graphics. Featuring Spider-Man characters, web-shaped mouldings and glowing headlight eyes, this Mini Quad is activated using a foot-operated pedal control with both forward and reverse gears. It can be driven around your house or garden at a max speed of 2.5mph. While you’ll need to charge it before use, once the battery is full there is an estimated playtime of 60 minutes.

Best interactive toys for 2 year olds

9. Fisher-Price DJ Bouncin’ Beats, £35

Available at: Amazon and Argos

Age suitability: 9 months+ | Best for age: 18 months+ | Size: L17cm x W30cm x H33cm | Batteries: 4 x AA (included)

A musical learning toy with an interactive, hopping twist, this fun plastic rabbit bounces around when your child presses the buttons between its ears. Ears flashing and face glowing, it plays more than 75 songs, sounds and phrases at 3 levels, aimed at different stages of development and including letters, colours, numbers and opposites.

10. VTech 3-in-1 Sports Centre, £49.99

Available from: Very and Amazon

Age suitability: 12 months+ | Best for age: 2+ | Size: L58cm x W44cm x H66cm| Batteries: 3 x AA (included)

This little interactive sports centre lets you shoot a basket, net a goal or throw to hit a target (that’s round the back behind the scoreboard). It comes with a pint-sized football, a pint-sized basketball and small throwing ball. The electronic scoreboard counts the shots that score and plays encouraging phrases. It also features buttons to press that trigger songs and encourage learning about shapes and colours.

Best travel toys for 2 year olds

11. LEGO DUPLO Number Train, £18

Available at: LEGO, Argos and Amazon

Age suitability: 18 months+ | Best for age: 18 months+ | Size: L37cm x W6cm x H10cm | Batteries: None

This buildable, wheeled locomotive has 3 carriages, with numbered bricks to load on board. It’s colourful, easy to build and push along, and introduces numbers and counting in a fun way. It also comes with 2 child figures and a very cute cat. It was a real hit with our toddler testers, especially Sam, 2. It’s nice and light too, and would be a good toy to stash in a carry bag when you’re travelling.

12. Little Fox Quiet Book, £44.95-£49.95

Available at: Little Camie

Age suitability: 18 months + | Best for age: 18 months| Size: 15cm x 15cm | Batteries: None

The Montessori-inspired Little Fox Quiet Book is a fabric book with sensory play activities on each page. There are interactive scenes with human and animal characters as well as fabric features like moving pieces, buttons, zips, Velcro, and elastic for little hands to engage with. Activities include feeding animal characters with fabric food, threading a mouse though a piece of cheese and playing with a friendly fox’s tail.

The book is 100% handmade and all the components are hand-sewn, which is reflected in the high price for an activity book. Despite this delicate touch, the book is designed to be sturdy, durable, and reusable. It is useful for travelling as it contains multiple activities in one small fabric book.

Best role-play toys for 2 year olds

13. Toomies Bath Barista, £23.99

Available at: Amazon and Argos

Age suitability: 18 months+ | Best for age: 18 months+ | Size: H23.3cm x W23.5cm x D10.2cm | Batteries: None

The Bath Barista is a pretend coffee machine designed to be played with in water. The toy allows children to mimic adults making coffee by placing a cup under the filter, twisting a handle and serving a drink into one of the 3 plastic cups (included). Want to add foam to your drink? Create frothy foam bubbles by pumping a plunger. For adding a finishing touch, a sprinkle shaker is included with the Bath Barista. Suction pads also allow it to be easily attached to wall tiles, bath sides or any smooth surface.

14. LeapFrog Count-along Basket & Scanner, £39.99

Available at: Very and Argos

Age suitability: 2+ | Best for age: 2+ | Size: L17cm x W24cm x H32cm | Batteries: 2 x AAA (included)

This vibrant shopping basket comes with 8 pieces of play food and an interactive ‘scanner’ that recognises each food item as it’s scanned. It has 3 game modes based on colours, shapes, counting and food groups. The handle on the basket can also be pulled out to turn it into a rollalong trolley basket. It’s solidly made, brightly coloured, with well thought-out games (and a friendly, encouraging voice to guide you through them) – but it’s the scanner that's the absolute star feature. The fact that it recognises each piece of play food captivated all our toddler testers.

15. LeapFrog Scoop and Learn Ice Cream Cart, £59.99

Available at: Very and Amazon

Age suitability: 2+ | Best for age: 2+ | Size: L52cm x W22cm x H63cm | Batteries: 3 x AAA (included)

This interactive push-along trolley is stacked with ice cream combos for your toddler to create and serve. It comes with 6 activity cards you can insert into the cart to hear ice-cream orders to make and then ring through the till. It’s a definite toddler hit and the ‘magic ice cream scoop’, which recognises the different colours and flavours on offer, really wowed our little testers. The activity cards are great for reinforcing colours and numbers and we like how the cart “gobbles up” all the left-over ice cream.

Best soft toys for 2 year olds

16. CoComelon Boo Boo JJ, £34.99

Available at:  Amazon

Age suitability: 2+ | Best for age: 2+ | Size: L10cm x W12cm x H30cm‎| Batteries: 3x AAA (included)

You do pay a bit of a premium for Cocomelon-themed toys but this cuddly plush doll definitely does deliver on the toddler-thrill front. He’s nice and big to squeeze and comes with 3 brightly coloured Velcro-backed fabric plasters – which you put on his head, elbow, knee or foot when that area lights up and JJ tells you he’s got a ‘boo boo’. Get your plaster in the right spot and JJ giggles and tells you he’s feeling better. You can also press his tummy and he'll sing the Boo Boo song.

