Play guides
Practical buying advice from people who have assembled, played with and tidied up everything we sell.
Age labels on toys: what they actually mean
The number on the box is a safety rating first and a development guide second. Reading it the other way round leads to disappointing gifts.
10 August 2026
Magnetic tiles: what to look for before you buy your first set
Not all tiles hold. Here is how to tell a set that will survive being carried across a room from one that will not.
10 August 2026
How to buy a toy your child will still use in six months
Most toys are abandoned inside a fortnight. The ones that survive share four traits — and none of them is the price.
10 August 2026