17. iFrodoll Personalised Deep Skin Tone Plush Doll Nevaeh, £16.99

Available at: iFrodoll

Age suitability: From birth | Best for age: 2+ | Size: L9cm x W14cm x H34cm | Batteries: None

One of a range of soft dolls with brown and black skin tones that can be personalised – for free – with your child's name, Nevaeh has a smiley round face, curly, textured hair in a top-bun and wears a (non-removable) dress with a tutu skirt. She’s super soft and just the right weight (128g) and size for a toddler to carry about or wrap arms around and snuggle tight at bedtime. She’s also machine-washable.

18. Stitch FX Disney Puppet, £79.99

Available at: The Toy Shop

Age suitability: From birth | Best for age: 2+ | Batteries: 3 x AAA (not included)

This Stitch puppet is full of personality, it makes a range of different noises and even says some of Stitch's best catchphrases while wiggling its ears and opening its eyes.

We've got more top tested and rated toys here...

• The top Christmas toys – for all ages
• Best toys for newborns
• Best toys for 6 to 12-month olds
• Best toys for 1 year olds 
• Best toys for 3 year olds
• Best toys for 4 year olds
• Best toys for 5 year olds
• Best toys for 6 year olds
• Best toys for 7 year olds
• Best toys for 8 year olds
• Best toys for 9 year olds

There are lots of reindeer food 'recipes' out there but most use sparkles and glitter and other ingredients that are non-biodegradable and not very friendly to wildlife. And we think if you're going to be spreading Christmassy stuff around outside, it's good to be mindful of the birds and wildlife who could come across it – as well as the reindeer, of course.

So we've come up with our own recipe for reindeer food that's eco-friendly and kind to small garden creatures, as well as big, red-nosed creatures from the North Pole.

Best of all, it's super simple to make – especially if you follow our video guide (above) and/or our step-by-step instructions below...

How to make eco-friendly reindeer food: your step-by-step guide

For the eco-friendly reindeer food mixture, you will need:

• Handful of porridge oats
• Small handful of cranberries (or any small dried fruit)
• Handful of pumpkin seeds (or other small seeds)

For making the reindeer-themed bags, you will need:

• Small bags – we've recycled some plastic cones but you could use cloth bags or make newspaper cones
• Brown pipe cleaners (£3.95)
• Stick-on googly eyes (£1)
• Red pom-poms (£1)
• Craft glue (£4)

How to mix the reindeer food:

• Pour all the dry ingredients in a bowl
• Stir them all together to combine

How to bag your reindeer food:

• Scoop a portion of the mixture into each bag
• Tie and secure each bag with a pipe cleaner, curving the ends so they look like antlers
• Stick 2 googly eyes and 1 pom-pom nose on each bag

Video produced and edited by: Emma Onuma

Read more:

• Christmas Eve traditions to start with your family
• Fun ideas for Christmas bakes with your kids
• Magical ways to bring Santa into your house
• Christmas craft and activity ideas for kids

We've pulled together some brilliantly simple guides to face-painting the best kids' Halloween looks, including a mini vampire, a wicked witch, a scream-worthy ghost, a scurrilous pirate and, of course, a bright orange pumpkin.

Each guide contains easy-to-follow photo and video guides, so you can follow whichever format suits you best. And if you're looking for something to help countdown to trick or treat time, why not try a Halloween advent calendar?

Jump to our Halloween face painting guides:

• The wicked witch
• The vampire
• The ghost
• The pumpkin
• The pirate

Here are 5 scarily good Halloween face paint ideas for kids...

1. The wicked witch

Cast an impressive face-painting spell with this magic look. It's all about highlighting the green (of course!) base with blue accents and lots of black witchy details.

See our witch face-paint guide – with photo step-by-step and how-to video

2. The vampire

This fledgling vampire face-paint look is simple and super-fast to do – so you don't need your child to sit still for hours. Fang-tastic for fidgety kids...

See our vampire face-paint guide – with photo step-by-step and how-to video

3. The ghost

Boo! This spookily easy face-paint look creates a friendly phantom – although you could tweak the features on the ghost's face if you're after something a little more haunting...

See our ghost face-paint guide with photo step-by-step and how-to video

4. The pumpkin

Yes, you can turn your little pumpkin into an actual pumpkin with this bright and bold face-paint idea. Excellent for kids (or parents) who'd prefer a Halloween look that steers well clear of the dark side for inspiration.

See our pumpkin face-paint guide – with photo step-by-step and how-to video

5. The pirate

Shiver those tiny timbers with this swashbuckling face-paint pirate look. Perfect for mini Jack Sparrows – and a godsend if you've got pirate-y clothes but haven't been able to find an eye patch.

See our pirate face-paint guide – with photo step-by-step and how-to video

Pics: Top Testers Club members (see each face-paint guide for individual credits); Snazaroo

Read more:

• Best Halloween costumes for babies, toddlers and children
• At what age can a child go trick or treating on their own?
• Best Halloween recipes